Nicole walked over to where Jared had parked his car. Jared smiled affectionately and opened the door for her, saying, "Hop in."Once inside, Nicole sank into the seat with a deep sigh. "Finally, a moment to relax.""You look worn out," Jared noted, concerned."I'm okay," she said, leaning against Jared. It wasn't the work that was tiring, but rather the stress from dealing with Lawrence that had been weighing on her. Now, in the quiet of the car, she felt a sense of relief.Jared smiled gently, "Soon, you'll get to relax for real."He knew exactly what she was going through. They just had to handle the situation with Lawrence, and then all this stress would be behind them.Nicole nodded as she smiled back, feeling a bit more at ease.****Ellar took Patricia to a cozy restaurant. The calm music and charming decor made them feel comfortable right away."Let's sit over here," Ellar suggested, guiding Patricia to a window table.Once they ordered, Ellar turned to Patricia, "You

"Yes, Ms. Riddle." the secretary handed the mail to Nicole and then left the room.Nicole looked at the familiar envelope and shook her head slightly, thinking, 'He has now learned to play mysterious, sending me express mails every time.'Upon opening it and seeing the contents, Nicole frowned slightly.Unable to help herself, Nicole sent a message asking, [Where did you get this information?][The information is accurate. Be prepared,] the person replied with a cautionary note but did not answer Nicole's question directly.Sighing, Nicole responded, [Thanks.][Take care,] the person cautioned Nicole.With a slight smile, Nicole put away her phone and, after a moment of contemplation, made a call to Doretta."Nicole," Doretta sounded puzzled, "Is something wrong?""Lawrence might make a move in the next few days. I hope you and Charlie can support me in capturing him this time," Nicole stated directly."I can help you, but..." Doretta hesitated before continuing, "Charlie wen

Nicole, with a knowing smile, remarked, "In business, there are always winners and losers."Lawrence, with a casual shrug, responded, "If that's the case, then yes, I've lost this round.""But you didn't have me brought here just to say you're giving up, right?" Nicole questioned, noticing Lawrence's tendency to beat around the bush."Absolutely not," he replied, shaking his head. "Since I've lost, I need to make some moves to even things out."Nicole nodded, understanding. "Alright, then. What is it you're after?"It was clear Lawrence had a specific reason for bringing her here."You know what I want," he said, looking directly at Nicole."If it's the Fire Crest and Water Crest you're after, that's going to be tough. I'm not exactly planning on dying anytime soon." Nicole knew that without her death, the Crests wouldn't transfer ownership.Lawrence simply looked at her, his silence making his intentions unclear.Nicole maintained her composure, facing Lawrence with a calm an

Knowing how perceptive Nolan was, Jared felt somewhat resigned but knew he couldn't tell the truth at this moment. He could only say, "Doretta came because of something else. I have to go to the airport now and leave with Mommy. We'll be back soon.""Oh, okay," Nolan agreed, but it didn't seem like Jared had convinced him. It looked more like he didn't want to waste time, saying, "Then go find Mommy.""Mm." Gently touching Nolan's head, Jared said meaningfully, "Take good care of your sister, and don't leave the sight of adults."Looking at Jared, Nolan bit his lip and finally nodded. "I know."Although the specifics of the situation were unclear to him, Nolan could tell that Jared's explanation was an oversimplification. He also grasped that Jared's reference to "adults" wasn't limited to Gloria and Daniel, but included the security personnel stationed near their kindergarten, tasked with their protection.Nolan was deeply concerned, suspecting something significant had occurred.

Lawrence knew Nicole would be upset, so he didn't insist she stay. "Alright then, you rest," he said, getting up to leave.He understood she needed time, especially since he could easily control her. He was confident she would give in once Nolan and Lana arrived.As Lawrence walked away, Nicole's expression turned cold. 'Lawrence, you shouldn't have brought Nolan and Lana into this.'Pretending to sleep until the noises outside stopped, Nicole peeked out and saw the guards. They were still there, but they had nodded off, giving her an opportunity.After securing the door, Nicole retrieved her hidden watch and sent a message.****Meanwhile, Doretta knocked on Jared's door. "Nicole sent a message.""Come in," Jared's voice came from inside the room, prompting Doretta to enter, followed by Charlie.Jared stood by the window, gazing outside into the night.Turning at the sound of their entrance, Jared asked Doretta, "Where is she?""Nicole sent her location but said not to rescu