Ch. 2876..2880: My Wife Is A Hacker Chapter 2876-2880

Nicole could not help but smile at how ridiculous yet valid his concern was. "Come on, dude. That's just an excuse I came up with to comfort Nolan and Lana.”

In reality, her marriage would concern nobody but herself and Jared. No one else would be able to exert any sort of meaningful influence on the wedding.

“That's great.” Preston issued a sigh of relief.

Everything would be fine as long as he did not have a hand to play on whether the wedding ceremony happened or not.

Taking on a more serious look now, Nicole looked at Preston and added, "But, you should really start thinking about your own love life."

"Yeah, I will.” Preston replied.

He did not want to suffer the torture of being the only single person in the room every time he hung out with them. Being around these love birds while they harped on the idea that he needed to find someone soon was agonizing to say the least.

Nicole then smirked and shook her head. She thought it would be a good idea to just remind him about it, instead of poking her nose into his business.

Then, she shifted the topic of conversation. "I've got something to talk to you about.”

"What is it?" Preston asked in a serious tone of voice. He knew that Nicole would never sit him down for a discussion if the matter in question was a trivial one.

After pausing for a while, Nicole said, "Once we reach home, you should follow me in and have a look."

“Oh, okay.” Preston replied.

When they arrived at the Riddle residence, the both of them got down from the car and entered the house. There was no one in the living room, indicating that they must have all returned to their respective rooms and gotten ready for bed.

Nicole did not bother to disturb Daniel and Gloria. Instead, she brought Preston up to the second floor right away.

When they reached Nolan's room, the duo saw Nolan playing the very same game he had been engrossed with for the past few months. Meanwhile, Jared and Lana were sitting beside Nolan, their eyes trained on the computer screen.

Hearing that someone had entered, Nolan, Lana and Jared whirled around to look at them in unison.

"Hello Mommy. Hello Uncle Preston,” Nolan and Lana greeted them.

"Why did you bring me to Nolan’s room?" Preston asked in confusion.

He was wondering what Nicole was trying to do.

Without giving him a direct answer, Nicole walked up to the computer and said, "Have a look at this.”

While Preston proceeded to study the game with its intricate level designs, Nicole explained, "We've studied this game and confirmed that there's something wrong with it.

But, we don't have a single clue about what the developer's motives are. There's still no evidence."

“You don't have any evidence? Does that mean you guys know who the person is?” Preston asked.

"I've got a rough guess, yes.” Nicole's eyes darkened, wishing that the perpetrator was not who she thought he was.

Understanding what Nicole was trying to convey, Preston nodded and asked, "What do you want me to do?”

"So, here's the thing," Nicole replied. "When we began analyzing the game, we discovered that all levels must be completed, and that's what the developer wants us to do. However, Nolan can't clear the game on his own, no matter how many stages he completes, so I'll have to step in to help him out.”

"You want me to help him clear the stages?" Preston asked.

Nicole shook her head and clarified, “No. I need you to assist me.”

"Oh, okay.” Preston replied without any objections. "Tell me, what should I do?"

No matter what task it was, or how difficult it was, Preston would try his best to complete it as long as it was a request from Nicole.

"Recently, I've come to realize that we might have thought lightly about these levels.” Nicole said, attempting to explain what was on her mind.

Nicole had decided to take this matter seriously, so after some careful consideration, she had decided to enlist Preston's help.

Previously, she thought that all they needed to do was clear the stages and discover the developer's motives behind each stage, whereupon they would be able to proceed with finding the solution. After all, they would never come to know what the developer was up to if they did not complete the levels.

However, while Nicole was completing the levels, she could not shake the feeling that there was something fishy about the game design as a whole. On the surface, it seemed as if they had to work very hard to get past all the stages. But there were also moments when Nicole felt that someone was controlling the variables and monitoring the game progress remotely.

Chapter 2877

If Lawrence was truly the one behind all of this, her explanations about the puzzles thus far would make perfect sense.

Lawrence had attained the Water Crest, but he had not been able to crack its failsafe and become its bearer, and due to him being unable to seek Nicole’s help directly, he had turned to giving Nolan a modified version of the interface masked as a game as his last resort.

After all, Lawrence knew Nicole and Nolan well enough to come up with a strategy that capitalized on their strengths. Lawrence had also probably thought that Nolan would forever keep his secrets, making it difficult, if not impossible for them to learn of his true intentions from the boy.

If it was in the past, Lawrence would only have to ask a few simple questions to gain a full idea of their progress and the situation they were in, granting him relative ease with achieving his goals. But now that things did not go his way anymore, he had resorted to elaborate trickery.

Little did Lawrence know that Nolan would not tell him about his recent discoveries, allowing him to think that Nicole and the rest had not caught onto anything fishy just yet.

“In the meantime, you should let Nolan continue what he’s doing. Don’t make any moves for now. As for the application, leave it to Preston. Once he’s done, we’ll proceed.” Jared said with a serious look etched on his face.

They would not grant Lawrence this victory no matter the cost. Moreover, the Water Crest had finally resurfaced, so it would be a good idea for them to secure it.

Jared then turned to Nicole, his gaze softening. Up to this day, no one had successfully become the bearer of two Reby Family Crests at the same time.

Perhaps Nicole could be the first in history, and he had faith she would be able to if she wanted to.

As her head was pounding, Nicole had decided to give this matter a rest for the night. After giving him a brief nod, she dragged him to bed.

The next morning, the sun was warm and bright.

It was about seven thirty in the morning and the dining room was a sight to behold, with all of the Riddles gathering at the table and chatting away in high spirits.

In addition to those who would regularly show up for breakfast there, Tia and Mrs. Wallace Sr. were there as well.

As it turned out, Stanley had formally made his relationship with Tia known to Mrs. Wallace Sr. and his parents, Gloria and Daniel.

“Great! That’s great!” Mrs. Wallace Sr. beamed, naturally happy about it.

She was one of the first to know about Tia’s feelings toward Stanley.

Gloria nodded vigorously in elation, “This is definitely good news!” “I guess you have nothing to worry about now.” Daniel laughed and turned to Gloria.

“Yeah, I don’t have to worry about it anymore.” Gloria sighed, after which she looked at the new couple. “About the wedding, when are you guys planning to have it?”

Having never given it any thought, Tia lowered her head in embarrassment.

“Mom, although Tia has said yes, I’m thinking of putting the wedding on hold in the meantime.” Stanley replied.

Although he too wished to marry Tia as soon as possible, they would be in too much of a rush if they planned to have their wedding this month.

“What are you guys waiting for? Since you’ve proposed, choose a date and prepare for the wedding.” Gloria frowned, growing impatient.

“Mom, there really isn’t a need to rush into it. I want to give Tia some time,”

Stanley disagreed.

They had just made their relationship official, so he wanted to give Tia some time to calm down.

As the both of them had decided to be together, nothing would change.

Therefore, there was no need to rush the wedding. Stanley’s main concern was that Tia, being the jittery, nervous wreck she was, would be overwhelmed if they held the ceremony as soon as possible.

“Yeah, we’re not in a rush,” Tia echoed, not knowing what to say.

“What a fool.” Gloria sighed in irritation. “How can you not be in a rush for it?

There are a ton of preparations to be made. You’ll have to think about the house as well. There aren’t any suitable houses for you guys in this neighborhood, but I can’t just force you guys to pick one, can I?” “Mom, Tia and I will be staying here.” Stanley smiled as he looked at Gloria.

“Tia and I have discussed it before, and we’ve decided to stay here.”

 

Chapter 2878

“Are you guys serious about this decision? But…” Gloria hesitated for a moment.

The rest of her children had their own houses, and it was tradition that they would all move out once they were married.

“Yes, we’ve set our mind on it.” Stanley smiled and said. “We wish to stay here.

That way, the house will still be as lively as ever. Besides, it’ll be convenient for US to take care of you and grandma.” “You don’t have to worry about grandma and US. Once you and Tia get married, someone else will take care of grandma,” Gloria argued, worried that Stanley and Tia had only decided not to move out because of Mrs. Wallace Sr.

“We’ve really thought it through,” Stanley insisted, even though he understood what Gloria’s concerns were.

While they were on the subject, Tia chimed in, “Yes, I want to continue taking care of grandma.”

Although Nicole had hired her to be Mrs. Wallace Sr. ‘s caretaker, their relationship had evolved over the years. They had grown to be very tight- knit now, much like a grandmother and her granddaughter. Owing to all those years of care, Tia was certain that Mrs. Wallace Sr. would be more comfortable with her habits and her company.

“That’s right. It’ll be more comfortable for the both of US if we stay here.”

Stanley nodded.

Seeing that the two of them were determined to stick around, Gloria looked at Daniel in helplessness, as if to ask for his opinion on the matter.

“If the kids have no objections to sticking around, we’ll respect their wishes, “

Daniel replied.

Gloria and Daniel did not wish to deprive Tia of the new home she deserved, but if it was her wish to stay here with them, they would offer their unconditional support.

“We’re fine with it,” Tia immediately replied.

Everyone turned to look at Tia, whereupon they burst out laughing, causing her to blush in shyness once more.

“Alright, we’ll go along with what you guys have decided then.” Gloria added.

“The both of you will continue saying here. As for the wedding planning, we’ll start working on it for the both of you. Well let you decide on the date.”

Now that Stanley and Tia’s relationship was stable, Gloria and Daniel could finally enjoy their peace of mind. In fact, they were not really in a rush to get them married, as Stanley had found someone he loved at long last. With that in mind, they had decided to give the couple the freedom of choosing the date of their ceremony.

After Gloria had spoken, she turned to look at Tia with a smile. “I wasn’t expecting this, but it’s amazing that the both of you finally found each other. Oh, this is great!” “Gloria?” Tia blushed again and lowered her head in shyness.

“I agree. My wish for Tia’s future has finally been granted!” Mrs. Wallace Sr.

said, her eyes wet with tears.

Gloria, on the other hand, was grinning from ear to ear as she said, “Even though it’s the kids’ decision, I don’t think it’s a bad idea for them to stay here now that I think about it. Although we don’t really need them to take care of US, the house will at least be much livelier with them around.”

Once Nicole and Jared had completed their ceremony, they would move out of the family home and to the one next door. The rest of them had also gotten married and shifted to their respective houses, so it would not be a stretch to say that the Riddle residence would be rather empty without them here. With Stanley and Tia around, however, Gloria and Daniel would not be as lonely.

“I think Mrs. Wallace Sr. should move in with US once Stanley and Tia are married. That way, it’ll be easier for everyone to meet each other.” Daniel suggested.

However, Mrs. Wallace Sr. waved her hands, begging to disagree. “I’m accustomed to the tranquility and silence there. I’ll just remain in the house at the back. You guys are welcome to pay more frequent visits, though. It’s a walking distance, after all.”

While everyone was chatting away, they began discussing future plans.

Strangely enough, Tia was starting to feel less shy and nervous around them.

And when it was almost time to leave, she got up, prepared to send Nolan and Lana to school.

“I’ll come with you.” Stanley got up and followed after her and the two little ones.

Luna, another caretaker, then came over, brought Mrs. Wallace Sr. to the house at the back, and took care of her.

Nicole and Jared were prepared to leave for work, but the moment they stood up, Gloria said, “Nicole, about Tia’s arrangements, do you think she feels a weight on her shoulders, and that’s why she wants to continue staying here?”

Gloria genuinely did not wish to deprive Tia of the things she deserved because she genuinely loved Tia.

Chapter 2879

With a smile on her face, Nicole replied, “Don’t worry, we’ll just go along with Stanley and Tia’s arrangements.”

Hearing this, Gloria calmed down. “Alright, I just want to make sure that Tia doesn’t feel as if she is lesser than US or anything. That’s my only concern.”

Indeed, this was Gloria’s only concern. Nothing else would be a problem for her.

“You should just relax and prepare for their wedding, I’m sure they won’t be able to wait for too long.” Nicole smiled and advised.

Then, she held Jared’s hand and walked out of the house with him.

Though Gloria was stunned at first, she quickly came to her senses and beamed. “The wedding is happening really soon, right?” “I guess so.” Daniel returned her smile.

“Well, since Stanley and Tia will be staying with US, I think we should clean the house up, especially Stanley’s room. We must renovate the couple’s room and refurbish everything. Let’s give them a new set of furniture and decorations.”

Gloria began to plan.

“If you’re going to renovate the room, where is Stanley going to stay?” Daniel asked.

“He can sleep in Samuel or Spencer’s room for the time being as long as he isn’t going to step foot in that room of his before the wedding. That room of his will be renovated and reserved for the wedding. We must clean it up, ” she replied.

Seeing how excited Gloria was, Daniel smiled and patted her on the back in support. “Alright, we’ll go according to your plan.”

Gloria then beamed and began planning on ways to renovate Stanley’s room.

Meanwhile, Nicole and Jared, who had long since left the house, were on the road en route to their workplaces.

“Preston told me he just arrived at the headquarters of Finley Group. He’s discussing the plan with Ryder and Gary,” Nicole said in a low voice after she had caught a glimpse of the message on her screen.

“Yeah, with the three of them working together, the process should be quick.”

Jared replied, calm and collected.

Nicole bit her lips and sighed. “I don’t know why. I can’t help but feel that the more we progress, the more stressed out I am.”

Knowing how Nicole must be feeling, Jared wrapped his hand around hers.

If you give in now, you’ll just be doing yourself a disservice.” “I’m not giving in. I just feel a little sorry for the way things are now.” Nicole shook her head.

For her relationship with Lawrence to deteriorate to the point that they could not even be friends anymore was something she had neither expected nor wanted.

It’s human nature to only care about one’s personal gains and interests. There’s nothing new about it. That’s the reality of the world we live in.” Jared offered, his face drooping in profound sadness, for he too had experienced his share of betrayals, from his own uncle no less.

“Yeah.” Nicole nodded.

She had resolved that if there was nothing she could do to remedy the situation, the only option left for her was to face her adversaries head on.

As the car continued plodding ahead. Nicole fixed her gaze on the scenery outside, and from her deep- set eyes, she got lost in thought. All Jared could do at that moment was hold her hands in an effort to comfort her.

Meanwhile, in the CEO’s office of Finley Group, Ryder and Gary were left in a state of shock and disbelief.

With serious looks on each of their faces, they asked, “Are you being real?” “Do I look like I’m joking?” Preston rolled his eyes at both of them.

The idea that he would travel all the way there early in the morning just to pull a prank on them was ludicrous at best.

“It’s not that. I’m just shocked.” Gary shrugged his shoulders, his eyes wild and wide.

“But all of these are just our guesses. It’s down to US to search for solid answers.” Preston reminded the Finley brothers.

“Alright. We’ll do our very best, as Nicole truly needs our help.” Gary promised, his eyes burning with determination.

Ryder nodded in tandem. “If this is something that concerns Nicole, we must lend her a helping hand.” “It’s great to have you guys as friends.” Preston sighed, happy and grateful to have them around.

Then, the three of them began to discuss how they were going to create the application. Once they had gotten a rough direction of what their next step was going to be, they began to delegate the tasks to everyone.

Once everything had been settled, the three of them looked at each other, their eyes shining with confidence. “Alright, we’ll proceed with this.” “One more thing.”

Ryder paused for a moment and suggested. “We can consider baiting and switching.”

Frowning, Preston asked, “You mean…” “Yes. Since they were the ones who started this, why don’t we use what they have developed to the fullest extent and hide the actual results?” Ryder clarified.

By handing their adversaries a set of false results, the latter would not be able to make use of it to crack the code and gain access to the Water Crest.

Chapter 2880

“That’s a good idea.” Preston and Gary nodded right away.

After they had conducted a few more rounds of discussion, Preston left the headquarters of Finley Group and made his way to Riddle Corporation. Upon arrival, he knocked on Nicole’s door and entered her office.

Seeing that it was Preston, Nicole widened her eyes in surprise. “Why are you here? You can’t be here to ask for a free lunch, right?”

After all, it was almost lunch hour.

“There are some issues, so I thought of coming over to inform you about them.”

Preston began, and proceeded to explain the outcome of his discussion with Ryder and Gary.

Nicole nodded. “Initially, I had this idea too, but it’s above my paygrade. I was worried we’d alert them, so I decided to forgo the idea.” “Since we’re the ones doing it, they won’t realize a thing.” Preston explained.

At the end of the day, their adversaries had their eyes on nobody but Nicole.

They would not discover anything if they did not look hard enough.

After giving it some thought, Nicole nodded. “You may proceed as you guys have discussed. Just give it a shot, but remember this. You must keep your wits about you.” “Don’t worry, we know what the situation is like. If we can’t pull it off, well give up.” Preston replied.

“Alright,” Nicole said.

She knew that Preston and the Finley Brothers were rational and pragmatic individuals, connoting that they should be able to navigate around the issue with little hiccups along the way.

It was noon by the time the duo in the office were done with their little discussion, so Nicole invited Preston to stay for lunch.

Coincidentally, Lulu had just entered the office as well, so the three of them went out together. It did not take them long to find a restaurant that was to their liking, so they pulled up, sat down, and ordered their meals as soon as they did.

“Why did you visit our office today?” Lulu asked Preston out of curiosity.

“I was just passing by, so I decided to swing by for a little visit.” Preston replied, not wanting to divulge to Lulu the true purpose of his visit.

Lulu did not think much about his explanation, as she was simply looking for an opportunity to tease him again, “I see. I thought you had your eyes on someone in our office.”

Visibly annoyed, Preston rolled his eyes at her. “Aren’t there women in my office too?” ‘This is just ridiculous! Must I come all the way to Nicole’s office for that?

Gosh!’ he thought.

“So, you have your eyes on someone in your office?” Lulu’s eyes widened and she smirked, her curiosity growing stronger by the minute.

Taken aback by Lulu’s continued prodding, he argued, “Hold up. Did I say that?”

What he meant to say was, ‘Do I have to like someone to visit a certain place?’ “Hehe.” Lulu laughed, as she was just messing around, unlike Preston, who had taken it seriously.

“How’s your business coming along?” Nicole casually asked.

After flashing her a confident smile, he replied, “Everything’s fine. We’re progressing just fine.”

Hearing that coming from Preston gave her a sense of relief. “That’s good.”

“Don’t worry. I’m doing well now. I’ll be able to handle whatever tasks you throw at me without sacrificing time dedicated to the development of the company,”

Preston replied, before giving her a beaming smile.

Nicole returned his smile without offering any further commentary. She would be happy as long as the tasks she had assigned him did not affect the company.

“Oh, right. I got wind that Jared returned to Johnston Group today. Was there something important for him to do? I’m just wondering if it’s alright for him to show up at a time like this.” Preston asked out of worry.

Jared’s appearance at Emery’s wedding was not known to many, so it was safe to assume that things were still under his control. If he paid a sudden visit to his company, however, it would be difficult for him to escape being noticed by an employee or a member of the public.

“There is indeed something going on. But it’s fine. He did use the main entrance, so I don’t think anyone saw him.” Nicole explained.

“That’s good.” Preston sighed in relief.

The moment the waiter had served them their orders, the three of them dug in and chatted away. After they were done with their meals, they got up and left the restaurant, with Preston heading back to his company and the duo of Nicole and Lulu returning to Riddle Corporation.

“There hasn’t been any movement on Damien’s end. Do you think he’s waiting for something or someone?” Lulu asked, hazarding a guess.