Three days flew by quickly, and the people arranged by Zane arrived in San Joto."Zane has briefed you on the situation, right?" Nicole asked in a serious tone."Yes, clearly," a man's voice came through the phone."The squad we sent out earlier should have gathered some information by now. Let's arrange a meeting to exchange what they've found. You can handle the follow-up work on your own. If you need any help, just let me know," Nicole added."Okay," the other party agreed.After hanging up, Nicole took a deep breath.She had already arranged for someone to start the investigation earlier, and with these new arrivals, they could directly proceed with the next steps."Nicole, are you really not going to participate?" Lulu asked Nicole with some confusion."They'll keep me updated on the progress. As for the rest, it's better to let them handle it. After all, I'm no longer part of Zane's organization, and it's actually not appropriate for me to be involved in some of their int
"Now that you know, what do you think about it?" Seeing that Preston was teasing her, Lulu didn't back down."I can't change anything with my thoughts. Right now, the only thing I care about is not feeling pressured to get married. Everything else isn't that important. As long as I'm not rushed into marriage, the pressure isn't a big deal.""Wait until Ellar gets married, then you'll see," Lulu said, shrugging and looking forward to the drama that might happen."Then we'll wait," Preston replied casually, as if the idea of Ellar getting married was not a big deal."You mean Ellar getting married is unlikely?" Lulu asked, tilting her head and sizing up Preston."Good things take time," Preston remarked, genuinely believing Ellar's journey to marriage wouldn't be smooth.Lulu pouted. "You're not very optimistic about his marriage. Be careful, or Ellar might come after you."Preston chuckled but didn't continue the topic. Instead, he turned to Nicole. "Have you changed the directio
"As long as it's good for our company," Ellar responded, seemingly unconcerned.Doretta nodded. "Alright then, I'll make the changes and bring it back to you for review."After watching Doretta leave, a deeper shadow crossed Ellar's eyes. Doretta hadn't shown any unusual behavior recently, seemingly devoted entirely to the company.He wondered, 'What exactly is she planning, or is she waiting for me to let my guard down?'Yet, I have given her plenty of opportunities lately.'Could it be that Doretta has discovered something, which is why she hasn't made a move?'Feeling increasingly unsettled, Ellar sighed and left his office.He went to Patricia's office. After checking the surroundings, he spoke in a lowered voice, "She hasn't made any moves recently. Do you think she might have discovered something?""It's unlikely. She's probably just looking for the right opportunity," Patricia speculated after a moment's thought."When is she going to act, though? I'm really getting imp
"They've succeeded," Nicole responded.Lulu was somewhat surprised. "If they've succeeded, why do you look so troubled?""We've got control over the people, but they can't help with the situation at the affected companies," Nicole explained."Oh, right, they can't really interfere with the operations of other companies," Lulu nodded, then asked, "So, what do we do now?""It looks like we'll have to ask them for help," Nicole said, her eyes darkening slightly."Them?" Lulu didn't understand who Nicole was referring to.Watching Nicole began to fiddle with her watch, Lulu realized and couldn't help but exclaim in shock, "Are you really going to use their power?"That was a force only crest holders could wield. She wondered, 'Is Nicole really going to use it to help those companies?'"There's no better option at this point, and helping them is helping ourselves," Nicole sighed."Will Everett move against the families behind the force then?" Lulu asked, a bit worried.Nicole smil
"Yeah, Zane's people have already taken control of those individuals. We're just waiting for the right moment to make our move." This resolved one of her concerns."The timing should be about right," Jared commented, his eyes narrowing slightly."I think Doretta is getting impatient and might make a move soon," Nicole speculated.Jared also felt this was very likely and reminded her, "Remember to tell me if anything happens.""I won't be in any trouble, and there's nothing I need to do," Nicole said, looking at Jared with a smile.Gently squeezing Nicole's hand, Jared looked at her, his gaze deep.Upon returning to the Riddle residence, the two entered the living room.Seeing Gloria organizing some photo albums, Nicole asked curiously, "Mom, what are you looking at?""These are the prewedding photo album samples Emma and I chose today. We're gonna hand them over to Stanley and Tia when they're back so they can choose their own," Gloria explained."Emma went with you? Why didn'
Nicole thought Benjamin must have known something, which was why he asked Daniel."You can trust us to handle it, so you don't need to feel any pressure," Daniel reassured Nicole, indicating that Benjamin was asking out of concern and nothing more.Nicole nodded. "We'll take care of it as quickly as possible.""Good." Daniel then changed the subject. "Let's have dinner then.""Okay," everyone agreed, and they all headed toward the dining room.Seeing Nolan not staying to watch TV but heading upstairs instead, Lana couldn't help asking, "Aren't you watching TV?""No, I've got things to do," Nolan said, already stepping up the stairs."Oh," Lana didn't think much of it and turned on the TV to watch.Nicole glanced over upon hearing this, a thoughtful look crossing her eyes.Meanwhile, Ellar and Patricia had just arrived at Ellar's home. They were late because Patricia had insisted on buying some gifts.Carrying those gifts, Patricia politely greeted, "Hi, Mr. Riddle, Mrs. Riddl
"I just found out she's quite capable, so I was curious," Ellar said, relieved that his parents didn't become suspicious. He still didn't want Doretta's matters to affect them, so he preferred to keep it hidden.Meanwhile, Patricia quickly sent out a message. If Doretta made any moves tonight, they would receive a notification.Returning to the living room, Emma invited Patricia to the dining room, and the group started their dinner.Meanwhile, at the Riddle residence, everyone went upstairs to rest after dinner.Jared went back to his room to deal with some urgent work, while Nicole headed to Nolan's room.Lana was quietly reading a book, while Nolan was sitting in front of his computer."Mommy." Seeing Nicole enter, Lana put down her book and approached her.Nicole, with Lana in tow, went over to Nolan."What are you doing?" Nicole asked Nolan."I'm researching some information," Nolan replied, his gaze still fixed on the computer screen, his hand controlling the mouse and c
"Okay, what do you plan to do next?" Nicole asked.Doretta had finally made her move, probably giving the fake seal to Everett by now. However, since it hadn't been revealed as fake yet, Doretta's trickery was still a secret."I think we should hold our position for now," Patricia spoke quietly. "If we expose Doretta now, it might alert Everett. It's better to wait and see what he does.""That sounds good. I'll arrange the other matters," Nicole agreed."Ms. Riddle, we should still be cautious about Everett," Patricia hesitated before reminding her."I understand," Nicole said, her gaze deepening as she hung up the phone. She knew Patricia was right; Everett was indeed someone they needed to be wary of."Nicole, is it time to act?" Lulu asked in a low voice."Yes, Doretta has taken Ellar's seal and will likely find an opportunity to give it to Everett," Nicole's expression darkened slightly. 'Doretta has been cautious, waiting so long to make her move.'"What did you and Patric
"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