After the Secret Wedding Rise of My Queen

Chapter 260 Hey, Xander Samuel smacked his lips and took two steps back, his gaze shifting to Isabel.

He was certain this was Isabel's doing.

What truly baffled him was that Xander had gone along with her antics and let himself end up looking like this.

In Samuel's memory, Xander had never been one for flashy or gaudy clothes.

He distinctly recalled a New Year's Day years ago when Ivana had bought matching red down jackets for him and Xander, insisting they wear them to add a festive touch to the celebration.

Xander had flat-out refused to wear his, no matter what.

He was only ten years old at the time, and he already couldn't stand colorful clothing.

Now, at 30, Xander was wearing an outfit so outrageous that even Samuel struggled to accept it.

And with this whole getup? Samuel could guarantee that if Ivana were here, she wouldn't recognize her son. As this thought crossed his mind, a faint sense of sadness washed over Samuel.

If Isabel ultimately didn't fall for Xander and ended up leaving him, Samuel couldn't even begin to imagine the aftermath. The way Xander indulged Isabel's every whim, completely smitten-what would he becif it all fell apart? Samuel also wondered what could be so wrong with Xander. After all this time, Isabel still hadn't fallen for him. Was she still hung up on Kaleb? He immediately dismissed the thought.

Given the fallout between Isabel and Kaleb in recent days and Isabel's clear disdain for him, there was no way she was still carrying a torch for Kaleb.

Could it be that Isabel's heart is too scarred from past relationships? Maybe she's just afraid to start over.

Samuel convinced himself this was the most likely explanation. The next morning, he shared his theory with Xander.

Xander agreed it made sense. From then on, he doubled down on his warmth and care for Isabel, doing everything in his power to give her the best of himself.

Half a month later, Isabel went out alone, planning to pick up snutritional supplements for pregnant women. She also intended to buy sdog food and other supplies for Yolkie.

With New Year's Day just around the corner, she felt guilty about constantly leaving Yolkie at Richard's place. She figured a thoughtful gift for the holiday would be the least she could do. As she strolled through the shopping district, a sleek businesswear store caught her eye.

She remembered the last tshe had bought Xander clothes. He hadn't worn them since that day.

She knew that style wasn't his thing-it didn't suit him at all.

Yet, despite that, Xander hadn't thrown the outfit away.

He hadn't said anything, and she hadn't asked.

But Isabel had a pretty good idea why he kept it. It was because she had bought it for him.

Today, she decided she'd pick out a few more pieces for him.

As soon as she stepped into the store, Isabel spotted two familiar faces-Eva and Cindy.

What were the odds? Of all the stores in Solaria, she just had to run into them.

"Isabel? What are you doing here? This isn't the kind of place for someone like you," Cindy sneered, her words dripping with contempt.

A sales associate had just started to approach Isabel but froze when Cindy's remark rang out.

Cindy turned to the associate with a condescending smile. "Don't bother helping her. She's just a penniless loser who was kicked out of her own family. She can't afford anything in our store." Wait-was this Cindy's store? Isabel glanced at the store's logo above the door, and suddenly it all made sense why this place had felt so familiar when she walked in.

It turned out to be one of the brands under Kaleb's company.

"What are you still standing there for? Don't go touching the clothes! If you damage or stain anything, you won't be able to afford to pay for it!" Cindy's voice rang out loud and clear intentionally drawing the attention of the store attendants and other customers.

Even without looking, Isabel could feel the strange gazes turning her way, filled with judgment and curiosity. With a soft chuckle, Isabel said, "Cindy, how do you know I can't afford these clothes?" "You? Afford these clothes? You're not srich heiress anymore. Do you think you have the money for them? Don't act like I don't know why you're here-you just cto checkout the designs and try things on for fun." Cindy's tone was dripping with disdain as if she had seen right through Isabel's motives.

Isabel shifted her gaze toward Eva.

"Eva, you're something, huh? You didn't even bother to tell her that Reggie is now the owner of I.Z. Corporation? Are you purposely trying to watch her embarrass herself?" "What?" Cindy's face twisted in disbelief. "Reggie is the owner of I.Z. Corporation? Who are you trying to fool here? Why don't you go ahead and claim to be the richest woman in Solaria while you're at it?" Cindy laughed off Isabel's words, refusing to believe them.

Isabel raised a delicate brow, amused by the irony.

Cindy wasn't far off the mark-Isabel was the wife of Solaria's richest man.

"If you don't believe me, you can ask Eva," Isabel said coolly.

Cindy, unsettled by Isabel's confidence, turned to Eva for confirmation.

"Eva, is what she's saying true?"

Eva hesitated for a moment before recounting the incident at the bridal boutique. "Kaleb and I were at the boutique trying on wedding outfits when we ran into Isabel. The store manager said Isabel is the sister of I.Z. Corporation's owner." "Couldn't she have bribed the manager to say that?" Cindy speculated.

"To be honest, Kaleb and I thought of that too," Eva said with a knowing smirk. "But it's also possible that Isabel and Reggie got lucky. Maybe someone influential invested a lot of money in them, which helped them start I.Z. Corporation." Eva deliberately and exaggeratedly spun her words, hoping to provoke Cindy. "Ha!" Cindy let out a mocking laugh. "Influential people don't just fall from the sky. What could Isabel and Reggie possibly have to offer that would make someone invest so much in them? Besides, I know the truth. IZ Corporations only Miracle Healer's coattails. Do you think Isabel knows someone as legendary as Miracle Healer? He's the top physician in the country and keeps to himself. There's no way they'd ever cross paths with someone like that. I'll bet Isabel bribed that store manager to spread those lies." succeeded because they rodeel. Re Cindy seemed utterly convinced by her reasoning. Crossing her arms smugly, she strode up to Isabel.

"Get out of here! This is my family's store, and you're not welcome!" Cindy raised her voice again, deliberately trying to humiliate Isabel in front of everyone.

Eva stood behind Cindy, her face twisted in a malicious grin. She had suffered enough under Isabel's shadow with misfortune. Now it was finally Isabel's turn to face embarrassment. Isabel's ears filled with whispers and mis recently constantly dealing murmurs from the surrounding onlookers, none of them particularly kind. Suddenly, she remembered that this mall belonged to Bennett Group.

With that thought, she pulled out her phone and dialed Xander.

"Hey, Xander, Maple Mall over on Green Street-does it belong to your company?"