"Let's eat," Gloria called out.Nicole glanced over, noticing Stanley hadn't returned yet. Understanding that her mom was calling everyone to dinner, she realized Stanley must have gone to have dinner in the backyard to spend time with Tia and Mrs. Wallace Sr.After dinner, Nicole and Jared, along with Nolan and Lana, headed back to their room.Gloria and Daniel were resting in the living room.Gloria checked the calendar and said, "Nicole and Jared's wedding is coming up, isn't it? It feels like the two of them are not in a hurry at all."She felt like they had not even discussed anything about the wedding."They've got it under control; you don't need to stress," Daniel advised Gloria."It's a major event, and they're so quiet as if they haven't prepared for it at all. How can I not be worried?" Gloria complained, glancing at Daniel."Don't worry, Jared won't let Nicole down." Daniel believed that, even though Nicole and Jared seemed calm, they wouldn't rush through the weddi
After breakfast, Tia arrived to pick up Nolan and Lana."Nicole, Jared," Tia greeted.Jared and Nicole were preparing to leave for work. "Let's go together," they suggested to Tia.They all left the house and headed to their respective cars parked in the courtyard."Bye, Daddy. Bye, Mommy," Nolan and Lana waved to Jared and Nicole."Bye," Nicole waved back as the car carrying the kids started. She watched it drive away before telling Max, "Let's go.""Yes," Max responded, starting the car and leaving the Riddle residence.In the car, Max spoke in a low voice, "Mr. Johnston, Mrs. Johnston, I have an update from Charlie.""Speak," Jared's voice carried a hint of coldness."He knew Nicole had asked Charlie to investigate Lawrence. Any news from there was likely related to Lawrence."Charlie said he had people look into it. Lawrence may seem quiet on the surface, but he's actually arranged for Ian to secretly assist Everett," Max said.A cold glint crossed Nicole's eyes; she had
"Find a way to contact her and make her work for us," Everett coldly ordered."Yes, I'll arrange it right away," Jerry immediately responded."What has Lawrence been up to lately?" Everett's gaze darkened slightly. 'He's been unusually quiet, which is not his usual style.'After Jerry reported Lawrence's recent activities to Everett, Everett frowned. "He's actually in the mood to send birthday gifts!""Yes, but it seems he hasn't received any response," Jerry added."Hmph, he's still not giving up," Everett scoffed. "Given the current situation, even if Nicole were to fall from grace, there's absolutely no way she would go back to him. Doesn't he understand that?"Everett couldn't believe that Lawrence would still think about rekindling something with Nicole."There's another thing. Recently, it seems someone has been helping us from the shadows. I'm not sure who it is, but I suspect it might be one of Lawrence's people," Jerry cautiously said."Be careful. Even if it is his do
"But with the Eastern Falcon on his side, taking him down won't be easy," Ellar said, a frown creasing his brow as he voiced his concerns."That's only a fraction of their force. Most of their ranks haven't sided with Everett yet. We believe Everett has the Eastern Falcon's leader under his thumb, so Zane is on a mission to locate and free them," Nicole detailed."Oh," Ellar thought aloud, "If that's the case, we might not be in such a tight spot after all."He then turned to Patricia, adding, "Still, you need to tread carefully in your endeavors.""Don't worry, I'm handling it," Patricia replied, her voice laced with an icy undertone.Ellar was visibly taken aback, ending the conversation with a heavy silence."Hey, Ellar, I caught wind you've got a cousin crashing at your place. What's up with that?" Lulu inquired, her curiosity undiminished by Nicole's briefing. The sudden mention of a cousin previously unknown piqued her interest."It's a bit of a saga," Ellar exhaled."Do
Ellar pondered, 'Don't people usually meet and chat first, even for a blind date? But my mom's acting like she's arranging a marriage straight off?'"Just tell her straight; you've got someone in mind. That's the truth, right?" Lulu nudged Ellar, urging him to confess.Right as Lulu's words hung in the air, Patricia was seized by a sudden coughing fit."Easy there, drink some water," Ellar quickly handed her a glass, concern etched on his face.Patricia's coughing subsided after a moment, and she took a few sips of water, murmuring, "Thanks.""Long as you're alright," Ellar commented, pained to see Patricia flush from the coughing spell."Let's focus on the meal, Lulu," Patricia interjected before Lulu could delve deeper, steering her away from further probing."Alright, let's eat," Lulu agreed, holding back her questions.She recognized that some issues needed to be navigated delicately. The evolving dynamic between Ellar and Patricia was something they had to untangle on thei
"Alright, get to work," Nicole gently patted Lulu's shoulder."Okay." Nodding, Lulu headed to her own office.After returning to her office, Nicole sat down at her desk. She flipped through the documents on her desk, her brow slightly furrowing. Concerned about Ellar's situation, she felt somewhat relieved that Patricia had arranged for someone to follow Ellar, ensuring his personal safety.Meanwhile, Ellar was making his way toward BayCorp.He had deliberately chosen the lunch hour for his visit, hoping to discuss some investigative matters and also hoping to catch a glimpse of Patricia.Since the last incident with Patricia, when she came for the surveillance footage and encountered Emma and Doretta, he was aware that Patricia might misunderstand the situation. Patricia, being highly intelligent, would easily see through the intentions behind Emma bringing Doretta along.After all, if he could understand the situation, Patricia surely would too.But some things, once they had
After dinner at home, Nicole received a call from Patricia."Ms. Riddle, Dr. Wyance gave me some application medicine, saying that although my face has recovered, it would be better to continue using it for a while longer."Hearing Patricia's words, Nicole responded cheerfully, "I see, then you should use it for a while longer."It seemed the visit was for this reason; Martin had been thoughtful."Ms. Riddle..." Patricia hesitated, then said, "But something doesn't feel right."Nicole's brow furrowed slightly. "What do you mean?""The medicine Dr. Wyance gave me looks like it could last a very long time." It seemed excessive for just a follow-up treatment; she could always go back for more if needed.Nicole, sensing Patricia's implication, couldn't help but ask, "Did you notice anything else?"Given Patricia's suspicions, there had to be more than just this one concern."When I was there, Dr. Wyance was instructing his assistant about some matters, and from his tone, it seemed
The aroma of coffee lingered in the air as Martin's voice slowly filled the space."Actually, I'm planning to go find Cindy," he said frankly, though his demeanor showed a bit of unease.Nicole's eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. "Cindy? You...""Yes." Martin nodded, speaking softly, "It's only in her absence that I've realized I can't live without her."Without Cindy, Martin's life had turned unbearably dull and monotonous. His days were confined to the laboratory, with no one to share his thoughts with, no one to break the silence of his solitude. This solitude, once a sanctuary, had morphed into a suffocating cell.He recognized that Cindy's presence had injected vibrancy into his life, turning the monochrome to technicolor. Her departure had reverted everything back to a bleak grayscale. The void of her absence made every idle moment a gateway to memories of their shared times, each memory a sharp, vivid sting.The haunting image of Cindy's desolate departure was a constant