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.

is

Her birthday?

it were, I would have cracked

surface. For a long time, she had

dreams resurfaced repeatedly, she grew

back to her childhood, waking up in an orphanage after a high fever wiped away her

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

understood why back

everything together, the fear of fire made

only assumptions and speculations

there was

feel Richie's deep longing for

etched into his very being, so

thoughts drifted, Isabel fell asleep, slipping into a

the dream, Leslie toddled over to Richie with

her wide

day they first met.

Leslie had just given

name is Richie," he

soon as he spoke,

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

"Mom, Dad, does

you always want a sibling and a playmate?" her mother

a younger

and a mischievous

I get dibs. From now on, I'll be your big sister, and you'll be my

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

is! I think it's

nod.

swnevel

get

your big

the room

the name in her

out of bed and was

Isabel and wondered if

"I'm hungry," Isabel mumbled.

yet

His gaze

lips, which

the morning

Adam's apple bobbed as he

They looked... delicious.