After the Secret Wedding Rise of My Queen

Chapter 228 A Kiss to Wake-Up

Richie's question left Isabel momentarily speechless.

"How should I put it? He's very nice to me."

"I can see that," Richie chimed in.

"But-" Isabel's brows furrowed even deeper. "Feelings aren't as simple as liking someone and being together because of it."

"So, you don't have that kind of feeling for him?" Richie asked.

Isabel raised a hand to scratch her neck awkwardly. "I think so? Or maybe... I just can't treat him the way he treats me."

The more Isabel spoke, the more unfair the whole situation seemed to Xander in her mind. It wasn't as if she wanted things to be this way. Just like she had said earlier-if someone liked her and treated her well, was she obligated to reciprocate? Did not returning his feelings make her a bad person?

That didn't make sense.

She wanted to stay true to her heart.

"If that's the case, why are you two still together? Haven't you already exacted your revenge?" Richie looked at her with genuine confusion.

Because of the emerald guardian angel pendant.

But that wasn't something Isabel planned to share with Richie.

"There's a promise between us. For now, I can't leave his side," she explained briefly, then swiftly changed the subject. "Let's get you lying down again. I wasn't done treating you earlier." "Alright." Richie nodded obediently.

That night, Isabel lay in bed, tossing and turning. The events of the day weighed heavily on her mind.

It wasn't until nearly midnight that Xander arrived, right on schedule.

As always, the moment he climbed into bed, he pulled her into his arms.

Isabel feigned deep sleep, staying perfectly still as she waited for him to fall asleep.

Listening closely to his even breathing against her face, she deduced he must be asleep.

To test it, she shifted slightly.

A minute passed and there was no reaction from Xander. He was truly asleep.

Carefully, Isabel slid her hand out, reached under his shirt, and retrieved the emerald guardian angel pendant.

Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed in her mind.

"Leslie, this is the treasure your parents left you. The password is your ...

The voice faded away again.

password is

Her birthday?

If it were, I would have cracked it

pendant's smooth surface. For a long time, she

repeatedly, she

her childhood, waking up in an orphanage after

detail stood out. For a long time after waking up, she would tremble and cry

understood why back

together, the fear of fire made perfect sense if

only assumptions and speculations without solid

there

could feel Richie's

a devotion etched into his very being, so profound that it made her

Isabel fell asleep, slipping into

toddled over to Richie

name?" she asked, her wide

the day they first met. Leslie didn't

the candy wrapper Leslie had just given him, unwilling to throw

name is Richie,"

as he spoke, Leslie's parents

adoption paperwork. From today onward, you're our child. Your name

blinked her large eyes at her parents. "Mom, Dad, does that mean he's

sibling and a playmate?" her mother

a younger

and a mischievous glint appeared in

I'll be your big sister, and you'll be my little brother. Got it?" she

by several years and much taller.

is!

with a firm nod. She ruffled chie's hair

swnevel

get

I'm your big

the

murmured the

and was buttoning his shirt, paused when he heard

Isabel and wondered if he had

"I'm hungry," Isabel mumbled.

yet

His gaze drifted downward, landing on

posy lips,

the

apple bobbed

They looked... delicious.