After the Secret Wedding Rise of My Queen

Chapter 258 A Long Day

Isabel could tell that Xander wouldn't let it go until she gave him an answer.

"Alright, since you're so curious, I'll break it down for you," she said, her eyes fixed on his chiseled, stoic face. She reached out with two fingers and gently lifted the corners of his mouth.

"See? Smiling like this makes you look so much younger and approachable. You always walk around with that stone-cold expression. Young people don't act like that! Even people in their thirties or forties don't always have to look so serious." More smiles? More approachable?

Xander imagined what that might look like and immediately rejected the idea. It felt absurd-completely out of character.

Seeing his slightly furrowed brows, Isabel guessed what was going through his mind.

Honestly, she was used to his cool, detached demeanor. If he ever suddenly loosened up, started bouncing around while walking, or acting playful ...

She wouldn't know how to handle that either.

Personalities don't just change, nor should they have to. If that's the case, there was only one solution.

"Come with me."

Isabel grabbed Xander's hand and led him out of the amusement park, heading toward a nearby mall.

"What are we doing here? Don't feel like staying at the park anymore? Shopping? Sure, buy whatever you like," Xander said, perfectly fine with either activity as long as Isabel stayed by his side.

He preferred the mall. It allowed him to spend money on her.

As her husband, he believed that earning money was primarily so she could enjoy it.

For weeks, he'd been trying to get Isabel to accept his gestures, but she always refused, insisting she had her own money.

Now that the opportunity had finally presented itself, he was more than eager.

"It's not for me. It's for you. I'm buying you some clothes."

into a

shelves, feeling out of place. The styles were far too juvenile clearly aimed at guys in their early twenties. Some pieces looked so childish that even Samuel wouldn't wear them. As Xander mulled over this,

so similar to what I'm

Aside from some slight differences in detail, the

don't you try them on? You'd look so much younger in

me to

without him

clearly uninterested. He couldn't fathom wearing anything from this store-least of all

off pastel yellow just fine. She was young, cute,

consisted almost entirely of black, white, and gray, with

something as blindingly bright as this? The

Xander was about to turn and leave, Isabel tugged

it. It won't kill

serious as he

it in any longer. Xander's sheer resistance to

He spoiled her so much it often felt as though, if she asked for the stars in the sky, he would somehow

when he was allergic to dogs, he'd agreed to let her keep Yolkie. But now, seeing how desperately he wanted to leave this store,

him as if she were a little girl begging

of malice or stubbornness-she simply found it amusing. Watching Xander's discomfort was too entertaining to

brow twitched

at the

าวน

clothes. His entire being radiated resistance. But then his gaze shifted downward, landing on Isabel's hand

every decision that had

teased, rapping lightly on the door, barely containing her

let out a deep breath, resigned, and quickly

unreadable mix of

Xander no longer looked

felt off. Her gaze moved up to his slicked-back hair, the epitome of a

with a suit and tie, it clashed terribly with the vibrant, youthful