"Yes, Ellar is in danger right now; you should go and protect him," Lulu agreed.Nicole nodded. "You should definitely go back."Patricia felt the mood shift, her cheeks turning red as she quickly said, "I just don't want him to get hurt.""We all know you care about him," Lulu said, smiling and teasing her.Feeling more shy, Patricia mumbled something and hurried out of the room."She's obviously worried and trying to hide how much she cares about Ellar," Lulu observed, shaking her head. "She should just admit her feelings."Nicole's subtle smile lingered, yet she chose silence over words.Regaining her composure, Lulu asked, "Nicole, what exactly is going on? Did Everett see it coming?""It's not about foresight; it's his instinct to always have an escape plan." Nicole reflected. She admired Everett's knack for turning situations."And his next step?" Lulu's brow creased in thought, contemplating Everett's forthcoming strategy. Although his real identity as Everett hadn't be
Everett felt extremely low, the lowest he's ever been since coming back to San Joto, all thanks to Doretta before him."I have nowhere else to go. If you don't help me, I might just turn myself in," Doretta said, desperately trying to make Everett react."Do you think I care if you turned yourself in? Once I ran from the police, I knew I couldn't go back," Everett said angrily, upset that she was trying to threaten him.When Doretta saw her threat didn't work, she stood up, ready to leave, saying, "I'll go out now.""You crazy woman," Everett snapped. He grabbed her, seething with frustration."Let me go!" Doretta struggled."Stay put," Everett warned her sternly.While they were arguing, they heard a voice from outside. "Did you hear that noise?"Another voice asked, "Really?"Right away, Everett and Doretta stopped moving and held their breath.Someone seemed to wait outside for a bit, then, hearing no more sounds, moved on."Why did it stop? I'm sure I heard something."
"Mom, who said I didn't come back?" Just as they were discussing, Preston's somewhat indignant voice rang out, followed by his entrance from the hallway."There you are! Come here," Karen said happily, seeing Preston.Preston quickly responded, "No thanks, I don't want to come over just to get a lecture."Then, he looked at Nicole and motioned to her, "Come over here."He showed up because he knew Nicole had a reason for calling everyone together. As the only single guy in the family, he dreaded the idea of facing his mom and aunts all at once.Nicole, understanding what Preston was thinking, gave a small smile. "Why don't you come over here instead?"Preston reluctantly approached and sat down near the couch."Grandpa," he greeted Benjamin before adopting an expression that said he was ready for the inevitable fuss."Sit down, let's talk," Benjamin shook his head gently, adding, "Everyone's just concerned about you.""Yeah, I get it," Preston could only agree compliantly. 'Wh
Jared spoke up, addressing everyone, "You don't need to change your daily routines. Just be more careful when you're out. Starting tomorrow, I'll arrange for some bodyguards to ensure your safety.""I'll take care of it; you have enough going on," Sean added, echoing Jared's thoughts.After exchanging a look with Sean, Jared agreed, "That sounds like a better plan.""Okay, then don't worry about us. I'll handle it," Dillon reassured them.With Everett cornered and his "Lexter Wright" disguise no longer a secret, they all knew he might become desperate.Dillon believed that the younger family members had their own responsibilities and didn't want to add to their burdens unnecessarily."Dad, I'll find someone reliable," Preston promised.Dillon looked at Preston, concerned, and warned, "Be careful yourself."He knew Preston was involved in Nicole's situation, which could also put him in danger."Got it," Preston said, nodding.Soon, the family moved past their worries about Eve
Karen tried to comfort him, "Don't worry, Everett will get what he deserves soon."Dillon agreed, feeling a bit better. "Yeah, you're right.""Okay, let's get some sleep.""Yeah, let's head to bed."****Samuel and Spencer returned to the Riddle residence with June and Lulu.After persuading Daniel and Gloria to head upstairs to rest, Samuel eagerly asked, "Nicole, I didn't ask much back at Grandpa's house, but where exactly is Everett now?"He had heard from June that Nicole's plan was thorough, so he wondered how Everett managed to escape in the end."You guys chat, I'll take Nolan and Lana to bed," Jared said, then walked away with the children, thinking it was getting late and they needed to sleep.Taken aback, Samuel looked at Nicole and said, "Sorry, I was just too anxious.""It's okay, it's just their bedtime," Nicole replied, then sighed. "We're still searching for him, but there's no news yet. He has someone very capable with him.""I figured you all would be here,
Stanley said, "If you need my help, just ask."Spencer shook his head. "No, focus on getting ready for your wedding with Tia.""Right, your wedding's the main thing. We'll handle the rest," Samuel added."Preston thinks we should talk about our plan," Preston said.Nicole thought for a bit and then agreed, "Okay, let's do this. We will..."After everyone agreed on the plan and left, Nicole went back to her room.Jared was there, reading at the desk."You're reading?" Nicole came over, hugging Jared from behind and leaning on him.Jared closed his book and sat Nicole on his lap, whispering, "Looks like you all have a plan." He guessed the meeting was over since Nicole was back."Preston found some useful info for us," Nicole told him."Hmm." Jared nodded, realizing their talk was over. He trusted they would fill him in when needed.He stroked her hair gently and whispered, "Let's get some sleep.""I'm pretty tired," Nicole agreed, smiling and resting her head on his shoulder
Everett looked around the room and chose to sit in a chair, closing his eyes to rest and think.The next day dawned bright and sunny.After dropping Nicole off at Riddle Corporation, Jared's car slowly pulled away."Mr. Johnston, we haven't found where Everett is hiding yet. Mrs. Johnston is starting with Jerry, and they already control Hexton," Max updated him."Hmm," Jared responded, appreciating the useful details from Preston."It's unlikely Everett will appear soon, but he won't just sit back either. And with Aquila with him..." he hinted at the challenge Aquila presented."He'll show himself," Jared stated, looking serious and determined.Max was a bit shocked. "He would risk coming out now?" With the police after him, Zane's people searching, and their own vigilant watch, it seemed unlikely."He can't just hide forever," Jared was certain. Everett had been hiding for a long time, but now back in San Joto, he wouldn't want to just wait around. His resources were limited,
"Nicole, any updates on what Preston mentioned yesterday?" Lulu asked."Not yet, but Everett can't wait much longer," Nicole replied, her eyes showing concern. She believed that by now, Everett would be feeling the most pressure."What on earth could Everett be hiding?" Lulu wondered, puzzled that despite so many people searching for so long, they still couldn't locate him.Nicole narrowed her eyes, deep in thought. "Aquila must be really skilled," she said, wondering how Everett managed to get such a capable person on his side.Lulu nodded, "He's definitely mysterious and skilled. He's hidden Everett so well that nobody can find him."Nicole added, "People who can hide like this must be really good at avoiding being watched and must also be experts at disguising themselves." She figured this was how Everett's men managed to stay hidden from everyone searching for them."Ms. Riddle, I was thinking the same thing," Patricia chimed in as she entered the room, catching the tail end