"Really, there's no need," Patricia quickly said, shaking her head.Her health had almost fully recovered, but Ellar was still not in the clear. Since Ellar's injuries were due to her, she felt this was the only thing she could do for him now.Relying on others to deliver meals would make her feel even more redundant, causing unease in her heart."Hahaha, I'm just teasing you; look how worked up you are," Lulu chuckled, thinking, 'She clearly wants to cook for Ellar herself but comes up with all these excuses.'"No, I'm not nervous," Patricia's cheeks flushed, her eyes darting away in a slight panic, avoiding Lulu's gaze.Lulu patted Patricia's shoulder, "Alright, we all know you're not nervous."With a meaningful look from Lulu, Patricia felt her cheeks grow warmer. She quickly turned to Nicole to switch topics, saying, "Ms. Riddle, everything is going smoothly, right?""It's fine," Nicole replied with a smile.Taking the chance to set down the thermal container, Patricia look
Ellar occasionally glanced up at Patricia, feeling a warm, happy flutter in his chest. He had already decided that once he left the hospital, he would ask Patricia to marry him. He wanted her to be with him forever, no matter what challenges they might face.Meanwhile, Nicole and Lulu had left the hospital and were now in the car."Do you think Patricia seems different?" Lulu asked Nicole, turning to her."A little," Nicole replied, smiling slightly. "It seems like Patricia might have worked through some of her issues."Lulu looked at Nicole, "Do you think things are getting better for them?""That's something only they can decide," Nicole chuckled. "But it does seem like Patricia has softened a bit.""Hey, what do you think made Patricia change so suddenly?" Lulu asked, curious.After thinking for a moment, Nicole guessed, "Maybe something Charlie said during the incident made a difference."Nicole noticed that Patricia's change seemed to have happened after her visit to Charl
"Yeah, it's not that we don't want to help; it's just that we can't do much," June agreed, knowing that adding to the complications wouldn't help. Getting too involved might make things worse, especially with Everett being so ruthless, as seen with Emma."Let's not talk about these sad things right now. Everything's okay for the moment, so let's be happy," Samuel suggested, raising his glass, "Come on, let's drink.""Cheers," everyone said, taking a sip from their glasses."Mr. Johnston, Zane mentioned he's leaving soon, and the matter you arranged with him is about to conclude," Lulu said. "Is it related to Everett?" She was curious."No," Jared replied calmly."Oh," Lulu dropped the subject, thinking it was about Everett. Since it wasn't, she decided not to ask more, considering it might be something she shouldn't inquire about."Let's focus on the meal," Spencer suggested, noticing Lulu's slightly uneasy look.Nicole, noticing this exchange, glanced at Jared. "What's going on
"I always hope you can have the best, so naturally, I have to care a bit more," Gloria said with a smile, her lips curling up gently.Nicole, linking her arm with Jared's, responded, "I've already got the best.""But it's different, you know. You have to wear a wedding dress at least once in your lifetime, walk hand in hand with your other half toward a new life under the blessings of friends and family," Gloria said with a loving smile.In her heart, she thought, 'Besides, it's not like Jared and Nicole are unwilling to have a wedding; it's just that various things have been holding them up.'"Gloria, I think we should put aside Nicole's wedding for now and focus on Stanley and Tia's wedding," Lulu said with a laugh, helping Nicole out, and then she winked at Nicole.Speaking of which, their wedding date is indeed approaching. How are the preparations going?" Nicole understood and smoothly changed the subject following Lulu's lead."Oh, everything is ready. I'll confirm the fina
Jared's lips curved slightly, and he gently kissed Nicole's forehead, saying, "Let's rest early tonight; we might receive good news first thing tomorrow.""Hopefully." Nicole replied with a playful smile, pulling Jared toward the bed.The next day dawned bright and sunny.After breakfast, Nicole and Jared dropped off Nolan and Lana and then headed to Riddle Corporation.Getting out of the car, Nicole gave Jared a smile and said, "I'm heading up.""Alright," Jared nodded slightly, "I'll come to pick you up after work."Watching Jared's car drive away, Nicole turned and entered the company building.Inside the car, Max spoke in a low voice, "Mr. Johnston, there's still no news from Zane's end. Could it have failed?""Let's wait a bit longer." Even if it was a failure, they should have received some sort of update from Zane."I wonder if something happened," Max muttered quietly.As they were speaking, Jared's phone rang.After seeing the caller ID, Jared answered, "How did it
Watching Lulu's anxious expression, Nicole couldn't help but shake her head with a light chuckle, "Don't worry, it'll be alright." After all the preparation, she was confident that they could bring things to a successful conclusion."How can I not be anxious? Everett has managed to escape unscathed so many times; I won't be sure of the outcome until the very end," Lulu said, puffing her cheeks slightly in frustration.She was genuinely puzzled by Everett's uncanny ability to survive against the odds time and again.Nicole's eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of darkness flashing through them. This time, Lawrence had rescued Everett, but she couldn't fathom why Lawrence would choose to help Everett at this time. She wondered, 'Could it be that Lawrence has some vulnerability that Everett is exploiting?'Frowning, Nicole felt increasingly skeptical. She knew Lawrence was extremely cautious; if he was aware that Everett had something on him, she doubted Lawrence would be coerced into help
Aquila thought to himself, 'It seems Lawrence had his plans set from the start, now holding us in his grip, just waiting for the right moment to succeed and then possibly pinning everything on us.'"Too bad his calculations are off," Everett said, a dark glint crossing his eyes. "Pack up, we're preparing to leave.""Where to?" Aquila asked softly.While they were under control here, he knew venturing out could be even more dangerous, unless they planned to leave San Joto. However, Everett seemed not inclined to depart from the city."Let's get out of the hotel first," Everett said, his gaze slightly darkening. There were always places in the vast San Joto where they could take refuge.Aquila hesitated for a moment, then inquired, "What about the woman? Should we bring her along?""Let her follow for now. If we find ourselves cornered, we can still use Emma," Everett stated as he stood up."Alright, I'll call her," Aquila responded.Soon, the three of them gathered in the corrid
"I'm here," Doretta said timidly, standing at the entrance of the factory."Just the two of you?" Lawrence's expression darkened, his displeasure evident. To him, Everett and Doretta were not the main threats; Aquila was the real concern."What else?" Everett shrugged nonchalantly, his demeanor exuding a sense of inevitability. He had intentionally separated from Aquila to ensure that, at this moment, he would still have a bargaining chip. If they had all been captured by Lawrence, the outcome would have been predictable.Lawrence demanded coldly, "What happened?"Someone approached and reported in a low voice, "They split up during the escape. We have people pursuing them, but there's no update yet.""Then we wait," Lawrence said, regaining his composure, his tone steadying.His next actions would depend on whether Aquila was caught or had indeed managed to escape.Everett stood his ground, confronting Lawrence, both seemingly awaiting news about Aquila.The factory was eerily
"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