The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)
Chapter 387

Watching Natalia's deathly pale face, Magnus knew what was tearing at her heart, so he spoke with a gentle voice, "I'm okay, James took the men out to scour the sea. Don't worry, they'll replace Hector." A hint of relief crossed Natalia's face as she sniffled and asked Magnus, "What about Jonas? Is he alright?"

Magnus shook his head. "He's fine, just scared out of his wits at the moment. It's all in the past now, and he'll be back to his usual lively self soon."

"That's good," Natalia nodded, her eyes drifting to Magnus' arm. "Does it hurt?"

Magnus felt a warmth spread through him under her concerned gaze. "Hurt? Of course, it hurts," he said with a playful whine.

Natalia managed a half smile. "Then, come lie down, and rest for a bit. Don't sit there. Maybe lying down will feel better."

A glint of joy flickered in Magnus' eyes as he rose from the chair and carefully lay down on the hospital bed, nestling close to Natalia. "With you by my side, the pain disappears."

Natalia's heart clenched with emotion, and memories of Hector flooded back. She remembered when he was down with a bad flu. As she was busy preparing him a hot chicken soup to get rid of the cold, Hector had said the same thing as Magnus, with a warm towel draped over his forehead.

Confused about why tears suddenly filled her eyes, Magnus hurriedly explained, "Darling, I'm speaking the truth. No matter where I go or where I stay, I only feel peace all over my body when I'm lying next to you. It fills me with happiness. What's a little pain compared to that?"

"Mhm," Natalia murmured softly, "Don't talk, you're injured and need to rest."

"But darling." Magnus' voice took on a strange tone, "What if I can't control it?"

Puzzled at first, Natalia followed Magnus' embarrassed gaze down to his lap and, unsurprisingly, spotted the tent he'd pitched. Her face flushed with a mix of concern and exasperation. "Can't you think of anything other than that? Look at the time. You're still so... so driven!"

Magnus wrapped his arms around her. "Darling, we've been apart for too long, I've missed you... See, I can't control myself or how much he misses you."

Overwhelmed, Natalia's cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. She pushed Magnus away, only to hear him cry out, "Ouch..."

"Oh? Are you okay? Did I touch your wound?" She asked with concern, turning to face him, only to get lost in his tender gaze.

"It doesn't hurt, not at all, darling. As long as you're here, I don't feel pain anywhere," Magnus said, pulling his uninjured arm around Natalia, drawing her closer. "Darling, I was thinking..."

Before he could finish, the hospital room door burst open, and Jonas bounced in. "Mommy, are you awake?"

Now Natalia was truly mortified. She quickly sat up, stammering, "Yes, yes, I'm awake."

Jonas' joy was infectious as he dove into Natalia's embrace. "That's great, Mommy. I thought I'd never see you again."

Natalia hugged Jonas, patting his back softly, consoling him, "It's all over now, Jonas. I didn't protect you well enough. I swear it won't happen again."

"Mhm," Jonas murmured, resting against Natalia's chest, his smile as sweet as an angel's.

Magnus watched with a mix of frustration and thwarted desire on his face. Jonas' timing was the inopportune interruption!

Despite his irritation, he had to endure it. What could he do when the cause of his headache was his beloved wife and son?

The family spent the morning chatting in the hospital room. The atmosphere was congenial and harmonious.

As evening approached, James returned from the harbor. His entrance cast a shadow over the room. Faced with Natalia's expectant look, James shook his head regretfully. "Natalia, I'm so sorry. The guys and I worked all day and found no sign of Hector."

Natalia's face turned ashen. "Nothing at all?"

"Nothing," James confirmed. "There was a strong current. They could've been swept away as soon as they hit the water. Not just Hector, we didn't replace hide nor hair of Lucius either."

The news was a blow, leaving Natalia struggling to accept it. She walked over to James, gripping his arm tightly. "No, you just haven't found him yet. Please, go back out, and keep searching. You have to replace him."

James shook his head with a grim sense of reality, "Natalia, it's actually a good thing we didn't replace anyone. If we had found bodies, they'd be just that. No sign means he could've been swept somewhere unknown, possibly an uninhabited island, alive with hope."

"Really? Is that true?" Natalia's eyes brimmed with tears, seeking confirmation from Magnus.

Magnus nodded. "Darling, Hector is my cousin; I don't want to see him hurt any more than you do. James is right; not replaceing him is good news. Maybe he's been carried off to some unknown place and will return in time."

With no other solace available, Natalia clung to that hope. But Hector had been so gravely wounded, and the sea stained red with his blood. Could he truly return unscathed?

In the dim light of the study, Magnus sat with a stern look etched across his face. "James," he began, his voice steady and determined, "starting tomorrow, I want posters up all over the world. Anyone who replaces Hector, dead or alive, will be rewarded a million dollars. With that kind of money on the table, someone's bound to turn him in."

"Consider it done," Jack replied with a nod, then turned and left the room, leaving Magnus alone with his family.

Jonas had been silent throughout the conversation, absorbing every word with wide-eyed concern. Once James had left, he turned to his mother, Natalia, with a tremulous voice. "Mommy, will Uncle Hector really never come back?"

Tears welled up in Natalia's eyes, and she quickly brushed them away before looking at her son with a mix of fierce determination and hope. "No, sweetheart, he will come back. He has to come back," she said, her voice a whisper of conviction.