"Well, Nicole told me before I came here that Mr. Riddle Sr. had given her a house, and she wanted me to stay here with her." Mrs. Wallace Sr. said with pride radiating from her face.Raine glanced at Nicole."If you guys just came over to view the house, you should be done by now and leave now." Nicole shooed them away."What's your hurry, Nicole? How can we finish viewing such a big house in just a few minutes? We haven't even warmed up our backsides yet, and you're asking us to leave." Snow said this for the benefit of Mrs. Wallace Sr.Sure enough, Mrs. Wallace Sr. spoke up and scolded Nicole. "You shouldn't say that, Nicole. Miss Riddle, feel free to view the house if you like, and if you're not in a hurry to leave, stay for dinner.""Grandma.""It is so nice of Mrs. Wallace Sr." Snow smiled at Mrs. Wallace Sr.Nicole took a deep breath. 'I can't believe that these two cheeky lads have the nerve to stay for dinner.'Suddenly, Snow had a plan in mind. "There are no outsiders
"I don't think you can stay in this house for long." Snow looked around and then left with Raine.Had Nicole not wanted to get her hands dirty, she would slap them in their faces. The fact that they came to her house and picked a fight with her really pissed her off. So she thought she was going to fix them good and proper. Nicole took out her phone and dialed Zeke's number. "Help me with one thing, Zeke."After hanging up the phone, she looked with a sneer at Snow and Raine, who were slowly walking to their car.A few days later, Nicole's injury had healed. She drove to the school. As she walked in, she bumped into Harvey. It surprised Harvey to see Nicole. "Nicole? When did you get back?""Just came back." Nicole had no intention of talking to him and kept walking toward the teaching building. "How are you doing recently? I went to your house and didn't see you, and later heard you were out of the country. Is it true?"Harvey knew from the teacher that Nicole would not com
"Get lost. I didn't ask you for an opinion. Keep your mouth shut." The two started to bicker."Don't disturb Nicole. Let's go back and do revision." Gary's voice rang out. When Nicole was away, Gary had retreated to his own little world, dawdling about all day, not bothering with anything. He even ignored Jack and Wayne when they looked for him.But as soon as Nicole returned today, he seemed to be alive again, his eyes lighting up and fixated on her. He even came to her rescue when someone disturbed Nicole."Long time no see, Nicole." Gary came over and greeted her. "How is your study?" Nicole's first sentence was actually to ask him about his homework, which was unexpected to him. "I-I'm doing fine." Gary sounded awkward as the question stunned him. In fact, he had not read a book in a long time. Nicole looked at him and nodded. "I will find a chance to quiz you." She then continued to talk with June and Lulu.When Gary heard Nicole was going to test him in his study, he
"What did you say? See if I will rip your mouth off," Raine said, extending her claws at June.Lulu rushed up to help June beat Raine. Snow stood there, not knowing what to do, as she had never been in a physical fight before and did not know how to help Raine. But then she saw Nicole. "What are you doing standing there, Nicole? Why don't you come over and help Raine?""Are you mistaken or something by asking me for help?" Nicole looked at Snow incredulously."Are you going to stand by and watch a member of the Riddle family get beaten up?" Snow was still using the Riddle family to order Nicole around, completely unaware of the situation."Snow, no need to beg her. I can handle this myself." Raine was going against two alone. She sounded with a lot of gusto, but Lulu had pinned her to the ground as she spoke."Get up, or I will call someone." Snow saw that Nicole did not even offer to help and could only threaten them.In the cafeteria, the three of them were in a melee. Lulu and
Raine shot a look at Norah and walked away. Snow looked at Norah and said, " Nicole bullied her.""Nicole? She hit her?" Norah looked at Snow with surprise. As far as she knew Nicole as a person, Nicole would hit no one at school."She didn't hit Raine directly, but indirectly. She got the others to beat Raine up," Snow said, blaming it all on Nicole.Norah stared at Snow. She had heard it correctly, and Raine's reaction just now confirmed what Snow had said.Snow did not linger on but rushed to catch up with Raine.Norah pondered the matter as she walked slowly to the cafeteria.In the cafeteria, Nicole, Lulu, and June were laughing and talking as they had their meals. Norah glanced over in their direction and then sat behind them after getting her food. She seemed to be eating but, in fact, was listening in to and secretly recording their conversation.After a while, they finished their meals and got up to leave.Norah looked at the recording on her phone, and her eyes narrow
"Mr. and Mrs. Riddle are having breakfast inside." Maria, the maid, could tell that Karen was anything but friendly and did not dare to stop her as Karen brought Raine inside."Maria, who's here?" Gloria asked.The next second, Karen and Raine appeared in the dining room."Karen, Raine? What brings you here? Have you had your breakfast?" Gloria looked at the two in surprise."No, I'm so pissed." Karen was disgruntled and said sarcastically.Daniel and Gloria looked at each other as they could not figure out what Karen was up to."Then sit down and join us. Maria—""That won't be necessary. You guys eat quickly, as I have something to talk to you two," Karen said as she brought Raine to the couch.Looking at Karen's reaction, Daniel and Gloria were in no mood to eat by now. So they put down their cutlery and sat down on the couch."Karen, you came over early in the morning. Just tell me what it is about." Gloria looked at Karen."Where is Nicole? Tell her to come downstairs."
Gloria glanced at Daniel and gestured for him to make the call.Daniel got the hint and got up to call Nicole while Norah was in the living room trying to calm Karen and Raine down."Nicole, are you up yet?" Daniel asked with a slightly urgent tone."Yup, Dad. What's up? It's still early in the morning." Nicole could hear the urgency in Daniel's tone."Raine and her mother came looking for you."Nicole immediately understood what Daniel meant. "I will be right back." After she hung up the phone, she stepped on the gas pedal and drove to her father's house."Nicole will be back soon. When she comes back, we will be clear once we ask." Daniel's face was no longer warm but cold. "Tell her to hurry up. I don't have that much time."Twenty minutes later, Nicole's car was parked outside the house. As soon as she stepped out of the car, she heard Karen's voice in the house. She went inside and saw five people sitting in the living room.Karen's anger flared up when she saw Nicole. "
"Did you hit Raine?""I didn't.""Liar. It is obvious that you hit Raine. You are lying through your teeth."Daniel ignored Karen and looked at Raine. " Did Nicole hit you?"Raine continued to sob as she dared not look up to meet Nicole's eyes."What are you asking again? Here's the injury on her arms." Karen pulled up Raine's sleeves and showed it to them.Raine's arms were covered with scratches, which was apparently the doing of girls."Nicole, how do you explain the scratches on Raine's arms?" Daniel looked at Nicole intently."These scratches happened when she was fighting with someone else. They don't have anything to do with me.""Fighting with someone else? You mean Raine fought with other students at school?" Daniel caught the key point keenly. He understood it now. It seemed to him that the bruises on Raine's arms were caused by someone else. "Raine, keep your head up. Why didn't you just say you got into a fight with someone else?" Daniel wanted to get an answer f
"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