Ch. 2001..2005: My Wife Is A Hacker Chapter 2001-2005

Everything around them fell into silence for a moment, with Jared frowning and telling himself, 'Don't push her too hard. Jared Johnston is better than Mr. Johnston.'

So, he nodded and agreed, "I'm listening."

"Uh." Nicole paused, suddenly forgetting about what she wanted to say.

She had already felt as if the atmosphere of their dinner together was a little awkward, but she felt even more uncomfortable now that she was about to say something.

This marked the first time Nicole was actually bothered by the fact that she had lost her memories. She initially thought that she would just accept the fact that things would never be the same again, and focus on raising her two children. However, she wanted to remember what things were like before the present time, so that she could free herself from this struggle.

"Why are you not saying anything?" Jared asked, noticing a hint of hesitation in Nicole's eyes as if there was something bothering her.

"Forget it." Nicole shook her head, figuring that it would be better to just let things happen instead of forcing them.

Putting their past relationship aside, Jared was still the father of her two children. Therefore, it would be inevitable for them to meet in the future no matter what.

Nicole was relieved after thinking about that. She had returned to the Riddle family and figured that she would probably be living in San Joto for a long time. Because of that, she did not have to worry about those unnecessary things any longer.

Nicole subconsciously smiled after the sense of relaxation took over her. Then, she lowered her head and started eating happily. The notion of whether the entire dinner was a date or not no longer

bothered her, and all she wanted was to do was fill her stomach.

Jared watched every change in her expression as he subtly raised his brows. Even though he had no idea what she was thinking about, he could sense her emotions fluctuating.

"Try some of this." Jared put some food on Nicole's plate without asking any more questions.

Both of them carefully avoided any mentions about the subject as if nothing had happened. However, it was obvious that they were in a better mood than before.

After finishing their meal, Nicole requested to return to the Riddle residence.

Jared had initially planned to bring Nicole out on a night cruise, but Nicole was too worried about her children. So, he complied and did as he was asked. Then, he promised himself that he would bring the children along on their next date.

They arrived at the gate of the Riddle residence, and there, they saw another car parked there, prompting them to halt behind it.

Nicole was left feeling a little surprised after recognizing that it was Lawrence's car. 'Why is Lawrence here at this hour? Did something happen?'

Unexpectedly, Lawrence got out of the car, with Nolan following right behind him.

"Nolan!" Nicole yelled, becoming even more shocked.

Then, she opened the car door and stepped outside. "Nolan, where did you go?"

She did not know how to feel about Lawrence taking Nolan out. 'Is something wrong with Nolan? If that's the case, why didn't anyone tell me about it?"

"Mommy!" Nolan ran toward Nicole and threw himself into her arms as soon as he saw her.

Then, Lawrence walked over and smiled at Nicole. "You're back."

"Where did you guys go?" Nicole asked, feeling a little worried still.

"We..." Lawrence patted Nolan's head and spoke before the boy could finish his sentence. "I didn't have anything to do today. I figured that you would probably be busy with work, so I took Nolan out to have some fun."

"To have some fun?" Nicole frowned.

Even though Lawrence would bring her children out occasionally, he would never leave Lana behind.

With that in mind, Nicole could not help but wonder, 'Why isn't Lana with them today?'

And as if he could read Nicole's mind, Lawrence explained, "Lana said that she wanted to spend some time with her grandmother, so I only took Nolan out."

Chapter 2002

Nicole shifted her gaze to Nolan as if she was asking, 'Is that true?'

Nolan nodded. "Yeah. I've never been around San Joto, so I got curious and asked Godpa to bring me around."

Nicole felt relieved after hearing that. "That's good. I thought that Nolan fell sick or got into some kind of trouble again."

In the past, Nolan had a penchant for asking Lawrence to clean his mess up.

"Don't worry. If there's anything wrong, I would've notified you as soon as possible," Lawrence said with a smile.

"It's getting late. We'll go inside now." Nicole said without inviting Lawrence, knowing that did not plan to go in since he had parked his car outside.

"Sure," Lawrence nodded. "I'll go back now then."

After Lawrence had gotten into his car and moved it aside, he watched as Nicole brought Nolan into Jared's car before it slowly wheeled into the driveway of the Riddle residence. Then, he saw the trio of Jared, Nicole, and Nolan entering the house together.

Lawrence's dark gaze remained fixed on them as his aura turned cold. While it was true that he had brought Nolan out to play, they had only decided to spend some time with each other as they could not find Nicole anywhere.

When Nolan called him in secret and told him to pick him up at home, he had no idea what Nolan was planning to do. As it turned out, Nolan wanted to look for Jared and Nicole together with him, and he even claimed that he would take his mother away from Jared during their date.

Unfortunately for them, they could not find the couple anywhere. Although Nolan might not be aware of this, Lawrence knew very well that Jared had made some special arrangements to stop anyone from disrupting their date.

He squinted his cold eyes as the aura around him took on a gloomier form. 'I'm never going to let her go so easily.'

Inside the house, the living room was filled with noises, with everyone asking Nolan about his day, and with the boy telling them about his adventure in detail.

"Nolan, just let me know whenever you feel like going out next time. I'll come with you." Samuel patted his chest and said enthusiastically.

"Yeah. No one knows San Joto better than us," Spencer added.

"Sure," Nolan replied.

He was very much looking forward to that. Even though he had learned a lot about San Joto on the internet previously, experiencing it in person was a completely different thing altogether.

"Lana, why didn't you tag along?" Nicole asked Lana softly as Jared held her in his arms.

"I wanted to go with Mommy and Daddy." Lana replied, her adorable voice melting everyone's heart.

"Mommy and I will take you out someday, I promise," Jared promptly agreed as he had been thinking about the same thing.

"Thank you, Daddy." Lana was delighted.

When she was in kindergarten, her classmates' parents would take their kids out whenever there was a holiday, and yet, she and Nolan never had the opportunity to experience that at all. So, it had always

been her wish to go out with her parents.

"Oh, you... Haha."

"Don't worry. From now on, you'll always have someone to take you wherever you want to go," Jared finished.

Everyone there was so amused by Lana's innocent words that they could not help but look at her with love and affection. However, Nicole was the only person feeling a little bitter. She knew exactly what her children were thinking, and it was true that she was not able to provide them with the warmth of a family when they were living abroad.

Sill, Nolan and Lana were very sensible kids. They had never said anything that would hurt her feelings, but that did not mean that they did not have any wishes of a proper family

Chapter 2003

"Daddy and Mommy will take you guys out to play when we have the time," Nicole said dejectedly.

"Mommy is the best!" Lana cheered.

Meanwhile, Nolan glanced at Jared, revealing a hint of reluctance deep within. Needless to say, he preferred going out with Lawrence.

Jared noticed the look on Nolan's face and felt a little helpless within. 'This little brat can never measure up to my baby angel. Daughters are truly the best!'

The family chatted happily for a while after that, and when it was getting late, they went back to their rooms to sleep.

After putting Nolan and Lana to bed, Nicole returned to her room, where she saw Jared looking out the window as if he was thinking about something.

He only turned to Nicole after he had heard some noises. "Are they asleep?"

"Yeah," Nicole said in a tone of defeat. "They got too excited just now and it took them some time to fall asleep."

"You should go to bed now too," Jared advised, figuring that Nicole must have been exhausted following her abrupt return to the Riddle Corporation.

"Sure." Nicole nodded.

Then, she asked, "What about you? Are you not going to sleep?"

But after uttering those words, she felt an instant pang of regret. 'What did I just say? It sounded as if I was asking him to sleep with me.'

A subtle smile appeared on Jared's face as he playfully said, "I'm waiting for my lady's consent."

Feeling very embarrassed, she glared at Jared in annoyance. "Who's your lady? And what makes you think I care if you're going to sleep or not? I'm going to bed now."

After saying that, Nicole laid down on the bed and pulled the blanket over to wrap herself tightly like a burrito.

Seeing that, Jared could not help but laugh. 'Look at how shy she became.'

He walked to his own bed, worried that cracking another joke at this moment would make her angrier, after which he pulled the blanket over and lied down on the bed too. He was already glad that Nicole's attitude toward him had changed. So, he had to appreciate it and not mess it up. He was in a rather good mood, and with that, he fell asleep very soon after. However, that was not the case for Nicole.

Thinking about what happened earlier, Nicole felt her heart thumping uncontrollably as her cheeks were burning hot. 'What was wrong with me?'

Although she had decided to go with the flow, she was still surprised by how differently she had begun to treat Jared in such a short span of time.

Her mind was in a mess. She tossed and turned, and her gaze coincidentally fell on Jared, who had fallen asleep. Nicole looked at him, unable to help herself from biting her lip lightly. Although she could not remember him or recall their past, she had started to trust him a little bit more after having spent a few days with him.

The next morning, the rays of sunlight filtered in through the window.

Nicole had slept a little late last night, and Jared was already up by the time she was awake.

"You're awake." Nicole heard a gentle voice, and before she could realize what was happening, she could feel a light kiss on her lips.

It was just a gentle peck, one that Nicole could not even react to, and before she knew it, Jared had already pulled her out of the bed.

"Freshen up. Everyone's probably waiting for you to have breakfast," Jared ordered, doing everything so smoothly as if it was perfectly natural for him.

Before she could realize it, Jared had already pulled her into the bathroom. Having allowed him to steal a kiss from her frustrated her, as she did not manage to give Jared a warning about it.

She hurriedly washed her face and brushed her teeth. When she got changed, she realized that Jared was still there waiting for her.

In response, she walked up to him and in a serious tone of voice, she said, "Don't ever do that again."

"Do what?" Jared lifted his brows, looking a little mischievous.

Although she had a stern look on her face, Jared could tell that she was just faking it, and was not outraged by what he had done.

 

Chapter 2004

Nicole glared at Jared the second he asked her that question. He was obviously playing dumb, and she did not believe that he did not know what she meant.

"You're well aware of that," she said through gritted teeth.

"Like this?" Jared extended his long arms and pulled her in by her waist, before planting a kiss on her lips.

This time, he did not just give her a peck. His domineering presence was so strong that it felt as though he was going to devour her.

Nicole attempted to break free, but Jared had already locked her in his arms, denying her the chance to escape.

Then, they heard a knock at the door.

"Are you awake, Mommy?" an adorable voice asked in concern.

Nicole recollected herself and pushed Jared away. While Jared was distracted, Nicole had already backed away by a few steps. Her heart was racing, but she did not have the time to calm down. She simply righted her clothes and opened the door when she saw her darling children outside.

"Mommy, it's time for breakfast. Everyone's waiting for you," Nolan reminded her as he looked up.

"Alright, let's eat." Nicole said, her heart still pounding in her chest, though she was trying her best to not show it.

Jared, who was ready to toss all restraint out of the window a few seconds ago, calmed down as well. His self-control was nowhere to be found whenever he was with Nicole.

"Daddy, aren't you joining us?" Lana asked. 'Mommy and Nolan have already left, but why is Daddy still here? He looks like he has something on his mind.'

Jared's heart melted when he saw how considerate Lana was.

He held her up and said, "Okay, let's go now."

"Sure." Lana wrapped her arms around his neck lovingly as she nodded.

Jared took Lana downstairs to the dining room, where everyone had already gathered. They had left a spot for Jared next to Nicole, and that was where he took a seat.

His sudden approach gave Nicole a panic attack for a minute there, as she tried her best to avoid any eye contact with him. She knew exactly what had happened just now, and there was a moment when she found her heart and mind spiraling out of control.

'Nope. Jared should move back to the estate. Every second with him is dangerous. If this continues, I'm afraid I won't be able to control myself, even before I regain all of my memories,' she concluded.

But the instant she thought of what her parents' reaction to Jared leaving would be, especially her mother's, Nicole became hesitant.

Jared's eyes lit up when he saw how she acted around him. She was afraid to look at him. 'What is she hiding? Is she shy?'

After their breakfast, everyone returned to their own lives.

"Dad, I'll go with you today," Nicole called out the moment she saw him leaving.

"What's wrong?" Daniel asked, a little taken aback as his eyes wandered to Jared.

'Jared usually takes Nicole to work, so why is she asking to join me today? Did something happen between them?' Daniel asked himself.

"It's about Uncle Dexter's company. I want to talk to you about it." Nicole explained, coming up with a random excuse to dispel everyone's assumptions before they could even be uttered.

Then, Daniel nodded and replied, "Alright. He's waiting for your updates too."

"Let's go then." Nicole said, eager to leave as soon as her father had agreed.

It was a compelling and legitimate reason, so no one gave it much of a thought. However, Jared was cognizant of what was going on as he stared at Nicole without exposing her.

He knew that Dexter needed some help with his company. 'But even if it has something to do with work, can't they talk about it in the office? Do they really have to talk about it on their way to work?'

 

Chapter 2005

It was obvious that Nicole was avoiding him. But the second he thought of how embarrassing the situation was for her, Jared decided to let it all slide. He wanted to give her some time and space. Otherwise, it would be a pity for him if his impatience pushed her further away from him.

Soon after, each of the cars left the house one after another, and while Nicole was carpooling with Daniel, she went on to discuss about Dexter.

It was only right for Nicole to keep the act going. Furthermore, Dexter and the family were kind. They had a good relationship with Daniel as well.

"Dad, what is your opinion on Uncle Dexter's matter?" Nicole candidly asked.

Daniel shook his head. "Dexter's company has always relied on the head office's support to sustain itself. But because the head office's position isn't as great as it was before, they'll have to suffer as well."

The both of them had tried their best, and had even considered a multitude of possibilities. In the end, they still agreed that none of Dexter's immediate family members were skilled enough in business management.

"I've done my investigation and it is true that Uncle Dexter lacks awareness of business trends. He does not have any capable assistants around too. Emery's interest does not lie in the field of business management; and Ellar has just graduated as well. Even if Ellar is interested, he is inexperienced and time is definitely needed for him to receive the training he needs," Nicole said as she analyzed the situation carefully.

Daniel nodded in agreement as what Nicole had said was on point.

"Dad, although Uncle Dexter's company is relying on the head office, they should be able to survive. However, I still think we should solve the chief issue and tackle it from the management itself," Nicole concluded.

"Yes. After all, it'll be better for them to succeed on their own. They can't operate under the shadow of the head office forever," Daniel also agreed.

It was not that Daniel was unwilling to help Dexter. Daniel just felt that he should help Dexter and the rest grow and stand out on their own. After all, it made no sense as to why they would want to be at the sidelines forever.

"Since you've agreed to it, I'll let you talk to Uncle Dexter about this matter. As for the proposal, I'll discuss it with Sean," Nicole replied solemnly.

Seeing how Nicole could calmly talk about work casually even though she no longer had any of her past memories, Daniel could not help but feel emotional, "You've worked really hard."

'She has just returned, and she does not know much about any of these things. Yet, she has to shoulder all of these responsibilities. As your father, I owe you a lot,' he thought.

Nicole shook her head lightly and comforted Daniel, "No, it's just that I was late.'

Previously, when Nicole was assailed and close to losing her life, she did not dare to return because of her kids. If she knew that there was a family which loved her so immensely here, and that they were suffering from their loss of her, Nicole would have given herself the courage to return.

"Nicole, your safety is still at risk. You must always be careful." Daniel warned.

And indeed, the entire family could not bear the thought of Nicole getting hurt anymore.

"I will protect myself." Nicole firmed her gaze, swearing that she would protect everyone too.

Soon after, they arrived at the headquarters of the Riddle Corporation, and the car came to a halt.

After the two of them had gotten down from the car, they strode into the building, with Nicole heading straight to Sean's office.

"What was the final decision?" Sean asked without mincing words.

"I have discussed this with dad and we'd like to hear your opinion on this." Nicole briefly explained.

"Alright, leave it to me." Sean nodded in agreement as he was fully supportive of their decision, no matter what it would be.

"Okay, I'll return to my office now." Nicole turned around, about to leave.

However, it was then that Sean stopped her. "Hold on."

"Anything else?" Nicole asked in a soft voice.

"It's more of a personal matter." Sean looked at Nicole and his eyes narrowed in seriousness. "What happened to you and Jared?"

Nicole was taken aback, and knowing that she could not hide it from Sean, she awkwardly replied, "Nothing much. It's just that I have yet to regain my memories, so I'm still not used to certain things."