"Nicole, Lulu, this is Doretta, a distant relative of mine," Emma introduced to Nicole and Lulu."This is Nicole, Ellar's fraternal cousin, and that's Lulu, Nicole's brother's wife," Emma continued with the introductions.After the greetings, Dexter encouraged everyone, saying, "Alright, we're all family here, no need to be formal. Let's eat.""Okay," everyone agreed, picking up their utensils."Patricia, try this," Ellar immediately served Patricia her favorite dish.Lulu saw this and gave Nicole an ambiguous smile, raising her eyebrows.Nicole chuckled softly, then turned to Dexter and Emma. "Uncle Dexter, Emma, you both look great recently, seems like you're enjoying yourselves.""Of course, we're thrilled," Emma replied, looking at Patricia with a satisfied smile.Patricia felt embarrassed, her face turning red.She glanced at Ellar, aware that their relationship was fake. But now, the situation seemed out of her control, and she realized she hadn't planned carefully. She
"Let's catch up another day," Emma said, although she felt reluctant to part ways, she knew she couldn't keep Patricia from her commitments."I'll walk you out," Ellar offered, standing up.Patricia nodded in acknowledgment and then followed Ellar out."Nicole, your assistant Patricia is both beautiful and capable. That's a real stroke of luck for Ellar," Emma couldn't stop praising Patricia."Emma, Patricia is great, but..." Nicole tried to caution Emma not to get too carried away, but found herself at a loss for words."But what?" Emma asked, puzzled."Oh, it's just that Patricia might not be planning to get married anytime soon, so her relationship with Ellar could still face some uncertainties," Lulu chimed in, understanding Nicole's hesitation and making an excuse for Patricia.Hearing this, Emma laughed and said, "That's alright. They're both young. Waiting a couple of years is fine, as long as they love each other."Her concern for Ellar's marital prospects was eased by
Charlie's expression stiffened momentarily but soon returned to normal. Both understood each other's thoughts and thus didn't delve further into conversation."How have things been on your end lately?" Charlie asked Patricia."Pretty smooth, overall," Patricia responded. "Did you call me over tonight because you found something?""Yes," Charlie said, pointing toward a restaurant not far ahead. "Our person is in there."Patricia frowned slightly, "Are you sure he arranged to meet Doretta?""Yes, Doretta is definitely showing up tonight," Charlie said, his gaze fixed on the restaurant.After a short wait, Doretta finally appeared."She actually showed up," Patricia remarked, her tone slightly icy."Doretta is starting at BayCorp tomorrow. Everett must have assigned her a task, probably related to the company's project. Are you guys prepared to counter it?" Charlie asked."Yes," Patricia replied, a faint smile playing on her lips as she thought about Ellar's plan.Seeing Patrici
Unfortunately for Doretta, Patricia had no intention of allowing her the chance to fulfill her ambitions. After concluding there was no new information to be gathered, Patricia stood up and left the restaurant.Unnoticed by Patricia, Doretta also stood up, her eyes darkening as she watched the departing figure vanish through the door.Once outside, Patricia gestured for a taxi and left. Charlie quickly followed, catching up to Patricia.Arriving back at the apartment building, they went up to Charlie's apartment."How did it go?" Charlie inquired.Handing over the recording pen to Charlie, Patricia replied, "Everything's in here.""Good," Charlie said, satisfied. "These will serve as evidence.""It aligns with the information we had before. We can proceed with the plan as intended." It seemed Doretta would likely make her move soon.After sitting down, Charlie poured a glass of water for Patricia, urging, "Drink some water.""Charlie, once this is over, you should also resign,
Standing up with a smile, Nicole said, "Mom, we should be going now.""Oh, alright, be careful on the road," Gloria cautioned Jared and Nicole."Don't worry," they assured, leaving together.The house quieted down again. Gloria turned to Daniel. "Why aren't you leaving today?""Dad's been alright these past few days, so I'm not going anywhere," Daniel replied."I see," Gloria shrugged and stood up."Where are you going?" Daniel asked, holding her back."Back to my room," she said, planning to return to her room to read since there wasn't much else to do.Daniel also stood up, taking Gloria's hand. "Why not join me for a bit outside?""Where to?" Gloria asked, intrigued. 'If he's not going back to Benjamin's place, does he have someone else he needs me to go with him to meet?'"I've reserved that limited edition necklace you liked but couldn't get last time. They said it would arrive today; let's go check it out," Daniel said softly, surprising Gloria."I just made a passing
"You're right," Ellar said, shaking his head. He felt his heart grow cold as he thought about Doretta's actions.Emma had trusted Doretta so much and had treated her so kindly, only for Doretta to betray them like this.Ellar might not be too upset, but Emma would surely be heartbroken when everything became known."Hey," Patricia said, noticing Ellar staring off into space, fixated on Doretta. She gently nudged him, frowning."Remember, create more opportunities for her to act," Patricia suggested, implying that he shouldn't guard the office too closely and arouse Doretta's suspicions."Got it. I've planned to give her a chance at lunch," Ellar replied with a smile."Lunch?" Patricia frowned, concerned that it might be too soon since Doretta had just arrived.Ellar purposely raised his voice when he said, "I've made a reservation for lunch. I'll come find you when it's break time."Patricia rolled her eyes at Ellar, frustrated but unable to show it, and silently left with her
"What did you say? I didn't catch that." Doretta noticed Ellar's clear displeasure, her own face losing some color at his reaction.Before things could escalate, Patricia stepped in, "Jumping to talk of marriage is jumping the gun, don't you think?""But Aunt Emma adores you. She's quite keen on the idea of you joining the family," Doretta couldn't help but smile again, trying to lighten the mood.Noticing Ellar's continued annoyance, Patricia subtly pinched him as a cue to ease up."Ouch!" The pinch caught Ellar off guard, making him grunt involuntarily."Ellar?" Doretta's confusion grew, looking between them for an explanation.Catching Patricia's subtle cue, Ellar took a deep breath, attempting to soften his stance. "Like we've mentioned earlier, marriage isn't on our agenda for the next few years. Mom's on board with that decision, so it's not something we're rushing into.""Oh, I understand," Doretta replied, her smile returning. "Well, in that case, Ellar, you'll have to r
Watching Doretta's departing figure, the man's eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was pondering something. It wasn't until Doretta had walked away that he started the car and drove off.At Riddle Corporation, Nicole and Lulu, having just finished their lunch and taking a break, were surprised to see Patricia walk in. "Patricia, what brings you here?""Ms. Riddle..." Patricia approached the couch, her tone slightly grave as she said, "Today, Ellar and I deliberately gave Doretta an opportunity, but her reaction was quite abnormal."After explaining the events of the lunch to Nicole, Patricia frowned. "Did she sense something, or is she trying to deceive us?""It's unlikely she's noticed anything," Nicole pondered for a moment before responding."Then what's going on?" Lulu asked, puzzled about how such a perfect opportunity could be missed.Patricia hesitated before adding, "After Ellar and I left, Doretta met with that man again."She had arranged for someone to keep an eye on Dor
"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