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
"Okay, I understand," Nicole said, taking the document with her."I'll get back to work then," Lulu replied, turning to head to her office.Back in her office, Nicole opened the document and frowned slightly after a brief look. The project seemed promising, clearly a worthwhile investment opportunity. However, something about the content felt eerily familiar. 'I've never heard of the company, but why does the project's design seem so familiar?'After a moment's hesitation, Nicole took the document to Sean's office."What's up?" Sean looked surprised to see her; it was rare for her to visit him during work hours."Sean, take a look at this," Nicole handed him the document. "Lulu found it, and I think there's something off about it.""Hmm." Sean's expression turned serious as he began to read through the document, his brow furrowing more deeply as he continued.Nicole's gaze sharpened slightly. "Did you find something?""This was a project initiated by Uncle Damien a long time ag
After a moment's thought, Patricia started the car and followed the man.At a corner, the man removed his hat, glanced around with a smug look, then climbed into a car parked by the roadside and drove off. Patricia snapped photos of both the man and his car, sending them straight to Charlie with instructions to dig deeper.Later, Patricia made her way to Ellar's office."What brings you here?" Ellar's surprise at seeing her was tinged with a note of happiness."Nicole asked me to keep an eye on things here," Patricia said, pausing before asking, "Everything alright on your end?""Absolutely, everything's running smoothly," Ellar assured her.Patricia's brows knit together slightly. "No unusual incidents, or unexpected visitors?"Having just seen Doretta downstairs, she couldn't help but speculate, 'Doretta's visit... was it to see Ellar? And that man she was dealing with seemed off. Could there be more to Doretta than meets the eye?'Ellar, taken aback, responded, "As far as I'
"Vouch for you?"?" Ellar's brows furrowed as he asked, "Which company?"He hadn't heard of companies requiring a local reference to vouch for a job candidate for employment."It's just a couple of blocks away, at a place called—"Doretta couldn't finish the sentence before Ellar cut in with a hint of suspicion, "A couple of blocks away... Are you sure it's not some front company?"That area wasn't known for hosting significant, reputable businesses. With Doretta's skills, she shouldn't need to look into lesser-known entities."I..." Doretta faltered, "I'm not sure, but I don't think it is."Ellar exhaled deeply. "Go home for now. I'll look into this."While Ellar preferred keeping his distance from Doretta, given her arrival in San Joto and his mother's assurance of support, he felt obligated to ensure her safety. He wouldn't stand by if she was potentially being scammed, especially since she was family.Doretta seemed to hesitate, wanting to say more, but ultimately nodded. "A
"What should we do then?" Lulu asked, filled with concern."Let's keep an eye on Doretta for now, to see exactly who she is and what she intends to do," Nicole decided.Given that Doretta had already moved into Ellar's house, it seemed likely her target was Ellar. Now that they suspected Doretta's identity was problematic, surveillance could be more focused, potentially revealing her true intentions.Directly informing Dexter and Emma wasn't ideal without concrete evidence.Furthermore, even if they believed the suspicions about Doretta, she might simply find another way to achieve her mission if her initial plan was thwarted. That could lead to even greater danger outside their control."Alright then." Understanding Nicole's reasoning, Lulu reluctantly agreed."Ms. Riddle, let me handle this matter," Patricia offered, her gaze turning serious."Okay," Nicole agreed. Since Patricia had encountered Doretta and had been investigating, she was indeed the most suitable to handle the
Time flew, and dusk arrived quickly.Nicole left work to find Jared waiting for her.Getting into the car, Nicole smiled at Jared and asked, "Have you been waiting long?""Not at all." Jared gently took Nicole's hand, his voice soft. "You look tired. Was it a busy day?"Leaning her head on Jared's shoulder, Nicole replied softly, "It was okay."She didn't have any problems with her work. It was just that the issues with Everett seemed to have no beginning or end, leaving her feeling somewhat gloomy. However, she didn't want to tell Jared about this just yet, not until she had some evidence.Jared looked down at Nicole and gently squeezed her hand, saying, "Tell me if something's bothering you. Don't carry it all by yourself."A warmth flickered through her heart, and Nicole smiled, saying, "Don't worry, I can handle it."Hearing this, Jared stroked Nicole's hair, understanding that she wasn't ready to tell him yet, so he let her be.Feeling a pang of heartache, Jared held Nico
"Emma wants Doretta to be her daughter-in-law," Gloria said after a moment of thought. "I've met her once. She seems nice, and she and Ellar seem well-suited."Nicole couldn't help but sigh quietly, as she expected this topic to come up."It also depends on what Ellar wants," Nicole said calmly.Gloria sighed. "Emma mentioned that Ellar always avoids the topic. That's why she asked if you could talk to him.""Mom, even if Ellar listens to me, I can't get too involved in his love life. It's something he needs to decide," Nicole said, looking troubled."Right, it's best to let them figure it out," Daniel added.Gloria frowned at Daniel. "But Emma is worried.""Mom, I understand your concerns, but love can't be forced. We wouldn't want to hurt Doretta or Ellar, would we?" Nicole explained, hoping Gloria would understand.Gloria looked confused. "Just letting them get to know each other isn't the same as rushing into marriage. How would that hurt them?"Nicole continued to persuad