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 Leslie's

Her birthday?

not. If it were, I would have cracked it

her fingers over the pendant's smooth surface. For a long time, she had been haunted by a single

resurfaced repeatedly, she grew increasingly convinced

an orphanage after a

after waking up, she would

understood why

now, piecing everything together, the fear of fire

assumptions and

there

feel Richie's

into his very being, so profound that it made her heart

her thoughts drifted, Isabel fell asleep,

over to Richie with her

she asked, her

they first met. Leslie didn't yet know his

candy wrapper Leslie had just

is Richie," he

as he spoke, Leslie's parents

the adoption paperwork. From today onward, you're our child. Your name will be Richard," they

parents. "Mom, Dad, does that mean he's part of our family

and a playmate?" her mother

wanted a younger brother,

darted back to Richie, and a

this family first, so I get dibs. From now on, I'll be your big sister, and you'll be my little brother. Got it?" she

older than you by several years and much taller. Do you really think it's appropriate to

course it is! I

nod. She ruffled chie's

swnevel

get

I'm your big

parents laughed again, filling the room with warmth

Isabel murmured the name

of bed and

at Isabel and wondered if he

"I'm hungry," Isabel mumbled.

helpless yet

on Xander's face. His gaze

lips, which

the

Adam's apple bobbed as he

They looked... delicious.