The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)

Chapter 373

At the office, Natalia knew that Magnus had come looking for her. Her heart tangled in knots, uncertain

of how to face him. Then, Hector volunteered to go downstairs to meet Magnus, and Natalia, in a flurry

of panic, dashed to the surveillance room to spy on their encounter from behind the screens.

Though she couldn't hear their words, Natalia watched clear as day as Magnus’ fist swung out,

knocking Hector to the ground.

Witnessing Magnus’ loss of control, Natalia felt her heart wrench painfully. For a fleeting moment, she

saw the Magnus from six years ago, who was just as violent and prone to throwing punches at Cal

whenever he lost his temper. Now, this scene was repeating itself with Hector as the target.

Natalia's anxiety spiked at the sight of Magnus, her heart filling with boundless disappointment. This

time, she knew there was no going back to him. Whether it was because of the vow she'd been forced

to make or for Hector's sake, she had to choose a complete separation from Magnus.

She had no other choice.

“Magnus, even the deepest of affections can't withstand what we have experienced. You and I, we're

destined to become strangers.”

As these thoughts coursed through her mind, Natalia suddenly felt a chill. She wrapped her arms

around herself, knowing the cold stemmed from her profound disappointment in Magnus.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

The urgent pounding at the door broke through Natalia's reverie. She shook off her daze, leaped from

the sofa, and walked toward the door. Slowly, she opened it, "Who's there?"

But when Natalia saw Magnus standing outside, the casual smile on her face froze. "You?"

"Natalia."

There was Magnus, appearing so abruptly, his face sickly pale with an air of endless solitude and

desolation. His reddened eyes were brimming with sorrowful tears. He stared at Natalia as if trying to

etch her entire being into his memory, to take her with him.

A pang of heartache shot through Natalia. During the fashion show earlier, she had fled in haste,

without a chance to truly see him. Now, looking at him, so gaunt and barely human, it seemed he could

collapse at any moment. Indeed, he had passed out before her escape. It seemed he hadn't been

taking care of himself over the past year.

Natalia silently observed the marked aging in Magnus’ features, a flicker of pity crossing her heart. She

recalled the times he'd been poisoned, and all that he'd been through, feeling like waves crashing

inside her.

Why would he torment himself like this? Without her, he could have started a new life!

Why couldn't he let things be and insist on confronting her, causing her such pain?

Facing the emaciated Magnus and his dark eyes filled with longing for her, Natalia suppressed the

turmoil in her heart and said coldly, "Mr. Andersen, what are you doing here?"

"I..." Magnus struggled to speak, overwhelmed by Natalia's distant tone. He took a deep breath,

mustering all his strength to resist the urge to pull her into his embrace. "Wifey..."

Before Magnus could continue, Natalia cut him off with a cold reminder, "Mr. Andersen, please don't

call me that. I'm not your wife, and I would appreciate it if you didn't make that mistake again." NôvelDrama.Org content.

Magnus' frame shook visibly. He was clearly stung by Natalia's aloofness, but to prevent her from

walking away, he quickly corrected himself, "Nat, I've come to take you home."

"Home? Mr. Andersen, this is my home," Natalia said, closing her eyes. If she continued to lock gazes

with Magnus, she wasn't sure she could trust herself to remain resolute.

"But Nat, Melfort is your home. I've been searching for you, hoping you'd come back with me. And

Jonas, he..." Magnus pleaded humbly.

He had hoped to sway Natalia with talk of Jonas, but before he could finish, Hector appeared in his

bathrobe, freshly out of the shower. His hair was still damp. He greeted Magnus with a smile, "Ah, Mr.

Andersen, what a rare visit in the dead of night. Won't you come in for a bit?"

Hector was there, and especially just out of the bathroom; Magnus felt as if he'd been struck. "Why are

you here?"

They had indeed tracked down Natalia's address but had no idea that this apartment was where

Natalia and Hector had lived together.

Hector knew Magnus had misunderstood but was too lazy to clarify the situation. Instead, he casually

draped his arm over Natalia's shoulder. "What's wrong? Can't I live here?"

With that, Hector pulled Natalia closer, mimicking an embrace. "Magnus, not everyone is as

unappreciative as you. I love Natalia, and I cherish every moment I spend with her."

Though Natalia felt a bit awkward being pulled in by Hector, she decided to play along to send Magnus

away and didn't push Hector off.

When he'd heard Hector was her fiancé, Magnus hadn't quite believed it. But seeing them living

together was suffocatingly painful. This wasn't what he wanted to see.

As Magnus’ face turned a ghastly white, a twinge of sympathy crossed Natalia's heart. Thinking about

how Magnus was still so darn stubborn, Natalia shook her head with conviction, "Mr. Andersen, we're

over. Who I'm with now is my choice, and it's got nothing to do with you."

Her words struck Magnus like a knife to the heart, leaving him riddled with wounds, and bleeding

inwardly without end.

It was rare for Natalia to see Magnus in such a state of sorrow, and she knew his heart must’ve been

breaking.

But still... It felt like someone had ripped a piece out of Natalia's heart, and the pain was nearly bringing

her to her knees. It was all too late. They could never go back.