"If Lawrence decides to break our agreement and see Nolan and Lana behind my back, I won't hesitate to cut off all contact with him," Nicole stated firmly."What is he even thinking? I can't wrap my head around it," Lulu fumed. "How can he hurt you and then act like nothing's wrong?"Lulu found Lawrence's actions incomprehensible. 'Is he heartless, or is he just not thinking straight?'"There's a lot you don't know," Nicole said, her eyes narrowing with meaning.Lawrence wasn't just a company's CEO; he held significant influence in Mecrounia. When Nicole and Jared sought his help five years ago, his status was already high.Now, his position in Mecrounia was even more prominent, not to mention his hidden, darker identity.Nicole was aware of all this, as Lawrence hadn't kept it from her before she regained her memory.As Lulu observed Nicole's thoughtful expression, her own demeanor grew more serious.While Lulu didn't know all the details, she could tell from Nicole's tone tha
"No, that's out of the question," Lawrence's voice held a firmness that emphasized the decisiveness of his choice. Pursuing Nolan and Lana at this point would jeopardize any chance of reconciliation in the future.Ian simply nodded, concentrating on driving, thinking to himself, 'If Mr. Royce can't devise a plan, there's little I can do to assist.'Reclining in his seat, Lawrence stared out of the car window, lost in thought as the sun began to set.After finishing work, Nicole exited the company and climbed into Jared's car."Max, let's head to the kindergarten," Nicole instructed."Got it," Max responded, steering the car in the direction of the kindergarten.Jared glanced at her, speaking softly, "Why the sudden decision to pick up Nolan and Lana?"Nicole took a deep breath, biting her lip slightly as she recounted Lawrence's visit to Jared, expressing her worry that Lawrence might try to see Nolan and Lana secretly after she had turned him down.A shadow passed over Jared's
"Back already?" Daniel and Gloria beamed with affection at their grandchildren.Nicole and Jared took their seats, explaining, "We had some free time today, so we decided to pick them up.""It's good to see you both have the energy to do that. It seems like Riddle Corporation must be doing alright now," Daniel remarked, relieved.The past few days had been hectic for both Nicole and Jared, but now that they had some time to relax, it seemed like their problems had been resolved."Yes, now we're just waiting for the penalty notice for NandoCorp," Nicole said calmly, with a smile.Gloria responded with a hint of resignation, "Let the penalty come if it must, as long as the issue is resolved.""Mom, actually, the penalty is a good thing," Nicole reassured her with a smile."I might not be involved in the company matters, and I really don't understand, but how can a penalty be a good thing?" Gloria asked, frowning slightly in confusion."Let's not talk about work now. You don't und
"Got it," Nicole nodded in agreement.Heading upstairs, Nicole and Jared entered Nolan's room.Seeing the two kids engrossed in their activities, Nicole smiled and said, "You're both so well-behaved.""Mommy, how's my drawing?" Lana, holding her drawing board and tilting her head up, proudly showed her work.Nicole admired Lana's drawing and praised, "It's wonderful."Lana laughed happily and showed her drawing to Jared, saying, "Daddy, check out mine too!"Jared, feeling warm inside, picked Lana up and looked at her artwork, saying, "Wow, that's amazing! How about we draw something together, you and me?""Yay!" Lana agreed, passing a brush to Jared.While Nicole watched them draw together, she smiled and went over to Nolan."What are you thinking about?" Nicole asked when she saw Nolan staring at the computer screen with a puzzled look."I'm stuck here. I think there might be another way, but I can't figure it out," Nolan replied, looking frustrated."Let me see," Nicole sa
"Are you sure Nolan's feelings for Nona are pure?" Jared's expression turned serious. He thought, if Nolan could act like that, maybe Rami had some secret plan against Lana.Nicole was surprised by Jared's words. After a moment, she managed a smile and said, "It's not common to find a child as mature as Nolan."From Nicole's perspective, it wasn't right to suspect other children because of her son. Even if her son wasn't completely sincere, he wasn't as cunning as an adult."Okay, let's invite Rami to the birthday party," Jared decided. He wanted to see for himself if Rami was innocent or not.Watching Jared's frustrated expression, Nicole shook her head. She mused, 'Maybe all dads feel this way, wanting to protect their daughters from boys.'To her, the future was unpredictable, and the children would grow up. So, there was no need to be hostile toward Rami.****Nicole and Jared had been picking up Nolan and Lana themselves over the past three days as they wanted to make sure
"Okay," Lulu agreed, then turned and left.Nicole settled back into her office chair and picked up the documents beside her, ready to dive into her work.Meanwhile, Everett stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling windows of his office, seemingly looking outside, though his gaze appeared fixed on something in the distance."Mr. Wright, their press statement has been widely covered, and we're at a loss on how to proceed. I'm afraid..." Jerry's face was pale, his voice growing softer as he spoke.The Riddle Corporation's apology caught Everett and Jerry off guard, feeling more like a knife than an apology. Their move left them with no way to respond.The news exploded almost instantaneously, despite their attempts to address it as soon as they heard. It was too late."Hmm," Everett responded indifferently."Mr. Wright?" Jerry was confused. 'So, that's all?'Everett turned around slowly, his voice somber as he replied, "Nicole planned everything."'If it was Nicole's plan, how coul
"Oh, who's coming tomorrow, and have you told everyone?" Lulu asked.Nicole paused before answering, "Nolan and Lana have asked some of their friends in school, and the rest are family.""That's good. Too many people might make the children uncomfortable. As long as they're with their friends, they'll be happy," Lulu reasoned."First, we're going to the amusement park tomorrow, then we'll come back home in the afternoon. By evening, their friends should arrive, and the rest of the guests will be there too. That's when we'll start the birthday party," Nicole explained."Great, then I'll see you tomorrow evening. You all go and have a good time. I'll head home first to see if there's anything else I can help with," Lulu said with a smile. "I won't be joining you at the amusement park.""That works," Nicole agreed.Knock, knock, knock.Nicole glanced toward the door. "Come in," she called out."Ms. Riddle, Mr. Royce is here," Patricia said, opening the door and stepping to the sid
"I'll accept the gifts on their behalf, but I still can't invite you to the birthday party. It's just not appropriate," Nicole stated calmly, without hesitation.Lawrence, feeling a bit awkward, managed a helpless smile and said, "Even though I just threatened you, you didn't have to retaliate so quickly."He knew she wouldn't invite him to the birthday party, but her blunt declaration still made it hard for him to accept."I'm just stating the facts," Nicole replied with a serene smile, appearing innocent.Lawrence was momentarily lost in thought, just as Lulu came in."Mr. Royce, your coffee." Lulu said, placing the coffee on the table.A flicker of discomfort crossed Lawrence's face. "No need, I was just leaving now that we've discussed everything."Watching Lawrence leave abruptly, Lulu looked surprised. "He's gone just like that?""Nicole, was it something you said? He seemed a bit off," Lulu inquired."It's nothing, just that I didn't invite him to the birthday party," N
"Let's go, it's time to head down. The ceremony will start soon."The group laughed and talked as they left the bridal suite. Jared and his friends, Spencer and Preston, were also guided out by everyone.Now, only the family of four remained in the bridal suite, getting ready for their big entrance."Mommy, it's almost time. Let's get ready," Nolan said, pulling on Nicole's hand.Nicole gently patted Nolan and Lana's cheeks, whispering, "Okay."As she made to stand, Jared extended his hand toward her. Lifting her gaze, she caught Jared in a moment of elegance, his charm unmistakable. A smile bloomed on her face as she placed her hand in his.With a gentle tug, Jared drew her up, his touch tender against her palm.In a swift move, he pulled Nicole into his arms, his other hand circling her waist to pull her close.As Jared looked at Nicole, admiration shimmered in his eyes. "You look truly beautiful today," he remarked."Daddy, Mommy is beautiful every day," Lana chimed in, til
Nicole laughed off the debate between Lulu and June, saying, "Both are lovely. I'm happy with either."Both sets of jewelry were beautiful, and she felt that either would do."Exactly. Nicole will shine in anything," Cindy said, picking a set. "Let's go with this one."Lulu gave June a victorious look. "Told you this was the one."Cindy then suggested, "Why not wear this for the ceremony and switch for the reception? That way, we use both.""Great idea," June agreed, smiling at Cindy's suggestion.Nicole smiled. "Sounds perfect."With everyone agreeing, the stylist went ahead with preparing Nicole.Lulu watched Nicole, amazed by how calm she seemed. "Aren't you a bit nervous?" she asked. Lulu remembered her own wedding jitters.Nicole bit her lip, a hint of nerves showing. "I'm more excited than anything," she admitted.She had been looking forward to this day, ready to face the future with Jared with hope and joy."Just finished," the stylist announced, stepping back to adm
"Do you think I don't want to meet someone? I just haven't found the right person," Gary said somewhat resignedly. He had long regarded Nicole as just a friend."Why don't we just try the dates our families set up?" Ryder suggested, calm and collected. He figured since finding someone on his own wasn't working, maybe arranged dates could help. In their circles, it seemed like good matches were meant to be."Arranged dates don't sound great. You hardly know the person. Are we really okay with deciding to spend our lives together like that?" Preston wasn't too keen on the idea."Emery's doing pretty well with it, you know," Ryder said confidently. "I trust our families. They wouldn't set us up with someone terrible. They've probably made sure we'd be a good match."Gary thought it over. "You might be right. Our families aren't just trying to make deals; they want us to be happy."As Gary and Ryder seemed more into the idea, Preston was still unsure. "You guys are serious?""Why not
Jared held Nicole close and looked at her. "After we get married, we'll move to the estate," he said.Their future home would be just theirs.He thought it was good for Nicole to spend more time with her family since she hadn't been with them for five years. But they knew they would move to the estate later."Okay," Nicole said, nodding. She was happy Jared made the estate close to her family, so she was okay with moving.Jared gently touched her hair and kissed her...****Time flew, and soon it was Nicole and Jared's wedding day.From the morning, San Joto was alive with excitement. Everyone was talking about Jared and Nicole's wedding.Politicians, business leaders, close friends, and business partners all came to wish the couple well.The Riddles were busy welcoming the guests, making everything look amazing."Patricia, hurry up, Charlie's here," Ellar called out as he spotted Charlie. He quickly got Patricia to come and greet him. Max, hearing the fuss, came over too.C
"You really need to rest. You shouldn't work for the next few days. Stay home and rest. A bride has to look her best," Gloria said, looking at Nicole and making the decision for her."Bride!" Nicole was surprised because she hadn't talked about any wedding yet."Yes, now that everything is settled, it's time for your wedding with Jared," Gloria said, deciding firmly. She used to think it was best for the kids to decide for themselves, but after several delays, she felt waiting longer made no sense. The wedding should happen soon."I was thinking that too," Jared said. They had planned the wedding after solving the Everett problem, but then they found out Lawrence had hurt Nicole in the past, causing more delays. Now, with everything sorted out, they saw no reason to wait. The wedding was the next big step.Nicole looked at Jared and, with a smile, agreed, "Okay." Their wedding had been waiting for five years; it was time, with no need to wait any longer."That's so cool, I'm the f
Patricia felt a mix of reluctance and happiness as she prepared to part ways with Charlie.Jared glanced at Charlie and said, "It's about time for us to board." He tenderly held Nicole's hand and led her toward the boarding gate."I need to go through the boarding procedures too," Patricia said, biting her lip. "You must find happiness as well.""I will," Charlie assured her with a gentle smile, giving her a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "You've grown up, too. You don't need to cling to me anymore. I believe Ellar will take great care of you."Patricia nodded, then, leaning closer to Charlie, she whispered, 'When Mr. Johnston and Ms. Riddle get married, make sure you bring my future sister-in-law back with you.' Caught off guard, Charlie playfully scolded her, "You little rascal."Doretta, standing not too far away, overheard Patricia's whispered words. Her cheeks turned even redder."Let's go," Patricia announced, then turned to Doretta, adding, "We'll meet again.""Goodbye,
Lying in bed with Nicole cradled in his arms, Jared whispered gently, "Sleep for a bit.""Mhm." Finally feeling at peace, Nicole smiled slightly, and she quickly fell asleep.As Jared listened to her soft breathing, his eyes softened with affection, and he too closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.The next morning, as the group got ready to head back to San Joto, Zane and Doretta came to say goodbye."I still have things to finish here, but I promise to be at your wedding," Zane said with a big smile."And I'll be there to wish you well, Nicole," Doretta added.Saying goodbye is always hard, but everyone knew they had their own journeys to continue."Great, we'll see you in San Joto," Nicole said with a bright smile."It's time to go," Zane said, knowing they couldn't wait any longer without risking missing their plane."I've got the paperwork," Patricia said, ready to help with the travel documents for Jared and Nicole. Then, looking at Charlie, she asked, "Need help with
Nicole was quiet, thinking about everything. 'If I hadn't remembered everything, maybe Lawrence and I could have stayed friends. But after finding out about the airport, it's impossible...'Not only had she regained her memory, but she had also learned about the airport incident. Lawrence had gone to great lengths to prevent her from returning to San Joto."Thanks for saving me before, but you also hurt me. We're even now," Nicole said calmly, looking at Lawrence like he was someone she didn't know anymore.Jared squeezed Nicole's hand gently. "Let's go."They decided to leave the rest to Zane and head back."Wait." Lawrence's voice stopped Nicole. He sounded almost like he was begging. "Please, don't tell Nolan about this."Nicole paused, then said, "I won't tell him. Not for you, but because I don't want Nolan to see how bad people can be."With that, Nicole walked away with Jared.Lawrence sat down, watching her leave, with mixed feelings."Let's go too," Patricia said to C
"Your robots don't work anymore," a voice said, sounding very pleased. Then, a person came out from behind the crowd, looking pretty proud of himself."Carl!" Nicole was shocked to see him. 'It's Carl!'"It's been a while." Carl smiled and waved at Nicole.Carl had come as soon as Zane told him about the problem. He couldn't just do nothing when Nicole needed help.He didn't expect them to act so soon, which is why he was a little late. But he was still in time to help. Carl was surprised by Lawrence's robots at first, but luckily, the weapons he brought, which he had been working on for years, stopped the robots. This was a big help to everyone."We really need to thank Carl; we would have been in big trouble without him," Zane said, feeling relieved.Zane had asked Carl for help, hoping it would make them more likely to win, but Carl ended up being very important."Thank you," Nicole said with a warm smile. It was nice to see an old friend again."No need to thank me. I'm jus