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?

it were, I would

smooth surface. For a long time, she had been haunted by a single

and dreams resurfaced repeatedly, she

childhood, waking up in an orphanage after a high fever

out. For a long time after waking up, she would

understood why back

together, the fear of fire made perfect sense if she

these were only assumptions and speculations without

then, there

could feel Richie's

his very being, so profound that it made her

thoughts drifted, Isabel fell asleep, slipping

over to Richie with her tiny

name?" she asked, her wide

the day they first met. Leslie didn't yet

the candy wrapper Leslie had just given him,

name is Richie," he

soon as he spoke, Leslie's parents

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

her large eyes at her parents. "Mom, Dad, does that

a playmate?" her mother replied

"But I wanted a younger brother, not an older

eyes darted back to Richie, and a mischievous glint appeared

your big sister,

taller. Do you really think it's appropriate to call him

course it is! I

replied with a firm nod. She ruffled

swnevel

get

I'm your big

filling the room

murmured the name

bed and was buttoning his shirt,

stared at Isabel and wondered if he had heard

"I'm hungry," Isabel mumbled.

helpless yet affectionate

gaze drifted downward, landing

posy lips,

in the

bobbed as

They looked... delicious.