Jared was well aware of all Nicole's plans and actions; as long as she was doing well, that was all that mattered."Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself. You should focus on your own things. If you try to help me, Everett will become even more difficult to handle," Nicole said confidently, raising an eyebrow. Jared's decision not to interfere had made Everett less vigilant.Upon returning home, they found that the living room was livelier than usual.Stanley and Tia were fussing over several sample albums on the coffee table, while Nolan and Lana watched on, offering their opinions."Just go with whatever one you like," Gloria said, smiling contentedly from the side."Still haven't decided?" Nicole asked with a smile.Everyone looked at Nicole and Jared and replied, "We're still choosing.""Just in time, you two can help us decide," Gloria invited them over.Approaching the couch, Nolan and Lana pulled Nicole over and said, "Mommy, Tia says they're all good, and Uncl
"Mr. Royce, as expected, Nicole has leveraged the power of the Crests, enlisting the aid of several families to navigate through this crisis," Ian said softly."Mm," Lawrence responded nonchalantly, seemingly unsurprised."Everett has been very quiet. I wonder what he's planning. Should we make our move?" Ian inquired.Leaning against the couch, Lawrence replied calmly, "No rush, the real show hasn't started yet.""What do you mean, sir?" Ian was somewhat puzzled."Do you really think Nicole would ignore the matter with Ellar?" Lawrence countered.Ian furrowed his brows. "Patricia has been at BayCorp, and if she hasn't found anything, it must be because Doretta has hidden it too well."He felt that Nicole wasn't ignoring the issue; it was just that Doretta had hidden it too deeply."No, Patricia's capabilities aren't that weak. More importantly, they should know that the seal is missing, yet they've kept it quiet. That indicates there's a problem.""Should we warn Everett?" Ia
Meanwhile, at BayCorp, Ellar noticed Doretta arriving at work as usual, looking relaxed as if nothing had happened, which made him feel uneasy.He stood up and went to Patricia's office, asking her, "Do you think something might be wrong?""What kind of problem could there be?" Patricia raised an eyebrow in inquiry.The seal was commissioned by him, and he was more than clear about that. Moreover, he was now certain that Doretta had taken it, and by this point, it was likely already in Everett's hands.Understanding Patricia's implication, Ellar sighed. "I get it, but Doretta's behavior is just too odd."That's why he was feeling unsettled. Could it be that Doretta discovered something and didn't hand over the seal to Everett?Patricia couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, "Acting like this is more likely to make her suspicious, you know.""I haven't done anything though?" Ellar claimed innocently.With a sigh, Patricia advised, "That's exactly why you should go back to work
At lunchtime, Lulu came to invite Nicole out for a meal.After a busy morning, their stomachs were growling with hunger."Nicole, let's go," Lulu called out as she opened the door."Okay," Nicole agreed, putting down the document she was holding and getting up from her desk.As the two prepared to leave for lunch, they suddenly heard someone calling them.Nicole turned around to see Sean and Steve. "Hey guys, what's up?""Going out for lunch?" Sean glanced at Nicole and Lulu."Yeah, wanna join us?" Nicole asked, noticing they were also planning to grab lunch."I can't, I need to head home for a bit. Sally has a prenatal checkup this afternoon," Steve replied."What about you, Sean?" Nicole turned to Sean."Wait a sec, Jane will be here soon, and we'll all go together," Sean said, looking toward the office direction.Sure enough, Jane was coming their way and soon joined the group."Jane," Nicole and Lulu greeted.Jane nodded in acknowledgment, standing next to Sean.Sean
Lulu's expression turned complex as if she had realized something. It must be Everett making his move!"Let's talk inside," Nicole suggested after glancing at Patricia."Yes," Patricia agreed, following Nicole into the office with Lulu close behind."Should we go have a look?" Jane quietly asked Sean.Sean's gaze darkened slightly. "Let's trust Nicole to handle it. We should focus on our tasks."This way, Nicole wouldn't have to be distracted and could concentrate on her own matters."Understood," Jane acknowledged Sean's intent and left with him.Inside the office.Patricia reported to Nicole, "Everything was quiet this morning, but during lunch, Everett showed up and took Ellar away.""He couldn't resist making a move, then," Lulu commented with a grimace."What happened next?" Nicole asked in a serious tone."I was secretly following them, but I was discovered and had to return here," Patricia continued."You were discovered! Do they have someone that skilled?" Lulu expr
Lulu thought, 'Who would have thought he had such people on his side? If it's really a group, that would be terrifying.'Nicole smiled slightly, maintaining her composure. "Our people are not weak either."Patricia was in the open while that person was hidden, which naturally made it easier for them to take action. But don't forget, she also had her own people in the shadows.Lulu furrowed her brows. "Do you think Everett could already know about Zane's people in San Joto?"Several people were mysteriously captured, and Everett didn't say anything, probably guessing something."Maybe he didn't know at first, but by now he should have guessed," Nicole responded. However, these details were not important. If Zane's people wanted to stay hidden, they wouldn't be easily found.Even if Everett guessed, it wouldn't matter. Without revealing themselves, his people couldn't find them."So now, he can only use BayCorp as leverage. He will definitely try to take control of BayCorp." It's
"Fully fed and watered, nothing happened," Ellar leaned back in his seat, a slight smile playing on his lips.The assistant ventured, "He hasn't discovered anything, has he?""No, it doesn't seem like he's noticed anything yet," Ellar confidently stated. "He even warned me as he was leaving, giving me three days.""Three days, but what will he do after that?" the assistant inquired.Ellar shrugged. "Guess he'll start threatening me then." Everett had only talked about wanting to collaborate this time and hadn't mentioned anything about the seal. Ellar could only continue to pretend he didn't know the seal was missing and wait. In three days, when Everett shows up with the fake seal, Ellar plans to strip him of everything.Time flowed swiftly, and three days passed in the blink of an eye.Nicole and Jared arrived at the dining room as usual."Mom, Dad," Nicole greeted before sitting down with Jared."Daddy, Mommy," Nolan and Lana sweetly called out to the two.Nicole, with eyes
Gloria pondered for a moment before replying, "Well... we'll see when the time comes."If there really was nothing else going on, a trip could be nice."Deal," Daniel said with a laugh.Gloria rolled her eyes at him. "I haven't agreed to it yet.""You'll go," Daniel was quite confident.Seeing Daniel's demeanor, Gloria couldn't help but laugh.After Nicole and Jared dropped off Nolan and Lana, they arrived at Riddle Corporation.As the car stopped, Nicole looked up at Jared with a smile. "I'm heading up."Jared gently squeezed her hand, softly saying, "Alright, I'll come to pick you up after work.""Mm," Nicole agreed, then opened the door and got out of the car.After watching the car drive away, Nicole turned to enter the company and happened to run into Lulu."Jared has left, but no worries, I'll keep you company," Lulu joked, linking her arm with Nicole's.Nicole gave Lulu a look, feeling amused. "Then I guess I should thank you.""Don't mention it," Lulu replied with
"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