The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)
Chapter 398

The breakfast table was blanketed in heavy silence, only to be broken when James, freshly showered, led little Jonas to their seats and began to dig into his morning stack of pancakes. He cast a curious glance at the two young couples, each wearing a different shade of discontent, and couldn't help but muse to himself about the bliss of bachelorhood.

"Hey, Cal, you hungry?" Natalia's voice sliced through the quiet. "Come grab some breakfast with us." She beckoned Callum over with a gentle smile.

Callum's gaze was firmly fixed on Lexi. His appetite for food was utterly forgotten. He shook his head slowly, responding more to Lexi than to Natalia. "Why don't I hold Mason for a bit? You go ahead and eat." His offer only made Lexi clutch their son tighter, her eyes wary. "Don't even think about swiping my boy. He's mine, I'm telling you."

"Of course, of course, the kid's yours, and you're all mine," Callum whispered back, a hint of playfulness in his tone.

Natalia tried to suppress a giggle. Who would have thought the usually soft-spoken Cal could show such a cheeky side? It was clear as day he was head over heels for Lexi.

"Lexi, come on, let's eat. We're all here, Cal won't run off with Mason," Natalia reassured her softly.

Lexi finally relented, handing Mason to Callum before joining Natalia for breakfast.

Magnus, who had followed them to the table, began to clink his fork against his plate with an exaggerated flair. "My, the breakfast is particularly scrumptious today, isn't it?" Natalia rolled her eyes at him. She couldn't tell what was so special about today's fare.

Callum, catching Magnus' sarcasm, was too preoccupied with his own turmoil to bite. He was busy trying to clear the air with Lexi and had no time to entertain Magnus' antics.

He wasn't getting the reaction he hoped for, so Magnus went back to his meal, feeling a tad childish for his earlier behavior.

After breakfast, Natalia and Lexi retreated to the small garden in the back, whispering about the truths behind Callum's words. Meanwhile, Mason and Jonas chased each other around the garden, with Magnus and James stepping in as temporary caregivers. Callum sat on a bench, alone and restless, frequently checking his watch, clearly anxious.

Lexi shot Callum a glance and confided to Natalia in a hushed tone, "Look at him, he can't even sit still. It's obvious he's waiting for someone. How am I supposed to believe anything he says?"

Natalia chuckled softly. "Silly girl, didn't you say he called some princess over? I bet he's just too tongue-tied to explain things to you and is waiting for her to do it."

"Really?" Lexi's expression softened as she continued to chat with Natalia.

Lexi was never one to mince words. Unlike the more insightful Natalia, she was a straightforward, spirited woman who wore her heart on her sleeve. She had started to believe Callum during his explanation. Being locked away by Rita had made her distrustful, but now that she had reflected on it, there were too many inconsistencies. If Callum had truly wanted a divorce, he could have told her directly. There was no need for subterfuge through a maid.

Lexi couldn't be sure whether Callum's love was genuine, but the idea of him suddenly turning so conniving didn't sit well with her. She had been tormented by their separation, almost to the point of breaking. Now, it was only fair that Callum tasted a bit of that torment before she let things slide.

If Callum was waiting for this princess to clear things up, then she would hear her out. But whether to believe her or not, Lexi would decide herself.

Lost in thought, Lexi glanced at Callum, who now looked noticeably thinner. Could it be that he was pining for her?

Callum suddenly stood up as she pondered and hurried away without a word. Stunned, Lexi wondered if she had been too capricious, and had driven him away with her antics. "Natalia, was I too hard on Callum?" She asked, seeking advice.

Natalia saw Callum's abrupt departure and noticed Lexi's concern. "Of course, you were! Now, go catch him and clear up this misunderstanding," she urged, pulling Lexi toward the door.

By the time they reached the entrance, Callum had vanished into the emptiness of the room. Lexi's face fell. "Natalia, I must've gone too far, and now I've driven Callum away."

"No worries, he must've had a reason to leave in such a hurry. He wouldn't just leave without saying goodbye," Natalia reassured her, pulling out her phone. "I'll give him a call and see what's up."

As they spoke, Callum re-entered from the front door, followed by a statuesque blonde with piercing blue eyes and a fashion-forward outfit.

Seeing Natalia and Lexi, Callum paused before introducing the woman behind him. "Uh, this is Angela. Angela, this is Natalia, and my wife, Lexi."

Angela's figure was striking, and her red lips were alluring. She approached them with a seductive grace, greeting them politely, "Ms. Natalia, Mrs. Frerotte. It's a pleasure. I'm Angela."

Natalia responded cordially, "Nice to meet you, Angela."

Lexi nodded. "Hello, but he and I are no longer together. Ms. Lexi will do."

Angela flashed a charming smile. "Mrs. Frerotte, you're quite the card, aren't you? Even though we've never officially met, there's something so familiar about you. Perhaps our paths crossed somewhere before?"

Lexi's cheeks flushed with a hint of suspicious color, and she stammered, "Oh, not at all. It's just that, well, I've got one of those faces, you know, the kind everyone seems to recognize."

In truth, Angela was the very woman Lexi had knocked out cold that day while trying to protect Mason, but Lexi's actions were so swift that by the time Angela hit the ground, she'd only managed to catch a fleeting glimpse, hardly enough to connect her current, polite company with the one who'd given her the knockout.

And thus, Lexi would take that secret to her grave and never confess, not in a million years.

Angela peered at her curiously once more before continuing with polished courtesy, "Mrs. Frerotte, please believe me when I say there's absolutely nothing brewing between Mr. Callum and me. No wedding bells on the horizon and no lovey-dovey business. He doesn't spark an ounce of interest in me. My heart belongs to my first love, and only him."