Eric finally caught up. He managed to catch a glimpse of someone leaving in Sebastian's car. He then quickly grabbed a random guy who was standing beside him."Who left with Mr. Wyance just now?" he asked in a panicked tone.The guy looked frightened. He gawked at Eric for a moment before speaking."Nicole. He left with Nicole!" he said loudly.'Nicole. It really was Nicole,' Eric thought.He thought of what he said at the Riddle family's house and felt disheartened.'Nicole actually knows Mr. Wyance, so she wasn't talking big,' he thought again.At this thought, Eric unconsciously let go of the guy's collar. He paced around anxiously for a while. Then, he clapped his hands as if he had made up his mind and left.Gary and Ms. Emerson were surrounded by the crowd; the two of them did not manage to catch up with Nicole.He looked in the direction Nicole left and frowned.'What's going on? Nicole surpassed me in the Math Olympiad; she got a perfect score and won first place. But
'Nicole landed in the huge limelight this time. Even Gary was looking at her affectionately just now,' Vivian thought.She was so jealous that she had lost all rationale. She had forgotten the lesson Nicole taught her earlier this morning; she turned around and started walking toward Ms. Emerson."Don't get too ahead of yourself, Ms. Emerson," Vivian said in a rather loud voice.Everyone present could hear her clearly.They all stopped talking and looked at her in shock.Ms. Emerson turned to her and slightly frowned."What do you mean?"Vivian sneered."Ms. Emerson, did you ever consider the fact that all of us are aware of Nicole's academic level? She's a country bumpkin, so how could she possibly understand national-level Math Olympiad questions? What's more, it's been years since someone got a perfect score. How could Nicole get a perfect score with her level? Someone must've leaked the questions to her!" she said in a confident tone.Everyone looked at her in shock the mo
Raine revealed an unnoticeable look of glee when she saw the scene unfold.'See, I knew it. Nicole can never start anew. She's a country bumpkin. Who is she to get first place in the Math Olympiad? Who is she to gain Mr. Wyance's favor? She's meant to be trampled like a speck of dust,' she thought.Just as everyone was fixated on Ms. Emerson, a solemn voice came from the podium."What're you all talking about? I'd like to hear it too."Meanwhile, Nicole and Sebastian were heading to The Grove; neither of them had a clue about what was happening in the hall. On the way to the restaurant, Sebastian asked Nicole what she had been up to. He then reminded her to take care of herself and to be attentive to her health despite her young age. On the other hand, Nicole responded to all of his questions and reminders. She felt as if he was close to talking her ear off by the time they reached the lounge.Sebastian seemed to have realized that he was talking too much. He quickly waved a waite
Back then, Nicole was already exceptionally beautiful even though she was only fifteen. At the time, Sebastian was waiting for someone to crack open the geode. He had spent an exorbitant amount in hopes of bringing home an ocean gem. However, he did not find any despite spending an entire afternoon there. Nicole passed by coincidentally and saw him standing there like an easy mark. She then called him aside and handed him an average-looking geode."Crack this open."Sebastian looked at Nicole, slightly shocked. He did not expect a little girl to have such a calm demeanor.For some reason, he believed the little girl. He handed the geode to the person in charge of cracking them open. He initially thought he was pouring money down the drain for fun. However, they saw a violet gemstone within when the geode was cracked open!Sebastian looked at Nicole in astonishment. On the other hand, Nicole's expression remained unchanged; she seemed to have expected such an outcome.The person wh
Sebastian glanced at Nicole on the opposite side, who was still expressionless.'This girl is incredibly indifferent and reliable,' he thought.He then smiled and said, "Nicole, consider this piece of gem a reward for winning first place in the Math Olympiad."Nicole picked up the gemstone and handed it back to Sebastian. "Mr. Wyance, do keep this piece of gem for yourself. I appreciate the offer, but you've given me a lot in a year. I don't think there's enough space in my room anymore."Nicole knew that the gem meant something to Sebastian. He took it with him wherever he went. Thus, she did not want to take it away from him.The coldness in her eyes melted away at the thought of how he had been silently taking care of her and her grandmother over the past few years. Nicole did not expect to meet him under such circumstances since he was a busy man. Moreover, she was not always in Great Oak.Despite the two of them having contact for the past three years, they had only met a ha
Nicole had faith in Sean. She knew that there was no need for her to worry if he was doing the bidding. She only asked for Sebastian to be just.His eyes turned gentle when he heard her request. "Oh, Nicole," he said with a smile.His face was solemn when he noticed Nicole's clear and lingering eyes. "Rest assured, this bidding will be fair."A faint smile appeared on Nicole's face. She looked at Sebastian and said, "I believe you, Mr. Wyance."'I would have done anything for her if she asked. But the Nicole that I know would never ask for more,' he thought as he looked at Nicole in admiration.He then stood up when he heard Merwin knock on the door. "Come on, it's time for me to fulfill your request," he said with a smile. Nicole stood up and tagged along.Sebastian dropped her off at the school and went to the provincial office.Merwin glanced curiously at Sebastian and asked, "Is that the kid you were looking for? She seems to be cold and distant."Sebastian laughed at the s
Many people recognized that he was the head of the Ellison family—Thomas Ellison.They all stared blankly with their mouths open wide. They did not understand why he would come over in person just to listen to what they were talking about. But that did not stop them from doubting Nicole.Mr. Kennedy had heard what the other teachers had to say. As he saw Mr. Ellison coming over, he thought he was interested in the discussion, so he tried to flatter him and said, "Mr. Ellison, you're here. We were discussing the relationship between Nicole and Mr. Wyance. All of us are highly suspicious that this has something to do with why she got first place in the Math Olympiad. We suspect that she knew the question beforehand. Otherwise, how could she have gotten full marks with her level in math?"After he said this, he looked at Mr. Ellison confidently and waited for him to agree. Many teachers were also looking at Mr. Ellison. They knew that the head of Royal Creek Institute was upright and h
Vivian's eyes widened when Mr. Ellison defended Nicole. Her eyes and cheeks were getting red at how merciless his words were.Mr. Ellison's eyes filled with disgust when he saw that she was about to cry. He was not impressed.He had met a lot of girls like her. 'They always regard the other party as their enemy without any particular reason and ruin their lives with their big mouths,' he thought.He looked around the room coldly and said, "Nicole's results have been reviewed by the Olympiad committee. She indeed got full marks. As for her relationship with Sebastian Wyance, they know each other because she had helped him before. I am here to let you know that it is not what you all think."It is not hard to admit that you are not as good as other people. You are upset because of Nicole's excellence. Let go of your prejudices and open your eyes. You will see that Nicole is actually an admirable person."He gave Gary a meaningful look and continued slowly, "Nicole's paper was person
"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