After the Secret Wedding Rise of My Queen

Chapter 257 Do I Look That Old? "Thump-thump, thump-thump." Isabel's heart raced uncontrollably.

It wasn't her fault. The way Xander was looking at her-so brazen, so unrestrained-it was like he wanted her to notice. And when she did catch him, he didn't even bother to look away. Instead, his gaze grew bolder, more intense. "Do I look strange dressed like this?" The outfit wasn't even hers. Yvette had insisted on giving it to her, saying she'd bought it ages ago but never got the chance to wear it. With her pregnancy weight gain, it didn't fit anymore, so she passed it on to Isabel, claiming it would be a waste otherwise. Isabel had hesitated at first. This wasn't her usual style. But on a whim, she tried it on, and to her surprise, it uniquely suited her.

What she hadn't expected, though, was for Xander to stare at her non-stop once she put it on.

"You look adorable," Xander said sincerely, his eyes never leaving her.

"You like this kind of style?" Isabel asked, genuinely surprised.

"Not exactly." "What does that mean?" Isabel was puzzled. Didn't his compliment mean he liked the cute style? Xander raised his hand and gently picked up one of her pigtails. Without warning, he brought it to his lips and kissed it.

"You..." Isabel's eyes widened in shock. Couldn't we just talk like normal people? Why did you kiss my hair? Her heart pounded even faster. Watching Xander kiss her hair felt more intimate and electrifying than if he had kissed her lips.

"I like everything about you," Xander said, finally answering her earlier question.

Whether it was Isabel in her mature style, her cute look now, or even her daring nightclub outfits, every version of her captivated him completely.

"Tell me, were you born just to be my kryptonite?" Xander leaned closer, his deep, magnetic voice whispering into her ear.

The low timbre sent shivers through Isabel, her earlobes flushing red almost instantly.

He was doing this on purpose.

But Isabel couldn't bring herself to respond.

Twenty minutes later, they finally arrived at the amusement park.

The moment Isabel stepped out of the car, she took a deep breath, savoring the fresh air.

The confined space of the car had felt suffocating, like she was a dish served on a platter, waiting for Xander to feast on her.

Just as this thought crossed her mind, she noticed several people glancing in her direction, their eyes filled with admiration. "Wow, that girl is stunning! My goodness, she's nothing like my daughter," someone exclaimed.

Girl? The term caught Isabel off guard. She was in her twenties, after all.

She glanced at the woman who had spoken, then at the girl beside her-the daughter in question. The girl looked like she hadn't even started college yet.

Someone was comparingto a teenager? Was my current look really that youthful? As Isabel pondered this, a boy in a high school uniform approached, holding a cotton candy. He looked shy, his cheeks tinged pink. "Hi," he said, extending the cotton candy toward her. "This is for you." Isabel blinked, stunned. It was obvious he was trying to hit on her.

To be fair, he had every reason to be confident.

The boy had a clean, sunny appearance, exuding a fresh and approachable charm. He was tall, too—at least 5'10" or more.

A deep, low voice suddenly spoke from behind Isabel.

"She doesn't eat food from strangers." The boy nearly jumped out of his skin. When he turned to see who it was, Xander's menacing expression was even scarier than his voice.

The murmurs from the crowd began to rise again.

"That man must be her dad, right? He's so good-looking! Honestly, he could compete with male celebrities. No wonder the girl's so pretty-she takes after her father." Isabel couldn't hold back her laughter, letting out a snort. Without even looking up, she could already imagine how hilariously grim Xander's face must look.

The boy, still holding out the cotton candy, cautiously glanced at Xander as though he were facing imminent danger.

"Sir, I swear I'm not a bad guy! I don't have any ill intentions toward your daughter. I just want to be friends with her," he said nervously.

Xander's expression darkened further, the muscles in his jaw clenching as if he was seconds away from snapping. He reached out, pulling the giggling Isabel into his arms and holding her tightly. "She's my wife," Xander declared coldly.

His words stunned everyone around them.

"What's going on? Are they married? No way! The age gap between them has to be at least ten years-maybe 20!" "Could it be a second marriage?" "Even if it's a second marriage, that girl doesn't look older than 18! This guy's unbelievable. Marrying someone that young?!" "Keep your voice down! It's none of our business. You don't want to get in trouble. Just focus on keeping your kids safe so they don't get snatched away." Feeling the icy aura radiating from Xander, Isabel quickly dragged him into the amusement park before he could explode in front of everyone.

She was still stifling her laughter, though.

Xander's face was as dark as a thundercloud. Watching Isabel try to hold back her giggles made him both irritated and helpless.

"Do I look that old?"

He couldn't deny that there was an age gap between them. At 30, he was than seven years older than Isabel who was 23 BUDIN his mind, the difference wasn't that big of a deal. But that only represented his perspective, not Isabel's. Still, he began to wonder if the age gap was the reason Isabel seemed hesitant to fully accept him.

The more he thought about it, the gloomier his expression became.

Isabel studied his face intently. His sharp features, defined jawline, and prominent Adam's apple radiated rugged masculinity. He was undeniably handsome, the kind of man most women would find impossible to resist.

In truth, although Isabel's body was 23, her mental age felt more like 26, them making the real gap between just four years. It wasn't as big as it seemed. "Why aren't you answering me? Does that mean you agree?" Xander pressed, his chest rising and falling visibly as he struggled to stay calm.

She hesitated for a moment before responding sincerely. "Of course not." "Are you just trying to makefeel better?"

"Really! Why would I lie to you? Look, you're 30, sure, but you don't even even have a single wrinkle & the corners of your eyes. They mistook you for my elder, but that doesn't mean you're old." "Oh? Then what does it mean?" Xander asked, narrowing his eyes as he leaned in closer.