Nicole nodded, not rejecting his kindness.Halfway through the shower, she realized she did not have a change of clothes.Downstairs, Claus watched in amazement, thinking that he had an illusion as Jared fastened the apron as if he were preparing to cook. He rubbed his eyes and asked in disbelief, "Boss, are you going to cook?"'He could have just ordered it directly. I have seen no other women who could make him cook.'Jared did not spare a glance at him as he continued doing what he was doing. "How about you cook?"Claus shook his head vigorously and then looked at Jared in a daze. 'The old-fashioned apron looks great on Boss.'At this moment, footsteps came from the stairs. Jared and Claus looked back almost in unison and were amazed.The girl was wearing a white bathrobe, and much of her skin was exposed, her rosy face glowing. Probably because she had just come out of the shower, she looked so refreshing and clean like a lily.Especially her pair of upturned eyes that look
He thought Jared was kicked out. Jared looked at him, apparently not too happy. So Claus quickly kept his mouth shut.He realized Jared was in a black mood, and it seemed even more likely that Jared was kicked out of the room.Jared finally reined in his emotions, his pair of charming eyes expressionless, making him look forbidding.Not long after, someone knocked on the door of the villa.Claus went to open the door, and a crowd of people came in and lined up in two rows. One group was holding the latest branded clothes for the season that had not been released, and the other side held the matching accessories and jewelry.Claus looked at it and could not help but smirk.Jared walked over, and instead of having someone take the things straight upstairs, he picked a few of them and said to the people, "Send the rest to my room."After they put the things in his room, they all quietly left.Only then did Jared go upstairs and knock on Nicole's door. "I will put the clothes here.
Jared looked pleased as he watched her finish the beef. He then fetched her a piece of chicken.Nicole looked at him. Not knowing how to reject the kindness of others, she had no choice but to keep silent, hoping that he would get the hint. But it did not seem to work today.She was wearing a cute bear nightdress, her long fluffy hair cascading down, her face expressionless, her cheeks bulging as she chewed on food.Jared completely ignored her silent protest.After the meal, Jared got up, cleaned the table, and did the dishes.Watching his eyelashes hang low and cover his charming eyes, she found him sexy as he rolled up the sleeves to do the dishes with his muscular arms exposed.Nicole leaned quietly against the wall and looked at him. "You are different from what I've imagined." After knowing him for so long, she had never seen the casual side of him.Jared heard her say this and looked back at her. "What did I look like in your imagination?"Nicole raised an eyebrow. "I th
The feeling of holding her was really reassuring.Nicole's heart pounded wildly, but she could feel his gentleness and sincerity.She could only utter a "good night" after a long while."Hmm." Jared smiled contentedly and closed his eyes slowly.Nicole wrapped her arms around his waist, and for the first time, she could sleep peacefully. It was a dreamless night for Nicole.When she woke up again, the sun had poured into the room. Nicole got up, but Jared was nowhere to be seen. As she went downstairs, she smelled the aroma of food in the air. Leaning against the railing, she looked at the man, who was busy in the kitchen.Sunlight shone on Jared. He was wearing a white shirt and a minimalistic black apron, exuding a kind of ascetic male aura. Nicole was almost completely captivated.She felt touched and warmhearted with such a graceful man making breakfast for her.When the man came out of the kitchen and saw her on the stairs, he could not help but squint his eyes with a smil
Love, indeed, is a poison.Nicole kept a good mood all the way back to class.Vivian, who sat in the first row, saw her at once. But instead of taunting Nicole, she looked at her as if she was in a predicament.Nicole ignored it, went straight back to her table, and sat down. Lulu had not arrived yet. She could faintly hear the discussion in the class."Do you know Bobby from twelfth grade, who wants to replace Austin as a school bully? His family has been fixed by the Bond family.""The Bond family, a giant of the entertainment industry in San Joto?""Who else if not them? Can you name another Bond family in San Joto? I heard that Bobby's brother Nathan got into trouble with a VIP at a club last night. It is said that today the Holmes family is liquidating its assets and leaving San Joto.""Really? Who is so powerful? The Holmes family got into trouble because of Ashley last time. This time, the entire Holmes family is being driven out of San Joto?""I don't know. But I heard
With that, Sammey turned and left with Austin.Austin still looked puzzled and wanted to ask what was going on.Vivian looked up angrily and was furious when she saw Sammey leave. She never wanted everyone to know about it, but she did not expect her brother to say in public that she owed Nicole a debt of gratitude. Looking back, and sure enough, she found that all her classmates were looking at her. Vivian was exasperated instantly, glaring at everyone in anger. They all could only bow their heads and stop looking at her.Ms. Emerson came in. Vivian pulled back her eyes but subconsciously shot a glance at Nicole. After glaring at her for a moment, she looked away with indignation. 'I've never wanted Nicole to help. She was just being nosy.'Nicole did not bother about Vivian and focused on the lesson. But Gary in the back row looked over at her in perplexity.'I can't believe that Nicole can drive the Holmes family out of San Joto. How powerful is this girl's background? Could it
Snow's heart skipped a beat. She knew that Yvana's uncle was Sebastian, which was one reason she befriended Yvana.The last time she could not speak to Sebastian at the party. Now that Sebastian had come to the Royal Creek Institute, she suddenly had a glimmer of hope in her eyes. "Yvana, are you sure you've not mistaken it?"Harvey had changed lately, especially when he was in front of her. Snow was trembling in fear every time she spent time with him, unsure when he would dump her. So she figured she had to secure the patronage of the powerful. Her idea was that if she could rub shoulders with Sebastian like Nicole did, then Harvey would certainly not dare to neglect her.Snow did not know what Sebastian was doing at the Royal Creek Institute, but she could not afford to miss this opportunity to see him. Snow tugged at Yvana's sleeve. "Don't you have your uncle's phone number? We should call and meet him."Yvana hesitated because she and Sebastian were not close, and she felt it
Yvana said lackadaisically, "He doesn't look that special with two eyes and one mouth, like anyone else. When the news of his appointment is released, you can see his photos on the Internet."Seeing that Yvana refused, Snow knew she had not provided enough incentive to Yvana. So she gritted her teeth and said, "When this is over, I will give you my turquoise necklace. Haven't you liked it for a long time?"Yvana did like the necklace, but Snow would never let go of it. So she did not expect that she could get it as a reward for taking Snow to see Sebastian.Yvana happily agreed. Just as she was just about to leave, Snow said, "Wait a second. Harvey will come out right away. Wouldn't it be better to ask him if he wants to go with us?"Her idea was to let Harvey see her relationship with Sebastian and change his attitude toward her.Yvana felt she had a point. But Sebastian had said that she could only see him in the principal's office. Not that she wanted to see Sebastian. She was
"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