After the Secret Wedding Rise of My Queen
Secret Wedding 192

Chapter 192 Leslie and Richard from Childhood Chapter 192 Leslie and Richard from Childhood +10 Free Coins

Stan had a vivid recollection of the girl Richie'd set his sights on. A man like him with his irresistible charm and reputation as a playboy couldn't help but be fascinated by someone like Richie. While Stan had always been surrounded by admirers and enjoyed a carefree romantic life, Richie had remained a mystery. For almost two decades, Richie's heart had remained untouched, solely dedicated to the memory of a childhood sweetheart who had passed away long ago.

The more Stan indulged in his flirtations and casual relationships, the more he was drawn to Richie's quiet, solitary existence.

Richie slowly pulled a tattered candy wrapper from his pocket, and a wistful look passed across his face.

"Tsk, tsk...Stan clicked his tongue. "You haven't changed a bit, huh? You're still holding on to this same candy wrapper from when we were kids. I'm really curious, Richie. What kind of angel was that girl who captured your heart? What made her so unforgettable that, even after all these years, you still carry her memory?"

Richie's mind drifted to the image of the little girl with her innocent face, eyes shining with life, always looking at him in a way that made it impossible to deny her anything.

"She was like an angel from heaven. She didn't die. She just went back to where she belonged, to heaven," Richie whispered, his fingers tightening around the candy wrapper.

Repeating these words brought him some comfort-it was the only way to soothe the ache in his heart.

His thoughts wandered back to 20 years ago.

After his parents had tragically died in a car crash, Richie found himself utterly alone. His parents had no family left, and as an orphan, there was no one to step in and help him navigate the aftermath.

At just ten years old, he felt hopeless and even thought about following his parents into death.

Then, a kind couple appeared, claiming to be his parents' old friends. After learning about his situation and learning that he had no one to take care of him, they offered to take him in.

They brought him to a grand mansion, where he first met his angel.

The little girl stared at him curiously, her large eyes full of innocence, holding a stuffed bunny tightly and watching him closely.

After a long pause, she finally spoke. "Did you crawl out of a mud pit? You're so dirty."

Richie had been crying for days, and his face was streaked with tears. He hadn't had a bath in who knows how long-so, in truth, he did look a bit like someone who had been rolling in the dirt. "Leslie, don't say that. He's lost his parents, and he's really sad right now," the woman beside her gently scolded.

Leslie's face softened with guilt, and her head drooped as if she had made a terrible mistake.

Moments later, she hurried up the stairs, her small footsteps echoing.

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Chapter 192 Leslie and Richard from Childhood

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Just when everyone assumed she had been sent to her room in shame, she came rushing back down with quick, light steps.

"Here." She held out her chubby hand toward him, palins open. In it, she held a piece of candy.

"This is my favorite candy. I want you to have it."

Richie felt a warmth in his chest he hadn't felt for days

The sorrow over losing his parents had been drowning him, and he had shut himself off from the world.

But in that small, simple act, the little girl had brought him the comfort he so desperately needed. Tears, which he had been holding back, spilled over. Seeing him cry caused Leslie to panic. "There, there, don't cry," she said, trying to comfort him like an adult would, patting his head with her tiny hand. Although he felt like she was treating him like a pet, her kindness still warmed his heart.

"Here, eat the candy. It's sweet. You won't cry anymore if you eat it." She unwrapped the candy and, without waiting for his approval, popped it into his mouth. The sweetness spread through him, soothing his soul.

"Isn't it sweet? It's my favorite candy," she said, smiling warmly, her expression as sweet as the candy itself.

But then...

That fleeting moment of goodness was consumed by a tragedy, a fire that left everything in ruin.

As Richie recalled it, his fist clenched, and his face twisted with fury and vengeance.

"Leslie, wait for me. I swear, I will make them pay! Once I find those responsible and send them to hell, I'll

come to you

Later that night, Isabel lay tossing and turning, her mind restless. Something didn't feel right, and she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

She realized that the unease had started when she had heard the name "Richard" earlier that day.

The name seemed familiar, but she couldn't remember who it belonged to. Then, as she tried to sleep, the memory of a dream came flooding back-she had seen Richard sitting beside little Leslie in a car. He was there, but somehow distant, a shadow beside her. She wondered about the relationship between the two,

Could Richard be Leslie's brother?

They shared the same last name, but something about that didn't seem to add up.

A headache began to form as her thoughts spun in circles.

Exhausted, Isabel collapsed into her bed and covered her face with a pillow, trying to shut out the world. The darkness calmed her restless mind, and her thoughts slowly faded.

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Chapter 192 Leslie and Richard from Childhood

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Perhaps she had been overthinking, but as she drifted to sleep, she found herself back in the dream.

Little Leslic was sitting in the living room, holding her stuffed bunny, watching TV.

Suddenly, the doorbell rang, and Leslie's face lit up with excitement. She figured it must be her parents as she bounced toward the door. But before she could reach it, the door swung open from the outside.

And sure enough, it was her parents-along with a dirty older boy.

Unable to stop herself, she blurted out, "Did you crawl out of a mud pit? You're so dirty!"

She didn't mean any harm; it was just that she had gotten herself muddy while sneaking out to play.

When she saw the older boy covered in dirt, she assumed he had done the same.

Her mother scolded her softly, explaining that the older boy didn't have parents and was very sad.

Right then, a wave of sadness washed over her. That older boy had no mom or dad, and yet she'd spoken so carelessly. He must have felt deeply hurt.

Determined to make it right, she decided she would apologize. Her parents had always told her that if she did something wrong, she needed to own up and say sorry.

She hurried upstairs, grabbing her most treasured candy stash-the one she'd kept hidden just for herself -and handed it to him.

The moment he tasted her candy, he broke down, sobbing like a little child.

She recalled that whenever she cried her heart out, her mom and dad would always be there to comfort her.

How did they do it?

Then, it came to her.

She had watched them comfort her, so she mimicked their actions, patting his head and saying, "There, there, don't cry."

But for some reason, the more she tried to comfort him, the more he cried.

Later, her parents praised her for doing well, even though they said it was okay to cry.

Leslie didn't quite understand, but she nodded, trying to act like the adults around her. Her mother then brought the boy some new clothes and asked him to take a bath. Leslie stood by the door, waiting for him to finish, afraid that he might cry again. She waited, it seemed, forever until the door finally opened.