One student could not help but ask, "Are you really Professor Hancock?"Seeing the expectant look in the students' eyes, Declan smiled and nodded to them, looking friendly.They were all surprised by how approachable Declan was. He looked like a very ordinary old man. No wonder that Mr. Kennedy and Ms. Thompson spewed vitriol at him.Ms. Thompson's and Mr. Kennedy's faces changed, as they did not expect that this old man who seemingly came out of nowhere turned out to be the famous Professor Hancock. Ms. Thompson asked cautiously, "B-But what are you doing here in our school, Professor Hancock?"Mr. Ellison turned to glance at Nicole and then said coldly to the two of them, "To meet Nicole, who has gotten a full score on the Math Olympiad questions that Professor Hancock has come up with."'That explains it now!'Mr. Ellison looked at the two, who had suddenly become silent, with an icy look on his face. "What did you just say? I've obstructed you from dealing with Nicole, haven'
Mr. Ellison looked at Ms. Thompson and Mr. Kennedy with a cold look of disappointment."What else do you have to say?" he asked.Ms. Thompson could not find her voice for a moment. Finally, she quibbled and said, "Trust me, we are close friends in private. That was why he gave me the things."Mr. Ellison did not want to listen to her chicanery, so he looked away from them and at Nicole in the back row. "What do you think should be done?"Ms. Thompson and Mr. Kennedy looked at Nicole with expectant and flattering eyes, hoping she would put in a good word for them. But when Nicole spoke, she completely tore apart their last fantasies."After the bet is over, they should be fired," Nicole said.Mr. Ellison had heard about it clearly over the phone when Ms. Thompson and Nicole made the bet. So he nodded."Okay."Ms. Thompson and Mr. Kennedy's faces turned pale in an instant. When they first came in anger, they had never expected things would come to such an end. They were still the
Declan held up a hand to stop the person who had just spoken. He then looked at Nicole and smiled.What he was not sure about just now had become certain when he saw the monthly exam paper Nicole had answered. 'This girl must be a genius.'"Nicole, I've read your papers and think you're talented. Would you rather be my student and let's do mathematical research together?"'What?'Everyone thought they were hallucinating. They could not believe that Declan had not only come but also asked Nicole to become his student. Anyone who became a student of Declan meant they would soon become a top expert in mathematics in Hustuaburg.While people were competing against each other trying to get Declan's approval, but to no avail, Nicole got it so effortlessly.They all looked at what had happened in front of their eyes. Ms. Thompson and Mr. Kennedy were also surprised, their eyes widening as they could not accept it.'We've accused Nicole, whom Professor Hancock approves of, of cheating.
Norah could not believe that she had even lost to Nicole in the monthly exam.'Will Nicole only be happy after taking everything from me?'Thinking of this, she lunged over angrily, wanting to hit Nicole.Nicole grabbed her outstretched hand, then flung her aside and said without emotion, "Norah, you'd better wake up."Norah did not know what Nicole was saying at first, but when she saw the people behind Nicole, she froze."Mr. Ellison, Professor Hancock!"Norah had met Declan before. She did not register for the Math Olympiad competition because she wanted to concentrate on the monthly exam, but she had seen Declan from a distance when she represented the Royal Creek Institute in many academic exchanges.In fact, her goal was to become a student of Declan and learn from him. She did not expect to meet Declan here.Thinking that Declan had seen what she had just done, Norah suddenly did not know what to do. "Professor Hancock, it was not what you saw. I've always been first in
She was not the only one who thought so; in fact, many others also thought the same. The facts were laid bare before their eyes, and they had no choice but to admit it—Nicole had gotten first place in the Math Olympiad competition and monthly exam.Nicole looked at Norah expressionlessly, and then the corner of her lips curled up in a mocking smile."Norah, what are you if I'm a piece of crap when you couldn't even beat me on the exam?"With that, she ignored Norah and turned to look at Ms. Thompson and Mr. Kennedy behind her."Shall we?" she said, raising an eyebrow. 'It's time to make good on your promise, isn't it?'Ms. Thompson suddenly exploded, glaring at Nicole, and shouted, "I know someone in my family; Mr. Wyance will help me. Dream on if you want me to apologize to trash like them and kick me out of the Royal Creek Institute. You shall see who will get the last laugh!"She pulled out her phone and made a call triumphantly."Hello, Marie, can you ask Mr. Wyance to do me
"Don't you dare to return to your old trade when I'm not around. Study hard. If I come back and find out you're doing something else, I will not spare you."Austin quickly nodded, scratched his head, and said in a voice as if he had been wronged. "Boss, since following you, I have no time to do anything other than study."Nicole's expression eased up. She knew Austin was inherently a good person, and that was why she had made the test-like request. Hearing his response, Nicole patted him on the shoulder."Take care. I will go now," she said.Austin looked at Nicole from behind and could not bear to see her go. But Nicole had her own things to do, and they were still too weak to be of help.Their hearts lit up with fire at the thought of this. They told themselves to work hard so that they could be of help to their boss next time.But Nicole did not know that she had become an inspiration for them. She arrived at the office building and took the elevator to the principal's office.
Mr. Ellison snapped back from his thoughts when he heard Harvey's voice. He looked a little sad, but his expression quickly returned to being as solemn as usual."It doesn't matter." At this point, he turned to look at Harvey. "I sure will let you lead the entire Ellison family in the future. You will be the one who decides the course of cooperation with the Holder family."Harvey was startled, not expecting his grandpa to make such a promise to him. He felt he could finally breathe a sigh of relief.Lloyd followed Nicole to walk out of the building. He seemed to have something to say, but was hesitating to say. He just followed her quietly.Nicole's feelings for Lloyd were a complicated one.In her eyes, Lloyd was just one of her patients. They had once been on a mission together, during which Lloyd was seriously injured. Apart from physical injuries, the most terrible thing was that he also suffered from psychological trauma. He had fear of the dark, as if a physiological reflex
"Boss, things have gone wrong," Janus, his right-hand man abroad, whispered over the phone."We are unlikely to supply the next batch of goods." With that, Janus, who was on the other end of the phone, turned the camera around so that Jared could see what was going on at the scene.Jared's face darkened as he saw the deep explosion crater."Fortunately, none of our men were injured. They all evacuated in time, but the entire mine collapsed. Our months of hard work have gone down the drain," Janus said.Jared looked at the scene on the screen, squinting, his eyes icy as a glacier. 'Once I find out which bastard did this, I will not spare him!'Looking at the smoke and dust shown on the screen, Jared said in an icy voice, "Who did it?"Janus frowned and repeated the name of the suspect."I suspect that they have been planning this for a long time. They only launched the attack after being sure that you are indeed no longer in Mecrounia. It was done covertly; I could find no eviden
"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