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. "Cwith 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 sclothes." Isabel led Xander into a men's clothing store.

Xander scanned the racks and shelves, feeling out of place. The styles were far too juvenile clearly aimed at guys in their early twenties. Spieces looked so childish that even Samuel wouldn't wear them. As Xander mulled over this, Isabel's eyes lit up. She hurried over to a display and grabbed a pair of light yellow overalls. "Look! This style is so similar to what I'm wearing!" Xander glanced at the overalls in her hands, then at her outfit. Aside from sslight differences in detail, the style and color were practically identical.

Isabel held the overalls up against Xander, sizing him up. "Why don't you try them on? You'd look so much younger in these!" Do you wantto wear this? Xander's face practically screamed "no" without him needing to say a word.

"Let's try somewhere else," he said, clearly uninterested. He couldn't fathom wearing anything from this store- least of all the bright yellow overalls Isabel was holding.

Isabel could pull off pastel yellow just fine. She was young, cute, and beautiful.

But he was 30. His wardrobe consisted almost entirely of black, white, and gray, with little deviation.

And now she wanted him to try something as blindingly bright as this? The idea was preposterous.

Just as Xander was about to turn and leave, Isabel tugged on his arm.

"Con, just try it. It won't kill you." "It will," Xander replied, dead serious as he stared at her.

Isabel burst out laughing, unable to hold it in any longer. Xander's sheer resistance to the idea was simply too much.

Having known Xander for so long, Isabel had gotten used to his unwavering indulgence. He spoiled her so much it often felt as though, if she asked for the stars in the sky, he would somehow find a way to bring them down for her.

So when she saw Xander flat-out reject her for the first time, she was taken aback Even 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, it was clear just how much he detested this particular style.

"Just try it on, please?" Isabel pleaded, her wide, innocent eyes blinking up at him as if she were a little girl begging her dad for a new toy.

She wasn't being pushy out of malice or stubbornness-she simply found it amusing. Watching Xander's discomfort was too entertaining to pass up.

Xander's brow twitched as he glanced at the overly cheerful yellow of the clothes. His entire being radiated resistance. But then his gaze shifted downward, landing on Isabel's hand gripping his arm and her expectant eyes locked on him.

And that's how he found himself regretting every decision that had led him to the fitting room.

"Are you done yet?" Isabel teased, rapping lightly on the door, barely containing her laughter. Xander let out a deep breath, resigned, and quickly changed into the outfit.

When the door opened, his face was an unreadable mix of emotions. He avoided even glancing at the mirror. "You look so much younger already!" Isabel said, clapping her hands in delight. Dressed like this, Xander no longer looked like he was in his thirties-he could easily pass for someone in their mid-twenties.

Still, something felt off. Her gaze moved up to his slicked-back hair, the epitof a mature, no-nonsense businessman.

While the hairstyle paired perfectly with a suit and tie, it clashed terribly with the vibrant, youthful outfit he was wearing now.

"Seen enough? I'm going to change back," Xander muttered, already sensing this was all a gto Isabel. Of course, he was happy to humor her.

But Isabel wasn't done yet. "Wait, wait! Since you're already wearing it, don't take it off. I'll go pay." "What?" Xander froze.

If he went out dressed like this, he'd never be able to show his face in public again.

Isabel's antics had to have a limit.

Since she wanted to see him in this outfit, Xander thought indulging her for a moment was enough. But now, Isabel was actually insisting he wear it to go out? That was absolutely impossible for him.

Before he could protest, Isabel had already scanned the code and paid.

"You don't need to payback-it's a gift!" she declared with a bright smile.

That caught Xander off guard. It was the first tIsabel had ever bought style him clothes, and while the wasn't his cup of tea, the sentiment behind it made it special. "Alright, let's go!" Isabel grabbed his arm again. "Where to now?"

"To a salon, of course. That hairstyle of yours doesn't go with this outfit at all. Look in the mirror-it's a totalm mismatch She pushed him toward a nearby mirror. Xander avoided looking, turning his head to the side. But Isabel wasn't having it. She firmly turned his face toward the glass. "See? It's not that bad," she said.

Xander reluctantly glanced at his reflection and immediately looked away. The person staring back wasn't ugly, but he looked so out of place that Xander couldn't bear it. "Let's just go," he grumbled, feeling like a kid being dragged off to kindergarten against his will as Isabel pulled him toward the door. They arrived at a high-end salon. "What kind of style are we going for?" the stylist asked. "Give him a silver-gray dye job, something trendy and fun!" Isabel replied.