The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)
Chapter 396

Callum's eyes were bloodshot, his face was etched with exhaustion, and his brow furrowed with the weight of the world. He scrunched up his brow in confusion, clearly not grasping the meaning behind Lexi's words. "Lexi, what are you talking about? What do you mean I buried you alive?"

A torrent of resentment surged from Lexi's heart as she glared at Callum, her finger jabbing accusingly at his nose. "Callum, cut the act! I know you're just after getting your son back, so spare me that nauseating facade! I'm telling you, even if you kill me, I will never hand our son over to you!"

Callum gaped, speechless for a moment as if he were trying to catch his own voice. "Lexi, are we having some kind of misunderstanding? Why can't I understand what you're saying?"

"You don't understand? Ha! Callum, drop the dramatics! It's over between us! Do you want to marry that so-called princess? Then go live happily ever after with her! Why do you keep haunting us? I can take care of our child just fine on my own. If you have an ounce of decency, just leave us alone!"

Callum was even more bewildered. "Lexi, I really don't follow. I've been searching for you since you disappeared. Why would you think I'm only after our son? I've been looking for both of you, for goodness' sake! And this princess you're talking about, I have no clue who she is! Also, you just said I tried to bury you alive? Good Lord, Lexi, slow down, please. Tell me everything you know, one thing at a time, okay?" Lexi hadn't expected Callum's tone. She had thought perhaps there was a misunderstanding between them, but how could she be mistaken about the hellish experiences she'd been through?

Still, determined to uncover the truth, Lexi bravely recounted her terrifying ordeal. She told Callum how Rita had dragged her by the hair into the basement and subjected her to sunless captivity, complete with vicious verbal abuse and humiliation.

She also spoke about Rita revealing Callum's supposed engagement to a princess and her sudden release from the dungeon.

Then, there was her return to England, filled with bitterness and longing for Callum and Mason, her successful knockout of a mysterious woman, and taking Mason back.

Every detail of her harrowing story was laid out. Tears were streaming down her face as she spoke, turning into a figure of pure sorrow.

Sitting beside her, Callum couldn't replace his words for a long while. His expression had gone vacant as if his soul had left him. After an eternity, Callum seemed to gather his scattered senses. His face finally contorted with a dark, thunderous rage. His shoulders shook with suppressed fury as he clenched his fists. He wanted to smash something but restrained himself at the sight of Mason's sleeping face, and helplessly dropped his hands onto the soft bed.

Even that gentle thud shook the bed slightly, causing Mason to twitch in his sleep.

Lexi quickly reached for Mason's hand, soothing him quietly. "Sleep, baby, it's okay, Mommy's here." Comforted by the familiar voice, Mason smiled sweetly and drifted back to sleep.

"What are you doing? You'll wake Mason!" Lexi couldn't help but scold.

As soon as the words left her mouth, she retracted them, embarrassed. Indeed, how could she forget? The Callum before her was no longer the man she knew. He didn't love her anymore. Without the foundation of love, what right did she have to speak to him in such a manner?

But then Callum did something completely unexpected. He grabbed Lexi's hand and started slapping his own face with it. "Lexi, hit me! It's all my fault. I was blind to believe Rita's lies. How could I let you suffer so much? Hit me, please!"

Lexi tried to pull away but couldn't match Callum's strength. She looked at him in shock. "What are you talking about? Rita's lies? Callum, you might not love me anymore, but you have to make things clear today! Why did you treat me like that?"

Callum continued slapping himself with Lexi's hand until one side of his face was red. He then stopped and looked at her tenderly. "Does your hand hurt, Lexi?"

"Callum, cut the crap. I've been through hell and back, and I see right through you. Make things clear now; we can talk about the rest later. Just to set the record straight, if you think you're taking Mason from me, I have three words for you - Not a chance!" Lexi's defiance returned.

Right, her heart could break in solitude, but over her dead body, would anyone take her child away!

Callum gave a bitter smile, his gaze deep and affectionate. "Lexi, how could you even think that I stopped loving you? My love for you is as deep as the ocean, as high as the sky, and as vast as the cosmos." "Stop!" Lexi cut him off impatiently. "Callum, I'm giving you a chance to explain, but I'm not here for sweet nothings. The Lexi you knew is gone; I'm not easily swayed anymore."

"Right, right, you're absolutely correct," Callum conceded with a placating smile. "That day, I was called away at the last minute by the Queen, and I took Mason with me, which you knew." "Mhm," Lexi grunted, giving a tacit approval to his statement.

"But when I returned, you had vanished. Rita told me you had mysteriously disappeared from your room."

No sooner had Callum's voice trailed off than Lexi erupted, her words slicing through the tension like a knife. "She was lying through her teeth! I was literally dragged by my hair and locked in the basement! No you're the one spewing lies, Callum. I saw you with my own eyes, leaving with Rita and Mason. I heard you say we couldn't stay! And to top it off, you had the nerve to take our kid for a DNA test! What kind of monster does that? Don't you have any conscience about the seeds you've sown?" Her voice was a mix of rage and disbelief, echoing off the walls and leaving a ringing silence in its wake.