《The Imposter Bride》 Chapter 1 Chapter 1 June in Melfort wasn¡¯t as sweltering as one might have imagined, given its proximity to the sea. But the unpredictable weather was enough to cause a fair share of frustration, and the sea breeze provided little relief. Natalia sat on the balcony of her second¨Cstory study at dusk, gently stroking her heavily pregnant belly. ¡°Just a few more weeks, my darling, and you¡¯ll be part of the world. Mommy will give you all her love.¡± Perhaps this child was the only warmth in her life. She closed her eyes, letting her mind wander. Her phone rang breaking her reverie. It was a video call from Kendra, her sister. Natalia picked up the phone, instinctively opening the video. What she saw was a man and woman entwined in a passionate embrace. ¡°Magnus, be gentle!¡± the woman moaned, blushing The videosted for three minutes, filled with the sounds of heavy breathing, soft cries, andughter. Her husband and sister were having an affair. Nataliaughed, a bitter sound that ended in a sob. She turned around, her hands instinctively going to her belly. She was trembling, and her legs were weak. As she tried to stand, her foot caught on the carpet, sending her tumbling to the floor The pain in her abdomen was sharp, making it hard to breathe. She tried to get up, but her vision was blurred with tears Suddenly, the bedroom door swung open. ¡°Ms. Natalia, what happened?¡± her maid cried. Natalia¡¯sst memory before passing out was the sound of the butler¡¯s voice. ¡°Call Mr. Magnus! Ms. Natalia is going intobor!¡± When she woke up, the sterile white surroundings told her she was in a hospital. Where was her baby? She tried to sit up, but saw a nurse there, adjusting an IV drip ¡°Ms Natalia, you¡¯re awake,¡± the nurse said, smiling. Natalia tried to speak, but her throat was dry. The nurse held a cup of water to her lips. ¡°What do you need, Ms. Natalia?¡± ¡°My baby Natalia¡¯s voice was barely a whisper. The nurse hesitated, her eyes soft with sympathy. After adjusting the IV for Natalia, she said, ¡°Get some rest, okay? If you need anything, just press the call button.¡± As she turned to leave, Natalia, with a voice raspy and strained, grabbed her arm. ¡°Where¡¯s my baby? Bring him to me!¡± ¡°Mrs. Natalia your baby he didn¡¯t make it,¡± the nurse replied, her eyes downcast. ¡°What did you just say?¡± Natalia felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over her ¡°I¡¯m so sorry. Mrs. Natalia. Due to prematureplications andck of oxygen, the baby didn¡¯t survive. Tears rolled down the nurse¡¯s cheeks. Natalia clutched the nurse¡¯s arm tightly ¡°No, that can¡¯t be true! He was kicking and lively inside me! Bring him to me now!¡± In her distress, Natalia pulled the IV from her arm, and without even putting on her shoes, she dashed out of her room. The nurse noticed the blood dripping from where the needle had been and tried to stop her. ¡°Mrs. Natalia, please lie down! You¡¯re bleeding!¡± ¡°Leave me alone!¡± With all the strength she could muster, Natalia pushed the nurse away and stumbled toward the nursery. She caught a doctoring out and demanded, ¡°Where¡¯s my baby? Doctor, where¡¯s my baby?¡± The doctor paused, clearly recognizing her, ¡°Mrs. Natalia, I¡¯m so sorry. After you passed out, the baby didn¡¯t get enough oxygen. Please, you need to rest now You can have another child in the future.¡± Natalia¡¯s arms fell to her sides, defeated Tears streamed down her pale face. ¡°My dear baby, are you leaving me too?¡± Just then, the family butler, Linden, rushed in with a pair of shoes for Natalia. He¡¯d only been gone for a moment, and she¡¯d woken up. He quickly dialed Mr Andersen¡¯s number While Linden was distracted, Natalia walked to the staircase and descended. She reached the entrance of the hospital and looked up at the sky. wondering if her child was up there waiting for her. Suddenly, a car screeched to a halt in front of the hospital. Magnus jumped out, leaving the car door open as he sprinted toward the elevators Natalia saw an opportunity and got into the driver¡¯s seat, closing the door behind her. Seeing the keys still in the ignition, a desperate smile crossed her face. The engine roared to life, and she sped away from the hospital When Magnus reached her room and found it empty, panic set in. Linden burst in, ¡°Sir, Ms. Natalia is gone!¡± ¡°Where did she go? She was just awake!¡± Magnus¡¯s heart raced, a foreboding feeling washed over him. Rushing to the balcony, Magnus spotted his car, now leaving the hospital grounds. Without thinking, he jumped from the balcony, a move that startled nearby nurses. On the highway, Natalia¡¯s car sped along with another car tailing close behind. Magnus, desperate to catch up, rolled down his window and shouted, ¡°Nat¡® Please stop! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± But Natalia couldn¡¯t hear him. All she could envision was her baby, waiting for her in the heavens. She approached a towering bridge that overlooked the ocean Magnus was on the verge of a breakdown, trying to overtake her, but her speed was terrifying. ¡°Please, darling! Stop the Property ? N?velDrama.Org. car!¡± he shouted As the bridge¡¯s railing drew closer, a serene smile appeared on Natalia¡¯s face. Perhaps, she thought, she could join her baby in the sky. The world felt too cruel, and she longed to escape. As her car neared the center of the bridge, she closed her eyes, weing the peace she hoped to find¡­. Chapter 2 Chapter 2 The sleek ck Rolls¨CRoyce cut through the guardrail, somersaulting in mid¨Cair before plunging into the ocean, causing a massive ssh¡­. ¡°Natalia!¡± Magnus watched as the car drifted into the sea like a speck of dust. He roared, his eyes almost popping out of his sockets. His vision blurred as he swerved his car to follow, but he collided with the hefty steel columns of the overpass, bouncing back, and getting wedged between the barriers and the column. As Natalia¡¯s car sank deeper into the sea, water filled her ears, mouth, and eyes. A wave crashed into the wreck, sweeping her out through the shattered window She could hear her sister Kendra¡¯sughter echoing in her ears. ¡°Natalia, you deserve this! Only your death can restore my marriage. How dare you take the man who rightfully belongs to me!¡± She closed her eyes, and the image of Magnus pained and remorseful face surfaced in her mind. ¡°Nat, don¡¯t leave met You promised to be with me for life. Have you forgotten?¡± Had she made such a promise? Then her mother, Addison¡¯s tear¨Cstreaked face appeared. ¡®Natalia, give your sister her man back. You can¡¯t do this. Have you no shame?¡± Really? It was them who had insisted she married that man, and now they were using her of stealing her sister¡¯s man! ¡°Nat,e with me. You don¡¯t belong here. I¡¯ll take you to meet your birth mother. She thinks about you every day!¡± She saw Callum¡¯s hopeful gaze ¡°Natalia, I¡¯ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. Can¡¯t you see, he doesn¡¯t love you? Why else would he be with another woman while you were pregnant! He¡¯s not worth it, Natalia!¡± She didn¡¯t belong here, and it wasn¡¯t worth staying. She had to go, but all she wanted was to be with her child. She was ready to leave. Finally, she felt free. She was off to another world, to be with her child. Goodbye, Magnus! Goodbye, Dad! Goodbye, Hector! Goodbye, Call Her body slowly sank to the ocean floor and she could almost see her child smiling at her. Ó° shback to a year ago. In Melfort, the Andersen family and the rkson family were preparing for a wedding. It was supposed to be Lucius¡¯s engagement to Kendra, but the groom was suddenly changed to Magnus. ¡°Dad, why? Wasn¡¯t I supposed to be engaged to Lucius? Why is it now Magnus? I won¡¯t marry that cripple!¡± Kendra, the youngdy of the rkson family, cried out in their mansion ¡°Kendra, I¡¯m helpless. Initially, it was Morgan who arranged your engagement to Lucius, but then Magnus suddenly expressed his wish to marry you,¡± Kyler said helplessly. ¡°Impossible! I won¡¯t marry him. Dad, are you really going to force your daughter to marry that waste?¡± Kendra¡¯s face was streaked with tears. Kyler¡¯s wife, Addison, quickly consoled their daughter ¡°Kendra, I will never let you marry that cripple Don¡¯t worry¡± She shot Kyler a nce. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Kendra buried her face in Addison¡¯s shoulder, sobbing uncontrobly. After consoling their daughter, Addison sat next to Kyler. ¡°Kyler, the Andersens are being utterly unreasonable. The engagement was supposed to be between Lucius and Kendra. Why did it suddenly change to that cripple, Magnus?¡± Kyler sighed, ¡°Morgan adores Magnus. His guilt towards him grows every day, and he wants to give him the best the world has to offer.¡± ¡°They can feel guilty all they want, but they shouldn¡¯t mistreat Kendra. Since they¡¯ve breached the agreement, we need not keep our end either Since Morgan loves Magnus so much, why not we marry Natalia to him? After all, she¡¯s our daughter too!¡± Addison stared at Kyler. ¡°Ridiculous! Natalia is off¨Climits!¡± Kyler¡¯s eyes shed with panic ¡°Why not? Are you protecting her? Isn¡¯t Kendra your daughter too?¡± Addison cried out. ¡°You brought back a bastard from your affairs, and I raised her for over a decade withoutining. If you marry Kendra off to that cripple, I¡¯ll never forgive you!¡± With that, she stormed off upstairs, leaving Kyler alone on the couch. His face was pale as he thought back to fifteen years ago when he brought Natalia home and faced a storm of controversy Back then, he did everything he could to protect her, hoping she could grow up peacefully. Now that she had finally grown up, she was facing hardship again. What was he supposed to do? At the Andersen Family Estate, the front gate was suddenly pushed open. Lucius strode in, dressed in a ck suit, an aura of coldness surrounding him. Anger was clear in his eyes. He walked upstairs, pushed open a room on the second floor facing east. An elderly man with silver hair sat inside, staring at the nts on the balcony, seemingly oblivious to the man who had just entered. He knew it was his second grandson, Lucius ¡°Grandpa, why are we arranging Kendra¡¯s marriage to Magnus? Weren¡¯t you the one who promised me a union with the rkson family?¡± Lucius stood tall beside the old man, his gaze unwavering. ¡°Lucius, if Magnus wishes to marry, let him. You¡¯ve been granted so much already, and he only asks for a woman¡¯s hand in marriage,¡± the old gentleman replied casually. ¡°But Grandpa, Kendra and I are in love. You can¡¯t do this!¡± Lucius protested, veins beginning to pop on the back of his hand. Morgan, the old man, slowly turned his head to look at the young man standing beside him. ¡°Lucius, he¡¯s your brother. For nine years, he¡¯s asked for nothing, living in istion on Sapphire Ind, uninvolved in any affairs. Now he only ses for a woman to care for him, and you refuse? Your selfishness makes me question if you truly belong to the Andersen family Morgan¡¯s calm voice hit Lucius like a tidal wave ¡°But Grandpa, there are countless women in this world. Why does he need mine? You know that Kendra is my woman!¡± Lucius¡® eyes began to fill with sorrow. ¡°You have everything you could possibly want. Let him have this one thing I¡¯m tired now. You should leave Morgan said, closing his eyes Lucius clenched his fists, a steely glint shing across his eyes. He made his way out of the bedroom and exited the mansion. His car roared to life. He would never let that cripple take his woman! Sapphire !nd, surrounded by the sea, filled with fresh air tinged with a salty sea breeze A tranquil mansion rested there, bathed in warm sunlight. The man in the wheelchair looked strikingly handsome, his dark eyes like an unfathomableke Chapter 3 Chapter 3 He gazed at the distant ocean, his icy demeanor as chilling as frost, making one feel as though they were in the midst of a freezing winter rather than the blossoming spring. ¡°Mr. Magnus,¡± his butler, Linden, softly spoke. ¡°We received word that your wedding with Natalia is due in a week. Is there anything you need to prepare?¡°. Magnus slightly curled his lips at the butler¡¯s words ¡°Prepare? A single bridal suite will suffice. His deep voice, as enchanting as a siren¡¯s song. carried an irresistible maic pull ¡°Yes, Mr. Magnus. Chase and James called today, and everything is going ording to your n After your wedding, we¡¯ll put everything into action ¡°Linden had served Magnus for over a decade. ¡°Yes. We can¡¯t afford any mistakes with the grandpa¡¯s affairs.¡± Magnus responded lightly as he continued to gaze at the sea ¡°A grand wedding! Lucius, it¡¯s been nine years, I hope you¡¯re well!TM This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The Andersen family ruled Melfort, owning both the Andersen Corporation and CT Technologies. Morgan Andersen, the founder of the Andersen Corporation, was a force to be reckoned with in his youth After establishing the two business giants, he sat unchallenged at the top. He married the woman he loved most and had a son and daughter with her, but she left him after their children were born. His son, Anthony, marned the virtuous Lillian and had three grandsons. The eldest, Jamie, passed away at the age of twelve due to illness, leaving Morgan distraught for a long time. The second, Lucius, was arrogant and cruel, with an overwhelming desire to possess. He was Anthony and Lillian¡¯s favorite, but Morgan was always indifferent to him. The youngest, Magnus, was obedient and clever from a young age, earning Morgan¡¯s affection. When Magnus was sixteen, the Andersen family mansion caught fire. His legs were crushed in the ze, and he was sent to the family¡¯s private isle for recovery. From then on, he was bound to a wheelchair. Morgan was heartbroken once again. Topensate Magnus, he transferred forty percent of the Andersen Corporation¡¯s shares to Magnus name. Thus, the only candidate for the presidency of the Andersen Corporation and its subsidiary, CT Technologies, was Lucius. Magnus sat on the balcony, his eyes narrowed like a hawk¡¯s The fire from nine years ago had cast a grey shadow over his life. He watched as Lucius, in the midst of the raging mes, pushed him into the fire. A burning beam fell and crushed his legs. In the end, it was Linden who bravely dashed into the fire to save the critically injured Magnus. Ever since then, his legs were irreparable Morgan, swallowing his immense grief, built a mansion on his ind named Sapphire Ind, where Magnus could recuperate. Morgan loved his grandson dearly and fulfilled all of his requests. But since moving to the ind, Magnus wanted nothing and refused all contact with the outside world. He had stayed on the ind for nine years, and aside from Morgan, no one from the Andersen family had visited. When he turned eighteen, Morgan transferred forty percent of the Andersen Corporation¡¯s shares to Magnus. He would always remember that day. As he received the shares, Lucius looked at him sitting in his wheelchair with a mocking smile. He crouched down next to the wheelchair and loudly said, ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t worry. Your brother will make the Andersen Corporation thrive. You just sit back and enjoy these shares!¡± Then, in a voice only Magnus could hear, he added, ¡°You must really have no shame, living off of others fortunes. If it were me, I¡¯d consider myself a burden if I couldn¡¯t stand. And to make matters worse, you have the audacity to ept so many shares from the Andersen Corporation. What use are they? You¡¯ll just be sitting in your wheelchair watching me take the presidents seat!¡± After he finished speaking, he patted Magnus on the shoulder,ughed, and walked away. From that moment, Magnus vowed to stand again or die trying. Nine years had passed, and it was time for him to reim what was rightfully his Lucius was about to marry into the rkson family, and Magnus¡® first move was to steal his woman and deliver a deadly blow. Then, he would let Lucius watch as he tormented the woman he loved, letting him taste the pain of despair Thinking of this, a yful smile appeared his lips. The game thaty ahead was looking more and more enticing. ¡°Lucius, I¡¯ll make you taste every bit of suffering I¡¯ve endured these past nine years. I¡¯ll let you enjoy everything I¡¯ve had to bear! Our game is just beginning!¡± The rkson family was another business giant in Melfort. If the Andersen family was ranked first, then the rkson family was undoubtedly second Kyler and Addison were college sweethearts. After getting married, they had a daughter named Kendra. When Kendra was seven, Kyler brought home a five¨Cyear¨Cold girl named Natalia. Kyler imed that Natalia was the result of an affair Kyler had outside of his marriage. From that day forward, Natalia lived a life of neglect from her stepmother and bullying from her stepsister, Kendra. Kyler did everything in his power to protect her until she went to university At Melfort College, Natalia was a vision in her blue dress, her seaweed¨Clike hair fell to her waist. Her large eyes were a deep blue, her eyshes. curled, and her skin was glowing. She was the epitome of beauty At the tender age of five, she could vividly recall her father leading her into their home, only to be met with her stepmother¡¯s angry shouts. ¡°Who¡¯s this, Kyler? Another bastard child from one of your shameless affairs? If you don¡¯t exin this to me right now, I¡¯m gonna get a divorce!¡± With a firm grip on her small hand, her father coolly red at the shouting woman. ¡°From now on, she¡¯s my daughter. If you can¡¯t handle that, you can leave this house!¡± The authority in her father¡¯s voice finally gave her a sense of belonging, a family. From that day forward, she called Addison ¡°Mom,¡± and she called Kendra, ¡°sister.¡± Whenever their father was absent, her mother and sister would resort to all kinds of ways to torment her They made her do basic chores and fed her leftovers. She didn¡¯tin and was enduring the hardships because she was hungry She needed to survive She had lived in this family for fifteen years. A year ago, she was finally admitted to her dream university. Thanks to her father¡¯s continuous protection, she finally walked into Melfort College alongside her ssmates. After school, Natalia and her two best friends, Lexi, and Sabrina, walked towards the school gate. Just as they reached the gate, they heard someone call out, ¡°Natalia, wait up.¡± A gentle, maic voice sounded behind them. The three girls turned around simultaneously to see Hector smiling and catching up, a small box in his hand ¡°This is for you.¡± He handed the small box to Natalia. ¡°What¡¯s this, Hector? Another gift for Natalia?¡± Sabrina snatched the box curiously ¡°You.¡± Hector watched as the box was whisked away by Sabrina, his heart racing. ¡°Sabrina, knock it off! That¡¯s Natalia¡¯s.¡± He looked at the box in Sabrina¡¯s hand, about to reach for it. Chapter 4 Chapter 4 Sabrina quickly handed the box to Natalia. ¡°Here you go.¡± She then turned around and red at Hector, feigning anger ¡°Hey why the favoritism? Why does Natalia get cookies and we don¡¯t?¡± Sabrina¡¯s short, wavy hair bounced as she stared at Hector with her twinkling eyes.- Hector watched as Natalia took the box and put it in her backpack, his heart filled with joy as she smiled up at him. He affectionately took Natalia¡¯s hand, then turned back to Sabrina, ¡°When you find your Mr. Right, he¡¯ll be the one to give you cookies¡± ¡°Ugh, could you not unt your rtionship so tantly? Lexi pretended to grumble Ignoring the yful banter, Hector took Natalia by the hand and left the front gate of the school, ¡°Come on, Natalia, I¡¯ll walk you home¡± ¡°Hector, you don¡¯t have to Don¡¯t you have basketball practice? We have a game next week Natalia blushed as Hector pulled her along. ¡°Practice isn¡¯t as important as walking you home. Natalia, I¡¯ll be graduating in a year When you graduate, do you want to join me?¡± The six¨Cfoot two Hector was the dream boy of every girl in their school, but he only had eyes for Natalia. Ever since she stepped foot into the school a year ago, he had been pursuing her relentlessly. Six monthster, Natalia finally reciprocated his feelings and agreed to be his girlfriend From then on, the two began a passionate romance in school. Due to jealousy, the other girls refused to talk to Natalia, only Lexi and Sabrina remained her close friends. The three of them swore to be sisters for life, sharing both the good times and the bad. Hector and Nataliaughed and chatted as they reached the front door of the rkson family home. ¡°Go on in, Natalia. See you tomorrow¡± Hector leaned down to give Natalia a quick peck on the forehead. Natalia watched as Hector shouldered his backpack and walked away, his smile as bright as the sunshine. A sweetness filled her heart, a feeling she hadn¡¯t felt before she met him. Take care, Hector.¡± She waved at him, ¡°See you tomorrow!¡± Seeing Natalia enter the house, Hector finally turned and left. As Natalia walked in, she saw her mother and sister sitting on the couch. She greeted them, ¡°I¡¯m home¡± Just as she was about to head upstairs to do her homework, Addison called out, ¡°Natalia,e here. I have something to discuss with you.¡± Natalia put down her backpack and took a seat opposite Addison, who was looking at her with a calcting gaze. ¡°Natalia, how long have you been living in this house? How do you feel about living here?¡± Addison asked, her eyes never leaving Natalia¡¯s face. Natalia¡¯s beauty only intensified Addison¡¯s jealousy and hatred. ¡°I¡¯ve been here for fifteen years. I feel good about living here, Mom.¡± Natalia replied, her big, blue eyes shining as bright as the stars in the sky. Addison red at her, ¡°You¡¯re lying! You¡¯ve obviously been struggling in this house, yet you say you¡¯re doing well. Natalia, there is a good opportunity waiting for you. You can leave this house and live a better life.¡± Hearing that she might have had to leave her home, Natalia gripped the edge of the couch tightly. ¡°Mom, I only have two more years until graduation. After I graduate. I n to find a job and leave¡± She had ns to finish college, then Hector said he would take her to the States. But that was two years away, and she couldn¡¯t leave now. ¡°Natalia, let me tell you, you don¡¯t have to wait two years. Your father and I have decided to marry you off to the Andersen family. You will be the future Mrs. Andersen! This way, you will no longer have to live a difficult life¡± Addison said, her face expressionless. Next to her, Kendra¡¯s face was filled with disdain.. ¡°The Andersen family? Isn¡¯t Kendra supposed to marry into the Andersen family?¡± Natalia asked, taken aback. ¡°Yes, originally, Kendra was the one to be married off, but she has kindly given up this wonderful marriage to you. You will rece Kendra as the bride, and you will be Mrs Andersen Addison feigned a sorrowful expression. ¡°No, Mom, Kendra is the one the Andersen family wants to marry Natalia was confused and anxious. What did they n for her? ¡°Natalia, it¡¯s final. You have to marry whether you like it or not,¡± Kendra finally spoke up. ¡°Can you hear me? This wonderful marriage was given to you by me, so you should be grateful In one week, it will be the day the Andersen family is expecting their bride, so prepare yourself, Mrs. Andersen!¡± Natalia sat there in shock, watching Kendra¡¯s retreating figure ascend the stairs. ¡°Natalia, since Kendra doesn¡¯t want to get married, you should take her ce. For the sake of us raising you, don¡¯t resist. And don¡¯t tell your father about refusing this marriage.¡± Addison said, standing up ¡°Mom, the Andersen family wants to marry Kendra, not me. I still need to go to school, and besides, Kendra and Mr. Lucius Andersen are in love.¡± Natalia had long known that Kendra and Lucius were a couple ¡°You¡¯re set to marry Mr. Magnus, remember that. No school for you tomorrow, take these few days to prepare yourself.¡± Having said that, Addison turned and left the living room. Mr Magnus? Who was Mr. Magnus? Rumor had it there was a disabled man living on the Andersen family¡¯s Sapphire Ind, the elusive Mr Magnus of the Andersen family. She had never met this Mr. Magnus hidden on Sapphire Ind. No, no, how could she possibly be marrying Mr. Magnus? What was going on? She had to wait for her father to return and rify things. Why? Why was she kept in the dark about all this? She hadn¡¯t been in control of her life since she was five. She had Hector now. She had just started to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Were they trying to push her into another life? She grabbed a quick bite in the kitchen, then sat in the living room waiting for Kyler It was nine in the evening when Kyler finally walked through the front door, noticing Natalia on the couch. His brow furrowed. ¡°Nat, why are you still awake?¡± Natalia stood up, taking the bag from Kyler¡¯s hand, and setting it on the couch. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve been waiting for you toe home¡® Property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Uh¨Chuh, what¡¯s up?¡± Kyler sat next to his daughter, looking at the despondent girl He reached out to stroke her hair ¡°Dad, Mom said I¡¯m supposed to marry Magnus. Is that true? Her eyes sparkled even brighter under the dim light Kyler paused, lowering his gaze ¡°Don¡¯t listen to your mother. It¡¯s your sister who¡¯s meant to marry him, not you. You just focus on school¡± Chapter 5 Chapter 5 How could he let her be married off to the Andersens? Whether it was Mr. Magnus or Mr. Lucius, the one meant to get married was Kendra Natalia watched her father¡¯s weary gaze shift ¡°What¡¯s the reason, Dad? Wasn¡¯t Kendra supposed to marry Mr. Lucius? Why has it changed to Mr Magnus?¡± Kyler turned back to his daughter, letting out a sigh. ¡°Originally, it was Mr Lucius who was supposed to unite with your sister, but the Andersens have surprisingly chosen Mr. Magnus to marry Kendra. Your sister isn¡¯t willing, and only after she threatened your mother with her life did your mother agree to have you marry instead. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you marry him Just focus on school¡± Kyler stood up, heading upstairs Natalia weiched her father¡¯s sorrowful and lonely figure. She felt a pang in her heart in this world, if anyone loved her the most, apart from Hector, whom she had met six months ago, it would be her father She could let anyone down in this life, but she could never disappoint her father. She quietly sat on the couch, hearing the loud arguments from her parents room half an hourter. The sound of objects being thrown around in the room grew louder. Natalia sat on the living room couch, her eyes fixed on the upstairs door Soon, Kyler emerged from the room, mming the door behind him as he headed downstairs. Upon seeing Natalia on the couch, he paused before approaching her. ¡°Nat, why aren¡¯t you sleeping?¡± He quietly sat down across from Natalia, holding his head in his hands, a weary look on his face. Natalia hesitated, then stood up. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll go to sleep now.¡± That night, her father never returned upstairs A few dayster, Natalia was awoken from her sleep by a frantic Addison ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m begging you, please get married in ce of your sister She has run away, and the Andersen family will be here soon to pick up the bride. If they find out that she¡¯s gone, they will destroy our family Natalia, you don¡¯t want to see your father¡¯s lifetime work ruined, do you? Only by marrying Magnus can you save the rkson family I¡¯m begging you Consider it repayment for all the years I¡¯ve raised you.¡± Addison sat on Natalia¡¯s bed, her face wet with tears. Natalia lowered her head. ¡°But Mom, they want to marry Kendra If they find out that we deceived them, it will only provoke the Andersens more Addison tightly held Natalia¡¯s hand. ¡°Mr. Magnus hasnt been seen in over a decade. He is disabled. After you marry him, you will only need to take care of his daily needs. After half a year, with no consummation of the marriage, you can leave. Natalia, only you can save your father and the rkson family. Can you bear to see your father live out his old age in unrest?¡± Natalia watched the sunrise. The sun was about to rise. What should she do? If what her mother said was true, that she could leave after half a year, then for her father¡¯s sake, she could rece Kendra in taking care of the disabled man. But what about Hector? She still had school to attend. After her marriage, it would be impossible for her to continue her studies. Her identity would be that of Kendra. Seeing Natalia remain silent, Addison broke down in tears again. ¡°Natalia, if you don¡¯t want to do it, then forget it. Your father and I are old. In the end, the rkson family will rely on you and Kendra. It doesn¡¯t matter if we end up on the streets. We just want you two to be happy¡± With that, she wiped her tears and prepared to leave the room. Natalia thought back to when she was five years old when her father brought her into this family. He held her in his arms and said, ¡°Nat, this is Mom, and that¡¯s Kendra, your sister. From now on, we are a family Perhaps she didn¡¯t have the right to choose her own future, but she couldn¡¯t let her father bear any more grief. In this world, her father was the only person she wanted to protect. ¡°Okay, I agree,¡± she quietly said to Addison, who was about to leave the room Addison turned around in shock. ¡°Natalia, you¡¯re really willing?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± If what Addison said was true, that the hidden Mr. Magnus on Sapphire Ind was a disabled man, and that her marriage to him was only to take care of his daily life, then it wasn¡¯t so bad. This way, her father would no longer be sad, and the rkson family wouldn¡¯t be ostracized. ¡°Good girl, I knew you were my good daughter. You¡¯re the lucky star of the rkson family. She tightly held Natalia¡¯s hand, her smile causing tears to fall. She quickly got up, left the room, and was ready to break the news to Kendra Upon hearing that Natalia was willing to marry on her behalf, Kendra, who was at a KTV surrounded by her girlfriends, scoffed. ¡°She¡¯s lucky. After all, she¡¯s going to be the young mistress of the Andersen family. She should be thankful to me.¡± A triumphant smile appeared in her eyes. After hanging up the phone, she raised her ss of wine and cheered, ¡°Ladies, I no longer have to marry that cripple Cheers!¡± ¡°Wow, Kendra, that¡¯s great. Does this mean you can still be with your lover?¡± one of the girls asked excitedly. ¡°Mm.¡± Kendra took a gulp of her wine, and her eyes filled with a cold light. Three days passed quickly. On the day the Andersens came to pick up the bride, a stretched Lincoln was parked at the front of the rkson house Seeing the car from the balcony, Kendra¡¯s eyes shed coldly This was the wedding of a cripple, just picking up the bride and heading to Sapphire Ind. But then again, the cripple couldn¡¯t even stand, so how could he possibly attend a wedding? It¡¯d be embarrassing for the Andersen family. A mocking smile appeared on Kendra¡¯s face as she turned around to head inside. Pushing open the door to Natalia¡¯s room, she saw the girl, frozen by the window. Natalia was dressed in a soft pink dress, her hair casually pinned up, and no makeup on her delicate, expressionless face. Today was the day she was to be married. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. Kendra gently approached and stood by her side. ¡°Natalia, the car¡¯s here. You¡¯re doing this for me, and I appreciate it,¡± she said, hands tucked in the pockets of her coat, a teasing smile on her face. Natalia didn¡¯t turn around and just kept her gaze fixed on the world outside the window. With a furrowed brow, Kendra tried again. ¡°What are you scared of? Mr. Magnus is disabled, and rumor has it, he¡¯s impotent. You could be back here within six months.¡± Slowly, Natalia turned to face Kendra, her deep blue eyes steady ¡°If you know all about Mr. Magnus, why don¡¯t you marry him yourself? You could be back in six months, too,¡± she said, her voice barely above a whisper Taken aback, Kendra stared at her ¡°What are you implying? Are you having second thoughts? Don¡¯t forget what you promised Mom¡± Just then, there was a knock at the door Natalia moved towards Kendra ¡°Remember, I agreed to this for Dad, not for you From this day forward. I owe you nothing Fifteen years of gratitude will be repaid the moment I step out that door¡± She took steady steps towards the door and opened it. A middle¨Caged woman outside immediately lowered her head Ms. Natalia, your ride waiting.¡± Natalia walked out and descended the stairs. The bodyguard by the Lincoln pulled open the car door. She nced back up at the window onest time ¡°Goodbye, Dad Take care of yourself. It¡¯s the least you can do for everything I¡¯m about to sacrifice¡± She stooped into the car, and the stretched Lincoln slowly pulled away from the rkson family¡¯s estate. Chapter 6 Chapter 6 Natalia closed her eyes. Hadn¡¯t Morgan imed to adore Mr. Magnus? Yet here she was, being shipped off to Sapphire Ind No wedding and no ceremony. But then again, she was merely a stand¨Cin, A ceremony would be meaningless anyway. Was she going to take care of Mr. Magnus? As if hecked caretakers. She opened her eyes and nced at the man in the sult next to her. ¡°Where are we going?¡± The suited man replied respectfully. ¡°Ma¡¯am, we¡¯re headed to Sapphire Ind. Mr. Magnus requested to skip the wedding and honeymoon, so you¡¯ll be moving directly onto the ind.* Natalia merely nodded. It wasn¡¯t her wedding to begin with Why would she be bothered about the ceremony? After about an hour, the car finally came to a halt. Natalia opened her eyes to see an endless beach, an ind, and a three story mansion surrounded by the sea on three sides, with a forest in the back. The only ess was a single road leading to the mansion The suited chauffeur opened the door for her, and Natalia stepped out, inhaling the fresh, salty air. She looked up to see a lush garden, nts bursting with vibrant colors. She stared nkly at the endless blue sea, the wavespping at the sand Her mind suddenly went nk. She was going to live here, in this strange ce, for six months! As she looked up, she saw a line of servants standing at the entrance of the mansion. Five men and five women, standing respectfully, all greeting in unison, ¡°Wee, Ma¡¯am! We wish you and Mr. Magnus a happy marriage and a lifetime of happiness!¡± This disy startled Natalia. It felt like a weing fit for a king. She walked in, the living room was luxuriously decorated with neat furniture On the wall opposite the living room was a huge ¡®Congrattions banner! A servant approached her, ¡°Ma¡¯am, dinner is ready¡± She was about to move when the elevator nearby opened. A middle¨Caged man pushing a wheelchair emerged. The man immediately put on a smile, ¡°Ma¡¯am, you must be tired I am Linden, the butler.¡± Natalia nodded politely. Then she turned her gaze to the man on the wheelchair. He had a stunning face with a hint of aloofness, his dark eyes as cold as ice. This was Mr. Magnus, the man she¡¯d heard so much about. He was indeed confined to a wheelchair. Natalia stared at him, thinking how unfair it was that such a handsome man was forced to use a wheelchair. The man nced at her, the petite girl in a pink dress with deep blue eyes as pure and beautiful as the sky. He smirked and turned away after three seconds, pushing his wheelchair towards the dining table. He began to eat at his own pace, ignoring Natalia as if she didn¡¯t exist! Natalia opened her mouth to say something but ultimately followed him to the dining table. She watched as he gracefully scooped soup into his bowl and began to eat. Natalia watched him quietly, not eating. She didn¡¯t know what to do. Soon, the man noticed that she wasn¡¯t eating. He frowned slightly but didn¡¯t look up at her. ¡°What, the food doesn¡¯t suit your taste?¡± His deep voice made Natalia flinch. Then she heard his tone of mild anger, ¡°This is all I have. If you don¡¯t want to eat, you¡¯ll have to stay hungry. Linden, clear the table!¡± After wiping his mouth with a napkin, he left the room, moving straight into the elevator to go upstairs. Natalia was left behind, still trying to process what had just happened. The servants began clearing the table. ¡°Wait¡­ I haven¡¯t finished eating yet,¡± she murmured. She hadn¡¯t said she didn¡¯t want to eat. She watched as the food was taken away, her stomach growling in protest She had been busy all day and hadn¡¯t had a chance to eat This man was strange. At least she was his guest, no, she was his wife! He didn¡¯t even talk to her, let alone feed her. Thinking this, she quickly got up. I¡¯ll eat!¡± She might as well make the best of it. She couldn¡¯t starve to death, could she? Under the watchful eyes of the servants and Linden, who were struggling not tough, she grabbed the food that hadn¡¯t been cleared away and began eating heartily Upstairs in his bedroom, Magnus sat on the balcony, his face expressionless. ¡°Did she eat?¡± His low voice echoed in the quiet room. ¡°Yes, and she didn¡¯t make a fuss. Sir, I think Ma¡¯am is quite nice. She¡¯s pretty and not picky about food. After you left, she ate a lot.¡± Linden responded with a smile. Magnus¡¯s dark eyes drifted towards the sea, his eyebrows furrowed slightly She hadn¡¯tined, and she even ate the simple meal he had prepared. He had intentionally arranged for a simple meal to see how she would react. But she didn¡¯tin and even ate the meal. For a spoiled, arrogant heiress, this was a miracle. He had forced her to marry a man she didn¡¯t love and restricted her freedom. She should have thrown a tantrum or gotten angry. She must be putting on a show for him, just like Lucius. She must have a vicious heart. ¡°Keep an eye on her movements over the next few days. See if she contacts anyone.¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Linden closed the door and left Magnus¡¯s room. Once Natalia had finished eating, she was led to her room by the servants. It was a seaside room with fresh,vender¨Ccolored bedding She walked to the window, looking out at the slowly darkening sky. This was where she would live for the foreseeable future, and she didn¡¯t know whaty ahead. She had made this choice to relieve her father¡¯s distress and indecision, but she wasn¡¯t sure if it was right or wrong. She opened the wardrobe to find neatly arranged women¡¯s clothes, including underwear and sleepwear. She picked out a nightgown and headed- into the bathroom, not knowing which room Mr. Magnus upied. Since he hadn¡¯t asked for her help, she didn¡¯t bother asking. With so many servants on the ind, they surely didn¡¯tck for help. But then, there was a knock on her door. ¡°Knock, knock¡± Natalia slipped out of her pajamas and went to answer the door. A middle¨Caged woman stood there, to escort her to the rkson family mansion ¡°Ma¡¯am, she began, I¡¯m May Mr Magnus has asked for you in the study¡± The woman stood in the doorway with a gentle smile. Natalia nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± May led Natalia down the hallway, finally stopping in front of the farthest door. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°The young master is inside. You can go in,¡± May said before turning to leave. Natalia raised her hand to knock but found no response from the other side. She gently pushed the door open. The study was huge, resembling a conference room. Dim light illuminated a long office desk with four computer monitors on it. Two bookshelves stood nearby, packed tightly with books. There was another door near the entrance. Natalia walked over to it but didn¡¯t see Magnus. She went straight into the anteroom to take a look inside. Chapter 7 Chapter 7 The sound of running water caught Natalia¡¯s attention. Could there be a bathroom in there? What a peculiar man, she thought, to have a bathroom inside his study She was here to look after him, so she walked over and pulled open the ss door Sure enough, it was a bathroom Natalia looked up to see steam filling the space Through the misty heat, she saw a man sitting in the bathtub, his head under a shower of hot water Countless droplets fell from his dark hair, running down his broad shoulders, onto his muscr back, and then to the tub, causing a ssh. There was a wet wheelchair nearby. The moment she opened the door, the man looked up sharply His dark eyes shed a de like chill. He red at the stunned Natalia standing at the door. ¡°Who let you in? Get out!¡± His voice was deep and icy, filled with anger and arrogance Natalia lifted her eyes, and her brows furrowed slightly ¡°Well they sent me in to take care of you,¡± she said, preparing to turn off the shower ¡°Get out!¡± The icy voice echoed once again in the steam¨Cfilled bathroom, full of rage and on the brink of explosion. Under his fierce anger, Natalia had no choice but to leave the bathroom and close the door The man in the tub leaped up, quickly grabbed a bathrobe and jumped onto the wheelchair. The whole process took less than five seconds Just as Natalia heard the sound of the man getting up, the ss door was already being opened. A man, neatly dressed in a bathrobe, sat in the wheelchair In just three seconds, he had rolled up to her His hand fiercely gripped her throat, and his enraged expression was like that of a devil ready to tear her apart. Natalia stared in horror at the ferocious man. She gripped his iron¨Clike hand tightly. ¡°Don¡¯t they sent me in to take care of you¡± Magnus red at the girl, her face was turning red, and her breath was growing weaker. Her blue eyes stared nkly at him, followed by two tears rolling down. Magnus eyes darkened, and he slowly released his grip. His wheelchair was tall, and Natalia, standing next to him, was only slightly taller The moment her neck was freed, she began to cough violently. Because she coughed too hard, she fell. Stumbling, she fell into Magnus arms. After having been choked, she had no strength. As she fell, she instinctively put her hands out, and theynded between the man¡¯s legs. Seeing her fall, Magnus tried to push her away but didn¡¯t expect her hands tond where they did. He took in a sharp breath, and his brows furrowed tightly. ¡°Three seconds. Disappear!¡± Feeling the heat where her hands were, Natalia realized something was wrong and quickly withdrew them. Instead, she propped herself up on his thighs. The heat and hardness of his thighs made her feel a thumping sensation in her palMa¡¯am, frightened, used all her strength to push herself up. ¡°This¡­ isn¡¯t my fault, who asked you to choke me!¡± She quickly stood up, looking into the man¡¯s dark eyes, which held a hint of murderous intent. Then, the man gripped her chin. ¡°What? Are you already longing for a man? You can¡¯t wait, even though you¡¯ve just been married? Huh?¡± Their faces were close, and their breaths were intermingling. Natalia suddenly noticed the man¡¯s ears turning pink. The anger in his eyes was reced by embarrassment and restraint. He pushed the girl away. ¡°Don¡¯t try any tricks with me! Get out!¡± He then rolled away in his wheelchair. Natalia touched her neck and quickly left the study. This man was too dangerous! Could he have known that she wasn¡¯t her sister? That must¡¯ve been why he was so cold to her. Didn¡¯t he snatch her sister from his brother? He should have liked her sister, but why did he look at her with such hatred? If he knew she was a substitute, would he have been more aggressive? He might even kill her! Magnus rolled away to his bedroom, locking the door behind him. He got up and sat on the bed. Damn girl, touching him there. The moment her small hands touched him, he reacted. Fuck, he had a reaction to Lucius woman. The thought of her being with Lucius made him feel disgusted. He only married her to humiliate her, and to make Lucius suffer. His eyes glowed in the darkness. Natalia left the study and went to her bedroom. She locked the door and tried to calm her racing heart. What should she do? If he knew she was a substitute, would he kill her? She closed her eyes and fell onto the bed in despair. She fell asleep, and when she woke up, it was already daylight. She heard a knock on the door and got up to answer it May looked at Natalia, still in yesterday¡¯s clothes, in shock. ¡°Ma¡¯am, didn¡¯t you sleep?¡± ¡°I did,¡± Natalia replied. ¡°Then, Ma¡¯am,e and have breakfast,¡± May said, giving her a puzzled look Natalia opened the wardrobe, picked a set of clothes, and went into the bathroom to freshen up. Once she was ready, she went downstairs to see Magnus, elegantly having breakfast at the dining table. She walked over quietly and sat opposite him. ¡°Morning.¡± Looking at his emotionless face, she always felt fear creeping into her heart. ¡°Sit down and eat,¡± Magnus said, as if yesterday¡¯s incident never happened. ¡°Well, Mag¡­ I mean, Mr. Magnus, after breakfast¡­ can I do something?¡± She couldn¡¯t just eat and sleep all day. Since she couldn¡¯t go to school anymore, she had to do something while staying here. The man remained emotionless, wiping his mouth with a napkin. A mocking smile yed on his lips. ¡°What do you want to do? Don¡¯t forget you¡¯re now Mrs. Natalia. All you need to do is stay put and behave!¡± Just one day here, and she couldn¡¯t stand it. She was thinking about leaving, pretending to be busy. He was curious about how long she could endure After saying this, Magnus quickly rolled away, leaving Natalia to stare at his retreating figure Alright, she wouldn¡¯t argue with a disabled man. She could understand his temperament She picked up her ss of milk and started eating. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. After breakfast, Natalia walked out of the vi, staring at the endless sea. The air was fresh She walked out and sat on the rocks by the sea She silently watched the sea, wondering if Lexi and Sabrina were looking for her And Hector She didn¡¯t dare to tell them when she left school If they knew she was married, they would probably chew her out ¡°Hector, I apologize. It¡¯s not that I intended to let you down, it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t control where my life takes me. If there¡¯s a girl out there who¡¯s right for you, I genuinely wish you happiness¡± She thought to herself. She sat motionless on the jagged cliffside for an hour. Through the window of the second¨Cstory mansion, a pair of icy, prating eyes kept firm gaze on her silhouette. Chapter 8 Chapter 8 Hah, he couldn¡¯t evenst a day. There he was, just sitting and daydreaming. Magnus¡® handsome face was as dark as the bottom of a pan. ¡°Send her back to the vi at once!¡± ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Linden approached the beach. ¡°Ma¡¯am, the master wants you in the study.¡± Natalia turned around. Did she have to care for him? Wasn¡¯t he the one who forbade her from entering? Yesterday, she nearly got strangled when she tried to care for him. ¡°Linden, I thought Mr. Magnus didn¡¯t want me to look after him?¡± ¡°Well Ma¡¯am, he is in a bad mood, you better not upset him. You just married into the family, so he hasn¡¯t said anything¡± Linden looked into Natalia¡¯s azure eyes. Her innocent face didn¡¯t resemble someone with ulterior motives. ¡°Alright.¡± Natalia stood up and walked back to the vi, heading straight for the second floor. She gently knocked on the study door ¡°Come in!¡± Natalia pushed the door open and saw a man reviewing documents by his desk. He was dressed in a dark¨Ctoned shirt,zily leaning on his chair. He looked so elegant and noble, it was mesmerizing, if not for his cold demeanor. ¡°Mr. Magnus, you wanted to see me?¡± She stood three meters away from the expressionless man, not daring to move any closer. Deep down, she was still bothered by the incident of him suddenly choking her the day before. She could understand his irritation, which was normal for someone who had been confined to a wheelchair for so long. ¡°What were you doing at the beach? Are you unhappy about marrying into this family? He lifted his sharp gaze, looking straight at Natalia as if trying to see through her. Natalia shook her head. ¡°No, I was just bored and decided to take a walk. Mr. Magnus, you can assign me some tasks. I can do anything! It would also help kill time.¡± The man¡¯s icy gaze didn¡¯t show any warmth. ¡°Kendra, stop pretending. You¡¯re a spoiled rich girl. What do you want to do? Are you thinking of leaving? Or did Lucius send you to spy on me?¡± He suddenly rolled his wheelchair forward, reaching her within two seconds. Natalia jumped in surprise. She immediately took a step back, fearing that he might choke her again. His deep, narrow eyes were like a whirlpool, threatening to suck her in. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Whatever you¡¯re nning, it won¡¯t happen. From the moment we got married yesterday, you became my wife, and even if you die, it will be on this ind. As for being with Lucius again, you¡¯ll have to wait for the next life!¡± He was staring intently at her petite face. It was so delicate and enchanting but with a heart possibly more poisonous than a snake¡¯s. He scoffed. ¡°Oh, there¡¯s something else I forgot to tell you. Because of my leg disability, we cannot consummate our marriage. Please get used to living like a widow here!¡± His face suddenly turned terrifying, as the words of humiliation were spilling out of his mouth. ¡°If you¡¯re really desperate, I can satisfy you in other ways. But in this life, you and your thoughts can never leave this ind So stop ying the victim, no one here will pity you!¡± Natalia stared nkly at the man¡¯s rapidly changing expressions, digesting the harsh words he spat out. Her face was flushing, then paling in turn. She suddenly started feeling pity for this man. What had made him this bitter? Was it not because he and his brother were fighting over her sister? Now Magnus had won her sister,¡± shouldn¡¯t he be happy? ¡°Mr. Magnus I¡¯ve never been unhappy. I¡¯m more than willing to take care of you. Since I¡¯ve married you, I won¡¯t have any contact with others.¡± For the sake of her father, she must not anger this strange man. Magnus looked at her big, clear eyes and her bewildered expression. He swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. ¡°You want to take care of me?¡± He rolled his wheelchair forward and casually slid open the ss door inside. ¡°Clean up the bathroom in there, and then the bedroom Clean them all!¡± He turned to look at the petite girl standing next to him, a mocking smile on his face. Just how long could she keep up this act? He had done his research on this spoiled rich girl who had lived a life of ease, a life where everything was handed to her on a silver tter. After asking her to clean the bathroom and tidy up the bedroom, he wondered if she would throw a fit Natalia smiled faintly and nodded in agreement. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get to it right away¡± After saying that, she walked into the bathroom on her own, picked up a towel, and began cleaning. Ten minutester, he gently rolled his wheelchair to the bathroom to check on her. The girl was bent over, wiping the sink with a towel. She was wearing a knee¨Clength skirt Her two slender legs stood straight, and as she wiped, the skirt swayed up and down. The covered part of her thighs was vaguely visible under the skirt Magnus was stunned, and there was a sudden dryness in his mouth! Shit! He immediately turned around and rolled his wheelchair away. Thinking about how her little hand had touched him down there yesterday, a heat rose in his lower abdomen! Damn it! What was happening to him? He was actually fantasizing about this woman. He had never thought about women in all these years. Even though she was his wife, he would not forget that he had married her to take revenge on Lucius He would make her suffer, and make Lucius wish he were dead! This was just the beginning. In a few days, Lucius would surelye to the ind to settle the score. The real drama was yet toe Without any dy, he rolled his wheelchair out of the study and made a phone call. In no time, a ck car slowly pulled into the vi. A man, wearing sunsses, stepped out of the car and walked straight into the living room ¡°Magnus, I heard you got married yesterday? Howe, even the bride is hidden away from us like this?¡± The man sat down on the couch, and with a wide grin on his face, he looked at the man in the wheelchair, tapping the back of the sofa with one hand Why the urgency to call me here? Are you unsatisfied with your new marriage? Hmm?¡± Magnus red at the man on the couch,ughing like a demon, wishing he could run over and wipe that smug expression off his face ¡°Get to Golden Groove now! The man rolled his wheelchair towards the exit. The man on the couch quickly followed him ¡°Hey, hey, Magnus, at least let me catch a glimpse of the bride before we go Carter and the others haven¡¯t even seen her.¡± But the wheelchair silently left the living room, rolled onto the beach, and stopped next to a car Magnus suddenly stood up from the wheelchair, casually opened the car door, and climbed in. The man behind him quickly looked back to make sure no one was watching, before hurrying to the driver¡¯s seat He started the car ¡°Why did you get in the car yourself? If someone sees He nced back at Magnus, whose face was as dark as the bottom of a pan and decided to bite his tongue. After the car left the beach, all that remained was a solitary wheelchair, swaying in the sea breeze Upstairs, Natalia stepped out of the shower, drying her hands on a towel. She looked at her handiwork and smiled, satisfied with the result These were tasks she had been doing since she was a girl. Surely, they weren¡¯t too much for her now? She turned around and quietly pushed open the door to the bedroom. What met her gaze were deep blue curtains, and a matching bedspread, neatly spread out on the king¨C sized bed. The bed was sorge, it took up nearly half the room. Chapter 9 Chapter 9 She flicked on the light and walked in, towel in hand. Approaching the bedside table, she gazed at the Immacte furniture, unsure where to start cleaning This man was peculiar. His bedroom was so spotless, it seemed as if it had never been lived in. What was there to clean? She gingerly opened the wardrobe, revealing an array of dark shirts, ck trousers, and suits. This man was cold and entric, even his clothing reflected a chilling aura, but she still arranged his belongings neatly and tidied up. When she finished and descended the stairs, Linden greeted her with a smile ¡°What would you like for lunch, Ma¡¯am? I¡¯ll have May prepare it.¡± Natalia nodded. ¡°I¡¯m not picky, whatever Mr. Magnus is having will be fine.¡± ¡°Mr. Magnus has stepped out and may not return until the evening,¡± Linden informed her, still smiling ¡°He¡¯s out? How did he leave? Who¡¯s taking care of him?¡± Natalia questioned, worried. At the very least, someone should have been apanying him. If Linden was here, how did he manage to leave alone? ¡°It¡¯s alright. Mr Magnus can manage on his own Mr James came to pick him up.¡± Linden looked at Natalia¡¯s concerned eyes and nodded silently Natalia wasn¡¯t as cold¨Chearted as the rumors suggested. She seemed to genuinely care about their master. If she wasn¡¯t involved with Mr Lucius, she could have been a good match for their master. Upon hearing that he¡¯d left with a friend, Natalia nodded. ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll have whatever is convenient.¡± Linden immediately went to the kitchen to ry her request. Natalia sat on the couch and wondered if she should inform her friends Lexi and Sabrina about her situation. Would they turn the world upside down looking for her if she disappeared without a trace? She ascended the stairs and picked up her phone. Dozens of missed calls and messages flooded her screen. All were from Lexi, Sabrina, and Hector [Natalia, why didn¡¯t youe to school?] [Natalia, please respond. I¡¯ve applied to study abroad in the U.S., and we¡¯ll be leaving in a year.] [Natalia, please don¡¯t ignore me. I can¡¯t find you¡­] Hector¡¯s messages piled up. Sabrina. [Get your ass out here, girl!] Lexi [Nat, where are you? Someone¡¯s going crazy¡®] Sabrina. If you don¡¯te back, I¡¯m going toe to your house and bang on the door!] Natalia, reading these messages, felt tears streaming down her face. This was the path she chose. For her father, she¡¯d given up everything. It was her way of repaying him for giving her a home when she was five. Finally, she saw a message from her father [Nat, I¡¯m sorry] Her tears rushed down uncontrobly. She covered her mouth, trying to suppress her sobs, but the sound of her crying reached the ears of the housemaid outside her room. The maid quietly descended the stairs and informed Linden about Natalia¡¯s crying. Frowning, Linden commanded, ¡°Get back to work, and mind your own business!¡± The maid quickly retreated. After Natalia finished crying, she dried her eyes. She texted Sabrina and Lexi. [I¡¯m going somewhere distant for a while to do something. Don¡¯t look for me Don¡¯t ask about me. I¡¯ll be back after a year. Please wait for me.] She sent Hector a message [Hector, sometimes we have to do things we don¡¯t want to just to survive. I¡¯m a lonely wanderer. Thank you for taking care of me these past six months. Forget about me Don¡¯t ask why] [Go to America. Maybe we¡¯ll meet again one day. But for now, please let me disappear in peace.] After sending these messages, she turned off her phone. A knock on the door broke her reverie. ¡°Ma¡¯am, lunch is ready,¡± Linden announced, gazing at the deste girl. Natalia managed a small smile. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± She had a quick lunch and returned to her room, staying there for the rest of the day. The Golden Groove was the biggest entertainment venue in Melfort. Chase, the general manager, oversaw everything here, but he wasn¡¯t the owner. The real boss behind the scenes was a mystery. Some spected that the owner was a rich man from Lille, France Two men were seated in a VIP room on the top floor. The red wine on the table shimmered enticingly under the lights. The door swung open, and Magnus strode in ¡°Damn, Magnus, how could you just waltz in here like that?¡± One of the men on the couch jumped up in surprise. His handsome face looked taken aback. The man following Magnus shrugged, indicating he was helpless. Magnus sat on the couch, picked up a wine ss from the table, and drained it in one gulp. The three men were Chase, Carter, and James. Magnus¡® closest friends. Carter was the CEO of a powerful corporation in France. Chase, his younger brother, was the general manager of Golden Groove in Melfort and also the CEO of a subsidiary of Cliff International James was the founder of the notorious Silent King, a criminal organization in Europe This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. However, no one knew that the man behind all threepanies and organizations was Magnus From the age of eighteen, Magnus had vowed to stand tall, refusing to surrender what was rightfully his. And he had seeded. He had finally risen! But no one knew that his legs had fully recovered Forty percent of the shares of Andersen Corporation amounted to an astronomical sum that no one could fathom. All they knew was that Magnus current assets had already exceeded Andersen Corporation by several folds! ¡°Magnus, it¡¯s a sensitive period right now Don¡¯t expose yourself prematurely, Carter advised, his gaze serious ¡°From what I¡¯ve heard, Lucius has already united all the shareholders and is set to officially take over as CEO in June. Your grandfather can¡¯t control him anymore¡± James added. ¡°Theard he¡¯s recruited a Mexican gang and is preparing something!¡± Magnus lips formed a straight line, and his icy demeanor was breaking into a mocking smile. Let him strut around. Only when the timees can he fall from a great height!¡± ¡°That would indeed be quite a thrill, wouldn¡¯t it? But Magnus, what¡¯s the fun in stealing his woman?¡± Chase chuckled. The three men turned their attention to Magnus¡® still¨Cdark face. Chase changed his tone. ¡°Hey, tell us, how¡¯s married life? Is she giving you trouble?¡± At his question, three pairs of eyes focused intently on Magnus. ¡°Hard to tell, she¡¯s quite the actress!¡± Magnus thought about the woman¡¯s innocent, doe¨Ceyed gaze. A wave of heat surged through him. Chase let out a snicker Magnus, it¡¯s been years since you¡¯ve been with a woman. You wouldn¡¯t be thinking of making a move, would you? It¡¯s not like it¡¯d be wrong. You¡¯re both single. Plus, it might just drive Lucius mad!¡± Chase¡¯s words were met with a chilling stare from Magnus, which quickly shut him up. James, a man whose stern features could easily intimidate anyone, found joy in teasing Magnus just like Chase. He let out a heartyugh ¡°Did you guys see that? He¡¯s clearly sexually frustrated. But Magnus, are you really nning to spend the rest of your life with this woman? As far as I know, she lost her virginity to Lucius when she was just seventeen. She¡¯s always been a wild one, brash and domineering. And quite the flirt!¡± Chapter 10 Chapter 10 James cast a nce at Magnus¡® increasingly dark face, teasing him further. ¡°You¡¯ve been cooped up for years now. Maybe you should dip your toes in the water. It¡¯s not a bad idea to let a woman get to you.¡± James¡® words earned a round of heartyughter from Chase and an involuntary twitch at the corner of Carter¡¯s mouth Magnus picked up his wine ss and suggested smoothly, ¡°I hear Silent King¡¯s been pretty idletely. There¡¯s a mission in Chile that needs some attention, something about encountering primitive orcs in the wild Seems like it¡¯s right up your alley¡± James¡® eyes widened in astonishment as Magnus casually picked up a set of keys from the table Chase, in his impatience, failed to grab the keys remember you¡¯ve got a couple of Rolls¨CRoyce Phantoms just sitting around at your ce have Linden pick them up and give them a good cleaning!¡± James quickly intervened, patting Magnus on the shoulder ¡°Come on, man. A desert is no ce for a man to be And what happens if you run into a female orc? Will you still have your buddies?¡± ¡°A female orc? That¡¯s right up your alley. I remember you had a strong taste for threesomesst year. A single orcis nothing for your Magnus countered coldly James shivered at the thought of arge, imposing female orcs overpowering him in the desert. He quickly ttered Magnus. I know you¡¯re a man of restraint. You wouldn¡¯t let any woman get to you. Let me pour you a drink!¡± James decided to be more careful with his jokes around Magnus Suddenly, the sounds of shattering ss came from the neighboring booth Magnus furrowed his brows, gesturing to Chase Chase stood up abruptly. ¡°Who the hell is causing a ruckus in my territory? They¡¯re asking for trouble! He stormed off to the neighboring booth Inside the booth, Lucius was drunk, being propped up by two bodyguards. He swung a punch at one of them, sending him crashing to the floor The wine bottles and sses on the table smashed to the ground. The bodyguard wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and said, ¡°Mr. Lucius, you¡¯ve had too much to drink Ms. Lillian asked us to take you home.¡± ¡°Home?¡± Lucius barked out augh, ¡°Does Morgan even consider me family? He gave my woman to that cripple! I hate him!¡± Chase walked into the booth and threw a warning nce at Lucius ¡°This isn¡¯t your yground, Lucius. The next time you decide to throw a tantrum, do it somewhere else.¡± Lucius pushed away the bodyguards and red at Chase. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are, meddling in my business?¡± Chase kicked Lucius onto the sofa, swiftly dealing with the two bodyguards who tried to intervene. He grabbed Lucius by the cor Tm warning you! Keep your tantrums out of my territory. You¡¯re nothing more than a coward, and you dare to insult me? I¡¯ll have you picking up your teeth off the floor!! Chase dragged Lucius out of the booth, tossing him into the corridor The bodyguards, despite their pain, quickly picked up Lucius and left. Magnus, James, and Carter left the booth, masking their faces before stepping into the neon lights of the entertainment city. Lucius, being propped up by his bodyguards, stumbled past a man with a mask. Two other masked men followed behind him, one with a cold, menacing aura. Lucius chuckled ¡°What¡¯s with the masks? Trying to y gangsters?¡± He signaled his bodyguards to take him home. A Rolls¨CRoyce Phantom passed by the Andersen Corporation building under the neon lights. The man in the car nced at the towering building. a smile ying at the corners of his mouth. At nine o¡¯clock in the evening, Magnus returned to Sapphire Ind Linden was already waiting for him, wheeling him into the vi. ¡°What¡¯s her status today?¡± Magnus asked Linden, referring to Natalia. Linden answered, ¡°Ma¡¯am cleaned the bathroom and the bedroom today. Then she was on her phone for the rest of the day. The maids heard her crying at noon. She stayed in her room in the afternoon and barely ate dinner.¡± Magnus handsome face darkened. So, she was crying already, and it was only the second day ¡°Good, Kendra,¡± Magnus thought ¡°We have a long way to go. Let¡¯s see how long you can keep this up¡± ¡°But, I have a hunch that Ma am isn¡¯t as they¡¯ve been investigating She¡¯s gentle with the staff and very humble. She does everything you¡¯ve asked of her and does it well She doesn¡¯t carry herself like a spoiled heiress She doesn¡¯t seem like a scheming girl Linden furrowed his brows. Magnus closed his eyes, whispering. ¡°Could she be pretending? To gather information for Lucius, could she be feigning innocence?¡± Linden was about to retort when Magnus wheeled his way into the study¡¯s en¨Csuite bathroom. It was immacte, not a speck of dust in sight. His frown deepened. ¡°Find out who she¡¯s been in contact with today!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± Linden exited the bedroom and headed straight for the basement on the ground floor Magnus wheeled himself directly into Natalia¡¯s room. A small lump was evident on therge bed, and the room was eerily silent. He couldn¡¯t even hear her breathing 11:4 Magnus quietly rolled his wheelchair to the foot of her bed and casually tumed on the bedsidemp. Natalie was on the bed sleeping peacefully. and her face was turned to the side. Property ? N?velDrama.Org. 212 Chapter 11 Chapter 11 Magnus found himself questioning. ¡°Was this young woman now his wife? She looked so youthful, like a little girl¡± He thought of Lucius, drowning in bourbon in a private booth in the afternoon, and suddenly straightened up, his gaze fixating on Natalia lying on the bed A smirk appeared on his face. Of course, if she wasn¡¯t beautiful, Lucius wouldn¡¯t be in such agony His eyes turned icy in an instant. He reached out to switch off the bedsidemp, then he maneuvered his wheelchair out of the room Returning to his own bedroom, he stood up and walked to the window, gazing out at the dark ocean, a sense of loneliness was welling up within him. Soon, Linden knocked on the door and entered, spotting Magnus standing on the balcony. He approached Magnus softly ¡°Mr. Magnus, I have found out!¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am did not make any phone calls today. She only sent texts to three students from Melfort College!¡± Linden handed over the satellite information to Magnus. Magnus¡® deep gaze fell upon the information sheet in Linden¡¯s hand. ¡°Melfort College students? She didn¡¯t contact Lucius? Magnus thought back to Lucius¡® drunken state earlier that day. Could it be that he was not upset over a phone call from this woman, but drowning his sorrows for another reason? ¡°No, I checked her call logs. She has never contacted Mr Lucius!¡± Linden said, noting Magnus¡® frosty expression, then discreetly exited the room No contact. She must¡¯ve changed her phone beforeing here Just how cunning was Lucius? This woman was crying here, while Lucius was drowning his sorrows in a bar. Magnus¡® icy gaze in the dark seemed to emit a chilling light The next day, at the crack of dawn, Natalia was awakened by a knock on the door. She sat up immediately. Standing at the door was May ¡°Ma¡¯am, Mr. Magnus has requested your presence in the dining room.¡± ¡°What?¡± The sky had barely started to lighten, and she was already being summoned to the dining room. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll be right there.¡± She quickly dressed, washed up, and went downstairs. Magnus was sitting elegantly at the dining table as two maids served him breakfast. Natalia nced at Magnus, then at the spread on the table. Such avish breakfast. Could he finish all of it on his own? What a waste! Despite her thoughts, she went over and poured him a bowl of soup. ¡°Please, have some soup..¡± Magnus lips tightened. ¡°Peel the shrimp¡± Natalia immediately sat down, peeled the shrimp, and ced them in his bowl. Her small, fair hands skillfully peeled the shrimp in front of him, as she asionally nced up at him. He was frowning slightly, looking somewhat displeased. ¡°Don¡¯t you have gloves? Don¡¯t you know I¡¯m a germaphobe?¡± Natalia¡¯s ears turned red. He was a germaphobe! She quickly picked up the shrimp from his bowl and ate it herself, then went to the kitchen to get gloves and continued peeling. Magnus watched her actions, his face darkening even more. ¡°I told you to peel, not to eat!¡± Natalia was stunned and paused, looking at Magnus. ¡°You didn¡¯t want to eat the ones I peeled without gloves, right? So, I had to eat them!¡± She couldn¡¯t just throw them away! Magnus remained silent, watching as his bowl quickly filled with half a bowl of shrimp. His expression was as dark as a pot bottom. What was this woman thinking? Did she n to peel the entire te of shrimp? Couldn¡¯t she peel something else? What about the crab? ¡°You peeled so much. You¡¯re going to eat it all Magnus picked up a sushi roll and started eating Natalia stopped and looked at him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you ask me to peel the shrimp?¡± Magnus finally lost his temper, mming his fork down. ¡°I asked you to peel, not to peel the whole lot. You can¡¯t even do this simple task. What can you do?¡± Natalia looked up at Magnus, whose eyes were frosty, and pursed her lips, ¡°You asked me to peel the shrimp, and I did a pretty good job! If you can¡¯t finish, I will. It¡¯s a waste to throw them away!¡± Magnus looked at Natalia¡¯s blue eyes and the half bowl of shrimp and pushed the bowl towards her ¡°Eat up!¡± Natalia removed her gloves. ¡°Aren¡¯t you eating anymore?¡± ¡°I¡¯m full just looking at all these shrimps.¡± He then maneuvered his wheelchair out of the dining room, leaving Natalia staring at the half bowl of shrimp She pouted, well, if he didn¡¯t want to eat, then so be it! She picked up the chopsticks and started eating the shrimp. In the elevator, Magnus caught sight of Natalia at the dining table, gobbling up the shrimp. He awkwardly turned his gaze away. She ate as if she hadn¡¯t had a meal in days. This was hardly the behavior of a well¨Cbreddy. His brows furrowed at the thought. Upon entering his bedroom, he closed the door and stood on the balcony. His tall, straight body exuded an aura of cold aloofness. Linden quietly pushed the door open and saw Magnus standing on the balcony. He quickly closed the door. ¡°Mr. Magnus, here are the books you asked for.¡± Magnus turned and saw Linden holding a stack of thick books, which he ced on his desk. ¡°Do you really want Ma¡¯am to read these?¡± Linden began to feel a bit sorry for the woman downstairs. ¡°Didn¡¯t she say she wanted to take care of me? By reading these books, she¡¯ll learn how to do so. If shecks patience, she¡¯ll start making a fuss in a few days. I want to see how long she can keep up the act!¡± Magnus tumed and sat at the desk. ¡°Tell her toe up when she¡¯s finished eating!¡± This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. In a few days, they were off to France. He wanted to see how long this woman could hold out! ¡°Yes..¡± As Linden was descending the stairs, Natalia had just finished eating. He smiled at her ¡°Ma¡¯am, have you finished eating? The young master has asked you to attend to him in the study!¡± Again, he wanted her in the study. What was he going to have her do this time? The bathroom was cleaned just yesterday, there was nothing much to tidy up in the bedroom. She nodded and went upstairs to knock on the door. ¡°Come in!¡± Magnus¡® deep voice was always cold. She pushed the door open to see him sitting in his wheelchair. The sun was already streaming in from the balcony, casting a glow over him, and outlining his silhouette with a halo of light. ¡°Mr Magnus, what can I do for you?¡± Natalia stood at a distance of three meters from him. ¡°I need daily massages for my legs to prevent atrophy. This will be your daily task. He looked at his legs, then slowly turned his gaze towards her Natalia blinked. ¡°But Mr. Magnus, I don¡¯t know how to give massages. Should we hire a personal doctor toe regrly?¡± After all, she wasn¡¯t a medical professional. Magnus pointed to the books on the desk. ¡°Those books can teach you. If you don¡¯t know how to do it, you can learn. If I wanted to hire a doctor. why would I need a wife?¡± He was sitting against the light, making it difficult for Natalia to make out his expression. Without even ncing at her, he wheeled himself over to the desk and began looking at some documents. Natalia wandered over to the table, her eyes falling on the stack of books piled high Titles like ¡°Massage for Dummies,¡± and ¡°Helping the Paralyzed Stand Again¡± were among them. Natalia looked at these books and didn¡¯t utter a word. She picked one up, intending to retreat to her bedroom to read, but a deep voice stopped her. ¡°Read here, you¡¯re starting work tonight.¡± ¡°But, ¡± ¡°What? Having trouble? I remember on your first day, you boldly imed you could take care of me. Are you already getting fed up?¡± The man lifted his icy gaze fixing it upon the girl¡¯s charming face. He locked eyes with her innocent and shimmering gaze. Chapter 12 Chapter 12 With a slight turn of his head, Magnus curtly spoke, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to, then get out!¡± ¡°Alright¡­ Il go read now¡± Natalia was taken aback. Having been around this man for a few days, she¡¯d begun to understand his vtile temperament. It was just a massage, right? She would leam, she would do anything to prevent her father being targeted because of her She knew that one day he would find out that she wasn¡¯t her sister, but she hoped that day wouldeter, at least giving her time to do something for her father Moreover, would this man kill her if he discovered she wasn¡¯t her sister? She picked up a book and started reading. She was engrossed in the content. She had always loved reading and was quickly deeply absorbed in the book Magnus sat there, looking at the documents in his hand. He nced up and saw Natalia engrossed in her book Dressed in a sky¨Cblue dress, her delicate hands were turning the pages, and her long eyshes were trembling slightly. She looked like a high school student, appearing even smaller as she sat in therge chair His heart felt restless Could a high¨Csocietydy like her really be so engrossed in such a book? Was she pretending, or was it genuine? He really couldn¡¯t tell. Yet, each time he looked up to see her in the corner, his heart stirred with an indescribable emotion. For nine years, he had never shown his true self to anyone. He¡¯d been able to stand on his own two feet three years ago, yet he still sat in a wheelchair In order to avoid suspicion from the Andersen Corporation and Lucius, he pretended to be disabled, all with the aim of reiming what was rightfully his and avenging the incident that had caused his injury! Over the years, his life had been a constant struggle. As Chase had pointed out, he had never been with a woman, not even in his thoughts Once, a girl he liked had cried and begged him to let her take care of him. He had cruelly refused. In the second year, the same girl went to great lengths to find him During those lonely days, she was like a ray of sunlight, brightening his entire life. He finally agreed to her request. But in the second year, he drove her away. He went to France to find Professor Frankie By the time he returned two yearster, still in a wheelchair, the girl had nevere to find him again. Over the years, he, and the Chase brothers, along with James and others, had quietly expanded their influence. Now, he was unstoppable! Only then did he start considering women. And Lucius was about to marry Kendra. Without even thinking, he requested his grandfather to let him take over the arranged marriage. He wanted to strike Lucius first. After reading for a while, Natalia looked up and saw Magnus staring nkly at something. She stood up and put the book on the chair She walked over ¡°Mr. Magnus, should I pour you a cup of tea? Are you tired?¡± It was then that Magnus came back to his senses. Seeing Natalia standing in front of him with a smile, he felt a sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu He stared at her face, pure and tender, devoid of any makeup. Herrge blue eyes glistened with unshed tears. This face couldn¡¯t bepared to a high¨Csocietydy¡¯s There wasn¡¯t a trace of arrogance or pampering, only caution and innocence. Why was it like this? He wanted to touch her face, but the thought of her being Lucius¡® woman stopped him He turned his face away. ¡°Go ahead.¡± Natalia nked out for a moment. When he wasn¡¯t angry, his eyes were gentle, and his gaze was as deep as the sea. His handsome face showed a hint of emotion She wanted to get along well with him so that when he discovered that she wasn¡¯t her sister, he wouldn¡¯t kill her, or even make life difficult for her father. She immediately left the study, went downstairs, and made a cup of tea for Magnus When the steaming cup of tea was served, Magnus was still lost in thought. If she wasn¡¯t Lucius¡® woman, perhaps he would slowly cultivate her into his own woman. He was unconsciously harboring such thoughts. ¡°Mr. Magnus, your tea is ready. You¡¯ve been sitting all morning. Let me check your leg With the little bit she¡¯d just learned, perhaps she could be of some use She ced the tea on the desk and knelt down to massage Magnus leg. The man didn¡¯t move, just looked down at her. The girl¡¯s hands gently kneaded his leg, slowly massaging along his leg. After a few minutes on one spot, her hands moved up to his thigh and pressed harder. The man didn¡¯t make a sound, and just quietly watched as Natalias small hands massaged his thigh. Her strength was too slight, and it felt more like tickling than massaging Even through his trousers, she could feel his firm muscles. Suddenly, Magnus felt a jolt of electricity shoot up from his thigh. His leg stiffened instantly While Natalia was massaging him, she was taken aback. She felt his muscles twitching, and they were hot. She pressed harder, and Magnus felt a tingle all over his body. He almost gasped, and Natalia sensed his difort. She looked up and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m not very strong, but it¡¯ll get better over time. Besides, you can¡¯t feel it, can you?¡± Magnus remained silent as Natalia was massaging him. She then looked up and smiled at him. 11:47 His heart missed a beat. For years, he¡¯d never been touched by a woman, let alone received a massage from one. He suddenly remembered what Chase had said yesterday, and his ears turned red At that moment, Natalia looked up at him again, squeezing his leg a bit more forcefully. The man abruptly grabbed her small hand. Before Natalia could react, he gently pulled her, causing her to fall onto hisp. Startled, Natalia tried to stand up, but Magnus was looking at her with fiery eyes, and his warm breath was brushing against her ear Natalia¡¯s face turned red. ¡°Mr. Mr Magnus, did I hurt you? I¡¯m still learning, but I¡¯ll get better Fm sorry! She was afraid he would get angry. She tried to stand up several times, but Magnus held her tightly in his arms, staring at her face as it turned from pale to red. The faint scent and the feminine scent on her body made Magnus momentarily dazed. His face was only an inch away from hers, close enough to touch if he moved After struggling for a while without being able to stand up, Natalia decided to stay still She turned her blushing face to look at Magnus His handsome face was so close to hers, and his cool breath was wafting into her nostrils. ¡°You learned so quickly? Hmm?¡± His voice was low and husky ¡°No, I¡¯ve only just scratched the surface Herrge eyes were fixed on his lips, and her heart pounded as if it would jump out of her chest. ¡°How was this little bit able to make me feel something?¡± His voice was as pleasant as a cello This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. Natalia stared at him, and a sudden realization dawned in her eyes. She gasped, ¡°Really? Did you really feel something? Then I¡¯ll keep practicing It is good that you felt something. It means your legs might gradually recover¡± Her eyes sparkled like the stars in the night sky. Their brilliance was captivating. Magnus silently observed Natalia nestled in his arms. Her joy was genuine. Did she wish for him to stand up? ¡°That¡¯s impossible,¡± he murmured somberly. ¡°My legs have been paralyzed for nine years. How could they possibly start working all of a sudden Chapter 13 Chapter 13 ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true. If you keep working on your physical therapy, you¡¯ll be able to stand again. You can¡¯t give up!¡± Natalia blurted, forgetting she was still sitting on Magnus¡®p. If she could help his legs recover, that would be ideal, because even if he found out she wasn¡¯t his sister, he would forgive her, wouldn¡¯t he? ¡°Do you want me to stand up? Afraid I¡¯ll fight your beloved one for the family fortune? Magnus looked at her coldly Natalia noticed his sudden icy demeanor and realized she was still sitting on hisp. a position that could have been misinterpreted. She hastily stood up. ¡°Of course, i want you to stand up. Even if you have to fight Mr Lucius for the family fortune, you need a healthy body, don¡¯t you? I read about it in this book. If you diligently do physical therapy, there wille a day when you¡¯ll be able to stand again¡± Natalia finished her sentence and handed Magnus the cup of tea from the table After a sip of tea, Magnus left the study room in his wheelchair. Natalia sighed and picked up her book to continue reading on the balcony. After a while, Linden came to call her for lunch. When she went downstairs, she saw the table full of food. ¡°Where is Mr. Magnus?¡± Linden replied, ¡°He went out He¡¯ll be back tonight¡± Natalia was surprised. ¡°Then all this food is going to be wasted. Let¡¯s all eat together.¡± This was the habit of the wealthy They would throw away the leftovers after the first meal. After lunch, Natalia spent the entire afternoon reading. She ate a little bit in the evening and went back to her room to continue reading. As the day turned into night, she remained in her chair, engrossed in the book about massage techniques. The night was quiet, and Magnus hadn¡¯t returned yet Natalia, tired from reading, fell asleep in her chair on the balcony. A car stopped at the beach at ten o¡¯clock at night. The man got out and looked at the quiet vi. He walked directly into the vi, leaving the car behind on the beach. Magnus quietly went upstairs. The weariness was evident on his face. He paused in front of Natalia¡¯s room, staring at the door handle. He gently pushed the door open. The room was pitch ck Without turning on the light, he stepped in, and by the moonlight, he noticed the absence of Natalia on the bed. He was taken aback. Where could she have gone in the middle of the night? Just as he was about to reach for his mask, he saw Natalia sleeping on the balcony from the corner of his eye. He walked over quietly. There she was, lying peacefully in the chair, holding the book she was reading in the morning. Her long hair cascaded down the back of the chair. Under the moonlight, her smooth face beautifully contrasted against her dark hair, making Magnus hold his breath. He took the book from her hand, picked her up, and carried her to the bed. She was light as a feather, sleeping soundly in his arms. Her long eyshes cast a shadow on her eyelids. Magnus tucked her into bed, and seeing her sleeping so peacefully, he felt a slight stir in his heart. From her behavior and attitude these past few days, she didn¡¯t seem like thedy of the rkson family at all Even if she was pretending, she couldn¡¯t fake it so well. Perhaps their family feud shouldn¡¯t involve women. She was just a pawn, and it wasn¡¯t her fault that she fell for a man. The mistake was that the man happened to be Lucius! Therefore, she was destined to sacrifice her happiness in this life Magnus watched Natalia lying on the bed. Under the moonlight, her face was as dazzling as stars, exuding a soft beauty. He sighed, tucked her in, and left the room. This content ? N?v/elDr(a)m/a.Org. The next morning, Magnus was still groggy when he felt something moving on his leg. He opened his eyes wide, almost kicking out in surprise He saw a dark head bent over his bed, and two small hands slowly massaging his leg. It was Natalia, back to massage his legs. How dare shel He wasn¡¯t even awake, and she was touching his legs. Her hands were stronger than yesterday. The sensation was like an electric current spreading through his legs. He looked at her, but Natalia didn¡¯t know he was awake. She kept massaging his legs After all, he couldn¡¯t feel it, so it wouldn¡¯t wake him up. She just wanted to do something to help him. If it could make his legs a bit better, even if it meant massaging his legs every day, she was willing to keep doing it Suddenly, she felt his leg had be extremely rigid, and hot. She was slightly surprised. She looked up at Magnus and met his dark gaze. He was staring at her, causing Natalia to jump up in fright. ¡°Mr. Magnus I wanted to give you a massage I didn¡¯t mean to disturb you: I read in the book that early morning is the best time to intensify the massage. Knowing that your legs are numb, I thought I could help you. I¡¯m sorry¡± She stood in front of Magnus bed, wearing a in white dress. Her petite body was slightly trembling, and her face was covered with fine fuzz. The sunlight from the pentagonal window directly shone on her face, giving it a glow. Her clean eyes were looking at Magnus lying on the bed. She was afraid that he would get angry and strangle her Magnus moved to sit up, and with a push, he smoothly moved to the edge of the bed and into his wheelchair. He glided towards the bathroom. At the entrance to the dressing room, he turned to look at her. ¡°Come and help me change¡± His deep gaze held no anger, just a calm expression. He elegantly entered the bathroom. Okay Natalia quickly walked over and waited by the bathroom door with his clothes. After a while, the sound of water stopped, and the bathroom door opened. Natalia looked up to see Magnus in the wheelchair. He was wearing a ck bathrobe, and his hair was wet and dripping. He had his chest partially exposed, his bronzed skin glowing under the light. His gaze was as deep as the sea, staring at the girl standing at the doorway Natalia quickly lowered her head. ¡°Mr. Magnus, your clothes.¡± She handed him the clothes, but he glided past her towards the bed. *Help me put them on over here.¡± He stopped in front of the bed, waiting for Natalia to help him dress. Natalia silently looked at his wet hair; hearing he wanted her to help him dress, her heart skipped a beat. She quickly dried his hair with a towel, then handed him his shirt and shorts. ¡°Mr. Magnus, you should put on your underwear yourself. She lowered her head, unsure of how to help him dress ¡°What? You don¡¯t want to help me dress?¡± Magnus¡® gaze was fixed on Natalia Today, she was dressed in a snow white sundress that entuated her petite yet curvaceous figure Undoubtedly, she had a body to die for, and any dress she wore seemed to take on an air of elegance and style. She was as pure as a water lily floating on a pristineke, and her voice no louder than a mosquito¡¯s whisper, yet, Magnus heard every word clearly ¡°You can¡¯t dress me? A frown darkened his face Is it that you can¡¯t, or you won¡¯t?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you forget, you¡¯re already my wife, and these are the things you should be doing. Or do you regret marrying a cripple? Do you wish to return to your beloved? Hmm?¡± His voice suddenly fluctuated, and the deep and indifferent toneced with mockery Chapter 14 Chapter 14 Natalia suddenly looked up, noticing the sudden change in Magnus¡® demeanor She quickly walked over to him ¡°No, I just haven¡¯t helped you put on clothes before I¡¯m not sure how to do it! I¡¯ve never looked down on you for being handicapped No, that¡¯s not it. Even though your legs aren¡¯t functioning well, I believe that one day you¡¯ll definitely be able to stand up again Natalia nervously looked at Magnus¡® face, afraid he would lose his temper again She walked over and gently helped him out of his bathrobe. quickly dressing him in a shirt. Her heart was pounding She didn¡¯t dare to meet his eyes The man stared at her as she clumsily helped him get dressed. He didn¡¯t move and was simply watching her Once his shirt was on, she needed to remove his bathrobe to help him into his shorts Natalia realized he was wearing nothing underneath. Oh, God, what was she supposed to do! Who was going toe to her rescue? He couldn¡¯t possibly expect her to help him put on his underwear As she pulled down his bathrobe, her hand identally brushed against something it shouldn¡¯t have Boom! Her mind felt like it was about to explode. She quickly withdrew her hand But then she noticed something move beneath the bathrobe Magnus looked up at her ¡°Where did you touch?¡± His voice was a low grow! ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Mr Magnus, why don¡¯t you dress yourself? I¡¯ll go prepare breakfast Saying this, she quickly ran out of the room, as if a wild animal was chasing her Magnus frowned, watching her run out and close the door behind her. He stood up, removed his bathrobe, got dressed, and moved to the balcony with a smirk on his face By the time Natalia had finished preparing breakfast, Magnus had alreadye out of the elevator. He wheeled himself to the dining table His clothes were neat and clean, giving him an elegant and noble appearance. Natalia looked at his formal attire. ¡°Are you going out?¡± Magnus nodded ¡°You¡¯reing with me.¡± ¡°Me?¡± Natalia was taken aback. Where was he taking her? If they were going to the Anderson family, would she be recognized as a fraud? ¡°Who else? You¡¯ve been on the ind for a week now, and it¡¯s time we went to visit my grandfather. Eat up and get ready¡± After he finished speaking, Magnus began eating his breakfast. Natalia stared at him nkly. His handsome face showed no warmth. It was chilling He was taking her to meet his grandfather. Although she had never met the old man, she had heard about the Andersen family. His grandfather wielded enormous power as the founder of Andersen Corporation. Everyone in the Andersen family feared him. Even though the corporation was now managed by Lucius, who was merely a manager, the position of CEO was still undecided. Morgan had said that he would only announce his sessor on his deathbed. Therefore, Lucius had been extremely cautious all these years. Even if he lost the woman he loved, he had to endure it in front of Morgan. ¡°Mr Magnus, I think I¡¯ll stay in the vi and read I¡¯ll learn more massage techniques to help with your rehabilitation. It will be beneficial for you to stand up sooner She didn¡¯t want to meet the king of Andersen Corporation Magnus looked at her. ¡°Are you scared?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m not scared. I should visit your grandfather, but he must be very busy. I might be a burden to him.¡± She absolutely couldn¡¯t go. Perhaps Morgan knew her sister. If he found out she wasn¡¯t her sister, would he kill her father? Her heart pounded Now was not the time to meet Morgan. She would try to dy it as long as possible. Seeing her reluctance to go out with him, Magnus¡® face darkened. She was probably afraid of meeting Lucius. It would be very awkward. ¡°Alright then, if you don¡¯t want to go, stay at home¡± Saying this, Magnus wheeled himself out of the living room Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Linden had already prepared the car on the beach. Magnus slowly lifted himself up and was helped into the back seat by Linden. Natalia watched him leave before heading back to the dining room to have breakfast. She spent the entire day in the vi reading. Except for meal times, she hardly left her room Luxury Hill was a residential area located in the southwestern corner of Melfort. Those who lived here were either rich or influential A Rolls¨CRoyce Phantom slowly drove into the quiet residential area. This was arge vi that spanned about a thousand meters and consisted of four floors. Argewn housed more than a dozen luxury cars. The gold gate shone dazzlingly under the sun, with two lines of servants standing neatly at the entrance. As soon as the car stopped, a servant pushed out a wheelchair and respectfully walked over ¡°Mr. Magnus, he has been waiting for you for some time¡± Magnus lightly pushed himself up with his hands and, with Linden¡¯s help, sat in the wheelchair, rolling towards the gate. Morgan was seated at the top of the living room, with Anthony and Lillian by his side. Lastly, Lucius waszily leaning on the couch. His legs were spread apart, as he arrogantly watched the wheelchair coming through the door ¡°Come here, my son. Where¡¯s your wife? Why didn¡¯t shee with you?¡± Morgan beckoned Magnus with a smile Linden pushed Magnus wheelchair next to Morgan. Magnus looked up at the old man. ¡°Grandfather, Kendra is studying massage techniques for my legs on Sapphire Ind, so she didn¡¯te.¡± He turned to the three people beside him ¡°Dad, Mom, Lucius.* Anthony nodded. ¡°You should have brought her to meet your grandfather It¡¯s a sign of respect for the elders¡± Lillian nced at Magnus. ¡°Did you lock Kendra in the vi and not let her out? Lillian had never liked Magnus. She looked at her son sarcastically Lucius hands tightened slightly, as he looked straight at Magnus. His resentful eyes looked as if he wanted to kill Magnus ¡°My dear mother, Kendra is now my wife I adore her Why would I lock her up? She said she was tired and didn¡¯t want to go out, so I let her stay in the vi Magnus words were meant for his mother, but he was smiling at Lucius ¡°Lucius, I can¡¯t thank you enough for giving me such a gem of a wife. She¡¯s been learning massage techniques every day, saying she wants to get me ur and about Magnus chuckled softly, and his eyes were brimming with adoration ¡°Well, Magnus, you better keep that gem of a wife of yours happy and not scare her off within six months Lucius eyed his cheerful demeanor and yearned to wipe the smirk off his face. He abruptly stood up, intending to approach Magnus ¡°Alright, let¡¯s start dinner since Kendra isn¡¯t here yet Before Lucius could reach Magnus, a cold and deep voice interrupted him Lucius clenched his fists, as a cruel glint showed in his eyes During the meal, Morgan had Linden serve Magnus, constantly conversing with him and treating the other three as if they were invisible After dinner, Morgan turned to Magnus ¡°Son, I apologize for theckluster wedding We didn¡¯t give you a proper ceremony I n to gather both our families on Thanksgiving, so we can properly acknowledge Kendra¡¯s ce in our family I¡¯m getting old and I¡¯m counting on you and your brother to take the reins.¡± Chapter 15 Chapter 15 11:47 Magnus looked up at Luclus after hearing his words, then promptly replied. ¡°Thanks, Grandpa.¡± ¡°All that matters is that you and she get along.¡± Morgan replied, standing up with the help of a servant and slowly climbing the staircase. I¡¯m tired, so I¡¯ll retire for a bit. Why don¡¯t you stay for dinner before you leave?¡± After Morgan left, Lucius approached Magnus with a glint in his eyes ¡°Magnus, how about I push you outside for some fresh air?¡± Magnus slightly smirked. ¡°I¡¯d appreciate that, Lucius¡± Seeing this, Linden immediately trailed behind Lucius turned to Linden ¡°I¡¯ll take Magnus out. You don¡¯t need to follow¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Linden looked at Magnus, who only shot him a cold nce ¡°Go pick some fresh strawberries from the garden. Bring them back for Kendra ¡°Alright, Master¡± Linden left, leaving Lucius and Magnus alone Lucius slowly wheeled Magnus across the vi, passing by curious servants, towards a magnolia tree blooming in the April sun ¡°Do you remember this tree? Lucius asked, sitting on a bench under the tree. ¡°I do. Jamie, you, and I nted it when you were just sev Grandpa was overjoyed, looking at me with such warmth. Then, the next year, Jamie passed away From then on, he treated you like his treasure. ¡°His affection for me shifted to you. Why? You were the downfall of Jamie, yet Grandpa adored you and even nned to entrust the family legacy to you! ¡°I¡¯m the rightful heir to this family, not you!¡± Lucius¡® eyes red with resentment as he red at Magnus. Magnus turned his gaze to Lucius, studying him as he bore a striking resemnce to Jamie ¡°So, you attempted to burn me alive when I was sixteen, just to im the Andersen fortune?¡± Lucius was taken aback. ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Did you forget? Afterwards, Grandpa gave you 40% of the Andersen Corporation shares. How could you ept them so readily?¡± Lucius looked down at Magnus with disdain ¡°Even if all the shares were given to you, you¡¯d still be a helpless cripple.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Magnus responded with a chilling smile, ¡°Although I am confined to this wheelchair. Lucius, you should be careful with your newfound wealth. When you lose it all, you¡¯ll be left with nothing.¡± Lucius leaned down to Magnus level. ¡°We¡¯ll see about that, Magnus. Even if you somehow manage to get all the shares, you will still be nothing more than a cripple¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s wait and see!¡± Magnus looked at his vicious eyes, and the corners of his mouth slightly hooked up. Seeing his mocking smile, Lucius wished to tear his face apart. He clenched the wheelchair armrests tightly Suddenly heughed lowly,¡± Magnus, everything you use and wear now are all earned by me. Even your current wife was my woman for six years. How is it? Don¡¯t you think the woman that I¡¯ve used is dirty?¡± Magnus clenched his fists tightly, and there was a kind of churning fury in his eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t know yet. Kendra gave me her virginity when she was seventeen. She was so young then She cried in pain under me, but in the end, she still gave herself to me. Do you know what she said? She said she would only be my woman in this life. She was willing to have children for me Now she is only forced to take care of you. How can a waste like you own her? In three months, she will return to me! Magnus, thank you for taking care of my woman in this period!¡± Magnus¡¯s blood began to flow backward, his hands trembling next to the wheelchair, but a calm smile crossed his face, ¡°Oh, really? But what can I do? Kendra is now my wife. She bathes me, massages me every day. Not only does she take good care of my body, but as for in bed. His smile was as fleeting as a cloud, ¡°She has amazed me Thank you, Lucius, for training her so well. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have known about such a blissful and delightful thing between a man and a woman!¡± Lucius suddenly red at him fiercely, ¡°Impossible! How could she be interested in a cripple like you?¡± Magnus¡® eyes sparkled with amusement. ¡°You seem to be forgetting. Lucius, that while my legs may not work, other parts of me function perfectly well. And as Kendra¡¯s husband, aren¡¯t there certain expectations to be fulfilled?¡± Lucius stood up abruptly, and his heart was pounding in his chest He thought, ¡°Kendra, wait for me. In a few months, I¡¯lle and get you.¡± He shot Magnus a venomous look before kicking Magnus¡® wheelchair The wheelchair spun out of control, careening out of the yard, and mming into a grapevine trellis. Magnus and the wheelchair toppled over in a mess From his spot on the second¨Cfloor balcony, Morgan watched the entire scene unfold. His gaze moved from Lucius, standing by the tree, to Magnus, sprawled on the ground next to his overturned wheelchair. ¡°Linden!¡± He bellowed. Linden rushed out, his eyes widening at the sight of Magnus Magnus¡® sudden fall took everyone by surprise. ¡°Mr. Magnus!¡± eximed Linden, rushing over to help Magnus into his wheelchair. His eyes darted anxiously over to Lucius, who stood rooted to the spot beneath a tree, his face ashen. Upstairs, Morgan watched the unfolding scene with an icy gaze, meeting Lucius¡® eyes with a look that could freeze the blood in your veins. 11:47 ¡°Grandpa, it¡¯s not Lucius¡® fault. I just lost my bnce. Magnus tried to reassure him. His mouth curled into a smile as he looked up at Morgan¡¯s stern figure. ¡°Linden, let¡¯s go home.¡± Linden pushed Magnus¡® wheelchair towards their car, pausing only for a moment to look back up at the house ¡°Goodbye, Grandpa,¡± Magnus called out, his voice echoing through the silent courtyard. Even after the car had disappeared from sight, Morgan was still staring at the spot where Lucius stood. ¡°Lucius, get up here!¡± he barked A shiver ran down Lucius¡® spine. It was all a setup Magnus could have stopped his wheelchair from falling, but he chose to let Morgan witness it all. ¡°So, Magnus, you¡¯ve still got some fight left in you, despite your condition. Good.¡± Lucius ascended the staircase, his heart pounding as he stepped into Morgan¡¯s study. The resounding smack of Morgan¡¯s cane colliding with Lucius¡® back echoed through the room ¡°You ungrateful brat! Your brother is in this condition, and you still can¡¯t find it in your heart to be kind to him! How can you be so cold¨Chearted? Are you really my grandson, Morgan?¡± Morgan¡¯s voice trembled with anger as he red at Lucius. Chapter 16 Chapter 16 Lucius¡® hands clenched abruptly, his head dropping in anticipation of the staff¡¯s blow. ¡°Grandpa, he did it on purpose. Can¡¯t you see? I heard he did the same thing in France three years ago¡­¡± ¡°You still want to plead innocent? I saw you kick his wheelchair with my own eyes! He¡¯s already lost his legs. Do you want his life too?¡± Morgan stared icily at Luclus ¡°I hope this is thest time, I don¡¯t want to see you bully him anymore! Or else, don¡¯t me me for being rude!¡± With that, Morgan turned and left ¡°Get out!¡± Lucius¡® teeth ground together in rage. He watched Morgan¡¯s retreating figure, and his eyes seemed to have suppressed some sort of painful emotion. A ruthless gleam shed in his eyes! Turning to leave, he ran into Lillian standing at the door. As he descended the stairs, Lillian called out to him, ¡°Lucius, don¡¯t cause trouble at a crucial time. Just bear it for three more months, and you can rest assured, everything of the Andersen family will be yours!¡± Lucius didn¡¯t respond, he simply walked out of the mansion. When the car roared into the distance, a pair of eyes from within the vi¡¯s bushes stared intently at the departing vehicle it was Kendra, hiding outside the Vi Montecresto. She watched with pained eyes as Lucius¡® car gradually disappeared. Lucius, I¡¯m here!¡± By the time Magnus returned to his Sapphire Ind mansion, it was already five in the afternoon. He stepped out of the car and immediately seated himself in his wheelchair, wheeling towards the mansion. Upon entering the house and seeing May in the kitchen, he immediately approached her. ¡°Where is she?¡± May turned around. ¡°Ma¡¯am is in her room. She hasn¡¯te out all day. Even her lunch was delivered to her.¡± Magnus wheeled himself into the elevator, heading straight for the second floor. As he passed Natalia¡¯s bedroom, he barged in to see her engrossed in her book. The coldness in his gaze was chilling to the bone! Natalia stood up immediately, staring nkly at the furious Magnus. She put her book away and walked over. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± When she reached out to push his wheelchair, he grabbed her wrist She turned to look at him quietly. ¡°I learned a new technique today. It¡¯s beneficial for blood cirction in the muscles. Let me help you later¡­¡± ¡°No need!¡± His grip on her wrist tightened. ¡°Stop pretending! Are you tired?¡± His icy gaze mocked her stunned expression. ¡°Heh, well done, seventeen years old! You lost your virginity at seventeen, so you¡¯re quite a slut. I didn¡¯t expect the wife I married to be a woman others have had their way with!¡± His eyes burned with rage. For some reason, after hearing Lucius¡® words, he was so mad he wanted to destroy the world. This girl appeared so pure and innocent, like the moon in the sky, but it was all a facade. Despite his indifference, he married her solely to get back at Lucius. But after hearing Lucius words, a fiery anger suddenly ignited within him, as if something that belonged to him had been vited. Even if he didn¡¯t want them, he wouldn¡¯t let others have his things and people! And this woman had been yed with by Lucius! How could he swallow this insult? Very good! Natalia stared nkly at him, her face showing no change. She was as calm as an autumn red leaf, fresh and elegant. It was as if all of this had nothing to do with her, and no one had the heart to hurt such a lovely girl Herrge blue eyes were misty, quietly watching the angered man. Mr. Magnus¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me Mr. Magnus. You¡¯re not worthy!¡± She had barely opened her mouth when he interrupted her. He red at her viciously. ¡°From today. stay three meters away from me, because I find you disgusting! And remember, stay here, and behave yourself, or I¡¯ll make sure the rkson family disappears from Melfort! Get lost!¡± His eyes were full of endless pain, a pain Natalia could clearly see. Yes, it was hate. Did he hate her sister? Because her sister and Lucius were once an item. But this was a fact that couldn¡¯t be changed. She slowly walked over, ¡°Mr. Magnus, let me help you bathe and change your clothes. They¡¯re dirty¡± Magnus brushed her off with a wave of his hand. ¡°Get lost! Remember, don¡¯t call me Mr. Magnus!¡± After shouting, he wheeled himself rapidly out of the room. ¡°Wait Magnus!¡± Natalia called out loudly. ¡°Even if you hate me, don¡¯t be angry. You should go take a bath and change your clothes. I¡¯ll leave!¡± Her eyes were misty, and she lowered her head in despair before turning to leave the room and descend the stairs. The man watched her departing figure, and a sudden pang in his heart disappeared as quickly as it came. Natalia silently exited the mansion, following the beach northward. There was arge expanse of seaweed there, clinging to the reefs. At sunset, the seaweed was a fiery red. The sunset was beautiful, and asionally, she could hear the sound of the waves. Natalia walked on, lost in thought. Why did she have to bear all this? Perhaps her fate was destined to go through this. The rkson family had raised her; it was time for her to repay them. But she missed her mother. In her memory, she couldn¡¯t remember what her mother looked like. She had once asked Kyler if her mother was still alive in this world. Kyler quietly nodded, saying. ¡°Yes, your mother is still alive. When you grow up. she wille to see you!¡± 11:47 Chapt All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. But she was now twenty and had yet to see her mother. Did her mother really not want her, or was there some unavoidable reason? Unconsciously, Natalia had walked into a forest. The ind wasrge; other than Magnus mansion, there was only a dense forest. When Natalia looked up again, she had already ventured deep into the forest, and it was growing dark. She looked into the depths of the forest, then turned to leave. But as it grew darker, she walked and walked but couldn¡¯t find the beach. Wasn¡¯t she retracing her steps? Why did it feel like she was walking in circles? She pushed through the trees, moving forward but saw no light, and asionally she could hear the sounds of animals. Suddenly, she looked around, only to see trees in front of her. ¡°Doow¡­¡± Another animal cried! Natalia suddenly felt scared. She really shouldn¡¯t havee to the mountain alone. She couldn¡¯t even tell which direction was which She started to run haphazardly up the hill, hoping there were no wild beasts around. No, no, please no. She couldn¡¯t be lost, could she? What was she to do? Suddenly, there was a faint ¡°whooshing¡± sound from ahead. She took a sharp intake of breath, and her heart was pounding Immediately, she stepped back, tripping over a vine and falling t on her face. The ¡°whooshing¡± sound was getting closer, She looked up, only to see a pair of glowing green eyes coming towards her Upon closer inspection. she realized it was a huge wolf, as big as a man. Its mouth was glistening with silver drool as if it had seen a delectable meal Without wasting a moment, Natalia scrambled to her feet. Her eyes were wide with terror as she stared at the giant wolf She could barely hear her heart pounding in her chest ¡°Please don¡¯t eat me. I didn¡¯t mean to encroach on your territory. I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯ll leave right now,¡± Natalia pleaded, her body shaking with fear and adrenaline She took a step back, and the wolf advanced, its green eyes fixed on Natalia, as if afraid that this delicious meal would run away. Chapter 17 Chapter 17 When Natalia found herselfered, with her back against a massive oak tree, she froze. Before she could even react, a wolf lunged menacingly at her Natalia mustered all her remaining strength to dodge the beast, using the tree as a shield. She could feel her legs trembling, drained of all energy. But the wolf missed, turned around, and lunged again Its sharp ws grazed Natalia¡¯s shoulder A chunk of Natalia¡¯s clothes was torn away instantly, and bright red blood oozed from the wound Natalia, gritting her teeth against the intense pain, instinctively backed away, tripping over a rope in the process The smell of blood excited the wolf even more, and it lunged at Natalia time after time Each time, Natalia barely managed to evade its attacks. using up all he remaining strength. After a few attempts, the wolf continued its relentless pursuit Natalia was now injured, terrified, and utterly exhausted. Her entire body felt as if it was on fire from the ces where the wolf had scratched her She slumped against the tree root, helplessly. As the wolf lunged yet again, Natalia closed her eyes, resigned to her fate She didn¡¯t have the strength to fight against a ferocious woll any longer. If death could end it all, she was ready ¡°Perth!¡± A sudden roar echoed. The wolf, poised to attack Natalia, turned its head sharply at the sound. A man dressed in ck appeared from the shadows. The wolf immediately went over to him, rubbing against his legs. ¡°Go back Stop scaring her!¡± Natalia struggled to open her eyes, seeing only a dark figure slowly approaching her. He bent over, picked her up, and she sank into unconsciousness, her head lolling to the side. Minutes ago, the rm in the basement of the vi had sounded. Linden had rushed to check, only to find Natalia had run off into the forest where Perth was kept. Stunned, he quickly informed Magnus. Before Linden could even finish his sentence, Magnus had disappeared from his wheelchair. Linden hurriedly grabbed a mask and followed. Magnus was swift and soon reached the spot where Natalia and Perth were engaged in their deadly dance. If he had been even a momentter Natalia would have been Perth¡¯s dinner! He couldn¡¯t believe that she had dared to venture here, and if not for his precautionary ropes, who would have thought this girl would run off to such a ce! He carried Natalia, bloodied, and injured, back to the vi and immediately called for the family doctor Natalia¡¯s clothes were tom and shredded by the wolf, revealing her wounded skin. Her blood dripped onto the sheets, draining the color from her face. Only one of her shoes remained. For a moment, Magnus unexpectedly felt a pang of sympathy. He scoffed at himself, reminding himself that this girl was Lucius¡® woman. Why should he care for her? Had he lost his mind? But as he watched the sheets turn red with her blood, his face darkened. ¡°Stop the bleeding, now!¡± The doctor frightened by his tone, quickly tended to her wounds. After a while, the doctor reported, ¡°Sir, Ma¡¯am has suffered superficial wounds. She fainted due to shock. I¡¯ve treated her wounds and given her an antidote. Perth, after all, is a wild beast.¡± ¡°Alright Magnus silently watched Natalia on the bed, and his brow furrowed in concern. After the doctor left, he sat in his wheelchair and left the room Natalia, under the stress of shock and injury, developed a high fever in the middle of the night Magnus ordered May to help Natalia change her clothes In the middle of the night, he stood by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, smoking, and looking out at the dark night, feeling uneasy. He turned and walked into Natalia¡¯s room. Under the faint light, Natalia¡¯s flushed cheeks were even more pronounced. He noticed the trembling under the covers and saw that Natalia was shivering terribly Why was she cold? It was April, not exactly a freezing month. He approached and touched her forehead. It was scorching hot She had a fever. At that moment, Natalia felt as if she were submerged in ice¨Ccold water. She vaguely sensed someone near her, but her body ached tembly. ¡°So cold so painful Daddy, Natalia murmured, feeling utterly miserable. Magnus instantly lifted the covers and was about to carry her to the hospital Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. But he froze. Why was he so concerned about her? He was about to cover her back up and call for the family doctor when a smaller, feverishly hot hand seized his hand. ¡°Cold¡­¡± Natalia grabbed onto a hand, subconsciously believing her father had arrived. After all, whenever she fell sick in this world, it was always her father by her side. She clung tightly to Magnus¡® arm, pressing her hot body against him for warmth. Magnus, who had left his wheelchair, was leaning by the bed. As Natalia rolled into his arms, he instinctively held her delicate body. In her fresh sleepwear, her body was hot against his chest. Magnus stiffened, and his mind was going nk for a moment. ¡°Daddy so cold, so painful,¡± Natalia mumbled, clutching at his clothes. Magnus held her, putting her back into the covers and turning on the heat. But she clung to him like a ko, still crying out about the cold. He had no choice but to lie down with her, holding her in his arms. Her body was scorching hot, but she keptining about the cold. Magnus set his jaw, instinctively pulling Natalia closer into his arms, careful not to touch her wounds. His movements were unexpectedly gentle as he covered them with the nket. He furrowed his brow, wondering what was happening to him. His mind kept reminding him that she was Lucius woman, but he found himself wanting to protect her uncontrobly. Every time he looked into her innocent eyes, they were so pure that it was unforgettable. He could hardly believe that this girl was the pampered and spoilt Kendra! Daddy? She was calling him daddy. Was he that old? The girl in his arms, now warm, drifted off to sleep Magnus looked down at Natalia¡¯s small face, flushed and dainty under the light, with fine fuzz on her forehead. Her faint fragrance wafted into his nostrils, pleasingly aromatic Soon Natalia began to sweat. Her body was damp Instinctively, he let go of her, nning to have May come up and change her clothes. But he noticed the time ¨C it was two in the morning Furrowing his brows, he quietly got out of bed. He went to the wardrobe and picked out a fresh set of sleepwear He lifted the covers and began to peel off Natalia¡¯s damp clothes. He told himself that even though she was Lucius woman, she was sick. And at present, she was his wife Changing her clothes shouldn¡¯t be an issue. As he peeled off the girl¡¯s nightgown, her immacte skin was suddenly exposed to his gaze. Her body was beautiful, with subtle hints of red where Perth had grasped her Against her baster skin, those spots looked like carefully ced red roses. It was breathtakingly beautiful Magnus swallowed hard, and his Adam¡¯s apple was bobbing. It wasn¡¯t that he hadn¡¯t seen women before, but bare¨Cskinned girls like this, he hadn¡¯t encountered many James and the others had arranged women for him many times before, but he had neverid a finger on any of them. Once, a woman stood naked before him, but he had no reaction whatsoever. He felt as if viewing those women¡¯s bodies was akin to looking at a piece of meat. Nothing more. Chapter 18 Chapter 18 James and Chase thought he couldn¡¯t raise the g, maybe his past traumas had made him detest women. But now he was feeling a feverish heat, his body responding instantly at the sight of her rosy lips. He swallowed hard. He quickly helped her into a clean nightgown, tucking her in under the covers. He then stepped out of the room After a while, he couldn¡¯t help but walk back in to check on her. After making sure she was sleeping peacefully, he finally returned to his own room andy down. Visions of Natalia¡¯s skin marked with hints of redness danced in his mind, lulling him to sleep only when the dawn broke The next morning, Natalia woke up startled from a series of nightmares. It was already ten in the morning The curtains had been drawn open by the housekeeper. Sunlight streamed in through the cracks of the windows, and the distant sound of waves crashing against the rocks reached her cars Natalia turned her head gently, feeling a sharp pain all over her body, and her head was spinning. At that moment, May pushed the door open and walked in. ¡°Miss Natalia, you¡¯re awake. You were bitten by Perth, and you had a feverst night Mr Magnus took care of you all night, May entered the room with a cheerful smile. ¡°You must be hungry I made some oatmeal for you Eat something before the doctores to change your bandages¡± It was then that Natalia remembered what had happenedst night. She had wandered into the backwoods and almost been eaten by a wolf Thest thing she remembered was someone carrying her away before everything went ck ¡°May, who was it that saved me yesterday? I almost got eaten by that wolf,¡± she recalled, her palms breaking into a cold sweat againProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Linden saved you. That wolf, Perth, was imported from Africa by Mr. Magnus himself. He¡¯s usually not vicious, but he didn¡¯t recognize you and that¡¯s why he hurt you.¡± Keeping a wolf as a pet? And it didn¡¯t recognize her? What was he thinking by keeping such a dangerous creature? It nearly ate her, and they said it wasn¡¯t vicious. She thought this person was strange, even his pets were ferocious. Natalia slowly sat up. She was dressed in a clean nightgown, her wounds had been treated, but her head was still dizzy. She draped a robe over her shoulders, and May brought the oatmeal, ¡°Miss Natalia, eat something. The doctor will be here soon¡± ¡°Thank you, May.¡± Natalia replied, her stomach growling at the sight of the oatmeal. She hadn¡¯t eaten anything sincest night and was now so hungry she could eat a whole pig. ¡°May, why does he keep a wolf as a pet? Doesn¡¯t he know how vicious wolves are by nature?¡± Wasn¡¯t she just lost? Howe she end up so close with being eaten by a wolf? ¡°Hehe Mr Magnus has his reasons for keeping Perth. That year, there was a sudden attack on the ind, and he, because of his leg, was almost killed. But after he brought Perth home, the next time bad people tried to attack, Linden released Perth and scared them away. No one has dared to attack the master ever since.¡± May finished her story and looked at Natalia, ¡°Mr. Magnus is a good man. You¡¯ll be happy if you marry him. He¡¯s always been the one getting hurt, and he¡¯s never hurt anyone.¡± Natalia finished two bowls of oatmeal and wiped her mouth, ¡°Thank you, May And thank Linden for saving me¡± Would she be happy? She had never thought about it. The man was unpredictable and had a bad temper. She was scared of him. She was even more afraid that one day he would find out she was not her sister and would kill her, or throw her into the backwoods to feed his pet wolf May cleared the dishes and left. Soon, the family doctor came in. He was a man in his fifties. He politely changed the dressing on Natalia s shoulder wound, gave her instructions on medication, and then left. Natalia didn¡¯t leave her room, justy on the bed thinking about what May had said, ¡°Mr. Magnus took care of you all night.¡± Was it really him who took care of her? She vaguely remembered the warm embrace fromst night. She was taken back. Could it be Magnus? Impossible, he hated her so much. How could he hold her? She remembered him telling her to stay three meters away from him yesterday. Knowing her sister was Mr. Lucius¡® lover, why did he still want to steal her? And he said she was dirty. Sheughed bitterly Alright. She would stay away from him. But thinking about his leg, sympathy welled up in her heart again. If he was not physically challenged, maybe his hatred towards the world would be a little less. She was contemting these matters when the bedroom door was pushed open The man, neatly dressed, rolled his wheelchair towards the edge of her bed. His gaze still deeply fixed on the girl leaning against the bed. With a neutral expression, he said, ¡°Your fever¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°Uh huh, thank you for taking care of mest night,¡± Natalia sat up straight and looked at him. The man pushed his wheelchair right up to the bed, reaching out a hand towards her forehead. Natalia flinched. She looked up at the man¡¯srge hand touching her forehead. Her heart skipped a beat ¡°Hmm, the fever has indeed gone down,¡® he moved back slightly, ¡°Don¡¯t go to the backwoods again. And continue reading that book I need to continue with my rehabilitation.¡± His dark eyes were fixed on her. When Natalia looked up at him, she noticed that his dark eyes were like a vortex, capable of sucking anyone in instantly. Didn¡¯t he ask her to stay three meters away from him yesterday? And didn¡¯t he ask her to get lost? Why did he want her to help with his rehabilitation now? She stared at him, her mouth gaping. The man noticed her hesitation, his lips pressing into a tight line, ¡°What? You¡¯re not willing?¡± ¡°L¡­ I am willing.¡± Alright, she could take it as not to stoop to the level of someone with a strange temper. As long as he didn¡¯t lose his temper, she was okay with anything The man gave her a look, and then glided out of the room in his wheelchair For the next few days, Natalia focused on her recovery Aside from eating and sleeping, she spent her time on the balcony studying the book. Her wounds were healing well She put down the book, standing on the balcony looking out at the endless sea She had been here for almost twenty days, her father hadn¡¯te to see her once, and Magnus never mentioned taking her home Even though she didn¡¯t want to go back to that home, it was where she grew up, and her father was there Her phone had been turned off the entire time, and she didn¡¯t dare to turn it on She was afraid Hector would find her, and she was afraid Sabrina and Lexi would look for her It was better this way, maybe in three months, Hector would go to the States and have a new life. Then he¡¯d forget everything that had ever happened between them. She thought about how after all these years she had finally found a man who wanted to take care of her, and now she had to leave him The thought was so painful she felt tears welling up in her eyes. She leaned against the balcony, quietly looking out at the sea, her long hair tousled by the wind. She looked incredibly forlorn and mncholic ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± A deep voice from behind startled Natalia. She turned around to see Magnus sitting in his wheelchair, looking at her intently. His eyes were dark and mysterious, like a starry sky shining with a deadly attraction. His handsome features held not a single w as if he was a man graced by God¡¯s own favor Though he sat in a wheelchair, it did nothing to diminish his kingly presence Natalia stared at him, her mind wandering to the thought that if this man were not trapped in a wheelchair, women around the world would definitely fall for him ¡°No thoughts really. Sir Magnus, I¡¯m better now. I¡¯ll start assisting with your rehab today. She approached him, pushing his wheelchair out of the room The man allowed her toe closer without a word. Sometimes, he found it strange that he did not repel her proximity. It was like he had forgotten that the girl was Kendra, Lucius¡® woman Chapter 19 Chapter 19 Natalia wheeled Magnus onto the spacious balcony of the second¨Cfloor study, squatting down to gently massage his legs. After a while, she turned to fetch a little wooden hammer. She tapped Magnus¡¯s leg nerves earnestly, over and over again. The man watched her silently as she performed a series of actions. asionally, she seemed very professional. He could hardly believe that this pampered daughter of the rksons had read an entire book and devised a rehabilitation n just to help with his recovery If she was pretending, why went to all this trouble? He watched her pale hands kneading his leg Her long hair was pulled up into a bun, a few strands falling onto her small face. Her neck looked even more delicate in the sunlight Her long eyshes quivered slightly, stirring up a feather light sensation in Magnus heart He was reminded of the other night when he had helped her change clothes, the image of her immacte, full¨C bodied figure burned into his mind. He felt a heat spreading throughout his body, gazing at her pink lips, he suddenly grabbed her wrist Natalia blinked slightly, looking up into the man¡¯s intense eyes. Just as she tried to stand, he pulled her abruptly into his arms. He loosened his hold on her, raising a hand to touch her smooth face. His eyes devoid of any anger, his other hand gently encircling her waist Natalia¡¯s heart pounded. Before she could react, Magnus¡® handsome face was only a few inches away, his warm breath fanning her face. She sat on hisp, separated by the fabric, yet she could feel the warmth of his legs. The scent of his fresh, masculine cologne filled her nostrils. Her face flushed deeply She had dated Hector for six months without ever being this close Their intimacy limited to holding hands and chaste kisses on the forehead. She had never felt this nervous before. She tried to stand, but Magnus gently pushed her back down, his warm voice whispering. ¡°Rest a bit before you continue. Okay?¡± His husky voice echoed in her ear, his hot breath tickling her earlobe. Natalia¡¯s face turned even redder. She tried to lift his hands from her waist ¡°But¡­ but I should sit on the chair. Your legs¡­ they can¡¯t hold weight,¡± she protested, albeit weakly. She couldn¡¯t just sit on hisp while she took a break, could she? What if the servants or Linden saw them? ¡°It¡¯s fine. Just stay here.¡± he murmured, his voice low and raspy. His gazes, burning like a me, were locked onto her flushed face. A thousand ifs raced through his mind, eventually boiling down to one: if only she wasn¡¯t Lucius woman, how wonderful it would be. Natalia didn¡¯t dare to look up or say anything. She sat on hisp, her body stiff, feeling as if her face was about to melt from the heat. Magnus held her still, his gaze intense as if trying to determine whether her shyness was real or feigned. Just then, there was a knock at the study door Before Natalia could stand, the door was pushed open. ¡°Sir, ma¡¯am, dinner is ready¡­¡± May, had entered. To her surprise, she found Natalia sitting on Magnusp on the balcony. She immediately regretted interrupting. Quickly turning to leave, she closed the door with a flustered smile, I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t see anything¡± Natalia pushed him away, trying to stand, her face as red as a tomato, ¡°You¡± Before she could finish, Magnus pulled her back into his arms, his handsome face inches from hers. Gazing at her soft pink lips, he was tempted to taste them. He had felt the urge several times before. Unable to resist, he leaned in. Just as he was about to kiss her, Natalia turned her head slightly, his lips grazing her cheek instead. A jolt of electricity coursed through her, leaving her mind nk. She struggled to stand, but he held her down firmly ¡°Stay still.¡± His voice, low and rough, seemed toe from deep within his throat. Natalia turned to look at him, his eyes fixed on her face. He held her waist, making her feel uneasy yet immobilized. ¡°May said we should go eat,¡± Natalia¡¯s voice was shaky, her heart pounding in her chest. Magnus slowly lifted his hand and gently pinched her pointed chin. He pulled her head towards him, lowering his own to press his lips against hers. Natalia held her breath, feeling his breath getting closer. She closed her blue eyes in fear, her hands clenched into fists. He hated her, didn¡¯t he? Was he going to kiss her now? But she dared not move, fearing his temper. Magnus stopped just a couple of inches away, studying her trembling eyshes. A smirk tugged at the corners of his mouth. This girl was willing to betray Lucius, herck of resistance said it all. ¡°What? Do you really want me to kiss you that badly?¡± He smiled like a demon, his voiceced with sarcasm. Natalia¡¯s eyes snapped open to see his smirking eyes, and that look of loathing tinged with disgust. She felt utterly humiliated. She had closed her eyes, thinking he was going to kiss her. Actually she had just been scared of his anger. She was still terrified of the time he had almost strangled her. A thousand curses ran through Natalia¡¯s mind. She was about to retort when he suddenly pushed her off hisp, and wheeling himself out of the study. Natalia was thrown onto the desk, her knee mming against it. She let out a cry, her eyes filling with tears. She rose slowly, her knee throbbing. Remembering the humiliation, she clenched her fists in anger. She didn¡¯t go downstairs for dinner. Instead, she went to her room, closing the door behind her. She leaned against the door, holding back her tears She had learned to endure in her family, suffering many humiliations, but this time she felt that he truly despised her, that he had humiliated her After a while, May knocked on the door, bringing in dinner, ¡°You didn¡¯te down for dinner. Mr. Magnus asked me to bring it up for you. Please eat something, or you¡¯ll be hungryter.¡± Natalia didn¡¯t look up. He had deliberately humiliated her, and now he was having someone bring her dinner. She didn¡¯t say anything, nor did she eat. After May left, she took a shower andy on the bed. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. At 9 p.m., May came in to find the food untouched. She sighed and took the dishes away. As she was leaving, she saw Magnusing out of the elevator ¡°Mr. Magnus, she didn¡¯t eat dinner, May said, standing at the staircase The man furrowed his brows, his lips pressed into a thin line, ¡°Where is she?¡± ¡°She¡¯s already asleep Without a word, the man rolled his wheelchair, pushing the door open. ¡°Go make her something fresh and warm¡± ¡°Yes, Sir¡± Magnus wheeled himself to the girl¡¯s bedside, noting the lump beneath the covers. Under the soft glow of themp, he saw her seaweed¨Clike hair scattered across the pillow, her small face hidden under the nket. ¡°Time to get up and eat,¡± the man¡¯s deep voice echoed in the quiet bedroom. Chapter 20 Chapter 20 Natalia couldn¡¯t sleep. She felt extremely ufortable, knowing that she had chosen this path herself and was determined to follow it, no matter how challenging it might be However, his attitude today had truly left her feeling hurt. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Natalia? Are you throwing a fit because I didn¡¯t kiss you today? And now you refuse to eat?¡± The man¡¯s face was stern as he looked at the hair peeping out of the covers. Hearing his words, Natalia¡¯s anger surged She furiously threw off the covers and sat up. ring at him ¡°Magnus, I am a human being. I deserve some respect. I am here to take care of you, not to be humiliated by you Who cares about your kiss!¡± Tears welled up in her eyes. It was the first time she had raised her voice at Magnus since she had arrived over twenty days ago Magnus looked at her sitting on the bed, yelling at him, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle Respect? So, not kissing you hurt your self¨Cesteem? If you don¡¯t care, why aren¡¯t you eating, huh?¡± He casually took out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket, lighting one up right there in the wheelchair,pletely disregarding that this was her bedroom. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°I¡¯m not hungry, okay? And Magnus, smoking is not good for the recovery of your legs Please, try to smoke less¡± Magnus looked at her with interest as she sat on the bed. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± May entered the room with freshly heated food Please eat something. I¡¯ve warmed it up.¡± Natalia shook her head. I¡¯m not hungry, May Take it away, please.¡± But¡± ¡°Leave it.¡± Magnus ordered. ¡°Yes, sir.¡± May put down the food and exited the room. Natalia looked down at the quilt on her bed. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Magnus wheeling himself over to the bedside, with a te of food in hand ¡°Eat¡± Natalia red at him. ¡°Leave it. I can eat by myself.¡± Magnus extended the te towards her, giving the impression that he would continue to hold it until she took it. ¡°Will you eat on your own, or do! need to feed you?¡± Natalia quickly took the te, beginning to eat under his watchful gaze. Magnus left the room as she was halfway through her meal, wheeling himself into his own room and shutting the door. He stood up and went to the bathroom, looking at his reflection in the mirror. What was wrong with him today? Why was he so patient with that girl? He was well aware that she belonged to Lucius. He had a strong aversion to anyone else¡¯s woman. Yet, he had held her, and almost kissed her Even though he had said that it was to humiliate her, at that moment, he had genuinely wanted to kiss her Was he going mad? Perhaps he was just longing for a woman¡¯s touch after so long. But even so, there was no way he could harbor such feelings for Lucius¡® woman. The bathroom filled with the sound of running water as Magnus undressed and stepped under the warm shower Meanwhile, Natalia finished her meal and cleared up the dishes She wanted to check if Magnus had gone to sleep and wanted to give him a leg massage. She had read in a book that a pre¨Cbedtime massage was very beneficial for recovery. As she was about to push opon his bedroom door, she hesitated, thinking it might be inappropriate to come sote at night. She withdrew her hand and went back to her own room, lying down on her bed. She turned on her phone, which she hadn¡¯t used in over twenty days. Hundreds of messages popped up Most of them were from Hector and Sabrina, and a few from Lexi There were also two messages from her dad and some from Kendra. Why did they contact her? Didn¡¯t they just wish she could disappear from their lives? Seeing almost seventy missed calls from Hector, her heart twinged with a momentary pain Over the years, Hector had been like a ray of sunshine, bringing warmth into her life. She didn¡¯t know what her feelings were for him. He was like a brother, a confidant, always there in her life. She had once nned to be with him after graduation. But all of that had been outweighed by her need to take care of her father, and she had to let Hector go She opened Twitter and saw a photo of a haggard Hector, which caused her heart to ache even more. His tweet was simple, a photo and a message, ¡°Natalia, I believe in you. Wait for me¡± Natalia almost burst into tears. He believed in her, and he was asking her to wait for him. She quietly turned off her phone andy on her bed, tossing and turning until she finally fell into a fitful sleep in the middle of the night. The next day, May woke her up. ¡°Mr. Magnus wants you to help him with his exercises.¡± She immediately got up. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ming.¡± Natalia walked into Magnus¡¯s study after freshening up. She saw Magnus in a ck shirt, lounging in his wheelchair. He had a contract in one hand and a cell phone in the other. She made him a cup of tea and lit some incense. Seeing him finish his phone call, she walked over to push his wheelchair. ¡°Today, I want to try a different kind of exercise with you Do you have anything else nned for today¡± ¡°Yes. ¡°He didn¡¯t look up at her but continued to wheel himself over to the table to sign the contract He then turned his chair to face her What kind of exercise?¡± He rested his hands on the wheelchair, with an indifferent expression on his handsome face as he waited for h?r regly. Natalia turned to retrieve a nket from a cupboard and spread it out on the spacious balcony. The study¡¯s balcony on the second floor was quiterge, about the size of a room. After she had set everything up the wheeled Magnus over Come, it help you lie down * Magnusplied, curious to see what she had in mind. He realized that he was even more patient than the was. He was even willing to spend time with her despite his innate aversion to her being Luckit woman When Magnus was lying down on the nket Natalia fetched a small wooden hammer from the cupboard. She then watched everything she was doing and had a feeling like a fish on a cutting board, ready to be carved up This socks Magnut Natalia started by using the wooden hammer to tap his legs. Once, the hit a nerve and his leg tingled sharply Magnus bore the difort in silence Finally she sat at his feet, using the wooden hammer to tap the soles of his feet ¡°Can you feel that?¡± Her deep blue eyes met his Magnus responded with a nk expression ¡°No¡± Natalia put down the hammer grabbed his foot with both hands, and pressed her thumb into his sole Magnus felt like there was a feather brushing against the soles of his feet, and he suddenly shuddered it was so itchy. He raised his gaze and saw the girl staring straight at him. He tried to resist, but the tingling sensation under his foot made him break out in a sweat Natalia continued to massage the sole of Magnus foot. Sometimes she would frown, other times she would look at the man¡¯s suppressed expression. ¡°Strange, your foot feels warm and there¡¯s even some sticity I don¡¯t see any muscle atrophy Why can¡¯t you feel anything?¡± Magnus felt like a million ants were crawling on his foot, his face alternating between shades of red and white He really wanted to kick her away. but he couldn¡¯t After a while. Natalia noticed Magnus foot getting hotter, she chuckled, ¡°Seems like it¡¯s warming up, do you feel anything now?¡± ¡°No, now help me up How could he possibly not feel anything? He was ufortable, to say the least ¡°No way, I still need to work on your leg.¡± She stood up, grabbed a small wooden mallet, and started tapping on Magnus leg with slightly more force. A few hitsnded on a sensitive muscle and he grimaced in pain. This was a self¨Cinflicted punishment After what seemed like an eternity. Natalia finally helped him up Magnus settled into his wheelchair, watching the girl help him put on socks and shoes. She was close to him, her subtle fragrance wafted into his nostrils, and Magnus felt a sudden heat rush. When Natalia stood up and looked at him, her gaze met his dark eyes, causing her heart to skip a beat. She remembered sitting on hisp the day before and her face instantly flushed. In the following days, there was no discord between them. To avoid suspicion, Magnus allowed Natalia to torture him once a day, and they both seemed ustomed to it One evening, Magnus received a call from James, who said he wasing to Sapphire Ind to discuss something important. Soon limited¨Cedition white Lamborghini arrived on the beach The car door opened, and James, backlit by the sun, walked towards the vi. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Magnus asked as he saw James enter James handsome face showed no emotion. He said, ¡°I want to see your new wife.¡± Upon hearing this, Magnus looked up and gave James a cold stare. He came all this way just to see his wife? Although he didn¡¯t like this girl, such a joke was not eptable between buddies. James staggered slightly under Magnus icy stare. He took a step back, waving his hands, ¡°Don¡¯t get me wrong. I have no ulterior motives. I just want to confirm umm, if the girl is worthy of you.¡± Without speaking. Magnus wheeled himself over to the edge of the couch, propped himself up with both hands, and sat down, Ask her toe down and make some coffee¡± Magnus sensed that James intention was not as simple as seeing Natalia. He ordered a servant to fetch her Soon, a girl descended gently from the stairs James looked up, Natalia was wearing a blue dress and white slippers She had no makeup on, and her hair was casually tied up at the back of her head. She descended the stairs gracefully. When she saw James, she nodded and said, ¡°Magnus, I didn¡¯t know have a guest Hello!¡± From the moment she descended the stairs to stand beside Magnus, James eyes were fixed on her. He was taken aback by how beautiful this girl was Her eyes, like a deep pool of clear blue water, exuded a purity that was captivating She stood next to Magnus, smiling and greeting him, and he was utterly stunned. Magnus saw James stunned expression, and his expression immediately darkened. This guy dared to stare at her for so long. Although this girl was Lucius woman, she was now his wife. He felt a sense of intrusion ¡°Cough, go make some coffee.¡± He said to Natalia ¡°Alright¡± Natalia turned and headed into the kitchen. James snapped back to reality. ¡°Magnus, god, this girl is beautiful. No wonder you¡¯ve been avoiding ustely. Spending all your time with such a beauty, when do you have time to drink with us?* James whispered into Magnus¡® ear, earning him another cold stare, ¡°So you think she¡¯s beautiful?¡± ¡°To be honest, she¡¯s the most unpretentious women I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± He said thoughtfully Magnus nced at him, then at the figure in the kitchen. Over the past month, aside from resenting her for being Lucius¡® woman, he found himself developing affection for her. It was an indescribable feeling. She didn¡¯t seem like she was here to hurt him. Every time she looked at him with those innocent eyes, his anger would instantly dissipate. He couldn¡¯t believe he didn¡¯t dislike this girl at all. Yes, she was Lucius¡® woman, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to hate her. And every day, he yed along with her, letting her torture¡® his legs. After Natalia made the coffee, she left the living room. James then turned to Magnus. ¡°Magnus, I have something to tell you. But you mustn¡¯t overreact. After seeing your woman, I think this might actually be good news for you¡± ¡°What is it? Magnus¡® eyebrows furrowed, his face radiating impatience. ¡°This girl is not Kendra. His voice was low, and he looked deep into Magnus eyes The man¡¯s eyebrows furrowed even more, clearly not believing James¡® words ¡°Then who is she?¡± He intentionally arranged for his grandfather to make the marriage alliance, all to get back at Lucius. He stole the woman Lucius loved the most, with the sole intention of delivering a fatal blow, How could she not be Kendra? ¡°Yesterday at the bar, Chase and I bumped into Lucius. He was with a girl, and he called her Kendra. They were clearly very affectionate I¡¯ve seen that girl once, and she indeed is Kendra ¡± James finished speaking and then saw Magnus suddenly turn around, staring at him intently ¡°Are you telling the truth?¡± In fact, he didn¡¯t know Kendra either Over the years, although the Andersen family and the rkson family were among the top in Melfort, Kendra had rarely appeared in public. For this marriage alliance, apart from the newspaper reports, no photos of the couple were published. At that time, Magnus was resentful and didn¡¯t want wedding photos, nor did he check the marriage license, so the marriage was arranged privately by Morgan and the rkson family. To this day, their marriage license was still at the Andersen Family Estate. So when Natalia was sent to the ind, he only knew that she was Kendra, the woman Lucius had loved for years. ¡°You¡¯reing with me to the Golden Groove, pronto.¡± After he said this, James stood up and assisted Magnus onto a wheelchair, pushing him out of the mansion. After they got into the car, the quiet beach was left with the fading scent of exhaust fumes. The car sped away from the ind like a gust of wind, heading straight for the Melforts entertainment hub, the Golden Groove. The entertainment hub was bustling as usual, with pole dancers gracing the main hall early on. Magnus stepped out of the car and slipped on his sunsses, heading straight for the rooftop James immediately ordered Chase to pull up the surveince footage from the private boothst night. A few minutester, Chase strode in, Jeez, Magnus, you get a girl and forget your mates, huh? It¡¯s been a while, man. Don¡¯t forget this is your joint, I¡¯m breaking my back running this ce for you every day.¡± ¡°Cut the crap. Get to the point. Magnus¡¯s deep voice tinged with danger. Chase nced at James, then turned back to y the DVD. The images in the booth were crystal clear. Lucius was grinning, with a giggling girl in his arms. Their happiness appeared genuine, not feigned. Lucius might be ruthless, but his love for Kendra seemed heartfelt. Otherwise, Magnus would not have sacrificed his own marriage to use Kendra to get back at him. ¡°Magnus,¡± Chase pointed at the screen, ¡°See that girl? That¡¯s the real Kendra. And honestly, she¡¯s not as pretty as the girl back at your mansion¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure who this woman at your mansion is, whether this is some trick by Lucius or a decoy by the rkson family. But one thing¡¯s for sure. Magnus,¡± he paused for effect, the woman at your mansion is not Lucius¡¯ girl. Chapter 21 Chapter 21 Magnus barely registered James¡® words as he red at the screen, his gaze icy cold at the sight of the two figures entwined. A bitter chill swept through his eyes. Suddenly, Lucius¡® voice rang out, his tone dripping with mockery Kendra, I wonder how it feels to see that cripple clinging to that imposter. Lucky you didn¡¯t marry him. If you had, I would have killed him.¡± Magnus¡® hands clenched into fists, his dark eyes filled with murderous intent. He turned off the projector, stood up and left the private room. James and Chase followed, calling out to him, ¡°Magnus, calm down I know it hurts, but you need to figure out who set you up, and who¡¯s the one behind all this.¡± Magnus didn¡¯t respond, his entire being radiating hostility. He stepped into the elevator, silently seething Such a grand deception and disgrace had been yed on him How dare they! James and Chase shared a look of dread They could sense a storm brewing At midnight, a downpour began, thunder echoing ominously A car pulled up to the mansion on the ind, its driver stepping out. He was a man exuding danger, as if he was a demon straight from hell. He entered the mansion, his footsteps echoing as he ascended the staircase and opened the door to Natalia¡¯s room. The sound of the storm drowned out the creak of the door. By the sh of lightning, Magnus saw a slight figure huddled in the bed. He wondered who had instructed this girl to trick him. How audacious she was to impersonate Kendra to marry him. He stood by her bed, ring at her peaceful face. He wanted to strangle her for daring to deceive him The girl in the bed was gued by nightmares. At a warm and peaceful orphanage, children were singing songs and ying games. Suddenly, the sound of gunfire echoed from outside, followed by screams. Men in ck, armed with guns, stormed in and pointed their weapons at the children. ¡°Tell us, have you seen a fifteen¨Cyear¨Cold boy?¡± The children shook their heads in terror. Miss Rose¡¯s face was pale as she looked at the men in ck with horror. But still, she opened her arms and tremblingly stopped in front of the kids. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen him Please, don¡¯t hurt the children.¡± A single gunshot, and there was a hole in Miss Rose¡¯s chest. The children screamed, ¡°Miss Rose!¡± Five¨Cyear¨Cold Natalia watched it all with wide eyes. She rushed to Miss Rose¡¯s side, begging her to wake up. All the children watched as Miss Rose slowly closed her eyes. It was followed by crying Natalia turned and noticed a foot sticking out from under a slide, trembling¡­ was that the fifteen¨Cyear¨C old boy? She lifted her head, her blue eyes ring at the men in ck. Then, a small grin appeared on her face. ¡°I know where the boy is,¡± she announced loudly The foot under the slide trembled even more. ¡°Where?¡± One of the men asked, staring at her. She gritted her teeth. ¡°Follow me, I¡¯ll show you.¡± Then she walked out, the men following her ¡°You dare deceive us, you¡¯ll die!¡± One of the men pointed his gun at Natalia. Staring at the barrel of the gun, she didn¡¯t flinch. She took a deep breath and walked out of the orphanage. If it meant saving Miss Rose, the teenage boy, and the others in the orphanage, she wasn¡¯t afraid to die. But then, the dream shifted, and a teenage boy was looking at her. He gently brushed a stray hair from her face. ¡°Nat, remember me, I¡¯m Cal. You saved me, and I¡¯ll marry you one day.¡± Natalia, with her big blue eyes, stared at the handsome boy ¡°Cal? What do you mean you¡¯ll marry me?¡± ¡°That means you¡¯ll be my wife.¡± Callum picked her up and kissed her forehead. Natalia looked up at the boy holding her, not quite understanding He took out a pendant and handed it to her. ¡°Nat, remember that you¡¯re my wife. This is a token I¡¯m leaving for you. In fifteen years, I¡¯lle back for you. Natalia took the pendant, staring at the boy in front of her Suddenly, a loud thunderp rang out. A bolt of lightning illuminated the mansion, the sound deafening. Natalia, who was sleeping, was suddenly startled awake from her dream. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. It was a dream she had had for fifteen years now, every night since she was six. She couldn¡¯t tell if it was a dream or a memory of something that had actually happened. She pulled the covers off and a sh of lightning lit up the entire room. By the light of the lightning, Natalia saw a figure standing by her window. Startled awake by the thunder, she felt weak all over. She was still in a daze, thinking she was in the dream, and her heart involuntarily raced with anxiety When another sh of lightning lit up the room, she saw it clearly. The figure by her window was a man wearing a mask. His tall figure stood by the window, the mask reflecting a terrifying white light in the lightning. She screamed in terror, but her screams were drowned out by the thunder, unheard by anyone else. As she tried to sit up, another sh of lightning revealed the masked man approaching her bed. His towering figure blocked her view, his silhouette looming against the lightning. He had already reached her bedside. The lightning continued to light up the room. She watched in horror as the man pulled back her covers, causing the bed to dip under his weight. ¡°Who are you? Get away!¡± In the darkness, she saw him unbuttoning his shirt, then unbuckling his belt. Natalia¡¯s voice was choked, drowned out by the thunder outside. She slowly retreated to the edge of the bed. But just as she was about to bolt, arge hand grabbed her, pulling her into his strong arms. She pushed against him, screaming, ¡°Who are you, get away! Help! There was no response from beneath the mask, only the cold, iron grip of his hand. With a swift movement. Natalia¡¯s clothes fell to the floor, revealing her smooth skin and white underwear Natalia was terrified, her hands instinctively covering herself. She trembled as she stared at the man in the dark The man seemed to be plotting his next move. He grabbed her ankle and tugged her towards him. He pulled her escaping figure beneath him In a sh, her undergarments were discarded His dark eyes ring coldly from the holes in his mask at the enticing beauty beneath him ¡°So you wanted to be a substitute, huh? As you wish then Magnus mood was like a fiend from hell, full of malicious intent, invading and plundering Chapter 22 Chapter 22 Natalia was trembling all over, quaking with fear. The man¡¯srge hand was firmly sping her slim waist, the other hand wandering over her body. Natalia struggled with all her might, but the man remained unmoved. He then parted her legs, intruding her Natalia¡¯s throat was hoarse from screaming. She was exhausted, bur she cried out helplessly again, ¡®Dad, help! Hector, save me!¡± Hearing her scream, the man¡¯s grip tightened, his chilling gaze peering from behind the mask, showing a destructive glint. He pinned the girl down, ruthlessly entering her ¡°Ahh!¡± Her screes pierced through the lightning filled night, but the thunder continued to roll, and the lightning intermittently illuminated the mask in front of Natalia, which turned gray in Natalia¡¯s desperate eyes The intense pain felt like she was being torn apart. ¡°Save me, Magnus The girl¡¯s tears stained her pale face. After her final plea, she passed out from the pain. Hearing herst call, the man was taken aback. He looked down at the girl who was as pale as a snowke, her color fading, falling pitifully. His heart throbbed painfully. Half of his rationality returned instantly. He suddenly removed his mask his chiseled face staring coldly at the girl beneath him, as he involuntarily kissed her pale, chapped lips The girl¡¯s sweetness instantly quelled his raging anger. But a sudden thought turned his cold gaze icy again If she wanted to be a recement, she should be ready for his game. Then he ruthlessly went back to fucking the unconscious girl Outside, the storm raged all night, and the man in the bedroom was like a runaway stallion, iming the girl beneath him, again and again The taste of her was surprisingly addictive and he couldn¡¯t stop. His twisted heart found peace at that moment. He was actually relieved that this girl wasn¡¯t Lucius woman. As the sky started to lighten, the thunderstorm gradually subsided. The man finally rose and walked into the bathroom. A few minutester he came out. He nced at the unmoving girl on the bed, and the crimson stain beneath her. Then he turned to leave the bedroom The next day, sunlight poured through the pentagonal window, and the girl on the bed slowly opened her eyes. Her body felt like it had been run over by a truck, the pain making her gasp. Was it all just a nightmare? But her nightmares over the years hadn¡¯t been like this. The burning sensation told her that it was all too real But who was itst night? Why would they vite her? This was Magnus¡® territory; it was impossible for anyone so audacious. Could it have been Magnusst night? No, it couldn¡¯t be him. He was wheelchair¨Cbound due to his disability, how could he ¡°walk¡± up to her? Natalia closed her eyes in despair She had lost everything. Her body was vited, and there was no turning back. She was destined to live and die on this ind alone. Tears slowly rolled down her pale face. Natalia allowed herself to cry for just this one time. After she had cried, she needed to continue with her life, even if it felt like hell. After all, it was her choice That day. Natalia stayed in her room and didn¡¯t move from the bed. May couldn¡¯t bear to see her like this and brought her meals to her room. Natalia only managed to eat a little bit in the evening. Meanwhile, the man in the other bedroom hadn¡¯t slept all night. After his irrational possession of the womanst night, he had calmed down. What was he doing? He had actually vited her. When he found out she wasn¡¯t Lucius¡® woman and that she had conspired with others to deceive him, he wanted to possess her Back in his room, he kept thinking about their passionate moment. Her beauty and the gripping pussy was driving him crazy. Later, he called himself a bastard for making her pass out. But he thought to himself, she was his wife who came to him willingly, so how could he be med When he saw that she didn¡¯t get out of bed the next day, he started to panic He didn¡¯t want to admit that he was the man fromst night. He once again reassured himself that she was the one who was hiding her identity first, and he wouldn¡¯t expose her, just to see how long she could pretend Thinking of this, a smirk appeared on his face. Since this woman had thrown herself at him, she couldn¡¯t me him for taking what she offered. But why wasn¡¯t she getting up to eat? Was it because he had been too roughst night? This was his first time with a woman at the age of twenty¨Csomething, and he indeed didn¡¯t know how to be gentle. Being as proud as he was, how could he possibly go to see her or admit that he was the man fromst night. He sat in his study, fretting. After a while, Linden came in, knocking on the door. ¡°I¡¯ve found out¡± He handed a file to Magnus, ¡°The girl who married into the vi is actually Miss Natalia from the rkson family. She is the illegitimate child of Kyler and another woman, and she has always been discriminated against at home. ¡°When Natalia heard that Mr. Lucius was reced by you, she and Addison conspired to have Miss Natalia marry into the family. Kendra hid for a while, then came out and continued to be lovey¨Cdovey with Mr. Lucius.¡± Magnus looked at the materials in his hand and listened to Linden¡¯s words, a cold and destructive light flooded his eyes. Very well, Kendra and Lucius, he would let them know what would happen to them if they deceived him. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Notify France immediately, and advance the n.¡± He would make Lucius pay a thousand times over this kind of wife¨Cswapping humiliation 11:48 1 He never nned to marry Kendra, and he was even more relieved that this girl was not Lucius¡® woman. But to be manipted and deceived like this, he wouldn¡¯t let it slide. In his world, being bullied meant being weak. He had been weak for nine years, and he didn¡¯t want to be weak anymore Linden left the room, and he began to slowly flip through the materials in his hand Natalia, 20 years old, a second¨Cyear student at Melfort College majoring in design In the head shot photo, she was smiling sweetly Her white teeth were neatly arranged, her blue eyes as pure as water, and she looked very beautiful when she smiled But he had never seen her smile. Hehe, marrying for her sister for the sake of raising her. These were tricks in TV dramas and novels, and she actually believed them He gently put down the information, looking at the sunset that was slowly falling He thought to himself, ¡°Natalia, since you are already my woman, I won¡¯t let you suffer anymore, even if you are a substitute At this time, the study door was knocked again. He swiftly turned around, thinking it was Natalia, because every evening was her mandatory physical therapy session for him. But it wasn¡¯t her, it was May His handsome face immediately went grim. ¡°Mr. Magnus, ma¡¯am hasn¡¯t eaten anything all day. Is she sick?¡± His man¡¯s face darkened instantly. Wasn¡¯t it justst night they had sex? Was there really a need for her to starve herself, feigning illness? This girl really didn¡¯t appreciate his leniency. He hadn¡¯t med her for deceiving him, yet she resorted to such dramatics ¡°Let her be¡± He didn¡¯t believe she would keep starving herself. Did she want to die of hunger? Was she trying to repay his kindness or continue with her act? For two straight days, Natalia hadn¡¯t stepped out of her room. She barely ate anything, spending her time on the balcony, staring out at the sea There was a deste look on her face, making her look as if she was contemting ending it all by diving into the waves. Chapter 23 Chapter 23 On the third day, Magnus couldn¡¯t restrain his curiosity any longer. He just had to find out what this young woman was up to. Since she had agreed to be his bride, she had to understand the consequences. Especially if she was going to make such a fuss over a simple one night stand The sharp knock at the door interrupted Natalia¡¯s thoughts She rose from her chair and opened the door to find one of the housekeepers standing there ¡°Ma¡¯am,¡± the housekeeper said, looking at her with a hint of surprise. ¡°Mr. Magnus requests your presence in his study¡± Natalie nodded, ¡°Alright, I¡¯m on my way¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. After taking a quick shower and getting dressed, Natalia headed towards the study As she pushed the door open, she saw Magnus sitting in his wheelchair by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, gazing out at the ocean, deep in thought. Natalia walked in quietly. He turned his wheelchair around as soon as he felt her presence. As their eyes met, a wave of emotion passed over his face before quickly settling back into a stoic expression. She had got quite thinner Without another word, Magnus directed his wheelchair towards her. His gazes were as deep as the ocean, but his body radiated an inexplicable exhaustion Natalia¡¯s heart clenched as she remembered the night before. Was it him that night? Why did he do that to her? ¡°Magnus. Natalia started, ¡°I haven¡¯t been well these past few days. I apologize for not helping with your physical therapy Before she could finish, Magnus cut her off I had a bad night. If you¡¯re feeling better, we can start the therapy.¡± He passed by her and wheeled his chair out of the study. Natalia followed him, pushing his wheelchair. ¡°Magnus, are there any other people on this ind besides Linden and you? Well, I mean, other men?¡± Natalia had so much resentment in her heart, and she had to find out who the man was that vited her that night ¡°No,¡± the man said expressionlessly as he pressed the elevator button. It was indeed ¡®no, because on this ind, apart from Magnus and Linden, there were only female maids ¡°Let¡¯s go downstairs for dinner, and then you can start your work,¡± he said in a matter¨Cof¨Cfact tone with no warmth, like giving orders to a subordinate Natalia swallowed back her words. They had their dinner in silence, Magnus elegantly eating his sandwich while Natalia, still feeling uneasy, could only eat a little. ¡°I¡¯ll get things ready, wait for me in the study.¡± she remarked, her brow furrowing as she headed to the elevator Watching her retreating, somewhat downcast figure, a pang of sympathy hit Magnus. Leaving his dinner untouched, he wheeled himself swiftly to follow her No sooner had Natalia entered her bedroom to retrieve her physiotherapy mat and a wooden hammer, the door gently opened behind her. Startled, she pivoted to face him. ¡°Didn¡¯t I ask you to wait in the study? Or you could¡¯ve headed to the gym.¡± He wheeled up close, dark eyes gazing intently at her. ¡°If you¡¯re not feeling up to it, we can always postpone this session. No rush.¡± She stared at him, taken aback Wasn¡¯t it him who insisted they start? Why the sudden change of heart? ¡°I¡¯m fine, let¡¯s just get started,¡± she replied, pushing his wheelchair toward the study. All the while, a nagging thought persisted Even though she wasn¡¯t truly his wife, she had, in all appearance, married him. If that stranger from the other night wasn¡¯t Magnus, then what would happen if this man discovered another had been with her in his own home? Despite her just being a wife in name, she knew his temper all too well Once in the expansive study with its grand balcony, Natalia beganying out the mat. As she went to fetch the massage equipment, Magnus beckoned her over. ¡°Come here. We¡¯ll skip today¡± She looked at him, puzzled Why the sudden change? Magnus seemed different today. Gone was the cold demeanor she¡¯d grown ustomed to Reluctantly, she set down the massage tools and approached him. With a gentle tug, he pulled her into an embrace, her face buried against his firm chest. Frozen, she felt her heartbeat skyrocket, his familiar, pleasant scent filling her senses. In their previous sessions, he¡¯d asionally draw her onto hisp. Now, she simply let him hold her close His hands moved gracefully, tightening around her slender waist. He felt her thinness and lightly touched her forehead, memories of that fateful night flooding back. Gazing at her quiveringshes, he leaned in without a second thought. Caught off guard, Natalia turned her head, his lips grazing her cheek. ¡°What are you. She began, thoughts of that recent evening rushing back, prompting her to push him away ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t you want to?¡± he asked, his dark eyes full of questions. Natalia was hesitant, remembering the humiliation she had felt that night. She was worried that Magnus would only hurt her again. More importantly, she still had no idea who that mystery man was. ¡°People are gonna see this.¡± Natalia said, trying to stand up. But Magnus held onto her, refusing to let go. ¡°We¡¯re husband and wife, Natalia. Starting today, let¡¯s work on building our rtionship, living our lives together as best we can. For now, just sit with me¡± Chapter Natalia was stunned. Was this the same man who had shown her nothing but contempt before? What would happen if he found out about her deception? The thought filled her with dread ¡°Magnus, 1. Natalia began, but before she could finish, Magnus pulled her closer, silencing her with a kiss For a moment, Natalia was lost. He was really kissing her. She stared wide¨Ceyed at his handsome face, a mix of fear, confusion, and shyness in her gaze Without waming, he gently captured her lips with his memories of that night rushing back Lifting a hand to her chin while the other tightened around her waist, he began to fervently kiss the lips he had yearned for over the past few days. As he prepared to deepen the kiss further, he noticed her eyes remained open, fixed intently on his ¡°Close your eyes,¡± he murmured, themand evident in his voice Obediently. Natalia closed her eyes, and he kissed her once more, drinking in her sweetness as he had that night Holding her close. Magnus tangled his tongue with hers, the passion of the kiss escting to a point where it felt as if he wanted to consume her entirely. It was only when he felt her go limp in his arms, almost gasping for breath, that he gently pulled away Catching her breath, Natalia took in lungfuls of air, akin to a fish finding water Giving her a moment to recover, he leaned in once again. This time, the kiss was gentle yet firm, a testament to his possessive tenderness. Her sweetness and her alluring scent drew him in, making the moment Chapter 24 Chapter 24 addictive and irresistible 24 His hand freely roamed her back, this man, for the first time in his twenties, was indulging in the sweetness of love and desire. It was his first time kissing her like this, and he couldn¡¯t control himself. Their kiss seemed tost an eternity, the man savoring her taste with an insatiable passion that left her breathless a few times When they finally parted, Natalia¡¯s lips were swollen from his kisses, and the man seemed rather pleased with his doing He looked down at the dazed girl, a sudden chuckle escaping his lips, ¡°Have you never been kissed before? Why do you look so confused?¡± ¡°You ¡°Natalia¡¯s cheeks flushed like a ripe apple He¡¯d nearly kissed her senseless, this man seemed to have transformed into apletely different person. She was still in a daze from his advances ¡°Magnus, didn¡¯t you say I was repulsive before? That you wanted me to keep my distance? Why would you kiss me then?¡± Since he was in a good mood and had taken advantage of her, it wouldn¡¯t be a problem to bring up past grievances The man looked at her, feeling a pang of regret in his heart He had once called her repulsive when he thought she was Lucius woman. But when he thought about how this girl had deceived him with others, he knew he had to settle the score His face darkened Just as Natalia was about to speak, Magnus¡® phone rang, and she quickly stood up to leave his embrace Magnus wheeled himself out of the study to answer his call. The girl went out to the balcony, her heart pounding. This man was too bad, kissing her whenever he wanted, humiliating her whenever he wanted But who was the man that night? Could it be him? Although she couldn¡¯t see his face clearly, his aura was indeed familiar Could it really be Magnus? The scent was exactly the same as Magnus. Even if they were brothers, their auras couldn¡¯t possibly be the same She was certain that the man that night had the same aura as Magnus. If it was him, why did he force her? And why did he pretend to be disabled? Even though she was forced to lose her virginity, she still didn¡¯t want it to be with anyone else. She covered her face, what was she thinking? She actually wanted to give her first time to this man, was she crazy? But if it was this man, then he had also deceived her, so it was a draw Magnus wheeled himself into the adjacent gym, closing the door behind him. He stood up from his wheelchair and answered the call. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°Magnus, you now own sixty percent of the shares in the Andersen Corporation Lucius only holds five percent. The stock of Andersen Corporation is currently leaking, and Morgan has started to investigate.¡± Carter causally reported. ¡°If you let Morgan know about Lucius¡® substitution now, perhaps the position of president of Andersen Corporation will have nothing to do with Lucius. But the shareholders of Andersen Corporation have always supported Lucius. What do you want to do?¡± Magnus looked at the calm sea, ¡°For now, stop buying shares in Andersen Corporation. I want to give Lucius a fatal blow on the day my grandfather announces the session of the presidency of Andersen Corporation. Only then, will he understand the pain of falling from a high ce¡± ¡°Also, keep an eye on Kendra. Don¡¯t let her stir up any trouble. This woman despised him for being disabled, and yet he had to be grateful to her for bringing Natalia to his side. If Kendra herself had come, he might have risked losing a lifetime of happiness. After hanging up, he wheeled himself back into the study. The girl was nowhere to be found. He looked down from the balcony, a purple dress fluttered on the sandy beach, her hair dancing in the wind. Her slender waist made the man swallow hard. He wheeled himself downstairs, heading straight for the beach Natalia was staring nkly at the sea, unaware of the wheelchair approaching from behind. The man rolled up to her back, ¡°What are you looking at?¡± She immediately turned around, spotting the man rolling his wheelchair behind her. Recalling how he had kissed her for so long earlier, her face started to heat up again. She walked over and pushed his wheelchair, ¡°I was just getting some fresh air. Are you done with your call? Should we go back inside for your rehabilitation?¡° She pushed his wheelchair back, and Magnus pointed at a palm tree ahead, ¡°Let¡¯s go over there. I have something to tell you.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Natalia pushed him under the palm tree, where the sea breeze gently rustled the leaves. ¡°What do you want to tell me?¡± Magnus looked up at her small face, her crystal¨Cclear blue eyes like a pool of clean water. Her hair and dress were fluttering in the wind. ¡°Come here, sit on myp.¡± He patted his leg. ¡°What?¡± Natalia blushed, why did he want her to sit on hisp again? She stood still, looking at him. His handsome face darkened He had asked her to sit, yet she stood there, unmoving. Seeing his displeased expression, Natalia took a look around before walking over to stand in front of him. This man, he got angry just because she wouldn¡¯t sit on hisp. He looked at the pouting, unwilling girl, his brows furrowing, ¡°As I said before, you are now my wife. We should start nurturing our rtionship, starting with kissing, then gradually bing familiar with each other, so we can consummate our marriage as soon as possible.¡± Upon hearing his words, Natalia¡¯s brain seemed to explode, she was left utterly speechless. What was he saying! This was far from the cold¨Chearted man who had despised her and told her to leave a while ago. He even wanted to consummate their marriage. Natalia stared at him, as if she was looking at a stranger. Finally, she snapped back to reality at his awkward cough. ¡°Magnus, we are not familiar enough with each other yet. Besides, your legs aren¡¯t in a good condition. The most important thing right now is your rehabilitation, so you can 11:48 stand up again. As for the other things, we can slowly consider themter¡± She plucked up the courage to tell him. Hearing her words, he responded casually, ¡°Yes, rehabilitation is important. But so is nurturing our rtionship as a married couple. I¡¯m nning to take you back to the rkson family in a few days. You¡¯ve been on this ind for over a month since we got married and haven¡¯t visited your parents yet. I will apany you. Also, my grandfather would like to meet you. So prepare yourself We will be leaving this ce and heading to Vi Montecresto soon.¡± Upon hearing Magnus words, Natalia was immediately thrown into a frantic panic. He wanted to take her home, and more importantly to his own home. Wouldn¡¯t this blow her cover? ¡°No, no, I can¡¯t go back. Magnus, I think it¡¯s nice staying here it¡¯s good for your leg rehabilitation it¡¯s fine if I don¡¯t go back, my folks they won¡¯t mind,¡± she insisted, trying to deter him from visiting her home ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go back? Magnus sharp eyes bore into her, as if trying to see straight into her soul. ¡°It¡¯s normal for a married woman to visit her parents If I don¡¯t apany you to visit them, wouldn¡¯t that make me look rude? ¡°But¡­¡± Natalia cut him off immediately ¡°Enough! It¡¯s settled then, my wife In three days, we will visit the rkson family, then stay at the Andersen residence Grandpa¡¯s turning eighty soon, so we should spend some time back home.¡± 11:49 || Chapter 25 Chapter 25 Before Natalia had a chance to utter a word, she heard him address her as wife, which made her body freeze in ce, her eyes fixed on him. A smirk yed at the corners of his mouth, as if he was aware of the terror coursing through her right now. Magnus simply observed her, thinking. ¡°Little one, let¡¯s see how long you can keep up this charade. If you¡¯d just admit you¡¯re not Kendra, I might consider forgiving you. After all, I don¡¯t want my grandfather to find out about this mix¨Cup with the rkson family just yet.¡± If he was not mistaken, his grandfather would be furious once he found out surely ming Lucius for his sneaky switch. But he would also insist on sending Natalia back and marrying Kendra off to him instead. But now, he didn¡¯t want Kendra anymore He wanted Natalia, regardless of her true identity. All he knew was that she was now his woman. No one was allowed to tamish what was his, and he certainly didn¡¯t want his grandfather to make her life difficult. He wanted to keep her for his own amusement He watched as she stood there, looking helpless, and let out a soft chuckle. ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to go home? Tell me why, and maybe we won¡¯t have to He looked up at her panicked expression and reached out his hand. Caught off guard, Natalia ced her hand in his, and he gently pulled her into his embrace She looked up at his handsome face, his eyes twinkling with amusement. At what point had this man be so gentle? He wasn¡¯t as cold as he used to be. More importantly, this man kept insisting that she sit on hisp, and each time she did, she could feel the strength of his muscr legs, even the pulse of his veins beneath her. Before long, she could feel heat radiating from hisp If it weren¡¯t for the fact that he was often seen in a wheelchair, she might have suspected that he was faking his disability. But every time she helped him with his rehabilitation, his legs remained devoid of sensation. With his temper, would he really allow himself to be tortured like this if he wasn¡¯t really disabled? She stared at him nkly, wondering how she could convince him not to take her back to the rkson family. But it was like trying to avoid the inevitable ¡°Did you see everything you wanted to see?¡± Magnus stared deeply into the girl¡¯s pensive face. Looking at her lively appearance, he suddenly recalled a few days ago. He had taken advantage of her several times while she was unconscious, and now he wanted to take her again. He wanted to torment her until she finally confessed the truth. ¡°Um. Magnus, can we not go back to the rkson family?¡± she asked, looking lost in his embrace. ¡°Why?¡± He knew she was scared to go home. ¡°Well, I don¡¯t really have any emotional ties to my family. Plus, my parents only sent me here to take care of you. As for going back to see them, we can wait until you can stand on your feet again. She felt like she had walked into a dead end. Her face alternated between pale and red. The statement about having no feelings for her parents was filled with ws. Magnus didn¡¯t want to press her further. Seeing her nervous expression, he felt an inexplicable frustration. Even when given a chance to tell the truth, she still chose to keep quiet. He reached up to touch her smooth face, his rough fingers tracing her skin. Natalia felt a jolt of electricity at his touch, his hand carrying the faint scent of tobo and a distinctly masculine aroma. She tried to push his hand away and stand up, but he held her down with his other hand. He held her chin and slowly leaned in. He wanted to kiss her again Why was he so addicted to her kisses? Her lips were as sweet as honey, and once he tasted them, he couldn¡¯t stop. As Natalia saw his handsome face getting closer, she pushed him away and ran towards the vi. But then, ¡°My wife!¡± he called after her in a husky voice. She paused, her mind going nk. He had called her wife again. Her heart pounded in her chest as she turned to see the amusement in his eyes. He wasughing. Oh God, she had been here for so long, and this was the first time she had seen himugh genuinely. His smile was enchanting. his lips curled slightly, and his eyes full of allure. Natalia was stunned. ¡°So you¡¯re just going to leave me?¡± he asked, feigning a hurt expression. In just a few days, he couldn¡¯t believe how interested he had be in this girl Was it true what Chase had said, that he had been single for too long? Natalia quickly returned to him, pushing his wheelchair back towards the vi. The sweet scent of her perfume filled his senses. As they entered the living room, Natalia pushed him towards the couch and then headed upstairs. Magnus watched as she rushed into the elevator, a smirk ying on his lips. After dinner, Magnus was taken away by James The ind was eerily quiet at night, but the vi was massive, spanning several miles. The staff lived on the first floor at the back, while Linden and May lived on the first floor at the front. The second floor was Magnus and Natalia¡¯s space. At eight in the evening, the sky was filled with thunderstorms. Natalia sat on her bed with themp on. She didn¡¯t dare to sleep. She was afraid of another rainy night like the one before, when a stranger had choked her unconscious and taken advantage of her. It was another stormy night, and all she could do was sit on her bed, wide awake, waiting for Magnus to return. In that moment, she wished he woulde back. After that night, she was afraid of thunderstorms. She stared out the window at the beach, knowing that any car that returned would be Magnus. As long as he returned, even if he stayed in the room next door, she would feel safe. At eleven o¡¯clock, the rain was still pouring. Natalia was so tired she could barely keep her eyes open. It was only then that she saw a car slowly 11:48 1 approaching on the beach. Natalia quickly turned off the lo She curled up under the covers and closed her eyes. The waves of sleepiness we too strong to resist. As she was drifting off to sleep, she heard the soft sound of his wheelchair in the hallway. Yes, he was back, and she finally fell asleep in peace All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Natalia slept soundly as Magnus returned to the bedroom to shower and change He quietly pushed open the door to her bedroom. Seeing her small figure on the bed, a wave of tenderness washed over him. He gently lifted the covers andy down next to her, pulling her into his arms Breathing in her sweet scent, he closed his eyes. In her sleep, Natalia felt a source of warmth. She was quite scared before sleep, so now she instinctively snuggled closer to the warmth Magnus¡® body tensed up as a surge of heat rushed to his lower abdomen. He savored her unique scent, a fragrance that stirred a lust deep within him He had to admit that ever since that night, he yearned for her again, a fact that gnawed at him Perhaps as Chase had suggested, it was due to his long years of celibacy. And this time, after more than a month of getting to know her, her beauty, her purity, and her carefulness were all drawing him in. It was just that back then, he thought she was Lucius woman But when he found out she wasn¡¯t with Lucius, he yearned to possess herpletely. And now, he wanted her again; once wasn¡¯t enough. He wanted to take her again, wished he coul Chapter 26 Chapter 26 d have her forever, in this life and the next. At the thought of this, he lowered his head and stared at the girl in his arms. She was sleeping restlessly, furrowing her brow as if she had encountered something unpleasant He gently lifted her chin and lowered his head to kiss her, he didn¡¯t dare to exert any force for fear that she would wake up. As his lips danced upon hers, he savored the inherent sweetness they offered. His kisses gradually grew more fervent, his hands beginning to lift the hem of her nightgown A soft whimper escaped from the girl, rousing her from her slumber Natalia wes gagged in her sleep and couldn¡¯t breathe. She gasped for air and opened her eyes, only to see someone on her again. ¡°Ah!¡± Her scream echoed in the room. With a force born of fear, she shoved him away, her mind racing back to the other night ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. It¡¯s me! The man tightened his grip on her trembling hands, realizing how genuinely scared she had been ¡°Magnus?¡± Natalia couldn¡¯t believe her own eyes. She rubbed her eyes, making sure the man on her bed was indeed Magnus ¡°Yes, it¡¯s me. From now on, we will share a room. The man reached out and pulled her into his arms and tucked her in ¡°Share a room? Her drowsiness vanished, reced by sheer surprise. ¡°Magnus, I¡¯m not ready to share a room with you yet. I¡¯m not used to it. The faint smell of his soap, mingled with his natural scent, filled her nostrils. Her body was taut with tension. ¡°What do you need to prepare for? You¡¯re my wife, it¡¯s normal for us to sleep in the same room. You¡¯ll get used to it.¡± Magnus said, pulling her closer and closing his eyes, ready to fall asleep. ¡°But I Natalia squirmed in his embrace, trying to break free. She could feel the heat radiating from his body. ¡°Stay still His voice was hoarse and low. ¡°If you keep moving, I might do something else.¡± The words boomed in Natalia¡¯s mind, leaving her petrified. His heavy breath tickled her ear, causing her body to tremble uncontrobly. She dared not move a muscle After a while, Natalia felt her legs growing numb. She made a slight movement and heard his rhythmic breathing behind her. She thought that he must have fallen asleep. As she bent her legs, she felt something scorching. Even through the fabric, she could feel his heat. Magnus took a deep breath as he rolled over her, ¡°What did you touch? Hmm?¡± His voice was husky and maic Natalia gasped in surprise, looking up at the man on top of her, feeling his hard¨Con on her abdomen. She knew what she had touched. She wasnt the naive girl she used to be after what happened that night Her face burned with embarrassment. She pushed against his chest, ¡°I¡­ i didn¡¯t mean to. I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ll go sleep in another room. I tend to move a lot in my sleep. I don¡¯t want to disturb you.¡± Magnus didn¡¯t move. He could hear her heart racing, beating in time with the soft patter of rain outside. It was a beautiful sound. ¡°There are no other rooms. You¡¯re sleeping here.¡± He leaned in, his warm breath brushing against her face. He paused, ¡°My legs may not work well, but everything else does. So if you have any other ideas or can¡¯t sleep properly, I don¡¯t mind having some fun with you¡± Natalia was mortified. She hadn¡¯t expected these words from the usually cold and aloof man. She shoved him away with all her might, ¡°Magnus. I¡¯ve told you I¡¯m not ready to share a room with you. I don¡¯t want to consummate our marriage either.¡± With her sudden push, Magnus fell off the bed and onto the floor. Natalia was taken aback. She jumped off the bed and tried to help him up. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to ¡± Magnus face was as grim as thunder. He slowly propped his hands up on the edge of the bed, and before Natalia coulde to his side, he propped himself up and climbed onto the bed in no time. His agile movements were reminiscent of a wounded cheetah. He sat on the bed, his gaze fixed on Natalia¡¯s pale face. ¡°Get back in bed.¡± Hemanded, clearly irritated by her actions. ¡°Is it because of my legs? Why did you push me away? You¡¯re my wife.¡± His intense gaze pierced her heart. ¡°No, I just. I¡¯m not used to¡­ sleeping with you.¡± She was shivering, whether from the cold or fear, she didn¡¯t know. ¡°Not used to sleeping with me? Then who would you prefer to sleep with?¡± He leaned back against the bed, his gaze cold and distant towards the girl who was shivering in her thin nightgown. ¡°Get back in bed. Do you want to catch a cold?¡± His voice was filled with impatience. Natalia lowered her head and climbed back onto the bed, tucking herself under the covers. Before she could utter a word, Magnus pulled her close, ¡°Just sleep¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Natalia pouted. Even her sleep was being dictated. She dared not move, her eyes tightly shut, her breath held. Magnus tightened his arms around her. A smile yed on his lips. Having a woman in his arms was indeed a different feeling. Despite her difort, Natalia eventually fell asleep in his arms. 11:48 It was three in the morning, the rain outside still pouring down. Natalie¡¯s breathing had finally evened out Magnus looked down at her. Her ayes were tightly shut, her lips slightly parted. Even in sloop, she looked troubled. A chuckle rose in his throat. He closed his eyes, holding her close. As long as she behaved, he wouldn¡¯t expose here. This was enough for him. His chin rested on her head and before long, he too fell asleep. Perhaps it was the first peaceful sleep he had had in years. The days of his leg treatment in France was like living in hell. Now he could stand, but had to pretend to be disabled. He didn¡¯t want to upset his grandfather if Lucius found out he was recovered, he would plot against him His grandfather was too old to handle the strife. He remembered the year Jamie died. His grandfather was devastated Jamie was a wound that would never heal Magnus was used to waking up at six every morning. But today, he slept in. They both slept until nine in the morning. The servants were shocked to find his wheelchair empty When she gently pushed open Natalia¡¯s door and saw the two people entwined in slumber on the bed, the housemaid quickly covered her mouth and gently closed the door ¡°Linden,Mr Magnus spent the night with Ms Natalia The housemaid rushed to inform Linden Linden paused for a moment, his face immediately shadowed with displeasure. ¡°And who else would he share his bed with if not his wife? Stop making a fuss over nothing. We shouldn¡¯t meddle in his affairs¡±Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 27 Chapter 27 ??? 11:48 1 The maid hurriedly lowered her head, ¡°But Mr. Magnus is not in a wheelchair, and there is no wheelchair when he gets upter.¡± Linden knotted his brows, ¡°Get back to your work.¡± Once the maid had left, Linden immediately pushed Magnus¡® wheelchair gently towards the room. When he saw the two on the bed, he was taken aback. He quickly set the wheelchair in ce and retreated. After a while, Natalia opened her eyes to see a handsome face in front of her. She was momentarily stunned, recalling the man¡¯s words from the night before, ¡°We¡¯ll have to get used to sharing a room¡± She felt a rush of heat to her ears and looked up at the man¡¯s sleeping face. Wasn¡¯t he always an early riser? Why was he still asleep? She studies his smooth skin, his handsome features and his eyes closed with long, thickshes God, he was even more attractive than most women. His lips were thin, and some said men with thin lips were heartless. Was he heartless? Recalling the times he had forcefully kissed her without her consent, she blushed, gently removed his hand, and attempted to slip away. Therge hand on her waist tightened abruptly. ¡°My dear, you¡¯ve been staring at me for quite a while now. What are your thoughts?¡± Startled, Natalia pushed against his chest to back away. ¡°I wasn¡¯t staring I just wanted to get up.¡± With a swift movement, the man pulled her back into his embrace, flipping over to pin her beneath him Natalia let out a surprised yelp. ¡°Magnus, what are you doing?¡± Why was he on top of her again? Weren¡¯t his legs supposed to be numb? ¡°Sneak a peek and then run away? What do you think I should do, darling? Maybe we should do something more intimate?¡± His deep, dark gazes bore into hers. Natalia tensed up, feeling something hot pressing against her lower abdomen. Boom! It felt like her brain had exploded. What was he nning? ¡°I¡­ I¡¯m not your wife. Get off me I¡¯m not ready yet!¡± She blushed as red as an apple, pushing against the man atop her. ¡°Not my wife? Then who are you?¡± His eyes locked onto hers. Natalia froze, lifting her gaze to meet his. His handsome face was stern. ¡°What else do you need to prepare for? You re my wife We haven¡¯t done what married couples do.¡± He intentionally pressed his lower body against hers. Natalia¡¯s heart pounded against her chest. She was still uncertain about what happened that night. Was this man really about to sleep with her? If the man from that night wasn¡¯t him, then how would she tell him she had been vited? Summoning up her courage, she locked her eyes with his, ¡°Magnus, even though I married you, sex between a man and a woman should be natural. If you force it when I¡¯m not ready, I¡­ I¡¯ll be traumatized!¡± Magnus stared at the woman beneath him. Traumatized? Was she referring to the trauma from that night? He pushed off with his hands and sat up, hopping onto his wheelchair by the bed and sliding out of the bedroom. Seeing the wheelchair disappear, Natalia quickly got up and ran into the bathroom. Her heart was racing. This man was constantly flirting with her When she didn¡¯t reciprocate, he got angry. Hmph! After getting dressed, Natalia went downstairs to see the man sitting elegantly on the sofa. There was another man there, probably in his forties, wearing a warm smile. Upon seeing her descend the stairs, he immediately stood up, ¡°Good day, ma¡¯am. I¡¯m Linden, the Andersen family¡¯s loyal butler Mr. Morgan has sent me to fetch you and Mr. Magnus back to the manor for his 80th birthday celebration.¡± Natalia nodded, then turned to look at Magnus, who hadn¡¯t spared her a nce, his attention on his tablet. Regardless, since the elders had sent someone to fetch them, she couldn¡¯t refuse. That would be seen as ack of manners on the rkson family¡¯s part. ¡°When are we leaving?¡± She asked Magnus. He didn¡¯t look up from his tablet, ¡°You go ahead. We¡¯ll join you for dinner¡± He was addressing Linden. ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll take my leave now.¡± Linden nodded at Natalia and exited the living room. Natalia turned her gaze to the man on the sofa, ¡°Are we really going back?¡± He set down his tablet and patted the seat next to him, ¡°Pack your things. We¡¯re going to the Andersen Family Estate tonight and will stay there for three days. Bring what you need. I have a change of clothes there, so just pack your own things.¡± Natalia sat next to him, deep in thought, ¡°Going back to celebrate Grandpa¡¯s 80th birthday? I have to go, right?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yeah, of course. What are you afraid of? You¡¯re my wife. Just stay by my side¡± He noticed her evasive gaze and a hint of a smile appeared on his lips ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go pack Sooner orter, the truth woulde out. She didn¡¯t expect it to happen so soon. She knew that once she got to the Andersen family¡¯s ce, they¡¯d find out she wasn¡¯t her sister. Without having any food, she got up and went upstairs, the man¡¯s piercing gaze on her. He was thinking, ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m giving you a chance. If you tell me the truth, I can find a way to prevent Grandpa from punishing you.¡± But the girl just went upstairs, leaving Magnus staring coldly at the slowly closing elevator doors. Once upstairs, Natalia stood on the balcony. She gazed at the calm sea. What has toe wille. There was no escaping it. So just face it head¨Con. She turned and packed a few clothes and daily necessities. At five in the afternoon, Magnus wheeled himself into Natalia¡¯s room, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯ve been hiding away all day, scared to meet Grandpa. 11:49 1 How long do you n on hiding? It¡¯s time to leave, my wife.¡± She hadn¡¯t been hiding, had she? And was he addicted to calling her wife? Outside the vi, on the beach, Linden had already prepared the car. Natalia pushed the wheelchair over to the car while the servants put the luggage in Linden helped Magnus into the car, which then slowly left the beach. Natalia sat in the back seat. The moment the car left the beach, her heart started to race Magnus looked at the tense woman next to him and sighed, ¡°Don¡¯t be scared I¡¯m here with you Just stand by my side, okay?¡± Natalia turned around, gazing at him in surprise His gazes were soft yet deep, like a vortex She wasn¡¯t sure how much of his feelings towards her were genuine But given the circumstances, she had no choice but to rely on his protection. She looked into his eyes and nodded Magnus reached out and held her hand, sighing as he looked out the window Hisrge hands were dry and warm as he gently rubbed her palm with his fingertips. Natalia¡¯s ears instantly flushed a deep shade of crimson Magnus toyed with her hand, keeping it in his grip all the way to the Andersen Family Estate Just like their previous visit a line of servants stood outside the grand estate Linden¡¯s car slowly glided to a halt on the expansive frontwn and a servant immediately approached with a wheelchair Magnus nced at Natalia¡¯s tense expression, his grasp on her hand tightening ¡®Don¡¯t be scared, my wife,¡± heforted, ¡®I¡¯ve got this For a fleeting moment. Natalia felt that he had already known that she wasn¡¯t Kendra. His gaze was sincere, devoid of any mockery or sarcasm At this moment, a servant opened the car door, eyes filled with respect as he looked at Natalia ¡°Ms. Natalia, Mr. Magnus Please,e inside Chapter 28 Chapter 28 11-40 Natalia released Magnus¡¯s hand, nodded, and got out of the car to assist him onto his wheelchair. A servant began to push the wheelchair towards the vi. ¡°No need,¡± Natalia interjected, taking over from the servant. She pushed Magnus into the courtyard, where a line of smiling servants greeted her, ¡°Wee home, Ms. Natalia, we¡¯re delighted to see you.¡± Magnus remained expressionless, while Natalia blushed at the greeting, replying, ¡°Hello, everyone¡± The servants were surprised at Natalia¡¯s appearance so young and beautiful. No wonder both of Magnus and Lucius were smitten with her Entering the living room. Natalia immediately saw the old man with gray hair sitting in the adjacent armchair. He appeared to be in good spirits, despite his hair being gray, and his eyes still shone with a wise light. Growing up in the rkson family, Natalia was familiar with the formalities. She pushed the wheelchair towards the old man Morgan, Magnus grandfather ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry for noting sooner,¡± she said, her voice soft and gentle Morgan looked at Natalia, dressed in a blue dress and matching cardigan, her long hair cascading over her shoulders. Her eyes, a clear blue. mirrored the calm and tranquility of a peacefulke. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Suddenly, Morgan realized she was of mixed heritage. But both Kyler and Addison were local. Nevertheless, he smiled warmly and extended his hand, ¡°Come, Kendra, let me get a good look at you. How¡¯s life on the ind? When you married my grandson, I didn¡¯t throw a wedding for you. I¡¯m sorry for that. But don¡¯t worry, what¡¯s meant to be yours won¡¯t be taken away¡± Natalia smiled and walked over to Morgan as she reached out to take his hand in both of hers, ¡°It¡¯s fine, Grandpa. The wedding ceremony is just a formality. I¡¯m doing well and I¡¯ve grown ustomed to living on the ind¡± Morgan chuckled heartily, ¡°Good. Just like a true rkson sensible and smart¡± Morgan then pointed to a man and woman seated nearby, ¡°These are your inws. You should recognize them. Do visit more often with Magnus.¡± Natalia turned and was startled to see Magnus¡® parents. Lillian, Magnus¡® mother, had met Kendra before. She certainly would recognize Kendra. Upon making eye contact with Lillian, Natalia could feel her blood run cold. Lillian¡¯s smirk and contemptuous gaze said it all she knew Natalia wasn¡¯t Kendra Anthony, Magnus father, smiled, ¡°Kendra, thank you for looking after Magnus.¡± Natalia straightened up. ¡°Hello.¡± Lillian responded with a barely concealed sneer, ¡°We appreciate your help. From now on, we¡¯ll depend on you to take care of Magnus.¡± All this time, Magnus sat silently, watching Natalia¡¯s reactions. When she saw Lillian, her panicked expression confirmed his suspicion ¨C Lillian knew Natalia wasn¡¯t Kendra. He looked at Morgan, ¡°Grandpa, I think it¡¯s time for dinner. Kendra is going to help me change.¡± Morgan responded with a heartyugh, ¡°Go on, then.¡± Magnus signaled for Natalia toe over. She walked over and began to push his wheelchair towards the elevator, heading to the third floor. Once they were gone, Morgan¡¯s smile faded. Lillian stepped forward, as if to say something, but was stopped by Anthony. Morgan turned away without a word and headed to the second floor. In his study on the second floor, Morgan pulled out Magnus and Kendra¡¯s marriage certificate from a drawer. The girl in the photo wasn¡¯t the rkson¡¯s daughter. Who was she? On the third floor, Natalia pushed Magnus into his bedroom, her heart still pounding Magnus watched as Natalia stood in the middle of the room, her face pale. So she was scared now. He wanted to see how long she could keep up the act, knowing that even his grandpa was starting to suspect something. Yet, she still wanted to deceive him. This girl had never been honest with him. Fine, let her continue the charade. Natalia suddenly turned around, her eyes welling up with tears, ¡°Magnus.¡± The man remained expressionless, ¡°Go change your clothes. It¡¯s time for dinner, and my brother Lucius will be joining us.¡± Natalia clenched her fists, realizing that Lucius was alsoing. Of course, how could she have forgotten? This was the Andersen Family Estate, Lucius would definitely be here. But by now, she had nothing to fear. What worried her was that the Andersen family might take their anger out on her father. She pulled out a change of clothes for Magnus. As she helped him change, he looked up at her, his eyes full of anticipation. Was he waiting for her to tell the truth? Could it be that he already knew she wasn¡¯t Kendra? ¡°If you have nothing to say, let¡¯s go down for dinner, Magnus said, maneuvering his wheelchair towards the door. ¡°Magnus!¡± Natalia chased after him, her hands gripping the handles of the wheelchair, her eyes filled with tears, ¡°I¡¯m not your wife. I¡¯m not Kendra ¡± The words slipped out uncontrobly. She regretted not confessing this to him when they were on the ind. Maybe then, he would have help helpless She realized that the first person she should have confessed to was Magnus But now, she alone and Magnus chuckled softly. ¡°What are you talking about? If you¡¯re not my wife, then who is? Why are you acting so strange after meeting Grandpa Don¡¯t worry, you have me¡± He reached for her hand, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go, it¡¯s all right¡± Natalia¡¯s delicate hand was led by him towards the elevator Just as she was about to press the elevator button, the doors slid open with a soft hum Lucius stood inside eyesnding on the couple outside. Upon making eye contact with Natalia, he was taken aback So, this was Kendra¡¯s little sister. She was indeed very beautiful, her delicate face andrge ocean blue eyes filled with confusion. Her vulnerability was heart trembling She was stunningly beautiful He had seen countless women in his life, but if he wasn¡¯t mistaken, this girl was even more beautiful than Kendra She radiated an aura of innocence and purity Natalia, on the other hand, was taken aback. This was Lucius His eyes were sharp and cunning, a stark contrast to Magnus deep and calm gaze ¡°Lucius, you¡¯re back,¡± Magnus interrupted their eye contact He took Natalia¡¯s hand. ¡°My dear, this is Lucius. You should know each other He gave a small smile, a smile that sent a shiver down Lucius spine Lucius quickly regained hisposure, looking at Magnus with a mocking smile, Magnus Finally willing to return, huh? | thought you¡¯d keep your wife hidden away on Sapphire Ind for the rest of your life Who would¡¯ve thought you¡¯d actually bring her home. Ha, ha, ha Chapter 29 Chapter 29 Magnus tightened his grip, ¡°With grandpa here. I have toe back. Besides, if I¡¯m not mistaken, this old mansion should be in my name, Lucius¡° Lucius turned pale, shooting a venomous gaze at Magnus. He scoffed, ¡°Well, Magnus, it¡¯s just an old mansion, no big deal. I¡¯ll give you whatever you want After all, you¡¯re the one who can¡¯t walk, right?¡± Natalia, hearing the brothers¡® heated exchange, her heart ached for Magnus If only he could stand, he wouldn¡¯t have to endure all these sneeri She shot Lucius a disgusted look, causing him to flinch slightly She didn¡¯t say a word to him, instead, she pushed Magnus into the elevator As the elevator doors slowly closed, Natalia looked up to see Lucius smirk growing wider Inside the elevator Magnus cold demeanor caused Natalia¡¯s heart to ache even more She gently ced her hand on his shoulder ¡°Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be able to stand one day¡± Magnus paused for a moment, his expression softened. This girl still cared for others even though she herself was in a tough spot They ate dinner quietly under Morgan¡¯s stern gaze After dinner, Natalia was about to take Magnus for a walk when Morgan called out to her. ¡°Kendra,e to my study, I have something to discuss with you.¡± Natalia hesitated for a moment, but before she could agree, Magnus interrupted, ¡°Grandpa, can¡¯t it wait for a few days? My wife just arrived. She¡¯s still getting used to the ce¡± He added, holding onto her hand. Morgan looked at Magnus, protecting Natalia like a mother hen, a pang of pain surged in his heart. His beloved grandson was still oblivious that his wife was an imposter. He would get to the bottom of this If the rksons had intentionally switched brides, using this girl to rece their own daughter. he would make sure Kyler would disappear from Melfort. ¡°Magnus, rx I just want to talk to Kendra. I won¡¯t give her a hard time. Morgan turned and walked upstairs. Natalia gave Magnus hand a reassuring squeeze, ¡°I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Magnus was about to say something, but Natalia was already following Morgan into the elevator. Lucius, sitting on the sofa, smirked mockingly ¡°Lucius, could you please push me outside for a walk?¡± Magnus asked, just as Lucius was about to stand up and head upstairs. Lucius was taken aback, but then he smiled, ¡°Sure, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re in the mood for a stroll.¡± The brothers found themselves beneath the magnolia tree where they had been before. The weather was slightly chilly in the evening, ¡°Remember when you purposely let your wheelchair roll down from here, and grandpa was furious? Magnus, I didn¡¯t expect you to be so cunning. You purposely let Morgan see. Because of that, he warned me again, and if I dared to harm you, he would never let me inherit the CEO position of Andersen Corporation Ha, he really said that, but who else is capable of being the CEO of Andersen Corporation if not me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re crippled, and even if Morgan wanted to have you be the CEO, you don¡¯t have the strength. Ha ha ha. Luciusughed without restraint Magnus remained unfazed by his words, he nced indifferently at the study window on the second floor ¡°Well, is that so? You better hold onto everything you have now, because when you fall from such a height, it¡¯s going to hurt Magnus said calmly. ¡°What do you mean!¡± Lucius stormed over, grabbing Magnus by the cor. Magnus gripped Lucius wrist, causing him to wince in pain. Lucius stared at the man in the wheelchair in fear in the dusk, his eyes were as cold as ice. He held onto Lucius hand, staring at him intently, ¡°If I tell grandpa about the bride switch, do you think he¡¯ll still let you inhent the CEO position? Then he¡¯ll ostracize you and the rksons and remarry your woman to me. Well, he might already know, you and the rksons conspired to rece the real Kendra and sent this fake Kendra to Sapphire Ind. Can you imagine what he would do?¡± With that, he harshly let go of Lucius¡® hand. The pain made Lucius body numb, and Magnus words struck him like a bolt from the blue. Magnus pushed him against the magnolia tree, causing him to grunt in pain ¡°What did you say? How do you know? it¡¯s impossible. Grandpa can¡¯t know Magnus, I know you¡¯re angry because the woman married to you isn¡¯t Kendra. Ha ha ha, you¡¯re pitiful. You married an imposter Live with her for the rest of your life, because you don¡¯t deserve Kendra Lucius looked down at the wrist that the man had just squeezed, his knuckles turning pale. He was about to go and tip over the wheelchair when there was a loud noise from the upstairs study Without wasting a moment, Magnus quickly wheeled himself towards the mansion, straight into the elevator and stopped in front of Morgan¡¯s study door, knocking lightly. Meanwhile, Lucius stood in shock for a moment before quickly pulling out his phone to make a call. Ten minutes earlier, Natalia had followed Morgan into his study. The decor was grand, everything was made of camphor wood, and the bookshelf was filled with countless books. Upon entering, Natalia felt a sense of oppression. Morgan sat in an armchair, watching the girl standing in the middle of the room. She was so pure and innocent Morgan wondered, who was this beautiful and innocent woman? She seemed calm andposed, but her heart was in turmoil. She furrowed her brows, ¡°Grandpa, what did you want to talk about?¡± Morgan nced at her for a few seconds before picking up the documents on the table ¡°Kendra, i don¡¯t have much to give you for your marriage to my grandson This is five percent of the shares in Andersen Corporation. Just sign here and consider it my wedding gift to you.¡± Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Without beating around the bush, Morgan got straight to the point. Natalia stared wide¨Ceyed at the documents, a pang of guilt striking her as she looked up at the kindly old man. Should she tell him that she wasn¡¯t Kendra, but Kendra¡¯s sister? She didn¡¯t want to deceive him. After all, she hade to this family to repay the love and care she had received from the rksons. 11:491 ¡°1¡­ I can¡¯t sign this, Grandpa. I don¡¯t want the shares either,¡± she said, unable to fathom epting the shares when she might leave before long Morgan¡¯s gaze was steady on her ¡°Why not? These are yours by right. Anyone marrying into the Andersen family gets shares in Andersen Corporation You¡¯re no different¡± Natalia looked up at the old man, and he still smiled and nodded at her ¡®Go on, sign it Take good care of my grandson. He lost the use of his legs in his lifetime, and there¡¯s not much else I can give him. Providing him with a peaceful life is the only thing I can do Hearing his words and seeing the sorrowful look on his face as he turned to gaze out the window, Natalia felt her heart ache. 212 Chapter 30 Chapter 30 A sudden lump formed in her throat, threatening to spill over into tears. Finally, she stepped forward, facing Morgan honestly, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m not Kendra I¡¯m Natalia, Kyler¡¯s youngest daughter. My sister didn¡¯t want to marry Magnus, so they sent me to Sapphire Ind instead. I didn¡¯t mean to deceive you, Grandpa.¡± Upon hearing her confession. Morgan slowly put down the documents he was holding and turned to look at Natalia, stunned. ¡°Is all you¡¯ve said true?¡± He had intended to lure Natalia with shares of the family business. If she had willingly reced Kendra for the sake of money, she would have no ce in the Andersen family But she didn¡¯t want the shares. She had confessed her true identity, admitting she was an imposter Morgan finally nodded in acknowledgement Smart girl, he thought Having confessed the truth, Natalia finally let out a sigh of relief. She had been living with this lie for over a month, dreading the day it would be exposed. Seeing the mocking smiles on Lucius and Lillian¡¯s faces earlier, she knew that day had arrived. She decided to tell Morgan the truth, believing him to be a reasonable man Even if she was a substitute, he wouldn¡¯t kill her. At worst, he¡¯d send her home ¡°Grandpa, every word I¡¯ve said is true. I wouldn¡¯t dare to lie But Magnus doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m Natalia Would he strangle her if he found out? Morgan looked at the girl. He wanted to say that perhaps this girl was more suited for Magnus than Kendra ever could be But Kyler¡¯s second daughter was illegitimate. Such a girl was not fit for his beloved grandson. He mmed his hand down on the table. ¡°Nonsense! You think this is a game, marrying in your sister¡¯s ce?¡± The cup on the desk rattled and fell to the floor with a loud tter Natalia clenched her hands tightly, closing her eyes. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± She hadn¡¯t expected Morgan to be so angry. Just as it seemed like his anger was about to explode, there was a knock on the study door She quickly turned to open the door and saw Magnus in his wheelchair, looking anxious. Without sparing Natalia a nce, he wheeled himself directly into the study, ¡°Grandpa, what¡¯s wrong? Did Kendra upset you? She¡¯s young and naive Don¡¯t hold it against her¡± Morgan looked at his grandson, defending the girl His heart ached even more. Magnus still didn¡¯t know that this girl wasn¡¯t the rkson¡¯s daughter. How much would it hurt him if he knew? He could tell Magnus was already fond of her But, no! He would not allow the rksons to deceive them like this. Looking at his grandson seated in the wheelchair, he waved his hand dismissively. Enough, both of you may leave ¡± Magnus looked at the fuming Morgan and smiled, ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t be angry. You¡¯re almost eighty, and you should be enjoying your life. What could possibly make you so angry?¡± After saying this, he took Natalia¡¯s hand and led her out of the study, heading straight to their bedroom on the third floor. Once the door was closed, Magnus turned to look at the girl, who was obviously frightened. ¡°What did Grandpa say to you?¡± Natalia looked into his icy eyes and shook her head, ¡°Grandpa wanted me to sign a share ownership agreement, but I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all?¡± The icy gaze bore into her as if trying to see through her, ¡°You have one minute to tell me the truth.¡± He wheeled himself over to her, lifting her chin up. ¡°What else are you hiding? I¡¯m waiting for you toe clean.¡± His voice was low and husky, like a suppressed growl. ¡°1. I told Grandpa that I¡¯m not Kendra.¡± As she finished, tears began to roll down her cheeks. She had been so careful to hide her feelings for so long, she no longer wanted to keep up the pretense. At this moment, a sense of relief washed over her Come what may, she was ready. She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable, only to feel the man gently release her chin and pull her into his embrace. Looking up into his eyes, she felt a moment of disorientation. He lifted her onto hisp, just as he had done before. He whispered in her ear in a low voice, ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. As long as you¡¯re my wife, that¡¯s all that matters. It doesn¡¯t matter who you are, you can only be my wife.¡± Stunned, Natalia looked at him, choking on her words, ¡°Did you know all along that I wasn¡¯t Kendra? Did you deliberately not expose me?¡± ¡°Hm ¡°He responded nonchntly, looking out the window. He held her as he wheeled over to turn on the bedsidemp. Natalia felt like she was dreaming, seeing his tender side again. He hadn¡¯t exploded in anger, or strangled her. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. He put her on the bed, his dark eyes watching her quietly, ¡°No matter what happens, just remember that you are my wife Can you do that?¡± Can she? She was not his wife, his wife was Kendra. But in his inscrutable dark eyes, she found herself nodding. ¡°Go take a bath and sleep. Don¡¯t leave me from now on. Once Grandpa¡¯s birthday is over, we¡¯ll return to the ind.¡± He straightened up and moved away from the bed, heading towards the door. As he opened the door and left, Natalia sat up. He knew. He had known all along and yet he hadn¡¯t strangled her But Morgan wouldn¡¯t let the rksons off easily. Her Dad! She wanted to go plead with Morgan not to me her father, but then she remembered Magnus¡® words, ¡°No matter what happens, just remember you¡¯re my wife.¡± She slumped back onto the bed. In the room below, Morgan looked at the man in the wheelchair, his most cherished grandson, who had been deceived like this. How could he swallow this bitter pill? ¡°Get that girl off Sapphire Ind immediately. I¡¯ll deal with the rksons. If they have nothing to say for themselves, I¡¯ll wipe their entire family off the face of Melfort.¡± Morgan paced around the room angrily. pter 30 ¡°Grandpa, I can¡¯t chase her away. She¡¯s already my wife. Where would you have me send her away? It doesn¡¯t matter who she is, she¡¯s Mrs. Magnus now. I¡¯m sorry, Grandpa Magnus looked up at the elderly man with gray hair ¡°But she¡¯s Kyler¡¯s bastard child, with a mother whose identity remains a mystery. It¡¯s possible that Kyler had her with some lowborn woman. How can someone of such a status marry into the Andersen family?¡± He pointed towards the door, his voiceced with fury. Magnus gripped the handles of his wheelchair tightly, pleadingly looking at Morgan ¡°No, grandpa, let me handle this Please, don¡¯t interfere.¡± Morgan stared at his stubborn grandson, disappointment evident in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s only been a few days, and you¡¯re already attached to her Magnus, she seems like a good girl, but she¡¯s not for you. I have to deal with the rksons¡± ¡°We do need to settle the score with the rksons, but I¡¯ll handle this girl Whether she¡¯s suitable for me or not, I¡¯m the only one who knows Grandpa you don¡¯t want to see me lose even the right to choose my own woman in this life, do you?¡® Magnus suddenly stared at Morgan quietly ¡°You¡­¡± For a moment, Morgan felt his grandson was no longer the obedient child he used to be He had changed Maybe, unbeknownst to him, Magnus had grown stronger. 11:40 1 Chapter 31 Chapter 31 He waved dismissively, ¡°Go ahead, it¡¯s up to you.¡± He turned away with a hint of mncholy. ¡°Thank you, Grandpa.¡± Magnus turned to leave. On the third floor, Magnus pushed open the door to his bedroom to see the girl still waiting for him by the bed. Upon seeing him enter, she immediately got up to push his wheelchair. ¡°Why are you still awake?¡± He asked softly, looking at her tired face. ¡°I was waiting for you toe back.¡± Natalia replied, then blushed, realizing how it sounded. What she meant was that she was waiting to help him bathe and go to bed, not anything else. At her words, Magnus chuckled softly, ¡°Waiting for me toe back and sleep together?¡± Natalia looked nkly at himughing, her captivating eyes locked onto him. She quickly lowered her head, her heart skipping a beat. ¡°Magnus, I¡¯ve prepared the bath for you. You should go ahead.¡± He didn¡¯t mention that matter, and Natalia didn¡¯t ask about it. She wheeled him into the bathroom, turned to leave, but her wrist was caught in his grasp. ¡°Let¡¯s bathe together. How am I supposed to btake a bath if you don¡¯t help me?¡± Natalia blushed at his words. On the ind, she had never helped him bathe. He had always done it himself. But now, here, he wanted her to help him, even suggesting they bathe together. ¡°No, you go first.¡± ¡°Take a bath together. The servants outside are watching. If you don¡¯t take care of me properly, Grandpa will get even angrier. Do you want the rkson family to disappear from Melfort?¡± He released her hand slightly. Natalia froze, hurriedly grasping his hand. ¡°Magnus, all of this is not my father¡¯s fault. Please don¡¯t me him. It was my mother and Kendra who forced me into this. Since you already know that I¡¯m an imposter and not worthy of being your wife, I can work as a maid and take care of you, so please don¡¯t take it out on my father.¡± She tightened her grip on the man¡¯s hand, her panicked look tinged with pleading. He stared intensely at her, ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to vent my anger on your father, then behave and help me undress to bathe/ He had never thought of having her as a maid. Natalia bit her lip, slowly unbuttoning his shirt. He watched her trembling hands, suddenly pulling her onto hisp. Before Natalia could react, she was already sitting on hisp, her vision darkened as his warm lips met hers. He forcefully sucked on her lips, causing Natalia to wince in pain. She cried out, and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue into her mouth, capturing her small tongue and sucking an it hungrily. Natalia began to tremble, his presence overwhelming her senses. Hisrge hand held the back of her head, the other around her slender waist, kissing her without restraint. The sweetness of her lips made it impossible for him to stop, her sweet scent filling his nostrils. His hand uncontrobly slipped under her clothes. Natalia let out a ¡°hmmm¡± and started to struggle, but she suddenly felt something hard under her buttocks. It grew bigger and hotter as it pressed against her ass. She writhed in his arms, rubbing against him. ¡°Stop moving!¡± He growled. If she kept moving like this, he wasn¡¯t sure if he could control himself. Natalia instantly froze, sitting on hisp, allowing his arousal to press dangerously against her. He kissed her again, and Natalia was both shocked and embarrassed. Under his intense kiss, her body slowly melted. After about ten minutes, their clothes were soaked with sweat and the humidity of the bathroom. With his eyes half¨Cclosed, he huskily said, ¡°Take off your clothes and bathe. You¡¯re all sweaty.¡± Natalia looked at him, his handsome face filled with desire. When he wasn¡¯t angry, his stunning appearance made her feel hard to breathe. She had never experienced a kiss like this before. Every time, he sucked on her lips and tongue until they were numb. She clung tightly to her clothes, not wanting to remove them. But he suddenly lifted her up, the wheelchair sliding next to the bathtub. Before she could react, her entire body was already in the bathtub, causing arge ssh. Magnus¡® clothes were soaked, he looked down at himself and quickly stripped. He looked at the girl in the bathtub, her drenched clothes clinging to her petite body. He swallowed, unbuckling his belt and jumping into the bathtub. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. The water in the bathtub overflowed again, and Natalia yelped. She immediately covered her mouth, but the servants outside still heard her and immediately reported it to the second floor. In the second¨Cfloor bedroom, Morgan¡¯s expression darkened. Had his grandson already fallen for that girl? He sighed. On the third floor, in the bathroom, Magnus listened to Natalia¡¯s yelp, and a slight smile curled on the corner of his mouth. ¡°I haven¡¯t even done anything, and you¡¯re already moaning so loudly. Are you trying to tell everyone that we are doing it?¡± Natalia was too embarrassed to lift her head. He pulled her into his arms and began to remove her clothes. ¡°Don¡¯t, Magnus, I¡¯m not used to this yet. Can we just have a bath first?¡± Natalia hugged her wet arms, crouching in his arms. ¡°We¡¯re already wet, so why not take them off? Do you think I haven¡¯t seen your body before.¡± With a wave of his hand, Natalia¡¯s wet dress fell outside the bathtub. ¡°Ah!¡± She was left in her underwear and shorts. ¡°When did you see my body!¡± ¡°When you were sick and feverish, I was the one who changed your clothes. How could forget that.¡± He stared intensely at her glowing skin. you He listened to the sound outside the door. The corners of his mouth curled up as he looked at the girl in his arms, his body burning with heat. This damned girl, didn¡¯t she know she was in danger? He was saving her. If he didn¡¯t have sex with her tonight, his grandfather would definitely not let her stay the night. He knew his grandfather¡¯s tactics too well. But now as he watched the body shivering in his arms and remembered thest time he¡¯d taken her, his arousal grew. At that time, he was dizzy with anger and took revenge on her with rage, and her first time was taken away from her by him in that situation. So it was normal for her to feel traumatized. Tonight, if he didn¡¯t sleep with her, his grandfather might send her away tomorrow, or throw her directly into some kind of a farm. This would deal a fatal blow to the rkson family, and then Grandpa would get Kendra to remarry him on the ind. Natalia looked at the man, his eyes alternating between passion and coldness. Based on his words just now, he had changed her clothes when she was sick. Then he had already seen her body. Her face was burning like fire, her heart pounding. ¡°Magnus. I¡¯ll grab your towel, just take a look if you want to. It¡¯s not like you haven¡¯t seen it all before She suddenly got out from the bathtub, reaching for a towel from the rack to dab the droplets of water off Magnus¡® back. She looked down and couldn¡¯t help but notice the rather noticeable bulge in his boxers. Her cheeks med up even more. She quickly diverted her eyes. However, the man caught her hand, gently pulling her back onto hisp, right on top of his well Magnus took a deep breath. Then he suddenly flipped her over and pressed her into the bathtub water He held her gaze for a few seconds, then with a strong push of his arms, he hoisted himself into his wheelchair, shrugged on his bathrobe and dressed himself Chapter 32 Chapter 32 Natalia¡¯s mouth fell open in shock as he casually grabbed another bathrobe and fished her out of the water, stripping her of her underwear. ¡°Ah! Magnus. I can do it myself!¡± Being entirely exposed like this made her want to hide in embarrassment. However, the man¡¯s ice¨Ccold handsome face remained expressionless as he wrapped her in a bathrobe and smoothly wheeled her to the side of the bed in the bedroom. He tossed her onto the bed in one swift motion. Natalianded in the soft sheets, trying to grab the covers to hide herself, but her vision went dark as the man deftly jumped onto the bed. His entire body covered hers, the bathrobes providing little barrier between their skin. Natalia could feel his hard¨Con pressing against her through the thin fabric. She stared at him in panic. The memories of that night flooded back. If it was him who forced himself on her, she would hate him. If it wasn¡¯t him, then she had lost her virginity to another man. Didn¡¯t that disgust him? ¡°Magnus, calm down. We talked about this. I¡¯m not Kendra, and I won¡¯t do things like this with you.¡± Her hands pressed against his hot chest, her heart pounding wildly in her chest. ¡°Shut up.¡± The man growled, his face clouded with displeasure. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to die, behave. Tonight, I¡¯ll make you my wife. This way, you and the rkson family might have a chance of survival. You know how much you angered grandpa by recing Kendra. Even if I spare you, he won¡¯t.¡± The man looked at the girl¡¯s terrified eyes, the innocence reflected in the dim light making him soften. He raised his hand, his rough fingers gently caressing her cheek. Her lips were tightly pressed together, swollen from his earlier kisses in the bathroom She was too delicate That night, he had taken her so roughly she had passed out several times. Because he was so angry then, he hadn¡¯t been gentle. But tonight, he nned to be gentler He leaned in to gently kiss her lips, a shallow touch. His lower body pressed dangerously against her. The girl¡¯s mind went nk, and she was still processing what he¡¯d just said when she felt a wave of pleasure run through her body ¡°No¡­ Magnus, listen to me uhm¡± She wanted to tell him that she was no longer a virgin. The man on his ind had taken that from her. But the man didn¡¯t give her a chance, silencing her protests with a passionate kiss that quickly escted. Both were naked. In no time, Magnus lost control Under his fervent kisses, the girl¡¯s body gradually softened. Every time she tried to speak, he silenced her Hisrge hand instinctively parted her legs. When he finally imed her, a sh of white light filled the girl¡¯s mind. She felt as if she was floating in the air, riding on clouds with his every movement. Magnus hadn¡¯t touched a woman in years, and that one time had been out of anger plus revenge, and he hadn¡¯t felt any pleasure, just his body¡¯s instincts. But this time, he truly felt the sweetness that gnawed at his bones. This girl was like a warm clear stream, flowing beneath him. He lovingly cupped her face, which was as beautiful as a peach blossom. She let out sounds like a kitten¡¯s purr. Even she herself didn¡¯t realize how beautiful she sounded. He leaned in to kiss her lips, losing himself in her. Half an hourter, he called out to her affectionately, ¡°Mydy¡­¡± The sound from the bedroomsted so long that the maid outside the door blushed upon hearing it. She quickly ran to the second floor to report again. ¡°Sir, Mr. Magnus and Ms. Natalia seem to be very much in love.¡± Morgan¡¯s face was as cold as ice. This girl sure knew how to y her cards. She had managed to make his precious grandson fall for her so quickly. It seemed she wasn¡¯t as innocent as she appeared. After all, she was Kyler¡¯s illegitimate child. He waved his hand dismissively, deciding to deal with the matter after the birthday banquet. Meanwhile, in a dimly lit bar in Melfort, Lucius sat in a booth, furiously smoking. Soon, the door to the booth was pushed open. Kendra, dressed in a sexy tight dress, appeared before him. ¡°Lucius, why did you call me here in such a hurry?¡± The girl hadrge, wavy hair and fiery red lips. She walked over and sat next to Lucius. The man grabbed her arm and pulled her onto hisp. He looked at Kendra and for a moment, he thought of the girl at Vi Montecresto. Suddenly, he found that the small, soft girl was more appealing than Kendra. No wonder Magnus wasn¡¯t angry about not marrying Kendra. ¡°Kendra, there¡¯s trouble. Magnus has discovered that you reced yourself with your sister at the wedding. Grandpa probably knows too,¡± Lucius said as he held her shoulder. Kendra¡¯s face paled. ¡°What do we do? Lucius, will your grandpa me my family?¡± She clung to Lucius arm. ¡°That useless thing Natalia, how could she be found out so quickly. She really is a cheap woman¡¯s daughter. If this incident implicates the rkson family, I will never forgive her Kendra red out the window. Lucius looked troubled. ¡°Now it¡¯s not a matter of forgiving or not forgiving her. The main problem now is that grandpa knows. He might send your sister back to the rkson family. And then he might marry you off to Magnus Kendra¡¯s gazes tightened in panic. She looked at Lucius anxiously. ¡°Lucius, no, I can¡¯t marry Magnus. I¡¯m your woman, Lucius. You have to save me. You have to save the rkson family.¡± Lucius stared at the alluring beauty in his arms, then turned to look out into the pitch¨Cdark night. A smug smile crept across his lips. ¡°There¡¯s only one way to prevent grandpa from marrying you to Magnus.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the solution? Lucius, tell me what to do, and I¡¯ll do it. I absolutely won¡¯t marry that cripple. I love you.¡± After saying that, she kissed Lucius on the lips. With a beauty in his arms offering herself willingly, Lucius couldn¡¯t resist. He closed his eyes and returned her kiss, pinning Kendra under him on the couch. In no time, the booth was filled with the sounds of a man¡¯s growls and a woman¡¯s moans. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Lucius, panting and holding the exhausted Kendra, said. ¡°Kendra, you need to go back and convince your father to call a board meeting with his shareholders, force Grandpa to hand over the CEO¡¯s chair to me soon. Only then can we preserve the rkson family¡¯s honor. We can get married right away. You won¡¯t have to marry Magnus.¡± The man¡¯s dark eyes reflected a ruthless light in the dimly lit room. If Morgan was determined not to give way, he wouldn¡¯t think twice about ruining the rtionship with his grandfather. He would force him to step down from the CEO¡¯s position. With Lucius¡® words, a wry smile appeared on Kendra¡¯s face. For her happiness and the glory of the rkson family, she would persuade her father. But she was worried, ¡°Lucius, once you be the CEO, will you still marry me?¡± ¡°Of course I will marry you, Kendra. Who else would I marry in this lifetime?¡± He kissed the corner of her mouth, ¡°When I¡¯m the CEO, let¡¯s see who can go against me?¡± A devilish smile appeared on Lucius¡® face. At that time, he could marry whoever he wanted. ¡°But Lucius, I¡¯ve already registered the marriage with Magnus. What should we do?¡± Kendra frowned in distress. ¡°What does it matter?¡± Lucius scoffed. ¡°I¡¯ll make him process the divorce as soon as possible. You two haven¡¯t even met face to face. How could you possibly get married?¡± mapter Chapter 33 Chapter 33 The two of them stayed in the booth until 1 AM before parting ways. Lucius quietly entered his own bedroom in the vi. He reached to turn on the bedsidemp and was startled to suddenly see Magnus sitting in a wheelchair by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window. It took him by a big surprise. ¡°Are you trying to give me a heart attack, sneaking into my room at this ungodly hour?¡± Lucius kept his voice low. ¡°If you don¡¯t feel guilty, why would you be startled?¡± Magnus wheeled himself smoothly to meet Lucius. ¡°Your secretive return at thiste hour suggests that you¡¯re the one with something to hide,¡± Magnus¡® deep, prating gaze bore into Lucius as if trying to read his very soul. Lucius strode over to Magnus, ¡°And what¡¯s your excuse for ying the night owl in my room? Can¡¯t satisfy your desires with your new bride? Let me remind you, Magnus, you chose to marry an imposter. Deal with it. Don¡¯t expect me to be your pawn in any of your twisted games.¡± Magnus smirked, ¡°Well, the cat¡¯s out of the bag, and grandfather knows. Given his temperament, what do you think he¡¯ll do? Better keep a tight leash on your woman. I couldn¡¯t care less about her. But grandfather, that¡¯s another story.¡± Lucius looked at the man in the wheelchair, and for a moment, he felt a bit dazed. He suddenly sensed that this man seemed to exude an invisible force, exerting an intangible pressure on him from an unseen ce. ¡°Your affection to your new bride seems genuine. I doubt you¡¯d want her snatched away by grandfather. And she¡¯s quite protective of you. Don¡¯t get too greedy, Magnus. Coveting what¡¯s not rightfully yours will only bring trouble.¡± Magnus chuckled, ¡°Let¡¯s not forget, Lucius. Kendra and I are still legally married. Despite my disdain for your woman, she remains my wife in the eyes of thew. Even if I couldn¡¯t care less about her, that doesn¡¯t mean you have no right to cavort with her behind my back. I advise you to stay in line, or you might lose everything.¡± After Magnus finished speaking, a sly smile yed on his lips. He wheeled away, and the man left behind stared at his departing figure with a malevolent glint in his eyes. Lucius thought to himself: ¡°Losing everything? Huh, I will show you what I got soon enough; no matter how much Morgan may love you, you will always be a cripple who can¡¯t even get up.¡± Magnus returned to the bedroom and saw the girl sleeping soundly in the bed. Her petite face was flushed like an apple, and he gazed at her affectionately Then, he stood up, removed his clothes, and lay down. With a gentle sweep of hisrge hand, he pulled her close, holding her tightly in his arms. In Natalia¡¯s dreams, she felt a presence. She curled up, whispering in her sleep, ¡°Magnus..¡± His heart melted. He held her tighter and kissed her forehead, ¡°Sleep, my sweet.¡± Her petite body was so small and so delicate, it drove him crazy. This time he took her, and enveloped by her tightness, he almost lost control again. The thought of their intimate moments drove him to the brink of insanity. He looked at her peaceful sleeping face, whispering to himself, ¡°You chose this, my dear. No matter what happens, you are mine. I will keep you safe.¡± The next day, Natalia opened her eyes, feeling sore all over. She immediately remembered what she and Magnus had donest night, and a sense of numbness crept into her heart. God! She actually slept with Magnus. She looked up, and nearly jumped out of her skin to see him hovering over her. His eyes were closed, and his breath came out in deep, even exhtions. His scent, that intoxicating masculine aroma, filled her senses. His eyshes were impossibly long. She remembered him calling her ¡°my wife¡± in the heat of passion. Her entire face was red. But it wasn¡¯t her first timest night, he should have known that, he didn¡¯t ask her. This man sometimes was so gentle that it captivated people, and sometimes so cold that you couldn¡¯t even look at his face. She gently extricated herself from his hold and attempted to head for the bathroom. Magnus snapped his eyes open, catching sight of her fleeting figure. With a swift motion, he pulled her back into his embrace, ¡°Sleep a little more.¡± Natalia¡¯s heart pounded, ¡°I need to change. What if the maidse in and see us?¡± He looked at her, ¡°You screamed so loudlyst night. Weren¡¯t you worried about the maids hearing you then?¡± His voice was husky and sexy. It made Natalia blush from ear to ear. ¡°That was all your fault.¡± He buried his face in her neck, murmuring, ¡°From now on, you¡¯re my woman. No matter what. you have to stand by me. Understand?¡± Natalia blinked, ¡°Magnus, I may have taken my sister¡¯s ce to marry you, but that doesn¡¯t mean I wish to harm you. I just want to take care of you. If therees a day when your legs recover and you don¡¯t need me anymore, I can leave. Just promise me you won¡¯t hurt my father. He¡¯s the only family I have.¡± Her eyes were misty, like a rose in the rain, blooming in his embrace. How could Magnus me her for anything. Ever since their first night together, the thought of her had been tormenting him. He was unsure of his feelings towards her He knew she wasn¡¯t legally his wife, but he wanted her nheless. He was even thankful that the rkson family had switched to Natalia. If Kendra had been the one to marry him, his life might have been consumed by revenge. But now, he had her. He gently caressed her face, ¡°Alright, I promise not to hurt him.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Natalia smiled, ¡°Thank you, Magnus.¡± He pinned her under him, ¡°How about showing some gratitude in a more tangible way?¡± She blushed, ¡°Didn¡¯t we already do thatst night?¡± Was he suggesting they do it again? A flurry of vivid images flooded Natalia¡¯s mind. Even she herself was taken aback by her own thoughts. How could she have such ideas? Oh my! ¡°It wasn¡¯t enough.¡± He leaned in to kiss her. Natalia¡¯s heart raced. But before she could utter a word, his lips silenced her His intoxicating masculine scent filled her senses. She pushed him away slightly, ¡°Magnus, listen, I haven¡¯t brushed my teeth yet.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± ¡°You¡­ don¡¯t you have anything to ask me?¡± ¡°Ask what?¡± ¡°Last night, it wasn¡¯t my first time.¡± With that, Natalia shut her eyes. The man stopped kissing her, lifting his head slightly to look at her with fiery red eyes. ¡°1 know.¡± ¡°So¡­ you don¡¯t mind?¡± ¡°Not at all, because it was also me who took your first time.¡± Natalia stared wide¨Ceyed at the man atop her, disbelief written all over on her face. ¡°You¡­your leg¡­uh.¡± Chapter 34 Chapter 34 Before she could finish her words, the man silenced her with a kiss, his tongue skillfully invading her mouth, intertwined with hers. The sweetness of her mouth had his blood boiling. Hisrge hand slipped under her nightgown. All he wanted was her; he wanted to feel her wrapped around him. The ferocity of his kiss left Natalia¡¯s mind in a fuzzy haze. Just as the man was about to push further, there was a knock on the bedroom door. ¡°Mr. Magnus, Ms. Natalia, your grandfather requests your presence for breakfast,¡± The sound from outside the door startled Natalia, causing her to immediately push the man off her Magnus nced at her with hazy eyes, ¡°Darling.¡± ¡°Get up, someone is here.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± Half an hourter, Natalia wheeled him down the stairs. At the breakfast table, Morgan¡¯s face was grim. He looked up at his expressionless grandson and a tense Natalia, sighing heavily, but ultimately said nothing. Morgan¡¯s birthday celebration went as nned. He didn¡¯t invite many people, but the executives of the Andersen Corporation and the influential figures of Melfort were all present. On the day of the party, Morgan only announced that Magnus now held the most shares in the Andersen Corporation, and did not reveal who the future CEO would be. Lucius squinted his eyes, holding back a strong impulse. He nced at Kyler, giving him a small nod. At that moment, Kyler gently stepped out from the crowd and approached Morgan, ¡°Mr. Morgan, today I represent the entire rkson family in wishing you a happy 80th birthday. You can now begin to enjoy the blessings of your children and grandchildren, and pass on your responsibilities to the younger generation.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Morgan, we have been waiting for you to announce the new CEO. Are you nning on making the announcement at this party?¡± Mr. Lee added with a smirk. He was one of Lucius trusted men. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Morgan¡¯s face darkened instantly. His piercing eyes met Kyler¡¯s, ¡°I will announce the new CEO in June. Today is my birthday celebration, and I have no intention of discussing business But I wouldn¡¯t mind discussing family matters with Mr. rkson.¡± Kyler was taken aback, his gaze quickly shifting to Natalia, who was standing in the corner next to a wheelchair. Natalja, small and delicate, was standing in the shadows behind the wheelchair, while the man in the wheelchair stared intently at him. For the past month, he had been on edge. He knew Addison had sent Natalia to Sapphire Ind, which had caused a huge argument between him and his wife. He was terrified that Natalia would be discovered and anger the Andersen family, thus ruining the rkson fa But a month had passed and Natalia hadn¡¯t been sent back. Instead, he was attending Morgan¡¯s birthday celebration. Last night, unable to resist Kendra¡¯s nagging, he agreed to bring up the issue of the new CEO at Morgan¡¯s birthday party. He thought that since Kendra was about to marry into the Andersen family, it wouldn¡¯t anger Morgan. Seeing Morgan¡¯s reaction, he regretted his decision. He looked at the man in the wheelchair, whose dark eyes were like an unfathomableke. The man satzily in the wheelchair, his expression indifferent, but his eyes were radiating a cold light that sent chills down his spine. Despite being wheelchair¨Cbound, the man exuded an aura of majesty. Natalia was standing quietly behind him. She had lost weight. ¡°Mr. rkson, since Kendra married my grandson, you haven¡¯t visited her once. Today, you should spend some time with her,¡± Morgan¡¯s sharp eyes bore into Kyler. ¡°Yes. Thank you, Mr. Morgan.¡± Kyler quickly walked towards Natalia. When he reached Magnus and looked at Natalia, he suddenly felt like she was a stranger. He gently whispered in her ear, ¡°Natalia, let¡¯s go talk outside.¡± Natalia nodded. As they left, everyone in the room watched them go. ¡°Mr. Morgan, Kendra seems to be a great match for Mr. Magnus. This is truly a match made in heaven,¡± Mr. Lee immediately went to Morgan to tter him.. ¡°Yes, Ms. rkson is refined and elegant, truly befitting of ady of her stature,¡± ¡°She and Mr. Magnus indeed make a cute couple.¡± Amidst the tteringments, Morgan watched Magnus, who had a faint smile on his face. ¡°Thank you all. I¡¯d like to take this opportunity to announce to my grandfather and all the board members that I¡¯ll be joining the Andersen Corporation with Lucius in June He wheeled his chair over to Morgan¡¯s side, and amid the surprised gazes of the onlookers, he lifted his head slightly, wearing a smile that seemed unfathomable ¡°Everyone knows that my legs aren¡¯t good, but my brain is perfectly fine. I want to contribute to the Andersen Corporation After all, I hold a majority of the shares. I don¡¯t want anyone to use me of reaping the benefits without lifting a finger His gaze swept across everyone present ¡°Mr. Magnus, you should focus on your recovery Leave thepany matters to Mr. Lucius.¡± ¡°Yes, focus on your health, we trust that Mr Lucius can manage the Andersen Corporation¡± Hearing the crowd¡¯s words, Magnus¡® dark eyes revealed a mocking smile ¡°Thank you for your concern, but I don¡¯t need to rest anymore I will officially start working at the Andersen Corporation next month.¡± As soon as he spoke, everyone gasped in astonishment, except for the stunned Lucius who couldn¡¯t snap out of it. Lucius stared fixedly at Magnus¡® half¨Csmiling face, and suddenly, he felt a shiver run down his spine. He wasing back to Andersen Corporation. He wasing back to vie for the CEO position. Magnus didn¡¯t pay any heed to Lucius¡® changing expressions. His wheelchair rolled smoothly to Morgan¡¯s side, and said with a smile. ¡°Grandpa, you heard it right. I¡¯m willing to work at Andersen Corporation. After all, it¡¯s the fruit of your life¡¯sbor. I can¡¯t just sit back and enjoy the fruits without helping to nt the seeds.¡± Morgan looked into Magnus¡® resolute eyes; there was no hint of jest in them. He gently ced a hand on his shoulder, his face showing surprise and joy. ¡°Are you serious? You¡¯re reallying back?¡± ¡°Yes, Grandpa, I am. I¡¯m sorry for causing you worry over the years. Regardless of it all, I¡¯m willing to give my all for Andersen Corporation.¡± Magnus extended his hand to grasp Morgan¡¯s. Tears welled in Morgan¡¯s eyes as he firmly grasped Magnus¡® hand. ¡°Good, good. Your willingness to come back is all I need to be reassured.¡± Lucius stepped up to the wheelchair, ¡°Magnus, why don¡¯t you just stay on the ind and rest? Leave all this to me. Grandpa, you can rest assured. I will carry Andersen Corporation to greater heights, and I won¡¯t let you down.¡± Morgan seemed to have not heard Lucius¡® words, still holding Magnus¡® hand Without giving a second nce to the directors in the hall, he pushed Magnus¡® wheelchair, turning to say, ¡°Let¡¯s go, my boy Since you¡¯reing back to thepany, I¡¯ll have Paul assist you. I¡¯ll have him fill you in on the company matters.¡± Chapter 35 Chapter 35 In the midst of stunned gazes, Morgan wheeled his way into the elevator, ¡°Paul.¡± ¡°Yes, Chairman.¡± Paul, dressed in a suit, walked over with a smile. ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll be with Magnus, briefing him about thepany¡¯s affairs. You¡¯re his assistant now.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Paul responded immediately. He looked at Magnus with a smile, ¡°Mr. Magnus, so nice meeting you. Just call me Paul.¡± Magnus nodded slightly. The three of them stepped into the elevator and went straight up. Everyone left in the lobby watched the elevator doors close in shock. Morgan was ecstatic to hear that Mr. Magnus was returning to thepany. He even gave his own assistant to Mr. Magnus, a clear indication of his fondness and high hopes for him. Lucius clenched his fists tightly, his eyes showing traces of anger. Good, very good, not only did he agree to let that cripple go to thepany, but he also handed Paul over to him. This was tant favoritism. He let out a cold smile, keen to see how that cripple would dare topete with him. Even if Magnus did enter thepany, he would make sure he retreated. He nodded slightly amidst puzzled looks, ¡°Feel free to stay. I have a few things to take care of.¡± He walked out into the vi¡¯s courtyard and nced up at the study. His face instantly contorted into a frightening expression. Outside the vi, under the grape arbor, Kyler and Natalia stood there. Kyler looked around, then walked over to Natalia and ced his hands on her shoulders.¡°Natalia, are you okay? I¡¯m sorry for what happened. How have you been on the ind? Has Mr. Magnus been making things hard for you?¡± Natalia looked up at Kyler, her blue eyes filled with tears, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m fine, but they all know I¡¯m not Kendra. Dad, stop fooling grandpa. Please tell him the truth.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°What? They know you¡¯re not Kendra? And they haven¡¯t made things difficult for you?¡± Kyler stared at his daughter in disbelief. Natalia nodded, ¡°Dad, it¡¯s not right for me to rece Kendra to marry Mr. Magnus. It¡¯s normal for the Andersen family to make things difficult for me, because I¡¯m not Kendra. I just hope you can tell grandpa the truth Perhaps he will forgive the rkson family. After all, Kendra and Mr. Lucius are still going to get married.¡± ¡°Natalia, you¡¯re right. I¡¯ll speak to Morgan right now. Kendra will marry Mr. Lucius, and we¡¯re still one family. I¡¯m sorry for putting you through this, Natalia Kyler said remorsefully. Natalia shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t mind, I think Mr. Magnus is very good. He may have a strange temper, but his heart is kind. He didn¡¯t make things hard for me when he knew I wasn¡¯t Kendra, but chose to keep it a secret with me. I will take good care of him until he can stand on his feet again.¡± Kyler looked at his daughter¡¯s resolute gaze, and suddenly felt Natalia had grown up. ¡°Alright, Natalia, since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll go speak to Morgan. We, the rkson family, were wrong first. No matter what the Andersen family demands, we will agree.¡± Kyler turned around after speaking and walked into the vi. Lillian, who was standing on the other side, overheard their conversation and smirked. Kyler must be dreaming. If it wasn¡¯t for her son¡¯s rtionship with Kendra, she would have made the rkson family disappear from Melfort. In the second¨Cfloor study, just as Kyler was about to knock on the door, he heard Morgan¡¯s voice, ¡°Magnus, if you¡¯re willing to go to thepany, I¡¯ll arrange everything. At next month¡¯s shareholder meeting, I¡¯ll announce you as the new president.¡± Kyler was taken aback. Morgan was making Magnus the president of the Andersen Corporation. What about Lucius? Kendra would be furious. ¡°Grandpa, I just got back to the Andersen Corporation, so let¡¯s not rush to announce the presidency. Besides, there¡¯s Lucius, right?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t count on Lucius. I know what he¡¯s thinking.¡± Morgan roared quietly. Kyler quickly retreated and walked downstairs. Under these circumstances, mentioning Kendra would only add fuel to Morgan¡¯s fire. That night, Magnus took Natalia and left Vi Montecresto. As they were leaving, Morgan said to Magnus again, ¡°Magnus, even if you¡¯re protecting this girl, I won¡¯t approve of you two being together. This time, I want Kyler to pay the price.¡± Magnus frowned, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯ll handle this matter. You don¡¯t need to interfere. I¡¯ll know what to do. Take care of your health. You don¡¯t need to worry about these trivial matters.¡± Magnus was Morgan¡¯s pride, and as long as he spoke, Morgan would indulge him. He wasn¡¯t happy, but in consideration of Magnus¡® willingness to work at the Andersen Corporation, he decided not to make things difficult for this girl and the rkson family. He believed in his grandson, and let him handle it himself. He took onest look at the cautious girl before leaving without a word. When they returned to the vi, it was already 9 pm. Natalia escorted Magnus into his bedroom and prepared to go to her own room to bathe and sleep. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Just as she reached the door, Magnus called out to her. ¡°I¡¯m going to take a shower and sleep. You must be tired too, go to sleep early Natalia looked at the back of the man¡¯s head as he sat on the edge of the bed in his wheelchair. ¡°Do you still n on living separately from me?¡± After the previous night, he thought she would bathe and sleep with him from then on. He didn¡¯t expect this girl to n on separating from him as soon as they got home. Natalia immediately walked over, ¡°Thank you for standing up for me in front of grandpa. Now that we¡¯re back, I¡¯ll go to my own room to sleep.¡± ¡°Are you sure you don¡¯t want to sleep with me?¡± Magnus turned around in his wheelchair and stared straight at her. Natalia was taken aback. Her mind shed back to the night he had forced himself upon her, and she realized she hadn¡¯t confronted him about it in the days she spent at the Andersen Family Mansion. She red at him vehemently, ¡°Magnus, yes, you helped me out at Grandpa¡¯s, but I can¡¯t forgive you for what you did to me the other night. Why did you treat me like that?¡± Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears. She had pleaded with him that night, but he hadn¡¯t spared her. Even afterwards he didn¡¯t admit that it was him. Onlyst night, he confessed to taking her virginity. Magnus maneuvered his wheelchair to her side, reaching out to grab her arm, but she instinctively stepped back. He frowned and said, ¡°Come here.¡± He had to have her in his arms before he was willing to give an exnation. ¡°No!¡± Tears brimming in her eyes, Natalia turned and started to walk away. ¡°I¡¯ll give you three seconds toe back, and I¡¯ll exin,¡± he called after her. But Natalia, as if determined to defy him, continued walking. ¡°If you want Kyler to disappear from Melfort, keep walking.¡± His voice was cold and detached, as he turned his wheelchair back towards the room. Natalia stopped in her tracks when she heard him. She turned around, her hands clenched into fists. He always knew how to threaten her using her father. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them, the man had already gone to the bathroom. She gritted her teeth and followed him, pulling him back just as he was about to undress. ¡°What else can you do besides threatening me and losing your temper? You¡¯re a jerk!¡± She wanted to cry so badly, but the tears were welling up in her eyes and she tried her best to hold them back. Chapter 36 Chapter 36 The man looked into the girl¡¯s anguished, pale face. He reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling it forcefully. Natalia found herself sprawled across hisp. With a fluid motion, the man cradled her in his embrace, turning her face towards him by gently pinching her chin, and nted a passionate kiss on her lips. He closed his eyes, savoring the moment, his voiceing out in a rough. whisper, ¡°I will make love to you again, Natalia.¡± Natalia felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment at his words. This man actually had the audacity to utter such things. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°You¡­ Stop being a¡­ a jerk!¡± Natalia struggled to free herself. But he held her even tighter, ¡°Then I might as well live up to that title.¡± He said and kissed her again. Ever since he had slept with Natalia, he had been consumed with the desire to be close to her. He finally understood the words of his friends, James and Chase. His heart, which had been barren for years, seemed to have found an oasis. He couldn¡¯t quench his thirst for her. She was too sweet, her body driving him to the point of insanity. His warm kisses forced Natalia to submit to his desires. He pried open her lips, capturing her tongue and drawing it into a passionate dance. The sensation coursed through her like an electric current. His cool breath filled her senses, leaving Natalia lost in his domineering yet tender conquests, despite her inexperience. His hand had already taken off her coat, revealing her dress clinging to her soft curves. His hand traced her body, skillfully caressing her, causing Natalia to let out a soft moan. The man lifted his misty eyes as he lifted the girl¡¯s petite body so that she was straddling over hisp. This intimate pose made Natalia blush with embarrassment. ¡°You Let me down.¡± She weakly pushed him away. The man didn¡¯t budge, his heated gaze fixed on her flushed face, ¡°Feeling shy? ¡°You seemed to enjoy yourselfst night at the Andersen Family Estate. Isn¡¯t that why you gripped me so tight? Huh? ¡°All these are things that happen between a husband and wife. You should get used to it ¡± Natalia felt really embarrassed Got used to it? She was nothing more than a substitute. She was not his wife ¡°I am not your wife, Magnus. Stop taking advantage of me. Once your leg gets better, I¡¯m leaving.¡± She knew that she would have to leave him one day. The man¡¯s head shot up, his ck eyes burning into hers, Not my wife? So what we do isn¡¯t something that a husband and wife do? She was actually nning to leave him ¡°That was because you forced me, and this time, we were pretending for your grandfather¡¯s sake. Magnus, I¡¯m only here to take care of you. Now that you know I¡¯m not Kendra, why won¡¯t you let me go?¡± She knew she had to leave him one day, so it would be easier to be ruthless now, lest she not only lose her body but also her heart to him.. The man¡¯s face darkened with each word she spoke. He slowly released her, his lustful gaze disappearing, ¡°You think if I let you go, you¡¯ll be safe? Do you think my grandfather will let the rksons off the hook?¡± He stared at her, his icy expression sending chills down her spine. Natalia¡¯s heart sank as she heard his words, ¡°Magnus, I know that marrying you in Kendra¡¯s ce has been hard on you. But please, for the sake of me taking care of you, don¡¯t hurt my father. You promised.¡± Her eyes turned red and teary as she stared at him pleadingly. ¡°If you want your father to be safe, it depends on how obedient you are. You¡¯re always thinking about leaving this ce. Do you think I will be kind enough to act as if nothing happened when I don¡¯t even have a substitute?¡± Did she also despise his disability and n on leaving? As Magnus thought about this, his grip on her arm tightened. Natalia struggled slightly, defiantly meeting his gaze, ¡°Do you want to spend your life with a woman you don¡¯t love? I know you married Kendra to spite Lucius, but there¡¯s no need to sacrifice your happiness. I promise to take good care of you and stay by your side until you can stand on your own.¡± She gently got up and prepared his bath, helping Magnus out of his clothes before turning to leave the room. Magnus watched her in a daze as she left, his mind reying her words. She would stay and care for him until he could stand on his own. Once the bedroom door was closed, Magnus stepped into the bath, sinking into the warm water, lost in thought. Maybe he should change his ns. He didn¡¯t want to stand up so soon. The next morning, Natalia arrived early to help Magnus with his physical therapy. He watched her, her expression calm andposed, ¡°Get ready. We¡¯re going to France tomorrow to see my doctor¡± Natalia turned to him, ¡°Am I going with you?¡± ¡°Of course, you¡¯re my wife, also my physical therapist. If you don¡¯t go, who will? ¡°I see¡± Natalia didn¡¯t say anything more ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Don¡¯t you want to go?¡± ¡°No.¡± Going to France might be a good idea, she could get away from Melfort for a while. Suddenly, a thought struck her, ¡°Do you have feeling in your legs? Is that why we¡¯re going to see the doctor?¡± The man¡¯s handsome face darkened. She really did care about him, always worrying about his recovery. Seeing his displeasure, Natalia knew his leg wasn¡¯t better yet. She gently massaged his calf, ¡°It¡¯s okay, you¡¯ll get better. I have faith.¡± She raised her blue eyes to look at his handsome face. How wonderful it would be if he could stand up. He was already so handsome, if he could stand, he would be irresistible to many girls. He would be happy then, right? ¡°Do you really hope that I can stand up?¡± He looked into her eyes. ¡°Of course, I¡¯d be really happy if you could stand up.¡± she said, her smile gentle and warm. Magnus eyes softened, and he pulled her closer, ¡°So if I stand up, you¡¯ll leave? Huh?¡± Natalia looked at him, her heart aching. If he could stand, he wouldn¡¯t need her to take care of him anymore. There would be many girls who would like him, and he would have his beloved one by his side. She wouldn¡¯t belong by his side then. ¡°If you don¡¯t want me to leave, I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll stay until you don¡¯t want me around anymore.¡± She said softly, knowing that one day, he wouldn¡¯t need her by his side anymore. Magnus¡® gaze softened even more. He gently pulled her onto hisp and brushed away the hair from her cheek, ¡°I¡¯ll never let you leave. Remember, don¡¯t ever talk about leaving again. Also, you¡¯re my woman, Magnus¡® woman, and you always will be.¡± He finished speaking and gazed at her stunned expression, then leaned down to kiss her lips. He gently brushed against her lips, and finding no resistance, he immediately engaged in a passionate kiss. He loved kissing her, her lips tasted as sweet as a ripe Georgia peach. It was addictive. Natalia¡¯s heart stuttered in her chest. He was kissing her again. She thought about resisting, but his strong arms drew her in close, making escape impossible Taking advantage, he skillfully pried open her lips, coiling around her tongue, pulling her into a deep, engaging kiss. A tingle shot through Natalia¡¯s body. Her hands, seemingly of their own ord, clung onto his shirt as she surrendered to his unexpected yet overwhelming kiss Chapter 37 Chapter 37 His warm breath fanned across her face, his breathing gradually turning ragged. Hisrge hand began to wander over her body once again. Natalia tried to push him away, but he furrowed his brows, ¡°Stop resisting. Let me kiss you.¡± Natalia¡¯s hand fell limply by her side. The man held her tight, the only sounds in the silent bedroom were the echoes of their breaths and the asional suppressed moan. Ten minutester, Magnus lifted his hazy eyes, ¡°Mydy, I want you.¡± Natalia was taken aback. She could feel the heat intensifying beneath her, so she quickly pushed him away, ¡°No, it¡¯s daytime, and I am not your wife.¡± Her emotions were a whirlwind. She was torn between appeasing him and keeping her distance. After all, her sister was hiswful wife. The realization that she was only a substitute sometimes made her feel heartbroken. She felt like she had no right to do what his wife was supposed to do. If she did, she would feel even more worthless and degraded. Magnus gazed at her with hazy eyes, ¡°You are my wife. We¡¯ve done what husbands and wives do. Don¡¯t ever say that you¡¯re not my wife again. If you say it again, I¡¯ll have to punish you.¡± His gaze darkened suddenly, and he leaned in to whisper in her ear, ¡°Mydy, don¡¯t worry about anything else. Just stay by my side, as my wife. Leave the rest to me.¡± His voice was low and husky, and sexy as hell to Natalia¡¯s ears. Before she could react, she felt the wheelchair glide towards the bed. Her body was lifted into the air and thrown onto the bed. Magnus supported himself with his hands. Natalia¡¯s vision went ck, and the weight of Magnus¡® body pressed down onto hers. She tried to sit up, her hands pushing against his burning chest, ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Mydy, don¡¯t speak.¡± He suddenly said in a low voice, like amand. Natalia stared at him in shock, expecting him to do something else. However, he bent down and kissed her, hisrge body trapping hers beneath him. His kiss was like a storm, assaulting her senses, leaving Natalia weak and helpless under his powerful onught. Magnus took advantage of her weakness to strip her, iming her as his own. He closed his eyes, suddenly thankful for her presence in his life. No matter what, he would never let her leave him. Half an hourter, fearing that the servants might knock on the door once again, Magnus made it quick. Hey satisfied on top of her, looking at her flushed face filled with desire, ¡°Mydy, did you enjoy it?¡± Natalia hid her face in her pillow in embarrassment. This man was simply insufferable. Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be unable to move his legs? Yet, he acted as if nothing was wrong, taking her again and again. ¡°Magnus, your legs¡­¡± Chapter ¡°My legs are fine.¡± He gazed deeply into her eyes, his lips brushing against her ear as he breathed gently. ¡°I mean my third leg is fine.¡± His gaze was fiery. Natalia felt as if she was being burned alive. She tried to push him away. but he caught her hand, looking displeased, ¡°Stop pushing. Let me hold you for a while.¡± ¡°You¡¯re heavy.¡± She was going numb under his weight. ¡°You didn¡¯tin about my weight just now. Why the sudden change of heart?¡± His thing was still inside her. Upon hearing herin about his weight, he moved it intentionally, making Natalia wish she could disappear into a hole. Natalia was so embarrassed that she couldn¡¯t even look at him, which made he chuckle Then, with a push of his hands, he sat up, put on a shirt, and wheeled himself into the bathroom. By the time Magnus came out, Natalia had already dressed and left the room. The sound of running water came from her bedroom as he wheeled past it, the smile on his lips couldn¡¯t be hidden. Linden, who was about to call them for dinner, was stunned to see Magnusughing. It had been years since he had seen his masterugh, but today, it was a genuineugh. Mr. Magnus was finally happy. At the dinner table, Natalia kept her head down, eating her food. Suddenly, a shrimp found its way into her bowl. She looked up to meet Magnus¡® gentle gaze, ¡°Eat more, mydy. You¡¯ve lost weight taking care of me.¡± Natalia looked around. The servants were covering their mouths, trying to stifle theirughter. She gave Magnus an embarrassed re before returning to her meal. Soon, a chicken wing appeared in her bowl. Natalia quietly continued eating. After she finished the chicken wing, a piece of fish appeared in her bowl. She frowned at Magnus. Magnus acted as if he hadn¡¯t noticed and kept eating. She had no choice but to force herself to finish the fish. Seeing Magnus reaching for more food, she quickly put down her fork, I¡¯m done Enjoy your meal¡± She got up and went to the living room, picked up the remote, and turned on the TV Magnus watched her retreat, shaking his head with a smile. He picked up the food he had put on her te and ate it himself. The next day, Natalia packed up and prepared to travel to France with Magnus Natalia was packing her suitcase in their bedroom when she heard the sound of Magnus¡® wheelchair *Just pack some essentials. We can buy anything else we need there, Magnus said, frowning at her as she stuffed items into her suitcase ¡°We have it at home, why not take it? It¡¯s convenient, and it saves money. You still have to get checked out,¡± she said, implying that they should save money. Chapter Magnus softened his gaze, looking at her tenderly, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I can afford to take care of you.¡± Natalia didn¡¯t say anything. She followed his advice and only packed a few clothes. That afternoon, Magnus and Natalia, apanied by their butler Linden, boarded a ne to France. They arrived in France at midnight. A car was waiting for them as soon as theynded. ¡°Mr. Magnus.¡± The one who came to pick them up was Carter. His white Lamborghini was parked outside. the airport. Carter greeted Natalia with a smile. ¡°Ms. rkson, nice to meet you.¡± He extended his slender hand. Natalia returned his smile and was about to shake his hand when Magnus blocked her. He swatted Carter¡¯s hand away, ¡°She¡¯s your sister¨Cinw.¡± Carterughed, ¡°Magnus, is that any way to behave? I just met Ms. rkson and was simply greeting her. Why are you so possessive?¡± Magnus ignored him, pulling Natalia¡¯s hand and wheeling towards the car. When they reached the car, he lifted himself into the seat, Natalia sitting next to him Magnus looked at the strands of hair on Natalia¡¯s face, lifting his hand to gently brush them aside. The subtle tenderness of the gesture wasn¡¯t lost on the driver, Carter, who let out a soft chuckle ¡°Magnus, showing affection so openly like this, haven¡¯t you seen a single person like me is sitting right here?¡± Natalia¡¯s cheeks flushed a shade of pink, causing her to create some distance between them. However, Magnus quickly grabbed her hand, sending a stern re towards the man driving in the front. Carterughed heartily, ¡°Ms. rkson, it seems Magnus is quite protective.¡± Natalia spotted Carter looking at her in the rearview mirror, and she raised her head, smiling ¡°Mr. Carter, you can just call me Natalia. There¡¯s no need for formalities, especially after you¡¯ve been kind enough to pick us up in the middle of the night.¡± ¡°Oh, Nat.¡± Carter¡¯s bright gaze held onto the young woman, causing Natalia to shyly lower her eyes.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Chapter 38 Chapter 38 Chapter 35 Chapter 38 Magnus¡® expression was really grim. He pulled Natalia closer, murmuring, ¡°Don¡¯t mind him, darling. This is what he¡¯s supposed to do. Are you hungry?¡± Natalia shook her head, ¡°Not really. Are we heading to the hotel?¡± ¡°No. I used to stay here while I was getting treatment for my leg. So I have a house here,¡± Magnus replied, his grip on her hand gentle yet firm. They arrived at a gorgeous vi that looked like a mini castle bathed in the moonlight. Natalia gazed in awe at the white exterior walls, the golden front door, and the two Rolls¨CRoyce Phantoms parked in the yard. Magnus got out of the car, settling himself into his wheelchair. He pushed open the golden. door, revealing a newly renovated interior with immacte furniture. Linden was already in the kitchen preparing somete¨Cnight snacks, while Carter was about to leave after helping Magnus inside. ¡°Magnus, you guys rest up. I¡¯ll be over for dinner tomorrow.¡± ¡°Running out of food, Carter?¡± Magnus retorted. ¡°Can¡¯t wait to sponge off me, can you?¡± Carter was left speechless. He had, after all, picked them up. When he noticed Natalia taking their belongings upstairs, he walked over to Magnus. ¡°This girl¡¯s a marked improvement over Kendra, Magnus. Looks like your penis is about to have some happy days.¡± ¡°Cut the crap!¡± Magnus red at him. ¡°She¡¯s my wife.¡± ¡°Oh, Magnus, don¡¯t forget, you brought her here. She won¡¯t be able to ignore what¡¯s going on here. She won¡¯t betray you, will she? After all, Kendra¡¯s the one on your marriage certificate.¡± Carter gave Magnus a meaningful look as he held his car keys. Magnus¡® deep gaze darkened. Frowning, he said, ¡°I¡¯ll handle everything.¡± Carter¡¯s car left the vi, and Natalia came downstairs, noticing the silent Magnus on the sofa. She walked over to him. ¡°Carter¡¯s gone?¡± ¡°Yes. He is the manager of ourpany in France.¡± Magnus replied nonchntly ¡°I know. He¡¯s one of the buddies you told me about, along with Chase and James, Natalia paused before sitting next to him. ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t be pessimistic Your leg will get better. You have so many friends who hope to see you get up. When are we going to see the doctor?¡± If his leg could get better quickly, she would consider her mission aplished. Magnus remained silent, gazing deeply at the girl in front of him. Her concern was genuine. He found himself lost in the soft features of her face. He thought to himself, ¡°Darling, please don¡¯t betray me. Stay with me. I promise to give you happiness and love for a lifetime.¡± After a quick midnight snack, they went upstairs to freshen up and rest. The next day, after Natalia got up, she and Magnus explored the vi. She was delighted to find a room full ofics. ¡°Did you draw these? They¡¯re beautiful.¡± Magnus looked at theics he had sketched out of boredom three years ago. Natalia was holding them as if they were treasures. He walked over, ¡°Yes, I drew these when I was getting treatment for my leg. Do you like them?¡± Natalia nodded, ¡°I love them. You draw really well. I studied design, but I love to draw. I participated in an art exhibition at school and even won an award.¡± That year, she went out to y with Sabrina and Hector, and they painted a picture together, naming it Green Blossom. It depicted an unknown small flower growing on the rocky mountainside. When that painting was exhibited at the school art exhibition, Hector hung it up, and to her surprise, it won a third prize. She was overjoyed at that time, like a child. Back then, Hector looked at her indulgently and said, ¡°Natalia, when we go to the States, I¡¯ll let you study painting. You might be more interested in it.¡± Thinking about this, her nose tingled, and she almost teared up. Magnus in the wheelchair looked at her holding the sketch with a sorrowful expression. She wasn¡¯t feeling sentimental just because of this sketch; she was probably reminiscing about the past Magnus approached her and took the sketch from her hands, ¡°What¡¯s on your mind?¡± Natalia snapped back to reality, managing a bitter smile, ¡°Nothing.¡± Magnus frowned, ¡°I want you to be honest with me. Remember, you¡¯re my wife from now on. As long as you stay by my side, I¡¯ll grant any of your wishes.¡± His dark eyes held her captivated. Should she trust him? After spending some time together, he wasn¡¯t as cold and ruthless as before, but his temper was still unpredictableMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. Legally, Kendra was his wife, but she was the one living with him. Despite the awkwardness, she had no choice but to rely on him for a stable life. She opened her mouth to say something, but eventually decided against it. Magnus noticed her hesitation and his face darkened. She still didn¡¯t want to be honest with him. This girl stillcked a sense of security. He made a mental note to make herpletely dependent on him. That night, Natalia spent her time in the study, drawing tilite. At eleven o¡¯clock, Magnus wheeled in and saw her engrossed in her drawing His heart softened. He quietly approached her and saw a sketch of the vi they were living in She had memorized the details of the house and sketched it out perfectly ¡°You¡¯ve done a great job¡± Magnus said. ¡°Time for bed.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Natalia stood up, smiling as she packed up her drawing materials. She was quite satisfied with her masterpiece too. After freshening up, Natalia quickly fell asleep, exhausted. Magnus peeked into the bedroom, saw her sleeping peacefully, closed the door gently, and left the vi. ML Group in the southern part of Lille was Magnus¡® enterprise in France, dealing with real estate, entertainment, and fashion. Five years ago, Magnus founded thispany, which was managed by Carter When Magnus came to France for his treatment three years ago, by the time he got back on his feet, thepany had already entered the ranks of the world¡¯s top 500 enterprises. As the door to the 36th floor opened, everyone inside stood neatly in a line. Dressed in a ck shirt, navy coat, and well¨Cfitted trousers, Magnus exuded an aura of authority. His gaze was intense and sharp, and he walked in with an air ofmand. ¡°Good morning, Mr. President!¡± Everyone greeted him with a bow. Carter cast Magnus a sly grin, ¡°Magnus, man, we¡¯ve been waiting up for you till the witching hour and here you are just rolling in from ady¡¯s bed. Spare a thought for us bachelors, will you? It¡¯s a mighty lonely night.¡± Magnus shot a nce at Carter, ¡°You sure you¡¯re in need of ady, Carter? I¡¯d have no problem finding one for you right this minute.¡± Carter blinked, waving his hands in immediate refusal, ¡°Just pulling your leg there, buddy. I don¡¯t need ady.¡± How could he want any woman, when there was only one woman he ever wanted to touch? But she had vanished from his world three years ago. The midnight meeting dragged on for three hours before it concluded. By the time the streets of Lille were emptied of lights and shadows, Magnus finally dismissed his corporate team. They had a tough battle to fight the next month. He had to tread carefully. Chapter 39 Chapter 39 By the time he returned to the vi, dawn was just breaking. Linden saw Magnus walk in and immediately stood up, ¡°Would you like something to eat?¡± He¡¯d been awake all night and was fatigued, but he wasn¡¯t in the mood for food. ¡°Let Dr. Frankie know that my wife and I will be there for a leg checkup at nine. Make sure he remembers what to say to her. Don¡¯t forget to rify that to him.¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Magnus.¡± Magnus walked into the bedroom and saw the girl sound asleep on the bed. He undressed and climbed into bed, pulling her into his embrace before drifting off to sleep. Natalia opened her eyes the next day and blushed when she saw herself sleeping in a man¡¯s arms. She remembered they had slept separately the previous night. Did he sneak into her bed while she was sleeping? She smiled shyly, gently removing hisrge hand from her body, and then made her way towards the bathroom. The man continued to sleep deeply, but felt ufortable with the softness missing from his arms. His hand reached out, grabbing at nothing. He immediately furrowed his brows, ¡°Honey¡­¡± His voice was hoarse. Natalia stepped out of the bathroom and whispered in his ear, ¡°You keep sleeping. I¡¯ll go make breakfast.¡± The man heard her offer to make breakfast, and the corners of his mouth lifted into a smile, ¡°Okay¡± After the man fell back asleep, Natalia got dressed and went downstairs. Linden was about to start making breakfast, but when he saw Nataliaing down, he quickly approached her, ¡°Miss Natalia, you¡¯re up so early I¡¯m about to make breakfast Natalia walked past him, ¡°I¡¯ll make breakfast today. You go buy some fresh vegetables and fruits.¡± Linden nodded, ¡°Alright.¡± Natalia made some cereal and scrambled eggs, and made sandwiches and toast. She also prepared a few side dishes She often cooked for the rkson family, and before college, she could do any chores the maids could do This had also made her a great cook When Linden returned with the groceries, Natalia had already finished preparing everything. She was about to go upstairs to wake Magnus for breakfast Linden saw the breakfast she had prepared and was so surprised his jaw almost dropped. ¡°Miss Natalia, I didn¡¯t know you could cook. Mr. Magnus will be so happy when he sees this.¡± ¡°Really? I just made these things on a whim.¡± Natalia said with a smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect a wealthydy like you to be able to do all this; it¡¯s really impressive.¡± In his mind, Natalia was ady who would never lift a finger to do such chores. ¡°He has an appointment with Dr. Frankie at nine to check his leg. It¡¯s eight now, so he should. be getting up. Ms. Natalia, I¡¯ll go wake him up.¡± Linden said cheerfully, preparing to go upstairs. Natalia stepped forward, ¡°I¡¯ll go wake him up. You can just bring the breakfast to the table.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Natalia gently pushed open the bedroom door, only to see the man still sleeping soundly How could he sleep so much? Did he not sleepst night? She bent over to take a closer look at his sleeping face. His breath was even, his eyshes were long, almost like a girl¡¯s, and his lips were tightly pressed together. There were dark circles under his eyes, as if he had stayed up all night. In his sleep, Magnus felt someone blowing on his face. A familiar, pleasant scent filled his senses. He slowly opened his eyes and saw a beautiful face very close to his. Her big, blue eyes were pure and clear. Seeing him awake, she looked surprised. ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re awake? Let¡¯s have breakfast. You¡¯re seeing your doctorter.¡± She immediately tried to stand up. But the man grabbed her wrist and pulled her onto the bed. Natalia was startled. She tried to get up, but the man held her down and sealed her lips with a warm kiss. ¡°Magnus um She was about to suggest they get up and have breakfast, but he sucked her lips passionately The man¡¯s strong hormones overwhelmed the girl¡¯s senses. Natalia¡¯s heart began to race. This man always caught her off guard. But she couldn¡¯t move under his weight and had to endure his stormy kisses. After a while, the man moved away from her lips, ¡°Honey, I haven¡¯t brushed my teeth yet. Do you mind?¡± His voice was hoarse. He had been kissing her passionately for quite a while before asking if she minded. Natalia pouted, ¡°I do mind.¡± Magnus looked at her, her eyes filled with mock anger, and he leaned down to kiss her again, ¡°You¡¯re not allowed to mind. You¡¯re my wife¡® Didn¡¯t she even have the right to mind? Magnus looked down at the girl beneath him, pressed against her small body. His body was already reacting strongly He pressed against her thigh, ¡°What should I do? I want you¡± Natalia¡¯s face instantly turned red. ¡°Stop let¡¯s have breakfast or it¡¯ll get cold. And we have to go for your leg checkup.¡± He had no choice but to let her go, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s listen to my wife. Let¡¯s have breakfast.¡± He jumped onto his wheelchair. As Natalia got up, she identally caught sight of the bulge in his pants. She immediately turned her face away and fled the bedroom. Magnus looked down at his erection and sighed, wheeling himself into the bathroom. When Magnus came downstairs and saw the breakfast spread out on the table, his eyes lit up with joy. ¡°Did you make all these, honey?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± He took a bite of a sandwich, then picked up a fork and ate the side dishes, ¡°It¡¯s delicious, honey. I didn¡¯t expect you could make all these.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I¡¯m d you like it.¡± Natalia said proudly. The man looked at her and smiled, revealing his white teeth. That day, Magnus ate a lot for breakfast, only putting down his bowl after he was done. Linden watched the young master eat happily, finally feeling relieved. After breakfast, Magnus and Natalia went to see Dr. Frankie. He was a middle¨Caged doctor in his forties. When he saw Magnus being pushed towards him in a wheelchair by a girl, he burst out laughing. But under Magnus¡® warning gaze, he immediately stoppedughing, ¡°How have you been, Magnus?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯m here for a checkup on my leg. I want to see when I can stand up. Magnus said calmly. Dr. Frankie took the wheelchair from Natalia and went into the examination room with Magnus. They came out half an hourter. Natalia immediately walked over, ¡°Dr. Frankie, how are his legs?¡± Dr. Frankie smiled and said, ¡°As long as he keeps his spirits high and perseveres with his physiotherapy, I think he¡¯ll be able to stand up soon.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Natalia grasped Dr. Frankie¡¯s arm in excitement, ¡°So he¡¯ll really be able to stand up soon?¡± Dr. Frankie remembered that Magnus was due to join Andersen Corporation next month, and he nodded, ¡°Mrs. Andersen, don¡¯t worry. His leg is improving If he¡¯s determined to stand up, Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. he¡¯ll be able to do it soon.¡± He smiled, staring at this pure, beautiful girl who was as refreshing as clear spring, thinking to himself, that Magnus was one lucky guy Magnus frowned as he looked at the girl who was holding onto Dr Frankie¡¯s hand tightly ¡°Ahem, darling, let¡¯s go We¡¯ll do more training back home.¡± ¡°Alright Natalia pushed the wheelchair towards the hospital exit under Dr Frankie¡¯s smiling gaze. Chapter 40 Chapter 40 Magnus¡® phone buzzed; it was a message from Dr. Frankie. He nced at it, revealing a wry smile. [Congrats, Magnus, Mrs. Andersen is quite a catch,] the text read. Natalia, meanwhile, was still basking in the good news, pushing the wheelchair in a state of bliss. Linden followed behind them as they walked out. As they reached the hospital entrance, Linden prepared to start the car, while Natalia stood with Magnus at the hospital¡¯s entrance. Suddenly Magnus felt a gun aimed at him from behind the hospital shade, ¡°BAM BAM!¡± With the sound of the gunshot, the bullet was already flying towards Magnus¡® head. Natalia was standing directly in their path. Magnus instinctively grabbed her, sending the wheelchair careening away. The shadowy figure fired again, and Magnus¡® wheelchair veered towards the flower beds by the entrance. ¡°Are you okay, darling?¡± Magnus checked Natalia for injuries, his heart pounding in his chest. ¡°Who¡¯s trying to kill us?¡± Natalia stuttered, her heart ready to leap out of her chest. Magnus did his best tofort her, ¡°Stay calm. Don¡¯t move.¡± Another burst of gunfire echoed through the air, bullets shattering the concrete of the flower beds. One grazed Magnus¡® arm, drawing blood. Natalia screamed, ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re hurt!¡± The gunfight raged on, with Linden now exchanging fire with their assants. Magnus held Natalia close, ¡°Stay in my arms. Don¡¯t look up.¡± Natalia tried to protest, but Magnus¡® wheelchair was already careening away. She huddled in Magnus arms, the gunfire and screams echoing around them. Suddenly, she heard Magnus grunt in pain. Lifting her head, she saw a fresh stream of blood trickling down his shoulder She panicked, ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re hurt! Let me go!¡± She could run, but Magnus was in a wheelchair and had to protect her How was that possible? Ignoring her pleas, Magnus wheeled towards the car, tossing Natalia inside ¡°Stay inside. darling ¡°What about you?¡± She saw Magnus¡® wheelchair slide to the right. Then he pulled a gun from his waist ¡°Boom boom!¡± A couple shots and two ck men over there went down. Linden immediately opened the car door, ¡°Sir get in Magnus jumped into the car, bullets hitting the door as it mmed shut. They sped away from the hospital, leaving chaos in their wake. Inside the car, Magnus¡® shoulder was bleeding profusely. Linden looked at him anxiously, ¡°Sir, we need to get you to a hospital.¡± ¡°No hospitals,¡± Magnus insisted, knowing that they would be walking into a trap. Natalia, seeing the blood soaking through Magnus¡® shirt, began to cry. She took off her coat, pressing it against his wound. ¡°There¡¯s a bullet inside. We need to get you to a hospital.¡± Magnus reassured her, ¡°It¡¯s okay. Linden can take care of it. It¡¯s too dangerous to go to a hospital.¡± Natalia nodded, her tears staining her coat as Magnus¡® blood seeped into the fabric. Ten minutester, thet finally arrived at the vi. Once there, Linden helped Magnus into a study, locking the door behind them. Natalia tried to follow, but Linden stopped her, ¡°Ms. Natalia, I need to remove the bullet. It would be best if you wait outside.¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Natalia retreated, her clothes stained with Magnus¡® blood. She felt an intense pain in her chest, a feeling of helplessness she had never experienced before. Suddenly, a car pulled up outside. Carter and Dr. Frankie rushed inside, Natalia quickly informed them of Magnus¡® condition. Dr. Frankie reassured Natalia, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll take care of him.¡± He and Carter disappeared into the study, leaving Natalia alone. She took a shower, changing into a clean set of clothes and fetching a fresh shirt for Magnus. Natalia sat on the couch looking at the door to the study; she¡¯d never been so helpless as she was now. Magnus had shielded her from being shot earlier in the gunfire, and if it hadn¡¯t been for her, he wouldn¡¯t have been shot as the wheelchair slid slowly with an extra person in it No one, except for Hector, had ever cared about her like that. After what felt like an eternity, the study door finally opened. Natalia rushed over, ¡°How is he?¡± Carter and Linden stepped out and looked at the anxious girl with a slight smile. He s okay, we got the bullet out. Nat, can you help him get cleaned up and change his clothes? Natalia nodded, entering the study Magnusid on a small bed, his face pale but his eyes alert. He smiled weakly at Natalia, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, darling, I¡¯m fine Tears welled up in Natalia¡¯s eyes again, ¡°You¡¯re not fine You¡¯ve lost so much blood.¡± Dr. Frankieughed, ¡°Mrs. Andersen, Magnus is a tough one He¡¯ll be fine Don¡¯t worry Natalia thanked Dr Frankie, relief washing over her. As she helped Magnus clean up, she realized that she truly cared for him Despite the danger and fear, she was d to be then by his side. After Dr. Frankie stepped out, Natalia gently tucked a nket over Magnus, ¡°Does it hurt much?¡± Observing the girl¡¯s furrowed brows, her expression painted with worry, Magnus felt a softness in his heart, ¡°I¡¯m fine, darling.¡± Looking at his exhausted face, Natalia said, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for me, you wouldn¡¯t have been hurt.¡± Magnus cracked a smile, ¡°You¡¯re my wife, protecting you is my duty. You were scared, weren¡¯t you?¡± For a moment, Natalia lost herself in the sight of his gentle yet handsome face. This man had been injured protecting her. She owed him so much more. Before long, Carter and Dr. Frankie left. When Natalia stepped out, she saw several men in ck suits outside their house. Without asking, she knew they were bodyguards sent by Magnus. She still couldn¡¯t figure out, who was trying to kill them. Half an hourter, she went to the kitchen to cook some chicken soup for Magnus. As she pushed open the door to the study, she found him sleeping peacefully on the bed. He was probably still under the effect of the anesthesia. Natalia gently ced the soup on the table, and sat by the bed, gazing at the man lying there. Even in his sleep, his handsome face revealed a certain authority. Slowly, some color returned to his face. His breathing was even, and Natalia quietly watched the IV drip next to him. A dull ache throbbed in her heart. Chapter 41 Chapter 41 It was in the afternoon when Magnus slowly opened his eyes to find the girl by his bedside quietly reading a book. He smiled faintly, reassured by her presence upon waking, ¡°Mydy.¡± Natalia, looking up from her book, swiftly rose to her feet upon seeing him awake. ¡°You¡¯re up. Are you hungry? Is your wound hurting?¡± The concern in her eyes made him feel special as he reached out to hold her soft hand, ¡°I feel fine.¡± Natalia held out her small hand, sat down beside him and touched his forehead with her other hand. She felt that his temperature was normal, which put her mind at ease. ¡°I¡¯ve made some chicken soup. Let me get you some.¡± Her soft gaze made Magnus momentarily lose himself, ¡°Sure.¡± Natalia gently withdrew her hand and left the room. Magnus watched her retreating figure, his heart fluttered. Ever since the death of Jamie, he¡¯d been a thorn in the family¡¯s side. No one had ever taken such care of him. During the year when his leg was shattered, his first love had cared for him for half a year, but he was irritable and often lost his temper with her. She left him when he went to France six months shown him any warmth or affection. But this girl had stayed by his side and cared for him after he got injured. How could he not be moved? Natalia returned with a bowl of soup, ¡°Can you eat by yourself?¡± Magnus reached for the bowl, but upon hearing her question, he quickly withdrew his hand, ¡°No. I can¡¯t use my hand.¡± ¡°Then I¡¯ll feed you.¡± That was exactly what Magnus wanted, ¡°Okay.¡± The girl helped him sit up against the bed and, scooped up a spoonful of soup, blew on it gently, and brought it to his lips. Magnus opened his mouth slightly, epting the spoonful of soup. He felt like a baby Natalia blew on each spoonful before feeding him Magnus felt a wave of warmth rush through him as he watched her rosy lips purse while blowing on the chicken soup Damn it! He was aroused at the sight of her blowing on the oatmeal Since that night at the Andersen Family Estate, he hadn¡¯t had a chance to make love to her. Now with his shoulder injury, it was even more impossible. The thought of this ignited a spark of anger in him He quickly turned his head to look elsewhere. After a while, the bowl of soup was finally finished Magnus licked his lips, the soup was really delicious Chapter Natalia stood up, ¡°Your body isn¡¯t fully healed yet, so you can¡¯t have too much. For now, this is all you can have. You can eat more tonight.¡± Actually, he wanted her to feed him more. Natalia took the bowl away. Magnus leaned back on his bed, picking up his phone to call James, ¡°Did you find out who was behind yesterday¡¯s incident?¡± ¡°We¡¯ve found out. Who else would it be? Obviously, it¡¯s Lucius¡® men. Recently, I heard he¡¯s been cozying up with a Mexican gang. He¡¯s preparing for next month and can¡¯t wait to kill you.¡± There were sounds of a woman from James¡¯s end. Magnus frowned, ¡°Is my life that easy to take? And another thing, don¡¯t get STDs.¡± He hung up after saying this. James was taken aback. Damn, was Magnus cursing him to get sick? Watching the two women on him, he abruptly pushed them away, ¡°Get out!¡± As Magnus put down his phone, Natalia came in, ¡°You should change your clothes. I¡¯ll help you to the bedroom to sleep. It¡¯s too cramped here.¡± Magnus looked at the clean pajamas she brought and the bed. It was indeed a bit small. It was fine when he was alone, but it would be a bit cramped if he were to share it with her. He cooperated with Natalia to put on the pajamas. Her movements were gentle, fearing she might touch his wound. He looked down at her, her forehead slightly sweaty from the tension and her cheeks flushed. He turned his head and gave her a peck on the cheek. Natalia was startled; looking into his dark eyes, her face turned even more red. ¡°Mydy,e here.¡± He used his uninjured hand to pull her towards him. Natalia, fearing she might touch his wound, leaned in, ¡°What is it?¡± Magnus pulled her into his arms, one hand holding her chin, ¡°Let me kiss you.¡± Natalia¡¯s heart fluttered. She didn¡¯t dare to push him away and closed her eyes to let him kiss her Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. He touched her lips, lightly biting them. Natalia immediately opened her eyes, seeing the yful smile on Magnus¡® face. ¡°You closed your eyes even before I kissed you Mydy, do you enjoy my kisses that much? He laughed wickedly. If it weren¡¯t for his injury, Natalia would have stapped his hand away and pushed him off. But he was injured, and it was for her Before she could reply, his lips covered hers again His kiss was domineering yet gentle, capturing her. His hand from her chin moved to encircle her waist. Natalia was at a loss, her mouth slightly open, he took the opportunity to slip his tongue inside, entangling hers. His breaths became heavier Natalia melted into hisp, her hands not daring to touch anything else, so she clung to his pajama top. The kisssted about ten minutes before Magnus let her go, watching her blush, he chuckled, ¡°What a good girl, I like this.¡± Natalia quickly moved away, helping him onto his wheelchair, pushing him towards the bedroom The bedroom was on the second floor Natalia kept her head down, unable to look at his face Her heart was pounding in her chest. She admitted that she was lost in his kiss She reassured herself that it wasn¡¯t infatuation, just human instinct The attraction to beautiful things was natural. He was handsome and she couldn¡¯t resist him. Plus, he got injured trying to save her. Magnusy on the bed in the bedroom. Watching her flee, hisughter echoed in the room, hardly looking like a man who had been shot in the shoulder. As Natalia left the room, she saw Lindening in from outside. Seeing her flushed face, he immediately walked over, ¡°What¡¯s wrong, young miss? Is the Mr. Magnus awake?¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s awake. He had a bowl of soup, he¡¯s fine.¡± Linden nodded, ¡°Ever since he was confined to a wheelchair, he¡¯s been targeted and attacked by unidentified individuals. Mr. Magnus, with his kind heart, is being tormented even in this state¡± Natalia looked at Linden, ¡°Who is it? Who wants to harm him? Why?¡± Linden pondered for a while, ¡°It¡¯s probably the other members of the Andersen n. Seeing the him alive and well, they might fear he could rise again, possibly reiming his position as CEO of Andersen Corporation.¡± Upon hearing his words, Natalia suddenly understood what Linden meant. It must be Lucius. She sat silently on the couch, gazing at the trees outside the window How could Lucius be so heartless to find someone to put his own brother down after what had happened to him? She never expected that Kendra¡¯s beloved and Kendra herself were both so selfish. They indeed made a perfect match in the following days, Natalia took meticulous care of Magnus. He relished the close attention from her, from bathing, dressing to feeding him. Like a mischievous child, he reveled in the girl¡¯s servitude Chapter 42 Chapter 42 A weekter, Dr. Frankie arrived to check on his wound. With a soft chuckle, he remarked, ¡°Magnus, you¡¯ve been quite the baby these past few days. Your wound is healing quickly.¡± Magnus nced at the girl standing by his side, the corners of his mouth curving into an increasingly wide smile. Once Dr. Frankie had left, Magnus felt no need to continue pretending. Seeing Natalia step out, he sat up, dressed, and began to stretch his legs. After a week in bed, he felt as though he was growing moldy. Natalia walked in after a while and saw him sitting in the wheelchair. She immediately went over to him. ¡°You¡¯re up. Let me take you outside for some fresh air.¡± She wheeled Magnus into the yard. The man¡¯s gaze was deep, watching as she covered his knees with a nket. He reached out and took her small hand as she crouched at his feet, looking up at him. Over the months they had spent together, he had grown gentler, at least he had stoppedshing out at her. ¡°Darling, you¡¯ve taken such good care of me these past few days. I appreciate it. In a few days, once I¡¯m home, I¡¯ll grant you one request. As long as it¡¯s within. my power, I¡¯ll make it happen,¡± he said, looking deeply into her eyes. She must have something she wanted to do. As long as she stayed by his side as his wife, he would do whatever it took to make her happy. She was truly beautiful when she smiled She was silent for a moment, staring at his handsome face. ¡°You¡¯ll really grant any request | make?¡± ¡°Of course, as long as it¡¯s reasonable,¡± he replied. Natalia¡¯s heart pounded. If she asked to go back to school, would he agree? It seemed unlikely. ¡°What is it, darling? What do you want to do?¡± Magnus asked with a soft smile. ¡°I want to go back to school.¡± Natalia blurted out. Magnus was taken aback. He had not expected her to ask to go back to school. ¡°You really want to go back to school?¡± he asked, furrowing his brows. Seeing his change in expression, Natalia quicklyughed it off. ¡°Just kidding, Magnus. I won¡¯t go back to school. If one day your leg gets better and you can stand up, I¡¯ll go back and finish my studies then. Not now.¡± Magnus looked at the girl standing by his side. She was dressed in a white dress, her skin was glowing, and there was intelligence in her eyes. She stood against the sun, which cast a halo around her head. She was still a student. She hadn¡¯t graduated from college yet. From what he had seen these past few months, she loved painting. She must have dreams that she had put on hold to marry him and move to Sapphire Ind to repay a favor owed to Kendra. If she was going to be his wife for the rest of her life, how could he not help her achieve her dreams? ¡°Alright, I promise you. When the timees, you can go back to school,¡± he said in a deep voice. Natalia looked at him in shock. She couldn¡¯t believe that he had agreed to her request, but he had. ¡°You¡¯re serious? You promise?¡± she asked, slowly crouching down and cing her hands on his legs. He replied, ¡°Of course. But you have to behave. When I¡¯m in a good mood one day, I¡¯ll let you go back to school.¡± ¡°Okay, Magnus. Don¡¯t worry. As long as I can go back to school, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask.¡± Staring at her small, fair hand on his leg, the hand that had bathed him every day and sometimes touched him in ces it shouldn¡¯t, he swallowed hard. ¡°Alright. In a couple of days, we¡¯ll head to Melfort. We should get some rest early tonight.¡± In truth, his wound had almostpletely healed. He just wanted the girl to take care of him a little longer. After they had dinner, Natalia bathed him as usual and then went to the study to read and paint. That night, Magnus wheeled himself into the bathroom. ¡°I want to take a bath tonight. I¡¯ve been wiped down for a week, and I want a proper bath.¡± Natalia watched as he removed his shirt. ¡°Your wound can¡¯t get wet.¡± All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No can do. I¡¯ve been ufortable for days without a proper bath.¡± With no other option, Natalia helped him into the bathtub. He looked at the shorts and said, ¡°How can you bathe with your shorts still on?¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s just leave them on.¡± She was embarrassed to scrub him every day with a body like this, let alone him getting naked. ¡°But how can I bathe with them on?¡± Magnus furrowed his brows, ¡°You¡¯ve seen it all before. There¡¯s nothing to be shy about.¡± Left with no choice, Natalia watched as Magnus removed his shorts. She immediately moved behind him to wash his back. Magnus sat in the bath, enjoying the girl¡¯s service Ten minutes passed, and Natalia was still washing his back Magnus frowned, his handsome face darkening Was his back that dirty? She had nearly scrubbed his skin raw ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to wash the front?¡± His deep voice echoed in her ears. Natalia moved to his front, closing her eyes as she wiped him down with a towel He watched as she squinted, irritated to the point of wanting to strangle her ¡°How can you wash me with your eyes closed?¡± Natalia quickly opened her eyes, only to be greeted by the sight of his erect penis. She let out a scream and ran out of the bathroom. Oh God, she had seen something she shouldn¡¯t have. When had he be such a pervert? In the bathroom, Magnus watched as the girl fled, grimacing. He sighed and picked up a towel to wash himself. He stood up, letting the warm water rinse him from head to toe. When Magnus emerged from the bathroom, Natalia was nowhere to be found. He called out with a dark expression, ¡°Darling.¡± Natalia, who was downstairs, heard him and immediately went up. ¡°You¡­are you done bathing?¡± ¡°If you weren¡¯t going to wash me, was I supposed to sit in the bathtub until dawn?¡± His displeased expression made him look somewhat cold. ¡°I¡¯ll dry your hair.¡± Natalia quickly moved to him, noticing his sullen face. She grabbed the hair dryer and began to dry his hair. ¡°As punishment for not bathing me tonight, you¡¯ll sleep with me.¡± Magnus sat on the bed and made his promation. Natalia was taken aback, ¡°Okay.¡± If she didn¡¯t agree, would he throw a tantrum? Dressed in his pajamas, Magnus waited for his hair to dry before lying down on the bed. He patted the spot next to him, ¡°Come over here.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t taken a bath yet. I¡¯ll go take a bath first.¡± She picked up her nightgown and headed for the bathroom. Magnus picked up his phone and saw that James and the others were trying to get his attention. Chase: [Magnus, I heard from Frankie that you¡¯ve been ying the baby card these past few days. How¡¯s that working out for you? (Teasing grin)] James: [You can switch it up, you know. Just stay still, and let the little darling climb aboard. (Mischievous smirk)] Carter: [He injured his shoulder, not his back.] Dr. Frankie [His legs and back are just fine. He¡¯s just ying the sympathy card.] Chase: [Magnus, you¡¯ve only recently started indulging, be gentle. You don¡¯t want to scare the little darling away] Everyone: (Hahaha. ] Magnus (Everyone, get back to work! He turned off his phone, noticing the girl in the bathroom still hadn¡¯te out. He leaned against the bed, gazing at the bathroom door After what seemed like an eternity. Natalia finallye out Chapter 43 Chapter 43 d in her nnel pajamas, Natalia was drying her hair. ¡°Come here, I¡¯ll do it,¡± said Magnus, patting the empty space next to him.. ¡°No, your arm is not healed yet,¡± she declined, choosing to sit on the sofa and dry her hair herself. Magnus frowned, slightly irritated by her refusal. Natalia, oblivious to his annoyance, finished drying her hair and sat next to him, ¡°I think I¡¯ll sleep in the next room. I wouldn¡¯t want to hurt your wound in the night.¡± He quickly grabbed her, as if scared she would run off, ¡°Get in bed. Stop being stubborn, or I¡¯ll get annoyed.¡± She rolled her eyes at him, but he didn¡¯t care. Pulling her close, he finally got to hold her. Breathing in the sweet scent of her skin and the aroma of her shower gel, a sense of sweetness started to spread in his heart. Natalia stiffened in his arms, not daring to move. Magnus, unable to resist, moved her shoulder a bit, and soon found her soft lips. He kissed her passionately, savoring her sweetness. His body felt like it was on fire. He wanted her. ¡°Magnus¡­ no, your wound isn¡¯t healed,¡± Natalia pushed him away. He held onto her restless hand, ¡°It¡¯s okay, darling. I want you.¡± His voice was raspy and hoarse His hand had already slipped into her pajamas, running over her smooth back, his hurried breath hot on her face. The strong scent of his masculine pheromones overwhelmed her senses. She began to tremble, she knew this was what would happen. Magnus, passionate in his advances, pressed her against him, his hand tearing open her pajama top. Suddenly, he hissed in pain as he touched his wounded shoulder. Natalia was quickly brought back to reality, ¡°Did you hurt your wound? I told you not to move She saw his pale face and knew he had re¨Copened his wound. She sat up quickly. ¡°T¡¯ll get Dr. Frankie¡± Magnus pulled her back, ¡°It¡¯s toote. Don¡¯t go. Darling. I¡¯m fine. He held her small hand tightly against him, ¡°Help me, it¡¯s unbearable.¡± Natalia¡¯s hand brushed against something burning hot, she quickly recoiled but he held her hand tightly in ce ¡°Help me Her mind went nk, her face flushed like fire. ¡°Magnus, even in your condition, you¡¯re not behaving. Wait until you¡¯re healed ¡°No, I can¡¯t wait I need you, darling. Please¡± His face was a mix of red and pale He suddenly remembered what James had said. ¡°Why don¡¯t you climb on top.¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Natalia¡¯s mind exploded again; she was too embarrassed to even look at him. She had never met a man as shameless as Magnus. He was like a little puppy, begging for its owner¡¯s affection. Unable to look at him, she clenched her teeth and, with trembling hands, provided him with the relief he craved. The thing in her hand grewrger andrger until she could barely hold it. Half an hourter, Magnus finally rxed his grip on her. He kissed her flushed face, ¡°Thank you, darling.¡± Natalia immediately ran to the bathroom to wash her hands. She wished she could kick this shameless man out of the bed. But remembering his promise to let her study, she swallowed her anger. When she walked back to his side again with a blush, the man immediately embraced her. ¡°Darling, once I¡¯m healed, I¡¯ll return the favor.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want that!¡± she blurted out, her face burning. She couldn¡¯t possibly let this man do the same to her. ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want it, I won¡¯t. I¡¯ll just love you more when I¡¯m healed.¡± Magnus lovingly said. Ignoring him, Natalia closed her eyes, ready to sleep. Magnus held her close, his chin resting on top of her head, ¡°Sleep, darling.¡± Natalia¡¯s heart skipped a beat at his tender voice. If it wasn¡¯t for their awkward situation, she would have been lost in his tenderness. The next morning, the sun streamed into thevish room. Natalia woke up to find Magnus still sleeping. She got up to freshen up, also picking out clothes for Magnus. Magnus opened his eyes slightly, feelingforted by Natalia bustling around him. They were returning to Melfort, and a tough battle awaited them. No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t let her leave him. He thought of visiting Lucius to expedite the divorce with Kendra. He didn¡¯t want Natalia to be stuck with him like this. He would marry her and give her the title of Mrs. Andersen. The next day, Magnus and Natalia boarded a ne back to Melfort. They reached homete at night. Linden drove Magnus back to Sapphire Ind. After taking care of Magnus, Natalia prepared herself for bed She opened her drawer to find her old phone, untouched. Turning it on, she found dozens of missed calls and messages, mostly from her father and Kendra. There were also calls and messages from Sabrina and Lex. They were still looking for her after three months. Hector hadn¡¯t called, but had left lengthy messages Chapter Reading the messages, she learned that Hector had been looking for her for three months, believing she would return. He told Natalia he would be going to America in a month, still believing she would come back. Sabrina and Lexi¡¯s messages told her that no matter how long it took, they would always be sisters, hoping she woulde back to them. Tears blurred her vision. All she wanted was to continue her studies and finish her degree. Perhaps dreams were too far¨Cfetched for her. She sat on her bed, wiping away her tears, staring at the ceiling. She spent the rest of the night sleepless. The next day, she showed up at the breakfast table, dark circles under her eyes giving her the appearance of a roon. As soon as she sat down, Magnus noticed her weary look. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t sleep wellst night?¡± Magnus asked, concern filling his voice. ¡°Yeah, I had some trouble sleeping.¡± She didn¡¯t feel the need to hide it from him. ¡°Why?¡± He reached across the table, lightly grasping her wrist. ¡°Did you miss sleeping next to me? Huh?¡± Natalia wasn¡¯t in the mood for his yful banter. She lifted her gaze to meet his, ¡°Magnus, do you remember the promise you made in Paris?¡± If she could, she would love to go to college. His eyes dimmed slightly, ¡°I did promise, but it¡¯s not feasible right now.¡± He nned to wait until the annual shareholders¡® meeting of the Andersen Corporation was over before sending her to college. Plus, by that time, they might have moved to Melfort. There were still too many unresolved issues. Natalia was notpletely out of danger. His legal wife was Kendra, and until he had sorted out that rtionship, he didn¡¯t feelfortable letting Natalia attend college. Hearing his words, Natalia simply nodded, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Chapter 44 Chapter 44 She was about to ascend the staircase when he grabbed her hand, halting her. She must have thought he was going to stop her from pursuing her education, the silly girl. ¡°I promise you, and I will make it happen. But for now, you need to stay put, given the circumstances.¡± Magnus¡® deep, dark gazes stared intensely at her. ¡°I know, Magnus, thank you.¡± She raised her hand to touch his chiseled handsome face, smiling as she looked at him. His heart fluttered like a feather in the breeze as he looked into her blue eyes. The shareholders¡® meeting of Andersen Corporation was three days away. James and Chase unexpectedly arrived on the ind that day. After greeting Natalia, they retreated to the study where they remained the entire afternoon. They stayed for dinner that evening. James sat at the table, grinning at Natalia, ¡°Nat, has Magnus been treating you well?¡± He shed his pearly white teeth. ¡°Yes,¡± Natalia replied, smiling. ¡°If he ever mistreats you, you cane with me.¡± he winked at her, with a yful smile on his face. Chase, from behind, kicked him in the butt, ¡°Stop flirting with our sister¨Cinw. Be careful or Magnus will send you to the Death Valley.¡± James yelped and pretended to be injured, copsing on the couch. Natalia couldn¡¯t help but giggle at their antics. Herughter was like a cloud floating in the sky, and it caught the attention of Magnus who had just stepped out of the elevator. His heart ached a little. It had been so long since he had seen her genuinelyugh. She was truly beautiful when she smiled. Chase turned and nced at Natalia, shock evident on his face. After dinner, James and Chase left. Magnus pulled Natalia into the bedroom and sat her on hisp, ¡°Tired, darling?¡± ¡°No.¡± She sat on hisp as if it was the most natural thing to do. He lowered his head and kissed her, their lips meeting in a tender embrace. The fatigue from the day seemed to melt away. ¡°Just a few more days, darling. I have a surprise for you.¡± ¡°What kind of surprise?¡± Natalia stared at his handsome face, her heart slowly sumbing to the man who was constantly showering her with surprises. ¡°You¡¯ll find out soon,¡± he paused, ¡°darling, if I were to walk again someday, would you leave me?¡± His dark eyes seemed like whirlpools, threatening to draw her in. ¡°Yes.¡± If he could walk again, he wouldn¡¯t need her anymore. They weren¡¯t legally married, 10-12 she should leave. His expression darkened instantly, displeased with her answer. ¡°Why? Don¡¯t you enjoy staying with me?¡± His eyes instantly turned cold. ¡°No, it¡¯s not that, Magnus. Once you can walk again, you won¡¯t need my care anymore.¡± She was at a loss of what to do. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re my woman. You can¡¯t leave without my permission.¡± He scooped her up and carried her to the bed. Natalia was stunned. He hadn¡¯t lost his temper like this in a while. He was acting strange again. She sat up, touching her sore nose, ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t you know what our rtionship is? You and Kendra are the ones who are married.¡± Her heart ached at the thought of Kendra being his legal wife. ¡°When will you stop this nonsense? I will handle my situation with Kendra. You don¡¯t need to worry. Haven¡¯t I told you that you can only stay by my side for the rest of your life? I will handle everything.¡± He climbed onto the bed, embracing her tightly, his eyes never leaving hers. Tears welled up in Natalia¡¯s eyes as she looked up at Magnus, ¡°I¡¯m not causing trouble. I¡¯m just thinking about how you¡¯ll be able to walk again soon and won¡¯t need anyone to take care of you. You have big things to do, and I can¡¯t do anything. I¡¯m afraid your grandfather will look down on me again.¡± Magnus lifted her chin, ¡°Remember, whether I can walk or not, you¡¯re not allowed to leave. Do you hear me? If you want that piece of paper, I¡¯ll give it to you. Trust me.¡± Natalia¡¯s heart started pounding. He was talking about a marriage certificate. Was he nning to divorce Kendra? But there was no love between them. Even if they got the certificate, would they be happy? Natalia remained silent, closing her eyes as he held her in his arms. Her heart was in turmoil. Due to the tension, Natalia soon fell asleep. Magnus¡® lips curled into a small smile as he held her petite body close, slowly drifting off to sleep. Two days passed. The day of the shareholders¡® meeting, where the new CEO of Andersen Corporation would be announced, had finally arrived. It was also Magnus¡® first day of work at Andersen Corporation At nine in the morning, the shareholders of Andersen Tower started pouring into the conference room The crucial day had finallye Apanied by Anthony and Lillian, Morgan arrived at Andersen Tower He stepped out of the limousine, his steps heavy His expression was icy as he strode into the building Although Morgan was in his eighties, his silver hair gave him an air of solemnity and majesty that was not to be trifled with As the doors of the conference room opened, he walked in slowly, his piercing eyes scanning every individual in the vast room. To his right was Lucius, dressed in a white suit, looking dashing and sophisticated. A triumphant smile hung on his handsome face. After today, he would be the new head of the Andersen family and the helmsman of Andersen Corporation and its subsidiary, CT Technologies. He could already hear the congrattory voices in his ears. He looked up to see Anthony and Lillian smiling at him. His gaze swept around the room, but he didn¡¯t see Magnus. A smirk formed on his lips. How could that cripplee? He had managed to escapest time in France and had a narrow escape from death. The Mexican mafia was useless, unable to kill even a cripple. Lucius sat there, thinking that one day, he would make that cripple disappear from this world, so that Morgan would finally give up. Every shareholder in the room had their eyes glued on Morgan, sensing a change in him from the usual. But with a reassuring smile from Lucius, their concerns were quickly put to rest. ¡°The Andersen Corporation has a long and storied history. Since its inception, it has weathered numerous storms and even faced the brink of extinction. But today, we stand tall, having ovee every challenge tossed our way. We are back on top, a towering presence in Melfort.¡± About forty shareholders nodded in agreement. There would be no Andersen Corporation or CT Technologies without Morgan. ¡°I¡¯m getting on in years, but my descendants are full of promise. I¡¯m confident in handing over the reins of thepany to the younger generation. I trust they will continue to drive the corporation forward, take on the world, and push us to new heights.¡± A thunderous apuse filled the room. Lucius watched Morgan with a smile. He had caught glimpses of Morgan looking his way, causing his heart to race. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Today, I stand before you to announce the new head of the Andersen Corporation and its subsidiary, CT Technologies, is¡­¡± Chapter 45 Chapter 45 The room fell into a hush, with everyone holding their breath in anticipation as Morgan prepared to announce the name. Lucius, as if already sure of the oue, nonchntly adjusted his cor, leaning forward slightly, ready to ascend the stage and ept the congrattions. Morgan¡¯s gaze slowly drifted towards Lucius, then away from him. At that moment, the conference room door creaked open. Linden, pushing a wheelchair, entered the room, followed by Morgan¡¯s assistant, Paul. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Morgan¡¯s eyes lit up as they fell on the man in the wheelchair. He was dressed in a dark suit and his handsome features were highlighted, giving off an aura of wisdom. His wheelchair slowly rolled over the golden confetti on the floor, and he steadily came into everyone¡¯s view His sharp gaze swept over the shareholders, eventuallynding on Lucius. A coy smile yed on his lips as he turned to the silver¨Chaired old man beside him. ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯vee back to the Andersen Corporation.¡± Morgan felt a surge of emotion as he looked at his grandson in the wheelchair, whom he¡¯d always held close to his heart. He had grown up! With a sudden surge of energy, Morgan rose to his feet and dered, ¡°The new leader of the group is ¨C Magnus!¡± The room fell into an eerie silence. Everyone¡¯s gaze shifted to Magnus, then to Lucius. Lucius had been panicking since the moment Magnus had rolled in, but he held firm to the belief that, no matter how much Morgan loved the handicapped Magnus, he couldn¡¯t possibly hand the presidency to him. But then he heard Magnus¡® name! He thought he had misheard it. It wasn¡¯t until everyone started looking at him that he realized Magnus was indeed the one whose name Morgan had announced. He staggered to his feet. His eyes were darting to Morgan in disbelief. Grandpa, what did you say? Did you get the name wrong?¡± He stood up, fists clenched tightly. He couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. He¡¯d worked tirelessly for nine years, building up his power. It couldn¡¯t possibly end today! Anthony, seeing Lucius on the verge of losing control, quickly interjected, ¡®Dad, you said the new president was going to be Lucius, right? Why would you announce Magnus as the new president today? This is not a time for joke, Magnus hasn¡¯t been involved with thepany for years, and he¡¯s been living on Sapphire Ind This could lead to unrest Morgan¡¯s icy gazended on Anthony He knew his son and daughter¨Cinw had always favored Lucius. ¡°Who said the presidency had to go to Luctus? Before, Magnus didn¡¯t want toe back to Andersen Corporation. Now he has, and I think he¡¯s more suited for the presidency than Lucius is.¡± Anthony looked at Morgan and fell silent. Whispers filled the room. Everyone watched the power struggle unfold. Morgan¡¯s authoritative gaze swept over the shareholders. ¡°I¡¯ve decided who the new president will be. It¡¯s Magnus Lucius will be vice president. Anthony will be the general manager of Andersen Corporation. Everything else remains the same.¡± He gestured to the man in the wheelchair. ¡°Magnus, come here.¡± Magnus rolled up to Morgan, looking up at him. ¡°Thank you, grandpa. I won¡¯t let you down. I¡¯ll make Andersen Corporation shine brighter than ever!¡± Morgan nodded. ¡°I trust you. Work hard.¡± With that, Morgan left the room, leaving Lucius in a state of shock. His sanity was on the brink of copse, and he felt a surge of rage bubbling up within him. Suddenly, a destructive rage emerged in his heart. Lillian walked over and took his hand, ¡°Lucius, calm down. Don¡¯t upset your grandpa at this time.¡± Lucius¡¯s handsome face twisted in an instant. A monstrous hatred engulfed his chest. Magnus had intentionally returned to snatch the position of President. Before this, he wanted to snatch his woman. Knowing that he had married an imposter, out of humiliation and anger, he returned to snatch the position of President. ¡°Magnus, I will not let you seed!¡± Lucius murmured. Once Morgan left, the shareholders started whispering, ¡°Can Magnus handle it? He¡¯s been sick for years. It¡¯s not easy to be the president of Andersen Corporation.¡± ¡°Yeah, what about Lucius? I always thought he would be the new president. I didn¡¯t expect it to be Magnus. ¡°Don¡¯t underestimate Magnus. If Morgan appointed him, he must bepetent.¡± Magnus sat in his wheelchair with his lips pursed and his gaze cold as he looked at the familiar yet alien faces. His deep voice echoed through the room ¡°Under my leadership. Andersen Corporation will reach the pinnacle of the world I swear here today, if Andersen Corporation doesn¡¯t be the top business empire in the world within a year, I will step down as president!¡± His powerful deration echoed in everyone¡¯s hearts. After a moment of stunned silence, the room erupted in apuse. Magnus turned to Lucius, whispering something only the two of them could hear ¡°Lucius, I told you I¡¯d make you fall from your high position and make you feel the pain I¡¯ve felt. This is just the beginning. His cold eyes shed with determination as he ced a hand on Lucius shoulder, Lucius sneered, ¡°You really think you can hold onto this CEO position?¡± ¡°Well, we¡¯ll see!¡± Magnus, maneuvering his wheelchair, directly imed the CEO¡¯s chair Lillian stood up and walked over. ¡°Magnus, you¡¯ve been absent from thepany for years, and you have no idea how hard it is to run a business. Your leg is not in good shape. You should rest and let Lucius handle the CEO position.¡± Magnus slowly turned his head and silently stared at his biological mother. He still aware that she had never favored him. When he was just five years old and Lucius was seven, at that time, Lillian had returned from Ennd, bringing with her a limited¨Cedition model car for Lucius. When Magnus reached out to touch it, his mother pped his hand away. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it, this car model is Lucius¡® favorite. If it breaks, he¡¯ll be heartbroken.¡± Magnus watched as Lillian ced the toy car out of his reach. A chill went straight to his heart. Since then, he had never asked his mother for anything. He isted himself until Jamie left. Jamie¡¯s death left Magnus heartbroken. On the night Jamie left, he called Magnus to his side. ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re growing up. I might not be able to take care of you anymore. You have to learn to be strong. And as for Lucius, his character is very strong and possessive. You shouldn¡¯tpete with him.¡± Chapter 46 Chapter 46 Back then, Magnus failed to understand Jamie¡¯s intentions. Yet with the passage of time, he realized Jamie was trying to protect him, to prevent him from going head¨Cto¨Chead with his brother, Lucius. Still, he never picked a fight with Lucius. It was Lucius who tried to kill Magnus when he was just sixteen, forcing him to live away from the family feud. Even after he had retreated, Lucius still wanted him dead. After moving to Sapphire Ind, Magnus survived multiple assassination attempts organized by Lucius. Magnus¡® salvation came only when he met Perth. He then spent three years in France to receive treatment for his leg, but in reality, Dr. Frankie had restored sensation to his leg within six months. He spent the remaining two and a half years training day and night within the organization. He really wanted to heed Jamie¡¯s advice, to give up the fight with Lucius for the family business. But he needed power to survive. Lucius wanted him dead. How could he not fight back? Now, his own mother was asking him to hand over the position of CEO to Lucius. If he agreed, Lucius would kill him! Could he really take such a risk? Especially now that he had a woman of his own. He could see a promising future ahead. He had to be powerful, to protect his woman and those he cared for. ¡°Mother, both Lucius and I are your children. Why is it that only Lucius can be CEO and I cannot? Grandfather himself announced that the position belongs to me. Why would I possibly give it to Lucius?¡± His eyes held a hint of mockery, but mostly, they reflected his pain. ¡°Magnus, Lucius has made significant contributions to the Andersen Corporation over the years. He is the rightful candidate for CEO. Your grandfather only chose you because he adores you. You are unfit for this position. You should give it up to Lucius.¡± Lillian couldn¡¯t help but reveal her true feelings. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She seemed to be concerned about Magnus¡® health, wary of the strain the Andersen Corporation could put on him, yet she was scheming to get him to relinquish the position of CEO. ¡°Give it up? Mother, didn¡¯t you hear? Grandfather personally appointed me as the CEO of the Andersen Corporation. It hasn¡¯t even been a day and you want me to hand it over to Lucius. If I do that, how would Grandfather view me, the grandson he had such high hopes for?¡± His gaze was sharp as he stared at Lillian. ¡°I won¡¯t go against Grandfather¡¯s wishes. Please forgive me, Mother!¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Lillian stared at Magnus. She hadn¡¯t paid much attention to him over the years, and she was surprised to see that he was no longer the obedient little boy who would always follow her orders. He addressed her as Mother and asked for her forgiveness. He didn¡¯t call her Mom which suggested a certain distance he had put between them. He politely declined her request, leaving her helpless despite her favoritism. ¡°Alright, Magnus. Since your grandfather has entrusted you with this responsibility, you should manage the Andersen Corporation well,¡± Anthony finally spoke up. ¡°I will, Father.¡± Magnus wheeled away, not even ncing at the other people in the conference room. He left with Linden and Paul, heading straight to the CEO¡¯s office. Magnus¡® appointment as CEO during the shareholders¡® meeting had caused quite a stir in Melfort. Unaware of themotion, Natalia was back on Sapphire Ind. That evening, when Linden and Magnus returned, the servants had already prepared dinner. Natalia was waiting on the beach, and from a distance, she saw the car stop. She walked over quickly, pushing the wheelchair. Magnus opened the car door and saw Natalia¡¯s delicate face. The fatigue of the day instantly disappeared. ¡°Were you waiting for me, baby?¡± Natalia smiled and nodded. ¡°I was waiting for you toe back for dinner. You should¡¯ve been back by now if you didn¡¯t have any engagements.¡± Magnus sat in the wheelchair and held Natalia¡¯s hand. ¡°I will be very busy from now on. If you¡¯re hungry, go ahead and eat and don¡¯t wait for me.¡± Natalia pushed the wheelchair towards the vi, ¡°I¡¯m not hungry. How was your first day at the Andersen Corporation? Did you manage it well?¡± ¡°I managed it just fine, Natalia. Don¡¯t you know your husband is quite capable? Regardless of the situation, I¡¯m always the strongest,¡± he looked into her deep blue eyes, silently vowing that he would not let anyone harm this girl. Today, he had considered revealing the real condition of his legs to his grandfather. He thought of revealing this if the shareholders of the Andersen Corporation caused a scene He would simply stand up and deal with them one by one. But nothing of that sort happened. He remembered Natalia¡¯s words ¡°Once your legs are better, I will leave.¡± He didn¡¯t want to reveal that his legs were better because he was afraid she would leave So. unless it was absolutely necessary, he would not let her know. Back at the vi, Natalia took care of him attentively, serving his dinner and helping him bathe Later, Magnus went to the study to work. He casually called Chase. ¡°Get someone to clean up the house at Maplewood Manor. I¡¯m going to move in there in a couple of days.¡± ¡°You¡¯re moving into your own ce in Melfort? Didn¡¯t Morgan ask you to stay at the old house?¡± Chase asked, surprised Chapter ¡°I don¡¯t want to stay at the old house. I¡¯ll just move to Maplewood Manor.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get someone to tidy up right away. Speaking of which, Magnus, are you nning to spend some time with your wife? You¡¯re always with her. No wonder you don¡¯t want to stay at the Andersen Family Estate.¡± Chaseughed heartily. As Magnus listened to him, he saw Natalia walking in with a cup of lemon tea. He hung up the phone and beckoned Natalia, ¡°Come here.¡± Natalia walked over to him. ¡°Are you going to workte? I¡¯ve made you some lemon tea. Don¡¯t drink coffee at night. Later, when it¡¯s time to sleep, I¡¯ll massage your legs.¡± He didn¡¯t say a word. Instead, he pulled Natalia onto hisp. ¡°You¡¯ve been working hard, Natalia. In a few days, we¡¯ll move to Melfort. If there¡¯s anything you want to do, just let me know.¡± Natalia looked at his gentle face. ¡°Is it becausemuting from here to thepany every day will be inconvenient? Is that why we¡¯re moving to Melfort?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. Once we move there, I¡¯ll go to thepany during the day. We¡¯ll have Mr. Linden there to take care of things. You can go to school,¡± he said, gently stroking her soft hair. ¡°But remember, my dear, you¡¯re a married woman now. You must maintain a respectable distance from other men at school, okay?¡± His eyes were soft and gentle. His warm hand lightly squeezed her shoulder. Natalia stared at him, surprised. He was actually letting her go to school! ¡°Well, if you¡¯re that worried, I can just stay home instead. I don¡¯t have to go to school,¡± she said. Her words from earlier were just a casualment, but he took them seriously. If she really went back to school, she wondered how she would face her friends, like Sabrina. And whether Hector had gone to America. She was actually scared of running into them ¡°I promised you that you would go to school,¡± he reassured her. He was anxious about her going to school, not for any other reason but the fact that Lucius didn¡¯t be the CEO this time Magnus believed that his future would be a constant battle with Lucius He only wanted Natalia to live peacefully, without any danger urring in ces he couldn¡¯t see Natalia didn¡¯t respond. The fact that he convinced Morgan not to me the rkson family was already the greatest reward she could ask for Even if he didn¡¯t let her go to school, she wouldn¡¯t me him Magnus held her tiny body in his arms, suddenly feeling a surge of strength. He was determined to provide a happy life for this girl ¡°You should go to sleep now I have some business to take care of, then I¡¯lle join you.¡± he gently patted her back Chapter 47 Chapter 47 Natalia quickly stood up and her cheeks flushed. ¡°Well, I¡¯ll let you get back to work. I¡¯m going to bed.¡± She found herself forgetting the world around her every time she sat on hisp. There was something captivating about this man. Even if he was wheelchair¨Cbound, his. charm was irresistible, as long as he wasn¡¯t throwing a fit. She walked into the bedroom, grabbed her nightgown, and closed the bathroom door behind her. By the time Magnus finished his work, it was already eleven o¡¯clock. He received an unexpected call from Morgan. ¡°Magnus, why don¡¯t you bring your wife to the Andersen Family Estate? Since you¡¯re interested in her, I won¡¯t object. It¡¯s up to you.¡± Morgan¡¯s voice was still calm and gentle over the phone. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Thanks, Grandpa. We¡¯ll be staying at Maplewood Manor. It¡¯s closer to the office. You should get some rest. It¡¯ste.¡± Magnus replied, his voice soft. Morgan nodded and ended the call. He sat by the window, gazing into the endless night. He was entrusting hispany to Magnus, hoping he could ovee his difficulties and stand on his own two feet one day. Three dayster, Magnus took Natalia to their new home in Maplewood Manor. The staff, except for their Butler Linden and housemaid May, stayed on Sapphire Ind to look after the properties there. Maplewood Manor was a house that Magnus¡® friend Chase had bought for him three years ago. It was fully furnished and was meant to be Magnus¡® ce in Melfort, a city closer to his Despite this, Magnus had chosen to stay on Sapphire Ind. Now, he was finally moving to Melfort. The house was only a five¨Cminute drive from the office. As Linden drove into Maplewood Manor, a guard saluted. The window rolled down, and a security officer approached. ¡°Mr. Magnus, wee back to Maplewood Manor¡± Magnus nodded, and the car slowly came to a stop in front of a two¨Cstory vi. The property was quite large, with a vast yard and two luxury cars parked on thewn. Natalia stepped out of the car, set up Magnus¡® wheelchair, and helped him into it. Linden followed with the luggage, and May was close behind. It felt like they were a typical family. with Magnus as the father, Natalia as the mother, and May as the child. In response to Natalia¡¯s giggles, Magnus grabbed her hand. ¡°What are youughing at, darling? Do you like it here?¡± Natalia pushed his wheelchair through the front gate. ¡°I was just thinking, we look like a typical family out for a stroll.¡± His handsome face suddenly darkened at her words. He had a wife, yes, but not a child. Looking at his laughing wife, he lifted a hand to cup her chin. ¡°I only have you, darling. As for children, we¡¯ll have to wait for you to give birth.¡± Natalia stoppedughing, and a blush crept up her face. She quickly changed the subject and began to take in her new surroundings. The interior of the house wasvishly furnished, giving off a warm and inviting vibe, unlike the austere ck decor of Sapphire Ind. There was arge living room with a sofa that could easily serve as a bed. The kitchen was filled with brand new appliances, and every floor was essible by elevator, considering Magnus¡® condition. Magnus sat on the sofa, watching Natalia as she observed their new home. He patted the spot next to him. ¡°Come, sit here.¡± Natalia walked over and looked at him. ¡°My love, this will be our home from now on. Do you like it?¡± ¡°I do.¡± As long as she had a roof over her head, she was content. ¡°Good. Once I¡¯ve sorted things out at the office, we¡¯ll get you enrolled in school.¡± Natalia was taken aback. ¡°So soon?¡± ¡°What, you don¡¯t want to go to school?¡± He leaned in to whisper in her ear. ¡°No¡­ I do,¡± she stammered, surprised that he was actually considering her education. ¡°Good. Finish your studies, and if you want to learn something else afterward, just tell me. My wife can do whatever she wants,¡± he said as his dark eyes were fixed on Natalia. in that moment, the sun streamed through the front door, illuminating Magnus handsome face Natalia found herself captivated by his gentleness, and his words echoed in her mind ¡°My wife can do whatever she wants¡± She snapped out of her trance, standing up and lightly patting his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to check out the bedrooms upstairs and unpack.¡± ¡°Alright, go ahead.¡± Magnus nodded. The second floor had three rooms a master bedroom, a guest room, and a study. The study led to a rooftop pool, filled with crystal clear water. The bedrooms were decorated in warm tones, with sky¨Cblue bedspreads After unpacking and organizing her clothes, Natalia returned downstairs to find Magnus on a call He was frowning His handsome face was growing colder as the conversation went on. After lunch, Magnus left for the office, leaving Natalia alone in their new home. Meanwhile, in another vi in Melfort, Lucius kicked a table over in anger. He red at the wall, and his hands clenched into fists Blood dripped from his knuckles as he muttered, ¡°Magnus, I won¡¯t let you have everything The CEO position is mine Let¡¯s see how long you Chapter can hold on to it.¡± The house staff cowered in fear, hiding in the corners of the room. The front door opened, and Kendra walked in. She looked around at the mess and slowly. approached Lucius. ¡°Lucius, what¡¯s wrong?¡± She had known about Magnus taking over as CEO of Andersen Corporation. When she saw his pictures on various Melfort magazines, she was speechless. The man in the pictures was even more striking than Lucius. Despite being in a wheelchair, his charisma was undeniable. His handsome face, tinged with a hint of indifference, was enough to make any woman swoon. Every photograph of him in his wheelchair was clearly appealing. It was possibly owing to his current position as CEO of Andersen Corporation, holding thepany¡¯s lifeline and being the apple of Morgan¡¯s eye. Her heart pounded as she looked at Magnus¡® photos. The thought of him being hers felt surreal. How incredibly charming would he be if he could stand one day? Even if he couldn¡¯t, if he had to be wheelchair¨Cbound for life, he held supreme power and enormous wealth. Being married to him could still be considered a blessing. She suddenly found herself yearning for this man. The realization that they were legally wedded made a mocking smile curl up at the corners of her mouth. This man was bewitchingly charming, and at this very moment, Kendra was falling head over heels for him! Upon seeing Kendra walk in, Lucius was quick to grab her hand. ¡°Kendra, you have nothing to worry about. I won¡¯t let that cripple sit on that throne for long. That position is mine!¡± Chapter 48 Chapter 48 Kendra sidled up to him, her gaze filled with disdain. ¡°Lucius, didn¡¯t you im that the CEO position of Andersen Corporation was yours to take? Why is it now Magnus¡®? I pleaded with my father for you, and now, you¡¯ve got nothing.¡± ¡°Kendra, don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll reim the CEO position.¡± His voice was filled with pain as he gripped her hand. Kendra gently removed his hand. ¡°Well, I¡¯lle see you when you do.¡± She turned to leave. ¡°Kendra!¡± Lucius grabbed her hand fiercely. ¡°What do you mean? Are you breaking up with me because I didn¡¯t get the CEO position?¡± Kendra turned back to look at him. His eyes were bloodshot. She lowered her gaze. ¡°Lucius, I thought you would be the CEO and force Magnus to divorce me, but now that you¡¯re not in that position, I¡¯m still Magnus¡® wife in the eyes of thew. We can¡¯t be together anymore. If Magnus retaliates, the rkson family might suffer.¡± Lucius was left staring at the woman who had suddenly distanced herself from him, and his heart was growing colder by the second. ¡°You¡¯re saying this because I didn¡¯t be the CEO, not out of fear of Magnus¡® retaliation. Kendra, I didn¡¯t expect this from you! Even if I don¡¯t be the CEO, I¡¯ll still be the enviable Mr. Lucius from Andersen Corporation! And you dare say these things!¡± Kendra watched as Lucius¡® eyes filled with fury and his grip on her arm was tightening. She hugged him. ¡°Lucius, no, I love you. However, I¡¯m Magnus¡® wife, legally. What am I supposed to do? If he refuses to divorce, we can never be together.¡± Lucius looked down at the woman in his arms, the woman he had loved deeply for years. He had thought that even if he fell from grace, she would never leave him. Now that he was feeling Kendra¡¯s distance, he smirked bitterly. ¡°Magnus will divorce you. He seems quite smitten with your sister. They¡¯ve even moved into Maplewood Manor together I believe the next step for him is to divorce you and make your sister his legitimate wife.¡± Kendra was stunned. She began to tremble uncontrobly. This was impossible, they could not have fallen in love this quickly. And Natalia, that clueless fool, could not possibly have made Magnus fall for her! She should be the one Magnus desires, not Natalia. After all, both he and Lucius had vied for her hand in marriage. His intention was to be with her, right? Seeing her trembling, Lucius confirmed his suspicions Kendra still wanted to marry Magnus! His eyes turned crimson, and his grip on Kendra¡¯s arm tightened Kendra felt a sharp pain in her arm and snapped out of her thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re hurting me, Lucius! Let go!¡± But he didn¡¯t let go. He just stared at her. ¡°Do you still want to marry Magnus? Tell me! Do Chap you?¡± Kendra managed to shake off his hand. ¡°Let me go, you¡¯re insane! I¡¯m already his wife in the eyes of thew, and we¡¯re not even divorced yet! What do you mean ¡®do I want to marry him?¡± ¡°Ha¡­ even if you wanted to, it¡¯s toote. He knows you¡¯ve been in love with me since we were kids, and that you¡¯ve been my woman for nine years. You didn¡¯t want him because of his disability and instead had your sister marry him. He despises you. There¡¯s no way he¡¯d want you back, Kendra. Give up on that idea. You¡¯re my woman. If not, I¡¯ll make sure the rkson family disappears!¡± Lucius¡® face twisted into a terrifying snarl, sending chills down Kendra¡¯s spine. This was the man she had loved for over a decade. He was terrifying! She had always liked Lucius, his domineering attitude, and his generous nature as a wealthy heir That¡¯s why she gave up her virginity to him when she was seventeen. But his horrifying expression now made her shudder. She stood there, dazed, watching him. Lucius slowly released her arm, took a step back, and then turned to leave the vi. In the CEO¡¯s office at the Andersen Tower, Lucius stormed in, only to be stopped by the security and the secretary. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Mr. Lucius, you can¡¯t go in now.¡± ¡°Out of my way! Who do you think you are to stop me!¡± He aimed a kick at the security guard. Just then, the office door swung open and Paul stepped out, his gaze dark. ¡°Mr. Lucius, the CEO is in an important video conference meeting. Whatever you need to discuss, please wait half an hour.¡± Lucius red at Paul. ¡°Paul, I treated you well in the past, and now you dare to stop me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m grateful for your past kindness, but I¡¯m serving the CEO now. I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve been disrespectful!¡± Paul remained standing respectfully at the door. Seeing he wouldn¡¯t be allowed in, Lucius¡® eyes red up like a raging fire. It was as if he wanted to burn the door down. In the end, he clenched his fists, and his veins were popping ¡°Tell Magnus, I¡¯ll be waiting for him at the rooftop of the Golden Groove tonight. I hope he shows up¡± Paul didn¡¯t reply, but watched as Lucius turned and left, a slight smirk ying on his lips. Magnus was sitting in his executive chair, video conferencing with thepany representative from France When Paul pushed the door open, he had already ended the call Suddenly, he stood up and walked towards the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window Paul was taken aback. ¡°Sir, your legs. they¡¯re healed? He stared in shock as Magnus got up Chapter and strode to the window. ¡°Yes, but don¡¯t let anyone know. I was able to stand three years ago.¡± He trusted his grandfather¡¯s men implicitly. Paul watched in astonishment as Magnus stood tall by the window. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, sir. This is great news. You¡¯re finally healed. Morgan will be so happy.¡± He said joyfully. Magnus swiveled around. ¡°Keep a close eye on Lucius these next few days Mr Dupont from France is coming to visit and I don¡¯t want any disturbances. Also, get in touch with the principal of Melfort College. Let him know I want to add someone to the sophomore design course. Have him arrange it.¡± ¡°Right away, sir. Are you suggesting that your wife attends school? As far as I know, she was doing well in the sophomore design course at Melfort College. The professor has been waiting for her to return to ss,¡± Paul said, his gaze fixed on Magnus¡® profound dark eyes which softened when he mentioned Magnus¡® wife. He knew Magnus was referring to Natalia, the innocent girl who had to take a leave of absence from school. Magnus nodded, ¡°You arrange it. Also, apany me to Golden Groove tonight to meet Mr. Dimas and finalize the deal on the plot ofnd.¡± ¡°Absolutely, but sir, Mr. Lucius has also arranged to meet you tonight at Golden Groove,¡± Paul informed him. ¡°We¡¯ll see him after we¡¯ve signed the contract with Mr. Dimas,¡± Magnus said, turning to sit in his wheelchair. ¡°I¡¯ll head out now. Handle the rest,¡± he said, his wheelchair slowly gliding out of the room. Paul held the door open for him and saw him into the elevator. He then turned and walked into his office to get started on his work. Chapter Chapter 49 Chapter 49 Magnus took the elevator down to the ground floor of the Andersen Tower, where his butler Linden immediately wheeled him towards the parking lot. As he smoothly glided out of the building, a woman stood frozen by the stone pirs. Her gaze was fixated on the man seated in the wheelchair. He was even more striking in person than in photographs. Dressed in a sleek ck suit, his long legs were resting on the footrest of the wheelchair, and his handsome face was marked by a pair of dark, impassive eyes. He exuded an air of exclusivity, yet there was something about him that was irresistibly intriguing. Despite being wheelchair¨Cbound, he carried an aura of regal authority. He smoothly transitioned into a Rolls¨CRoyce Phantom, and Linden closed the car door behind him. The car pulled away slowly. The woman, Kendra, promptly hailed a taxi and trailed behind Magnus¡® car. Linden, noticing the car tailing them, immediately heightened his alertness. ¡°Sir, we¡¯re being followed,¡± he warned. Magnus, with his eyes closed, responded nonchntly, ¡°Let them follow. It¡¯s not a problem. Let¡¯s just head home.¡± As they arrived at Maplewood Manor, Kendra got out of her taxi and approached the gatekeeper. But she was immediately stopped by the security guard. ¡°Miss, this is a private residence. You¡¯re not allowed to enter.¡± Kendra red at the guard. ¡°I came here with Mr. Andersen.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. Mr. Andersen¡¯s car just went in. If you know him, why didn¡¯t you ride with him? I¡¯m sorry. You can¡¯t enter.¡± The guard blocked her path. Frustrated, Kendra raised her voice. ¡°Open your eyes, I¡¯m Magnus¡® wife!¡± The guard was taken aback. ¡°How can you possibly be Mr. Magnus¡® wife? His wife is at home. We¡¯ve all seen her.¡± Speechless, Kendra watched as Magnus¡® car parked by a house A girl, clearly Natalia, rushed over with a wheelchair and helped Magnus onto it. Magnus, seated on the wheelchair, heid Natalia¡¯s hand and they shared a lovingugh. Kendra was frozen, as if a sharp, invisible knife was rending her heart. Natalia was such a bitch. The moment she got married, she started to seduce Magnus. Look how happy she was living the life that was supposed to be her, Kendra¡¯s! Magnus tenderness towards Natalia made Kendra¡¯s eyes glint with a dangerous glimmer This was Kendra¡¯s man, and she¡¯d make sure Natalia knew it. With that, she left Maplewood Manor and took a taxi back to the rkson residence. Meanwhile, Magnus returned home and Natalia had already prepared dinner ¡°You must be hungry Let¡¯s eat, and afterwards I can massage your legs,¡® she said Magnus, looking up at her, chuckled ¡°My dear, i could get used to this Promise me that you 10 won¡¯t leave, no matter what happens. Okay?¡± Natalia looked at his smiling, handsome face. ¡°Magnus, I promise that until you can stand up again, I will not leave you.¡± Magnus¡® face turned grave. ¡°So, if I can stand again, you¡¯ll leave?¡± ¡°If you can stand and you still need me, I¡¯ll stay. If you don¡¯t need me, I¡¯ll leave. After all, I¡¯m not really your wife,¡± she responded, her eyes welling up with tears. ¡°Listen, Natalia, I need you by my side for the rest of my life. Don¡¯t even think about leaving me once I recover, understood?¡± He roared, his icy re freezing Natalia in her tracks. This caused Natalia to tear up. ¡°Magnus, be reasonable. I¡¯m not legally your wife. If you don¡¯t need me anymore, why should I stay?¡± With a ¡°whooshing¡± sound, the man swept everything on the coffee table to the ground. His eyes were dark, his body radiating coldness. ¡°So you care about that piece of paper, okay then, I¡¯ll bring it back tomorrow. Make you my wife in the eyes of thew.¡± Natalia could no longer hold back her tears. They streamed down her pale face. Who wanted his paper! She was now in a dilemma! Even she herself didn¡¯t know what the future holds. She turned to go upstairs, not wanting to see this man¡¯s anger. ¡°Baby!¡± He called out just as she reached the stairs. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going? If you don¡¯t want that paper, behave yourself. I¡¯m tired, so stop making a fuss.¡± Magnus wearily sat down on the sofa. He pretended to be disabled so she wouldn¡¯t leave. And now she was acting petnt. She¡¯s not being a good girl at all. ¡°Come and sit here, I have to go out tonight.¡± He extended a hand to her. Natalia almost choked. She turned around silently and sat next to him. She didn¡¯t know why, but she felt quite upset these days.N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°I¡¯m not making a fuss, and I don¡¯t care about the paper. You go about your business Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± She sat next to him, thinking about his legs, forcibly repressing the words she wanted to say. Perhaps one day, when he could stand up again, his temper would naturally improve After all, anyone in a wheelchair for an extended period of time would be imitable Magnus sighed, pulled her closer and kissed her passionately. This tender moment left Natalia blushing, and her heart pounding She was falling, little by little, into his arms, even if it meant being a substitute. She couldn¡¯t control her heart ¡°Stay close to me, darling, he murmured His voice was a low rumble that echoed in her ears like a rolling thunder I¡¯ll take care of all your worries. But in return, I need you to be mine Let yourself fall in love with me, and then give yourself to mepletely What do you think? His words detonated in Natalia¡¯s brain, leaving her mind a nk canvas. He wanted her in love with him. What would happen if she did? Would he divorce Kendra and give Natalia a real home? His gaze was steady and unwavering; there was no sign of deceit. Besides, he had no reason to lie to her. She had seen in the newspaper over the past few days that he had be the CEO of Andersen Corporation. Step by step, he was carving out his own path in life. 1012 Chapter 50 Chapter 50 Once Magnus¡® leg healed, he was the center of attention. Natalia was just a speck of dust, insignificant enough to act as a substitute. She had nothing to say, so she simply nodded. ¡°All right, I¡¯ll massage your legs for a bit. Are you going out for dinner tonight?¡± ¡°Yep, I¡¯m eating out. Trust me, darling.¡± He gently tapped her forehead and rolled away in his wheelchair. Linden immediately came out to open the mansion¡¯s grand doors, pushing the wheelchair out. Natalia watched the departing car, standing dumbfounded at the doorway. He hade back to tell her that he wouldn¡¯t be home for dinner, but he could¡¯ve just called. Why did he have toe back just to leave again? Natalia turned to walk back into the mansion. May had already prepared dinner. ¡°Madam, dinner is ready. You may dine now.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± At the rkson mansion, Kendra pushed open the grand doors to see Kyler and Addison sitting on the couch watching TV. She immediately walked over, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Mom, Dad, I want my marriage back. Please send Natalia away, I don¡¯t want her to rece me anymore.¡± Kyler looked at his daughter in shock. ¡°Nonsense! You think it¡¯s a game? You refused to get married, had your sister rece you, and now you want her to leave after she¡¯s married? What kind of daughter are you?¡± ¡°Dad, I thought Lucius would be the CEO of Andersen Corporation. I didn¡¯t expect Magnus toe back and take the position. How can I marry Lucius now? I¡¯m meant to be a CEO¡¯s wife!¡± Kendra started crying, and Addison pulled her close. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Kendra. Lucius may not be the CEO, but he¡¯s the vice president. Marrying him would still bring you endless wealth and honor. As for Magnus, he may be the CEO, but he¡¯s disabled. How can he be better?¡± ¡°No, Mom, he may be disabled, but I¡¯m the one married to him. I¡¯m his wife under thew, and now my husband is busy with Natalia. I can¡¯t stand this!¡± Kendra shouted out. Kyler and Addison stared at her in disbelief; they couldn¡¯t believe these were the words of the daughter they had cherished for over twenty years. ¡°Kendra, you were the one that made Natalia marry Mr. Magnus in your ce, and now you¡¯re saying this? Morgan is already furious, and he¡¯s only letting us off the hook because of Mr. Magnus. How long are you going to keep this up? You think Morgan is ying house with you? You¡¯re being unreasonable!¡± Kyler pointed at Kendra, yelling in anger. ¡°Dad, I¡¯m not messing around, I regret it. I shouldn¡¯t have let Natalia rece me. I¡¯m legally married to Magnus. If I marry him, Mr. Morgan won¡¯t be angry, because he initially wanted me to marry Magnus. Right?¡± She recalled Magnus¡® tender smile towards Natalia, and she was filled with jealousy. Why should her man be nice to Natalia? Just as Kyler was about to say something, his phone rang. It was a call from Magnus. He quickly answered, ¡°Hello, Mr. Andersen.¡± Magnus paused. ¡°Mr. rkson, you can call me Magnus. After all, Natalia and I are married. I need you to do something for me right away.¡± ¡°Okay, just say the word, Mr. Magnus.¡± ¡°I want Kendra to bring her identification documents to the civil affairs bureau first thing tomorrow morning to process the divorce. I trust this is something you can handle He stated directly, leaving Kyler stunned. ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°What? Isn¡¯t this what you¡¯ve been scheming to achieve? If it wasn¡¯t for your disdain of me being disabled, you wouldn¡¯t have had your younger daughter marry me in the first ce. Once your younger daughter got married, why did you use your older daughter¡¯s ID to register our marriage? Mr. rkson, do you want me to marry both of them? I¡¯m sorry to disappoint you, but this is aw¨Cabiding society. I can only have one wife and right now, Natalia is my woman. I¡¯d appreciate it if you could quickly sort out this matter with your older daughter You might not know this about me, but I like to resolve things quickly. I don¡¯t like dragging things out. The sooner, the better!¡± His words left Kyler¡¯s face flushed. It may not have sounded like much, but it was a jab at the rkson family¡¯s attempts to curry favor with the Andersen family it suggested that they were so desperate that they¡¯d be willing to marry off both their daughters to him As a respected figure in Melfort, the only person who¡¯d dare speak to Kyler like this was Magnus. And because Kyler was in the wrong, what more could he say? In Magnus low, firm voice, Kyler heard his finality. He nodded immediately. ¡°Yes, yes, I¡¯ll do it. I¡¯m sorry for the trouble, Mr. Andersen.¡± Magnus paused, ¡°I trust Mr. rkson is a reasonable man. I¡¯ll leave this matter in your hands. ¡°Alright alright Magnus hung up and Kyler looked at his wife and daughter who had been watching him all this while ¡°Magnus has requested for the divorce to take ce tomorrow!¡± Kendra was taken aback, immediately standing up I won¡¯t divorce him I absolutely refuse to.¡± She cried as she ran upstairs Kyler watched Kendra¡¯s retreating figure with anger ¡°It¡¯s not up to you. You made this mess. Who else is there to me?¡± Kyler stood up and left the mansion after his words. Kendra ran to her room and hid all her identification documents. She looked out of the window at the trees. She thought, ¡°Natalia, I will never divorce Magnus. If you think you can have happiness, you¡¯re dreaming!¡± She changed her clothes and went downstairs. ¡°Kendra, where are you going?¡± Addison called after her. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°I need some fresh air, Mom. I don¡¯t want to get a divorce.¡± ¡°But Kendra, Mr. Magnus has already called. Your father has agreed. Don¡¯t be stubborn.¡± ¡°Mom, even you¡¯re against me. I said I won¡¯t divorce him!¡± She ran out, mming the door behind her. Addison shook her head. At the upscale club, Golden Groove, Lucius had reserved a private booth on the top floor, awaiting the arrival of Magnus. Meanwhile, in another booth, Magnus was finalizing a contract with property developer Mr. Dimas, in thepany of his trusted associate, Paul. After an indulgent steak dinner, Mr. Dimas finally stood up. ¡°Mr. Andersen, it was a pleasure doing business with you. I look forward to our future coborations.¡± It was 10 pm when the meeting ended. Magnus rubbed his temples, looking exhausted. ¡°Mr. Andersen, Mr. Lucius is waiting for you upstairs,¡± Paul offered, ready to wheel Magnus to the top floor to meet Lucius. ¡°It¡¯ste. Let¡¯s head home!¡± ¡°Of course, sir!¡± Magnus left The Golden Jazz in his wheelchair, heading straight for the parking lot Just then, an unsteady young woman blocked his path. ¡°Mr. Andersen, wait a moment, please Magnus frowned, looking at the woman before him. She was dressed provocatively. Her figure was outlined by her revealing outfit. Her face was flushed, appearing intoxicated. She stared at Magnus with a dazed expression, her eyes reflecting hurt. She swayed towards him, but Magnus maneuvered his wheelchair backward. She fell onto his legs instead, and the overpowering scent of her perfume nearly made him sick ¡°Who are you?¡± he demanded, pushing her off He despised heavily made up women like her. The sight of his friend James with women of this sort always disgusted him. He preferred his fairdy, who was always clean, never wore perfume, and naturally emanated a faint, pleasant aroma Chapter 51 Chapter 51 The girl rose to her feet, with a bitter smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. ¡°Mr. Andersen, it¡¯s me, Kendra. Your wife.¡± She had had one too many sses of wine, but it was the only way she could muster the courage to stand next to him. Magnus¡® lips curved into a mocking smile when she introduced herself as Kendra ¡°And what brings you here?¡± ¡°¡­I came to see you, Mr. Andersen. I¡¯m sorry I shouldn¡¯t have let that bitch Natalia take my ce¡­¡­..I shouldn¡¯t have lied to you. I¡¯m sorry, I just wanted¡­ ¡°What is it that you want?¡± Her sentence was cut short by his icy tone. To switch ces back? Huh?¡± He gripped her wrists that were restlessly moving on his thighs ¡°So, you¡¯re not put off by my disability now?¡± He stared at her coldly ¡°No. No, I¡¯m not. I¡¯m your wife. I don¡¯t mind. I¡¯m sorry¡± Kendra held back the intense pain in her wrist and was struggling to rise, but he pushed her back down ¡°But I mind Kendra, you¡¯re so naive. Do you think you can have whatever you want? Well, let me tell you, you¡¯re not meant to be on the ind. If it had been you living here, you¡¯d have been miserable. Be smart and bring your papers tomorrow to finalize the divorce.¡± Magnus pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket, wiped his hands, and tossed it on the ground. He then slid towards his car ¡°No, I won¡¯t divorce you, Magnus. Since you took the CEO position, you have to marry me, because I¡¯m the wife of a CEO Kendra¡¯s head was spinning, she didn¡¯t even understand what she was saying. He ignored her, climbed into his car, and Paul closed the door behind him. The car slowly pulled away from the Golden Groove At the entrance of the Golden Groove stood a man, Lucius, who had juste down from the building. He had waited for hours and hadn¡¯t seen Magnus He clenched his teeth in anger. Very well, Magnus, if you¡¯re heartless don¡¯t me me for being ruthless! When he came down, he saw Kendra kneeling on the ground, apologizing to Magnus, iming she didn¡¯t mind his disability. His blood boiled in outrage Kendra was indeed harboring fantasies about Magnus. The woman he had genuinely loved for all these years turned out to be utterly¡­despicable! Even without the CEO position, Lucius had more than enough to offer to Kendra. He watched the woman crawling and begging on the ground like a dog. His anger caused veins to bulge on his forehead. After Magnus left, he strode forward, grabbing Kendra, and pped her across the face. Kendra hadn¡¯t reacted yet, but the burning pain on her face made her look up, only to see Lucius face, cold and terrifying ¡°Lucius, why did you hit me?¡± She clutched her face in confusion. Lucius had always been extremely indulgent with her, and now he had hit her! ¡°Why? Can¡¯t wait to seduce Magnus, Kendra? I didn¡¯t think you¡¯d stoop so low The moment he bes CEO, you¡¯re so eager totch onto him. Don¡¯t forget, you¡¯re my woman Do you think he wants you to go back to him? Stop dreaming, break up with him properly, and don¡¯t make me a cuckold!¡± He grabbed her and stormed off towards the parking lot. ¡°Let go Lucius, you bastard!¡± Kendra was struck and Lucius even dragged her, her wrist was killing her. She had never hated Lucius as much as she did at that moment. He had actually hit her! On what grounds did he have to hit her! Regardless of how much Kendra struggled, Lucius opened the car door, threw her in, and locked it. He got into the driver¡¯s seat and was ready to drive home Kendra grabbed his shoulder from behind. Let me out, I¡¯m not getting in your car, Lucius I didn¡¯t know you were such a lowlife that hit women. 1 misjudged you!¡± ¡°Heh heh ¡°Lucius sneered. ¡°Only now you realize you made a mistake? Toote! Sit tight, or I wouldn¡¯t mind giving Magnus a live show of how much you enjoy being beneath me¡± Kendra red at him. She had never seen Lucius be so ruthless before. In reality, Lucius had genuinely liked Kendra. However, this time, he realized Kendra had been nice to him only to secure her future as the CEO¡¯s wife And now that Magnus had taken the CEO¡¯s position, she had abandoned him for Magnus. Such a woman was like a knife twisting in his heart. How could he still treat her as kindly as before? When they arrived at Lucius vi, he opened the car door, pulled Kendra out, and dragged her into the house. Kendra struggled with all her might, but she couldn¡¯t break free from his grip, especially with the alcohol fogging her brain Lucius dragged her into the house and tossed her onto the sofa Kendra¡¯s vision swirled, and as she was trying to sit up, a solid body pressed down on her. Her chin was tightly gripped by arge hand Lucius kissed her, not giving her any chance to escape. His hand ripped off her clothing, brutally iming her It wasn¡¯t untilte at night that Kendra returned to the rkson family residence, in a daze She opened the door and copsed onto the living room floor When Magnus returned to the vi, it was almost eleven o clock Linden helped him into his wheelchair, from which he stood up and walked into the vi In the bedroom upstairs, Natalia was lying on her side, asleep She was still holding a book in her hand, having fallen asleep while reading Magnus gently took the book from her hand and saw that it was one of his old school textbooks How much did this girl want to go to school, to the point where she was even dreaming of it Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Magnus took his pajamas and went into the bathroom for a shower Kendra¡¯s drunken appearance outside the Golden Groove earlier was revolting He put on his pajamas, came out of the bathroom, gently lifted the quilt, andid down He scooped up the soft girl, inhaled the sweet scent of her body, and closed his eyes His exhaustion from the day slowly faded away, and he was once again certain that he wanted this girl He was even grateful to Kendra for bringing this girl into his life if not for her, what would his life have been like, and how much longer would he have suffered? The next day, when Natalia opened her eyes, she found herself lying in a warm embrace. She slowly lifted her head and saw Magnus handsome face. There was an unexpected sweetness in her heart. She studied his eyebrows, nose, and lips, carefully etching his features into her memory. Magnus¡® face seemed to have been carved into her heart. She gently slipped out of his embrace, picked up the pencil next to her, and began to sketch. A sketch of Magnus in slumber, uncannily urate, appeared before her, causing her to smile gently. Magnus opened his dark eyes, noticing her smiling at the portrait in her hands. ¡°Let me see it,¡± he said. Despite having been awake for a while, he didn¡¯t want to disturb her sketching him Blushing, Natalia handed over the drawing. Magnus eyes lit up ¡°Mydy, your drawing is incredibly urate¡± He looked up at Natalia, grinning like a cat that got the cream I never realized I was so handsome. No wonder you can¡¯t take her eyes off me.¡± Since when had she been unable to take her eyes off him? His level of narcissism was unimaginable Still, she asked with a smile, ¡°So, my drawing really does look like you?¡± She wasn¡¯t quite sure ¡°Yes, it does!¡± He took her hand, pulling her into his embrace. I¡¯ve posed for you once, it¡¯s time for my reward¡± Natalia¡¯s cheeks turned a deep shade of red. He actually called himself her husband! The man had absolutely no shame. Before Natalia even had a chance to reply, his warm kiss had already covered her lips. Chapter 52 Chapter 52 In the wee hours of the morning, Magnus reeked of a potent, masculine scent. He pushed Natalia towards the edge of the bed,mencing an intimate embrace with a mix of tenderness and assertiveness. Natalia found herself lost in his gentle caress. Her senses were overwhelmed by the intoxicating scent of his desire. She felt weak all over as his kisses grew more intense. He moved her to the bed, his body pressing against hers. He quickly discarded their sleepwear, impatient to feel the warmth of her lips against his again. Magnus was in deep difort, his desires amplified by her touch. He moved down from her chin, and his lips were trailing kisses along her chest, covering her softness ¡°Ah Natalia let out a soft moan. Her body was sensitive to his touch. Magnus was on fire, every nerve in his body was screaming for her. ¡°Darling give in to me.¡± Natalia¡¯s heart raced at the sound of his desperate plea. She was already at her limit, and his advances were leaving her weak and wanting more Magnus felt that she was ready, so he kissed her passionately, not able to wait any longer to im her. In the morning, due to their tight schedule, Magnus was satisfied with just one round. He whispered in her ear. ¡°Darling, it¡¯s not enough. We¡¯ll continue tonight¡± Exhausted, Natalia barely had any strength left. This man was insatiable. But the next minute, Magnus was already dressed and in his wheelchair, carrying Natalia into the bathroom. He helped clean her up. Natalia was surprised at how efficient he was despite his disability. He then helped her dry off and put her back into bed. Magnus then went to change his clothes. ¡°Darling, rest a bit more. I¡¯m off to the office.¡± Feeling powerless, Natalia could only nod as she watched Magnus wheel away, full of life and energy At the Andersen Corporation headquarters, Magnus sat at his desk, elegantly flipping through some documents. ¡°Sir, Kyler called today. He said Kendra is ill. Can the divorce be postponed?¡± Paul said, standing in front of the desk Before Magnus could reply, the sound of an altercation with security outside the office filled the room. Paul immediately went to handle it, but before he could, the door had already been pushed open. Lucius stormed in, furious ¡°Magnus, what¡¯s the meaning of this? I tried to meet you at Golden Groove yesterday but you didn¡¯t show, and now you¡¯re having security stop me from entering. Do you think a mere security guard can stop me?¡± Magnus looked directly at Lucius ¡°Mr. Lucius, what¡¯s the matter? I believe your office is downstairs. And this is apany, not a ce where you can do as you please. Security is just doing their job, nothing wrong with that.¡± Lucius red at the man in front of him. He had always thought Magnus would be crippled by his disability forever, but here he was, iming the position of CEO. Magnus looked back at him, his gaze sharp. ¡°Whether I¡¯m qualified to be the CEO is not for you to decide, Lucius Based on your actions betraying your brothers, killing innocents, andundering money under the name of Andersen Corporation ¨C any of these reasons is enough for me to send you to jail But I don¡¯t want to hurt Grandpa, nor do I want to betray Jamie¡¯sst words. If you behave. I¡¯ll let it pass. But if you cause trouble again, don¡¯t me me for not considering our brotherhood!¡± Lucius was taken aback. How did Magnus know about all the things he had done? He stood there trembling, Magnus, you¡¯ve been investigating me ¡°Was there a need for investigation? You should have known, the moment you did those things, that one day they would be revealed. And with your status, doing those things, do you think there would be no one who knows? Magnus remained calm andposed. Suddenly, Lucius felt as if his younger brother was no longer the same fool who used to tolerate his bullying silently. He had no idea what he had been doing behind his back, but Magnus was already empowered, enough that he doesn¡¯t even bother to confront him. Lucius left the CEO¡¯s office, walked straight into the elevator, and then into the deputy general manager¡¯s office, mming the door shut. The secretary outside the door was so scared that she didn¡¯t dare to breathe. He kicked the office table in half with one foot. He sat angrily on the sofa He could not ept this. He absolutely could not ept that a cripple was riding over his head. Everything here had been his for so many years Why was it being stolen by a cripple? After Lucius stormed out, Magnus stood by the window, watching the blood¨Cred sunset. His mind was in turmoil. All content is property ? N?velDrama.Org. At Maplewood Manor, Natalia got upte in the afternoon, had a quick lunch and started reading a book on the balcony ¡°Madam, there¡¯s a youngdy looking for you, May informed her. ¡°Who¡¯s looking for me? She wondered. The only person that came to mind was Sabrina. But when she descended the stairs, she found Kendra standing in the riddle of the living room On hearing the footsteps, Kendra turned to find Natalia¡¯s blue eyes staring at her. They both paused for a moment. Kendra stared nkly at the girl she hadn¡¯t seen in four months. She had be much prettier, wearing a blue dress, a simple coat, and her hair casually draped behind her head Her delicate skin had a hint of pink, and there was a sense of vitality and wisdom between her brows Kendra knew she was beautiful, Lut she never expected for her beauty to intensify here Was this face what she used to seduce Magnus? As Kendra watched her, a ruthless light shed in Kendra¡¯s eyes. ¡°Is there something you need? Natalia asked, seemingly indifferent She was used to Kendra¡¯s and sarcasm by now ¡°Looks like you¡¯re doing well? Kendra returned, her eyes filled with a malicious glint ¡°Thanks to you, very well indeed, Natalia replied, her gaze steady on Kendra ¡°Pretty neat, huh?¡± She paused. I¡¯m not going to beat around the bush anymore I came here today to tell you that you can leave now. I don¡¯t need you to Chapter 53 Chapter 53 A single, dismissive phrase from Kendra saw her off, implying that her role as a stand¨Cin was no longer required. Howughable. ¡°Sorry to disappoint you Kendra, but Magnus didn¡¯t send me away, and I¡¯m not going anywhere. He requires my care,¡± she responded calmly, despite the storm brewing within her. Kendra¡¯s audacity was baffling. Who did she think she was to dictate Natalia¡¯s life? ¡°Are you nning on sticking around?¡± Kendra¡¯s anger red at her words. ¡°Don¡¯t forget, I¡¯m Magnus legal wife. It¡¯s about time you resumed your original ce Nataliaughed coldly, and her eyes were staring straight at Kendra. ¡°You think I¡¯ll marry and leave as youmand? Kendra, I¡¯d already told you on the day I left the rkson family that I¡¯ve repaid my debt for the fifteen years of upbringing. I owe you nothing now! As for Magnus, you can talk to him. If he asks me to leave, I will Kendra suddenly realized that the young woman before her was no longer the pushover she once was. She dared to confront her directly Kendra strode forward and grabbed Natalia¡¯s arm. What did you just say? You dare to defy me?¡± Natalia pulled her arm away. You¡¯ve always disliked me, Kendra. I¡¯ve kept my distance from you, yet you¡¯re still not satisfied. We agreed that our lives would be separate!¡± Just as Natalia finished her sentence, Kendra pped her across her pale face, leaving a distinct handprint. Natalia tilted her head slightly. Her calm eyes were now shing coldly at Kendra. ¡°Don¡¯t push your luck, Kendra I won¡¯t obey you anymore.¡± Kendra stared venomously at Natalia before her. ¡°You¡¯re just like your mother, shameless. You¡¯re busy with my man, do you understand? I did you a favor by letting you marry him Get the hell out of here before I lose my patience!¡± ¡°Who are you telling to leave? A deep voice echoed from the vi¡¯s doorway, followed by the sound of a wheelchair sliding into the living room. Magnus dressed in a suit, sat in the wheelchair His icy demeanor was like the chilling wind of October, and his ck eyes were piercing Kendra like a sword Both women turned to look at the man sitting in the wheelchair. Despite his seated position, he exuded an aura of superiority. Kendra trembled as she saw the wrath in Magnus¡® face. His gaze was lethal. ¡°Mr. Magnus. Magnus retracted his icy gaze and slid his wheelchair next to Natalia, looking at her with concern. ¡°Come here, let me see He took her hand and guided her onto hisp, touching the handprint on her face gently ¡°Does it hurt?¡± Natalia didn¡¯t respond, shaking her head slightly, but as she tried to stand, Magnus held her tightly, and spoke softly, Till get you some ointmentter. If anyone ever hits you again, hit them back, no matter who they are¡± Touched by his words. Natalia fought back tears. No one had ever shown her such concern before. Her eyes welled up as she smiled faintly. Tim okay, it doesn¡¯t hurt. ¡°You silly girl Magnus tightened his hold on her hands. Kendra watched, seething with jealousy as Magnus treated Natalia with such tenderness. She was his. Seeing Natalia in hisp felt like a thousand arrows piercing her heart. It was unbearable. She clenched her fists, and her nails dug into her palms until they bled But before she could approach them, Magnus icy gaze stopped her in her tracks. His look was one of utter disgust. ¡°Guards¡± Two men in ck entered. ¡°Sir?¡± ¡°Drag this mad woman out of here!¡± ¡°Yes, sir¡± The security guards immediately approached Kendra. Before she could even understand what was happening, she found herself being manhandled. ¡°What are you doing? I¡¯m the mistress of this house, let me gol Natalia, you shameless wretch, you¡¯ve stolen my man. ¡°Hold on Magnus cold voice cut her off The security guards turned back ¡®Sir?¡± ¡°Stuff her mouth up so she can¡¯t spew any more nonsense. And remember, she¡¯s not to set foot in this vi ever again Magnus aura was terrifying ¡°Yes, sir The sound of ps and Kendra¡¯s screams echoed through the vi, while Natalia stared at Magnus, her emotions churning Magnus held ber as he slid to a cab, retrieving a first aid kit He took out some ointment and began to apply it to her face Natalia heard the screams from outside and furrowed her brow grabbing Magnus hand He knew she wanted to plead for Kendra. This girl was too kind for her own good After years of being bullied, she had the chance to fight back with his help but she was still pleading for mercy Magnus sighed. ¡°Remember, from now on, you¡¯re my woman, Natalia No one can bully you except me ¡°Nataka looked into hys dark eyes, at bes dominant demeanor, and couldn¡¯t help but smile So it¡¯s the same if I¡¯m bullied by others or bullied by you¡± He leaned down to kiss her sucking gently on her lips before pressing a soft kisa to her cheek, tenderly licking the handprint ¡°Silly girl, the only time I¡¯ll take advantage of you is in bed Natalia¡¯s body tingled as he kissed her, her face flushing at his words Once the guards had thrown Kendra out of Maplewood Manor, the vi fell silent again, and the two of them sitting close on the couch Chapter ¡°Why are you back so early? Weren¡¯t you supposed to be at the office?¡± Natalia recalled that he usually returnedte from the office, but he was home by noon today. As a matter of fact, as soon as Kendra entered the manor, he was informed of a woman visiting his house. He figured it was Kendra,ing to harass his beloved wife. He immediately had Paul drive him home. No one was allowed toy a finger on his woman. Anyone who dared to would pay a price.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve missed you. I came back to see you, only to find out my sweetdy was being bullied.¡± He was toying with her hand, raising it to his lips and gently biting on her fingertips. Natalia stiffened, this man was bing more and more flirtatious. He knew she was shy, yet he always liked to tease her ¡°Mydy, I came back to see you Don¡¯t I get a little treat?¡± His voice was low and husky in her ear. ¡°What kind of treat?¡± Natalia looked at him nkly ¡°Hmm. something to make me feel good¡± The man was as thick¨Cskinned as a fortress wall. Natalia immediately stood up Her face was flushed and her heart was racing as she said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you feel good enoughst night? I¡¯m going to check on dinner. Are you going back to the office after eating?¡°¡± Chapter 54 Chapter 54 Magnus pulled her onto hisp, and a gentle smile was stered on his face. ¡°No rush, it¡¯s Friday. We¡¯re not heading to the office today. Tomorrow and the day after, I¡¯ll take you somewhere special. On Monday. I¡¯ll drop you off at school.¡± Natalia blinked in surprise, taken aback. She was going back to school! ¡°Are you truly sending me back to school?¡± ¡°Mhm I promised you, didn¡¯t I? But, my dear, there¡¯s a condition.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the condition?¡± ¡°You¡¯re only allowed to attend school¨Cno interaction with any boys. You have toe home right after school. Can you do that?¡± His dark gaze locked onto her petite face, serious and unwavering. Nataliaughed, and her giggles echoed softly in his embrace ¡°Are you afraid that I¡¯ll run away? Or that I won¡¯te back? Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be interacting with any boys Until you¡¯re back on your feet, and I wont be going anywhere.¡± Magnus stared at his wife Herughter was pure and innocent, and her beauty radiated like a kitten that just got a fish. As her eyes curved, she snuggled closer to his chest. His heartbeat skipped a beat. His hands immediately cradled her small head, leaning down to kiss her passionately, as if wanting to consume her whole. He wanted her beauty and purity to only bloom for him. His kiss was fervent, and his body reacted almost instantly, causing him difort. Looking at Natalia, with her gentle demeanor and her scent, he was helplessly in love. He regretted letting her go back to school. Once she was back at school, her world would no longer exclusively contain him. She was smart ¨C he was sure she could climb to the top of the world. Magnus wouldn¡¯t misjudge a person. He held her tightly. His voice was husky when he finally pulled back ¡°Darling, let¡¯s go to the bedroom Natalia pushed him away at his words, quickly standing up ¡°Magnus, it¡¯s daylight! And besides, too much sex isn¡¯t good for the body¨Cit might affect the recovery of your leg¡± Magnus watched Natalia, her pouting expression only fueling his desire. A quick nce at the tent in his pants sent Natalia into the kitchen, her heartbeat racing Magnus had no choice but to move his wheelchair towards the kitchen, not wanting to be far from her. Daytime wasn¡¯t suitable? Then nighttime it was. A smirk curled on his lips at the thought. In the rkson family mansion, Kendra returned home bruised and battered. As she pushed open the front door, the maid gasped in shock Miss, what happened to you?¡° N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Addison and Kyler turned their heads at the maid¡¯s exmation, their eyes widening at Kendra¡¯s pitiful state. Her lips were swollen, her clothes were stained with blood, and her hair was a wild mess. ¡°Kendra, what happened to you?¡± ¡°Who did this?¡± Addison and Kyler stood up in fury, their eyes burning with anger. Kyler, who had a good reputation in Melfort, couldn¡¯t ept seeing his daughter in such a state Addison rushed over, tears streaming down her face as she hugged Kendra. ¡°Kendra, who did this to you? Tell us!¡± Kendra¡¯s tears fell The pain in her mouth was preventing her from speaking. ¡°Kendra, who did this? Kyler¡¯s voice thundered ¡°Magnus Kendra managed to choke out before fainting in Addison¡¯s arms. in the hospital room, Addison looked at her daughter, her eyes red from crying ¡°Magnus has gone too far! Why would he beat Kendra like this? Kyler, you need to demand justice for Kendra.¡± Kyler paced around the room ¡°What was Kendra doing at his mansion? Even if Magnus is ruthless, he wouldn¡¯t beat her like this without reason. ¡°Can¡¯t you just go and ask? Even if he¡¯s the CEO of the Andersen Corporation, who does he think he is to hit a woman? Call Lucius right now?¡± yelled out in frustration Lucius arrived at the hospital and was shocked at Kendra¡¯s state He had already found out that Kendra had gone to Maplewood Manor to confront Natalia, and Magnus had retaliated to defend Natalia Why did she want to hit Natalia? Because she wanted Natalia to leave, and she also wanted to marry Magnus this is what Kendra, this reckless woman was doing. He felt a bit heartbroken watching her but thinking that she was only doing this because she wanted to marry Magnus, he only had contempt in his heart in front of Kyler, he couldn¡¯t say anything Lucius Magnus is taking things too far! He beat Kendra like this¨Cwe need to sue hem Addison cried out her voice stricken with grief. Mrs rkson will avenge Kendra I will make sure that she ispensated for her pain Lucius said, his voice filed with fem resolve On the third day after Kendra¡¯s incident Natalia returned to campus That morning. Magnus drove Natalia to the entrance of Melfort College He had already spoken to the principal about her situation Natalia, i student, had been forced to take a few months off school Now that she was back things were back to normal. Natalia looked up at her old campus, and a multitude of emotions coursed through her Magnus patted her shoulder ¡®Go on, study hard Dont embarrass me. I¡¯ll be checking your grades¡± Natalia turned to look into Magrius dark eyes, feeling as if he was more of a guardian With gratitude, she leaned in and kissed his cheek. Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t let you down She had never initiated a kiss with him before, and although it was as brief as the touch of a butterfly, at brought immense joy to Magnus. He ruffled her hair, his voice fond, ¡®Go on, call me if you need anything ¡± ¡°Okay¡± Natalia opened the car door and strode towards the school entrance. Magnus watched her retreating figure disappear into the hallway before instructing Linden to drive off. As Natalia approached the ssroom door, a shadow lunged at her before she could even look up. She instinctively closed her eyes to dodge but couldn¡¯t avoid the shadow¡¯s embrace. ¡°Natalia, is that really you? My God, am I dreaming? You¡¯re back?¡± Sabrina¡¯s eyes were wide with astonishment and fear as she stared at Natalia. Lexi, trailing behind, also had her eyes wide open. She reached out to pinch Natalia¡¯s arm. ¡°Ouch.¡± Natalia turned to look at her ¡°Lexi, I don¡¯t remember us having any beef, why are you pinching me the moment you see me?¡± Lexi jumped up it¡¯s Natalia, it¡¯s really Natalia!¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s me. What¡¯s wrong with you guys? Don¡¯t you recognize me anymore? Natalia tried hard to suppress herughter as she turned and walked into the school. Chapter 55 Chapter 55 A sudden shout rang out from behind her, two figures converging at once to wrap her in a bone¨C crushing hug. ¡°You little hellion, do you have any idea how worried we¡¯ve been?¡± The first voice was choked with emotion. ¡°We¡¯ve been sick with worry, barely eating or sleeping. Look at us, we¡¯re nothing but skin and bones now!¡± ¡°Oh, for heaven¡¯s sake, cut out the dramatics, will ya?¡± Natalia grumbled, struggling to breathe under their enthusiastic grasp. Their reunion was a riot ofughter and tears, drawing curious nces from their ssmates. When they noticed Natalia¡¯s return, they all came over to greet her. ¡°Spill it, where have you been hiding thesest few months? I¡¯ve been to your house a couple of times, but your mom wouldn¡¯t say a word about where you were. And your sister? She avoids us like the que Sabrinained, gripping Natalia¡¯s hand tightly The school bell interrupted them, signaling the start of ss Natalia nced at her friends, sighing deeply ¡°It¡¯s a long story Let¡¯s get to ss, and I¡¯ll fill you inter¡± ¡°Deal!¡± They agreed, entering the ssroom just as the teacher made her way to the podium. Despite her long absence Natalia was a quick learner With a little help from Sabrina and Lexi, she was able to catch up on the lessons she had missed Once ss was over, the tro made their way to a quiet corner of the school Lexi shot Natalia a worried look, her patience wearing thin ¡°Do you have any idea how heartbroken Hector was after you left? He barelyes to school, and when he does, he¡¯s hardly present ¡°We once saw him drowning his sorrows at the local bar He¡¯s been a wreck without you, Natalia. We all know how deeply he cares about you¡± Natalia felt a pang of guilt at their words ¡°How is he doing now?¡± ¡°Well, he¡¯s barely holding it together. His dad is nning on sending him to the States earlier than nned¡± Lexi finished, studying Natalia¡¯s expression closely Natalia felt a wave of despair wash over her. Even if she wanted to, there was no way she could continue where she and Hector left off. Her current situation wasplicated, to say the least. She didn¡¯t feel worthy of him anymore Everything seemed to be slipping away ¡°Natalia, where the hell have you been these past few months? You nearly scared us to death!¡± Sabrina exploded, unable to hold her frustration in any longer Natalia studied her friends worried expressions, deciding to confide in them. After all, they were her only confidantes Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°She began, faltering for a moment before gritting her teeth and blurting out, ¡°I got married. I married Mr. Magnus Andersen Sabrina and Lexi¡¯s jaws dropped in shock. ¡°You¡¯re married to Magnus, the new CEO of Andersen Corporation- the wheelchair heartthrob ¡°What?¡± Natalia choked on herughter, finding her friends¡® reaction amusing. ¡°Oh my God. Natalia! You¡¯re married to the wheelchair heartthrob. The guy who¡¯s been making all the girls swoon despite being on a wheelchair Hes the talk of the town, a real celebrity in Melfort¡± ¡°OMG! Natalia, how did you end up marrying him? You¡¯ve broken so many hearts! We heard he¡¯s been hiding on a secluded ind for nine years before he came back to take the helm of Andersen Corporation¡± Natalia stared at her friends in disbelief. Were they actually envious of her situation? ¡°Spill the details, how¡¯s it like being with the wheelchair heartthrob? We heard he¡¯s not into women. Now that you¡¯re his wife, have you you know ¡®Considering his condition, how does it work? Are you always on top?¡± ¡°And he always seems so aloof is he passionate with you? Their barrage of questions had Natalia retreating She couldn¡¯t believe her friends were more interested in the intimate details of her rtionship than the fact that she got married at such a young age At six in the evening, Natalia walked out of the school gates nning to catch dinner with Sabrina and Lex. There was so much to talk about sinc had just reunited Lindens car was parked at the school gates. He spotted Natalia and immediately stepped out of the vehicle. Madam, Mr. Magnus has sent the ho you up from school ¡°Wow! Natalia, you lucky girl! The wheelchair heartthrob sent someone to pick you up?¡± Natalia felt her cheeks heating up in embarrassment Why did Magnus have to send someone to pick her up They had agreed not to make their marriage public to avoid disrupting her school life umates knew about 4 Only Sabrina and Lex knew the truth. The rest of her ssmates assumed she had been absent for a few months due to some family issue. As site waved goodbye to her friends. Natalia resolved to tell Magnus not to send Linden to pick her up from school again As the car pulled away Sabrina and Lere were still routed to the spot in shock hd we just dream all of the wheelchair heartthrob? Lex asked in disbelief Natalia really back, and is the married to Sabrina gave her a yful smack on the head Wake up. Natalia is indeed married As they parted ways, Sabrina couldn¡¯t help but feel a sense of mncholy in some ways, her life was qu umdar to Natakas¡° Though not from a Her grandfather had once saved a fellow soldier¡¯s life, and the two famdes had prominent family, her father and grandfather were both military been close ever since A few years ago. her grandfather had arranged for Sabru¡¯s sister, Melinda to marry the son of his old conrade ljut kleinda die States a few monthster Heartbroken, her grandfather arranged for Sabrina to marry her sister¡¯s winded matead, as order to honor the promise he made to his old friend Sabrina was left with no choice but to agree to her grieving grandfather and parents wishes following her sister¡¯s demise. She¡¯d agreed to marry a stranger once she graduated 10:31 Just one more year and she¡¯d be wed to a man she didn¡¯t even know. Life was far from fair to her. She was denied the freedom to choose her own husband. Despite her cheerful demeanor, she was nursing a deep¨Cseated anguish that she kept to herself. When Natalia returned to Maplewood Manor, May had already cooked dinner. The moment she stepped inside, she noticed Magnus lounging on the sofa, engrossed in some documents. ¡°Back already? How was your first day at school?¡± Magnus asked without looking up, his deep voice resonating through the living room. Natalia ced her backpack down and turned to face Magnus, who was lying on the sofa. Magnus had already looked up to observe her. She was in a simple blue dress and t shoes, the epitome of a student. He patted the seat next to him. ¡°Come here¡± Natalia walked over, gazing into his deep eyes. ¡°Magnus¡­¡± ¡°Shush!¡± He silenced her just as she was about to speak Chapter 56 Chapter 56 He gently swept the strands of hair from her face, tucking them behind her ear, and affectionately leaned down to kiss her forehead. Natalia was at a loss for words. She wasn¡¯t his daughter, so why was he treating her like a child? ¡°Tell me, darling, can you keep up with the schoolwork? It¡¯s been a few months since you¡¯ve been at it.¡± Magnus had intended to kiss her, but seeing her apparently wanting to say something, he casually asked instead. ¡°Of course, I can. I¡¯m smart, remember? Natalia responded with augh. Her radiant face lit up with her sparkling blue eyes. Magnus adored her like this. He lifted her into hisp. ¡°Is that so? You¡¯re that smart?¡± He chuckled before leaning in for a kiss. He spent the whole day at the office thinking about her, wondering how she was managing in school. He came home before five, not finding her in their quiet vi. He immediately had Linden, their driver, pick her up from school. Now she was back, in his arms, and he couldn¡¯t resist her, leaning in for another kiss. Her scent intoxicated him, making his blood rush. His desire was palpable every time he was near her, a feeling he had never experienced with his first love. After they broke off the kiss, Natalia melted into his embrace, her blushing face as red as an apple. She gently pushed him away. ¡°Magnus I need to talk to you Please not like this¡± With his lips trailing down her neck, inhaling her unique scent, he closed his eyes. ¡°Tell me, what is it?¡± His voice wasced with desire ¡°I can go to and from school by myself I don¡¯t want to be picked up and dropped off anymore. If my ssmates see..¡± She pushed him away and sat down on the sofa. ¡°See what?¡± ¡°They might think I¡¯m your sugar baby!¡± As soon as Natalia said this, Magnus broke out in a low chuckle. ¡°Then tell them you¡¯re my wife. That should clear things up¡± ¡°No matter what, I don¡¯t want to be chauffeured¡± Her pouting face was adorable, which made Magnus heart flutter. ¡°Alright, you can go to school by yourself,¡± he said, running his fingers through her hair ¡°I¡¯m going to France tomorrow. You¡¯ll be fine here. Linden will take care of you at home, so you don¡¯t have toe with me this time,¡± Magnus spoke casually ¡°Let Linden go with you. I can take care of myself You need Linden more than I do.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be fine with just Paul. Remember, after school,e straight home Don¡¯t wander around, okay?¡± He had important business to handle. Having just taken over thepany, there were many things he needed to deal with personally. He wanted to bring over a team of professionals from France Facing hostility from his peers, he needed to cultivate his own team. Lucius was hell¨Cbent on dethroning him, so he couldn¡¯t let his guard down ¡°You¡¯ll be gone for a week?¡± Natalia didn¡¯t say more. She knew he would arrange everything for her. It was pointless to worry. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll try to get back as soon as possible, a week at the most. Darling, are you going to miss me?¡± He teased, leaning his handsome face close to hers No. just take care of yourself. You should let Linden go with you.¡± Natalia was always concerned, as Linden had be habitual in taking care of him. ¡°No worries, darling, let¡¯s have dinner. After that, help me pack. My flight is at seven tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°Alright¡± That night, Magnus showered Natalia with all the affection he could muster. He wanted to take her with him, realizing he couldn¡¯t do without her emotionally or physically Out of breath, he held her in his arms. Her body was damp with perspiration. ¡°Darling, do you feel good?¡± Natalia was tongue¨Ctied and too embarrassed to respond ¡°I¡¯m leaving tomorrow, and it will be a while before I see you again. Behave yourself, darling Wait for me,¡± he whispered, kissing her hair ¡°Mhm. ¡°Natalia was too tired to keep her eyes open. She fell asleep, only to be awakened in the middle of the night by him thrusting into her agai Natalia was speechless Wasn¡¯t this man supposed to be physically impaired? Why was he so virile, it was frightening Still half¨Casleep, she felt him carrying her into the bathroom. She blinked, thinking she was dreaming But sogn, she fell back into a deep slumber. The next day. Natalia woke up to find that Magnus had already left for France He had left a message on her phone (Darling, I¡¯ve left Jumping out of bed, she realized she was too sore to move She had wanted to see him off at the airport but hadn¡¯t had the chance Well, Magnus was despicable, having exhausted her to the point of complete fatigue the previous night At eight, Natalia went to school, but as soon as she entered the school gates, she felt a pair of eyes on her She turned around to find Hector standing behind her, staring at her nkly Her mouth hung open as she took in his haggard appearance. His hair was a mess, and his clothes were disheveled, looking like a street thug He slowly walked up to her His eyes were bloodshot and lips were cracked ¡°Natalia. is that you?¡± ¡°Yes, Hector, are you okay?¡± Natalia felt tears welling up in her eyes as she looked at him ¡°Is it really you? Natalia.. I¡¯m not okay.¡± He suddenly threw his arms around Natalia, holding her tightly. Nat, where have you been? You have no idea how hard I¡¯ve searched for you. You¡¯re finally back¡± Hector held Natalia as if she were a lost child who had Spally found her mother. him away, but Hector immediately let go of her, taking her hand and leading her out of the school. ¡°Nat, come with me i need to talk was bbergasted. Shouldn¡¯t she be in ss? But this gave her a chance to rify things, to let him know she couldn¡¯t promise him anything anymore. Hector led Natalia out of the school gates, where his car was still parked. He walked over, opened the car door, asked the driver to take a taxi home, and decided to drive himself. ¡°Mr. Cood, your father is waiting for you at home. You have a flight at two in the afternoon.¡± The driver reminded him. ¡°Go home and tell my father that I¡¯m not going to America for the time being. I¡¯ll wait until after graduation.¡± After saying this, he pulled Natalia into the car, started it, and drove away, leaving the Cood family driver standing there, shaking his head, and chuckling Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Hector drove straight to the seaside with Natalia. On the sandy beach, he mmed on the brakes, unbuckled his seatbelt, and turned to look at Natalia with an intense gaze. ¡°Natalia, you¡¯re really back, it¡¯s really you. Let me take a good look at you. God, how I¡¯ve missed you, Natalia His eyes, worn and haunted, glistened with unshed tears A sharp pang of pain struck Natalia¡¯s heart. After all, Hector was the first boy she had ever fallen for Back then, he was like a ray of sunshine in her life, illuminating her otherwise dull world. Chapter 57 Chapter 57 Now, there was nothing she could offer him. She gently moved his hand from her shoulder and smiled. ¡°Hector, yes, I¡¯m back. I¡¯m sorry¡± She was sorry for leaving unannounced, and for not being able to give him any hope. ¡°Never mind the apologies, you being back is enough, Hector said, gripping her small hand. ¡°You know, Natalia, I was almost on my way to the States. I was here to wrap things up. But then you came back. God really does have a n, and you¡¯re back in my life. Natalia¡­¡± Pulling her into his embrace, he held her with every ounce of strength he had. 1 missed you so much, it felt like my heart was breaking!¡± Natalia stiffened, struggling to push Hector away. ¡°Hector, listen to me these past few months Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter¡± He interrupted her. ¡°No matter where you¡¯ve been, all that matters is that you¡¯re back. You¡¯re the one I want to protect for the rest of my life I won¡¯t lose you again¡± He held her tightly, not giving her a chance to fight back. Eventually, Natalia gave up struggling and shouted into his ear. ¡°Hector, let go of me. Listen to me, I¡¯m married!¡± His arm, which was still holding her jerked. A few secondster, he slowly loosened his grip. Hector let her go, and his eyes were filled with unbearable pain. He had already suspected something, but he refused to believe it was true ¡°What did you say? Natalia, don¡¯t lie to me. You¡¯re only twenty and still in college, how could you be married?¡± Heughed, almost on the verge of tears. ¡°It¡¯s true. Hector I¡¯m married. I took my sister¡¯s ce and married Magnus I¡¯m sorry, Hector, Promise me you¡¯ll live well. You¡¯re young and wonderful, and there will be other girls for you I don¡¯t deserve you.¡± She watched his despairing eyes, and her heart began aching. She knew she was hurting him, but it was better to end it now than to drag it out Hector stared at her incredulously, his hands trembling. ¡°What did you say? Natalia, you married Magnus? No, it can¡¯t be How could it be?¡± Turned out. Lillian was Hector¡¯s aunt, which made Magnus his cousin. He knew Magnus and Lucius had been fighting over control of the Andersen Corporation He knew the Andersens were nning to unite their family with the rksons through marriage, but that was supposed to be between Kendra and Lucius, not Natalia and Magnus! Natalia, this can¡¯t be true. How could you marry Magnus, the man who¡¯s been stuck on Sapphire Ind for nine years? Natalia, are you joking?¡± He knew the truth, but he refused to believe it. Natalia gripped his arm tightly ¡°Hector, calm down. It¡¯s true. I did it for my father. I reced my sister and married into the Andersen family. I am now Magnus wife. I¡¯m sorry, Hector Forget about me.¡± ¡°How can I forget about you, Natalia? Why did you marry Magnus? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? You were my girlfriend, why didn¡¯t youe to me? If I had known, I would never have let you do this ¡°Hector was in shock. His eyes were bloodshot. The pain was unbearable. Natalia had never seen Hector like this before desperate, in pain, and full of regret She stared at him, her heart in agony. ¡°Hector, I¡¯m sorry. I just want to make things clear today Don¡¯t wait for me anymore. Go to America and forget about all this.¡± With that, she opened the car door and ran. She didn¡¯t dare to stay any longer. She was afraid to see the despair on his face. She ran to the roadside and hailed a taxi, leaving the seaside. By the time Hector caught up, the car was already gone. Back at school Natalia didn¡¯t attend her first ss Sabrina saw her return and immediately walked over. ¡°Natalia, how did it go with Hector?¡± Natalia nodded and took a seat, and then the second ss began. For the entire morning, Natalia¡¯s mind was in a fog, not taking in anything that was said in the afternoon, after ss, Natalia spoke with Sabrina on the sports field. ¡°I hope Hector leaves for America soon. It might be better for everyone! don¡¯t want to see him like this.¡± Sabrina sighed ¡°Actually, Nat, my grandfather hasn¡¯t been doing well. My father said he¡¯s been to the hospital. His condition is from his time in the military, and its not getting better. He wants to see me married to his war buddy¡¯s grandson before he passes. My father says I should finish this term and then go to France for school.¡± Sabrina stared at the clouds in the sky, lost in thought ¡°No one in my family can defy my grandfathers words. They re as good as thew. I¡¯ll be leaving for France in a month¡± Natalia looked at her mncholy expression, ¡°What is the surname of your grandfather¡¯srade¡¯s family? Why do you need to go to France? Don¡¯t they live in Melfort? They do live in Melfort, but the older grandson of my grandfather lives in France, and he has a little grandson in Melfort My grandfather wants me to marry his older grandson. So, I have to go to France As Sabrina spoke, she felt uneasy in her heart. She knew from birth that she could not make decisions about her own marriage Natalia held her hand ¡°Sabrina, let¡¯s cherish the time we have left together. Even if we¡¯re apart, we¡¯ll see each other again someday ¡°Okay¡± The two girls hugged each other tightly After school, Natalia bid Sabrina and Lexi goodbye and headed back to Maplewood Manor Just as she reached the edge of the sidewalk, she spotted Hector striding towards her With a determined look on his face, he reached her and said, ¡°Natalia, we need to talk Without waiting for her response, he grabbed her hand and started guiding her toward his car Natalia pulled her hand back with a firm tug ¡°Hector, I ve made myself clear This isn¡¯t right. I need to go home ¡°You need to stop fooling yourself Kendra is Magnus¡® wife I¡¯ve checked with the City Hall There¡¯s no marriage record between you and Magnus¡± Hector blocked her path, his voice filled with frustration ¡°Hector, regardless of what you¡¯ve discovered, I¡¯m already a part of the Andersen family For my father¡¯s sake, I can¡¯t leave them¡± She feared the storm that would ensue if Magnus found out about this Natalia turned around and started to walk away She had no choice Unless Magnus was willing to let her go, she was trapped in the mansion. She had only taken a few steps when Hector grabbed her delicate wrist from behind ¡°Natalia, you must have been forced into this. Don¡¯t worry, I will talk to Magnus. I¡¯ll convince him to let you go. Come on, let¡¯s go confront him together! Chapter 58 Chapter 58 He would never let Natalia be led astray any longer. He¡¯d known all along about the feud between the two brothers on his aunt¡¯s side. Now, he didn¡¯t care about the bid for Andersen Corporation and the arranged marriage. But dragging Natalia into it was something he absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow. ¡°Mrs. Andersen!¡± Hector pulled Natalia back, and suddenly someone called her from behind Turning around, they saw Linden walking over with a smile. ¡°Mrs. Andersen, I saw you after school when I was shopping, so I thought I¡¯d give you a ride home.¡± He then turned to Hector. ¡°So, you¡¯re ssmates with Mr Hector. I¡¯m Mr. Magnus¡® butler, Linden¡± Hector¡¯s heart sank. ¡°Isn¡¯t Kendra my cousin¡¯s wife? Who are you calling Mrs. Andersen?¡± Linden paused for a moment, thenughed. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about that. All I know is that she is Mr. Magnus¡® wife. He has instructed me to protect her. With a bow, he motioned to Natalia. ¡°Miss Natalia, the car is over there. Please, after you.¡± Natalia nodded, shot Hector a guilt¨Cridden look, and then walked toward the car. The car had long since left, but Hector still stood there, looking in the direction it had disappeared Natalia didn¡¯t say a word. Upon reaching home, she shut herself in the study to revise. At Melfort Hospital, Kendra¡¯s face had been swollen for days after the bodyguard¡¯s assault. Her swelling had finally subsided that day. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Addison brought her some food, noticing that she was absent¨Cmindedly staring out the window. ¡°Kendra, you haven¡¯t eaten in days. You should eat something Kendra turned to look at the steaming bowl of chicken soup Addison had brought. She didn¡¯t have the slightest bit of an appetite. ¡°Mother, this time Magnus had his bodyguard beat me up like this, and I won¡¯t let him get away with it Kendra¡¯s eyes darkened, a trace of malice shing through them. She thought, ¡°Natalia, it¡¯s all your fault. I will make you pay¡± ¡°You need to take care of your health first if you want to settle the score with him, Kendra. It pains me to see you like this.¡± Kendra looked at her mother¡¯s worried face and nodded Alright, Mother I¡¯ll eat¡± After spending a week in the hospital, Kendra was discharged. Back at the rkson family mansion, she stood on the balcony, dialed a number on her phone and gave a few precise instructions. Standing on the balcony, and watching the sunrise, an evil smile appeared on her face. Natalia went to school and came home every day, studying hard. Hector hadn¡¯t been to school since that day. This day four days after Magnus left Melfort, Natalia waved goodbye to Sabrina and Lexi after school, then headed home to Maplewood Manor to study for her final exams, which were only half a month away The manor wasn¡¯t far from the school, just a short walk away. Just as she crossed the intersection, Kendra appeared and blocked her path. Frowning. she asked, ¡°What do you want now?¡± Kendra stared at her fiercely ¡°You have no shame, Natalia. You still have the nerve to go to school. You must have been thrilled when you saw Magnus have his bodyguard beat me up. Do you know I spent a week in the hospital because of you?¡± Kendra looked at the sister she¡¯d bullied since they were children. Now she was living so happily, and Magnus had even hit her for Natalia. She could no longer hide her hatred. She wished she could tear Natalia¡¯s face apart Natalia looked at her ¡°You ran to the mansion to hit me that day. Who else is there to me? I¡¯ve said it before, we should live our separate lives from now on As for Magnus hitting you, I have already asked him not to hold a grudge But how could I possibly control Magnus thoughts? hoped you would stop causing trouble in the future!¡± Upon hearing Natalia¡¯s words, Kendra was so angry that her blood boiled. She thought, ¡°Oh, so now that you¡¯ve be a substitute, you dare to talk back to me?¡± Just as Kendra was about to reply, she saw Natalia continue walking past her, as if she didn¡¯t care to talk to her Kendra grabbed her by the wrist. Where do you think you¡¯re going? Didn¡¯t you hear me when I told you to leave Magnus and Maplewood Manor?¡± She couldn¡¯t stand the sight of Natalia always appearing so calm and collected She wanted to tear her face apart Natalia turned to look at her Tve told you to discuss this with Magnus. As long as he agrees. I¡¯ll leave immediately Kendra knew she couldn¡¯t possibly approach Magnus Only if Natalia left would she have a chance to reim her position as the CEO¡¯s wife. ¡°When will you leave Magnus? You¡¯re not his wife, so what are you doing at Maplewood Manor? Kendra stared at her 1 don¡¯t want to repeat myself Goodbye Natalia really didn¡¯t want to deal with her any longer She needed to study for her uing exams. I¡¯m telling you, Natalia. I¡¯m giving you three days to figure out how to leave Otherwise, I¡¯ll make you lose everything, and you¡¯ll even wish you were dead?¡± A chilling light suddenly appeared in her eyes Natalia looked at her expression and replied seriously. ¡°When you had me marty in your ce, you were just as righteous. And now you¡¯re asking me to leave I¡¯ve already paid my debts to you, and I won¡¯t be manipted by you anymore. Even if I leave Magnus, do you really think he would marry you? She had gotten a grasp of what type of person Magnus was Even if she left he would marry Kendra, because she¡¯d figured uul ha real reason for marrying Kendra was to get back at Lucius Her azure eyes sparkled with mockery, vividly recalling that fateful year when Kendra decided to make her theughingstock. Kendra had forced her inta a rag tag outfit, picked up for a few pennies from a roadside stall, then paraded her around at the school fair. The mockery from the other students was deafening ¡°This is my maid Kendra would introduce her to ssmates She wouldpel her to carry her backpack, and to fetch her lunch. Kendra was the haughty princess and Natalia, the humble handmaid After meals, Natalia was ordered to wash the dishes. Kandra found new ways to torment hi every day. But this came to a hall when Natalia, with outstanding grades, was admitted to Melfort College, while Kendra, who neglected her studies, was given a free pass to another university. Natalia finally escaped Kendra¡¯s torment. But now, Kendra wanted to regain control over her, like old times. Only this time, Natalia was not sopliant She had Magnus now, her rock and protector. Hearing that Natalia would not leave Magnus filled Kendra with a destructive desire. Natalia, without paying her any attention, turned on her heel and walked away The fury in Kendra¡¯s eyes was on the brink of overflowing. She gave a slight nod towards someone across the street, before stepping into her car and driving away. As Natalia neared Maplewood Manor, she was halted yet again. This time two sly¨Clooking men stopped her with smirks on their faces. Chapter 59 Chapter 59 ¡°Who are you?¡­Uh Natalia stepped back, but before she could shout, she was muffled by a cloth from behind by two men and dragged into the nearby bushes Natalia cked out, and the two men quickly hoisted Natalia into a nearby van. In no time, the van disappeared from where no one was paying attention. As dusk fell, Linden had already prepared dinner, but Natalia didn¡¯te home. He knew Natalia had been studying hardtely, but she always came home at this hour He promptly dialed Natalia¡¯s cell phone, but it was turned off He immediately drove to Melfort College, which was already devoid of students. After exining his identity to the security guard, he asked if there were any students left The guard shook his head ¡°School is dismissed every day at six, and no students have been staying for night studytely¡± Linden remembered Natalia had two close friends, so he immediately contacted the principal and got the numbers of Sabrina and Lexi When he found out Natalia wasn¡¯t with them, Linden began to panic. Where on earth could Ms Natalia be? He was just about to call Magnus when he arrived back at Maplewood Manor when he saw Hector¡¯s car slowly pulling up to the mansion Not caring about anything else, he rushed over to Hector. ¡°What brings you here? I¡¯m here to see Natalia Is she home?¡± Hector got out of the car with his hands in his pockets ¡°No. Ms. Natalia hasn¡¯te home yet I¡¯ve looked everywhere She hasn¡¯t gone to her friends either Linden was frantic. If anything happened to Ms. Natalia, he¡¯d have hell to pay when Magnus returned. Magnus had left him in Melfort to take care of her. Hector froze at Linden¡¯s words ¡°Is she usually home by this time?¡± ¡°Yes, she usuallyes home at this time Linden replied truthfully. Hector immediately jumped into his car ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go look for her. She can¡¯t be lost, right?¡± That¡¯s impossible, Ms. Natalia alwayses home alone,¡± Linden said confidently. ¡°Where¡¯s my cousin? Hector was getting anxious. Where was Magnus? Natalia hadn¡¯te home and he was acting as if nothing was wrong, letting a servant go out and look for her! ¡°Mr. Magnus has been in France for a few days. I haven¡¯t had a chance to call him yet. Linden was about to call Magnus, but Hector stopped him ¡°Calling him now won¡¯t do any good! Get in the car and let¡¯s go find Natalia.¡± Linden figured he was right, so he got into Hector¡¯s car. But he couldn¡¯t help sending Magnus a message. [Ms. Natalia is missing! They drove back and forth several times on the road from the school to Maplewood Manor, but there was no sign of Natalia. Hector then drove to the rkson family Linden was extremely anxious. Why didn¡¯t he think of Natalia going back to her mother¡¯s house? When they knocked on the door of the rkson family¡¯s mansion, the maid asked, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°Has Nataliae home?¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯te back since she married into the Andersen family. The maid nced into the living room after she spoke. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Who is it?¡± Addison asked from the living room. ¡°It¡¯s someone looking for Natalia After the maid finished, Hector saw everyone in the living room look over. Hector nodded at Addison and Kyler, ¡°Natalia didn¡¯te back to the Andersen family after school. We don¡¯t know where she is. Hasn¡¯t shee back here? Kyler shook his head ¡°Natalia hasn¡¯t been back since she got married to the Andersen family. It¡¯s impossible for her toe home Hector looked at the family, feeling a surge of anger Wasn¡¯t it them who forced her to marry into the Andersen family, leaving her with no home to return to? He coldly swept his gaze over the people in the living room. Only Kendra avoided his gaze, pretending not to see him Hectorughed mockingly Kendra was actually Magnus wifel And it was this woman who forced Natalia to marry Magnus! He stared at Kendra for a moment before turning to leave Hector didn¡¯t say a word Linden, increasingly anxious wanted to call Magnus again, but Hector stopped him. ¡°Even if you call Magnus now, he can¡¯t get back from France right away Let¡¯s not call him ¡°But where could Ms Natalia have gone?¡± Hector didn¡¯t say anything He drove straight to the police station Linden was stunned ¡®Are you going to report a missing person?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t report a missing person within 24 hours I¡¯m here to check the surveince At Hector¡¯s insistence, the traffic police started checking the surveince of that section. The surveince footage showed Natalia being cornered by Kendra first, then being muffled and dragged away by two men at a turn When Hector saw this, he was stunned Natalia had been kidnapped! Linden also started trembling He had failed to protect Ms Natalia. Hector immediately filed a report, and the police in Melfort set out overnight to track down the van. They soon found that the van had headed towards the coast The van that kidnapped Natalia disappeared when it reached the docks Hector immediatelyunched the Cood family¡¯s private speedboat with the police, heading in the possible direction of the criminals. At 10 p.m. Hector was more anxious than ever, staring intently at the sea ahead In the dimly lit cabin of a ship. Natalia slowly stirred from unconsciousness. The darkness was all¨C epassing, and the sound of crashing waves filled her ears. Where was she? She fumbled in the darkness, only to discover her hands and feet were bound. She remembered after school, she¡¯d run into Kendra, and then two men had overpowered her Had she been kidnapped? Nothing in her life had prepared her for this. The only kidnappings she¡¯d ever seen were in movies. Fear gripped her heart, but she reminded herself that panicking wouldn¡¯t help. She was alone here Faint voices sounded from somewhere outside the cabin. She crawled towards the sounds, finding a solid metal door. She pressed her ear against the cold iron, straining to hear the conversation. ¡°Johnny, what¡¯re we gonna do with the girl? The boss said to dump her in the sea, but she¡¯s a looker, and she¡¯s young Could still be a virgin, one voice suggested What are you thinking? Don¡¯t mess with the boss ns. We ain¡¯t ying games here, the other voice, presumably Johnny, responded coldly. ¡°We could stash her in Ennd, keep her out of sight. As long as she doesn¡¯t show up in Melfort, the boss won¡¯t know She¡¯s like a frightened bunny, she ain¡¯t gonna fight back, the first voice continued. ¡°If we get to Ennd, you¡¯re in charge. I¡¯ll go along with your n this time, but if anything goes south, we¡¯re both screwed Johnny replied sternly. ¡°Nah, I¡¯ll make sure she behaves,¡± the first voice responded, followed by a repulsive snicker. Only then did Natalia understand that they didn¡¯t intend to kill her, at least not yet. They nned to take her to Ennd. A wave of relief washed over her As long as she was alive, there was a chance to escape. But who was their boss? And why had they taken her? Chapter 60 Chapter 60 She couldn¡¯t believe what was happening. She was sure she hadn¡¯t crossed anyone, yet here she was, kidnapped and stranded in the middle of the ocean. It was the dead of night, and the boat was aimlessly drifting on the sea. Back at Melfort, Hector had rallied with the authorities and set out a fleet of speedboats, racing across the ocean towards her at a breakneck pace. At the stroke of three in the morning, they finally spotted the boat. Hector immediately ordered an increase in speed to approach the vessel Unbeknownst to those on board, an additional passenger had secretly boarded the boat at one in the morning. This man, tall and looming with a mask covering his face, had stealthily climbed aboard from a different direction, remainingpletely unnoticed by the two kidnappers. The mysterious man silently picked the lock to Natalia¡¯s cabin with a thin piece of wire and gazed at the girl, bound, and leaning against the wall His eyes, hidden behind the mask, emitted a chilling glow. The two kidnappers werepletely unaware of the authorities closing in on them and the stranger already on board their vessel, privy to all their information They closed their eyes for a quick rest Suddenly, one of the kidnappers shouted, ¡°Someone¡¯s approaching! They¡¯ve caught up to our boat!¡± The one named Johnny sprung to his feet, sprinted to the window, and saw Hector preparing to board their ship: ¡°Wake up!¡± He shouted to his aplice Someone¡¯s followed us We need to throw the girl overboard and make a run for it Hurry!¡± The other kidnapper jumped up ¡°Damn, they¡¯re really here, he grumbled With that, they rushed into Natalia¡¯s cabin. Natalia heard the door open and felt herself being lifted up. ¡°Where are you taking me?¡± she demanded. Weren¡¯t they taking her to Ennd? Had they changed their ns? Were they going to throw her overboard? ¡°Let me go! Who ordered you to kidnap me?¡± Natalia shouted. She was determined to find out who was behind this, even if it was thest thing she did ¡°You don¡¯t need to know one of them replied with a regretful look on his face Today is yourst day. We were going to take you to Ennd, but now that we¡¯ve been followed, you have to die.¡± As they dragged Natalia to the edge of the boat, the authorities had already boarded. Spotting the kidnappers, they drew their guns Freeze!¡± Johnny saw that their pursuers were the police. In a panic, he shoved Natalia overboard, drew his own weapon, and fired a shot. The authorities dodged and returned fire as Natalia fell into the water. The masked man, witnessing Natalia¡¯s plunge, immediately jumped into the sea to rescue her With her hands and feet bound, Natalia swallowed a few mouthfuls of seawater and choked, slowly sinking down. The masked man quickly caught her. held her close, and covered her mouth with his, providing her with much¨Cneeded oxygen. After a while, Natalia opened her eyes and saw the masked man who was kissing her. She tried to struggle but didn¡¯t have the strength. However, his familiar scent made her think for a moment that he was Magnus. The two of them slowly floated upwards. Natalia¡¯s strength finally gave out, and she passed out again. The masked man held her close and swam to the surface, climbing onto the speedboat that Hector had brought. He quickly carried her into a cabin and started to perform chestpressions Once again, he covered her mouth with his, sucking the seawater out. It didn¡¯t look like he was performing CPR, but rather like he was passionately kissing her It was as if he wanted to swallow her wholeN?velDrama.Org holds this content. Seeing Natalia slowly regain consciousness, he finally let go of her Before Natalia could open her eyes, he bent down and gave her a lingering kiss. After stripping her out of her wet clothes and wrapping her in a nket, he left the cabin. Hector and the police, with a kidnapper in custody, boarded the speedboat and saw the masked man exiting the cabin. ¡°Where¡¯s Natalia? Hector immediately asked ¡°She¡¯s fine, still asleep, the masked man replied in a cold voice. He was tall, even taller than Hector, his deep eyes staring down at Hector from behind the mask ¡°I¡¯ll go check on her. Thanks for saving her Heitor said, heading towards the cabin door The masked man blocked his path. ¡®No need She¡¯s sleeping Besides, she¡¯s only wrapped in a nket It¡¯s not appropriate His voice was cool and detached Hector was taken aback ¡°Who are you? Why were you on the kidnapper¡¯s boat? Are you involved in Natalia¡¯s kidnapping?¡± He then recalled the macs previous words and reacted with shock You undressed her?¡± He red at the masked man, his anger ring Do you want to be the one to undress her? The man sneered Tm Magnus bodyguard i was ordered to protect her.¡± He walked off to the control room. to steer the speedboat, leaving Hector in stunned silence ¡°I¡¯m her boyfriend I should have been the one to help her change.¡± Hector shouted back, but the masked man onlyughed ¡°Boyfriend? Natalia is Magnusdy What kind of boyfriend are you? Meanwhile, Natalia had woken up She looked around, realizing she was lying on a bed, and wrapped tightly in a nket. Through the dim light, she saw ¨¤ figure by the door Who was it? The one who had jumped into the ocean to save her And the one who had kissed her in the sea. No, that was hum gr?ng her oxygen! But then, he kissed her again after pulling her up And he had undressed her Who on earth was he? She saw the figure turn around, revealing a man with a wolf mask. His eyes peered through the mask, staring straight at the door as if trying to see into her heart Natalias heart skipped a beat Who was this man? She simply shut her eyes and fell asleep in no time, as she seemed to be running a fever, the faint sounds outside filtering into her hazy consciousness Hector wanted to check on Natalia, but after being warned off by the masked man a few times, he figured it would be inappropriate to intrude while she was undressed He couldn¡¯t help but question the man steering the boat ¡°Why do you hide behind a mask, sit? Why not show your true face?¡± 60 The man remained silent as the speedboat was cutting across the ocean like an arrow in flight. Chapter 61 Chapter 61 When they arrived at Melfort, it was already dawn. The man in the wolf mask strode off the boat, carrying the feverish girl in his arms. He didn¡¯t exchange a word with Hector N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Hector was left feeling quite superfluous with a lump in his throat. Linden, on the shore, swiftly came forward to take the unconscious Natalia from him. He looked up at the masked man. ¡°She has a fever, get her to the hospital! She needs clothes and also inform May!¡± Linden nodded promptly. ¡°Yes! Thank you for saving Ms. Natalial ¡°It¡¯s my duty as a bodyguard! The masked man turned on his heel and strode away. Hector watched him for a moment before joining Linden in taking Natalia to the hospital When Natalia woke up again, it was already the next day Opening her eyes to the sterile white surroundings, she knew she was in a hospital. She had been saved from drowning by a man in a mask, but who was he? Just then, the hospital room door opened, and May walked in carrying a thermos. Upon seeing Natalia awake, she smiled and approached. ¡°Ms. Natalia, you¡¯re awake I knew you would be. I made some soup for you. Eat it while it¡¯s hot. You had a fever after the bodyguard brought you backst night. We were so scared! If Mr. Magnus knew you were kidnapped, he¡¯d be frantic. Thank God you¡¯re okay¡± Natalia slowly sat up, feeling weak. She took the soup from May and slowly ate a few spoonfuls. ¡°May, was it my ssmate Hector who brought me to the hospital?¡± ¡°No, it was Mr. Magnus¡® bodyguard who saved you. Linden brought you here. Hector was also there. May said with a smile The bodyguard, was it the man in the mask? She remembered Hector was there to save her too. Frowning, she wondered how Hector knew she had been kidnapped ¡°May, do you know who kidnapped me? May thought for a moment, ¡°We¡¯re still investigating. Mr. Magnus already knows about it, and he¡¯s very worried. You¡¯re safe, and that¡¯s what matters From now on, let Linden pick you up and drop you off from school. If something were to happen to you while Mr. Magnus was away, what would we do!¡± Natalia lowered her head ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll be more careful from now on She had a good idea of who would want to kidnap her. She had just had a sh with her sister, and then she was kidnapped Who else could it be? She stayed in the hospital for two days, preparing to be discharged. That afternoon, Hector came to the hospital. As he walked in and saw Natalia sitting on the bed, he immediately approached. ¡°Natalia, are you feeling better?¡± Natalia gave a small smile. ¡°I am, thank you, Hector.¡± ¡°Who was that man in the mask? Why did he suddenly appear on the boat where you were being kidnapped?¡± Hector felt a strong aura from that man. ¡°He¡¯s a bodyguard hired by Magnus, Natalia answered nonchntly. Hector sat down beside her, lightly holding her hand. ¡°Natalia, leave Magnus. You re not his wife, keeping you by his side is against thew. Come with ipe to the States¡® She felt a pang in her heart. If she weren¡¯t a recement bride, if she didn¡¯t owe her father anything, she would leave with Hector without hesitation. But she was no longer the Natalia she once was. She couldn¡¯t leave to repay her father¡¯s kindness. If she left, who knew what Magnus would do in his anger, she couldn¡¯t abandon her father Every time Magnus looked at her with a firm gaze, he told her not to leave him, and to stay by his side. She didn¡¯t know why he wanted her by his side, was it because he liked her body? Apart from that, she didn¡¯t think there was anything else that would make him keep her by his side He was a loner, living on an ind for so many years. He was stubborn when it came to getting what he wanted. If someone defied him, he would be merciless, like Perth She didn¡¯t dare to leave, not unless Magnus wanted to let her go She quietly pulled her hand back Tm sorry, Hector. I¡¯m not the same Natalia anymore. You should go to the States. I can¡¯t leave just yet¡± Hector stared at her small face. She had changed, she was no longer the naive girl she once was ¡°Why won¡¯t youe with me? Have you fallen in love with Magnus? His eyes were a fiery red ¡°No! Hector, things are not the same as before, I¡¯m not good enough for your Go!¡± She turned her face away, not wanting to exin any further Hector felt like his heart was being cut open is what I said true. Natalia? Why are you so stubborn? No matter what, I¡¯ll wait for you. I¡¯ll wait for you to Leave Magnus ande to the States with me, to forget everything here! Looking at her thoughtful expression, he could feel that something had happened in the past few months that left her feeling insecure andcking confidence. His heart hurt to the point of numbness. He stood up and gently put a hand on her shoulder Natalia, don¡¯t stress. No matter what happens. you¡¯ll always be the best in my eyes Be good You rest up Your lever¡¯s gone. Il get your discharge papers You can leave the hospital tonight.¡± ¡°No need, Linden wille to help me with that Natalia immediately refused ¡°It¡¯s almost evening. Linder¡¯s probably busy preparing dinner Let me help you with the discharge procedures, then i¡¯ll take you home¡± After Hector left, Natalia didn¡¯t say anything else She turned and sat on the bed During her kidnapping, her thoughts were constantly on Magnus. But the ones who appeared before her were the man in the mask and Hector She watched Hector¡¯s retreating figure, his lonely, deste silhouette, as he left the hospital room. He was once her dream, back when he would gently protect her, and hold her in the palm of his hand. If she hadn¡¯t been a recement bride, she was sure she would have had a peaceful life with Hector But now, everything had changed. This time, although her kidnapping was a close call, she suddenly felt her life would never be peaceful again. She felt like she was trapped in a, and her freedom was taken away. In the midst of all the chaos, she was just a pawn. Was all this because of Magnus? If only he could stand up, that would be great! Even if she left, she would have waited for him to stand up. But it seemed impossible now. Given all this, she should keep herself away from Hector, who was a gem of a man. He should¡¯ve been spared from all these dramas and lived a peaceful life. At six in the afternoon, Hector had directly arranged for Natalia¡¯s discharge from the hospital. He helped her into his car, intending to take her to his apartment But Natalia was adamantly against it Having no other choice, Hector drove her straight to Maplewood Manor, as that was the only ce she could stay for the moment. Hector¡¯s car eased to a halt in the yard of the Maplewood Manor mansion. He opened the car door, and Natalia stepped out, walking into the courtyard. The two of them walked side by side into the mansion. The mansion was eerily quiet. Natalia pushed open the front door and looked up. Magnus was sitting quietly in a wheelchair, coldly observing the two who had just entered. Chapter 62 Chapter 62 Nataha stood frozen in surprise, he was back! ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± She took a step forward, and a sudden sense of joy was washing over her. She looked up into his deep, dark eyes. Magnus gave Natalia a nce. His gaze was as sharp as a sword, slicing through the air towards Hector Hector had never met Magnus, who had been living on an ind. He only remembered seeing him a few times when they were children. All he knew was that Magnus was wheelchair¨Cbound. The moment Hector met Magnus prating gaze, he was taken aback. If looks could kill, he¡¯d be dead. Magnus was dressed in a ck shirt, his long legs encased in tailored trousers, resting neatly on the footrest of his wheelchair If it weren¡¯t for the wheelchair, it would be impossible to tell he was disabled. His body radiated an aura of indifference and a strong sense of possessiveness! Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Magnus, long time no see ¡°Hector was the first to break the silence. Magnus nced at him lightly. ¡°Have we met before?¡± Hector was stunned it had been a long time, but they had met ten years ago. Just as he was about to say something, he saw Magnus had already wheeled himself to the side of Natalia ¡°Why didn¡¯t you let Lindene to pick you up?¡± His voice was soft, almost a whisper from his throat. He lifted his hand to touch Natalia¡¯s face, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. ¡°Sorry to have startled you, my darling.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, when did youe back? Natalia gently held his hand. ¡°Just now!¡± He gazed deeply into her eyes, his eyes brimming with infinite affection. Hector stood there awkwardly, watching their interaction. His heart felt like it had been ripped out! He had never known their rtionship was like this. He stood there quietly, watching them gaze affectionately at each other. His arms dropped to his sides, and his fists clenched. Magnus, I need to talk to you¡± No matter what, Hector had to have a conversation with him. ¡°About what¡°¡± Magnus turned to him slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re familiar with each other, and there¡¯s nothing to talk about Hector stepped forward. ¡°I believe we should have a conversation. After all, you are not Natalia¡¯s husband. Kendra is your legal wife, isn¡¯t she?¡± Upon hearing his words, Magnus closed his eyes, then reopened them. His wheelchair swiftly moved to Hector¡¯s side ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re meddling Too much? This is the Andersen family, not the Good family What right do you have to question my rtionship with Nat? Are you her first love? Her ssmate? Magnus cold demeanor visibly darkened Upon hearing his words, Natalia was shocked. She quickly turned around. ¡°Hector, go home. Thank you for bringing me back.¡± Hector nced at Natalia but didn¡¯t leave. Instead, he continued to stare at Magnus Magnus, let Natalia go. Your feud with Lucius and your personal vendetta doesn¡¯t involve Natalia She¡¯s innocent, she still has to go to school¡­¡± ¡°Hector Hector was cut off by Magnus icy voice ¡°Aren¡¯t you meddling too much? My family feud has nothing to do with you, and my woman has nothing to do with you! How I involve her is my business, and I don¡¯t need a stranger to worry about my affairs!¡± His gaze was chillingly cold, and it was clear he was barely containing his anger. Linden, see the guest out!¡± He turned and wheeled towards the elevator, not sparing a nce at anyone in the room ¡°Of course!¡± Linden immediately stepped forward. This way, please.¡± Hector watched as the elevator doors closed, then turned to Natalia, who was still standing there in shock. His heart ached. Natalia snapped out of her daze. ¡°You should go, Hector I can handle my own affairs I¡¯m sorry!¡± Her lonely figure ascended the staircase. Hector watched her disappear, silently vowing to himself ¡°Natalia, I will get you out of here!¡± He walked out of the mansion and drove off On the balcony of the second¨Cfloor study. Magnus sat in his wheelchair, watching the car disappear into the distance, before wheeling over to his desk Natalia gently pushed the door open and walked in Magnus Hector is just a friend from school. He came along with the police to rescue me, and he just gave me a lift back from the hospital. There¡¯s nothing going on between us She felt the need to exin because the precondition for her to go to school was to keep her distance from other men. But today, it seemed he already knew that Hector was her first love She didn¡¯t know if he would hold it against her Upon hearing her words, Magnus looked up at her Seeing her standing there, so cautious, he felt a pang of guilt. ¡°Come here,¡± he beckoned. Natalia walked over and stood next to him He pulled her onto hisp He had been gone a week, and she had missed him After all, he was the only one in her world Looking at her thoughtful expression, he couldn¡¯t help but ask ¡°Was he your first love?¡± Natalias eyes fell, and she nodded Tve already made it clear to hum From now on well keep our distance¡± ¡°How far did you two go? Holding hands, kissing, or more? Judging from Hectors attitude he knew they must have been close. Even though he knew she was a virgin, he couldn¡¯t help but feel jealous. He asked deliberately wanting to see her flustered, wanting her to exin. He enjoyed seeing her in a lizzy ¡°Magnus we didn¡¯t do any of those things, how could you not everyone is like you! She blushed furously. She and Hector hadn¡¯t kissed, but they had held hands. And this man was using her Magnus chuckled ¡°So your first kiss was with me? Hector really didn¡¯t touch you?¡± He mused that if Hector had, he¡¯d make him wish he were dead, no matter who he was ¡°No. I wasn¡¯t it all because of you¡­¡± Natalia clenched her fists, wishing she could punch him, but she didn¡¯t dare. This man was too awful, knowing full well that she hadn¡¯t done anything, yet deliberately questioning her like this. Seeing her irritation, Magnus pulled her into his arms. Then let me taste how sweet your kiss is.¡± With that, he leaned down to kiss her.. Her lips were as sweet as ever, even sweeter than when he had pulled her from the sea a couple of days ago; back then, her mouth had tasted of saltwater That day, he got a message from Linden, promptly dropped everything at thepany, and instructed James to track down the ship involved in the kidnapping Using satellites, James found the ship that had abducted Natalia in just ten minutes, and it was headed towards the UK. Magnus immediately set off to intercept the ship, instructing James to find out who had ordered Natalia¡¯s kidnapping. He discovered it was the thugs from Melfort, who had epted a million from Kendra to dispose of Natalia into the sea. However, the two men, captivated by Natalia¡¯s beauty, decided against it, and thought of smuggling her to the UK instead To protect his identity, Magnus infiltrated the ship that had kidnapped Natalia, masquerading as his own bodyguard to rescue her. But he soon found out that Natalia¡¯s first love at Melfort College was Hector. In the heat of the moment, he didn¡¯t know what he would have done if Hector weren¡¯t the son of his uncle After returning to France to wrap up his business, he rushed back, ready to pick her up from the hospital with Linden, only to find out that Hector had beaten him to it. Chapter 63 Chapter 63 The fury in his heart red up again. He was a solitary, stubborn man, who¡¯d lived on an ind for countless years. The things he held dear were not to be toyed with by anyone, let alone tarnished again by a self¨Cproimed boyfriend! His kiss was a punishment, and he was harshly grinding against Natalia¡¯s lips. Natalia¡¯s heart pounded like a drum. Magnus was outrageously domineering Suddenly, she remembered a familiar scent when she had fainted and fell into the sea, the scent that gave her air. She opened her eyes wide to look at the handsome face of Magnus. He was kissing her madly with his eyes closed. Mimicking him, she sucked on his lips. Magnus¡® body slightly quivered, and he quickly opened his eyes to meet Natalia¡¯s blue gaze. Thinking of something else while we¡¯re kissing?¡± No. Could he read minds? Natalia braced herself against his chest, her face ming. ¡°Magnus, Linden called us for dinner earlier. Now that everything is clear, let¡¯s go downstairs to eat.¡± Magnus looked at her swollen lips, and his throat was bobbing ¡°Okay, but darling, keep your distance from Hector Got it? You¡¯re a married woman now Okay?¡± ¡°I understand He¡¯s leaving for the States soon, don¡¯t worry. I promised you, and I¡¯ll keep my word. Don¡¯t lose your temper, the girl said, sitting on hisp Magnus suddenly wondered what he would do without this girl in his life. She had already made a habit of sitting on hisp. He wrapped his arms around her slender waist and rubbed his face against hers. ¡°Good girl, I trust you¡± He turned his gaze to the slowly darkening sky outside He would have to instruct his uncle to send Hector back to America soon, and as for Kendra, this time, he would make her understand the consequences of challenging him After dinner, Natalia prepared a bath for Magnus, and once he was clean, she gave him a half¨Chour massage Meanwhile, Magnus sat there dealing with business affairs. Soon, Natalia was drenched in sweat Magnus grabbed her hand. ¡°Go and take a bath. That¡¯s enough, no need to massage.¡± Every time he saw her working hard to help him with his rehabilitation, he wanted to tell her that his legs were fine and didnt need a massage. But every time the words reached his lips, he swallowed them back. He was afraid that if she knew his legs were fine, she would leave. He could control the entire world, but he couldn¡¯t control a woman¡¯s heart, and he didn¡¯t want to make her sad. Natalia stood up and smiled faintly. ¡°Tm not tired As long as I can help you stand up, this little fatigue is nothing A pang of guilt shot through Magnus¡® heart. He brushed back a lock of her hair, sticky with sweat and stered to her face. ¡°Do you want me to stand up that badly?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t leave once I stand up!¡± Natalia didn¡¯t respond. Til divorce Kendra as soon as possible. I¡¯ll make you my legitimate wife. I won¡¯t let you leave!¡± He grabbed her pale hand. ¡°Darling, did you hear me?¡± His voice suddenly rose Natalia stared at his dark eyes and nodded woodenly. He wheeled himself into the bathroom, carrying Natalia in his arms. Her face turned even more crimson. Magnus, I can walk by myself You¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll watch you bathe, darling¡± By the time Natalia finished her bath, the man was already lying in bed. He patted the other side of the bed. ¡°Darling,e up Natalia dried her hair and sat beside him ¡°Magnus, I have exams in a few days need to do a review Can I go to the study?¡± ¡°Not He dered and kissed her domineeringly How could he possibly let her go and study after being apart for several days? The warm kiss assaulted Natalia¡¯s senses like a raging storm. He had been thinking of her every day while he was in France, doubting if he had fallen for her When he heard she was in danger, he dropped everything and risked exposing his identity to save her At this moment, he just wanted to possess Natalia, to ease the torment of missing her He didn¡¯t let Natalia go the entire night As dawn broke Magnus was finally satiated and carried a sleeping Natalia to clean up. He ced her on the bed. looking at her peaceful sleeping face, and his heart melted Closing hus eyes, he drifted into a peaceful slumber The next morning. Natalia woke up Her body was sore and aching She tried to get up but couldn¡¯t May pushed the door open, grinning ¡°Ms Natalia, Mr Magnus said you don¡¯t need to go to school today. You can sleep in or have a good breakfast, then sleep She didn¡¯t have to go to school? What about her exams? She slowly got up and went to the bathroom in her pajamas in the mirror, she saw her worn out face. The numerous love bites on her chest reminded her of Magnusst right. He had taken her over and over again, whispering things in her ear that made her shiver He didn¡¯t seem like a man whose legs were numb. He even carried her to the bathroom without using his wheelchair Although she was very tired ther she felt him carrying her and ¡°walking¡± into the bathroom She stared at her reflection in the mirror She had felt his legs twitch several times when she was massaging him. And his legs didn¡¯t seem numb at all. Could it be that he had recovered? But why would he lie to her? Suddenly, she remembered what he had said. ¡°Even if I can stand up, you are not allowed to leave, understand?¡± Could he have been faking it all along? Natalia washed up and went downstairs. Seeing the breakfast on the table, she sat down and started eating. ¡°May, do you think Magnus legs are already healed?¡± She asked casually while savoring her food. May was taken aback, then lowered her head. ¡°He is a good man, his legs will definitely recover Miss, don¡¯t worry. He will stand up one day!¡± Natalia ate her breakfast quietly, not saying anything more. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. In the president¡¯s office of the Andersen Corporation, Paul walked in with Kyler. ¡°Mr. Andersen, you asked to see me?¡± Kyler stood three meters away from Magnus. He had just woken up when Magnus secretary, Paul, had picked him up and brought him here, saying Magnus wanted to see him. He figured it probably had something to do with Kendra¡¯s divorce. He didn¡¯t think much of it and went along. Although he was his father¨Cinw now, he knew he hadn¡¯t dealt with this Magnus as the CEO before. So when he arrived, he could only think of matters pertaining to his impending divorce from Kendra After all, the rkson family was merely a shareholder in the Andersen Corporation ¡°Mr. rkson, I asked you here today because there¡¯s something important I need to discuss with you.¡± Magnus slowly lifted his head, as his wheelchair glided smoothly into the living room. He gestured for Kyler to sit Once Kyler had settled into his seat, he looked up at Magnus in the wheelchair, ¡°Mr. Andersen, feel free to give me your orders directly. After all, there are no strangers here. He finished with a chuckle. After Magnus had the secretary brew some coffee and leave the room, he got straight to the point. ¡°Mr. rkson, are you aware that your daughter Kendra was implicated in the kidnapping of my wife, Natalia, the day before yesterday?¡± ¡°What?¡± Was Kendra kidnapping Natalia? That seemed impossible -I Chapter 64 Chapter 64 *Seems like you, Mr. rkson, are totally unaware that two days ago, Kendra had my wife kidnapped and whisked off to Ennd. In the process, she was intercepted by the police and my wife was pushed into the ocean! Are you telling me that you, as her father, had no idea about any of this?? ¡°What? Natalia fell into the sea? Is she alright? Kyler shot up from his seat His hands started to shake Natalia couldn¡¯t be in any danger! ¡°If she were, I would¡¯ve done more than just invite you here today! Magnus lifted his head, his icy gaze laced with a wild, hostile air ¡°I could send Kendra to jail today with the evidence I have, and let her rot in there for a decade or more But, I am considering the respect I have for you. Mr. rkson. That¡¯s why I have asked you to handle this matter I hope you can offer me a satisfactory response. And one more thing, I want to put an end to this absurd marriage with Kendral I hope you will expedite the divorce proceedings between Kendra and me! Should you continue to dy, I can¡¯t guarantee whether I will be a widower or get a divorce first His steely gaze bore into Kyler, and the unfathomable coldness in his eyes made Kyler shiver to the core Rest assured, Mr. Andersen, I will discipline Kendra this time. Thank you for your mercy I will provide you with an answer¡± Kyler rose to leave ¡°Mr rkson Magnus called after him. He stopped at the door and turned to face Magnus ¡°Natalia is my woman, and I won¡¯t allow anyone to bully her!¡± Magnus gaze was surging with a hidden storm. Kyler nodded and quickly exited, his heart pounding in his chest. He could feel the murderous intent radiating off Magnus. At the rksons mansion, Kyler stormed in, with the servants lowering their heads in deference. ¡°Sir.¡± ¡°Call Kendra down here!¡± His voice wasced with an indescribable rage. ¡°Yes sir! The servant could sense the brewing storm within the house. Upon hearing her father wanted to see her, Kendra nervously descended the staircase. Father!¡± She walked over to the couch, looking at the furious Kyler a sense of fear creeping over her ¡°p¡°¡± Kyler stood up andnded a heavy p on her face before she could react. Her perfect skin instantly bore the mark of his palm. Kendra looked at Kyler in disbelief She had never seen her father hit her before. ¡°Father¡® Why did you hit me?¡± She cried out loudly Themotion brought Addison out of her room. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on? Ask her what she¡¯s done! She dared to kidnap Natalia and even threw her into the seal is this the daughter you raised? She even tried to harm her own sister¡± Kyler pointed at Kendra, his hand trembling Addison widened her eyes at Kyler ¡°What nonsense are you spouting? Kendra wouldn¡¯t even hurt a fly, how could she possibly kidnap Natalia!¡± Kyler red at Addison Ask her yourself. If it weren¡¯t for my intervention today Magnus would have already sent her to jail¡°. Addison turned to Kendra ¡°Kendra, is this true? Did you really do this?¡± She couldn¡¯t believe her precious daughter could do such a thing. It must have been that wretched Natalia who framed her! ¡°Yes! It was me, I wanted her dead Kendra covered her face, ring at Kyler fiercely ¡°She took my marriage. She refuses to let go of Magnus. I am his wife, and I am thedy of the Andersen family, not her She even made Magnus hit me Kendras eyes shed with a fierce light. Kyler feeling furious, raised his hand to p Kendra again. ¡°You still want Natalia dead? She married Magnus because of you! How dare you be so ungrateful! How could I have a daughter like you!¡± Addison immediately stepped in ¡°Kyler you can¡¯t hit Kendra Natalia didn¡¯t she survive? Kyler looked at the mother and daughter huddled together, and his teeth gritted in anger You brought this upon us! Clean up this mess. If Natalia were to die, do you think we could still stand here? We might all end up buried with her? Kyler pointed at Kendra ¡°Get your documents ready and sort out the divorce Or else be prepared to go to jail.¡± ¡°No father will not divorce Even if i cant have Magnus, I am still the wife of the CEO and my position is unchangeable! | won¡¯t let Natalia have her way! Not unless I¡¯m dead! She ran upstairs crying Kyler red at Addison. This is your doing! You deal with it¡± He stormed out of the mansion Late into the night, in a dimly in bar, Lucius sat in a booth with a woman in his arms, as the drone ss after another N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Mr Lucius, you¡¯re drunk. Do you want me to stay with you tonight? The woman¡¯s blood red nails traced the cheat hair of the man, slowly moving downwards. Lucius looked at the woman in his arms. her luscious lips, recalling how Kendra, in her quest to get Magnus, had Nataka kidnapped) What a brainless woman. He had loved her for so many years. Was he a fool? A faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips Want me to stay? How would you keep ¡°Stop it, you know very well The woman flirtatiously kissed his chan Lucius finished his drink in one gulp, threw the ss away and leaned down and kissed the woman¡¯s chest. The booth was soon filed with the sounds of a mans low growl and a woman¡¯s soft moans Kendra repeatedly dialed Lucius number, but no one answered Meanwhile, Lucus was in the throes of passion with another Kendra¡¯s calls She threw her phone against the wall in frustration The next day. Natalia went to school and saw Lexi ¡°Lest, where¡¯s Sabrina?¡± 1040 ¡°She left, off to France, with tears in her eyes. Natalia, why are both of you like this? She didn¡¯t want to go to France, but her grandfather is a man of his word!¡± Leximented, tugging at Natalia¡¯s arm. Natalia, gazing at the gradually rising sun,forted Lexi by patting her shoulder. ¡°Let¡¯s go, off to ss. Everyone has their own destiny. She¡¯ll be okay. Don¡¯t worry ¡°Okay¡± Lexi nodded, gripping Natalia¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°You¡¯re alright after the kidnapping the other day, right? The whole school knows about it. The wheelchair¨Cbound hunk even came to school to see the principal¡± I¡¯m fine. I¡¯m back safe and sound, aren¡¯t 1? Natalia replied, puzzled as to why Magnus woulde to see the principal. A weekter, Natalia and Lexi began their final exams. For the intense three days of testing, Magnus didn¡¯t disturb her, driving her to school every morning and picking her up every night, even giving up his study for her use. But inevitably, the wheelchair would roll in from time to time, the man capturing her petite figure for a lingering kiss. Natalia had already grown ustomed to Magnus overbearing and unreasonable behavior. Afterpleting her exams, Natalia began her summer vacation. Kendra had been unusually quiet during this period, not causing any trouble. Meanwhile, Magnus¡®pany was thriving under his leadership, signing contracts with several European countries and boosting economic exchanges. inching thepany closer to prosperity At this point, Lucius was growing more agitated. He hadn¡¯t expected the cripple to turn thepany around, and, even more surprisingly, to make it more sessful than before. A sense of fear and unease began to creep into his heart. Chapter 65 Chapter 65 That day, he saw Magnus in a meeting with the CEO of a conglomerate from France. To his surprise, the CEO was bending over to shake hands with Magnus The sight of such deference was like a sharp needle pricking Lucius eyes. It was supposed to be all his. Why was he on the outside looking in? He needed to make his move! Originally, he nned to wait until Magnus faltered due to hisck of business acumen, expecting him to be criticized by other board members and step down from his position willingly. But Magnus had proven him wrong. He not only managed thepany effectively but also expanded it globally. Magnus had even reced the staff with his own trusted experts brought over from France! He had underestimated his adversary. He found out that Magnus owned a multinational corporation in France Magnus had really invested heavily in thest nine years, leaving him around would only mean trouble in the future! He stood up, locked his office door, and made a phone call. At ten in the morning, Magnus received a call that caused a storm to brew in his mind At six in the evening, Magnus sat in his wheelchair, took the elevator directly to the underground parking lot, and Linden opened the car door for him. With a light push of his hands. Linden ced the wheelchair in the trunk, and the car slowly left the parking lot. Three cars followed Magnus¡® car closely after it left Magnus was on his way to a dinner that he had arranged with the CEO of the conglomerate from France. The dinner was to be held at Cloud Mountain Vi As Magnus car was about to turn into the vi, the three cars following him sped up and crashed into his car. In the ensuing chaos, Magnus¡® car was pushed towards the edge of a cliff. The then in the cars quickly took out guns. One put on sunsses and, at Lindens nod, started shooting at the cars behind them. At dusk, four cars were engaged in a fierce battle on the deserted road near Cloud Mountain Vi. One of the cars rammed into Magnus¡® car, causing it to flip over the edge of the cliff. Meanwhile, Linden and the man with the sunsses jumped out of the car and took cover behind a large rock. They continued shooting but soon found themselves outnumbered. The car that had rammed into Magnus¡® started to catch fire. The mes soared into the sky! Linden and the man in sunsses, both injured by bullets, managed to escape in the light of the explosion. Elsewhere, in Golden Groove, Magnus received a phone call. His cold eyes shed red. He muttered a few words, sounding exhausted, ¡°Handle the aftermath In another bar, Lucius received a call and immediately stood up. ¡°What¡¯s the situation?¡± ¡°Mr Lucius, we lost four men, their car went over the cliff, but they might have jumped out!¡± The tense voice on the phone made Lucius break into a grin He finallyughed They can¡¯t escape. Even if they survived the fall, the cripple won¡¯t make it fart He hung up the call, his eyes revealing a ruthless light. Magnus, do you want to y? I¡¯ll y you to death He guiped down a ss of whiskey, grabbed a woman on the couch, and kissed her. He spit the whiskey into her mouth, forcing her to swallow it The woman coughed andined, ¡°Mr. Lucius, you¡¯re so wicked!¡± Luciusughed wildly Tonight, you¡¯re going to see just how wicked I can be!¡± He picked up the woman and carried her to a private room amid herughter The next day, Lucius was awakened from his sleep by two police officers. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Lucius asked, springing up from the bed. ¡°Mr. Lucius, we suspect you¡¯re involved in the dar crash and fire incident at Cloud Mountain Vi yesterday. It might be a case of attempted murder¡± One officer informed him ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about I was here all day yesterday. Lilly can vouch for me.¡± Lucius quickly pulled the woman hiding behind him to his Side Lilly nodded eagerly, ¡°Yes, Mr Lucius was here all afternoon yesterday He never left!¡± The police officer stepped forward ¡°Mr Lucius, the owners of three of the four bars involved in the ident had phone calls with you yesterday, and Thes also received money from you We have records We¡¯ve already detained one of the car owners He confessed that you hired him to assassinate the CEO of Andersen Corporation, Magnus¡± Lucius, a seasoned yer put on his clothes and stood up. His cold gaze met the officer¡¯s Tll tell you this, i have nothing to do with this. The CEO of Andersen Corporation is my brother Why would I want to kill him? I¡¯ll cooperate with your investigation, but if you find out I¡¯m innocent, you better start looking for a new job With that he walked out of the room Just as Lucius arrived at the police station, he heard someone report. The car ownermitted suicide!¡± The two officers were taken aback Lucius smirked When he hired them he had made it clear that if they failed, they had to disappear from Melfort, either by death or escape if they got caught he wouldn¡¯t hesitate to wipe out the entire families) To avoid involving his family, the car owner had swallowed the poison hidden under his fingernai Lucius was released after half a day at the station since there was no evidence linking him to the crime An hourter, all the ounts that had received money from Lucius were wiped clear. There was no trace of where the money had gone When Lucius walked into Andersen Corporation full of glee, he saw Paul pushing Magnus wheelchair towards the front door of the building. He stood in shock as he watched Magnus sitting in the wheelchair, alive and well 10.49 N?velDrama.Org holds this content. He didn¡¯t diel Hadn¡¯t he fallen off a cliff? As Lucius stared in disbelief, Magnus turned his head and saw Lucius standing by the pir. He gave a sinister smile as his wheelchair glided past Lucius. ¡°Lucius, surprised that I¡¯m still alive?¡± Lucius looked at the man who was smiling like a devil. This wasn¡¯t a man who had fallen off a cliff! He had been tricked! These fools! Magnus slid closer, and his icy slits of eyes were piercing like a sword, aimed straight at Lucius. You¡¯ve been using these low¨Clife tricks against me for years, aren¡¯t you tired? ¡°Howe you¡¯ve made no progress? How could these stale schemes of murder possibly kill me? I believe you can still recall, two years ago, you used the same method to try to off me in France. Aren¡¯t you bored with these old tricks? ¡°Lucius, I advise you to stay put in the corner I¡¯ve designated for you and quietly continue as my vice president! Don¡¯t me me for not cherishing our brotherhood if there¡¯s a next time! Your three chauffeurs have nicely fed my Perthi Much obliged Magnus finished, raising an eyebrow. He turned and left. Lucius was left behind, his gaze following Magnus¡® retreating with a fierce light. ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t get too smug. Our feud has only just begun!¡± The man roared at the sky. Chapter 66 Chapter 66 STAD BY Magnus returned to the familiarfort of Maplewood Manor, finding Natalia waiting for him. She was perched on the sofa, her eyes glued to the television, engrossed in whatever it was she was watching Seeing Natalia, Magnus felt a weightlifting off his chest¨Can antidote to the gloom that Lucius betrayal had cast. Wheeling himself over to her, he simply watched her. ¡°Were you waiting for me, darling?¡± he asked. With summer vacation in full swing, Natalia spent her days at home, keeping to herself. She and Hector barely crossed paths. So, every evening when Magnus returned from work, she was there. It was a sight that Magnus hade to cherish. The thought of Natalia waiting for him filled him with a wellspring of energy His only thought after wrapping up his work for the day was to rush home and be with Natalia. Natalia was so absorbed in her show that she didn¡¯t notice Magnus until the sound of his wheelchair rolling closer broke her concentration. She turned her head to find Magnus, home from work, sitting in his wheelchair. His gaze was fixed on her, brimming with tenderness. His gaze alone was enough to make Natalia blush She couldn¡¯t bear to meet his eyes. Instead, she was muttering shyly, ¡°Linden said you¡¯d be home early today, so I thought we could have dinner together¡± Natalia had the freedom to go out with Lexi and have some fun, but she found herself content in Magnus home, reading books about Magnus¡¯s leg condition and eagerly awaiting his return. When Lexi had called to invite her out earlier that day, she had declined without even hearing where they were going She didn¡¯t know what Magnus thought, but she felt that if he came home to find her gone, he would be disappointed. ¡°You¡¯re such a good girl. You waited for me toe home, and it makes me very happy¡± Magnus said, a grin spreading across his face. With that, he reached out, gently caressing her cheek before sliding his hand down to her chin. He was about to lean in when Natalia, already flustered, asked, Magnus, what are you doing?¡± Although it was his home, it was still a public area. Wasn¡¯t he afraid of embarrassment? Magnus was so handsome, and a gentleman when he wasn¡¯t angry. But when it came to flirting, he became brazen and shameless. Magnus simply shrugged off Natalias feigned ignorance. ¡°Of course, I¡¯m going to kiss you,¡± he replied. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. The more Natalia blushed, the more Magnus wanted to kiss her. Her lips were inviting, like cherries glistening in the spring rain. However, his words made Natalia blush even more. ¡°You you¡¯re so improper! Aren¡¯t you afraid of being seen and embarrassed?¡± she managed to stutter ¡°Improper?¡± Magnus raised an eyebrow at Natalia¡¯s audacity. He swiftly slid his hand down from her chin, pulling her onto hisp. ¡°Magnus, you.¡± Natalia became nervous, afraid that sitting on hisp might harm his legs. But Magnus had been longing for her all day. There was no way he was going to let her go now. He held her tightly, dering. There¡¯s nothing improper about kissing my wife. Even if someone saw us, there would be no cause for embarrassment His words were delivered so close to her that Natalia could feel the warmth of his breath. Her heart fluttered, and her face turned even redder. I¡¯m not your wife. You Natalia wanted to correct him, but then she remembered his anger when she had said the same thing before, so she stopped abruptly. She looked at him with wide, innocent eyes, not daring to say a word. Magnus chuckled at her hesitation. He lowered his head, pressing his forehead against hers. He kissed her cheek, then her earlobe, whispering sweet nothings to her. Under his tender care, Natalia¡¯s cheeks turned bright red, and her body felt weak. Magnus just chuckled again, and his voice was as warm and soothing as hot cocoa on a cold day 7 invited Kyler over to the office today.¡± In front of Natalia, Magnus was supposed to refer to Kyler as his ¡°father¨Cinw However, seeing how Kyler had let Natalia endure so much hardship because of Kendra, Magnus found it increasingly difficult to address him with that title Given what Kendra had done, Magnus had to suppress his anger. He didn¡¯t order the rkson family to disappear from Melfort, and showed the utmost respect for Kyler. If it weren¡¯t for him bringing Natalia into this world, and gifting him with such a precious gem. It would be bizarre if the rkson family were still intact and thriving in this city. ¡°What? What did you want with my dad, Magnus 7 Natalia¡¯s voice trailed off when she heard Magnus had been looking for her father Chapter 67 Chapter 67 10:40 Just moments ago, Natalia had been blushing and overjoyed by the intimate gestures he¡¯d bestowed upon her. Now, she was a bundle of nerves. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Magnus was, after all, an incredibly dangerous man. Natalia truly worried for her father¡¯s well¨Cbeing. As she was about to voice her concern, Magnus, noticing her anxiety, furrowed his brows and silenced her with a hand over her lips. He looked her straight in the eye and said, ¡°Why are you so nervous? Even for your sake, I wouldn¡¯t harm your father. I brought him here to settle the matter of my divorce from Kendra. I told you I would give you a marriage license, and I will. I don¡¯t want to hear anything about Kendra and meing from your lips anymore¡± The mere thought of that night, Kendra, drunk as a skunk, slurring her words, made Magnus sick to his stomach. He was grateful Kendra hadn¡¯t been shipped off to Sapphire Ind if she had been, he probably wouldn¡¯t havested three days before wringing her neck. ¡°You you¡¯re serious? You¡¯re really divorcing Kendra? Magnus¡® determination took Natalia aback. Unsure if she could actually remain by his side, Natalia was at a loss for words. Sometimes, Natalia found it hard to decipher what was going on in Magnus mind. He didn¡¯t want her to leave and promised hermitment Was it because he was reluctant to let her go, or did he harbor a hint of affection for her? The mere thought startled Natalia. She scolded herself, ¡°What am I thinking? Magnus was supposed to marry Kendra. If he did fall for someone, it should¡¯ve been Kendra. Even if he no longer loves her, he wouldn¡¯t fall for me.¡± If Magnus ever regained the use of his legs, there was no chance of being with him. A handsome and charismatic man like him had countless fangirls swooning, even while confined to a wheelchair. Once he could stand, there would be no ce for Natalia by his side. So why did she entertain the thought of Magnus having feelings for her? Sensing her doubts, Magnus chuckled helplessly, gently caressing her pert nose. When have I ever lied to you? I keep my promises.¡± With that, he leaned in and captured her lips. Their kiss was sweet and tender, as if Natalia were a piece of candy he wanted to devour. Due to his busy schedule and Natalia¡¯s studies, they hadn¡¯t had a chance for sex in days. Finally, having the opportunity to kiss his sweetheart, Magnus wasn¡¯t about to let her escape so easily. He held Natalia close, kissing her passionately as she sat on hisp. The sight gave a passing maid quite a start. She thought, ¡°Mr. Magnus truly adores Ms. Natalia. He doesn¡¯t even mind her sitting on his Since Magnus was unwilling to release Natalia, they spent a while in their intimate embrace. By the time they sat down for dinner, it was quitete Having been caught kissing in the hall by the maids, Natalia was too embarrassed to look anyone in the eye, keeping her head down as she ate Magnus, on the other hand, seemedpletely unfazed by the day¡¯s events, eating heartily and even feeding Natalia some bites, which only made her more flustered After dinner, ignoring Natalia¡¯s shy demeanor, Magnus took her hand and wheeled himself upstairs. ¡°I have some work to do. Keep mepany in the study Once I¡¯m done, we¡¯ll sleep together Magnus didn¡¯t go straight to their bedroom but took Natalia to the study instead. At his words, Natalia¡¯s face flushed a deep red. She knew exactly what he meant by ¡°sleep together.¡± if she wasn¡¯t embarrassed, it would be strange Shed thought she¡¯d have some peace with Magnus outte dealing with work, but it seemed she¡¯d been too naive. Magnus, who had deliberately said such a thing to make Natalia blush, chuckled at her reaction. He settled himself at the desk in the study to finish some paperwork while Natalia, having nothing better to do, studied a book on massage she¡¯d recently acquired. Halfway through her studying, she looked up to find Magnus by the bookshelf, teaching for some files on the top shelf. Despite his height and long arms. the files were just out of reach. Natalia quickly stood and rushed over to help. ¡°Don¡¯t move. Magnus. Let me get that for you¡± 1 got it.¡± Natalia said, scampering over to him and reaching out to take the stack of papers from his hands. There was a fondness in Magnus gaze as he watched her. He had seen Natalia so engrossed in her reading that he didn¡¯t want to disrupt her; hence, he d made the dash for the documents himself And because she was there, he couldn¡¯t stand to fetch the documents, so he had to grit his teeth and remain seated to retrieve them After all, the reason Natalia was reading so intently was for his sake. Even though she might¡¯ve still wanted to leave him, he would definitely not give her that chance ¡°Let me do it,¡± she said, taking the stack of papers Natalia turned to hand it over to Magnus. But perhaps her muevement was too swift Along with the papers, she had managed to disce something else A lightweight piece of paper fluttered down,nding on the floor beside the bookshelf Chapter 68 Chapter 68 10:49 ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Natalia, holding a file, bent down with curiosity to pick up a piece of paper. But before her hand could touch the paper, Magnus, seated in his wheelchair, had already picked it up. However, the moment Magnus gaze fell on the paper, his expression changed visibly Almost instinctively, he flipped the paper over, hiding its content. His voice took on an icy edge as he spoke. ¡°Nothing important, just some old stuff. It¡¯ste, you must be tired. Go rest, I still have some paperwork to do.¡± His demeanor was a stark contrast to the gentle manner he had shown her earlier. Even Natalia, who was usually slow to pick up on such subtleties, could tell something was off Just like that, Magnus¡® sudden shift brought her spirits crashing down. She could only muster a weak smile and say, ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll head back It was he who had asked her to join him in going through the files, and now it was he who was shooing her away, not wanting her to see something Unfortunately, she had already seen what was on the paper. Iwas a stunningly beautiful girl Magnus had hidden her portrait on his bookshelf Their rtionship must have been quite special. As she had said before, how could Magnus ever be interested in her? Whoever he was interested in, it certainly wouldn¡¯t be her ¡°Nat. In truth, Magnus had wanted Natalia to leave because he didn¡¯t want her to see something in his past. When he abruptly sent her away, and she agreed to leave, he watched her lonely figure retreating and couldn¡¯t help but feel like he had been too harsh So instinctively, he called out to Natalia, wanting to exin and prevent any misunderstanding But it was toote. Natalia had already left, turned the corner. and disappeared from sight. Watching this, Magnus muttered to himself, ¡°She shouldn¡¯t be angry. She probably doesn¡¯t know what was on that paper. With that thought, Magnus, who had been a bit harsh to Natalia, felt a pang of guilt. He looked down at the picture he had drawn many years ago, where the girl was still as beautiful and vibrant as she had been. Yet, his heart no longer ached like it did when she first left. After all, she had taken good care of him back then. Without wasting any more time, Magnus returned the portrait to the bookshelf. He finished off the remaining paperwork and returned to his bedroom As Magnus wheelchair entered the room, Natalia, who had already showered, was sitting on the sofa reading a book Hearing Magnus enter, she looked up to see him, her face expressionless Magnus was always like this, unpredictable. Until he spoke, Natalia wouldn¡¯t dare say anything. After all, upsetting him would do her no good. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve finished my paperwork, said Magnus, his voice filled with a hint of guilt from the earlier incident in the study, as he saw Natalia watching him Recently, Natalia had been very well¨Cbehaved. He didn¡¯t want any other issues to upset her. Furthermore, he believed that Kyler would soon be pressuring Kendra to finalize the divorce. Then, he could make Natalia his rightful wife. Noticing Magnus changed demeanor, Natalia put down her book trying to suppress the difort in her heart. She turned to Magnus and suggested. ¡°Oh, would you like me to give you a massage? I¡¯ve learned some techniques recently it might help with your legs.¡± These past few days, Magnus had been busy withpany matters, leaving early and returningte So, despite not going out, Natalia hadn¡¯t had the chance to massage his legs. Seeing that it was still early and Magnus had finished his work, Natalia naturally wanted to seize the opportunity to help him. After all, she had promised that once Magnus¡® legs had healed, she would leave his side With Magnus capabilities and influence, any woman he wanted was within his reach. Even Kendra wanted to reim her status as Mrs. Andersen, didn¡¯t she? N?velDrama.Org holds this content. And if he wasn¡¯t interested in Kendra but the girl in the portrait, he could probably find her and fulfill his desire, right? ¡°No need, I¡¯ve been quite tired recently and would like to rest, Magnus replied, wheeling himself to Natalia. He looked at her intently with his voice low ¡°What¡¯s wrong, my dear? Are you upset? I was a bit rude in the study earlier I was just frustrated with somepany issues, not angry at you. Please don¡¯t take it to heart¡± In his life. Magnus had never bowed or apologized to anyone But seeing Natalia¡¯s furrowed brows and pouting lips, he would¡¯ve rather swallowed his pride and exined himself than let her sulk As for the real content of the paper, he felt it was unnecessary to tell Natalia After all, it was in the past, and telling her might¡¯ve only upset her more I¡¯m not upset Natalia countered hearing Magnus exnation However, knowing he wasnt telling the truth, she felt even more upset Suddenly, she stood up, forcing a strained smile ¡®Since you¡¯re tired, you should rest I¡¯ll head to the guest room, so I don¡¯t disturb you The paper contained a portrait of a girl He had been angry because she had identally found the portrait But he was using thepany¡¯s issues as an excuse She had known for a while that Magnus didn¡¯t truly fancy her His affectionsy elsewhere. So why was he making such ame excuse, attempting to pull The woal gyer her eyes? Was Natalia actually suggesting she would sleep in the guest room? Upon hearing her words, Magnus brow furrowed considerably. He stared at Natalia, so directly, ¡°You But Natalja, feeling choked up inside, could no longer bear to remain in Magnus presence. So, as Magnus began to speak, she immediately rose to her feet, striding towards the exit of the bedroom. Inwardly, she was consumed by a sense of hurt. She had never imagined, being a stand¨Cin, she would be worthy of Magnus true affections. But his kindness towards her over this period had left her unsure of what was real Looking back, she was indeed dreaming too much. Chapter 69 Chapter 69 10:49 He was the CEO of Andersen Corporation, with the power to make or break lives at his fingertips. How could he possibly have liked her, a powerless and dependent girl? Why did she feel upset when he was hiding someone¡¯s portrait? Why did she feel heartbroken due to his fluctuating emotions? Why did she long for him to rescue her when she was in danger? ¡°Wake up, Natalia! Magnus doesn¡¯t like you at all. Don¡¯t be a fool!¡± She thought, This was the first time Magnus had seen Natalia lose her temper in front of him. So, Magnus just frowned, not knowing what to say. He watched as Natalia stormed off towards the bedroom. Her eyes were red, as if she was about to cry Seeing this, it was impossible for Magnus to let her leave just like that. He reached out and grabbed Natalia¡¯s hand as she passed by him. Then, with a furrowed brow and a deep voice, he said, ¡°Stop making a fuss. I was wrong. I¡¯m sorry. We¡¯re husband and wife, and of course, we should sleep together. Why are you going to sleep in the guest room?¡± In the past, when he was in a bad mood and vented on Natalia, she alwaysplied. Despite feeling aggrieved, she always bore it. But today, she was acting out of character. It was as if she had received a huge shock. She even said she was going to sleep in the guest room, which made Magnus quite angry Had Natalia, although confined to Maplewood Manor, been thinking about Hector all this time? Otherwise, what could make the obedient Natalia suddenly change like this? ¡°Are we husband and wife? Magnus, your wife is clearly Kendra You don¡¯t like me, so why are you bothering me so much?¡± Knowing that she couldn¡¯t shake off Magnus, Natalia didn¡¯t struggle. She just stood there, her eyes red, looking at him very seriously as she spoke Even though she knew that linking him and Kendra together might¡¯ve angered him, she couldn¡¯t help herself ¡°Enough! As Natalia expected, Magnus couldn¡¯t bear it when she brought up Kendra He growled from his wheelchair, his sharp eyes staring at Natalia. Words squeezed out through gritted teeth, ¡°I said, don¡¯t talk about Kendra and me! Natalia, you are my only wife. I will give you what¡¯s yours You don¡¯t have to provoke me time and time again!¡± Every time Natalia denied being his wife, it made Magnus feel very ufortable. He couldn¡¯t figure out whether Natalia said these things out of jealousy, or if she was deliberately doing this because she was disgusted that he couldn¡¯t stand up. Heh. So, Magnus thought she was pushing him even at this point. When Natalia heard Magnus words, she couldn¡¯t help but sneer. Then, with red eyes, she said, ¡°I never thought about bing Mrs Andersen. So dont feel provoked When you can stand up one day, I¡¯ll leave. Who you like and who you want to marry then has nothing to do with me!¡± If Magnus proposal of marriage was just because he had taken her virginity, or if he was using her to provoke Kendra, then she should really give up Maybe this was God¡¯s punishment for her giving up Hector and having feelings for Magnus After days of deep thought, Natalia was sure that she was not the same Natalia as before, after spending time with him. ¡°Shut up¡± Natalia¡¯s inexplicable tantrum had already given Magnus a headache. Now, she even said she didn¡¯t want to be his wife Her indifferent attitude was like stepping on Magnus trigger point, causing him to flip out instantly. So, Magnus didn¡¯t care how sad Natalia looked With a frown and a heart burning with rage, he directly pulled her arm and pulled Natalia into his arms. Then, without giving Natalia a chance to react, he bent down and kissed Natalia¡¯s lips forcefully, as if punishing her, to vent his anger. ¡°Umm Magnus it hurts Magnus¡® kiss was too domineering and brutal. Natalia, who had been abruptly embraced and kissed by him, was somewhat overwhelmed. She tried to push him away with her hands, but it was useless ¡°Do you know what pain is? You dare to say these things to me if you know what pain is, huh? Who gave you such courage to challenge me?¡± Magnus bit her hard again, ignoring Natalia¡¯s cry of pain, before he let her go, panting heavily. Then, while speaking, he held Natalia and maneuvered his wheelchair to the edge of the bedroom¡¯srge bed He forcefully threw Natalia in his arms onto the soft bed. Then, with a push of his hands, he leaped onto the bed at an almost imperceptible speed Forcefully, he pressed Natalia beneath him Grinding his teeth, he continued his unfinished words ¡®Let me tell you, Natalia, no matter who gave you the courage you are my woman for the rest of your life If anyone dares to covet you, i will never let him go!¡± After saying this. Magnus bent down and began to kiss Natalia¡¯s neck. His hands quickly removed all of Natalia¡¯s clothes. Even though Natalia¡¯s eyes were filled with tears, and she looked utterly wronged, he broke into her body and possessed her fiercelyN?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Ah Because she wasn¡¯t prepared, his sudden intrusion made Natalia cry out in pain This feeling reminded her of the masked man who had taken her the first night He was so rude and so harsh This prompted Natalia, who had forgotten the pain of the past, to mock herself inwardly, ¡®Magnus doesn¡¯t care about you, so no matter how much pain you¡¯re in, he won¡¯t show you an ounce of pity¡± So, regardless of how Magnus tormented her in the ensuing time, Natalia gritted her teeth tightly, not uttering a single sound However, Magnus, who was filled with rage, waspletely oblivious to her irver thoughts He continued to move inside her tirelessly growling. You better remember this moment You¡¯re mine if you dare harbor any other intentions, I¡¯ll make the entire rkson family pay for your capriciousness?¡± No matter what, he wouldn¡¯t let her go! She was his, now and forever! Whatever Natalia wanted, he could tolerate and provide, he could give her time to heal. Chapter 70 Chapter 70 If Natalia were to leave Magnus, for Hector or any other man, Magnus would never allow it! Magnus was always noted for his strength. Despite his seemingly crippled legs, he always managed to exhaust Natalia. So when Magnus finally growled in satisfaction, marking the end of their passionate sex, Natalia didn¡¯t have the energy left even to speak. She pretended to sleep, turning her head to the side, yet her mind was alert. ¡°Darlin¡®?¡± Magnus, having released his pent¨Cup energy, was still annoyed with Natalia Seeing her asleep with wet eyshes and tear stains on her face. even in his anger, he couldn¡¯t find it in him to be harsh After getting off her, he called out to her, hoping to clear up the issues if she was still awake. He made it clear that he wouldn¡¯t let her leave. He seemed to really like Natalia, a feeling he¡¯d never had for any other woman before. So even if Natalia hated him, her leaving was not an option! Natalia heard Magnus calling her, but she chose to ignore him. She coiled up under the nket, keeping her mouth shut ¡°Ah ¡°Magnus, knowing Natalia was awake but choosing to ignore him exhaled a sigh He then moved to his wheelchair, lifted the nket, and picked up Natalia, who was still unclothed, and took her to the bathroom. He filled the bathtub with water, first putting Natalia in, then supported his own body into the tub After they were both clean, Magnus held Nataha and returned to the master bed, where he fell into a deep sleep with her in his arms. Natalia, who had been exhausted, had long fallen asleep. The next day, Natalia was awoken by a strong ray of sunlight piercing through the opened curtains and landing on her face. ¡°Whoosh¡± As Natalia was shielding her eyes from the light, the curtains were abruptly drawn. Soon, the sound of a wheelchair moving was heard, and it stopped by her bed Then came the gentle voice of Magnus. Wake up. You¡¯ve slept a long time.¡± Magnus hadn¡¯t nned to wake Natalia so early, knowing how tired she was. But then he remembered how she challenged himst night, saying she wouldn¡¯t marry him. Though his anger had subsided after the release, there was still a rock weighing on his chest, he needed to clear things up with her. ¡°Ah¡± Surprised by this method of waking her, Natalia wondered who would disturb her sleep When she heard Magnus voice and saw the handsome man m a white shirt and trousers sitting on a wheelchair by her bed, she was fully awake. This, of course, included Magnus harsh words fromst night, so, Natalia¡¯s mood, which was not so bad in the early morning, immediately turned gloomy She didn¡¯t feel she did anything wrong the night before. Magnus had the right to like other women, and she had the right to choose whether to stay with him Was she wrong in thinking this? With these thoughts, Natalia didn¡¯t say much, she simply got dressed, freshened up, and went downstairs. Magnus, seeing Natalia¡¯s indifference towards him in the morning, went downstairs while she was getting dressed By the time Natalia was ready. Magnus was already sitting at the dining table, leisurely eating his breakfast Natalia took a seat at the table, wondering, ¡°What time is it now? Magnus hasnt gone to theMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. office yet? Is he staying to settle scores overst night¡¯s incident?¡± As Natalia was pondering and not speaking, Magnus, who was eating elegantly like a prince, finally spoke. His tone was light as ifst night¡¯s events were a figment of her imagination will only work half a day at the office today and will be back by noon Be ready to give me a massage in the afternoon Magnus originally nned to handle the Lucius situation quickly, and then he would have enough time to do whatever Natalia wanted. But given the current situation, Magnus felt his n wouldn¡¯t work Across from him, the enemy was not just Lucius. There was also Hector, who was constantly trying to steal Natalia away from him Natalia was surprised to hear Magnus would only be at the office for half a day She couldn¡¯t help but look at him. ¡°What? Is there a problem? Didn¡¯t you say you prepared a lot of ns yesterday¡± So, were you lying to me yesterday?¡± Seeing Natalia¡¯s gaze, Magnus also looked up at her Although he knew Natalia had been studying massage techniques at Maplewood Manor, he expressed doubl He thought to himself, ¡°This girl is getting more and more daring She was clearly in the wrong yesterday, and yet she dares to ignore me this morning 1 I didnt care for her so much wouldn¡¯t I be at a loss right now?¡± It was a surprise to hear such words from Magnus this early morning Natalia, who had been feeling Magnus kindnesstely, couldn¡¯t help but furrow her brows She set down her knife and fork Swallowing her feelings of hurt, she said, ¡°How dare i deceive you? Well then, i await your return at Maplewood Manor.¡± Natalia¡¯s tone was harsh, but Magnus had no intention of arguing with her. He disregarded the resentment and sorrow in her eyes and simply finished his meal on his te Then, with Linden pushing his wheelchair, Magnus left for the office Once Magnus had left, Natalia, who had lost all appetite, didn¡¯t eat anymore She turned around and went upstairs, locking herself in her room to read. Chapter 71 Chapter 71 Chapter ¡°Mr. Andersen, Mr. rkson from rkson International is in the reception area waiting to see you. Would you like me to send him in?¡± Paul said respectfully as Magnus walked into the office. What on earth brought Kyler here at this time? Could it be that Kendra had finally agreed to a divorce? Upon hearing Paul¡¯s words, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but ponder However, something didn¡¯t seem right if Kendra, that detestable woman, had indeed agreed to a divorce, a simple phone call from Kyler would have sufficed for Magnus to get his team on it Why would Kyler need to go out of his way to visit Andersen Corporation in person? Confused and suspicious, Magnus coolly told his assistant, ¡°Send him in With that, he entered the CEO¡¯s office of Andersen Corporation. It wasn¡¯t long before there was a knock on Magnus office door Kyler came in, followed by a woman Magnus shot a nce at the woman and immediately frowned, his displeasure clear on his face. Kendra dared to appear before him after thest time he had dealt with her! Her audacity was just too much! Kendra, standing behind Kyler, didn¡¯t care how displeased Magnus looked. Feeling Magnus gaze on her, she straightened her back to show off her figure, entuated by her provocative clothing, to the best advantage. She thought to herself, ¡°Humph, if that brat Natalia could seduce Magnus, then I am confident that with a little effort, I can make him sumb to my charm!¡± Magnus must have fallen for Natalia because he had lived on Sapphire Ind since childhood and had never seen a truly enchanting woman So, believed that once she made a move, Magnus would not only be unable to resist her but would be begging for her attention. The very idea of Natalia trying to take her ce as Mrs Andersen was ludicrous! Kendra was sure her tactics would allure Magnus and pique his interest. However, her actions only disgusted Magnus, sessfully igniting his anger Therefore, Magnus icy gaze swiftly shifted to Kyler, who was standing in front of Kendra, and he asked irritably, ¡°Mr. rkson, what¡¯s the meaning of this?¡± He had approached Kyler to get Kendra to divorce him. He did not ask Kyler to bring his shameless daughter to unt herself in front of him. Kendra and his innocent Natalia were sisters, Magnus felt that Natalia was truly unfortunate ¡°Uh, Mr. Andersen, don¡¯t be angry. Here is the situation. Kendra said that she could agree to a divorce, but she must talk to you face to face. So I just Seeing Magnus displeasure, Kyler was naturally frightened. He quickly began exining that Kendra insisted on meeting Magnus in person before agreeing to a divorce. Kyler knew that bringing Kendra to Andersen Corporation would undoubtedly provoke Magnus. But in the end, he could not resist Natalia¡¯s persistent persuasion and agreed to this request. He thought that perhaps if Kendra met with Magnus, she would finally give up and willingly proceed with the divorce ¡°So? You let your daughtere here dressed scantily to talk to me?¡± Magnus was surprised that Kyler did not reprimand Kendra but instead tantly tried to provoke him. As Magnus spoke, he wore a frosty smile, and his piercing ck eyes swept over their faces. His words were sharp and unyielding. Who gave you the audacity to think you could negotiate with me?¡± Magnus felt that Kyler should be grateful for having Natalia, a kind and adorable daughter. Without her people like Kyler and Kendra would have suffered at his hands countless times Kendra was stunned. Magnus was not at all moved by her charm, but instead, was he angry? The situation waspletely different from what she had- imagined. She stood there looking at Magnus with a pitiful expression Magnus red at her, and she felt her scalp tingle She bowed her head, and her legs were trembling Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No. Mr. Andersen, you misunderstood. That¡¯s not what I meant Kyler was terrified when Magnus lost his temper. He red at Kendra beside him, then turned back to Magnus and hastily exined He knew that it was inappropriate to bring Kendra at this time, and he understood why Magnus was upset ¡°You didn¡¯t mean it? Then what did you mean? Seeing Kyler s hypocritical demeanor, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but scoff. A pair of inscrutable eyes stared straight at Kyler, coldly dering, ¡°Don¡¯t think that because i pamper my wife, youll receive any exceptional treatment from me I know exactly whal you¡¯re thinking You lost the right to be Nat¡¯s father when you let Natalia take the ce of that woman!¡± Although the disagreement between Magnus and Natalia was recent, it didn¡¯t keep Magnus from wanting to set things right for hec against her despicable father and wicked sister They bullied the old Natalia, but that was the past, and he would be kind enough to let go Now, Natalia was his woman. Anyone who dared to on her would face dire consequences! ¡°Your wife? Did you actually call her your wife? What about me?¡± finger To everyone¡¯s surprise, Magnus referred to Natalia with such intimacy Upon hearing this, Kendra was immediately triggered Regardless of Magnus apparent fury, she yelled at him. ¡°Magnus, I am your wife, not Natalia! She¡¯s nothing more than a bastard child! What makes her worthy of your attention?¡± - Jealousy and indignation painted Kendra¡¯s face She despised Natalia for stealing everything from her Why didn¡¯t she die that time? That incident allowed her to live once again in this world Magnus treated her this way, all because of Natalia She regretted it, regretted not being the one to marry him instead, Natalia got the upper hand! Chapter 72 Chapter 72 If Magnus bore a grudge against Kendra for forcing Natalia to take her ce at the altar, then she could apologize. Regardless, she was determined that the prestigious title of Mrs. Andersen, the CEO of Andersen Corporation, would never fall into the hands of a cunning woman like Natalia. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. What right did Natalia, the illegitimate child, have topete against Kendra? If it weren¡¯t for Kendra¡¯s generous heart, providing Natalia with food and shelter from their childhood, Natalia would probably have starved in some deste corner. However, Magnus was already furious due to Kendra¡¯s presence. When Kendra had the audacity to insult Natalia in front of him, his expression darkened. His icy gaze, sharp as a de, was directed at Kendra, who was fuming with anger. The next moment, Magnus picked up his pen from the desk and threw it at the shouting Kendra His throw was so urate and powerful that the ordinary pen seemed like an arrow flying straight at Kendra. ¡°Ah!¡± Kendra screamed as the pen pierced her chest. The intense pain turned Kendra¡¯s face pallid, and blood began to seep from the wound, staining her white dress with a blossoming red flower Kendra, who had been making a scene moments ago, was stunned by Magnus action. She had already experienced his ruthlessness. And today, despite her best efforts to impress him, he had not even given her a second nce. Instead, he had stabbed her with a pen! She stared at Magnus, seated behind his desk. His expression was grim, as if he was ready tomit murder with horrified¨Clooking eyes. She had underestimated this man, who had been wheelchair¨C bound for nine years, thinking him weak. Now, she realized, in this city, even in the entire country, where the Andersen family could control everything, the most terrifying man was not Lucius, known for his ruthlessness, but Magnus! Kyler, who was standing by the side, was equally shocked. He hadn¡¯t expected Magnus, who hadn¡¯t even moved from his chair, to injure Kendra with a pen from a distance. With his voice trembling, he apologized to Magnus, I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Andersen, please don¡¯t be angry. Kendra she didn¡¯t mean it If Magnus really wanted Kendra¡¯s life because of her actions, he wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything. Magnus was different from Lucius He didn¡¯t know much about Magnus, and his powerful aura made his skin crawl whenever he was around him. But before Kyler could finish his apology, Magnus spoke in a cold voice, ¡°Is she ignorant or arrogant! You didn¡¯t follow through with anything I asked you to it seems like I don¡¯t have to be polite to you anymore!¡± He was disappointed in Kyler for not being able to control his own daughter. He had nned to let Kyler off the hook for Natalia¡¯s sake, but his ipetence was the main reason why Natalia was suffering. Kendra, recovering from the shock, was trembling as she stared at the pen embedded in her chest and the blood seeping out. She grabbed Kyler¡¯s hand and sobbed. ¡°Dad what should I do? Am I going to die? I don¡¯t want to die. Kyler, already distressed, was at a loss for words. He tried tofort his terrified daughter while gauging Magnus¡® reaction. I¡¯m sorry, Mr. Andersen, I¡¯m sorry. ¡°he stuttered, not knowing what else to say He kept apologizing, fearing Magnus¡® wrath might¡¯ve cost Kendra her life. He was on the verge of kneeling and begging Magnus to let them go. Without immediate medical attention, the pen lodged so deep in Kendra¡¯s chest would cause her to bleed out! However, Magnus was not satisfied with Kyler¡¯s apology. He loosened his tie and spoke leisurely, ¡°Normally, I don¡¯t have a habit of hitting women. But when ites to those who mistreat my wife, it¡¯s a different story. Consider this a second warning to you and your daughter. If there¡¯s a third time, don¡¯t me me for not warning you! Now, get out!¡± If it weren¡¯t for Kendra refusing to divorce him, there wouldn¡¯t have been so many misunderstandings between him and Natalia. He had suffered every time Natalia distanced herself from him because of Kendra, his legal wife. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that he wouldn¡¯t take Kendras life if she continued to refuse the divorce. Upon hearing Magnus¡® words, Kyler realized that he had been spared once again, all thanks to Natalia Kyler stuttered, nodding his head rapidly. Yes, Mr Andersen I¡¯ll get right on that. I apologize. We are leaving now. I¡¯m really sorry!¡± With that, he supported Kendra, who was staggering, to the door Kendra, on the other hand, was sobbing uncontrobly, shaking with fear, while Kyler dragged her straight out of Magnus¡® office. Once Kyler and Kendra had left, the rattled Magnus didn¡¯t waste much time. He immediately headed to a meeting in his office,pletely indifferent to whether Kendra would go to the hospital or not. Magnus had told Natalia that morning that he would only be working half a day He nned to return home in the afternoon and have her give him a massage. So when lunchtime rolled around, Magnus had Linden drive bim back to Maplewood Manor ¡°You¡¯ve been reading these books all this time, Natalia?¡± James asked with a grin, holding one of Natalia¡¯s usual reads in the grand hall of Maplewood Manor Chapter 73 Chapter 73 It was James, Chase and Carter who came by. Frankly, they thought that Magnus was one lucky chap. The guy had lived for over two decades, never once experiencing romance. And when he finally did, he ended up with the hot babe Natalia. They were undeniably envious. Compared to Natalia, the women they knew were meremoners. ¡°Indeed,¡± Natalia affirmed with a smile when James asked. She did not understand why these three would suddenly show up at Maplewood Manor, and why Magnus was absent She courteously brewed them some tea, inspecting each of them as she did. James, who was always trying to strike a conversation with a smile, and Chase, who spoke less, but spoke each word profoundly And there was also Carter, who was fond of teasing Magnus when they were in France She wondered, ¡°Didn¡¯t Magnus say he¡¯d be home by noon when he left this morning? Do their arrivals have anything to do with Magnus early return?¡± Yet, the three men in front of her seemed oblivious to Natalia¡¯s confusion, especially James, who kept gazing at Natalia with his bright puppy eyes, smiling all the way Then he said, ¡°Oh, Magnus is indeed a lucky man. Not only are you beautiful, but you¡¯re also considerate.¡± Changing his tone, James proposed with a grin, ¡°Natalia, why not ditch Magnus and leave with me? Magnus is so cold, he surely can¡¯t be as romantic asi am.¡± But as soon as James spoke, Chase, who was sitting next to him, elbowed him in the stomach. ¡°Ouch¡­¡± James immediately clutched his stomach, wailing in pain. Carter, always good¨Cnatured, couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. ¡°You sure have guts, James. Isn¡¯t this like the hundredth time you¡¯ve tried to steal Natalia? Aren¡¯t you afraid Magnus would punish you?¡± Though Natalia hadn¡¯t been with Magnus for long, his jealous reputation had already spread. ¡°He must have a death wish to dare to poke the bear, Chasemented, his words as concise as always. Just as Natalia was enjoying the lively banter, Magnus, who had just left thepany, hurried back to Maplewood Manor. He took one look at the three men lounging on the couch, especially at James, who was grinning from ear to ear. With a frown, he said. ¡°You guys sure got here fast!¡± Usually, they would hang out at the Golden Groove, but today, they hade to his ce. He then wheeled over to Natalia, reaching out to cup her face. ¡°Don¡¯t hang out with these beasts!¡± ¡°Wha ?¡± ¡°You.¡± The three men gasped. This guy was showing off his affection right in front of them and even called them beasts! Magnus then cast James a chilling nce before saying. ¡°There¡¯s a tough training camp in the desert. I can send you there to toughen up.¡± James immediately protested, ¡°Magnus, you¡­ fine, I won¡¯t say anything anymore. Natalia, you have to help me!¡± Seeing his pitiful face, Natalia couldn¡¯t help but chuckle Magnus smiled faintly at Natalia¡¯sughter. Carter and Chase also burst intoughter Only Magnus could handle the unruly James. Before he came back from thepany, Chase had told him that they nned to gather at Maplewood Manor He didn¡¯t expect them toe so soort Knowing they were worried because of Lucius assassination attempt, he didn¡¯t refuse theirpany Compared to his blood¨Crted brother Lucius, who was constantly plotting against him, Carter, Chase, and James were the real brothers on whom he could always rely ¡°I assure you, I have the utmost respect for Natalia. I promise I won¡¯t do it again!¡± James certainly knew what the desert training was like. He was skilled, but being in a desert with no women, licking blood off knife des every day just for training, was worse than death to him. Natalia was still a bit uneasy around Magnus because of yesterday¡¯s events. She didn¡¯t dare meet his gaze and kept her head down. Natalia might have said that, but she couldn¡¯t help but wonder why Magnus seemed to care so much for her in front of everyone when he didn¡¯t even like her Magnus, noticing Natalia¡¯s mood, knew she was still upset about what happenedst night. He reached out and gently held her hand, his voice deep and maic. ¡°Have you eaten yet, baby? Don¡¯t wait for me if you¡¯re hungry¡± Ever since Kyler and his daughter visited the Andersen Corporation that morning, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang in his heart whenever he thought about the hardships Natalia faced living with the rkson family. In many ways, their fates were simr Both were rejected by their blood rtives, with parents who didn¡¯t care for them Even he was the respected son of the Andersen family, he, and Natalia, who had grown up under the care of others, weren¡¯t so different after all. And so, it broke Magnus heart to see someone so kind and innocent be so distressed ¡°Ah, they say, ¡®bros before hoes: Magnus. But it seems like the phrase was tailor¨Cmade for you The three of them were sitting here, and when Magnus came back, he only engaged in conversation with Natalia,pletely ignoring them James was both amused and hurt After all, their bond of brotherhood spanned over two decades, yet it seemed insignificantpared to the few months the young beauty Natalia spent with Magnus. This truth was a bitter pill to swallow However, James¡®ints only earned him a dismissive sideways nce from Magnus. T¡¯m happy. What¡¯s it to you?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± Seeing Magnus¡® stormy expression, Janes didn¡¯t dare to proyoke him further. He joked lightly before beating a hasty retreat. Magnus didn¡¯t earn his reputation as a jealous husband for nothing. It was better not to push his buttons, lest he got caught in the crossfire. By the time Magnus got back, it was already noon. So, shortly after his return, the servants brought out the prepared lunch to the table.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Chapter 74 Chapter 74 A tablevishly set with a smorgasbord of dishes, ranging from exotic delicacies to homelyfort food, was a sight to behold. it was their first time dining together with Natalia present, a new addition to the group of four. Throughout the meal, Magnus, much like a fussy mother concerned about her child¡¯s appetite, kept piling food onto Natalia¡¯s te. This made Natalia blush profusely, to the point where she wished she could crawl into a hole and hide. In a soft murmur to Magnus, she said, ¡°Magnuse on, I¡¯ve had enough to eat Witnessing this spectacle, Carter, Chase, and James could hardly believe their eyes. The man before them, who had endured years of hardship and who was usually cold and domineering, was now behaving so softly The three of them, having grown up with Magnus, could only describe his newfound behavior as ¡°cringeworthy¡± Amidst the internal scoffing of Carter, Chase, and James, the meal came to an end. Knowing that Carter and the others wanted to talk to him, Magnus excused himself from the table. He turned to Natalia, who stood quietly by his side. and said, ¡°I¡¯ll be in the study with Carter and the others. You get ready. I¡¯ll join you shortly.¡± Although it was a simple instruction, Magnus soft voice and tender gaze left Natalia blushing throughout the conversation. She could hardly bear to look. at the three brothers standing next to Magnus, whose faces were filled with resentment due to the intimacy they shared. Natalia responded with a nod I understand¡± After saying this, she turned and hurried away. Her rushed departure made her seem all the more adorable. After Natalia left, Carter, Chase, and James followed Magnus to his study. Once inside, James, usually all smiles and seemingly carefree, became unusually serious ¡°Magnus, how do you n on dealing with Lucius? His actions are bing bolder. I fear he¡¯ll cause trouble if we don¡¯t act soon. They all knew how ruthless Lucius could be. He had been gunning for Magnus for years but to no avail. So, with Lucius bing more aggressive, they wanted to take early action, to nip all his ns in the bud and preferably get rid of this scum who had tried to harm his own brother just to gain control of the Andersen Corporation Upon James¡® words, Magnus, who had been keeping a close eye on Lucius movements, let out a cold laugh. He stood up from his wheelchair, walked over to the window, and said, There¡¯s no rush I want to see just how capable Lucius really is. I want him to use all his strength, only to be beaten down by me That¡¯s what he deserves for all the suffering I¡¯ve endured¡± ¡°For Grandpa¡¯s sake, we can¡¯t kill him yet! Jamie wouldn¡¯t allow it as well!¡® Magnus stared out at the zing sun. His heart was as cold as ice. Understanding Magnus intentions, Carter and the others respected his decision. Though they were worried, they agreed, ¡°We¡¯ll keep a close eye on Lucius We won¡¯t let him pull any stunts¡± ¡°Alright Magnus nodded, his gaze drifting back to the view outside the window, his expression bing increasingly profound. He had long considered Lucius, who was constantly plotting against him, no longer a brother Yet, he was worried about their grandfather¡¯s health and thus tolerated Lucius reckless behavior over the years If it weren¡¯t for his concern for his grandfather¡¯s health and Jamie¡¯s dying words, Lucius would have been dead a thousand times over, given Magnus capabilities and influence Eliminating Lucius would be a piece of cake for him. With these thoughts in mind, Magnus stood by the window in silence for a while When he finally broke the silence, Carter and the others hadn¡¯t said a word for quite some time. ¡°Is that all?¡± he asked. They were clearly just looking for an excuse toe and check on him. While Magnus felt a warmth in his heart, he appeared rather impatient on the outside ¡°Yeah,¡± replied Chase, who had been silent all along They had no real reason to see Magnus, it was just a ruse orchestrated by Carter and James to check on Magnus¡® sweetheart bride. Chase was rather upset about this. They had been close since childhood, even sharing a bed when they had had too much to drink. When had their rtionship be so distant that Magnus needed an excuse to send them away? Just because he had a beautiful wife? Despite Chase¡¯s apparent concern, Magnus seemed oblivious. He simply replied to Chase. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave. Make yourselves at Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. home After saying this, he returned to his wheelchair and left for Natalia¡¯s room. ¡°Didn¡¯t you have something to discuss with Carter and the others? Howe you¡¯re back so soon?¡± Natalia asked as she prepared to test a new treatment method for Magnus legs. She helped him with the wheelchair the moment she noticed him inside She seemedposed on the outside, but inside, her thoughts were still in turmoil from the events of the previous day. Although Natalia seemed to talk to him normally, her eyes, however, barely met his. Feeling helpless, Magnus went over and gently took Natalia into his arms Circling her in his embrace, he asked softly. ¡°Are you still upset about what happened yesterday? What do you want me to do to make you happy?¡± Before he met Natalia, Magnus had never imagined that he, too, would one day put aside his pride for someone, using soft and gentle words just to coax a smile from her. T¡¯m not upset. You should let me go, I¡¯m squashing your leg As Magnus held her close, his warm breath brushed against her ear with every word he said. This made Natalia, who was already somewhat resistant to him out of petnce, blush furiously, She knew very well in her heart that for someone Mike Magnus, going to such lengths to please her, repeatedly setting aside his ego, was incredibly rare. Chapter 75 Chapter 75 he should¡¯ve known when to fold them rather than hold them, but she couldn¡¯t let it go. he didn¡¯t know why, just the thought of another woman hiding in Magnus¡® heart made her feel uneasy. She didn¡¯t want to continue being so close tognus anymore Stop pretending Your face screams, I¡¯m mad.¡± Seeing that she wasn¡¯t admitting it, Magnus just held her tighter. While talking, he gently showered her ace with kisses. His voice was a low murmur. ¡°I was too roughst night, and I hurt you. I¡¯ll make it up to you tonight, so stop being mad, okay?¡± learing Magnus words, Natalia, who was already blushing, became even more embarrassed. If Magnus weren¡¯t holding her so tightly, she would have Iready run away, cursing him for being a pervert All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. he was mad at Magnus, but it wasn¡¯t because of that. Magnus, being such a smart guy, must have known this, right? He must have been doing this on urpose! She was more sensitive than he imagined. He had merely changed his tone in his studyst night, and it had hurt her so much. It seemed wrong to let the past affect their present. The portrait in question was insignificant. During the time when his leg was broken, and he was wallowing in self¨Cpity, that girl had indeed apanied him for a while. However, the woman in the portrait had left no trace in his heart. He only remembered the incident very clearly. After all, she was the first girl who had ever reached into his heart and had cried heart¨Cwrenchingly over his injured leg. Who needs yourpensation, you big jerk.¡± Hearing Magnus say this, Natalia realized that she had fallen into his trap again. She clenched her fists in anger and lightly punched his chest. But her face was still as red as an apple. Being held so tightly by Magnus, she really had no way to bring her face back to normal. 1 am bad, but only bad for you, honey. You do like bad boys like me, don¡¯t you!¡± Holding Natalia like this, and seeing her blush like a rose, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but feel a little restless. His blood began to boil, and a certain part of him started reacting. Damn it, every time he was with her, he couldn¡¯t control himself, and he wanted her again. 1 don¡¯t like you. Stop ttering yourself Natalia, who was already very shy, felt Magnus¡® reaction and instantly wanted to find a hole to crawl into. She immediately struggled to jump down. She thought, ¡°How can this man be thinking about having sex all the time? His friends are still downstairs. How can he¡­ He tormented me for so longst night, isn¡¯t he tired?¡± And how could she possibly fall for him? She was clearly just a recement; she absolutely couldn¡¯t lose her heart. At most, she just liked Magnus a but because he was too good to her. It was absolutely impossible for her to fall in love with Magnus so easily In matters of the heart, she could never fall in love with a man unterally, let alone a man with such a quirky temper. Even when she was with Hector, it was a mutual attraction, not like now, where she felt so small in front of Magnus. She didn¡¯t want to be heartbroken in the future, so she absolutely couldn¡¯t fall deeper and deeper for Magnus, this dangerous man. ¡°I¡¯m ttering myself? Are you sure?¡± She remained so stubborn in front of him at this point, so he knew that she was afraid of him, but also liked him. If she didn¡¯t like him, she might not have waited for his leg to heal before leaving. The day she found out that he knew she wasn¡¯t Kendra, she could have left. But she didn¡¯t, perhaps out of kindness, but more likely because she liked him. How could he not know what Natalia was thinking? Magnus smiled mischievously while holding her tight. Then, he steered his wheelchair towards the bed. ¡°Hey what are you doing? I gave you a massage today. Feeling Magnus¡® intentions, Natalia instantly became nervous. He was really going for it. What if his friends downstairs found out? How could she live with the shame? This man was so lustful! How good was Magnus stamina? Well, she had experienced it many times before. If she let Magnus have his way today, she wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of bed this afternoon. If it continued like this, who knew when Magnus leg would heal? But seeing Natalia so shy and nervous made Magnus want her even more. He whispered in her ear, ¡°Just once, I¡¯ll be quick¡± After saying that, the blushing Natalia was thrown onto the bed by Magnus, who had already reached the edge of the bed. Then Magnus swiftly jumped from his wheelchair onto the bed. Before Natalia could react, he pinned her down. He leaned in, found her lips, and kissed her passionately and boldly. His agile hand, following the deepening of the kiss, began to ignite her body. ¡°Mmm..uh¡­ Natalia, who had been with Magnus for some time now, should have grown ustomed to his habits and actions. This man always had his way, never considering others¡® desires. But every time Magnus acted this way towards her, she couldn¡¯t help the wild pounding in her heart. She had to admit that her body was obedient, she suddenly felt so weak! With lightning speed, Magnus shed his clothes. He noticed Natalia, still caught in a whirlwind of anxious thoughts, biting her hp as she clutched the bedsheets beneath her. Her palms were slick with sweat. She was scared! ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, I¡¯ll be gentle, sensing Natalia¡¯s tension, Magnus murmured into her ear, his voice deep and soothing Chapter 76 Chapter 76 Gently, with hisrge hand, he brushed aside the strap of her gown, slowly pressing his lips against hers. Eventually, he found her hand, which was clenched tightly to the bedsheet, and inteced their fingers. He kissed her delicately, slowly, allowing her to adjust before they became one Natalia was nervous and anxious. Downstairs, Magnus friends were waiting for him. Yet, here they were, locked in this intimate moment It drove Magnus to the edge of madness. The intoxicating sensation and the overwhelming desire made it hard for him to keep his control. Then he remembered the previous night, and how his actions might have hurt Natalia, even if just a little, so he reined in his desire, treating her gently, caressingly Magnus had said it would only be once, and he was a man of his word. But just this once had left Natalia exhausted, devoid of any strength. She couldn¡¯t even remember her promise to give him a massage. As soon as he finished, she slipped into a deep sleep. ¡°Oh, Ie back from France and Magnus just left us here, staring at each other. When did I be so unimportant in his eyes?¡± Carter, waiting in the living room for Magnus to join them, couldn¡¯t help but comin. Originally, Magnus had nned to marry Kendra, Lucius¡® woman. His friends were vehemently against it. They didn¡¯t want Magnus to sacrifice his happiness for revenge. But as fate would have it, it wasn¡¯t the lowly Kendra who was sent, but this captivating beauty who stole Magnus¡® heart. After so many years of avoiding women and despising them, it seemed Magnus had truly fallen this time. Hearing Carter¡¯sints, Jamesughed, raising his eyebrows in amusement. ¡°Magnus has a sweetheart now. If he still remembers to hang out with you, that would be a real surprise. I suggest you head back to France soon, find a woman you like, and stop focusing on Magnus The one who had the closest rtionship with Magnus among the brothers was Carter. He was the most introspective of them, and Magnus had taken care of him since they were young, leading to a strong bond between them. Both Carter and Magnus were not fond of women. A woman had once broken Carter¡¯s heart, leaving a deep scar, while Magnus had been consumed by hatred for so many years, that he didn¡¯t have the time or the interest to waste on women. This shared aversion to women had created a bond between them, so deep and understanding that others might have misunderstood it. However, when Carter heard James¡® words, he red at him, clearly unhappy. ¡°Do you think Magnus is like you, choosing lust over friendship? Have you ever counted how many women you¡¯ve been with? Be careful, you might catch something.¡± You you¡¯re bing more and more hurtful. Are you really cursing me to get sick? You are just like Magnus.¡± James was at a loss for words, especially considering his reputation with women was well¨C known. He looked at Chase, who was sitting quietly next to him. ¡°Chase, are you going to just sit there and let Carter bully me like this?¡± Chase gave him a nce. ¡°With the way you carry on, are you afraid of being bullied? What my Carter said is not wrong. The girls who shared your bed could form an army in Europe. Are you afraid of being called out?¡± When it came to James call for help, Chase casually dismissed it. He looked at his brother and said slowly. ¡°Carter is right. You should be careful. If you catch some nasty disease, don¡¯t say you¡¯re our brother.¡± ¡°You guys¡­ James was at a loss for words, being attacked by Carter and Chase one after the other. The frustration was indescribable. After a while, he finally thought of a way to fight back. He looked at Carter, who was sitting there smugly and said, ¡°Oh, Carter, I heard that the arranged marriage set by your grandfather is about to take ce. Which one of you brothers is going to jump into the fire pit?¡± The Cliff family were military men, with Carter and Chase being no exception. While their family turned a blind eye to their careers, they insisted on having a say in their marriages. The only weakness James could poke at was the arranged marriage set up by their grandfather five years ago. Apparently, the agreement was for Carter to marry, but a few months after the engagement, the girl died in a car ident. Carter thought that would be the end of it, as he didn¡¯t like arranged marriages in the first ce. But to honor their grandfather¡¯s promise, they decided to let the girl¡¯s sister get married to him. Carter was so upset about the situation that he returned to Melfort. Jamesughed. The grandfather of the Cliff family surely is a man of his word. So, which one of you brothers is going to marry the girl?¡± Carter and Chase, who were justughing a moment ago, suddenly looked serious. Especially Carter, his handsome face fell, and his brows knitted together Finally, Chase sighed in relief and said gleefully, ¡°Grandpa has already said, it¡¯s Carter who¡¯s going to marry her. She has already gone to France Carter, you¡¯re so lucky, haha.¡± ¡°m!¡± Carter, already in a bad mood, was sipping his coffee. Hearing Chase¡¯s words, he mmed his mug onto the coffee table. With a dark expression, he retorted, ¡°If you¡¯re so remorseful, why don¡¯t you go tell Grandfather that you want to marry that Shaw girl?¡± He had no interest in marrying that stranger. His grandfather and Grandpa Shaw had gone as far as sending her to France, right into his vi. If it weren¡¯t for his fear of upsetting his grandfather, he would have kicked her out long ago Why else would he go through the trouble of hiding back home? But Carter¡¯s little tantrum wasn¡¯t going to scare Chase, who had the audacity of a lion Chase deliberately said, I wanted to tell Grandfather to let me marry her, but his word isw. He had already promised Grandpa Shaw that the girl woulde to our family. So, Chase, you might as well ept your fate¡± ChapterProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Chapter 77 Chapter 77 Their grandfather was very determined, so this time, no matter what Carter did, it was already set in stone. ¡°You guys ¡°Carter was already furing Not only did they offer him nofort, but they also teased him, which made him so angry that his face turned red. He couldn¡¯t vent his anger at Magnus, so he just bowed his head in silence. James, who was enjoying Carter¡¯s misfortune, couldn¡¯t resist adding fuel to the fire. Hemented, ¡°Poord, he hasn¡¯t even tasted the sweet vor of love yet, and he¡¯s about to walk straight into the graveyard of marriage.¡± Down in the lobby, the atmosphere was weird due to Carter¡¯s impending marriage. After spending some intimate moments upstairs, a cheerful Magnus slowly emerged from the elevator. He saw the usually stoic Carter, visibly upset. He wheeled over to Carter¡¯s side, took a sip of his freshly brewed coffee, and asked, ¡°What¡¯s up? What happened?¡± Before a sulky Carter could answer, the nosy James jumped in. ¡°Carter is being forced to marry Miss Shaw from the Shaw family by his grandfather. The girl has already been sent to his vi in France That¡¯s probably why he suddenly fled back home.¡± They knew Carter¡¯s temper well. Although he loved to show off, he had a golden heart. They figured he couldn¡¯t bear to be harsh to Miss Shaw, which was why he had run off N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°Oh, it¡¯s just a marriage, why the hassle Upon hearing James¡® remark, Magnus suddenly remembered his own love story with Natalia. He couldn¡¯t help but smile tenderly at Carter Is Miss Shaw so unattractive that you have to run away?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about her being unattractive. I haven¡¯t even met her, Carter replied, feeling hopeless. He sincerely said to the three indifferent men, ¡°I have never met this Miss Shaw, and I don¡¯t have any feelings for her. If I just married her like this, wouldn¡¯t it be irresponsible to both her and myself?¡± Carter looked at Magnus for help. He pleaded, ¡°Magnus, you understand me best. If it were you, would you marry a woman you knew nothing about? Please talk to my grandfather. I remember he likes you There¡¯s no way I¡¯m marrying that girl.¡± However, Magnus was surprisingly indifferent to Carter¡¯s distress. He said casually, ¡°If it were the old days, I would agree with you. But now¡­ I think you should just get married first. You might develop feelings after you spend some time together. Just like me and my wife, isn¡¯t that right?¡± He used to hate Natalia when he thought she was Kendra, but now he¡¯dpletely changed. He¡¯d fallen in love with her So, sometimes, fate could be trusted. Chase, who was sipping his coffee and enjoying the drama, was shocked to hear Magnus advising Carter to marry Miss Shaw. He choked on his coffee. shocked by Magnus change of character And Carter, who was determined to annul the marriage, felt hopeless when even Magnus didn¡¯t support him. He stood up furiously. Fine, you won¡¯t help me, so I¡¯ll go back to France right now I¡¯m Carter, a reputable CEO, I won¡¯t lose to a little girl! I¡¯ll make her ask for the annulment. You just wait and seel After saying that, an angry Carter stormed out of Maplewood Manor. James, who had never seen Carter so irate before, couldn¡¯t help but worry. ¡°Should we just let him be? He won¡¯t do anything rash, right?¡± Although Carter was apetent CEO, James still worried about him, Magnus, however, was moreposed ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Carter knows his limits.¡± Meanwhile, in the city¡¯srgest hospital, Addison was anxiously waiting outside the emergency room. She red at Kyler, who was standing idly by, and yelled, ¡°Kyler, are you even a man? You can¡¯t even handle your own daughter¡¯s marriagel Kendra has been humiliated by that bastard Magnus time and time again. What kind of father are you!¡± Initially, Kendra insisted on going to the Andersen Corporation with Kyler to confront Magnus Addison was against it at first, as she was still scared from thest time Kendra approached Magnus. However, Kendra¡¯s persistent begging eventually won her over. She thought that with Kyler there, Magnus wouldn¡¯t dare to disrespect the rkson family But to her surprise, not only was Kyler useless, but Kendra also got hurt even worse than thest time. How could she not be angry? ¡°Enough! This is a hospital, not your living room. You can¡¯t throw a tantrum anywhere you want!¡± Kyler was already heartbroken and troubled enough with Kendra in such a state. And yet, Addison was still here, constantly causing a ruckus, how could he bear it? Eventually, an especially angry Kyler, shouted at Addison, ¡°I tell you, if it wasn¡¯t for you spoiling Kendra from a young age, raising her to believe that the world revolves around her, none of this would have happened today! ¡°You asked Natalia to marry Magnus in Kendra¡¯s ce, and now you want to go back on your words. It¡¯s one thing to think you can push Natalia around, but do you think Magnus is as easy to manipte? ¡°I¡¯m telling you, no matter how much Kendra kicks up a fuss this time, if she doesn¡¯t divorce Magnus, she¡¯ll eventually lose her life!¡± Today, in the CEO¡¯s office at Andersen Corporation, Kyler finally got a clear picture of Magnus¡® true colors. Each and every one of these Andersen family members was a tough character, they were certainly not ordinary folks. Chapter 78 Chapter 78 Lucius was ruthless enough in the past, stopping at nothing to achieve his goals. Now, there was a more ferocious Magnus. Compared to Lucius, he was a thousand times more ruthless. The rksons, regardless of who it was, were not to be trifled with. However, Addison had never seen Kyler so livid before. Upon witnessing Kyler¡¯s rage, she was initially stunned. Once she snapped out of it, sheshed out at Kyler ¡°Kyler, you bastard! Are you ming me for Kendra¡¯s condition? Are you not responsible, too? Now Kendra¡¯s life hangs in the bnce, and you¡¯re still talking about her getting a divorce. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. You¡¯re doing this for your illegitimate daughter, aren¡¯t you? So she can secure her position as thedy of the Andersen Corporation, right? After all these years, you¡¯re still protecting that bastard child?¡± Back in the day, Kyler brought Natalia, that little tramp, into their home without her consent. Throughout the years, Addison had taken satisfaction in tormenting Natalia in every possible way. But every time she saw how Kyler went out of his way to protect Natalia, she was filled with a rage so intense, she could almost taste it Now that Kyler nned to plot to make Natalia, that little tramp, thedy of the Andersen Corporation, and even joined forces with Magnus to force Kendra into a divorce, there was no way Addison would agree to this. The position of Mrs. Andersen should only belong to their daughter Kendra. Natalia, the illegitimate child, was so unworthy that even marrying a beggar would be too good for her! ¡°You you ¡°At this point, Addison was still stubbornly refusing to see the truth. Kyler was almost driven to his wit¡¯s end by her Just when Kyler was about to retort, the doors of the operating room were suddenly pushed open. A nurse with a grim expression stormed out, frowning as she yelled at them, ¡°This is a hospital, not your personal battlefield! Your quarrel is disturbing the doctors¡® focus. If anything goes wrong, will you take responsibility?¡± Truth be told, this nurse had never seen a family so uncaring about their patients condition. They were quarreling non¨Cstop outside the operating room. These rich folks showed such strange behavior. Wasn¡¯t the patient¡¯s life supposed to be the most important thing at this moment? The formerly quarrelling couple, Kyler and Addison, immediately fell silent at the nurse¡¯s scolding Bubbling with suppressed anger, Kyler turned his head to the side and stayed silent. Meanwhile, Addison, who was extremely worried for Kendra, quickly approached the nurse, asking anxiously, ¡°How¡¯s my daughter doing? Is she alright? Please save her, I beg you, she must be alright!¡± Looking at Addison¡¯s frantic state, the nurse, who had been drawn out by their noise, retained her grim expression. Her tone was icy as she said, ¡°Our doctors will do their best to stop the bleeding. Please keep quiet and stop causing amotion.¡± After saying this, the nurse, who seemed to have no interest in talking to Addison, returned to the operating room and closed the door behind her. Once the nurse had left, Addison didn¡¯t want her quarrelling with Kyler to affect Kendra¡¯s treatment, so she shot Kyler a cold look and threatened, ¡°You better pray nothing happens to Kendra. If anything happens to my daughter, I¡¯ll make sure you and that little tramp pay dearly!¡± After so many years, Natalia not only took Kendra¡¯s ce in the rkson family but was also trying to take over Kendra¡¯s position as thedy of the Mrs. Andersen. Furthermore, she had caused Kendra to end up in this critical condition. Addison¡¯s hatred for Natalia was now at its peak. She had made up her mind that from now on, she wouldn¡¯t let Natalia live a peaceful life! Natalia, who had been worn out by Magnus antics, fell into a deep sleep. She had slept for about three hours. When she woke up, it waste. Seeing the sun setting in the sky, Natalia felt frustrated thinking about how she had fallen asleep and missed the chance to massage Magnus. She quickly got dressed and searched for Magnus in their bedroom and his study, but couldn¡¯t find him. The heartbroken Natalia descended the stairs and asked a servant anxiously, ¡°Where¡¯s Magnus? Did he go back to the office?¡± Magnus had specifically taken half a day off from work today because Carter, Chase, and James were visiting Maplewood Manor, but she had slept through the day, missing the opportunity to massage him. Given how busy Magnus was, the opportunities she had to massage him were few and far between if this continued, when would Magnus leg heal? When could she leave Maplewood Manor? Every time she thought about these issues, Natalia¡¯s mood would plummet, and her face would cloud over in despair. Upon hearing Natalia¡¯s question, the servant didn¡¯t answer her but instead looked towards a certain spot in the hallway. ¡°Why are you so unhappy? Is it just because you woke up and didn¡¯t see me?¡± Magnus, who was reading documents in the living room, heard Nata¡¯s voice, and his mood instantly lifted He turned around to look at Natalia standing on the stairs. His eyes, dark and intense, were filled with amusement. In his mind, he smirked, ¡°This little firecracker, wasn¡¯t she still sulking yesterday, refusing to talk to him? Yet today, as soon as she woke up, she was looking for him seemed that her usual behavior was all just a fa?ade. She was indeed a little mischievous¡± But a woman still needed gentle care to reveal her true feelings Natalie¨Chad thought that after sleeping so long, Magnus must have returned to his office. To her surprise, Magnus, who was usually immersed in paperwork¨Cm¨Chis study, was lounging in the living room today. Therefore, her frantic search for him was busted. Natalia¡¯s face turned beet red in an instant. She quickly shook her head and exined, 1 remembered that I had to give you a massage. I thought you had gone to the office, and that¡¯s why I came looking for you¡± It wasn¡¯t because she woke up and couldn¡¯t see Magnus, and that made her upset. Magnus was always like this, always twisting her words, no matter what she said. This often left Natalia doubting her own thoughts. Was it really as he suggested or as she believed? ¡°Oh? is giving me a massage that important to you? Or is it because you woke up and couldn¡¯t feel my embrace, which left a void in your heart?¡± Chapter 79 Chapter 79 The more Natalia blushed, the more relentless Magnus became. He set down the papers in his hand and wheeled his chair over to Natalia. His gaze was direct and unflinching Natalia, feeling awkward under his gaze, quickly denied, ¡°It¡¯s not like that. Don¡¯t read too much into it.¡± All of a sudden, she saw Magnus¡® smile as fleeting as a cloud in the sky. His handsome face was even more charming under the sunset outside the yacht. Natalia¡¯s heart started to beat wildly as she walked over to him, saying gently, ¡°Your massage is important. I want your leg to get better soon.¡± ¡°So that I could aplish my mission!¡± She thought but couldn¡¯t say it. How could she say something that would sadden him when faced with such a smile? She knew she was not the one in his heart. Whether she stayed by his side or not, he didn¡¯t care. If that was the case, why should she offer her true feelings for a discounted admiration? ¡°Really?¡± Magnus looked at Natalia standing there, her clear eyes filled with gentleness, making him infatuated. A myriad of emotions surged in his heart. This girl was his, and he would cherish her He reached out and took Natalia¡¯s hand, pulling her into his arms. Pressing his forehead against hers, he whispered, ¡°I¡¯m so happy that you care for me, my dear Once the divorce with Kendra is finalized, I¡¯ll marry you right away. From then on, we¡¯ll be a legitimate couple, and you¡¯ll have to massage me for the rest of your life I won¡¯t allow you to leave no matter what you say.¡± He feared that she might have mentioned leaving again, so he quickly issued the ultimatum. During his time with Natalia, Magnus had never felt as happy as he did now So, there was no way he¡¯d let this little joy¨Cbringer leave his side. As for Kendra, the sight of her disgusted him. If it weren¡¯t for his spite against Lucius back then, the thought of him having any rtion with Kendra would be unthinkable Life was kind to him, having sent Natalia his way. Natalia sat in Magnus¡® arms, instantly remembering they were in the hall. ¡°You How could you do this again? If the servants see, they willugh.¡± She looked around anxiously, noticing that the servants had hidden out of sight. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Where are Chase and the others? Have they left?¡± She had slept for a while, and they were gone. Magnus murmured a soft, ¡°Hmm, and continued to kiss her cheek one after another. Natalia knew he was always like this, holding and hugging her inappropriately in public. His legs were in such a state. Couldn¡¯t he put in more effort to stand up sooner? Didn¡¯t it anger him to be called a cripple by Lucius? Or were his legs not a problem at all and had already healed? Natalia had noticed a few times that Magnus seemed able to stand. But that night, when she was fully conscious and pretending to sleep. Magnus took her to the bathroom in his wheelchair. This inconsistency left Natalia confused. Were Magnus legs healed or not? Seeing Natalia¡¯s nervousness, Magnus couldn¡¯t help butugh. He lifted his hand to caress her smooth face, saying softly, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter if others see You¡¯re my wife. It¡¯s normal for me to hold you, and no one will dare tough. And this time, are you not worried about hurting my leg?¡± Carter hade home after a long time, and James and the others wanted to hang out with him. But as soon as Carter left, the n was canceled. Although Chase and James tried to persuade Magnus to rx a bit, he insisted on staying at Maplewood Manor with Natalia. He¡¯d been so busytely that he had very little time to spend with Natalia. He was upset thest time Kendra took advantage of his business trip and kidnapped Natalia, giving her a chance to visit Hector again. Natalia was his woman, and no one had the right to take her away. But it seemed that Natalia didn¡¯t care much about his legs anymore. Did his deliberate actst night, of standing and carrying her to the bathroom while she pretended to sleep, fail to dispel her doubts? Natalia, caught off guard by Magnus¡® question, looked elsewhere in a rush, her face flushing. ¡°Your leg is your problem. If you don¡¯t care about it, what¡¯s the use of me caring?¡± She retorted, annoyed at his insinuations. She eagerly awaited his return every day, hoping to massage his legs, but he was always so busy that by the time he came home, he was too exhausted for a massage. If he cared about his legs, he would have them treated long ago. There would have been no need for her to stay at Maplewood Manor, always ready to give him a massage ¡°Ah? You¡¯re seeing it that way now?¡± Seeing Natalia¡¯s petnt look, Magnus couldn¡¯t help butugh. Her contradicting words and actions amused him. He leaned down and pecked her lips before smiling and saying, ¡°Do you now wish that I would never stand again so you can stay by my side forever? He teased her Regardless of whether he could stand or not, Natalia would never escape him in this lifetime. He was determined to make Natalia his. Whether it was Hector or anyone else rted to her in the past, this oue would never change. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d see it that way. I still hope you can stand up again. No matter what the future holds, I hope you can stand tall.¡± Magnus misinterpreted her intentions, causing Natalia to quickly lift her head to rify. Her blue eyes locked onto his imprable gaze. Natalia¡¯s heart fluttered wildly in her chest: Only when she saw the slight smirk on his face did Natalia realize that Magnus was once again teasing her. At that, Natalia¡¯s brows furrowed together. She grumbled internally. ¡°This jerk. He¡¯s really pushing it¡± She knew he was smart and cunning, but did he really have to tease her until she was spinning in circles every single time? Just a single sentence was enough to make Natalia anxious, and Magnus couldn¡¯t help butugh. Pulling her closer, he chuckled 1 know you didn¡¯t mean It that way, baby I can tell that you truly care about me and want the best for me.¡± Chapter 80 Chapter 80 For him, Natalia and the girl from his past both held a ce in his heart. However, that girl eventually left him, while Natalia did not. So Magnus felt that he should cherish Natalia even more. Back when his legs were broken, that girl wept with a heart¨Cwrenching sorrow. He thought she would be his future. She had cared for him tenderly during that time, and he opened his heart to her. But three yearster, when Magnus returned from France, that girl had lost patience and was no longer waiting for him. When Magnus came back, she had already left, and at that moment, it felt like a piece of his heart had been torn away. He tasted the bitterness of abandonment again. From that point on, he despised women and focused all his energy on revenge. That woman was Isabe, Magnus first love. Now, when he thought of her, there was no turbulence in his heart. He had even forgotten what she looked like. But the girl in front of him, he absolutely wouldn¡¯t allow her to leave him. He couldn¡¯t bear another abandonment As he thought this, Magnus leaned in once more to kiss Natalia. All he wanted was to kiss her and im her. To have her squirming beneath him, to savor her tenderness and innocence He had never gone that far with Isabe, so he didn¡¯t know how addictive sex could be after sleeping with Natalia. ¡°You have me in your heart¡± Magnus was surprisingly certain about Natalias feelings. Before she could argue, he lowered his head to kiss her deeply. Natalia quickly pushed against his chest, her face flushed, ¡°Stop it, if you¡¯re not going to work, let¡¯s return to the room I can give you a massage¡± She was already worn out by Magnus this afternoon. If they did it again, she wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of bed. So Natalia felt a sense of panic, afraid that Magnus would continue disregarding her exhaustion. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s see how much you¡¯ve learned Magnusughed and gently stroked her nose with an indulgent tone. Even though Natalia¡¯s massages always hurt him a bit, he endured it to make her happy. So the two of them went upstairs to their room. Compared to her previous simple muscle massages, Natalia¡¯s technique was more professional this time She even followed a specific sequence, massaging several pressure points on Magnus legs. The stimtion made Magnus want to move his legs. But to prevent Natalia from discovering he could stand, he had to grit his teeth and pretend not to feel anything Natalia grew suspicious as she watched Magnus sweating profusely on the special massage nket. ¡°Are you sure you can¡¯t feel anything?¡± she asked. Seeing Magnus strong, muscr legs, it seemed impossible that he couldn¡¯t stand. Considering the cases she had seen before, they usually involved patients with some degree of muscle atrophy in their legs. But the muscles in Magnus legs looked well¨Cdeveloped, clearly showing signs of regr exercise. However he imed he couldn¡¯t stand up, which was indeed quite puzzling. Magnus quickly denied it. ¡°If I could stand, would I be sitting in this wheelchair, letting people call me useless?¡± Hearing this, Natalia felt guilty. I¡¯m sorry, Magnus. You¡¯re not useless to me. Even if you can¡¯t stand, you¡¯re not useless. You¡¯re the best She couldn¡¯t bring herself to say it, but in her heart, she felt grateful for him because he was the only one who didn¡¯t me her for being a substitute and had protected her so well. He also didn¡¯t make things difficult for the rkson family Natalia knew that the person who always called Magnus useless was his brother, Lucius. Thest time she visited the Andersen family mansion, she had seen Lucius. He was indeed mean to Magnus, and she understood why Magnus wanted topete with Lucius for Kendra¡¯s affection. It was either out of hatred or family rivalry Just like Kendra was to her, Lucius was just as ruthless. It was surprising how family members could turn against one another over family disputes. Seeing Natalias teary eyes, Magnus sat up and gently pulled her into his arms. ¡°Are you feeling sorry for me?¡± he asked. Thest time at the mansion, Natalia had stood up for him despite Lucius fierce demeanor. It was the first time that a woman had protected him. It didn¡¯t feel as bad as he had imagined; in fact, it made him very happy. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. However, Natalia didn¡¯t answer Magnus¡® question. She simply leaned into him, nodding her head in agreement. This made Magnus chuckle. ¡°Silly girl, ? couldn¡¯t care less about what a scumbag like Lucius says. Even if I were to lose my legs. Lucius wouldn¡¯t stand a chance against me ¡° With that, Magnus lowered his gaze to Natalia, who was nestled against his chest, her eyes still reddened Afraid that she might burst into tears, Magnus purposely changed the subject ¡°Your final exams went pretty well You didn¡¯t disappoint me So, tell me, what reward would you like? Because of their marriage, Natalia hadn¡¯t been at school for quite some time Magnus had assumed that even if she returned to school for the exams, her grades would inevitably plummet. But to his surprise, after only a short time back at school, Natalia had managed to catch up on all her missed Chapter 81 Chapter 81 studies Seemingly, she used to attend school diligently, not like other privileged youngdies who merely whiled away their hours at school, only to grease some palms when graduation neared, ensuring they got their diplomas without breaking a sweat. His wife, indeed, was not like any other woman. ¡°Reward? Do I get a reward?¡± Hearing Magnus say this, Natalia, who had been leaning on his chest and feeling blue just a moment ago, suddenly perked up She was visibly surprised and delighted, fixating on the handsome man who had her utterly enchanted. Previously, Magnus had told her that she had to perform well in her studies if she wanted to continue attending school. Otherwise, he would reconsider his decision. Her grades had indeed slippedpared to before in her recent exam Consequently, Natalia hadn¡¯t dared to bring it up with Magnus. If Magnus didn¡¯t ask, she would just let sleeping dogs lie. Given the bustling activities around Magnuspany, she reckoned he wouldn¡¯t remember her small issue. But who knew that nothing could escape Magnus eagle eye? Thankfully, he was satisfied with her performance Hence, upon hearing about the reward, Natalia¡¯s face split into a wide grin ¡°Of course, Magnus rarely saw Natalia smiling like a child in his presence. Seeing her like this, Magnus reached out, gently cupping her chin, and he said in a deep voice. ¡°Of course, there¡¯s a reward. You name it. As long as it¡¯s reasonable, I¡¯ll make it happen.¡± Truth be told, during their time together, except for providing her shelter and sustenance, Magnus hadn¡¯t done much for Natalia. Now that he had decided to keep Natalia by his side, he was determined to spoil her rotten, making sure she wouldn¡¯t leave him. Natalia was even more ted. She was not bothered by the way Magnus holding her chin, staring at her with such intimacy She gently swatted his hand away, tilted her head, and pondered for a while. Then she said, ¡°Actually, I don¡¯t know what reward I want, because I¡¯ve never received any rewards since I was a kid.¡± From a young age, Natalia had always been an outstanding student. Her teachers loved her and would grant her certificates and small gifts, but if those things were seen by Kendra, who had poor academic performance, they would mostly be discarded or burnt. Then, she would be bullied by Kendra for a long time Even if Kyler knew how good her grades were, he would only secretly praise her a few times. Aside from insisting that she attend a prestigious university after she aced her college entrance exams, Kyler never cared about her academic performances ¡°You¡¯ll have everything from now on because you have me; Hearing Natalia say this, a sharp pain shot through Magnus¡® heart. He enveloped Natalia¡¯s head with his big hand, pressing her back against his chest. Then he gently patted her, as ifforting a wronged child, ¡°As long as you¡¯re with me, you l have everything that others have. And what others don¡¯t have, you¡¯ll have too¡± Why should Magnus woman have to live such a hard life? If that hypocritical Kyler didn¡¯t cherish Natalia, then so be it. In the future, Natalia would have him who would truly care about her Soon, he would let the rkson family know that Natalia would about to be a person they couldn¡¯t afford to offend. As for Kendra, wasn¡¯t she looking down on Lucius now? Magnus would let them continue their love¨Chate rtionship. Thank you, Magnus, Hearing Magnus¡® words, Natalia, whose eyes were already reddened, couldn¡¯t help shedding a few tears of emotions With her head buried in Magnus chest, listening to his strong and steady heartbeat, ¡°thump, thump,¡± one after the other, she felt nothing butfort and happiness She had initially thought that recing Kendra and marrying Magnus would lead to dire consequences. More likely, she would face retaliation once the truth was revealed. Not only would she lose her life, but she might also implicate the entire rkson family But who knew that Magnus was not as terrifying as she had imagined. He had also put aside the absurd substitute marriage and treated her so well. Sometimes, Natalia doubted whether the Magnus she met was the real Magnus. Was everything that happened during this period just a dream? Because Magnus interrupted her midway, Natalia¡¯s massage was only half done: After the two had finished their conversation, when Natalia wanted to continue, Magnus said he was hungry. Natalia had no choice but to apany him to the downstairs dinning room for dinner After dinner, when they returned to the room, Natalia naturally couldn¡¯t rest. Being held by Magnus and ced on the bed, she was pampered and teased all night and didn¡¯t sleep much. In France, Sabrina slowly pushed her luggage out of the airport, feeling extremely depressed Her grandfather sent her to France just like that. She knew she couldn¡¯t go against his wishes, but she wasn¡¯t on summer vacation yet. ¡°We have already taken care of the school over there, and you can spend this summer vacation bonding with Carter These were the words her grandfather said when she left Her parents saw Sabrina¡¯s sad face and didn¡¯t know what to say in the Shave family. grandfather¡¯s words were sacred She hadn¡¯t even seen the man she¡¯s suppposed to marry before, so how could the possibly bond with him? You can only image how miserable she was toe to France this time. She pushed her suitcase out of the airport, stood on the steps, looked at this strange world, and felt a kind of destion in her heart. At this time, a Bugatti came face to face, the car door slowly opened, and a man in a suit came out, He walked up to Sabrina, ¡°Are you Ms. Shaw? My name is Jack. The president asked me to pick you up.¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Sabrina nodded, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°No trouble, Ms. Shaw, please get in the car: Jack politely opened the car door. After Sabrina got in the car, Jack put her luggage in the trunk. The luxury car eased away from the airport, and Jack remained silent. Sabrina, too, didn¡¯t say a word. She gazed at the passing scenery outside the window, a faint smile tugging at the corner of her mouth. Well, she thought, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. No matter where she was, she wouldn¡¯t be thrown off her game. For the sake of her grandfather, she decided to take a gamble. The car had been driving for less than an hour when it entered a vi area. After they pulled up next to a luxurious vi, Jack opened the car door. ¡°Ms. Shaw, this is Crown Estate, he said. ¡°You¡¯ll be living here from now on. It¡¯s also close to your school¡± Jack unloaded the luggage and pushed open the vi¡¯s gate Sabrina didn¡¯t bother asking where the man lived. She was here for her grandfather, after all. Where that man lived was none of her business. But she still asked Jack softly, ¡°Am I the only one living here?¡± The vi was sorge, and the idea of living alone in it scared her a little. She was used to living with her family back in Melfort. Chapter 82 Chapter 82 There were no servants around, and she had a peculiar habit, she was afraid of the dark and thunderstorms The CEO will be back, and we¡¯ve got a housemaid, Marian, who will see to your needs.¡± Jack nced at Sabrina, If there¡¯s nothing else, Ms. Shaw, I¡¯ll be on my way ¡°Anight. Thank you¡± Having a housemaid was enough She wouldn¡¯t be alone in such a grand mansion. She did enjoy solitude, but being in an unfamiliar ce was a different matter Sabrina gently pushed open the door. The mansion was newly renovated, with luxurious furniture that spoke volumes about the wealth of the person living there She noticed a pair of new womens slippers on the shoe rack and put them on in the kitchen, a woman was arranging ingredients. Sabrina approached her. ¡°Hello¡® The woman immediately looked up, smiling at Sabrina. ¡°Hi, are you Ms. Shaw? I¡¯m Marian, I be taking good care of you. Anything you need, just let me know¡± Marian enthusiastically guided Sabrina to the sofa. ¡°Have a rest, dinner will be ready soon¡± After taking Sabrina¡¯s luggage upstairs, Marian went back to the kitchen Late at night, Sabrina was alone in her room after Marian had served her dinner and left The mansion was indeed hers alone. There were six bedrooms upstairs, and she chose one at the end to settle into Looking around, she noticed that only one room had been upied while the others were empty One of them was locked. That room must belong to her fiance, whom she had not met yet She looked out of the window at the twinkling stars in the night sky, feeling the bool breeze on her face After taking a shower, she sat on the bed and logged onto her Messenger Seeing Lexi and Natalia online, the three of them started chatting happily. Sabrina Hi, darlings Did you miss me or you just knew I¡¯d be lonely and decided to keep mepany? Lexi (Aren¡¯t you with your fiance? You just moved in today. You should ask him to show you around] Sabrina i haven¡¯t met him yet I¡¯m all alone in this huge mansion (Sad)| Natalia [Sabrina, where is he? Sabrina I don¡¯t know, and I dont care I go to school tomorrow to see if there are any courses I can join] Lex (Oh, my dear Sabrina, how can your fianc¨¦ be so heartless? Leaving such a beautifuldy alone in a mansion, how can he bear it?] Sabrina (Oh please Im fine on my own] Natalia Take care of your self, call us if you need anything] Sabrina (Don¡¯t worry about me I can handle anything Haha, nothing will happen] She closed her phone and shut her eyes Suddenly in the middle of the night, a thunderstorm started, waking her up She was so frightened by the thunder and the trees dancing in the wind outside her window that she pulled the nket over her head She hid under the nket until dawn After a while, someone suddenly pulled the nket off her ¡°Ah!¡± She screamed ¡°Ms Shaw, it¡¯s me What happened? Marian had arrived early and, seeing Sabrina hadn¡¯t gotten up, she decided to check on her. She hadn¡¯t expected to find Sabrina hiding under the nket, and when she removed it, Sabrina screamed ¡°Oh Marian¡± She nced at the window, where sunlight was already streaming in it was morning. ¡°What happened? Were you scared? Or did you have a nightmare?¡± ¡°No She couldn¡¯t admit that she was afraid of thunder. It¡¯s alright Maybe you¡¯re just not used to being here yet. You¡¯re missing home, aren¡¯t you? It¡¯ll be better once Mr. Cliffes back.¡± Marian smiled and handed Sabrina her clothes ¡°Do you need any help getting dressed, Ms. Shaw? Breakfast is ready.¡± Marian was a considerate housemaid. ¡°I got this, thank you, Marian. Go ahead, I¡¯ll be right down.¡± After breakfast, Sabrina went to the school her grandfather had arranged for her. She met Mr. Tom, her professor in France. Tom had long, brown hair and a slim figure. He was quite tall, and his face lit up with dimples when he smiled Miss Shaw, I didn¡¯t expect you toe so soon. I thought you¡¯d wait until school started Now that you¡¯re here, it¡¯s perfect. Our summerpulsory course is Art. Are you interested? Tom asked, shing his bright white teeth. ¡°Sure, I¡¯d love to, Mr. Tom. You¡¯re the most handsome professor I¡¯ve ever seen.¡± Sabrina couldn¡¯t resist buttering up her professor ¡°Hahaha. Thank you Ms. Shaw. I hope we have a great time learning together.¡± From that day on, Sabrina devoted herself to school. A weak passed, and her so¨Ccalled fiance had still not shown up. Sabrinaughed. Perfect, if he didn¡¯t want to show up, he didn¡¯t have to. They could each their own lives. rude though Even if she was a guest, he should have at least greeted her. How much he must despise her not to show up Well, that suited her fine. She enjoyed the peace anyway. Every day, Sabrina would stand on the balcony, watching the sunrise and sunset. She decided not to think about her fiance anymore. She wanted to live her own life. His absence was a relief; she didn¡¯t have to deal with a stranger. Her lively personality quickly won her the affection of her ssmates. There was a girl from Australia named Evelyn, and she and Sabrina instantly hit it off, quickly bing good friends. ¡°Sabrina, why don¡¯t youe over to my ce after ss today? I¡¯ll cook some traditional Australian dishes for you.¡± Evelyn¡¯srge, wavy hair covered her petite face. ¡°Traditional Australian dishes?¡± Sabrina hadn¡¯t heard of any traditional Australian dishes, and only knew that their steak was cheap and delicious. ¡°Yes, dear,e on, you¡¯ll know once you¡¯re there Evelyn insisted on having her over Sabrina thought about it. Going home meant being alone, so she might as well visit Evelyn¡¯s house. Sabrina apanied Evelyn to her home, where she was introduced to Evelyn¡¯s brother and their mother, both of whom were working in France When Sabrina entered their home, Evelyn¡¯s family was delighted, and throughout the entire dinner, laughter filled the air. After being in France for a while, Sabrina finally felt happy for the first time. Evelynis brother, Lance, was a gentle and profound man. He served Sabrina graciously, assisting her in cutting her steak and encouraging her to eat heartily After all, they were all expatriates, and their meeting here was truly serendipitous. Sabrina graciously epted the family¡¯s warmth. After a delightful dinner, Lance offered to drive Sabrina home. As they approached the Crown Estate, Sabrina noticed the lights zing in the mansion. Could it be that Marian was still awake, waiting for her?Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Chapter 83 Chapter 83 Lance swung the car door open and Sabrina hopped out, thanking him before heading toward the mansion. She intended to call out to Marian to go home and rest, but was startled to find a man seated on their living room sofa. As she pushed the door open, he slowly turned to her. They locked eyes and both froze. The man was dressed in a crisp white shirt, ck trousers, and his lengthy legs were crossed as he sat in the middle of the sofa. His handsome face was marked by a pair of cold eyes. When he saw the girl entering, a flicker of surprise shot through his eyes, but it vanished almost as quickly. Sabrina was dressed in a mint green maxi dress that entuated her slender waist, her shoulder¨C length hair loosely draped behind her. Her bright dark eyes were fixed on the man on the sofa. Carter was stunned. He had imagined this girl¡¯s face a thousand times in his mind. He hadn¡¯t imagined her to be so quietly elegant, radiating a sense of nobility. She was clearly ady of high birth. His heart skipped a beat. ¡°Who are you? What are you doing in my house? Where¡¯s Marian?¡± Sabrina suddenly wondered if he was an intruder. She had been living here for almost two weeks and hadn¡¯t encountered anyone else. Suddenly, a stranger was in her house, and Marian was nowhere to be found. The man on the sofa frowned, and his expression became even colder. Her house? He looked around. Wasn¡¯t this his house? How had it be hers? I¡¯m Carter Cliff. How have you been, Ms. Shaw?¡± His voice was deep and slow, spilling from his throat. Carter Cliff? Sabrina¡¯s mind raced and she soon realized who Carter was: her unseen fianc¨¦. He had taken his sweet time to show up, hadn¡¯t he? And now he was pretending to care about her well¨Cbeing. He could mind his own business Sabrina stood her ground, ring at Carter. Sensing Sabrina¡¯s silence, Carter nced at her, noticing the defiant look in her eyes. He was struck by her anger, he hadn¡¯t said anything wrong. He looked down at himself and a smirk tugged at the corner of his lips. ¡°What¡¯s wrong. Ms. Shaw? Haven¡¯t seen a handsome man before? The one who dropped you off seemed okay¡± Carter paused, slowly got up from the sofa, and walked toward Sabrina. I¡¯ve been away for a few days, and I apologize for any inconvenience caused. I hope you don¡¯t mind,¡± he said, a mocking smile ying on his lips. Clearly, he had left her to see if she would get angry. Carter had a thought. If she felt lonely, she would call her grandfather for help. He had heard that her grandfather cherished her more than his life; surely he wouldn¡¯t let her suffer Maybe he would even take her back home. Suddenly, Carter was standing right in front of Sabrina, studying her. Her skin was soft and delicate, her eyes cast down, her long eyshes fanning across her cheeks Sabrina had no intention of engaging him in conversation. She was nning to change her shoes and head straight upstairs to bed, treating him like invisible However, Carter was blocking her way like a wall She lifted her head, her eyes locked with Carter¡¯s, and she burst into a cold, sarcasticugh, ¡°Mr. Cliff, in my eyes, there are no handsome men, only irresponsible jerks and cowards. Some people may be good looking, but they act like children.¡± ¡°You Cowards? Who was she insulting? Carter was surprised by Sabrina¡¯s sharp tongue. This was ady raised by the prestigious Shaw family. How could she use such vulgarnguage! Sabrina smiled as she passed him, leaving a trace of her perfume lingering in Carter¡¯s nostrils. He stood at the entrance, watching as Sabrina walked upstairs without looking back. Her slim figure disappearing, leaving his mind to wander. Carter kicked the shoe rack by the door, cursing under his breath He had been yed by this little girl. Great, just great. He was already frustrated from dealing with the Melfort brothers, he didn¡¯t need to take it from this girl. She had a man drive her home in the middle of the night instead of staying at home. It seemed like she was trying to make him jealous even before they were married He didn¡¯t care for her She could do whatever she wanted But why was he so angry? He stormed upstairs, and seeing her door closed tightly, his temper red. This girl had no manners. She was living in his house and yet she was ignoring him He kicked open his bedroom door, stamming it shut forcefully, the sound echoing through the mansion like a mini earthquake Sabrina sat on the bed with her eyes closed and heard the door m She discreetly opened a crack to check. The hallway was quiet She covered her mouth and chuckled if he was upset, he could call her grandfather and call off the engagement, then she could go home. Humphi This was how their rivalry began. Days passed one after another as Magnus stayed busy with his work. A few dayster, Magnus returnedte at night, and he gently undressed Natalie, their bodies intertwining in a passionate and intimate dance. Natalia came downstairs the next morning, feeling sore and tired Magnus, seated in the dining room, was enjoying his breakfast when he saw her He Rashed a warm smile and called out to her in his rich,forting voice. ¡°Good morning, darling ¡°Magnus, shouldn¡¯t you be at the office by now? Natalia was surprised to see him still at home considering it was alreadyte in the morning. Ever since Magnus had be the CEO of Andersen Corporation, he was rarely seen at home apart fromte at night. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Hearing Natalia¡¯s question, Magnus simply chuckled. Instead of answering, he motioned for her to join him. ¡°Come over here, baby Natalia was ustomed to his endearing nickname for her and his constant pampering. She didn¡¯t protest. ¡°Okay,¡± she replied, seeing Magnus in such a mood and calling her ¡°darling¡± in that intimate tone, she obediently went over to him. She had never expected Magnus to actually divorce Kendra and marry her. But so much time had passed, and there was no news from Kendra¡¯s end. Magnus also didn¡¯t say their divorce was finalized. Given Kendra¡¯s meticulous nature, if they were indeed divorced, Kendra would undoubtedlye to make trouble for her. So, Natalia had no idea what the situation was and she didn¡¯t want to ask. As Natalia descended the staircase towards the dining room, her intention was to find afortable chair to settle into and start her breakfast. However, as soon as she approached Magnus, before she even had the chance to sit on the chair which a servant had pulled out for her, he reached out. Ignoring the myriad of servants attending to him during mealtime, he simply pulled her into his embrace. ¡°Magnus, you.¡± Natalia was taken aback by his audacity Early in the morning, in front of all the servants, she found herself blushing at his bold actions. She grumbled internally Magnus, you rascal, you¡¯re so wicked. Always behaving this way, making intimate gestures towards her in front of the servants Can¡¯t he be a bit more considerate? Was he aware that because of his constant antics, each time she chatted with the servants and his name came up. they would snicker? It was bing overwhelmingly embarrassing. Chapter 84 Chapter 84 However, Magnus seemed topletely ignore Natalia¡¯s minor protest. With an air ofmand, he leaned down, gently brushed his lips against hers, giving her a sweet good morning kiss. Afterwards, he spoke, ¡°Didn¡¯t I mention a few days ago that I had a reward for you? I won¡¯t be going to the office this morning. I¡¯ll take you to see your reward.¡± Having meticulously prepared for this for several days, Magnus was confident that his efforts would surely delight Natalia. ¡°Reward? I thought you were jokingst time. On hearing this, Natalia was filled with excitement, her eyes sparkling. She hadn¡¯t expected any reward. Thest time Magnus mentioned this, nothing came of it. She assumed he had forgotten, or had said it in passing. However, to her surprise, he remembered and was about to fulfill his promise today Seeing her in this state, Magnus was in high spirits. He reached out, gently tweaked her nose, and said, ¡°Of course, I always keep my word¡± ¡°Well, let¡¯s have breakfast quickly, and then go see the reward you have for me.¡± Natalia was thrilled. This was the first time someone had nned such a surprise for her. She hurriedly got up from Magnus embrace and sat at the dining table. She gobbled up all the food that the servants had piled onto her te. Once she was full, Magnus, who always ate like a gentleman, was also satisfied. They then slowly left Maplewood Manor in a car driven by Linden ¡°Magnus, where are you taking me?¡± As the car continued on the journey, Natalia couldn¡¯t resist her curiosity and decided to ask him. However, no matter how much Natalia prodded, Magnus simply smiled and remained silent, not giving anything away He merely said in a neutral tone. ¡°You¡¯ll know once we get there. If I tell you now, what kind of surprise would it be?¡± ¡°Alright, Magnus was for once, serious. Natalia had no choice but to sit obediently by his side, her heart full of anticipation. She had no idea what surprise Magnus had in store for her As their ck Rolls Royce pulled into a suburban vi area, the green mountains, vast grasnds, and naturalkes outside the car window left Natalia awestruck It wasn¡¯t until the car stopped that Magnus gently patted Natalia¡¯s cheek. He said in a deep voice, ¡°Alright, if you like it, you can enjoy it for as long as you want in the future¡± ¡°Okay, Natalia wondered why Magnus had brought her here. She merely nodded and followed him out of the car. She rolled Magnus¡® wheelchair and followed Linden directly into a vi. This vi was different from the ones Magnus had lived in before. The vis Magnus lived in usually had a more rugged and simple design. However, the vi before her eyes wasvishly decorated, with an incredibly dreamy design from inside out. There were even a lot of dolls, as well asce curtains, and other pink elements inside. All of them were girls favorites. At a nce, it was a vi suitable for a girl to live in. After touring the vi from top to bottom with Magnus, Natalia was even more perplexed about his intentions. ¡°Do you like it here?¡± As he watched Natalia stare nkly at a certain spot, Magnus asked with a smile. Natalia, who had been lost in her thoughts, looked up at him. Then she nodded and said, ¡°The vi is beautiful, of course I like it. But Magnus, where¡¯s my reward? I haven¡¯t seen it Wasn¡¯t Magnus supposed to show her a reward today? Besides this house, she hadn¡¯t seen anything else. Could it be that the reward was just showing her this beautiful vi? How could that be considered a reward? ¡°This is your reward, Seeing Natalia¡¯s increasingly confused face, Magnus couldn¡¯t help butugh. He then extended his hand to Linden, who had been silent all this while Upon seeing Magnus gesture, Linden immediately acted. He quickly pulled out a notebook from his pocket and handed it to Magnus. Magnus smiled and handed the notebook to Natalia. His deep voice slowly resonated in Natalia¡¯s ears, ¡°From now on, you are the owner of this vi. know you have suffered a lot in the rkson family. You want a house, a house of your own. This is it. From now on, you¡¯re not alone. You have me. And in the future, we¡¯ll have our children.¡± After hearing these words from Magnus, Natalia felt as if she were dreaming. How was this possible! He said he was giving her a house, this vi was hers, and in the future, there would be him and their children. Natalia, who had no clue what Magnus was up to, stared at him in bewilderment. She took the notebook and, following his instructions, opened it to see what was inside However, when she saw the content of the notebook and understood Magnus¡® words, her expression changed slightly. She wanted to cry, but she held back her tears. This couldn¡¯t be real She must be dreaming. She looked up at the man in the wheelchair with moist eyes, ¡°Magnus. You¡¯re giving me this whole vi as a reward?¡± Natalia had thought of a million things that could be her reward from Magnus, but she never imagined that Magnus would give her such arge vi, a house of her own So Natalia was in total disbelief. She couldn¡¯t believe this was real Magnus wheeled his wheelchair to Natalia¡¯s side He then reached out, taking her small hand into his own. He smiled at her tenderly, ¡°Once we get through this rough patch and everything is sorted out, I¡¯ll corne live with you here for a bit. Consider it my way of making it up to you ¨C it¡¯s our honeymoon. My dear, this ce is all yours now. And so am I His wicked grin was radiant, lighting up his entire face Natalia and Linden were left speechless Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Magnus held Natalia¡¯s hand, his heart filled with a sweetness surpassing even honey as he watched her bbergasted reaction. When he first brought Natalia to Sapphire Ind, he had given her nothing. Back then, it was all about humiliating Lucius, and by extension, the gold¨Cdigger Kendra. But in the end, the one who suffered was his dear wife. Magnus didn¡¯t want to let her down, so he decided to set things right once he had sorted out his affairs. He would make up for everything he owed Natalia ¨C their missed honeymoon, their missed wedding ceremony, everything ¡°Home? Honeymoon? Magnus.¡± Magnus¡® words left Natalia¡¯s mind in a jumble. She had no idea what he was talking about. Chapter 85 Chapter 85 All she knew was that her heart was like a stormy sea, churning within her Her palms were sweaty, and she had no idea what to say at this moment. Hadn¡¯t she promised herself that she would leave him once Magnus stood up? Yet, why had he gifted her a house, even promising her a honeymoon? Was he being sincere? Did he truly not want Kendra, or the girl in the portrait, but only her, Natalia? ¡°¡­¡± Natalia¡¯s gaze met Magnus, words stuck in her throat Overwhelmed by a storm of emotions, she was unable to articte her feelings She stared at Magnus, silently pledging to herself if Magnus did not abandon her, she would never leave him. Their destinies were now inextricably intertwined Magnus chuckled at her expression, but just as he was about to say something, an ear splitting noise erupted next to them. The French doors in their room were suddenly shattered by a sharp object, sending shards of ss flying in all directions ¡°Watch out The sudden danger startled Natalia Before she even had a chance to react, a strong arm wrapped around her waist. The next moment, she found herself N?velDrama.Org holds this content. securely nestled in Magnus arms Instantly he maneuvered his wheelchair, swiftly retreating with Natalia in tow Amidst the chaos. Natalia caught a glimpse of bullets piercing through the French doors, igniting sparks as they hit the wall Magnus, hugging her tightly with a determined expression, diminished her fear considerably In a few moments, he had led Natalia behind a decorative wall, safe from the view of their attackers ¡°Sir, they have a sniper It seems they came prepared, Linden reported, pulling out his own gun and firing back at their attackers. He managed to provide enough cover for Magnus and Natalia to retreat to safety, before swiftly moving to Magnus side Hearing this, Magnus brow furrowed ¡°Of course they came prepared How else would they know I would be at this vi today?¡± He had never anticipated that his surprise for Natalia would turn into such a nightmare. It seemed that the vi was far from the safe haven he had imagined it to be Upon realizing that they were on Andersen Corporation territory, Magnus had no doubt who was behind the attack. Lucius ¡°Magnus clenched his teeth. internally vowing. ¡°I¡¯ve given you countless chances, yet you persist in your folly Don¡¯t me me for striking back. Let¡¯s see who will fall first ¨C ¡°Sir take Miss Natalia to the secret room immediately Chase and the others will be here soon¡± Linden advised, pushing the wheelchair towards the elevator Natalia, still in Magnus arms, was too shocked to react. At this point, Lindens main concern was Magnus¡® safety If it werent for Magnus s concerns that he d make Natalia ufortable with too many people around, he wouldn¡¯t have reduced his entourage, if were more people with him the situation wouldn¡¯t be so critical right now. Their adversaries had already started firing from across the way Once they saw that their goal hadn¡¯t been aplished, they¡¯d definitely rush over making the situation even more dangerous. When Natalia heard Lindens words, she didn¡¯t even wart for Magnus to respond. She immediately jumped down from his arms Linden, protect Magres. be fine. Their target isn¡¯t me, and they definitely won¡¯t go so far as to harm me,¡± She couldn¡¯t afford to drag Magnus into danger During theirst encounter in France, he had been injured while protecting her. She couldn¡¯t repeat itself in Natalia¡¯s entire life, there weren¡¯t many people who had genuinely treated her well. Magnus had already been very good to her, so she couldnt be so selfish as to bring trouble to hum But Magnus hearing Natalias words was immediately aggravated He quickly pulled her back into his arms, whispering harshly in her ears, Dont be ridiculous. Have you forgotten how they tried to throw you into the seast time? Do you think they would spare you now that you¡¯re married to m He continued ¡°Stay put will never let my woman face danger Knowing how ruthless and cruel Lucius could be Magnus wasn¡¯t willing to let Natalia face danger Lucius wouldn¡¯t hesitate to strike a fatal blow by killing Natalia She is my woman Magnus woman it she fails into Lucius hands, he recouldn¡¯t hes retaliate Magnus thought to himself But But at this point Magnus was still resolutely protecting her Didnt be worry [ hus qwn safety) Before Natalia could finish speaking Magnus who had no intention of katening to her, reached out and gently pressed her head n¨ºu huu chest. There Linder he said decisively Tell Chase to bring reinforcements quickly, and close all entrances to the vi. W jetreat to the Geschenk f¨¹r in won¡¯t dare to invade immediately Since this vi was Magnus future home to security measures were top¨Cnotch. The only reas bulletproof ss yet was because they hadn¡¯t moved in. This gave Lucius the chance he needed to pirku Tight away, Mi Magnus Linden replied, not daring to question Magiva natryctions without and his team However, just as Linden hung up the call, the window that had been shattered by the buket The room was instantly az? Natalia was only emple of a wave of heat rushing towards therefore he could eat more tackled her to the prose Landing awkwardly on the floor, hataba hit her head hart, causing a sharp pan it took a menudo or two for fe their room had beenpletely destroyed by the trabal Decorative elestienda here and there had caughs fere ain) were burning fansaty Chapter 86 Chapter 86 If it weren¡¯t for them hiding behind that brick wall, they might have been blown to smithereens by that fireball. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. And Magnus, still in his wheelchair, was now sprawled on top of her, his back serving as a human shield, protecting her from the flying debris. His back was now a bloody mess. He was as pale as a ghost, but he continued to hold the girl in his arms tightly. Meanwhile, Linden had been blown to the side by the heat wave, his head hitting the wall, and was now unconscious ¡°Magnus, Magnus, are you alright?¡± Seeing this scene, Natalia cried out loud. She struggled to get up and clung to Magnus, letting out a loud cry. Tears fell like broken beads. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, I¡¯m okay¡± Magnus felt truly heartbroken at Natalia¡¯s despair. He tried to soothe her with his weak voice. She was crying because her heart was aching, because she loved him. His back felt like it was on fire, but he felt very happy deep inside. ¡°Nat, admit it, you love me, you care about me.¡± He thought to himself. Then, biting back the pain, he said, ¡°We¡¯re not far from the elevator. We need to get to the basement. They can¡¯t get to us there With Linden unconscious and his injuries severe, Natalia alone could not protect them. Reaching the basement was their only chance of survival. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll get both you and Linden there.¡± As Magnus spoke, Natalia, although scared, wiped her tears and stood up She used all her strength to help Magnus back onto his wheelchair. With utmost urgency, she wheeled him to the elevator. Then she returned and dragged the unconscious Linden into the elevator. Magnus wished he could stand up and tell her that his legs had recovered. By the time they made it safely to the basement of the mansion, Natalia, who had used up all her strength, shut all the entrances. When she returned to Magnus side, she found his face deathly pale, his back bleeding profusely. Natalia covered his back with her trembling hands, crying and saying, ¡°Magnus, Magnus, you can¡¯t die. Chase and the others are here. I heard gunfire outside. Didn¡¯t you promise me a honeymoon? You can¡¯t go back on your word She would rather be the one injured than see Magnus be like this just to protect her. Magnus was different from her. He was exceptional, and his future held a million possibilities. And what was she, Natalia? Just amon girl living off others Magnus risking his life for hers, it just wasn¡¯t worth it. ¡°I will¡­I will make it up to you. Don¡¯t leave¡­. leave me. Never never Magnus, heavily injured and somewhat delirious, smiled faintly upon hearing Natalia¡¯s words. After managing to say that, his vision ckened, and he passed out, knowing nothing. When Magnus woke, he had no idea how long he had been unconscious. All he knew was that his whole body was aching and numb, and he was lying in bed. He lifted his head slightly and saw a dark¨C haired girl lying by the side of his bed, and a haggard face. ¡°Cough, cough¡± His throat was dry, and Magnus couldn¡¯t help but cough. The sound of his cough startled the sleeping girl, who instinctively reached out to pat his back. But seeing the thick bandage on his back, Natalia froze, Her eyes reddened, and tears began to fall. ¡°Cough¡­cough, why are you crying, my dear? I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I?¡± Magnus was shocked to wake up and see his beloved in tears. He croaked at her with a hoarse voice ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re awake? You¡¯re really awake?¡± Natalia had initially thought that Magnus coughing was just a natural reflex, like it had been for the past few days, and that he hadn¡¯t really woken up. But when Magnus spoke, she realized that he was really awake and looking at her. So Natalia cried even harder, her voice choked with emotion, You finally woke up Do you know how worried I¡¯ve been these past days.¡± After she had managed to bring Linden and Magnus to the basement of the mansion, she had hastily closed all entrances. The noise outside grew louder. She waited in the basement for what felt like an eternity before Chase arrived with nearly twenty men in ck, stormed the mansion, eliminated the snipers, and took them to the hospital It was only then that she found out that Chase and his men didn¡¯t know they were in the basement. They had found the basement entrance and forced their way in only to discover Magnus and the others inside Magnus was so badly injured that he was unconscious, and Natalia was beside herself with grief Even after they reached the hospital, and Linden had woken up after a few days. Magnus remained unconscious Natalia, consumed with worry, stayed by Magnus side every day, tirelessly caring for him She feared that if she blinked, Magnus would slip away from her ¡°Silly girl, I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I? Why are you crying?¡± Seeing Natalia so upset, Magnus tried to wipe her tears away, but the movement caused hum pain. Hiss The pain made him grimace His handsome features twisted in pain. ¡°Magnus, what¡¯s wrong? Don¡¯t move You¡¯re so hurt. You need to be careful. I¡¯ll call the doctor. Don¡¯t move.¡± Seeing Magnus in such pain, Natalia¡¯s heart ached. in a hurry, she reached out to hold Magnus down, preventing him from getting up. Her tears fall even faster, as she got up to leave, intending to fetch the doctor God only knew how on edge she¡¯d been these past few days, with Magnus lying there unconscious. She was genuinely terrified that Magnus would just keep sleeping, never to awaken again. She would then be the one who inadvertently caused Magnus¡® demise. Magnus, with a bitter smile, took her hand and said, ¡°I¡¯m okay. Don¡¯t go. Stay here with me.¡± Then, with a trace of self¨Cmockery, he said, ¡°Look at me now, how pathetic I am, I can¡¯t even wipe my woman¡¯s tears. My dear, seeing me like this, have you fallen out of love with me Chapter 87 Chapter 87 ?¡± Injured as he was, Magnus was still in the mood to tease Natalia. He yearned for her affection, her attention, and her love. Before, Natalia threatened to leave him once he was up on his feet. Now, with his back scarred from a st, he wondered if she would turn her nose up at him. But she couldn¡¯t He wouldn¡¯t allow that. He didn¡¯t know what he¡¯d do if she did. ¡°What are you babbling about, Magnus? She retorted. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t be sitting here today. How much do you want me to owe you before you¡¯re satisfied?¡± He had been injured protecting her, she had seen it with her own eyes. He shielded her from danger with his own body. Tears streamed down Natalia¡¯s face, her agony growing. She clenched her fists, fighting the urge to lash out at him. ¡°What do you think I am to you, Magnus?¡± She questioned internally. ¡°Now that you¡¯re awake, why are you still worried that I might not like you?¡± ¡°So, are you admitting that you like me? Magnus asked, despite the searing pain on his back. His heart soared at Natalia¡¯s words. He stared directly at Natalia, his eyes full of surprise Natalia was taken aback by his question, realizing she had walked straight into his trap. Her face turned crimson as she quickly replied, ¡°You¡¯re seriously hurt now, Magnus Focus on getting better. Don¡¯t worry about such things. You¡¯re in my heart¡± Truth be told, Magnus had risked his life twice to save hers. Even if Natalia was cold¨Chearted, she couldn¡¯t deny her feelings for him, especially when they had shared passionate time in bed together. However, Natalia knew she couldn¡¯t fall for Magnus charms. She knew that one day she would have to leave him. To be with a man like Magnus, she would need his heart. Although she felt that Magnus cared for her, she wasn¡¯t confident about herself. She was afraid it was because he only liked her body. She didn¡¯t dare to dream of being his wife. But seeing Natalia denying it, Magnus ignored her and just turned back to lie on the bed. Then, in a low voice, he said, ¡°Your denial won¡¯t work. I already know that youlike me You owe me two lives now, and I¡¯ll strive to make you owe me more. That way, you¡¯ll never be able to repay me, and you¡¯ll have to stay with me for the rest of your life.¡± ¡°You¡¯re just talking nonsense,¡± Natalia snapped at Magnus. ¡°First, you took a bullet for me, then a bomb. What¡¯s next, Magnus? Do you think you¡¯re invincible? You¡¯re a human being, and you could die. I don¡¯t want a next time.¡± At thus, Natalia¡¯s heart shattered even more She had never experienced such fear for someone¡¯s life before. Although she had lived a hard life, she had never faced a life¨Cthreatening situation. Despite the years of hardship in the rkson family, Kendra wouldn¡¯t actually take her life. But that one time, she genuinely wanted her dead, even considered throwing her into the sea Natalias eyes welled up with tears, and she broke down, crying her heart out. She didn¡¯t want to experience that heart¨Cwrenching feeling again, of seeing Magnus on the brink of death. Natalia¡¯s tears made Magnus feel a pang of regret. With a gentle voice, he consoled her, ¡°Alright, don¡¯t cry. I promise that I won¡¯t let you worry or get hurt anymore, okay? Be good.¡± At this moment, Dr. Frankie, who came to check on Magnus every day at regr intervals, and Carter, who rushed back from France upon hearing about Magnus ident, as well as Chase and James, all entered the room. Natalia had red, swollen eyes made James chuckle. ¡°Cheer up, he told Natalia. ¡°Your tears are breaking my heart, not Magnus¡± Magnus face darkened considerably at James¡® words. ¡°Back off,¡± he snapped ¡°Looks like you¡¯re feeling sorry for the wrong person, James. Your heart- seems fragile. Maybe you need more exercise to toughen up, huh?¡± James let out a nervousugh, ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re awake? I thought you were still unconscious. I was just kidding with Natalia. Don¡¯t take it to heart. You know we were just trying to lighten the mood. After all, Natalia has been crying a lot these past few days. Dr. Frankie even said that if she keeps crying. she might damage her eyes¡± James was taken aback by Magnus harsh words. He had been earnestly hoping for Magnus to wake up, never expecting such a cold reception. Forget about even thinking of teasing Natalia, he didn¡¯t even let thedies around him keep him company. He just felt anxious and gloomy watching Magnus in his wounded state, uncertain of when he would regain consciousness. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Suddenly, he felt that all the sacrifices he made for Magnus were totally wasted by the conversation they just had. Moreover, it could possibly bring him some trouble He definitely got the short end of the stick. Hearing James speak with such audacity, Magnus really wanted to settle scores with him. However, when he heard that Natalia had been crying these past few days, has focus wasn¡¯t on James anymore. Turning his head to look at Natalia, Magnus asked, ¡°Have you been crying these past few days? Chapter 88 Chapter 88 Staring at Natalia¡¯s feary eyes, so swollen from crying, Magnus felt a pang of regret. ¡°Oh no, it was just a joke, Magnus. Natalia denied, flustered under his gaze and not daring to meet his eyes. Meanwhile, Carter, Chase, and Dr. Frankie seemed to be engaged in an endless conversation. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Dr. Frankie, standing between Carter and Chase, walked over to Magnus bedside. He lifted the nket to inspect Magnus¡® injury, performed some basic checks, and then dered, ¡°Well, your injuries are indeed severe. But now that you¡¯re awake, there¡¯s nothing to worry about. From now on, you just need to keep the wound clean and dry. I¡¯ll get you the best ointment for burns in about two weeks, your injury should have healed¡± When Magnus was injured, not only Mrs. Andersen was in a panic, but even seasoned men like Carter, Chase, and James were also worried. When they called Dr. Frankie, he was in a medical conference, so he rushed over to take charge of Magnus treatment. Fortunately, Magnus willpower was strong, so he managed to pull through. But perhaps it was because his sweetheart, Natalia, was always by his side, that he could wake up earlier. His burn was severe enough to be ssified as third¨Cdegree. ¡°Alright, get on it, Magnus replied, a frown tugging at his brows. If Frankie left a scar on his back, he¡¯d have a bone to pick with him.. Dr. Frankie chuckled at Magnus concern. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. There will be no scars.¡± Afterwards, Magnus gaze was fixed on Natalia, who was sitting by his bedside. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s leave for now We¡¯ll have the staff bring in meals and medicationter.¡± They had been there for a while, and Magnus, having just woken up, hardly acknowledged their presence. Chase, knowing that Magnus wasn¡¯t paying them any attention, suggested they leave. Soon, the room was left with only Magnus lying in bed, and Natalia blushing by his side. May brought in food and Natalia helped Magnus eat. She was indeed taking good care of him. Thanks to Dr Frankie¡¯s diligent care, Magnus recovery was quick. A weekter, although his wound hadn¡¯t fully healed, Magnus was able to do some basic activities. Being a workaholic, he spent his time reviewing documents Paul brought from the office. And Natalia, who had been longing to massage Magnus legs, seized the opportunity. So she gave him a massage once or twice a day, making him break out in sweat. Though Magnus was in pain, he didn¡¯t utter a sound, pretending to feel nothing. One day, after Natalia finished massaging him, as she wiped his sweat, she said, ¡°Magnus, about that vi.¡± Before she could finish, Magnus interrupted her with a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve already asked Linden to renovate the vi and upgrade the security system. If you like it, we can stay there for our honeymoon. There won¡¯t be ahy more incidents like before. But if you don¡¯t like it, I can buy you a new one.¡± Magnus figured that Natalia might have some trauma from the ident that happened there. ¡°I wasn¡¯t talking about that,¡± Nataliaughed helplessly at Magnus interruption. She gently wiped the sweat off his forehead. Then she finally asked, ¡°Why did you give me the vi? Was it really because you wanted to give me a home?¡± The vi was worth millions or even billions. Their rtionship was awkward, and she felt uneasy epting such a gift. The city they lived in was the major economic hub, so the cost of living was very high. The vi that Magnus gave her seemed far from the city, but it sat on arge piece ofnd with a beautiful scenery. Not to mention the vi itself was grand The price must have been astronomical. Therefore, Natalia, who believed in not epting gifts for no reason, didn¡¯t understand his purpose Magnusughed when he heard her question, ¡°It¡¯s just a vi. For me, it¡¯s no big deal. And yes, I wanted to give you a home ¡°But my dear, I hope it will be our home in the future¡± His gazes were deep as he looked at Natalia, as if he could draw her into them. When he noticed that Natalia appeared stunned, he quickly changed the subject, I wasn¡¯t sure what surprise to give you, so I asked someone to check You and Lexi had once hung a wish bottle on the Wishing Tree. Didn¡¯t you wish to have a house of your own? So I just wanted to give you a house As he said this, Magnus reached out and gently caressed Natalia¡¯s cheek. Then he said in a soft, deep voice, ¡°So I gave you a home, a vi for both of us And a husband you can rely on for life.¡± No matter what, he would love Natalia for the rest of his life. He would use all his capabilities, even his life, to protect her. ¡°You really looked into my past? Natalia was surprised to learn that Magnus had found out about the wish bottle she and Lexi had hung on the Wishing Tree Knowing his intentions, Natalia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Even when she was with Hector in the past, Hector¡¯s promise to her had only ever been to stay by her side, to take care of her, even to take her to the United States At the time, she hadn¡¯t been particrly moved So when Magnus spoke like this, Natalia was genuinely touched. Her eyes welling up, she felt the sting of tears threatening to fall again ¡°Darling, why are you crying again?¡± Seeing Natalia like this. Magnus reached out, pulling her into his embrace He didn¡¯t even worry about his own wound, holding her close and pressing tender kisses onto her cheeks and lips. T¡¯ll give you everything you want, my dear,¡± he whispered. ¡°Don¡¯t ever leave me, I¡¯m serious about you¡± With that, Magnus took her hand and ced it over his heart. Through his chest, he let the rhythm of his heartbeat speak to Natalia¡¯s palm. Chapter 89 Chapter 89 He then continued. ¡°Darling, I love you, I truly do.¡± ¡°11¡± Natalia had been deeply moved by Magnus¡® promise to give her a home. Upon hearing his promation of love, she was overwhelmed, her heart pounding uncontrobly in her chest. He said he loved her, asked her not to leave him, and promised her a home. These were luxuries she had never dared to dream of She never imagined that Magnus would confess his love for her. At that moment, she stared at the man before her, as if in a dream. ¡°You don¡¯t have to say it back,¡± Magnus said, smiling tenderly at Natalia¡¯s stunned expression 1 believe there wille a day when you¡¯ll speak your heart to me.¡± He leaned down and gently brushed his lips against hers, but it wasn¡¯t enough. She tasted so sweet, and it had been so long since he¡¯d kissed her. Magnus kissed her gently, yet it wasn¡¯t enough for him. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her deeply, prying her lips open, and dancing with her tongue. He overwhelmed her, their tongues entwining fiercely When he finally released her, Natalia was nearly breathless. Magnus, on the other hand, was still unsatisfied. Natalia, worried about the wound, went around to his back for a look. She realized that due to Magnus¡¯s exertion, the wound was oozing a little blood again.Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Natalia frowned, her tone scolding. ¡°I told you not to exert yourself. Now your wound has reopened, and it¡¯ll take even longer to heal.¡± Magnus, with a somewhat aggrieved expression, replied, ¡°But I haven¡¯t kissed you in so long, darling, I missed you.¡± Then he took her hand and ced it on hisp, murmuring. ¡°Feel how hard it¡¯s been for me.¡± To her surprise, the deeply affectionate Magnus had turned into a yful pervert Feeling the heat beneath her hand, Natalia¡¯s cheeks flushed bright red She quickly withdrew her hand, admonishing him, ¡°You¡¯re injured and you still want to do that!¡± His wound hadn¡¯t healed and any exertion could cause it to bleed, worsening his condition. Even now, he was still thinking about sex Magnus was giving Natalia a headache. Frustrated, Natalia decided she couldn¡¯t stay in the same room with Magnus. So she quickly turned around and fled to the bathroom, her face so red she didn¡¯t dare to face anyone. Meanwhile, Magnus sat on the bed, watching Natalia¡¯s flustered retreat. He chuckled softly. ¡°I only tease you, darling¡± After Natalia had closed the bathroom door. Magnus slowly got up from the bed and walked a few steps before returning to bed, feeling pent¨Cup. When Natalia emerged from the bathroom, she walked straight out of the room without giving Magnus a second nce. She instructed a servant, ¡°Prepare some chicken soup for Magnus. His wound has started bleeding again.¡± The servant nodded in agreement Natalia wanted to help Magnus into his wheelchair and take him outside to catch some sun But every time she tried to help him, he ended up pressing his body against hers. So she decided it was better to wait for his wound to heal before venturing outside. As Natalia was considering whether she should go to the kitchen and make something for Magnus herself, Linden approached her. He announced with serious expression, Miss, Mrs. rkson is here to see you.¡± To outsiders, Addison was assumed to be Natalia¡¯s mother. However, anyone who had seen Natalia knew that she wasn¡¯t Addison¡¯s daughter. Natalia had a unique beauty of mixed¨Crace heritage. So when Addison suddenly came to Maplewood Manor wanting to see Natalia, Linden took it upon himself to ry the message. Normally, he would inform Magnus immediately about such matters. But Magnus was severely injured, and Linden didn¡¯t want to burden him with this. And Natalia, being the true mistress of Maplewood Manor, couldn¡¯t always hide under Magnus¡® wing ¡°Mother, why is she here? Natalia frowned upon hearing Linden¡¯s words. Linden asked. ¡°Miss, do you want me to inform Mr. Magnus about this?¡± But Natalia immediately declined, ¡®No, let¡¯s not bother him with this. He¡¯s still recovering.¡± Having made up her mind, Natalia turned around and said, ¡°Let her in. After all, she was her mother. Addison, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in a while, was as elegant and beautiful as thest time Natalia had lived with the rkson family. But she had developed a harshness about her. A sense of nobility certainly radiated from her, but prolonged exposure revealed her to be a hard character ¡°Mother, what brings you here?¡± Natalia asked, standing before Addison. She was no longer the timid girl she used to be. She stood tall and spoke calmly. She had told Addison before that she agreed to marry on behalf of Kendra as a repayment for the rkson family¡¯s kindness. From then on, they would owe each other nothing. So now, whether it was in front of Kendra or Addison, Natalia owed them nothing. She had no need to grovel Moreover, Kendra had previously schemed against her, arranging for her abduction and abandonment in the ocean. That score with Kendra was yet to be settled. Addison never imagined that Natalia, the little ingrate she had raised since childhood, would one day dare to directly address her as ¡®you.¡± Her reference to ¡°mother¡± was markedly reluctant, wasn¡¯t it? Addison¡¯s face darkened, her heart simmering with rage. She strode up to Natalia, hand raised, ready to strike. A hard p was about tond on Natalia¡¯s face, but she reached out and caught the hand as it fell ¡°You greet me with a p, mother? What exactly have I done to deserve this?¡± Her gaze pierced deep into the woman who had mistreated her since she was a kid. She gripped Addison¡¯s hand with all her strength, sessfully stopping the p mid¨Cair Fury shed in Addison¡¯s eyes as she spat out venomously, ¡°Natalia, you ungrateful little wretch, repaying kindness with ingratitude. Look at what you¡¯ve done to Kendra, I swear f¡¯ll beat you to a pulp today!¡± Chapter 90 Chapter 90 If it wasn¡¯t for her listening to Kyler and allowing this little brat to live in their home, she would have starved to death in some corner a long time ago. And now? She had raised this ungrateful child, only for her to betray her and hurt Kendra, leaving Kendra physically and emotionally scarred. Unforgivable! Natalia was taken aback when Addison¡¯s first reaction upon seeing her was to take a swing at her. Since she married into the Andersen family as Kendra¡¯s substitute, Addison had never once asked if she was doing well. Natalia understood this. After all, Addison was her stepmother and it was only natural for her not to care about her, even hate her Natalia never resented Addison for this. But she also said that by marrying as Kendra¡¯s substitute, she repaid the debt of gratitude she owed the rkson family for raising her For Kendra and Addison to follow her to Maplewood Manor to bully her was really crossing the line Addison was astonished by Natalia¡¯s newfound courage since marrying Magnus She red at Natalia, eyes bulging in anger, and spat, ¡°You¡¯ve got some nerve, don¡¯t you? Have you forgotten you ce? Just because Kyler and some floozy had you, you think you can stand up to me?¡± ¡°ce¡± Natalia¡¯s face hardened at Addison¡¯s words For the first time in her life, she coldly stared back at Addison, ¡°Speaking of ce, perhaps you¡¯ve forgotten where you are. This is Maplewood Manor, Magnus¡® home, not the rkson¡¯s. As you wished, I am now Magnus woman. By repeatedlying to Maplewood Manor to attack me, are you going after me or Magnus?¡± In the past, to survive in the rkson family, Natalia had to swallow her pride. But now, she was no longer willing to be mistreated. Addison didn¡¯t expect Natalia to use Magnus as a shield. At Natalia¡¯s words, her expression changed drastically. She stuttered. You don¡¯t give me that Just because Magnus is powerful, you think he¡¯ll divorce Kendra and marry you, a bastard? I warn you. Quit daydreaming. Even if you seduce Magnus. Morgan will never ept you. Only Kendra is worthy of being his wife. If it werent for Natalia, her daughter Kendra wouldn¡¯t be in such a pitiful state Addison was seething with hatred for Natalia, longing to tear her apart However, ever since Natalia married into the Andersen family, she seemed to have changed. She was calm and collected, a far cry from her previous docile self A bastard will always be a bastard, and like mother, like daughter Addison sneered, thinking that all the obedience Natalia showed in front of them in the past was just an act Upon hearing Addison¡¯s harsh words, Natalia, who was usually calm, felt her eyes well up with tears. Yes, I¡¯m not worthy of the Andersen family. I¡¯m just a bastard Holding back her tears, she sneered, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why didn¡¯t Kendra marry into this family in the first ce? But even if what you said is true, so what? I, Natalia, am the one by his side now. Whether Magnus gets divorced or not is his business, and I don¡¯t care about the position of being his wife. If you want something, go talk to Magnus. After all, you were the one who insisted on me marrying Magnus. And it¡¯s not my fault for being a bastard. You can settle the score with Kyler for that.¡± She looked coldly at Addison. She was tired of being bullied. Even though she was born out of wedlock, did she have a choice? She knew her mother wasn¡¯t like that though. She¡¯d lost her memories of her life before the age of five, but she believed her mother wasn¡¯t the viin Addison painted her to be For over a decade, she¡¯d endured their bullying and humiliation. She never thought of settling scores with them. But they pushed her too far, repeatedlying to Maplewood Manor to bully her, with Kendra even attempting to take her life. Even Natalia was a fool, she would know there was no point in keeping up pretenses with these two ¡°You Addison was taken aback by Natalia¡¯s words and raised her hand again to p her. Her hand had barely risen when she caught sight of Natalias frosty stare Her eyes glowed with a cold blue light, like a de piercing Addison¡¯s heart, making her shudder The hand she¡¯d raised fell limp, her mind shing back to the time when Kendra had pped her, and Magnus had his men beat Kendra to a pulp before sending her home. Slowly Addison lowered her hand, ring at Natalia with a heated fury Natalia didn¡¯t believe Addison had the guts to strike her today. She merely watched Addison in silence With teary eyes, Addison retracted her hand and used Natalia, ¡°You ungrateful brat. you¡¯re so ruthless!¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Even if 1, Addison, didn¡¯t treat you as my own, I raised you. You took Kendra¡¯s ce and nearly had Magnus take her life. How could you do such a thing¡± Days had passed since Kendra had narrowly escaped death. The doctor had said it was her luck if Magnus fountain pen had been off by just a fraction or applied a bit more force, she would¡¯ve been done for Even though Kyler had strictly forbidden her from confronting Natalia, she couldn¡¯t swallow her resentment. What right did this illegitimate child have to behave so audaciously? The position of Magnus wife was supposed to be Kendra¡¯s. ¡°Heh!¡± Upon hearing Addison¡¯s reproach, Natalia chuckled ¡°Who is the guilty one here? I believe we all know very well. When Kendra tied me up and threw me into the sea, why didn¡¯t you speak up for justice then? You watched your own daughter harm someone and still protect her. As for what Magnus did, I don¡¯t know, and I don¡¯t want to know That¡¯s his business. So please leave and don¡¯t invite trouble onto yourself.¡± Chapter 91 Chapter 91 Addison imed that she took Kendra¡¯s ce, when it¡¯s Kendra who refused to marry Magnus because of his disability. Now that Magnus became the CEO, she wants to reim her position as the CEO¡¯s wife? In the eyes of the rkson family, Natalia was nothing but a pawn. Seeing how helpless she actually was with Natalia, Addison suddenly burst into tears in front of her. Natalia frowned and couldn¡¯t believe that Addison was actually crying. Sitting on the couch, Addison pointed at Natalia, ¡°You¡¯re so cunning, Natalia. If you hadn¡¯t misled Magnus, how could he have stabbed Kendra with a pen? You know, she was inches away from death.¡± Her precious daughter, the apple of her eye, was nearly killed by Magnus. It was like someone had taken a knife to her heart. And the source of all this pain was Natalia, who she despised from the bottom of her heart. How could she bear it? ¡°What? Magnus attacked Kendra?¡± Natalia was slightly surprised to hear Addison¡¯s words. This was something Magnus had never mentioned to her. She had been wondering why Kendra hadn¡¯t been causing any trouble for her recently. If things were as serious as Addison had said, then it seemed like Kendra must have been seriously hurt by Magnus this time. Seeing Natalia feigning ignorance, Addison gritted her teeth, ¡°Stop ying innocent.¡± She then wiped away a tear. ¡°You must have urged Magnus to do this. Pretending you don¡¯t know anything now, do you think I¡¯ll believe you?¡± The only fool in the world who would believe in Natalia¡¯s innocence was Kyler. As for the new usations Addison was making against her, Natalia wasn¡¯t bothered at all. Over the years, whenever Kendra had done anything shameful or harmful to her reputation, Natalia was always the one who was med, so she was used to it. Hearing Addison¡¯s ims, Natalia just sneered, ¡°Whether you believe me or not is none of my business, because I didn¡¯t do it. As to why Magnus stabbed Kendra with a pen, I think he has his own reasons. One shouldn¡¯t underestimate another person¡¯s breaking point. Magnus is not a bad person, and Kendra must have done something to upset him.¡± She turned around, ¡°Please leave.¡± Having said that, Natalia decided to ignore Addison, who hade to pick a fight with her. She coldly told the servant standing to the side, ¡°Show her out.¡± After saying that, she turned around and left the living room, leaving the frustrated Addison behind. Watching Natalia walk away, Addison gritted her teeth and muttered under her breath, ¡°Natalia, just you wait. You won¡¯t be smug for long.¡± Natalia had finally stood up for herself, not letting Addison bully her. Hearing about this from Linden, Magnus, who was sitting on the bed, couldn¡¯t help but smile. His woman was truly extraordinary, even speaking so much on his behalf. She was bing more and more like him. He then said, ¡°She¡¯s improving. It seems that those hardships weren¡¯t for nothing. Now I don¡¯t need to worry about Kendra bullying her in the future Natalia had asked Linden not to tell Magnus about Addison¡¯s visit, so as not to worry him, b ut Linden still reported everything to Magnus afterwards. After all, it was his duty to inform Magnus of everything that happened at Maplewood Manor After the dangerst time, Linden has grown even fonder of Natalia. As soon as he hears Magnus praising Natalia, he also joins in, Yes, Ms. Natale is indeed different from before With you, she has be more imposing. The look in her eyes at that time scared Addison off from making a novel Magnus couldn¡¯t help butugh, picturing how Natalia¡¯s look had scared Addison. This little thing was simply too adorable! When Natalia first married into Sapphire ind, she waspletely a naive and inexperienceddy. Although she was beautite and a which indeed made her very likable, that was not enough To be his wife, being kind and beautiful was useless. Fortunately, Natalia was smart enough to slowly grow stronger Presumably with more training, and with him backing and protecting her she would be getting used to her position as the CEO¡¯s wife step by step. Afterst time, it was clear that Linden was even more protective of Natalia Magnus added, ¡°From now on don¡¯t let anyone from the rkson family enter Maplewood Manor dot want them to affect Once his injury healed and he had settled things with Kendre once and for all! he rkson family and Nataka would have nothing to do with each other. Neither Kendra ror Addison, nor that hypocrite Kyler, deserved to be has wife¡¯s family Yes, sir. I understand After hearing Magnus instructions, Linden bowed his held i Feeling reassured, Magnus turned to Linden again, Tell Chase and James toe over. I need to discuss some things with them. ete had been resting at home for quite some time after being injured in the explosion at the vi. Surely that despicable scoundrel Lucius must be feeling extremely pleased this time. Magnus had already learned from Chase that after he couldn¡¯t go to thepany due to his injuries, Lucius had already begun to stir the pot at thepany. Did he really think that just because Magnus was not at the office, he would be oblivious to his clumsy tricks? ¡°Yes, sir.¡± Knowing that Magnus had been recuperating in silence for so long, there would surely be some actions taken regarding the events of that day without uttering a word, Linden obeyed his orders and promptly left his room. Only about half an hour had passed when Chase and James hurriedly made their way over. ¡°Magnus, are you nning to make a move? I¡¯ve been itching to take down that bastard Lucius for a while now. If it weren¡¯t for you holding me back, I would¡¯ve snapped by now.¡± N?velDrama.Org holds this content. The moment James stepped into Magnus¡® room, he couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. His fists clenched; he was raring to go. After all, he had long been fed up with Lucius¡® actions. He had tried time and time again to put Magnus in mortal danger. Such a sibling was nothing less than an enemy. It was a wonder how Magnus managed to keep his patience intact and allow Lucius to stay thus far. Perhaps it was out of consideration for his grandfather. After all, Morgan was getting on in years. If he were to witness his grandsons Magnus and Lucius tearing each other apart, it would certainly affect his health. This was probably the only reason why Magnus had refrained from taking action against Lucius for so long. Chapter 92 Chapter 92 Upon hearing James¡® words, Magnus, didn¡¯t respond immediately. Instead, he replied leisurely, ¡°It¡¯s not the right time to settle the score. But we can teach him a lesson. Keep him in line for a while.¡± Even though Chase and James understood Magnus¡® feelings, upon hearing him say this, Chase was still worried. ¡°We know you¡¯re worried about your grandfather, Magnus. But Lucius has tried to kill you over and over again. You can¡¯t always be this lucky So, I think you shouldn¡¯t hesitate anymore. Lucius is a scumbag who is capable of anything. Keeping him around will only bring trouble.¡± It was within Magnus¡® power to deal with Lucius, it was simply a matter of whether he wanted to or not. Seeing Magnus¡® unwillingness to act, James could only fret. Every time he left his business in Europe toe back, he thought he could clean up that scumbag, but nothing substantial ever happened. This time, Magnus was seriously injured, and Linden was unconscious. If it weren¡¯t for Natalia, who bravely and stubbornly hung on, the consequences would have been unthinkable. Hearing his two best friends advice, Magnus fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°I understand. Lucius will be dealt with sooner orter, but now is not the time.¡± James was furious at Magnus¡® repeated retreats. Magnus still cared too much about his family and couldn¡¯t let go of his grandfather. Chase and James had no choice but to nce at each other and reluctantly say, ¡°Then whatever you decide to do, just let us handle it.¡± And at this moment, in the VIP ward of the city¡¯srgest hospital. Upon seeing the document her father, Kyler, had given her, Kendra was so angry she nearly jumped out of bed. She yelled at Kyler, ¡°Dad, why are you giving me this? Why? I won¡¯t sign it, I absolutely refuse! I¡¯ve said it before, no matter what, I am Magnus¡® wife. If you pressure me, I¡¯ll end my life right here!¡± Kendra had intentionally gotten close to Lucius from a young age, just to be the wife of the sole heir to the Andersen Corporation. She even lost her virginity to him at the tender age of seventeen. All these years of painstaking efforts were just for the day when Lucius would marry her and give her everything she desired. However, she never expected that in the end, everything she nned would fall apart. Lucius, the useless weakling, couldn¡¯t even defeat a cripple. What a waste of her youth and sacrifices. Luckily, through some twist of fate, she was legally the wife of the CEO of Andersen Corporation. At least half of her efforts weren¡¯t in vain. But now, her dearest father was forcing her to sign the divorce agreement in front of her. Of course, Kendra refused, and a heated argument ensued. ¡°It¡¯s not up to you now. I¡¯m telling you, Magnus is not someone we can afford to offend. If you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯ll sign the document. Otherwise, our entire family, even ourpany, will suffer because of you!¡± Magnus had already given Kyler a final warning. The only reason he was lenient was probably because of Natalia. But Addison and Kendra foolishly thought that Magnus was reluctant. They didn¡¯t even consider that the Andersen brothers wanted nothing more than each other¡¯s downfall. And Kendra was Lucius¡® woman. How could Magnus possibly be interested in her? Despite her threats to end her life, Kyler remained firm. Seeing her father so heartless, Kendra, sitting on the hospital bed, started to cry While crying, she said, ¡°Dad, are you really that afraid of Magnus? Or is it because deep down, you still favor Natalia, that legitimate daughter of yours Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. over me? ¡°Do you think that as long as Natalia secures her position as the wife of Andersen Corporation¡¯s CEO, it doesn¡¯t matter if my future is ruined I¡¯m your and mom¡¯s daughter Am I really worth less than the bastard child you had with some slut?¡± Growing up, Kendra had always been the apple of everyone¡¯s eye Whichdy in this city couldpare to her? They were all in, without substance, only fit to stand in her shadu But she never thought that at the most critical moment, she would be overshadowed by Natalia, that damned back how could se pili? Just like her mother Addison Kendra was always quick to case when she was angry Watching Kondra like this Kyler was burning with anger He was speechless for a moment then furiously walked over to her he raised this hand and pped her hard autos yelled at her ¡°if you don¡¯t sign this diverse agreement, from today ornardo, you If I can¡¯t control you then you can go and fight with Magnus yourself! will not csk at his stunned daughter is n the hollow litte of C60% wide that you want or Usually gentie father actually raise his hand to hit eget out of the rkeun fauly Kendra, who had been pped in the face, covered her face in shock. She stared at Kyler incredulously. She was greatly shocked, then said, ¡°Dad, you actually hit me and want to kick me out? Even if it costs me my life, I¡¯ll never divorce Magnus!¡± Addison, who had gone out to inquire about Kendra¡¯s health, just got to the room when she heard Kendra¡¯s outburst. She rushed in hastily, watching the argument taking ce in the ward room between Kendra and Kyler. Then, she approached the emotionally charged Kendra and asked softly, ¡°Kendra, sweetie, calm down. What on earth has happened? Don¡¯t worry, mom is here. I will make things right.¡± ¡°Mom,¡± Kendra burst into tears upon seeing Addison. ¡°Dad is forcing me to sign the divorce papers. He doesn¡¯t want me to be Mrs. Andersen. He even threatened to kick me out if I don¡¯t agree. I can¡¯t stand it, mom. I will never sign those papers!¡± Whatever Kendra couldn¡¯t possess, she wouldn¡¯t allow others to have either. If she couldn¡¯t have it, then others can forget about it too. Especially not Natalia, that damned brat. ¡°What?¡± Addison couldn¡¯t believe her ears. She had only been gone for a short while and that damn Kyler had already made his way to the ward room to upset their daughter. Upon hearing Kendra¡¯s words, Addison¡¯s face turned ashen. Chapter 93 Chapter 93 She spun around and red at Kyler, her words almost spit out through gritted teeth, ¡°Kyler, have you lost your mind? Kendra is going through a rough time, and not only did you not help her, but you joined forces with Magnus and Natalia to upset her! What kind of father are you? I must have been blind to have spent my life with you, Addison!¡± She and Kendra shared the same mindset. The position of Mr. Andersen had somehow fallen into their laps. And that proved that it was their rightful possession. They would hold on to what was theirs, even if it meant to their dying breath. She couldn¡¯t possibly agree to a divorce, considering that she would get half of Andersen Corporation¡¯s wealth in the future. However, she didn¡¯t expect that Natalia¡¯s stubbornness about not leaving, coupled with Magnus¡® ruthless indifference, would escte things to this point. Kyler didn¡¯t want to say any more to the mother and daughter. He turned around and left the ward room, heading straight for thepany In France, Sabrina hurriedly got out of bed in the morning. After she got dressed, she rushed downstairs. She was stunned to see a man sitting at the dining table downstairs, eating breakfast elegantly. Then she remembered, her fianc¨¦ was back yesterday.. Upon seeing her, Marian immediately greeted her with a smile, ¡°Miss Shaw, you should eat breakfast quickly. You¡¯ll bete for school.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, just give me a toast and a ss of milk.¡± Sabrina sat down and fiddled with the napkin, without even ncing at the man at the table. The man, being ignored, frowned slightly, ¡°Miss Shaw, where are you off to?¡± He asked. Yesterday she had given him the cold shoulder, and today she didn¡¯t even bother to greet him. Did this girl hate him that much? It was summer break, wasn¡¯t it? And yesterday, she was even brought home by a man. Great, she¡¯d only been here a few days and she was already getting chummy with guys. ¡°I¡¯m going to school. Sabrina replied tly, not even sparing him a nce. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. ¡°But it¡¯s the summer break time, right?¡± Carter raised his gaze to look at the girl in a light blue dress, exuding a delicate and charming aura. ¡°I signed up for a summer course.¡± Sabrina finally looked at the man while munching on her toast. ¡°So we won¡¯t see each other often this summer. You don¡¯t have to hide at the ends of the earth. Hide at the ends of the earth? Did she think she was some kind of monster? ¡°Miss Shaw, I think we should talk.¡± This was unheard of. His grandfather had sent this girl to France to win him over, didn¡¯t he? So why was she still going to school and letting other men bring her homete at night. She had been living quite well while he was away. ¡°About what?¡± Sabrina looked at the handsome yet indifferent face of the man. He put down his cutlery, took a seat on the sofa, and crossed his legs leisurely. He then lit a cigarette. ¡°If I¡¯m not wrong, Miss Shaw, you¡¯re here in France under your grandfather¡¯s orders, right? To bond with me so we can get engaged sooner and fulfill the dreams of our elders¡± Carter looked at the girl¡¯s elegant face. ¡°So what?¡± Sabrina looked at the man with wide eyes. ¡°Perhaps you should put off going to school for now. Stay at the vi ore to mypany and do what a personal secretary should do. Otherwise. we won¡¯t see each other for days. When will we start to feel something for each other?¡± The man looked somewhat rogue in the lingering smoke. ¡°Personal secretary?¡± Sabrina chuckled. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m cut out for that? Mr. Cliff, let¡¯s not even talk about how we¡¯ve never met before. You know very well that I came to France because of our grandfathers¡® wishes.¡± She got up gracefully, wiped her mouth and said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t think we can develop any feelings, let alone me being your personal secretary What we should do right now is to not interfere with each other¡¯s lives. After half a year or a year, when our grandfathers ask, you can tell them that there were no sparks between us. Maybe then they won¡¯t force us to get married. What do you think, Mr Cliff?¡± Carter stared nkly at the girl¡¯s charming smile and the words that came out of her mouth. He suddenly felt as if the blood in his body was flowing in the wrong direction He never expected that this girl¡¯s intentions ining to France would be like this. He, the heir of the Cliff family, the famous CEO, was being rejected. This girl didn¡¯t take him seriously: she was just putting on a show for their grandfathers He felt humiliated. He had always been the one to reject women not the other way around. His expression turned as cold as winter wind. He looked at the girls cheerful fate with a tint of sarcasm. Suddenly, he felt like a joke being rejected like that Miss Shaw is right i also believe that there¡¯s no sparks between us. However, since it¡¯s difficult for either of us to exin to ma granthers, I don¡¯t mind trying to see if we can spark a me That way we won¡¯t have to wait for a year or se Don¡¯t you agree? His gazes were a deep as the ocean and he stared at her soldly. touring his words, Sabrina¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Try? Try what?¡± The man didn¡¯t answer Instead, he stood up from the sofa and slowly approached Sabrina, lifting her chin with his hand. Their eyes met, and it was like lightning striking, ¡°Of course, we need to see if we can spark a me. What do you say, Sabrina?¡± Boom! Sabrina¡¯s brain felt as if it had been struck by lightning. Her heart was pounding. He actually called her name. ¡°You¡­ stop joking around!¡± Sabrina immediately took a step back, slung her bag on her shoulder, and prepared to leave. But her slender wrist was instantly caught by a warm hand, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you shy?¡± The man behind her chuckled lowly. ¡°We¡¯re engaged, and we should start nurturing our feelings as the elders wish.¡± With a gentle pull, Sabrina stumbled into his arms. Then a pair of strong arms wrapped around her small body. Sabrina immediately tried to push the man away, but Carter, watching her flushed face, didn¡¯t budge. Sabrina got angry, and she looked up at him, her eyes widened in anger, ¡°Let go! What gives you the right to touch me!¡± This man was truly shameless. ¡°Is it a crime for me to touch my fianc¨¦e? Hm?¡± His warm breath sprayed onto Sabrina¡¯s ear. She was wound as tight as a coiled spring. ¡°Who said anything about us being engaged? You¡¯ve been avoiding me for weeks, haven¡¯t you? That just proves that you don¡¯t approve of our grandparents¡® decision either. So why pretend toe back now and go through with this ridiculous marriage?¡± As he listened to her tirade, a slow, amused smile began to spread across Carter¡¯s face. ¡°So you¡¯re upset about me being absent for a few weeks, huh?¡± He watched the fuming girl before him, a sudden surge of joy welling up in his heart. ¡°Alright, I apologize. I shouldn¡¯t have been MIA for so long. That¡¯s on me.¡± But something about this situation felt off to him. A voice in his head was urging him to conquer this girl. To make her adore and worship him like all the other girls. ¡°Who asked for your apology?¡± she snapped back. ¡°I¡¯d be happier if you disappeared for six months. Or better yet, forever.¡± The man was surprisingly strong, refusing to let go of her. Carter chuckled. ¡°Now, that won¡¯t do. How could I possibly stay away for half a year? If I¡¯d known you¡¯d be this upset, I would¡¯vee to pick you up that day. I¡¯m sorry.¡± He grinned down at the girl in his arms. Chapter 94 Chapter 94 Suddenly Carter swept her off her feet and settled onto the plush leather couch, pulling Sabrina onto hisp. His eyes sparkled with amusement as he said, ¡°Alright, enough, I apologize for not showing up these past few days.¡± ¡°You¡­ Sabrina felt extremely embarrassed sitting on hisp. This man was so shameless. They had just met, and he was already holding her like this. So improper! She struggled to break free from his embrace, but couldn¡¯t. Turning to him, she demanded, ¡°Are you going to let me go?¡± Carter just grinned mischievously. Without a second thought, Sabrina took a swing at him, pping him across the face. He stared at her in shock. She had actually hit him. Nobody had ever dared toy a hand on him before. This girl had some nerve. With a swift movement, he pushed Sabrina onto the couch, pinning her down. Sabrina¡¯s heart raced. What was he going to do? Before she could react, he leaned in and imed her lips in a surprise kiss. She stared wide¨Ceyed at his handsome face, so close to her own. He was kissing her! Damn! This was her first kiss, and this jerk had stolen it. Just as Sabrina was about to fight back, Carter¡¯s lips softened, taking a deep breath before biting down lightly on her lower lip. Sabrina gasped. Just as she was about to curse him, Carter took advantage of her opened mouth to slip his tongue inside, engaging in a passionate kiss. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Sabrina¡¯s body tensed up, her senses overwhelmed. His heavy body pressed against her, his kiss fierce, stealing her breath away Her body slowly softened. Carter didn¡¯t released her until she felt nearly suffocated. She tasted sweet, intoxicating him. He had originally intended to simply tease her, but her sweetness was irresistible. He looked down at the panting girl beneath him, gulping in fresh air like a fish out of water. His heart Uttered with anticipation. He lowered his head once again and kissed her on the lips, Sabrina didn¡¯t even have the strength to resist at all. The man was allowed to kiss her recklessly to the point where he had enough before slowly releasing her. Sitting up, Carter pulled her into his arms, ¡°That¡¯s the price for hitting me.¡± Sabrina snapped back to reality, ring at him. She raised her hand to p him again. But he caught her hand mid¨Cair, ¡°If you hit me again, it¡¯ll be more than a kiss. I¡¯ll show you the real consequences of hitting someone.¡± ¡°You¡¯re despicable! Bastard!¡± Sabrina pushed him away, her face flushed with embarrassment. She could hardly believe that this shameless man had kissed her so intensely. ¡°Despicable? I¡¯m just doing what a fianc¨¦ should do,¡± he grinned devilishly. Sabrina wished she could punch his smug face. ¡°You¡­you¡­¡± She pointed a finger at him. Carter just chuckled and caught her hand, cing a gentle kiss on her palm. Sabrina¡¯s mind went nk. She pulled her hand away quickly, grabbing her backpack and sprinting out of the mansion. She didn¡¯t wait for the chauffeur, choosing instead to run all the way to school. She ran as if her life depended on it, gasping and out of breath. Carter stepped out of the mansion, watching her run off like a startled rabbit. He burst outughing. His life was about to get a lot more interesting. He could already picture the fun he¡¯d have teasing his future wife. Feeling ted, he got into his car and drove off to work. If he had known how much fun she was, he wouldn¡¯t have hid away in Melfort. At Melfort Hospital. After Kyler left, Addison held Kendra, who was crying in despair in her mind, she thought about her conversation with Kyler, She had asked him to help Kendra, and Kyler said, ¡°Help her, how am I supposed to help her?¡± ¡°You were the one who insisted on Natalia marrying Magnus in Kendra¡¯s ce. ¡°Now that you see Magnus has the ability and has taken the position of Andersen Corporation¡¯s president, you want toe back and push Natalia. aside for your benefit! ¡°Even if Natalia is kind¨Chearted and willing to leave Magnus, do you think Magnus would agree? ¡°Let me tell you, if Kendra refuses to divorce Magnus, our whole family will pay the price¡± Thinking about Kyler¡¯s wards, Addison felt a sense of dread in her heart From a young age, Kendra had always been stubborn. If Kendra wanted the moon, Addison would find a way to give it to her Kyler had turned a blind eye to Addison¡¯s indulgence, since Kendra was his daughter after all Who knew that the consequences of their indulgence would be so dire? andrs refused to divorce Magnus, it would mean the downfall of their family because Magnus would never tolerate Kandra being his Wed raventrient towards Kyle: who couldn¡¯t protect his awet daughter and wa Magnus had shown his ruthlessness in a short period of time, and everyone in the country knew about it. How could theypete with him? They had thought that Kendra bing the CEO¡¯s wife would bring prosperity but they hadn¡¯t expected this oue. Looking at her daughter, Addison wanted to persuade her to give up. Who in the world could influence the decision of Magnus, the man who controlled Andersen Corporation? Kyler, that worthless old man, was pushing them to their deaths! Addison was at her wit¡¯s end. Sitting on the edge of her bed with tears welling up in her eyes, Kendra still stubbornly said, ¡°Mom, I won¡¯t agree to it. No matter what Magnus does to pressure me, I won¡¯t divorce him. I¡¯m Magnus¡® wife, and as long as I don¡¯t divorce, I always will be Mrs. Andersen. Why should Natalia take my ce? She doesn¡¯t deserve it.¡± In Kendra¡¯s mind, Magnus was simply bewitched by Natalia, that conniving slut. Once he came to his senses, he would realize that Natalia, that low¨Cborn illegitimate child, was not worthy of him. By then, he would willingly take Kendra into the prestigious Andersen family. As long as she held on, she knew she would see that day. ¡°Kendra, let it go. Our lives are more important than this stubbornness. If Magnus turns on you, how will we cope?¡± ¡°Mom, even you¡¯re not on my side now? Aren¡¯t you the one who loved me the most, this marriage was meant to be mine.¡± ¡°It was meant to be yours, but you missed the opportunity, Kendra. There are so many good men in the world, and we don¡¯t need a ruthless man like Magnus.¡± ¡°No, no, absolutely not. I won¡¯t divorce, I absolutely won¡¯t!¡± The image of the dignified, handsome man in the wheelchair shed in her mind. She was determined not to give up. Chapter 95 Chapter 95 Addison was at her wit¡¯s end. It seemed that Kendra would no longer listen to her. Feeling helpless, she offered a few words offort before leaving the hospital. She thought of asking Kyler to talk to Natalia once again. Maybe Natalia would listen to her father. There might still be a chance to turn things around. She dialed Kyler¡¯s number and exined her thoughts. On the other end of the line, Kyler closed his eyes and sighed wearily. ¡°Why are you grinning at me like that all day?¡± When Magnus was looking at the documents, he also called Natalia into the study. He had her sit on the couch, sharing the same space with him for the entire afternoon. But she could feel the gaze of the handsome man across the desk, watching her and constantly smiling. Puzzled, Natalia finally raised her head and asked him. Magnus chuckled softly. He put down the file in his hand and waved her over, ¡°Come here, my dear.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Natalia was used to his tender way of calling her with all sorts of nicknames. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Even though she was blushing, she obediently walked over. As soon as Natalia approached Magnus, he reached out and pulled her onto hisp. ¡°Wait, your wound hasn¡¯t healed yet. What if it tears?¡± Fearing for his injury, Natalia blushed and whispered. Truth be told, she had missed his embrace since he had been hugging her so often before his injury. But now, she had to hold back since he was still recovering. After his injury, Natalia had been taking care of him cautiously, afraid that any carelessness would tear his wound. This had kept her away from him for quite some time, and Magnus had been restraining himself. Now, seeing Natalia so close and enchanting, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but have some improper thoughts. He didn¡¯t care about the injuries and just embraced her petite body, resting his forehead against hers. Then, he softly said, ¡°My wound is fine now, but there¡¯s another part of me that¡¯s aching.¡± ¡°Aching?¡± Upon hearing his words, Natalia thought he had injured somewhere else. She anxiously asked, ¡°Where does it hurt? Tell me quickly. If not, I¡¯ll get a doctor? After all, Magnus had been injured while trying to save her. If Magnus was ufortable, it was her duty to take good care of him. Before Natalia could finish, Magnus ced his slender finger on her lips, then he led her hand to touch the part of him that was ufortably swollen. However, as soon as Natalia realized what she was touching, she jumped off hisp, her face burning, and stuttered, ¡°You¡­ you¡­ are getting out of line!¡± ¡°Why, my dear,¡± he chuckled at her embarrassment, ¡°It¡¯s quite normal for a husband to be ¡®out of line¡® with his wife. Or would you rather I act this way with other women?¡± He was a man of integrity. He had absolutely no interest in any women who threw themselves at him. Only this beautiful girl before him could make him lose control. ¡°You.¡± Hearing Magnus¡® words, Natalia, who had wanted to rebuke him, was left speechless After a while, she managed to blush out a stern reply, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it. Not until you¡¯ve fully recovered Fearing that Magnus would act out, Natalia hastily left his study with her medical book in hand. Magnus was left alone in the study, so he had no choice but to focus on his work. His efficiency was unparalleled Since it reduced the amount of time he spent discreetly observing Natalia absorbed in her reading, his work efficiency automatically improved. By the time Magnus finished his work and went downstairs, it was alreadyte The servants had prepared a sumptuous dinner and set it on the dining table Natalia was sitting quietly waiting for him. Thinking about the adorable blush on Natalia¡¯s face in the study earlier, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but chuckle, he sat down at the table and tregan to eat with Natalia. Natalia didn¡¯t dare to start a conversation with him. Fearing that he would bring up the earlier incident, she kept her heat down and ate her food quietly. She began to suspect that this striking man with a constant smide on tus face was not real in the past he had been as cold as ice, and she had never seen him smile even a bit. Now, he seemed very happy She looked up just in time to see him etdi smiling you grinning about? What¡¯s so funny?¡± she thought She didn¡¯t want to deal with him or talk to him. Natalia managed to finish her meal while holding back her curiousity. Then she put down her fork, stood up, and prepared to escape back to her room. But before she could take two steps, her wrist was firmly grasped, and she was stopped in her tracks. ¡°Where are you going?¡± Seeing Natalia trying to run away, Magnus, who was sitting in his wheelchair, put down his chopsticks and looked up at her. This youngdy had been avoiding him all afternoon, and now she wanted to escape again? Not so easy. Caught by Magnus, Natalia, feeling guilty, dared not look at him. She said in a low voice, ¡°Of course, I am going back to my room. I¡­ I still have a book to read.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been reading all afternoon, no more.¡± Magnus interrupted her domineeringly after hearing Natalia¡¯s words. Then he added, ¡°Go to the room, freshen up and wait for me.¡± He hadn¡¯tid a finger on her for such a long time, and he couldn¡¯t wait anymore Magnus was being too explicit, making Natalia so embarrassed that she wished she could find a hole to crawl into. The servants around them chuckled after hearing Magnus¡® words. Natalia blushed and defiantly said, ¡°I won¡¯t¡­¡± Having said that, she boldly broke free from Magnus grip and ran off. When she reached the elevator, she turned back and said to Magnus, ¡°Let Linden take care of you tonight. I¡¯ll sleep in the guestroom.¡± Canter 96 Chapter 96 Chapter 96 Looking at Magnus in his current state, it was clear he had no intention of settling down for the night. Best she keep her distance. After all, his wound had scabbed over, and in a few more days, it should be mostly healed. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. if he acted willfully at this time, there was a risk of reopening the wound, which would only prolong the healing process. Watching Natalia¡¯s fleeing figure disappear around the stairway corner, Magnus, dabbing his lips with a napkin, couldn¡¯t help but sh a wicked smile. ¡°What difference does it make whether you sleep in the guest room or my bedroom?¡± he muttered to himself. Since she kept in mind the things Dr. Frankie had emphasized when he returned to France, Natalia, upon going upstairs, didn¡¯t dare to stay in Magnus¡® bedroom. Instead, she took her book and went straight to the guest room to sleep. She thought that, by doing this, Magnus would leave her be and stay in his own room. But little did she know, after she¡¯d finished showering and emerged from the guest room bathroom, she would find a freshly showered, handsome man dressed in a white bathrobe, seated on her bed. ¡°Wha¡­wha¡­¡± Magnus had followed her to the guest room. Natalia felt really helpless. Magnus, however, simply lifted the nket by his side, patted the bed, and said, ¡°Come here, Nat.¡± He was determined to savor Natalia¡¯s sweetpany tonight, no matter what When Natalia looked at Magnus¡® gazes, she felt a shiver run down her spine. In the past, she wouldn¡¯t have felt anything special about Magnus¡® advances. But after he confessed his feelings for her a few days ago, the thought of sharing a bed with him now made her unusually nervous. So she said, ¡°I¡¯ll go back to the master bedroom. You can sleep here if you like.¡± With that, Natalia hurried to the door, desperate to escape. But no matter how she twisted the doorknob, the door wouldn¡¯t open. In desp¨¦ration, she turned to Magnus, who sat on the bed, and asked for help. ¡°Magnus, why can¡¯t I open the door? You¡­¡± Magnus interjected. ¡°I had Linden lock the door. It won¡¯t be opened until tomorrow morning. So you can either stand here all night or sleep next to me.¡± Natalia stood there, hesitating for a long time. Magnus was definitely doing this on purpose and was determined to sleep with her; Natalia had no choice but toply. She walked over to the bed, sat down next to Magnus, and tried to convince him to behave himself as she wanted his wounds to heal quickly. Magnus, knowing he was injured, surely wouldn¡¯t lose control, right? With that reassurance, Natalia, who had been nervous, finally felt slightly more at ease. But as soon as shey down, before she could even calm her racing heart, the man next to her turned over and pressed himself against her. Without giving her a chance to react, he lowered his head and passionately kissed her lips, a desire he had been harboring for a long time. Damn it. He savagely sucked her lips, pried open her teeth, and entangled her tongue in his, as if he wanted to devour her. His body radiated a scorching heat that permeated through their thin robes and onto Natalia¡¯s skin, making her body gradually heat up as well. ¡°Uh..uh¡­¡± While Magnus was busy kissing Natalia, his hands were wandering all over her body, making her pant with arousal. Although her mind was telling her that this could cause his wounds to reopen, she couldn¡¯t stop Magnus. Feeling Natalia¡¯s initial resistance slowly give way to submission, Magnus finally let her go. He then gasped for air and said in a hoarse voice, ¡°Darling, be good and don¡¯t resist me.¡± The woman in front of him was like a fatal temptation. From the moment she entered his life, his heart was no longer his own. He wanted nothing more than to pin her down and shower her with love, marking her as his woman. ¡°But Magnus, your wounds. The passionate fire in his eyes made Natalia¡¯s heart flutter. She wanted to wrap her arms around him, but her nervousness made her grip the bedsheets instead Even if he couldn¡¯t control himself, he should be considerate of his wounds, shouldn¡¯t he? Didn¡¯t his back hurt? ¡°Baby, you can help me. Seeing Natalia¡¯s concerned expression, Magnus suddenly suggested. Before Dr. Frankie left, he said with a mischievous smile, ¡°if you can¡¯t resist the urge to have sex with your wife, you can also. So, Magnus, unable to resist, took the doctor¡¯s advice As soon as Magnus said this, Natalia¡¯s face turned beet red. She quickly corrected, ¡°No. Can¡¯t you resist. But before she could finish, Magnus lowered his head once more. He then silenced her with a kiss and, as she couldn¡¯t hold back her soft moans they became one. she wouldn¡¯t help him, he¡¯d do it turnself or in the room made the temperature re significantly. Magnus, contented and satisfied, leaned down to nibble on Natalia¡¯s earlobe when she was at her most fragile moment. His voice was deep and maic, ¡°Say me you love me, Nat. I want to hear you say it.¡± 1. 1. Natalia stuttered, her face zing with embarrassment. She hadn¡¯t expected him to corner her into saying such things. Her hands clung to his shoulders. She dug her nails deep into his flesh, almost drawing blood. 1 want you to say it, Natalia. You love me, don¡¯t you? Just as I love you. You¡¯re quite smitten with me, aren¡¯t you?¡± Magnus questioned, his gaze fixated on Natalia, who looked so captivatingly vulnerable. He had to fight the urge to pull her in close and meld her into his very being. He held back, keeping his gaze steady, waiting for her response. Natalia, at this point, was too flustered to think straight. All she heard was his question, and she found herself nodding instinctively. Then, she echoed his words, ¡°Yes, I like you.¡± She did, she really did love him. So much so that she didn¡¯t even realize when did it start. But she couldn¡¯t say she loved him. She could only admit to liking him. Chapter 97 Chapter 97 Magnus used his wheelchair, bullied by Lucius, and repeatedly thrown into danger, It just broke her heart, and she wanted to help him so much. She swore she would make him stand up, even if it meant she would eventually have to leave. Natalia was unsure when exactly she¡¯d be smitten with Magnus, gradually losing herself in him. And finally, from Natalia¡¯s lips, came the words he¡¯d been longing to hear. Magnus was ecstatic. He leaned down, giving her a deep kiss. The room was filled with sounds that could make anyone blush. Natalia surely had a restless night The next morning, a refreshed Magnus came down from the upstairs, while Natalia was still deep in sleep. Chase and James, as they did every morning, arrived punctually with a doctor in tow. As the doctor was changing Magnus¡® bandages, he noticed a fresh wound on his back and advised, ¡°Mr. Andersen, brace yourself. There¡¯s some bleeding. It might hurt.¡± By all ounts, Magnus injuries had been healing for quite a while. There should have been no spontaneous bleeding. Hearing the doctor¡¯s words, James and Chase exchanged nces. The mischievous James couldn¡¯t help but tease, ¡°Oh, Magnus, you must have had quite a time with Nataliast night. But you can¡¯t ignore your own health. You¡¯re still injured, man.¡± They used to joke that among the four of them, Magnus, the most capable, would be thest to lose his virginity. But now, he was the first to get married, and he constantly unted his happiness. No wonder James wanted to tease him. Even Chase was struggling to keep a straight face. When Magnus heard James¡¯sments, he lifted his head and gave James a cold look before saying, ¡°The other day, your father called me, asking me to remind you to get married when you have time. I think he¡¯s very concerned about you. Maybe you should ept the offer?¡± James, known throughout Melfort for his charm and wealth, had always been the dream lover of many girls. Despite his yboy lifestyle, there were still many women who would willingly throw themselves at him. But this time, the woman James¡¯s father had chosen for him was far from desirable. Though it was a family alliance, the woman was extremely unattractive. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. James¡¯s father, looking down on his good¨Cfor¨Cnothing son, thought any woman willing to marry him was good enough. Beauty didn¡¯t matter; he just wanted a grandchild. Desperate to break off the engagement, James was almost willing to take drastic measures. So when James joked about Magnus and Natalia, he had iting. Indeed, when Magnus mentioned the arranged marriage, James, who had been grinning, instantly lost hisposure. ¡°Whoa, whoa, whoa, Magnus, that was a low blow! This is about my happiness, man. You can¡¯t just throw me into the fire pit like that.¡± Being forced to marry that ugly girl was worse than death. James had been surrounded by beautiful women his entire life. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of spending the rest of his life with an unattractive woman Chase, standing beside them, couldn¡¯t help butugh at James¡¯s misfortune. He thought to himself, ¡°This guy never stood a chance against Magnus. He brought it on himself¡± But Magnus replied indifferently at James¡¯s plea, ¡°You don¡¯t have to get married if you don¡¯t want to. It depends on your future actions.¡± Lucius had tried to kill him multiple times. Magnus couldn¡¯t take it anymore and decided to confront Lucius. He had thought about it for a while. If he was going to strike, he¡¯d eliminate both Lucius and the gold¨C digging Kendra. After all, birds of a feather flock together. Lucius and Kendra were both disgusting. Let them be disgusting together. ¡°Fine, fine. Just tell me what you want I¡¯ll do anything, but please, don¡¯t joke about my marriage. It¡¯s about my future happiness.¡± Upon hearing Magnus¡® words, James agreed readily He was determined not to marry that ugly girl If his father wanted a grandchild he could marry someone himself He¡¯d rather be stuck in the Death Desert for months than marry that girl Seeing James¡¯s determination, Magnus and Chase couldn¡¯t help butugh, clearly teasing him Everyone knew what kind of person Magnus was He might talk tough, but he was always there for his friends. James protested. Hey, what are youughing at? Are you guys messing with me? He was already in a tough spot with the arranged marriage if it weren¡¯t for his mother¡¯s concern and Magnus injury he would¡¯ve fled to Europe by now couldn¡¯t his friends show some sympathy, instead of constantly making his life mare difficult? protaats, Chase turned to Magnus and asked ¡°Are you nning to take actions, Magnus?! stabletely If we keep him in the dark, we should be able to carry out our n.¡± Chase simply couldn¡¯t stand by and watch as Lucius repeatedly used his malicious tactics against Magnus, time and time again. Magnus, considering Morgan¡¯s well¨Cbeing, just refused to fight back. If things continued this way, with Lucius¡® wicked schemes, Magnus would surely meet his doom sooner orter. Upon hearing Chase¡¯s question, Magnus fell silent for a moment. Then he spoke up, ¡°Chase, I need you to gather my confidants I have ced inside Andersen Corporation. ¡°Gather all the illicit activities Lucius is involved in. Pick a few that won¡¯t jeopardize Andersen Corporation, and organize them for me. ¡°James, aren¡¯t you well¨Cacquainted with the media back home? Find the right opportunity to expose Lucius¡® decadent private life. Give him and Kendra, some fame to chew on.¡± -it Chapter 98 Chapter 98 Magnus started gathering evidence against Lucius within Andersen Corporation. He wanted to show his grandfather that it was his own doing that led to his downfall, not because of anything Magnus had done. But now he was also talking about taking photos of Kendra and Lucius. This was something James didn¡¯t quiteprehend. After all, they all knew that Magnus and Kendra had no real connection. But to the outside world, Kendra was Magnus¡® wife. If he genuinely managed to get photos of Kendra and Lucius and then made them public, Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. wouldn¡¯t that be like openly admitting Magnus had been cheated? So when James heard Magnus¡® n, he was quite surprised. He looked at him and said, ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t you think that¡¯s inappropriate? Your ¡®wife¡® cheating on you. Aren¡¯t you afraid of bing theughingstock of the town?¡± Magnus was raised on Sapphire Ind, so he probably didn¡¯t understand the power of public opinion. That was why James tried to warn him, hoping to prevent him from making a rash decision that would hurt him more than it would hurt others. ¡°What¡¯s there tough at? The third son of the Andersen family being a cripple is a joke that¡¯s been around for almost a decade, isn¡¯t it? Besides, if too many peopleugh, we can always tweak the truth a bit. We might even gain more sympathy points.¡± James¡¯s concern was dismissed by Magnus. He had been nning to deal with Lucius and Kendra for days. After all, he didn¡¯t want his divorce with Kendra to drag on! He wanted to legitimize his rtionship with Natalia as quickly as possible. He didn¡¯t want to hurt her anymore. ¡°Magnus, do you need others¡® sympathy?¡± James asked, surprised at Magnus¡® response. Even though Magnus was technically just the CEO of Andersen Corp, he was in fact the leader among their group of wealthy friends. He had even secretly founded a multinational corporation and Silent King. Did someone like Magnus really need others¡® sympathy? However, Magnus just rolled his eyes at James¡¯s question. ¡°I¡¯ve been sitting in a wheelchair for almost a decade. Don¡¯t I deserve some sympathy?¡± After saying that, Magnus didn¡¯t bother to look at James and Chase¡¯s bemused expressions. He rolled his wheelchair back to his room upstairs. When he left, hisdy was still asleep. He needed to hurry back and join her. Chase and James shrugged their shoulders and left Maplewood Manor. After a night of passion, Natalia felt as if her bones were falling apart. However, when she woke up, she found herself still lying in his arms. Looking at him sleeping beside her, his long eyshes casting tiny shadows on his handsome face, Natalia couldn¡¯t help but stare at him. Her eyes were filled with love. She couldn¡¯t help but think, ¡°How can Magnus be so handsome? He¡¯s like the male lead from aic book. If he could stand up, he would be the dream man for countless girls.¡± She had thought this more than once. Magnus pretended to be asleep, wanting to see what Natalia would do when she woke up. But when he realized she was just staring at him, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Then he opened his eyes and stared at Natalia¡¯s petite face, asking, ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you going to do anything, faced with such a stunningly handsome man like me? Nat, you really are all bark and no bite.¡± ¡°You. you¡¯re the one who¡¯s all bark and no bite! Pretending to sleep early in the morning, you tricked me again Natalia didn¡¯t expect to be caught. red¨Chanded by Magnus while she was sneaking a peek at him. Her face turned bright red. She hurriedly buried her face in his chest, trying to hide from his gaze. But Magnus would never indulge her ostrich¨Clike behavior H e grabbed her chin, forcing her to lift her head. Then he leaned down and gave her slightly swollen, red lips a passionate kras. Then he said with a heated gaze, ¡°Hmm? Are you sure you want to use me of being all bark and no bite? Do you want me to prove to you that i am not? She was almost got eaten alive by himst night and only just woke up. Yet, here she was, daring to tease him about not having the guts Hmm, she truly was his woman, No, not I was just joking. Don¡¯t take it seriously Natalia, who was already quite embarrassed, was suddenly startled by Magnus words enly initiate another round of se Aher all, this man was like a machine that never seemed to tire. Each time, she felt as if she had lost half of her life. She didn¡¯t dare to provoke him and quickly surrendered. Wise men knew the score, didn¡¯t they? Seeing Natalia¡¯s reaction, Magnus, who had been maintaining a serious face as if he was really going to discipline her, couldn¡¯t help butugh. Then he reached out and yfully nudged her perky little nose, his tone filled with affection, ¡°You talk big for someone who gets scared so easily! Anyway, once the arrangements he had made were in ce in a few days, he could give Natalia what she had always wanted. Then, she wouldn¡¯t have any reason to talk about leaving him. By that time, he should be able to stand up. In his heart, Magnus was weaving a to bind Natalia. Natalia purposefully changed the topic, fearing that Magnus would be impulsive and initiate their intimate act again early in the morning. She looked at him and asked, ¡°Magnus, can I ask you something?¡± Yesterday, Addison came to Maplewood Manor crying. Given her state, what she said probably wasn¡¯t a lie. So Natalia was rather perplexed. Why would Magnus every a hand on Kendra? He had, after all, moved heaven and earth to marry her. Was it merely to exact revenge on Lucius? Now, he nearly took her life, and Natalia simply couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of it. Magnus didn¡¯t hesitate to respond to Natalia¡¯s words, telling her to ask away. Whatever she wanted to know, he would tell her, no holds barred. Having professed his love, he was fullymitted to spoiling her for a lifetime. ¡°My mom, she came by yesterday, and she said you nearly killed Kendra. Is it true?¡± Natalia mustered the courage to ask, given Magnus¡® straightforward response. She had wanted to bring up the matter with Magnus the day before. But each time she tried, the words wouldn¡¯te out. Now, the atmosphere was so rxed, she wasn¡¯t worried about Magnus getting angry anymore. Chapter 99 Chapter 99 Natalia called Kyler¡¯s wife her mother, which made Magnus feel a bit ufortable. That woman had no right to be her mother. It seemed she still had resentment towards this arrogant and overbearing old lady. Magnus gently pulled her into his arms, murmuring in her ear, ¡°Yeah, that woman Kendra threw a tantrum in front of me, even insulted you. So I taught her a lesson to make her back off. That woman disgusts me.¡± Magnus didn¡¯t even want to dwell on Kendra¡¯s repulsive demeanor. ¡°But didn¡¯t you go to great lengths to marry her and brought her to Sapphire Ind?¡± Magnus kept saying how Kendra disgusted him, Natalia found it hard to believe. She asked this question tentatively. Even though he was holding her, she sneakily looked up at him, to gauge his expression. Seeing a hint of disgust on his face, Natalia became even more puzzled. Magnus couldn¡¯t help but sneer inwardly: Was Natalia¡¯now questioning him? Was she ming him for wanting to snatch Kendra from Lucius? Or was it because she liked him too much, and was jealous? Thinking about this, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but grin. Holding her slim waist tightly, he said: ¡°Don¡¯t your knickers in a twist. I wanted to marry Kendra only to provoke Lucius. I would never fancy a woman like Kendra. I only like you, just remember that.¡± Even when Isabe was by his side, he never felt happy or joyful. Natalia was like a sprite, bringing sunshine to his life. How could he not love her, who prevented him from being swallowed by hatred and losing his rationality? Natalia had a lot of doubts in her mind. Even if it was to hit Lucius hard, there was no need to stake his marriage. If Kendra had married into the ind, would Magnus have developed feelings for her over time? Natalia felt ufortable thinking this. Magnus was too close to her, and his warm breath was constantly spraying on her face, making Natalia feel itchy. Therefore, Natalia¡¯s face gradually turned red due to his warm breath. Then she sweetly leaned into his arms, allowing his masculine pheromones to slowly creep into her nostrils. For the first time, Natalia reached out and put her arms around Magnus¡® sturdy waist. The assassination nned by Lucius, although it severely injured Magnus, it ironically warmed up the feelings between Natalia and Magnus. Because of this, Magnus was in high spirits. A few dayster, when most of the scabs on his back fell off, Magnus, who was given the green light by the doctor, was ready to return to thepany. Because of Lucius¡® actions this time, he had been recuperating at home for so long. This allowed the evil Lucius to meddle more with thepany s affairs. If he didn¡¯t go back now, Lucius might be more reckless. So, early in the morning, after having breakfast and preparing to return to thepany, Magnus sat in Linden¡¯s car and headed to thepany Once arriving at the Andersen Corporation, Magnus walked directly into the CEO¡¯s office. Seeing Magnus, Paul hurriedly followed him into the office. Standing in front of Magnus, he said respectfully, ¡°Mr. Magnus, we are so d that you are back. During your absence, Lucius has been interfering with thepany¡¯s affairs. Not only has he disrupted our previous steps and ns, but he also intends to persuade Morgan to change the CEO Paul, who had been with Morgan for many years, knew exactly what to say and what not to. The first few sentences he said were about thepany¡¯s affairs, which were justified and beyond reproach Thetter involved the battle between the two grandsons of the Andersen family for the CEO position He was directly assigned to Magnus by Morgan, so he was Magnus¡® man. However, The series of decisions Magnus had made since taking over thepany had made Paul look at this wheelchair bound man in a new light After all, Magnus¡® ability was something that jealous Lucius could never match in his life. It was no wonder that so many people in thepany had all leaned toward Magnus in such a short period of time. After all, although Magnus was cold to people, he was fair in doing business and would not deliberately make things difficult for his subordinates and those who had made mistakes in the past, u Mike tucius, who always carried the attitude of a general manager and never treated his subordinates as humans However, after hearing Paul¡¯s words, Magnus, who was casually flipping through the files on his desk, laughed worry all of Lucius actions during this period are under my control. He won¡¯t seed in what he wants to do¡± the nature, his grandfather had sion it clearly over the past many years apter 99 and did not hand over the CEO portion to tatus the fret simme CEO position to cus He allowed him to do so this time without leeting James and Chane ng ham it was just a pity that Lucius was to stop, he didnt take the indige Pas breathal sigh of the N?velDrama.Org holds this content. During the Maga Even though the ray carefu Chapter 100 Chapter 100 Despite Addison¡¯s objections, Kendra, who was still applying powder on her face, looked at her mother with some dissatisfaction. ¡°Mom, don¡¯t overreact. Magnus is quite dangerous, but as long as he¡¯s willing to see me, it means there¡¯s still hope for our marriage.¡± Kendra was somewhat agitated by these ludicrous thoughts. ¡°Do you really want me to let that little bitch, Natalia, take my ce as the CEO¡¯s wife? That¡¯s why I must dress up beautifully today. I don¡¯t believe that Magnus will be able to resist me.¡± Many men in Melfort had fallen under Kendra¡¯s spell, and she had dismissed them all. She refused to believe that she couldn¡¯t win over this stubborn man. However, seeing her daughter¡¯s determination, Addison became even more worried. ¡°No way, honey, I still can¡¯t let you go. I have given it a lot of thought these days. Your dad¡¯s words are not without reason. Magnus¡® personality is really strange. Compared to Lucius, he can¡¯t possibly treat you well. Why don¡¯t we step back and let you marry Lucius? ¡°Magnus is disabled. Even if Morgan is confused, he can¡¯t possibly hand over the entire Andersen Corporation to him forever. Who knows who will end up on top? Why do we have to hang ourselves on this Magnus? All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°He almost died a few days ago, didn¡¯t he? It seems he has many enemies. We don¡¯t need to rush.¡± In a nutshell, she couldn¡¯t bear to see her daughter lying on the hospital bed again, fighting for her life. If Kendra agreed to get back with Lucius, s he would do everything in her power to help Lucius reim the position of CEO of Andersen Corporation. Magnus and that little bitch Natalia wouldn¡¯t be smug for long. However, upon hearing Addison¡¯s words, Kendra, who was applying lipstick, mmed her lipstick onto the table. She turned to Addison and vented her anger, ¡°Mom, I can¡¯t possibly marry Lucius now. So what if Magnus is cruel to me? Byw, I¡¯m his wife, and I don¡¯t believe he¡¯d really kill me. Ljust don¡¯t like that witch Natalia taking my ce. So no matter what, I won¡¯t divorce Magnus. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure Magnus obediently kicks Natalia out and brings me into Maplewood Manor. I¡¯m the rightful Mrs. Andersen. No one can rece me.¡± Since Magnus was now the CEO of Andersen Corporation, she just needed to take back her position, and her goal would be achieved. Why should she waste her family¡¯s resources to support that loser Lucius? It seemed Kendra had made up her mind this time. She was determined to meet Magnus no matter what. This extremely worried Addison. With tears in her eyes, she said to her darling daughter, ¡°How about this, I¡¯ll call your dad from the office to apany you to Andersen Corporation. I¡¯m really worried about you going alone.¡± Addison couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. What on earth did she do in her past life to end up with an enemy like Natalia? That bitch¡¯s mom stole her man, and now Natalia was trying to steal Kendra¡¯s man. Why did she alwayspete with Kendra? ¡°God, stop crying, will you? I¡¯m just going to see my husband, not some demon. You¡¯re sobbing so much, you¡¯re making me nervous. Seeing Addison in this state, Kendra found it bothersome. She got up, went to the wardrobe, and started picking out clothes for herself. Thest time she went to Andersen Corporation to see Magnus, he was furious at her provocative dress. So this time, she cleverly chose a conservative white dress. When she tried it on, it somehow reminded her of Natalia. This made Kendra even more indignant. She thought to herself, ¡°Natalia, you witch, wait for me. One day, I¡¯ll return the humiliation you¡¯ve imposed on me tenfold.¡± As Magnus¡® secretary had only said that the CEO wanted to see her, K endra, all dolled up, boldly asked the rkson family¡¯s driver to take her straight to the Andersen Corporation building Then, albeit frightened, Kendra plucked up the courage to take the elevator to the floor where Magnus office was located. Compared to the previous times when she had to wait or schedule an appointment to see Magnus, i his time, as soon as she arrived at the CEO¡¯s office, she was immediately ushered in by Magnus secretary Magnus, who was busy working, looked up when his secretary told him Kendra was there. Seeing that Kendra, who was nearly killed by his pen only a short while ago actually dared to dressed up to meet tum a cold smile crept onto theers of Magnus¡® lips He thought to himself mockingly. ¡°This woman really to chameless. She never changes i don¡¯t know how she has the nerve to call herself Natalia¡¯s sister¡± He looked at Kendrazily and suddenly changed his tone So, Kendra, have you thought about what told you? He wanted to see how low this vain woman, Kendra, could stoop for the position of Mrs. Andersen, the CEO¡¯s wife. The more she debased herself andid down her dignity, the more advantageous it became for his n. Magnus appeared calm and expressionless. However, Kendra, standing before him, was still filled with fear, almost unable to look at him. She kept her head down, and her hands clenched tightly onto her dress, hanging by her side. She took a deep breath. Suppressing her pounding heart, she whispered, ¡°Mr. Magnus, please don¡¯t do this to me. I admit that I was wrong before, but I was forced by Lucius. What could I do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a weak woman, how could I possibly stand against Lucius? When I heard about the engagement with him, and then it changed to you. Lucius told me not to marry you, otherwise he would deal with the rkson family.¡± ¡°Heh, heh, heh!¡± Kendra hadn¡¯t finished her sentence when Magnus couldn¡¯t hold back a coldugh. The way she called him ¡®Mr. Magnus¡® made him feel utterly disgusted. She really thought highly of herself. Forced by Lucius? Ridiculous. But he still suppressed the loathing that was slowly rising in his heart. Pretending to be emotionally calm, he said, ¡°Really? Are you trying to tell me that you, like my wife, don¡¯t despise me for being a cripple? If it wasn¡¯t for Lucius forcing you, you would have wanted to stand by me for life and take care of me, is that it?¡± Chapter 101 Chapter 101 That Kendra was quite shameless. Even now, she dared to spew nonsense in front of him. Hearing Magnus speak with such suspicion, Kendra feltpelled to exin hurriedly, ¡°I swear, I care about you more than Natalia ever could. I know you can¡¯t leave your wheelchair, but that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m your lawful wife, and it¡¯s my duty to care for you Natalia, that illegitimate child But before she could fully voice her nder against Natalia, Magnus, seated behind his office desk, lifted his gaze His icy stare struck her full in the face. sending a chill down her spine This look from Magnus reminded Kendra of his previous anger at her for insulting Natalia It was that anger that had led him to throw his pen at her Kendra bit back her words, her face paling as she stared at Magnus not daring to speak. She felt a shiver run through her, her body trembling slightly. Internally, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder. What kind of spell had that girl Natalia cast on Magnus to make him so protective of her? So caring towards her? Magnus was her husband, and Natalia had absolutely no rtion to him. Did she think just because she married him in Kendra¡¯s stead, she could usurp Kendra¡¯s ce and win his heart? Never. Kendra would never allow Natalia to seed. Seeing Kendra silenced by his re. Magnus dropped his gaze and said in a leisurely tone, ¡°I don¡¯t appreciate women without manners. So it¡¯s best if you refrain from ndering people in my presence, especially my wife.¡± Were it not for the fact that he needed to use Kendra to deal with that bastard Lucius, Magnus would have ended Kendra for her continuous insults and humiliation of Natalia N?velDrama.Org holds this content. After all, a woman like her was nothing but a waste of air. ¡°Yes, yes, I won¡¯t do it again. From now on, I¡¯ll respect your wishes Kendra was surprised that Magnus was openly expressing his likes and dislikes to her She couldn¡¯t help but wonder: Could it be that Magnus was starting to develop feelings for her? This thought instantly dispelled half of her previous fear After taking a deep breath, she finally dared to sneak a nce at Magnus, who sat in the wheelchair in front of the desk, looking incredibly handsome like a deity descended from heaven. And she thought. This man is truly attractive, far more striking than that bastard Lucius. It¡¯s a pity that he¡¯s confined to a wheelchair, but even so, he still exuded an irresistible charm. While Kendra was covertly observing him, Magnus felt a surge of difort. So, he mmed the file in his hand onto the desk. Then he looked up at her patience stretched thin. He felt like he was wasting his time ying this charade with her, but in order to ruin Lucius, he had to continue dealing with this woman, ¡°I don¡¯t care whether you¡¯re being forced by Lucius. We have to get divorced. I don¡¯t trust a word you say Who knows if you¡¯ll stay by my side, only to run back to that bastard Lucius and cheat on me?¡± Since Kendra had taken the bait, he wouldn¡¯t mind reeling her in quicker After all, Kendra was foolish and vain enough. With her limited intelligence, there was no way she could see through his n. Sure enough, hearing Magnus words, Kendra quickly responded, ¡°No, no, I swear to you, from now on, I¡¯ll have nothing to do with Lucius. Il dutifully y the role of your wife if you ever find that I¡¯ve wronged you, no matter how you treat me, whether you kill me or retaliate against the rkson family, I won¡¯t utter a word ofint if Magnus wanted to divorce her solely because he was worried about her rtionship with Lucius, then this was an easy fix She just had to convince Magnus that she wouldpletely sever ties with Lucius. That would be enough. Her heart was pounding with anticipation. The thought of Magnus choosing her over Natalia, the illegitimate daughter of the rkson family who ce in society, filled her heart with joy Natalia had imed that even if she left. Magnus would never marry Kendra Thinking about those words now. Kendra found them hriously absurd But she did look forward to seeing the look on Natalia¡¯s face when she found out that Magnus was wavering and no longer wanted a divorc ¡°Huh Kendra was willing to drag her own family through the mud just for her own sake His baby, on the other hand, had endured humiliation and pleaded with him not to harm her father in order to protect the rkson family Both were daughters of Kyler yet they were worlds apart Magnus dislike for Kendra deepened He looked at her coldly. I won¡¯t believe a word you say, unless you show me proof of your determination to sever ties with Lucius.¡± Since Natalia came into his life, her primary concern every day had been to protect Kyler and the entire rkson family But when it came to Kendra, involving the entire rkson family in her schemes to ben herself seemed perfectly natural It appeared that Kyler¡¯s eldest daughter, was far from being a saint. Her selfishness was a stark contrast to his gentle and kind wife. To evenpare them felt like an insult to his beloved. ¡°So how do you want me to prove it? Just say the word, and I will do as you ask ¡°Kendra was over the moon upon hearing Magnus words, seeing a glimmer of hope in their impending divorce. She was acting as if she was about to be Magnus wife, her joy palpable As long as Magnus didn¡¯t divorce her, and she didn¡¯t have to give up her position as Mrs. Andersen, it was a godsend for her. If she could weather this storm, it would change everything for both rkson International and her. Seeing her like this, Magnus, who had anticipated this oue, couldn¡¯t bear to look at her and averted his gaze. Chapter 102 Chapter 102 Turning his gaze directly to Kendra, Magnus said, ¡°All you have to do is find a way to gather evidence of Luciusundering money under thepany¡¯s name for his own interests, and doing things that are detrimental to the group. ¡°Record everything you know and hand it over to me. Show me your sincerity, and perhaps I¡¯ll consider about our divorce. ¡°After all, you are thedy of the rkson family, and might be somewhat useful to me Besides, Nat isn¡¯t too keen on Mrs. Andersen¡¯s position.¡± Magnus¡® implication was clear if she could contribute to the group in this way, Mrs Andersen¡¯s position would be hers There was no intention of driving Natalia away though But Kendra, knowing that she was now much closer to her goal, wasn¡¯t going to quibble over whether Natalia left or not Once she moved into Maplewood Manor, how could Nataha keep staying there? With these thoughts, Kendra hastily responded to Magnus. As long as you don¡¯t divorce me, I will do whatever you ask Rest assured, I will help you bring down Lucius.¡± She was confident. After all, she held the position of thedy of the rkson family. Natalia, that brat, would never be able to take her ce Now, Magnus was only reserving the position of CEO¡¯s wife for her. But there was plenty of time in the future, and Magnus was young and vigorous didn¡¯t believe that he could resist her charm One day, she would make Natalia disappear from Magnus side ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll wait for your good news. I hope you won¡¯t disappoint me. Seeing Kendra¡¯s quick agreement, Magnus brow furrowed slightly His loathing for Kendra was reaching its limits, so after saying these words, he didn¡¯t hesitate. He had his secretary escort Kendra out Once Kendra was gone. Magnus couldn¡¯t help but sneer, ¡°Lucius, you¡¯ve been quite pleased with yourselftely, haven¡¯t you? But I wonder, how will you feel when you find out that the woman you once loved is digging a pit for you just to stay by my side?¡± Magnus didn¡¯t originally want Kendra to do this. After all, she was a fool. But he wanted Lucius to understand what kind of fool his woman was, to give him a blow to his heart His n had already begun Kendra, following Magnus secretary out of the CEO¡¯s office, suddenly came up with a n. She was out of impatience, desperate to express her loyalty to Magnus as soon as possible So Kendra, having left Magnus office, didn¡¯t leave Andersen Corporation immediately. Instead, she purposely lingered outside Lucius office To make her act more convincing, she even hid in a corner, crying pitifully ¡°Who¡¯s wailing outside this early in the morning? Lucius, annoyed by the crying outside his office and Magnus sudden return to thepany, couldn¡¯t help but vent his anger in his office. He didn¡¯t know why that bastard, Magnus, was so lucky. He had tried so many times to get rid of him, but he always survived. Just thinking about it made his chest tight During this time when Magnus was away from thepany, he couldn¡¯t sessfully persuade grandfather to reinstate him as the CEO and remove Magnus. Now that this cripple had returned, it was even less likely that Grandfather would change his mind. So, with his mood in the dumps, Lucius vented his anger by throwing things around his office. ¡°Mr. Lucius, dont be angry I¡¯ll go out and check¡± As soon as Lucius showed signs of anger, his secretary was terrified. She quickly went to see what was happening However, when she saw that the person crying outside the office was Kendra, she carefully reported back to Lucius, It¡¯s Miss Kendra whos crying outside Kendra? Why would she be crying here? Upon hearing this, Lucius frowned He remembered how he had pampered Kendra when they were together. But as soon as he fell out of favor in the race for the CEO position, she as abandon hum Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She even turned to that cripple, Magnus Every time he thought about it, he was filled with rage. a truly disgusting if he had known earlier that Kendra was such a despicable person he wouldnt have even nced in her direction. This woman When Lucius asked, the secretary cautiously nced at him. Then she slowly exined. ¡°Apparently, she went to see Mr Andersen in ha office and was kicked out She must have felt hurt so she sat down here and started crying it wasn¡¯t the first time that Magnus had roughened up Kendra Last time. Kendra was carried out of the CEO¡¯s office, bleeding and barely alive. it was a sight that was still fresh in everyone¡¯s munds Poor Kyler was frantic pleading for anyone around to call 911 The incident spread like wildfire through | company So when Kendra showed up all she got was a mouthful from Magnus and that was her being lucky ¡°What? That bitch want to see Magnus again? Lucius fumed when nard his secretary¡¯s words His face darkened and he stood up abruptly storming out of his office without another word He grabbed Kendra, who was crouched in the corner crying her eyes out and dragged her into his office ¡°Mr. Lucius, you ¡°Lucius sudden action had started secretary, who stood by watching Lucius rage, fearing for Kendras life But before she could finish her sentence, Lucius, his eyes red and filled with anger, turned around and roared at her, ¡°Get out!¡± Frightened by Lucius outburst and fearing for her job, the secretary who originally wanted to help Kendra decided not to get involved anymore. Chapter 103 Chapter 103 The secretary cast a sympathetic nce at Kendra before stepping out of the CEO¡¯s office, gently closing the door behind her. ¡°What on earth are you crying about?¡± he shouted at her, ¡°You¡¯re throwing yourself at a cripple who doesn¡¯t even want you. You¡¯re crying because you feel humiliated? You¡¯re the one who despised me remember? Today, I¡¯m going to remind you that even if I wasn¡¯t the CEO of Andersen Corporation, I can still fuck you good His anger boiling over, Lucius ripped off the white dress Kendra was wearing. He despised her for pretending to be innocent when she was anything but. Wasn¡¯t it all because that cripple, Magnus, preferred this type of women? But Kendra was his woman Even if he no longer wanted her, that cripple Magnus had no right to im her ¡°Ah Ah Lucius, what are you trying to do? Let go of me!¡± Kendra never expected Lucius to react so violently upon seeing her Thrown onto the couch and stripped bare within seconds, she was terrified. She screamed and tried to protect herself, but her fear only fuelled Lucius rage. He unbuckled his belt and moved over her. As Kendra struggled, he forced himself into her ¡°You¡¯re a fool, Kendral A slut pretending to be pure, huh?¡± he growled, ¡°You were the one who crawled into my bed when you were just seventeen. Now you want to break ties with me and cling to that cripple, huh? Can that cripple satisfy you? Is he better than me? Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. I¡¯m telling you, your pussy has been ruined by me. With Magnus proud nature, do you think he¡¯d want you? Your only option is to stay by my side. Only then, can you live like a human being ¡°if you dare to betray me again, if you dare to think about leaving me, I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead. I¡¯ll make your entire rkson family pay for your betrayal ¡°Ah Ah ¡± Lucius anger was unyielding, and his brutality towards Kendra in his office was relentless. Kendra, who had always been pampered, was on the verge of breaking down, her screams resonating in the room. After about an hour, Lucius finally stopped. Kendra, stripped bare and drained of energy, was left on the couch like a rag doll, her body covered in rming bruises in the past, Lucius would never have treated her this way; he used to cherish and pamper her. But now, he had lost all rationality, bing a savage wolf. tearing her apart His feelings towards Kendra had turned to pure hatred. Proud as he was, the woman he had loved for years turned out to be a gold digger. All she wanted was the title of the CEO¡¯s wife After getting dressed, Lucius coldly said, ¡°Get out, now.¡± Despite everything, Kendra remembered her agreement with Magnus. So, even after such a humiliating encounter, she didn¡¯t confront Lucius. Biting her lip, she put on her ripped dress and fled Lucius office as fast as she could. But deep inside, she was seething with rage, swearing, ¡°Wait for it, Lucius. You¡¯ve humiliated me today, but I¡¯ll make you pay tenfold in the future¡± In France, ever since Sabrina was kissed by Carter, she was anxious about going home. As she stood hesitating outside school, Tom approached her. ¡°Sabrina, why haven¡¯t you gone home yet?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m on my way¡± She grinned at Tom and hurried off. ¡°Sabrina, wart Tom called after her ¡°Mr. Tom, what¡¯s up?¡± Sabrina turned to look at the approaching man, his long hair dancing in the wind If you¡¯re free today, I d like to invite you for dinner. My friend has opened a restaurant, and I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll love it.¡± Tom smiled, revealing his dimples. When Sabrina thought about the annoying man at home, she immediately epted his invitation, Sounds great, Professor. Lead the way.¡± The two of them got into Tom¡¯s car and drove to the restaurant. The chef and Sabrina immediately hit it off During dinner, Sabrina and Tom epted the chef¡¯s invitation to have some wine Soon, Sabrina began to feel a bit dizzy, so she excused herself to head home. Tom stood up. ¡°Sabrina, let me drive you. You¡¯re a bit tipsy Are you excited about meeting a fellow countryman?¡± Sabrina giggled, blushing like an apple Tom was taken aback by her adorable reaction ¡°I am excited, Mr Tom, thank you for dinner I¡¯ll take a taxi home, bye¡® Sabrina turned to leave But Tom quickly caught up with her and grabbed her arm. ¡°Sabrina, it¡¯ste Let me drive you¡® Sabuna looked back at Tom, ¡®Alright, thank you, Professor¡± When Tom¡¯s car slowly pulled up at the luxurious vi, Sabrina had already fallen asleep. Tom gently shook her, ¡°Sabrina, wake up. We¡¯re home¡± Sabrina opened her eyes and realized that she had identally fallen asleep. She felt embarrassed and said. ¡°Sorry, Professor, thank you for driving me home.¡± ¡°Are you okay? I can walk you in Tom said with concern. ¡°I¡¯m alright, bye¡± Sabrina got out of the car and walked towards the vi. 10-1 Chapter Only after seeing Sabrina enter the house did Tom drive away There on the second¨Cfloor balcony towering figure stood his gaze aloof as he watched the departing car Great, this girl was sent home by a different man every time in the middle of the night, did she think her fance was dead? He turned and strode back into his room opening the door and heading downstairs The girl who¡¯d juste in was in the kitchen, searching for a drink of water He stood in the middle of the living room, arms crossed has dark eyes shing with an icy lighe Sabrina, having quenched her thirst, turned and nearly jumped out of her skin at the sight of man standing in the middle of the iving room ¡°Ah¡± she eximed ¡°Why are you lurking there in silence¡± the used her heart pounding from the scare ¡°Lurking¡± Ms Shaw if your don¡¯t feel guilty then you won¡¯t have anything to be affraid of ¡°His gaze bore into her icy an antar i storm whose face was flushed crimson She¡¯d been drinking She¡¯d actually gone drinking with some guy damn it! What do I have to feel guilty about? On the contrary M. Ciff what are you doing scaring people in the middle of the night? Are you Sabring was still reeling from the fright and her mood was far from pleasant. The alcohol was making her head feet furry Carter¡¯s dark eyes were zing with anger as he walked towards Sabrina Chapter 104 Chapter 104 ncing at the approaching man, Sabrina eyed him warily. ¡°What do you want?¡± Carter stood before her, his towering stature making her look like a child inparison. He raised her chin, meeting her wide, innocent eyes. A strange fluttering sensation passed through his heart, but it was gone at quackly as it came ¡°As a woman with a fianc¨¦,ing homete at night with another man and reeking of booze, what do you think your fance would do? Hmmm?¡± ¡°Or is it that my presence isn¡¯t enough for you prompting you to have such an moiting nightlife? He gripped her chin tightly causing her to wincs Sabrina tried to free herself from his grasp, but he pulled her into his arms, ifting her off the ground Before she could react, he was carrying her up the stairs. What was he doing? Sabrina struggled but his iron grip remained unyielding his gaze as cold as ice He kicked open the bedroom door then closed it behind him. Without a second thought he tossed the struggling woman onto her king med bed Sabrina felt dizzy. The alcohol had taken its toll, and she felt like throwing up. This damned mant How dare he throw her onto the bed like that She hadn¡¯t provoked him. Why was he acting as if he¡¯d been wronged? ¡°Miss Shaw understand that I¡¯ve been neglecting you driving you into the arms of other men. But tonight, ¨ª ae fulfill my duties as your fance¡± unbuttoning his shirt as he spoke Then he unbuckled his belt, his eyes filled with defiance his lips curling into a smirk abrina quickly got to her feet and tried to leave but he caught her by the arm. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re goingTM Let go Are you out of your mind? Why do you care if I¡¯m lonely? The man was driving her crayte at night. She felt sick to her stomach and i splitting headache. This bastard Carter coldly watched her He pulled her into his arms and they both fell onto the bed He looked at the herce woman in his arms, a hint of amusement ying on his lips He bent down to kiss her but the stench of alcohol on her breath made him cringe. He picked her up and carried Carter ced her in the bathtub and turned on the shower ¡°Clean up You reek of alcohol¡± Her clothes were soaking wet clinging to her petite figure Carter nced at the drenched woman in the bathtub. He swallowed hard and turned away, leaving the bathroom He returned a short whileter holding a bathrobe ¡°Clean up¡± he ordered before leaving again, cigarette. to the bathroom It the bedroom with big strides and walked out to the balcony of the study. Shit He looked down, noticing the bulge i amn if He hadn¡¯t been this embarrassed in years Seeing that woman had aroused him The image of Sabrina¡¯s curvaceous body floated before his eyes. He closed his eyes and Meanwhile in the bathroom, Sabrina fumed That pervert: What was it to Wh. asked him to carry her He was just trying to take advantage of her But as she remembered fam rying her up the stars and attempting to mte uneled good a sot masculine scent. He isasm bad looking either She stripped off her wet clothes cursing Carter a thousand times in her head by the tarte sher got out of the bath hall hour had passed. She wrapped her coat her, her face flushed f?rated. Aplete j?ycho bathrobe and slepp ?ter s?n a figure standing on the balcony Without saying a word, she left the am and headed for Com be bothered to argue with this heak itu had made it to her bedroom and was abroad to close the door a??i sleep. the i re you doing here? Im gong to bed Get out) ike Lan talk tomorrow her head was gunng Try your han rie was holding a per the stepped in and plugged i m After a few routeYN tempted toy her with anyone bef Her delicate features enthvaled hen, the serene dhytten af f?r betalt. ¨¹he vingast enocent under Her cent the maxicating bend of tightness wilitan has cheat Shaken, Carter retreated to the tranquilit ho bakung ng mau the dog vicious cycle of angetood mesang with ha poker palysers of a Confused, he decided to escape the growing tension. He strode down the stairs and out of the house, got into his car, and drove aimlessly around the city it wasn¡¯t long before he remembered their betrothal. Why was he behaving like a fugitive? With newfound resolve, he made a U¨Cturn back to the house he¡¯d left in haste The living room sofa became hispanion for the rest of the night. He sat there, engulfed in thoughts, the tendrils of smoke wafting from his cigarette curling around him. As fatigue set in, he finally surrendered to sleep, right there on his makeshift bed. In the morning. Marian, the housekeeper, opened the door to prepare breakfast She gasped when she saw the man on the sofa. ¡°God, Mr. Cliff, why are you sleeping on the sofa? Where¡¯s Miss Shaw? My God, the room is full of smoke. Have you been smoking all night? Did you have a fight with Miss Shaw?¡± Carter was awakened by her shouting. He frowned in annoyance. ¡°It¡¯s nothing¡® He stood up, intending to go upstairs to change and wash up. But then he remembered the girl sleeping in the bedroom upstairs. He turned around, grabbed his keys, and left the house. When Sabrina woke up, she realized she wasn¡¯t in her own bed. She jumped up in surprise. Oh no, how did she end up in his bed? She remembered drinking some alcohol the night before, coming home, and the man¡¯s tantrum. He had thrown her in the bathtub and then dried her hair. She couldn¡¯t believe he had dried her hair. He wasn¡¯t that nice, was he? Did he carry her into his bedroom after drying her hair? This man was a real pervert. She had her own bedroom, alright? She hurriedly left the room and went to her own bedroom to change her clothes. Once she was dressed, she descended the stairs to find Marian smiling at her, ¡°Ms. Shaw, you¡¯re awake. Ready for some breakfast?¡± ¡°Where is Mr. Cliff?¡± Sabrina asked, finding it strange. He was clearly at home the previous night, and she couldn¡¯t understand how she ended up in his bed Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Mr. Cliff has already left for work, Marian replied, her smile beaming. ¡°Did you two have a fight? He spent the night on the couch because of you.¡± On the couch? That seemed impossible. She had slept on his bed and he had spent the night on the couch? Chapter 105 Chapter 105 Serve him right. After all, he was the one who carried her to his bed, she was pretty certain she didn¡¯t wander there herself. Without uttering a word, she finished her breakfast and headed to school. Ever since that day, Carter had been absent from the vi for several days. Sabrina had grown ustomed to it and didn¡¯t question him, she just focused on her schoolwork and heric books. In Melfort that afternoon, Kyler heard from Addison that Kendra had been called to Andersen Corporation by Magnus again. Concerned for Kendra¡¯s safety, he hurriedly made his way to Andersen Corporation However, when he requested to see Magnus, he was stopped by Magnus¡® secretary at the entrance of the CEO¡¯s office. With no other options, a desperate Kyler headed to Maplewood Manor to seek help from Natalia. He knew that Kendra¡¯s actions often caused distress for Natalia, b ut Kendra was his biological daughter He couldn¡¯t just turn a blind eye if something happened to her, could he? After all, wasn¡¯t Magnus fond of Natalia? Her words carry more weight than theirs. Natalia, who had been reading medical books in her room, was informed by a servant that Kyler had come to see her She had a hunch about why Kyler might be here But she owed Kyler a lot ¨C she wouldn¡¯t have survived till now if it wasn¡¯t for him She might have starved to death. So, regardless of the situation, Natalia couldn¡¯t refuse to see him. Thus, she made her way downstairs to meet Kyler. ¡°Dad, what brings you here?¡± she asked. Maplewood Manor wasn¡¯t a ce that just anyone could enter She had been married to the Sapphire Ind for quite a while and had moved to Maplewood Manor some time ago. Even though Addison and Natalia had visited her numerous times to cause trouble, her father had never visited her Just thinking about it made Natalia¡¯s heart ache. Kyler was taken aback by Natalia¡¯s drastic change in attitude towards him after just a few months. He was slightly hurt, but recalling Kendra¡¯s precarious situation, he swallowed his sorrow and said, ¡°Natalia, please help your sister. I know you might be upset with me for asking this, but she¡¯s in real danger. If you don¡¯t help her, she might die.¡± He still vividly remembered how ruthlessly Magnus had treated Kendrast time If he wasn¡¯t around and Magnus decided to harm Kendra again, and Kendra remained as stubborn as ever, wouldn¡¯t she be doomed? The thought sent chills down his spine. ¡°My sister? You think she deserves to be my sister?¡± Natalia raised an eyebrow when she heard Kyler¡¯s plea. She hadn¡¯t expected Kendra to approach Magnus again. She was truly relentless. She turned to Kyler, her gaze piercing, ¡°She forced me into marriage for her, even hired someone to kidnap me and throw me into the sea. Is this what a- sister does?¡± Initially, Natalia thought that Kyler had agreed to let her marry into the Andersen family out of helplessness, to save the rkson family. She never med him for silently allowing Addison and the others to do as they pleased But after spending so much time with Magnus and experiencing so many things, Natalia realized that the world wasn¡¯t as simple as she had thought She¡¯d once believed that Kyler loved her, that he was forced into making that decision. But Kyler¡¯s silence, his willingness to sacrifice her happiness to protect Kendra, showed that in his heart, there was a significant difference between her and Kendra. Maybe he didn¡¯t love her, and maybe it was just a sense of duty. Natalia, I¡¯m sorry if there¡¯s anyone to me, it¡¯s me Kendra may have mistreated you, but she¡¯s still your sister. Now she¡¯s at Andersen Corporation with Magnus, and her life is in danger. Are you just going to stand by and watch her die?¡± Kyler was taken aback by the transformation of his once obedient daughter. He almost couldn¡¯t recognize the girl standing in front of him. He thought to himself It¡¯s no wonder Addison said Natalia had changed. Now, even he, as her father, felt that Natalia was different from before ¡°Heh, just stand by and watch her die? Kyler¡¯s words made Natalia feel like she was just a pawn of the rkson family, to be used and discarded at their whim She couldn¡¯t help but let out a coldugh. Her blue eyes were slightly red, but she tried her best to hold back her tears She stared at Kyler, thenughed bitterly, Magnus called Kendra to Andersen Corporation for a reason. As long as Kendra behaves and does as he says, what could possibly happen to her? ¡°Instead, it¡¯s you, Dad Last time, Kendra had me kidnapped and thrown into the sea. If it weren¡¯t for Magnus men, I would¡¯ve been fish food by now. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Hasn¡¯t it been a long time since that happened? Don¡¯t you know about it? All this time, have you ever visited me at Maplewood Manor? Have you ever showed any concern for me? You haven¡¯t even asked about me ¡°The ones who want to harm me now have simply been called by Magnus to the Andersen Corporation, and yet, here you are, in my face, berating me for not swooping in to y the hero. I thought that, you out of everyone in the rkson family, still love me after all. Seems like I was wrong.¡± It now seemed to her that any kindness she thought she had perceived from Kyler in the past was just a facade. 10:47 Although Kyler¡¯s actions were not as explicit as Addison¡¯s, deep down, he always favored Kendra Cyler initially thought that by saying these words, he would make Natalia feel guilty and prompt her to help Kendra To his surprise, not only did his words fail to give him the upper hand, but he was also left at a loss for words by Natalia¡¯s retort Seeing Natalias tearful eyes, Kyler instantly felt a wave of guh wash over him leaving him speechless Although he knew he had wronged Natalia, his deep concern for Kandra led bars to say. Im sorry Natalia. options If I had any sway with Magnus I wouldn¡¯t be here begging you I know your sister has gone too far making you take her ce in marriage and new wanting you to leave Magest. But no night be, she doesn¡¯t deserve to die So for the sake of your old man, can you help her just this once? From now on, I won¡¯t bother you with your sister¡® a nu He had indeed heard about the previous incident from Magnus let you down. But Ti Chapter 106 Chapter 106 kad or bad the But at that time, his mind was set on protecting Kendra, so he didn¡¯t think twice before rushing to Natalia¡¯s side. He thought the ever carefree Natalia wouldn¡¯t mind. But who would have known that she would take it to heart? When Kyler mentioned it, Natalia¡¯s resolve was further fortified Her faith in the family was already hanging by a thread. With a firm look, Natalia told Kyler, I don¡¯t need yourpensation Dad The day agreed to marry Magnut in ce of Kandra in Sapphire Hnd | said that my debt to you was paid in ful Calling you Dad now is merely because you once gave me a home (only ask that you and your family never interfere in my life again ¡° After saying this, Natalia didn¡¯t want to exchange another word with Kyler. She turned around and prepared to leave Natalia was walking away before everything could be cleared up. Kyler grew even more desperate. He coulder control the grown woman has little girl had be, and he shook his head in bitter am¨¹sement Kyler was genuinely afraid that Magnut would hurt Kandra again. He imm¨¦diately called out to Natalia. Natalia, cart pory help your sister just the sher even if your old man begs you¡±) promise (1) never ask for your help again after this Regardless he couldn¡¯t let anything happen to Kendra. She was his flesh and blond and he couldn¡¯t just stand by and watch her get hurt. ¡°¡°So what ¡° To save kendra, are you willing to use up thest bit of father daughter affection between her eyes Natalia bit her lip and said these words. Her heart grew cold With her back fin Ryder grad She didn¡¯t want to sever ties with the man she regarded as her father But seeing his stark difference in treatment vards Kandra felt as if her heart was being ruthlessly gouged out and the pain was making it hard for her to breathe Whi, was it that Kend not only had the affection of her mother Addison, but also her fathers undying protection, while Natalia. daughter wasn¡¯t even worth a single question? Why did Kyler who shared the same blood as her favor Kendra so much? ¡°Natalia Kyler was taken aback. He didn¡¯t expect the obedient and gentle daughter of his past to say such words Watching Natalia¡¯s petite figure walk away, Kyler couldn¡¯t help but feel his eyes well up with tears After weighing the pros and cons. he still looked at Natalia pleadingly. It was a while before he spoke again. If you are determined to be then have no other choice He raised Nataka for more than ten years, never expecting any return Now seeing Natalia being pushed to this point by his family, t expect any return He finally made a choice ikmong his two daughters, he still chose Kendra Hearing Kyler¡¯s words, Natalia couldn¡¯t hold back her choked back her sobs and said. ¡°Just leave I¡¯ll try to get Magnus not to bother Kendra Whether or not he listens to me, i dont know N?velDrama.Org holds this content. After saying the Natalia didn¡¯t stay where Kyler was for another second. She immediately walked upstars ¨²nor she got back to her room Natalia called Magnus. Upon hearing that Kendra had safely left Andersen Corporation, she hung up the phone shaped on he bec and cried her heart out it turned out that Kyler¡¯s previous hesitation and guilt were all lies. He and Addison both hopelessly favoured fandra in the eyes of the son family Natalie was nothing more than a pawn At Andersen Corporation Magnus who had just received a call from Nasks to Paul before preparing to leave for Maplewood Manor | something was from However, as hul assistam pushed his wheelchar out of the elevator, they were tercepted by Lucus, who had With a man he blucked Magnus way and said Magnus you look pretty wore bul Has ife been treating you badly ¡± Magnus resilience annoyed Lucius. He had tried countiess tarties to get rid Wagnus but somehow, Magnus, always managed cape fas fate furever After al wash) warned though. He believed th? Magnus wouldnt be able to ative to proteci gnus for much lange: One day the presidency of Andersen Corporation would be cubus, es thed overseas Lucius was sure he would eventualy tave Magnus perv¨¢ess. Degying on 18 Heel: bgnus chuckied coldly cactus provocator Turning to Paul Magnus baid peture Magrini m?tn h?d Magnui word a Good this time we ne To be made in the Made hul with bequem gunlight way. Magna spoke a do Once furs giventus gatructed to the Lette hes turns with digun Lucius h?drit expected yin. ii he was burung with anger and toote tightly derched Standing there, he fencely stouters) al Magis dustied would you be meters you are today Chapter 107 Chapter 107 i eufrosty er fram He leaned in, whispering threateningly into Magnus¡® ear, ¡°Listen, Magnus, you better quit bossing me around. Do you think I¡¯d actually listen to you? But if you know what¡¯s good for you, you¡¯d better hand over the CEO position of Andersen Corporation. Or else, you¡¯ll pay for this!¡± The position of CEO at the Andersen Corporation had always been his lifelong ambition. He was on the verge of achieving it, but then out of nowhere, Magnus, this cripple, had beaten him to it. The mere thought of this filled Lucius with unbearable humiliation. Magnus, who had nned to leave, stopped at Lucius words and raised his hand, stopping Paul from pushing him away. He turned his head coldly, his icy eyes staring straight at Lucius, as he said coldly, ¡°What more can you do? Even hiring a sniper and nting a bomb couldn¡¯t take my life. You really think you can? I¡¯m telling you straight, I¡¯m not giving up the CEO position. And I¡¯ve just realized that that girlfriend of yours, Kendra, right? She isn¡¯t too bad wearing the title of Mrs. Magnus After all, wherever she goes, people know her as my woman, Magnus woman You, like to mess around with her, and that¡¯s just an illicit affair between a brother¨Cinw and sister¨Cinw, something everyone points fingers at and mocks!¡± As for Lucius, a brute who couldn¡¯t be seen in public, Magnus had plenty of ways to deal with him. Did he really think that after all these years of enduring so much, he was still the same old Magnus who could be hurt at will? ¡°You Lucius was so angry that he wished he could strangle Magnus in the wheelchair. He hadn¡¯t expected Magnus to refuse to divorce Kendra, just to humiliate him! He was well aware of the rtionship between Kendra and him, and now he wasn¡¯t even making a fuss about divorce. Could it be that Kendra had done something shameful when she went to see Magnus this morning? The thought of the woman he had just fucked possibly being tainted by someone else made him feel even more disgusted Surely that was what happened. That bitch Kendra, she must have seduced Magnus, otherwise, why would the cripple suddenly change his attitude? The thought of this made Lucius furious. He charged at Magnus, but Paul stood in his way like a wall Suddenly blocked, Magnus remembered that they were in thepany, surrounded by cameras. Magnus was deliberately provoking him. He paused. sneered, and said, ¡°Magnus, do you enjoy wearing the cuckold¡¯s hat I give you?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you don¡¯t know, that Kendra was just screaming with pleasure underneath me in my office. Can you satisfy her like that as a cripple?¡± Kendra was Lucius property and he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone else to touch her Even if she was a foolish woman, she still had some use! This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Lucius had thought that these words would finally provoke Magnus. However, Magnus just gave a faint smile and said casually, ¡°Well, that¡¯s great After all, Kendra seems to have quite a strong need in that respect. I should thank you for satisfying her for me. But don¡¯t worrt, when you go to the Middle East next, you won¡¯t have time to satisfy her. I¡¯ll have my bodyguards take turns to do that for you. ¡°I believe Kendra will be very delighted with my arrangement. After all, for a woman like her, any man will do.¡± Did Lucius really think that Magnus would be eaten up with jealousy over Kendra? He didn¡¯t know that in this world, the only woman Magnus cared about was his wife. Other women meant nothing to him. As soon as Magnus finished speaking, Lucius, who had nned to provoke him, still failed to achieve his goal. Instead, Lucius was so enraged that his eyes bulged out, and the veins on his forehead were popping. He wanted to kill him, right there! So he furiously pushed Paul away, grabbed the handle of Magnus wheelchair, and shoved it hard. The force of that push was clearly intended to kill Magnus His eyes were filled with hateful light Already unable to hold back, he yelled, ¡°Magnus, you bastard, go to hell! Try touching my woman and see what happens! Even if I don¡¯t want her, I wont let you insult my woman!¡± No one had expected Lucius to attack Magnus in public. Paul, who had just been pushed aside by Lucius, was terrified. He hurriedly chased after Magnus wheelchair, shouting, ¡°Boss, watch out Magnus sat in his wheelchair, which he could have stood up from or controlled to roll back quickly, but he just sat there motionless His eyes were fixed on Lucius. A cryptic smirk yed on his lips as Lucius finally lost his temper and attacked him in front of everyone. He wanted to see after publicly revealing his spiteful and hypocritical face, whether this bastard still had any right to stay in the Andersen Corporation. As Magnus wheelchair raced backward, the elevator to the second floor of the lobby was right behind him. If Magnus slid in, the consequences would be unimaginable! Everyone in the lobby saw what was happening. Their eyes were wide with shock, and their hearts almost stopped The boss was in danger Just in the nick of time, several ck¨Cd bodyguards rushed into the lobby, lunged forward to catch the retreating wheelchair, and steadied Magnus. who was just a second away from toppling over Magnus had a narrow escape ¡°Boss, are you okay? Paul was already shaking with fear! Just as everyone heaved a sigh of relief, a gray haired, venerable Morgan entered the Andersen Corporations main gate in steady strides. The whole scene had unfolded in front of him, and he saw his grandson almost dying Morgan trembled with anger and rushed to Magnus side ¡°Magnus, are you okay? If he hadn¡¯t seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed it In the Andersen Corporation that Morgan single handedly founded, someone audaciously wished to harm his beloved grandson! He had just arrived when he spotted Magnus¡® wheelchair skidding backward. Thest person Magnus expected to see was Morgan, who hadn¡¯t visited thepany in quite some time. He looked up at Morgan, squeezing his hand with a smile ¡°Grandpa, what brings you here?¡± Lucius, on the other hand, was utterly taken aback by Morgan¡¯s unexpected visil. Not to mention Morgan had witnessed Lucius forcefully pushing Magnus. His face immediately turned as pale as a sheet. Standing there, he was too scared to utter a word, and his mind was whirling with thoughts, ¡°I¡¯m done for. He saw everything¡± Even if Lucius came up with a mouthful of excuses, none would¡¯ve justified his actions. Meanwhile, seated in his wheelchair, Magnus¡® hand that Morgan held, trembled slightly. Then, with a somewhat feeble voice, he said, ¡°Grandpa, I¡¯m fine. Don¡¯t me Lucius. He didn¡¯t mean to push me. It was just an ident¡± Chapter 108 Chapter 108 10:47 Magnus¡® words seemed like he was defending Lucius. But anyone with a discerning eye could tell that he was implying that Lucius was out to get him. Much like the past nine years, Lucius had deliberately pushed him into a line of fire, and also hired hitmen to kill him. All was done with malicious intent! Upon hearing Magnus words, Lucius was consumed by a burning rage. He shouted at Magnus, ¡°Stop slinging mud at me, Magnus! When did I push you?¡± Turning to Morgan, he fervently exined, ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t believe him. I didn¡¯t push him. I really didn¡¯t!¡± ¡°Mr. Lucius, you still deny it, when all of us here saw it. You clearly pushed our CEO intentionally. If the Chairman doesn¡¯t believe us, he can check the CCTV footage! Having done something wrong in front of so many people, Lucius still had the audacity to deny it. Paul couldn¡¯t stand it any longer and decided to call out his lie Their CEO might¡¯ve been icy, but he was kind¨Chearted, unlike the ambitious and ruthless Lucius, who could be so hard on his own brother. Paul witnessed it with his own eyes this time! Upon hearing Paul¡¯s words, Morgan, of course, knew the truth. He slowly stood up, looked at Lucius, and walked towards him. ¡°Smack!¡± A firm pnded on Lucius face. ¡°You bastard! Can¡¯t you learn to restrain yourself? Do you think I¡¯m oblivious to all you¡¯ve done? I let you off the hook because you¡¯re of the Andersen¡¯s bloodline Your brother was lucky enough to be spared from your harm!¡± Morgan¡¯s hands shook with anger Thinking of the hardships Magnus had to endure from childhood, and the repeated traps set by his brother as an adult, his heart ached as if pierced by a thousand arrows! He entrusted the Andersen Corporation to Magnus, not only to make amends but also for the company¡¯s future development. He already knew that all of this was Lucius doing. But he never thought that selfish Lucius would repeatedly try to kill Magnus Morgan already know that the idents Magnus experienced were all this Lucius doing. ¡°No, no, Grandpa, you can¡¯t wrong me like this, you can¡¯t believe Magnus¡® side of the story and wrong me!¡± Lucius shouted. His face flushed with embarrassment from being pped in front of everyone His heart filled with resentment, as he coldly looked at Morgan. Why was it always Magnus who was favored by Grandpa, since childhood? Where did Lucius fall shortpared to Magnus? Seeing Lucius continuing to deny his wrongdoings, Morgan, was filled with rage, and roared, ¡°You still won¡¯t admit your mistake! You¡¯re beyond redemption!¡± He still refused to admit his mistake, using Magnus of framing him. The CCTV footage wouldn¡¯t lie, would it? As a grandfather, he had long figured out Lucius¡® nature. But Lucius thought Morgan was old and confused, and unable to see through his actions. ¡°¡°Lucius was at a loss for words when Morgan decided to check the CCTV footage. He knew that no matter what he said today, he couldn¡¯t escape Morgan¡¯s determination to investigate this matter Left with no choice, Lucius knelt down before Morgan, crying. ¡°Grandpa, I was wrong, I shouldn¡¯t have pushed Magnus. But I really didn¡¯t mean to. He provoked me and made me lose my mind ¡± Magnus chuckled bitterly as he watched Lucius not only dly take the beating to save face, but also kneel in front of everyone. Then he Magnus said quietly. ¡°Lucius, who provoked who? You were just in your office, engaging in intimate acts with Kendra, mywful wife. You imed that you¡¯ve cuckolded me. I didn¡¯t retaliate because you¡¯re my brother, Lucius. In any case, Kendra is still my wife byw, and we¡¯re not divorced yet. Aren¡¯t you going too far?¡± Lucius trying to argue with him was like fighting a tank with a sword. With so many eyes on the scene, he wanted to see how Lucius would talk his way out of this in front of Grandpa this time. ¡°You bastard¡± Hearing Magnus words, Morgan was livid When he noticed a wooden ruler nearby that the manager of the design department had brought over, he grabbed it and started hitting Lucius with it. His face was a picture of anger and heartbreak. This was a family disgrace. A man¡¯s wife had an affair with her husband¡¯s brother. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. This was utterly disgraceful! Magnus was the grandson who resembled Morgan the most, so Morgan had high hopes for him since childhood. Sadly, he had lost his legs in a fire. when he was young and had to live on Sapphire Ind for many years But who knew that Lucius, this scum, was so intolerant of him. Just looking at the contributions Magnus made to thepany since his return, could Lucius have done the same? He wasn¡¯t capable himself, and yel he couldn¡¯t stand seeing others seed Morgan, wielding the ruler, was a sight to behold Magnus rolled over in his wheelchair and grabbed Morgan¡¯s hand ¡°Grandpa, let go. Your health is more important. Please dont tire yourself out. I¡¯m fine. Let¡¯s go, Grandpa!¡± Finally, Morgan stopped hitting Lucius with the ruler, threw it to the ground, and left the hall on the second floor with Magnus As they were leaving, Magnus looked back at the pitiful Lucius kneeling on the ground, and a smirk appeared on his face Lucius, Lucius, I didn¡¯t n to deal with you so soon. You had to bring this upon yourself Magnus and Morgan headed to their family business After a brief conversation, Magnus bodyguard escorted Morgan home, reminding him with endless caution to take care. Magnus nodded, and a determined look appeared in his eyes ¡®Don¡¯t worry, Grandpa I¡¯m going to take care of myself, and I make the family business prosperi Once Morgan had left, Magnus too departed, heading straight for Maplewood Manor Natalia, in her state of mncholy, had secluded herself in her room. Her mood was deste as she sat on the balcony, and her eyes were locked on the horizon where the sun was setting, bathing the sky in a sorrowful crimson hue She had always thought that despite being separated from her mother at a young age, she at least had her father. Though he didn¡¯t hold much authority at home, he loved her from the bottorn of his heart. But now, when reality hit her, and she realized that things were not as she had thought, she felt a deep sense of istion. It seemed as if there was no one in this cold, indifferent world who truly cared about her. She wondered where her mother could possibly be.. A chilling ¡°snap!¡± echoed through the air just as Natalia was lost in her despair, feeling utterly alone and helpless in the world. Chapter 109 Chapter 109 10:47 The door to her room was flung open abruptly. Then, the sound of wheelchair wheels echoed through the room. The minute she heard it, Natalia instinctively knew it was Magnus. She instantly felt flustered, and hurriedly tried to gather herposure. However, her eyes were red, and her tear¨Cstreaked face was impossible to hide. ¡°Mydy¡¯s been crying?¡± Magnus had already heard from the staff when he returned. Kyler hade to Maplewood Manor concerning Kendra, causing a big scene, and leaving Natalia upset Magnus had suspected something was wrong when Natalia called him earlier So he hurried back, not wanting to see Natalia upset over such a trivial matter ¡°You already know? Natalia asked, her reddened eyes looking at him She had hoped to keep this incident from Magnus, because his injuries hadn¡¯t healed, and she didn¡¯t want him to get upset over the rkson family¡¯s affairs. But he knew anyway because she had called to ask about Kendra. On second thought, it made sense. This was Maplewood Manor Everyone here was under Magnus¡® command. Nothing that happened here could be kept from him. Seeing Natalia¡¯s downtrodden look, Magnus felt a pang in his heart he had never felt before. He wheeled himself over to her side, pulling her into his arms ¡°Don¡¯t let their heartless actions bother you. Haven¡¯t I already told the staff not to let any of the rksons into Maplewood Manor? He said softly They let Kyler in I¡¯ll deal with them.¡± Hurting his woman was unforgivable. And wasn¡¯t Kyler, Natalia¡¯s father, ashamed of his heartless actions? Natalia immediately looked up at him. She stared at him seriously and said, ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t punish the staff. They asked me before they let my father in It¡¯s not their fault. Don¡¯t punish them for this, please How could the staff be med for letting Kyler in? Even if Kyler had just called her, she would have agreed to meet him. Especially when Kyler went all the way to Maplewood Manor, she couldn¡¯t possibly refuse to see him All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Your heart is too kind. But do you see anyone else caring whether you¡¯re upset or not? Magnus couldn¡¯t help but soften, hugging her closer He didn¡¯t say anything, but he was thinking, ¡°Kyler, that heartless man, deserved no mercy for what he had done today¡± Natalia, who was held tightly in his arms, seemed to have heard his thoughts. She looked up at him again, saying earnestly, ¡®And please, don¡¯t do anything to my father. I understand why he favors Kendra, and I won¡¯t hold their ignorance against them. He has raised me, and I don¡¯t want him to suffer because of me.¡± Magnus temper was still a mystery to Natalia. So she could only tread carefully, hoping he would heed her words. ¡°What a silly girl, Magnus murmured, his heart shattering when he heard Natalia say. ¡°They don¡¯t love me¡± He gently tilted her chin up, and said softly, ¡°Mydy, even if the whole world doesn¡¯t love you, I will. I will marry you and grow old with you. I am not them, and I will never leave you.¡± He had always thought he was the only one who had been betrayed by his own family, but after meeting Natalia, he realized there were people who had it worse No wonder Natalia had stayed by his side, taking care of him despite his harsh treatment. She knew what it felt like to be abandoned and couldn¡¯t bear to do the same to others ¡°What did you say?¡± Natalia asked, clearly stunned. She stared at Magnus, and her eyes were wide with disbelief. Just a few days ago, Magnus had confessed his feelings for her, which had already left her in disbelief. And now, he was saying he loved her. All hei sorrow seemed to disappear at his words. Her heart pounded in her chest He said he would love her, even when everyone else abandoned her Those were his words. Magnus couldn¡¯t help butugh. He leaned in and kissed her gently. ¡°You truly are a silly girl. I said I love you. I said we would get married and be together forever I will never leave you, ever Magnus was so serious that Natalia could only stare into his bright eyes. They were sparkling like stars in the night sky. She saw nothing but honesty and sincerity. He really loved her! Tears welled up in her eyes again. She clutched the corner of his shirt Thank you, Magnus Thank you for loving me, and for giving me a home. Even d you abandon me in the future, I won¡¯t me you!¡± No one had ever promised to never leave her in her entire life. Her status was humble, and no one deerbed her worthy. Therefore, Magnus words struck straight into Natalia¡¯s heart, who had just felt abandoned by her father, leaving her overwhelmed with emnation. Baby I mean every word Magnus was filled with agony at Natalia¡¯s tears. He reached out to wipe them away and softly spoke those words to he ¡°Once I¡¯ve sorted out all these matters, not only will i make up for the honeymoon, but also the wedding and proposal you missed out on. Nat, i will make you happy, trust me He would cherish Natalia She never abandoned him, even at the brink of death. He would nevere across a woman like her again. She was going to be his one and only in life Magnus deep voice and his sincere promises moved Natalia to tears At this moment, the thanked God for allowing her to meet hem. She even feit grateful to Kendra for arranging their marriage Chapter 110 Chapter 110 She raised her hand, looping her arms around Magnus¡® neck. It was her first time initiating a hug with Magnus, then tentatively she pressed her lips onto his. Magnus jolted, taking initiative, reciprocating her kiss with a deep passion. After Magnus¡® confession, the two enjoyed a sweet kiss in their bedroom. They were wrapped in each other¡¯s arms, each possessing the other. Kendra, who came back from Andersen Corporation looking disheveled and bruised, gave Addison a big shock She widened her eyes, looking at Kendra in disbelief. ¡°Kendra, what happened to you? How did you end up like this? Who did this to you? Was it Magnus?¡± Kendra, who was so tormented that she barely looked human, didn¡¯t answer Addison¡¯s question when she came in. She stumbled onto the sofa and burst into tears. ¡°Honey, stop crying and tell Mom what happened? Seeing Kendra in such a mess, Addison knew she must have been bullied Kyler wasn¡¯t home yet, which made Addison furious. She cursed in her heart, ¡°Damn Kyler, such a coward His daughter is in this state, and yet where the hell is he?¡± No matter how much Addison asked, Kendra, who was crying uncontrobly, didn¡¯t answer her. This drove Addison to the edge, making her feelpletely at a loss. As Kendra refused to speak, an impatient Addison stood up and dered, ¡°Fine, if you won¡¯t speak, I¡¯ll go to Andersen Corporation and demand answers from Magnus. If he doesn¡¯t give me an exnation today, this won¡¯t be over!¡± The Andersen family might¡¯ve been powerful, but so what? Even if she couldn¡¯t stand up to them, she would still bite a piece off of them! Her family wasn¡¯t one to mess with ¡°Mom, don¡¯t go. We can¡¯t fight them Kendra stretched out her hand, grabbing Addison who was about to stand up Addison, as a mother couldn¡¯t bear to see her daughter¡¯s humtion. She couldn¡¯t help yelling, ¡°Even if we can¡¯t win, we have to fight! Who the hell is Magnus? Why is he bullying my daughter?¡± Kendra was called to Andersen Corporation by Magnus, so now that something happened to Kendra, Addison naturally thought that Magnus was to me Kendra, who was already upset, couldn¡¯t hold back her tears when she heard Addison¡¯s words. She cried out, ¡°It¡¯s not Magnus, it¡¯s that bastard Lucius! He raped me!¡± Then she looked at Addison with resentment. ¡°If it were Magnus who had done this to me, I wouldn¡¯t feel so humiliated! But he can¡¯t even look at me without feeling disgusted! She used to pester Lucius all the time and even gave away her virginity to him Part of the reason she did that was because he was the sole heir to the entire Andersen Corporation, and she did like him But he failed, and he was a loser. After witnessing his true colors, she realized she had been blind to have fallen in love with this devil! What right did such a loser and devil have to have her? That bastard raped her, and she would never swallow this indignity, never! ¡°Lucius? Where¡¯s Magnus then? You¡¯re his legal wife. Is he just going to let Lucius take advantage of you?¡± Upon hearing that Lucius was the culprit and not Magnus, Addison blew up N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Lucius failure to secure the position of CEO at Andersen Corporation was now well known. Her daughter had wasted so many years with him, and it was already a big loss. But now this bastard, not only didn¡¯t let Kendra go, but also did such outrageous things to her darling daughter, it was unforgiva?ier When Addison asked this. Kendra started crying again. Then she stuttered, ¡°When I went to Andersen Corporation today, he did loosen his stance He wasn¡¯t so adamant about divorcing me But he asked me to prove to him that I won¡¯t have anything to do with Lucius in the future. But after what happened today, if he finds out what to me he¡¯ll definitely divorce me She had suffered so much and barely made it to this point, and Lucius actions could potentially ruin all her efforts. Just thyking about this, Kendra was filled with hate After hearing Kendra¡¯s words. Addison¡¯s face turned incredibly pale She stood up again and said. Regardless of whether it was Magnus ar going to get back at them for you today! Our rkson family may not be as powerful as the Andersens, but that doesn¡¯t mean 11 let anly?nni, krully daughter When Lucius was the sole heir to Andersen Corporation, they considered his feelings and tried to please him. They never stopped hun from taking Kendra anywhere, hoping their daughter could be the wife of the CEO of Andersen Corporation Now that Lucius couldn¡¯t be the CEO. Addison could not have her daughter treated like this. This was Just as Addison was about to rush off to confront Lucius A tear¨Cstreaked Kendra once again managed topose herself. Her words were choked with emotion. ¡°Mom, I need to handle this myself, Lucius had the audacity to manipte me! I¡¯ll make han pay for what he¡¯s done today!¡± A flicker of vengeance red in Kendra¡¯s eyes if word got out about today. Magnus would have been a tad displeased with has, but she was the victim here Surely Magnus wouldn¡¯t hold it against her As long as Kendra followed Magnus instruction and got what he wanted, he would certainly stick to his word and not die her With that in mind. Kendra was resolute No matter what she had to find a way to ensnare Lucius! 1 Magnus¡® wounds had fully healed after a period of rest. Compared to his previous hectic days at the corporation, he seemed to have a lot more downtime lately. He spent most of it with Natalia at their home. Maplewood Manor. Most of the time, Magnus and Natalia would sit on the balcony, talking and watching the sunrise and sunset together. Natalia always brought a chair, but most of the time, Magnus would pull her towards him and she would find herself sitting on Magnus¡®p. Each time this happened, Natalia would blush uncontrobly. Her face was so red she hardly dared to look at Magnus. ¡°My dear, am I that scary?¡± Magnus teased, whispering in her ear as he saw her reaction. ¡°Why do you always shy away when I hold you?¡± Chapter 111 Chapter 111 ¡± Chapter His arm wrapped tightly around her petite waist, with a desire to devour her whole. Never before had he felt this intensely about anyone. Each time she acted so shy, he wanted nothing more than to pin her beneath him and fuck her good. Natalia was already a shy individual, and felt her heart beat wildly at his words. With a blush, she stammered, ¡°No, it¡¯s it¡¯s not like that. I¡¯m just not used to it Each time Magnus held her, he¡¯d make some yful moves. She had been skittish at first but had now grown ustomed to it. Inevitably, they would end up in Magnus bed ¡°Unustomed? If I recall correctly, I hold you like this at least thrice a day¡± Magnus said, gently stroking her smooth cheek While caressing her, he spoke in a low tone, ¡°My dear, you must get used to it¡± With that, Magnus leaned down, unable to resist the urge to taste her soft, delicate lips Natalia instinctively wanted to flee, but before she could step away. Magnus tightened his grip around her. His sensual lips stopped just inches from hers Teasingly, he said, ¡°Oh, so mydy wants to run? She¡¯s quite brave!¡± Watching her dodge his advances aroused him once more. He yearned for her. Didn¡¯t she feel the same? It seemed love wasn¡¯t fair; he was always the one deeper in it 1 I¡¯m just tired. You shouldn¡¯t always be like this. It¡¯s not good for the recovery of your leg, Natalia said. She didn¡¯t understand why Magnus, despite his leg being numb, had such strong desires. Moreover, she felt that Magnus leg seemed mighty fine during their moments in bed. Was it her imagination or was Magnus hiding something from her? Magnus couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at Natalia¡¯s innocent face. He thought to himself, his dear wife was indeed naive. If it were someone else, they would have been suspicious by now But he adored Natalia¡¯s innocence and her unwavering trust in him. He hoped it would remain this way forever, even if he had to continue pretending to be disabled ¡°Why are youughing? I¡¯m speaking the truth, Natalia said. Her already flushed face was reddening further at hisughter, and she now looked like a ripe apple One look at her and anyone would feel a desire to take a bite. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Just as Magnus was about to respond to Natalia and tease his sweet wife further, his phone rang in his pocket. With a sigh, he yfully pinched Natas nose before answering the call What is it?¡± ¡°Sir, the situation in the Middle East has been handled and Lucius is on his way back. The way things went down, Lucius now has a lot of resentment towards you Should we prepare ourselves in advance?¡± Lucius was known to be ruthless and Magnus had tricked him into going to the Middle East for a month. Now that he was back, he was sure to retaliate Magnus¡® men thought it was best to notify him of Lucius return, just in case Lucius decided to pull some outrageous stunt, causing harm to Magnus Hearing this, Magnusughed. He didn¡¯t even consider Natalia in his arms as he responded, ¡°There¡¯s no need for any special preparations. Lucius isi ing match for me. Someone else is waiting for him to fall into the pit! There was always Kendra. Tell Kendra, she has only three days. If she can¡¯t do what I want, she¡¯ll have to figure it out herself¡± He had said he would make Kendra and Lucius bite each other. The show was about to start ¡°Yes, sir, I¡¯ll handle it right away¡± Once the call ended, Magnus hung up For a while, Natalia remained in Magnus arms, silent as if the call never happened. Aren¡¯t you curious about what I want Kendra to do?¡± Magnus assumed Natalia would be interested in the agreement between him and Kendra. After al he could tell that although she imed to have cut ties with the rksons, she still cared about them deep down, Natalia just blinked at him, then, as if she had made up her mind, looked at Magnus with determined eyes. ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to know. I have nothing to do with the rksons anymore¡± When Kyler visited her his words were enough for her to sever ties with the rksons But she did have a ce in her heart for Kyles However, she couldn¡¯t forgive her father for using her as a pawn if in his eyes, his only daughter was Kendra, Natalia didn¡¯t need to be part of ther family drama anymore ¡°Really? You don¡¯t care at all? Magnus was surprised by Natalias decisiveness. This only made hum love her more He had always admired women who were decisive and ruthless, but the moment he fell for her he had given up on transforming Natalia into such a woman in the end, he couldn¡¯t bear to see her change on his whims he didn¡¯t want her to be unhappy And now as Magnus watched Natalia mature a bit, he realized that she was actually bing somewhat malleable He felt as if he stumbled upon a true gem. Natalia pouted at Magnus incredibility looking a bit disgruntled. She said. ¡°Believe it or not, i dont want to hear about the rkson family¡¯s affairs anymore¡® ¡°Alright, alright from now on, I won¡¯t mention their matters in front of you Magnus quickly tried tofort her. He also hugged her, maneuvering his wheelchair towards the bedroom. At the same time, he whispered in her ear, ¡°Let¡¯s then share our own secrets shall we?¡± With that. Magnus suddenly lifted Natalia and tossed her onto the bed He leaped in after her, and his towering figure was looming over her Chapter 112 Chapter 112 At the Golden Groove, the music was ear¨Csplitting inside the private rooms. Countless men and women were intoxicated by the dazzling lights and the aroma of the booze. But thergest and most luxurious private room waspletely insted from the outside noise, thanks to its high¨Cend soundproofing equipment. ¡°Magnus, are you sure about this? Sending Kendra to deal with Lucius?¡± James took a swig of his drink, and leisurely looked at Magnus who was sitting in their midst, whose eyes were brimming with satisfaction. Despite his faith in Magnus¡® intellectual prowess, James still felt this strategy was out of character for his friend. After all, Lucius was not someone who fought with kids gloves Would using Kendra against him, a woman who had been involved with Lucius for so many years, be effective? In James opinion, they should have assembled a team of experts from their organization and armed them with high¨Cend weaponry to make Swiss cheese out of that bastard, Lucius That sounded more like it. Upon hearing Jamesments, Magnus, who had been leisurely sipping his drink, suddenly burst into laughter. Lifting his head to look at James, he said, ¡°When have I ever joked about these matters with you guys? My methods may differ from Lucius methods, but they are certainly not any less potent than his foolish antics Sensing Magnus confidence, Chase, who sat quietly on the side, nodded, and said, ¡°Regardless of the oue, it¡¯s worth a try. The idea is to break Lucius from the inside and lead him down a path of self¨C destruction Just imagine how terrifying it would be for a man to be betrayed by his own woman!¡± While he didn¡¯t fullyprehend why Magnus decided to use Kendra for this task, neither did he think that the brute force approach advocated by James was any more sophisticated than Lucius antics. If real guns and bullets were sufficient, Lucius wouldn¡¯t be alive today. Magnus simply wanted to lead Lucrus to his own downfall out of respect for his grandfather. ¡°But I still think it s not the best approach¡± James interjected. He did not want to contradict Magnus but was genuinely concerned about wasting a golden opportunity to deal with Lucius. He was itching to get his hands dirty However, seeing Magnus piercing gaze fall on him, he felt a chill run down his spine. In a rush, he added, 1 mean, Kendra has been with Lucius for so many years What if she disobeys orders or changes her mind midway? Wouldn¡¯t all our efforts go to waste¡± in his view, the most straightforward and effective solution was to get rid of Lucius once and for all. Lucius hadmitted countless atrocities, and he¡¯d been itching to deal with him for a long time. N?velDrama.Org holds this content. Magnus wasn¡¯t worried In fact, heughed at James¡® concern. He drained his ss of its contents and then confidently stated, Kendra will not back out. She still yearns for the title of Mrs Andersen; she wanted to be the CEO¡¯s wife¡± If Kendra had any feelings for Lucius, how could she have switched sides and started cozying up to him as soon as Lucius lost the fight for the CEO¡¯s position? Kendra was a woman blinded by vanity and greed, oblivious to her own shorings. The reason he chose to use her against Lucius was merely to add some drama to the whole scenario And he was certain that Kendra didn¡¯t have the guts to cross him. Fine as long as you¡¯re happy with your n. If things don¡¯t work out, you can always call on me, James said, reluctantly epting Magnus decisi¨®n. He had never interacted with Kendra and had no idea what kind of person she was. But from what Magnus had shared, she seemed to be a rather unpleasant woman No wonder she and Lucius were a perfect match. As James voiced these sentiments Magnus didn¡¯t even bother to respond ncing at the designer watch on his wrist and noting thete hout, he rose from his seat, moved to a wheelchair parked nearby, and said to Chase and James, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte I¡¯ll be heading back He needed to go home early to spend time with his wife. Natalia He didn¡¯t have much time to waste with these two singletons His fondness for the Golden Groove was waning it was too noisy He preferred staying at Maplewood Manor and spending the entire night stargazing with Natalia Even he found his sentiments amusing, but he just couldn¡¯t help it Nataka just had a special ce in his heart ¡°You¡¯re leaving already? You¡¯ve only been here for less than half an hour¡± James eximed taken aback by Magnus sudden departure. While he admitted that Natalia was indeed a beautiful and kind¨C hearted woman worthy of a mans love, he didn¡¯t expect Magnus to be so smitten that he wouldn¡¯t leave the house for days on end, only to return home after just half an hour when he finally did step out Natalia¡¯s power over him was indeed formidable However hearing Jamesints the usually silent Chase couldn¡¯t help butugh He said. We¡¯re lucky to have him join us today, so shipining Next time, we¡¯ll just go to Maplewood Manor it save Magnus the trouble of traveling back and forth. How could he bear to leave ha young wife alone? Chase knew very well that Magnus, who had always kept his distance from women, had fallen hard this time But it was a good timing that Natalia vas different from her sister Kendra She was a loyal and righteous girl and perfectly suited to be by Magnus ude After James heard Chases words he was about to scoff when Magnus, who had reached the dour of the room in his wheelchar, shipped, and hated around With an approving look in his eyes, he said to Chase. Thats a good suggestion if il save me the inqukie of traveling this far Next tatis, juste over to Maplewood Manor After speaking tas piece. Magnus didn¡¯t say anything more ite walked straight out of the private room, through the door that gas held open by the water Then he disappeared from sight, leaving a somewhat stunned James and Chase in his wake ¡°That¡¯s a bit much, int (17) James finally said, watching Magnus leave At his words. Chase, who had been quietly nursing his drink, poked up with a puzzled expression on his face. Then he said. ¡°You the yboy of this game we call life wouldnt understand what true love is Our boss has found the real deal Meanwhile, Magnus was waiting for Kendra to make a matret Kendra, having received a call from Magnus¡® assistant, was getting a bit anxious. She was afraid that the deadline Magnus had given her wouldn¡¯t be enough time to get things done After hanging up, she quickly got out of bed, not daring to waste any more time. She put on her best outfit, made herself up meticulously, and set out to find Lucius Chapte Chapter 113 Chapter 113 Kyler and Addison noticed that Kendra, who had been gloomy a couple of days ago, had suddenly dolled up to go out. Both of them looked at each other with grave concern. Addison rose from her seat, hailing Kendra who was already by the door. ¡°Kendra, where are you going? Let your dad take you!* Thest time, Lucius had raped Kendra. She insisted on getting her revenge and brushing off Addison¡¯s attempts to stop her. This was a feud she wanted to settle herself But in the following days, Addison couldn¡¯t help but tremble at Kendra¡¯s words. Even though Lucius wasn¡¯t the CEO of the Andersen Corporation anymore, he was still the second son of the Andersen family and the vice¨Cpresident of thepany His status in this city was not something an average person could mess with. Even if their entire rkson family wanted to deal with Lucius, it was not an easy task. Moreover, they knew their daughter well Her sudden deration to confront Lucius herself hinted at some hidden agenda. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll have the chauffeur take me,¡± Kendra responded impatiently to Addison¡¯s concern. She was pressed for time and didn¡¯t have the luxury to exin to anyone unrted. ¡°But Even though Addison could see Kendra was annoyed, she still worried about what could happen if Kendra went out. Before she could finish her sentence though, Kendra who was standing by the door yanked it open. With a highly exasperated look and a furrowed brow, she said to Addison, ¡°Mom, can you just stop bothering me? I¡¯m not a child anymore. I know what I should and shouldn¡¯t do,¡± ¡°Please stop worrying about me Let me have some freedom!¡± With that said, an impatient Kendra stepped out and mmed the door shut behind her. With the loud bang of the door shutting, all Addison could see was the door in front of her closed and her furious daughter had left. She was bbergasted, grumbling under her breath. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into that girl? She¡¯s been sulking at home for so long, and now she¡¯s all fired up. I don¡¯t know where she gets her temper from¡± Sitting on the couch, Kyler didn¡¯t appreciate Kendra¡¯s outburst. It reminded him of how well¨Cbehaved and sensible Natalia used to be at home. Thinking back to what Natalia said the day he had to rescue Kendra from Maplewood Manor, Kyler felt a pang in his heart. He knew he had gone too far that day. hurting Natalia. It seemed he needed to find the right time to apologize to his daughter at Maplewood Manor He had raised her, after all, and there was no such thing as overnight hatred between father and daughter. Given Natalia¡¯s personality, she wouldn¡¯t hold a grudge However, witnessing Kendra storm out and Kyler reacting as if he wasn¡¯t concerned made Addison enraged. ¡°Kyler, didn¡¯t you see your daughter storm out? Don¡¯t you care if something happens to her?¡± ¡°Do you only care about your illegitimate daughter? Do you see your wife and daughter, as invisible?¡± Ever since Kyler brought Natalia back to the rkson family over a decade ago, this had be Addison¡¯s regr outburst. Used to her irrational outbursts, Kyler, feeling irritated, simply red at her before heading upstairs, leaving a fuming Addison alone in the living room. Meanwhile, Kendra, who had left the rkson family, had the family chauffeur drive her to Lucius luxury apartment in the city. Since Kendra used to frequent this apartment, she was familiar with the security guards and easily made her way inside. When she knocked on the door of Lucius apartment, the sudden appearance of Kendra startled the house butler. Ever since Magnus became the CEO, Lucius had been drinking and cursing at home every day The targets of his curses were Magnus and the woman they had thought to be the nailed¨Con Lucius, wife. Therefore, it was indeed a surprise to see Kendra, the subject of those curses, standing at the door. ¡°What, don¡¯t you recognize me anymore?¡± Kendra snapped, irked by the servants¡® stares. These lowly servants used to serve her hand and foot when she lived with Lucius. Now, they dared to act differently after her short absence? Hearing Kendra¡¯s rebuke, the dumbfounded servants quickly lowered their heads and apologized, ¡°Sorry, Ms. rkson.¡± No matter what happened between Kendra and Lucius, she was once Lucius¡® woman, and clearly above their station. The servants knew to apologize, and this made Kendra shot them a haughty nce before continuing, ¡°Where¡¯s Lucius? I need to see him!¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Magnus had given her only a limited amount of time. She couldn¡¯t waste it, so a swift resolution was best. ¡°This The servants were taken aback by Kendra¡¯s sudden appearance and her demand to see Lucius The butler felt a bit awkward, lowering his head. He then said, ¡°Apologies, Ms. rkson, but you might have to wait for a bit. We need to consult with Mr. Lucius first¡± Lucius had clearly stated before that if Kendra ever showed up again, they were to show her the door Given Kendra¡¯s current state, they dared not kick her out. Therefore, they naturally had to ask Lucius¡® opinion ¡°You need to ask? Are you kidding me? I¡¯ve been to this apartment countless times. Are you blind? Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± She hadn¡¯t expected to be stopped by a servant on her visit to see Lucius Just moments ago, she thought these servants had some sense. Now Kendra¡¯s face darkened instantly. If it weren¡¯t for her strange rtionship with Lucius, she would have already pped this butler standing in front of her. How dare he obstruct her way! Facing Kendra¡¯s intimidating demeanor, the butler didn¡¯t dare to look up. He just lowered his head, his voice trembling as he said. ¡°My apologies, Ms. rkson. These are Mr. Lucius¡® orders. We have no choice but to obey¡± Chapter Chapter 114 Chapter 114 The words of the butler, now ringing in the ears of an infuriated Kendra, left her speechless. With anger bubbling in her heart, Kendra had no choice but to concede. She clenched her teeth and red at the butler. ¡°Fine, go tell Lucius. I don¡¯t believe he won¡¯t see me!¡± Thest time at Andersen Corporation, Lucius had disregarded all consequences, and did not care about offending Magnus. He just dragged her into his office to fuck her. That was all because she had met with Magnus, which caused Lucius to lose his temper. From this, Kendra could tell that Lucius¡® feelings towards her were ratherplex from the start, so, she wasn¡¯t worried about Lucius refusing to see her out of anger. After all, who was to me for Lucius ipetence, forcing her to lower herself and appease Magnus? Kendra had finally agreed to let the butler inform Lucius, and the butler, who had been tormented by Kendra, didn¡¯t dare to stay a second longer and hurried into the apartment When Lucius heard that Kendra hade to see him, he couldn¡¯t believe it at first. But when he heard from the butler that it was indeed Kendra, he sneered and said, ¡°What is she doing here? Haven¡¯t I already said that if shees to see me again, just kick her out?¡± The fact that Kendra had abandoned Lucius to curry favor with Magnus, was an immense insult to him. He would never allow anyone to step over him. especially Magnus, who had continuously stolen his position and his woman! He despised Kendra ¡°Yes, sir¡± Since Lucius once again wanted to drive Kendra away, the butler didn¡¯t dare to say anything and quietly retreated, ready to drive Kendra away. But before he could get to the door, Lucius, who had just been gloomy, suddenly changed his mind. He then called out to the butler, ¡°Let her in!¡± He wanted to see what tricks she was going to y today. Thinking about it, what he did in his office that day, although impulsive, was only to show Magnus that his wife screamed under him. Perhaps the whole corporation was now gossiping, saying that Magnus, the cripple, couldn¡¯t provide happiness for his wife, and only he could. The fact that his legal wife was fucked by another man in his ownpany must have been a hard pill to swallow. What right did such a useless cripple have to be the CEO of Andersen Corporation? Even though he had a moment of satisfaction, Lucius thought about how his grandfather had actually sided with Magnus due to their dispute and pressured him to go to the Middle East, where he almost died. He couldn¡¯t bear this. The anger was stuck in his throat, almost choking him to death. He had worked diligently for Andersen Corporation for years and contributed so much to thepany. Why couldn¡¯t his grandfather see it? In his heart, his most outstanding grandchild was actually Magnus, the cripple Lucius wouldn¡¯t bear such humiliation. He would one day show his grandfather that he was the best. Kendra, who Lucius had allowed to enter his home, was led by the butler to Lucius¡® room. Even though they had had an ugly fight over Magnus recently, Kendra could still brazenly act as if nothing had happened. She walked straight up to him, suppressing the hatred in her heart, and smiled at Lucius. ¡°Lucius, you¡¯re back from your business trip. I heard the Middle East isn¡¯t very peaceful. Did you encounter any danger?¡± To be honest, ever since Kendra and Lucius got together, Lucius had been good to her. She was confident that even though she had made a fuss before. Lucius wouldn¡¯t possibly ignore her If he were the CEO of Andersen Corporation, she might have even given him her heart ¡°Haha, you¡¯re worried about me? Seeing Kendra dressed so borately to see him, Lucius stared at her and said coldly, 1 suppose you¡¯re hoping | met with an ident in the Middle East, so you can unabashedly court Magnus, that cripple, right?¡± He knew what kind of woman Kendra was the best. He had been pursuing her so hard recently, but she had been avoiding him like the gue. Now she had suddenly appeared before him What was she up to? Kendra knew thating to see Lucius would definitely lead to a confrontation. However, she had prepared herself mentally and didn¡¯t show any anger after hearing Lucius words Instead, she looked at Lucius with teary eyes and said, ¡°Lucius, how could you say that about me? You know very well that had no choice in what I did recently. Who do I have in my heart, don¡¯t you know? Lucius was as fake as they came, and Kendra knew that very well if he truly loved her from the bottom of his heart, how could he have done such a thing to her in his office? Kendra had made up her mind She just needed to bear with it this one time. She would use a trick to convince Lucius that she was forced, and when she aplished what Magnus wanted, she could finally be the wife of the CEO of Andersen Corporation. ¡°Ha¨Cha¨Cha¨Cha, But after hearing Kendra¡¯s words, Lucius burst intoughter He looked at Kendra as if she was some kind of joke Kendra, oh dear Kendra, do you really think I¡¯m some kind of fool? You were forced? ¡°Who was it that held a gun to your head and made you dress so provocatively, to sway your hips in front of Magnus? Too bad for you, darling, Magnus is not only impotent but also finds you repulsiveThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°After all those years of spending nights with me, Magnus thinks you¡¯re nothing more than an old whore. Do you really think he¡¯d keep you by his side, and let you y the role of his wife?¡± The most important thing was that Magnus was crippled; he couldn¡¯t even secure his position as the CEO of Andersen Corporation. So, Kendra¡¯s grand n, no matter how she calcted it, was destined to fail Lucius¡® words were just too insulting. Kendra, the pampered little rich girl, who was always treated like a delicate flower, upon hearing Lucius words, had the rage inside her instantly ignited. Chapter 115 Chapter 115 If it weren¡¯t for the more pressing matters at hand, Kendra would have definitely stormed over and given the shameless jerk a good p ¡°Lucius, you¡¯re truly despicable,¡± she thought to herself. ¡°You¡¯re worthless, and yet you expect me to y your games. What a waste of time it was investing in you!¡± Despite her internal monologue of disgust, Kendra maintained an innocent fa?ade Her hands clenched into fists, as she struggled to keep her anger at bay. With tears streaming down her face, she pleaded, ¡°Lucius, can¡¯t you trust me? Didn¡¯t you once say that I was your greatest love? I only got close to Magnus to help you ¡°Help me?¡± She was still ying the victim card at this point, and Lucius had had enough Interrupting her with a stern frown, he said ¡°Stop your acting. Kendra I see you for what you truly are now! You fancy Magnus, that good for nothing don¡¯t you? He¡¯s offering you something, isn¡¯t he? I tell you what You are not gonna go back to me I¡¯m done with you His eyes were aze with anger. There was no way he¡¯d ever trust her again. Lucius had anticipated a day woulde when Kendra woulde crawling back to him. He just hadn¡¯t expected it to happen so soon. Seemed like Magnus, the good for nothing wasn¡¯t as appealing to Kendra as she made it nut to be Just one monthter and she was back in his arms Lucius words were bing increasingly harsh, practically driving Kendra mad. So, without saying a word, she stood her ground in front of him. She reached into her bag and pulled out a pocket knife ¡°What do you think you¡¯re doing? Lucius was taken aback by Kendra¡¯s sudden move. His previous bravado vanished, reced by a sudden unease Not because he was scared she¡¯d kill him, but because he didn¡¯t want her causing any trouble in his apartment Seeing Lucius reaction, Kendra couldn¡¯t help but smirk internally However, on the outside, she maintained her heartbroken guise know yOU WON¡¯T believe anything | say now But I¡¯m just a fragile woman, and what could I possibly have done? I¡¯ve been with you for so many years, how could I possibly like Magnus¡± know that trying to please Magnus must have made you despise me. But you must have known the day you went to the Andersen Corporation jou were jealous, weren¡¯t you, Lucius? That¡¯s when I realized you still cared for me Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been so upset. ¡°But it¡¯s toote now You don¡¯t believe I have feelings for you anymore, and that¡¯s okay, since none of you care about how I feel anymore 71 just disappear from this world. That¡¯ll make all of you happy! With that Kendra, seemingly ovee by emotion, ced the de to her neck, ready to make the cut. She had nned this all along, knowing that Lucius wouldn¡¯t easily fall for her act Without resorting to drastic measures, there was no way she could deceive him ¡°Have you lost your mind? Lucius, who had initially thought Kendra intended to stab him, was shocked to see her attempting to take her own life Amost reflexively, he pulled Kendra into his arms, knife, and all Kendra, who knew all along that Lucius wouldn¡¯t let her die, let out a triumphant chuckle before resorting to her pitiful crying act again. Lucius, why did you stop me? it would have been all over if you had just let me die. I¡¯ve been despised and pressured, so what¡¯s the point of living? Magnus disgusts me he wants a divorce, and he¡¯s just trying to humiliate you, Lucius, don¡¯t you see?¡± The more she said, the more heart¨Cwrenching her cries became She even pulled down her dress in front of Lucius to reveal a red scar was visible on her chest He almost killed me. Lucius if it weren¡¯t for my luck. I¡¯d be dead by now How could I ever want to be with a terrifying, demonic you dont trust me. | intually Lucius didn¡¯t believe a word Kendra said. But seeing her with the knife, and then the scar on her chest, he couldn¡¯t help but wavet. He watches Kendra sobbing in front of him, and a part of him felt pity for her Eventually Lucius gave in. Through gritted teeth, he promised. 18 veta caused you tenfoid || avenge you?¡± Whether it was arrogance on Lucius part or Kendras excellent acting skills, the two who were at oddu managed to colleagues who were watching the ordeal through a video chat were shocked ven Magnus ( James gesped in disbelie! My god Magnus you were right! Lucka and Kendra are back together Our guys already got the footage, and is DE Chase unampressed by James surprise, roked has eyes. They re two of a kind It¡¯s out surprang they got back together Carter deeply engrossed in his own thoughts, didn¡¯t say a word Magnus however who had predicted how things windd unluid was unnterested He canal? gased aj hath and basil, Tant get tu esikei this Just do your jobs well and well have a good show mout With that Maginas ended the video call he was in my hush He was pad wating for Kendra to whje (the pot Whata tickling your funny bore anything good? Nataka asker geraly, tonging a bowl of chicken sop b?n the there with a grin aprending across his face, she couldnt help but equen The bond had deepened significantly since therst escapade at the c?n ? stipin that to tight the dogs This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Maghut was not yet divorced hoch Renata and Natalie und her seal with the morty of the vagin with Magnus was undervable She had never full much sanquility before thorang Yan, like give the 4 Magnus naturally puked her to hisp 1 was just thinking about someone edufidia, bersa ng good tend to imponder¨¢, h serate reve ¡°Someone adorable Who could that be? Nataka ashes, activatormes to heu entbrace as much as he i Chapter 116 Chapter 116 And so she sat on Magnusp, and her eyes were wide with curiosity as she questioned him. But in her mind, she was thinking, ¡°Is the cute person he mentioned the girl in the portrait that the secretly keeps in his study?¡± However, at Natalia¡¯s question, Magnus smile only broadened. He extended his slender finger and lightly tapped her on the nose. Then he chuckled indulgently, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s you, mydy¡± In this world, no one could be more adorable than his wife Natalia¡¯s cheeks flushed at his touch, trying to suppress her smile. Sheughed ¡°What¡¯s so cute about me? Don¡¯t you always say I¡¯m a bit clueless?¡± She couldn¡¯t understand why Magnus was always so cold and aloof in front of others but waspletely different around her. She didn¡¯t know that Magnus had already cherished her as a treasure in his heart. Only in front of their beloved would a man reveal such tenderness. ¡°You¡¯re indeed a little clueless, which is exactly what I adore about you,¡± he whispered in her ear. ¡°It¡¯s so much fun to tease you, you actually enjoy my teasing, don¡¯t you? Magnus was absolutely smitten by Natalia¡¯s shy demeanor. So he held her waist tightly and bent down to kiss her. To him, Natalia was like a sweet dessert that was addictive, and made him crave for more. Every time he saw her, he felt the urge to take her to bed. However, Natalia was helpless against Magnus¡® advances and could only lean back to avoid his onught. With a hint of despair, she said, ¡®Magnus, can you please stop? Haven¡¯t you teased me enough? I¡¯m not a masochist, so why would I enjoy being teased by you?¡± ¡°Of course you enjoy it! Teasing you is my way of showing you my love and only I am allowed to tease you! My baby!¡± He said, and immediately sealed her lips with a deep, passionate kiss Magnus knew that his relentless advances would probably annoy Natalia, but he couldn¡¯t help himself. After a long, passionate kiss, he finally released her. He gazed at Natalia with gentle eyes. ¡°I¡¯ve had the vipletely renovated. If you like, we can move there once everything is sorted out The vi was his gift to Natalia, their home. Despite the misfortunes that had urred there, Magnus knew Natalia still loved the ce because it was her ¡°home¡± ¡°Hmm. As expected, Natalia didn¡¯t refuse when Magnus suggested the idea. She simply nodded obediently and rested her head sweetly against Magnus chest. Being with Magnus made her happy, no matter where they lived. He promised to give her a home and she believed him. With only half a day left till the deadline Magnus had set for Kendra, Magnus was not in a hurry to call her, but calmly handled his official duties in his office. He already had enough leverage to deal with Lucius and Kendra. Even if Kendra failed to deliver what he wanted, Magnus could easily deal with his brother. Just as Magnus was thinking about this, there was a knock on his office door Paul stood at the door, respectfully announcing, ¡°Sir, Ms. rkson is here.¡± ¡°Oh, is she? Let her in ¡± Hearing Paul¡¯s words, Magnus simply smiled and signaled his assistant to bring Kendra in. After thest time when he lost his temper and hurt Kendra she seemed to have learned her lesson. She entered Magnus office with her head bowed in humility. If Magnus was not familiar with her true nature, he might have been deceived by her demeanor. When Kendra entered the room, Paul left, leaving the two of them alone. Kendra finally lifted her gaze to meet Magnus¡® deep, icy eyes, which were as cold as ice but captivating. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Feeling suffocated by Magnus overpowering aura, Kendra began, ¡°Mr. Magnus, I have what you want. Does this mean that you won¡¯t divorce me? Magnus had previously stated that if she didn¡¯t want a divorce, she needed to show sincerity. Now that she had shown her sincerity, Magnus would fulfill his promise, right? But when Kendra made her im, Magnus, who had remained silent since she entered, finally turned his cold gaze towards her, ¡°We haven¡¯t even verified the authenticity of what you have. Are you in such a hurry to discuss terms?¡± He recalled telling her that if she showed sincerity, he would consider not divorcing her. It was merely a consideration, a dying tactic Kendra really thought that she could keep the title of Mrs. Magnus forever, how naive! Kendra was unaware of Magnus thoughts She felt a chill run down her spine under his gaze Feeling guilty, Kendra hurriedly took out a tape recorder from her bag and nervously ced it on Magnus desk She looked at Magnus pitifully ¡°Everything you need is here i tricked Lucius into spilling everything when he was drunk.¡± ¡°All you need to do is publicize this and Lucius will have no ce in the Andersen Corporation God knew how much she had to tolerate and appease Lucius to prove her sincenity The recordings were made when Lucius was spilling his ns and deeds post intimacy She could only im that Lucius had spoken those words while drunk, but now, she didn¡¯t want to appease the worthless Lucius anymore Just listening to Kendra¡¯s words, Magnus instinctively squinted his eyes. This woman was a real piece of work, did she really think he had no idea how she came across this information? And did she really think he needed her to instruct him on how to deal with Lucius? He took the voice recorder from her. A cold light was flickering in his eyes ¡°Well, well he chuckled ¡°Imagine Lucius face when he finds out. The woman who¡¯s loved him for all these years, in her desperate attempts to stay by my side has been scheming against him. I can hardly wait to see his expression when he loses control¡± With that thought. Magnus didn¡¯t hesitate, he pressed the y button on the recorder Listening to Lucius lust¨Cfilled voice, brazenly recounting his dark past and his future ns against Magnus, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but smile. Lucius even let out a low growl towards the endi Standing at the peak of her fear, Kendra felt a shudder run through her. She was certain she had covered her tracks well, so why did everything still sound so clear? Her face suddenly turned pale¡­ Chapter 117 Chapter 117 A sly smile crept up the corners of Magnus mouth, eventually breaking into a satisfied grin. He lifted his head and looked at Kendra with a smirk. ¡°Alright, you can leave now.¡± Since he had achieved his goal, this woman could go back and sit tight. Her fate was sealed. His wife had been bullied by this woman since childhood, and thest time, Natalia was almost drowned in the ocean by Kendra. He had vowed to settle this score with her, no matter what ¡°Leave? But Magnus, didn¡¯t you say that if I helped you get the evidence of Lucius¡® illegal activities, you wouldn¡¯t divorce me?¡± She handed over the hard¨Cearned evidence to Magnus, and he simply asked her to leave without a word. Unsure of what Magnus meant, Kendra was somewhat uneasy. She wondered if Magnus thought the evidence was insufficient, and wasn¡¯t going to give her a chance. But it shouldn¡¯t have been the case. The issues seemed serious enough to her. She thought that once she handed over the recorder tb Magnus, he would kick Natalia out of the Maplewood Manor. Then she would be brought in with all honor. After all, Natalia was just a useless decoration, while she was the one assisting Magnus. But why was it that Magnus hadn¡¯t said anything and was trying to kick her out? ¡°So¡± You think I¡¯ll bring you back home right away, Kendra? You think you are still qualified to be my wife? You¡¯ve been messed up by Lucius, and frankly, feel dirty talking to you. You also had someone kidnap Natalia, intending to take her life. You think I will let these things slide and still bring you home and support you?¡± Magnus remembered all these things. The reason he didn¡¯t bring them up was that he was waiting to settle all ounts with her at once. But when Magnus said this, Kendra, who just thought she could finally be the rightful wife of the CEO of Andersen Corporation, instantly turned pale. She looked at Magnus. Her face was flustered as she clutched her dress tightly ¡°Magnus, you can¡¯t do this. I was with Lucius like that toplete your task. I didn¡¯t mean it! I know I was wrong to kidnap Natalia before. I can apologize, can¡¯t you let it go? ¡°I¡¯m sorry. It was out of jealousy, because I am your wife. Why wouldn¡¯t she leave? That¡¯s why I had Natalia kidnapped. You can¡¯t break our agreement because of my momentary mistake.¡± Where did things go wrong? Why did the words she and Magnus agreed on before change now? Did Natalia do something behind her back? No, she absolutely couldn¡¯t let her seed. She had to marry this man and take the position of Mrs. Andersen. The position of the CEO¡¯s wife of Andersen Corporation was hers, and no one could take it away! Magnus couldn¡¯t help butugh coldly. He saidnguidly, ¡°Unfortunately, your jealousy and stupidity havepletely disgusted me! I said I wouldnt divorce you just to see what tricks you could y I didn¡¯t expect you to actually betray the man you loved for so many years. If I married you, I would probably not dare to sleep at night, because your viciousness is unmatched All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Now that the recording is in hand, you no longer have value left! He finished, looking mockingly at the dumbfounded woman standing there. With this recording, he could lead Magnus to his doom. By then, neither his grandparents nor his parents would me him. What he found amusing was Kendra, this stupid woman. He was just ying with her, and she took it very seriously ¡°You you¡¯ve been deceiving me from the start?¡± Kendra never expected Magnus to say that. Standing there, Kendra stared at him wide¨Ceyed, her face full of disbelief. How could this be? Magnus was so senous when he talked to her at the beginning She really thought Magnus had feelings for her, and that was why he changed his mind. Why had it turned out like this in the end? Thinking about how hard she worked to get these words out of Lucius¡® mouth in the past few days, only to end up like this, it was so disappointing. ¡°Heh, deceive you?¡± Magnus scoffed. He didn¡¯t even want to look at this evil and stupid woman! ¡°You¡¯re wrong, I didn¡¯t deceive you. I just yed with you. Like when you yed me and had someone else marry me. Although you tricked me then, I still have to thank you for bringing Nat to me Get lost, go back and kindly get divorced, or I¡¯ll have to use special methods! Then, you¡¯ll decide, what¡¯s more important to you, your life, or the position of Mrs Andersen? Hmm?¡± if Kendra didn¡¯t divorce him and relinquish the position of his wife to Natalia, he had ways to make Kendra have no choice but to divorce him. If she continued to cling on, he would use extreme measures. He was never kind when it came to certain things Hearing Magnus words, Kendra finally believed that what he said was true Kendra, who was on the verge of copse and unwilling to lose the position she wanted, didn¡¯t think twice before rushing to Magnus and gripping his arm tightly No, Magnus, you can¡¯t do this to me ¡°Because of what you said, I went to Lucius I framed him to let him say those words If he finds out, knowing Lucius personality, he won¡¯t let me go ¡°No matter what, I¡¯m still your wife in name, you can¡¯t just stand by and watch me die! Magnus Kendra, who was emotional, was interrupted by Magnus dismissive wave, and she stumbled back a few steps and hit the office desk Magnus icy eyes fell on her face, and his expression was of disgust obvious Natalia clung to the desk, frozen in fear by Magnus¡® expression She was well aware of the brutality in the way Magnus handled matters. Natalia had no doubt that if she pushed him any further, he might have just killed her without a second thought Frozen with fear, Natalia couldn¡¯t move an inch, let alone escape Magnus spoke in an icy tone. ¡°Leave!¡± In an otherwise quiet city, on a mundane afternoon. A news report suddenly exploded on the inte, sending the entire city into a frenzy. The news left netizens across the nation in utter shock. The most influential business tycoon, Lucius, the vice CEO of the Andersen Corporation, had done the unthinkable. He had been intimately involved with his brother¨Cinw¡¯s wife, Kendra- the nominal wife of the current CEO of the Andersen Corporation, Magnus. And this wasn¡¯t just baseless gossip. The report was apanied by clear pictures of Lucius and Kendra caught in the act. Their intimate demeanor left everyone speechless, shocking the ever¨Ccurious onlookers who were just trying to enjoy their burgers and fries. Chapter 118 Chapter 118 But who would¡¯ve thought that Magnus, the newly dubbed national heartthrob, despite his wheelchair¨C bound condition, would find himself cuckolded? This news was only a couple of hours old but had already caused an uproar back home. Countless people rapidly shared andmented, the topic zing hotter by the minute. Lucius, who had no idea his photo with Kendra would make it to the inte, was taken aback. After coming to his senses, he quickly arranged a press conference to set the record straight. In front of everyone, he made it clear there was nothing going on between him and Kendra. He admitted they used to date, but for his brother, he stepped aside. From the moment Kendra became Magnus¡® wife, he had not seen her Yet, pictures of him and Kendra looking intimate were circting all over town As everyone was puzzled over Lucius tant denial, a user named Kendra posted an audio recording on a verified website. In the recording. Lucius admitted toundering money within thepany and funneling a hefty portion of Andersen Corporation¡¯s funds into his personal ount. He even boasted that Magnus position as CEO wouldn¡¯tst, as he would be taking over soon. The fluctuating tone and unsettling words shocked all onlookers once more In no time, various media outlets were reporting on the matter Based on the previous reports and this audio recording, countless versions of the story were created. In the end, the most credible version revolved around Kendra, the shameless woman, who married Magnus, the nation¡¯s beloved wheelchair¨Cbound heartthrob. Unsatisfied, she rekindled her rtionship with Magnus brother, Lucius However, Lucius yed her, and the deceitful couple began a love¨Chate rtionship. Therefore, Kendra must have made the recording as leverage against Lucius All this chaos started at noon and extended into the night. The controversy did not subside as time went on, instead, it grew more intense Morgan, who was aware of the whole ordeal, was furious. He clutched his heart. The whole of Melfort was buzzing with the Andersen family¡¯s scandal He ordered his bodyguards to bring Magnus and Lucius back to the Andersen Family Estate immediately, intending to get to the bottom of the matter Meanwhile, Anthony and Lillian were also outraged. However, the moment Lucius and Magnus stepped through the gates of the Andersen Family Estate. Lillian kept her eyes on Lucius, wanting to scold him but was restrained by Morgan¡¯s booming voice. ¡°Lucius exin yourself! He demanded, shaking with anger, newspapers in hand. He threw the papers at Lucius face! Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Regardless of Kendra and Lucius past, Kendra was now Magnus¡® wife, and that was a fact. Even if Magnus didn¡¯t want her, it was his business. Lucius should have cut ties with Kendrapletely. Now, their scandal was humiliating the entire Andersen family! He feared that he would be pointed at and ridiculed, used of failing to teach his family morals, leading to this disgraceful affair Furthermore, Lucius had been meddling with thepany and even attempted to frame Magnus. He had already received numerousints from shareholders demanding action. He was furious at Lucius. If he weren¡¯t family, he would¡¯ve wished him dead a thousand times over. Despite forgiving Lucius over and over again, this was the result he got After Morgans rant, a guilty Lucius red at Magnus sitting in his wheelchair before saying, ¡°Grandfather, someone must be framing me. You know would never do such a thing! Someone must be framing me Grandfather, leave this to me. I will get to the bottom of it He was certain that Magnus was behind this. First, he sent him to the Middle East, and now this scandal Regret filled him for not eliminating the problen when he had the chance His eyes filled with murderous intent when he thought of Kendra and how she had yed him After Lucius exnation, Lillian quickly stepped in We shouldn¡¯t use Lucius without evidence. Who knows, someone might be setting hum up Kendra Ive never liked her Maybe someone manipted Kendra to seduce Lucius and took those photos. Turning to Magnus, she continued. ¡°You must have known about this, right Magnus? Kendra is your wife, after all. Could you have In any case, Lillian just couldn¡¯t believe that her sharp witted son, Lucius, could be so careless as to be captured in such apromising photoy the media. And even if such a picture was taken so what? With the influence of the Andersen family, who would dare to distribute such a photo without the consent? Therefore, Lillian was certain that Magnus was behind this scandal What puzzled them was now that Magnus already had the position of CEO why would he still plot against his own brother? After his misfortune nine years ago. Morgan had already handed him a substantial share of the Andersen Corporation He should have spent his life peacefully on Sapphire ind and enjoy the good the Why would he want topete with Luacus for the position of CRO of Andersen Corporation? Now that things had gone his way he still couldn¡¯t let Lucius go that was why they¡¯d never been fond of the son since he was a child ¡°Enough¡± However, after hearing Lillians words. Morgan, whose face was growing increasingh grim, suddenly shouted, interrupting her in a particrly furious roar, he barked. ¡°You¡¯ve been protecting him since he was a child, and now that he¡¯s done something we tiha, you¡¯re sti? defending him! Do you think this voice could be fake? Can¡¯t you recognize that is this bride¡¯s voice?¡± Chapter 119 Chapter 119 ¡°Regardless of the circumstances, it was always Magnus who got the short end of the stick. Lucius, with his ruthless mindset, had made countless attempts on Magnus¡® life. So was there anything he wouldn¡¯t do? Morgan had always been partial to Magnus. ¡°But¡­ Seeing Morgan lose his temper, Lillian was genuinely afraid, but she also didn¡¯t want her precious son to be plotted against for no reason at all Lillian couldn¡¯t help but want to argue back. However, before she could get a word out, Anthony, who was standing nearby, lowered his voice and said, ¡°Don¡¯t stir the pot. Do you think Dad is stupid? You think he doesn¡¯t he know who¡¯s responsible?¡± Upon saying this, Anthony looked up at Magnus. Noticing that Magnus was looking back at him, he immediately averted his gaze. He then added, ¡°But, Dad, at the end of the day, it¡¯s Magnus¡® fault. We all knew that Lucius and Kendra were in love. But Magnus insisted on marrying Kendra out of stubbornness. Now look at the mess we¡¯re in. It¡¯s a total disgrace to the Andersen family¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. It was clear that Anthony had sided with Lucius, despite his pretense of stopping Lillian. In the Andersen family. Luctus was their biological son while Magnus was treated like an adopted child. That was why Magnus bore all the grievances He didn¡¯t deserve any respect or love. Seeing her son and daughter¨Cinw still favoring Lucius, Morgan, who was heartbroken for Magnus, was fuming with rage. He red at them and roared, ¡°Anthony, don¡¯t think I¡¯m unaware of your intentions! Do you think I¡¯m stupid? Magnus only wanted someone to care for him when he married Kendra, but she had a stand¨Cin at the wedding! This woman is vain and heartless. Can¡¯t you see that? And what about thepany? What have your son done. Anthony¡± He even framed your own brother!¡± It was due to Anthony¡¯s ipetence that he didn¡¯t hand over thepany to him. Initially, he thought he could entrust his lifelong business to his beloved grandson, Magnus, who was so much like him. However, an ident had left Magnus in his current state. This had caused the elderly Morgan to feel utterly despaired, having lost one grandson and witnessed the other bing disabled. Anthony was at a loss for words. Magnus, who had been silent all along, finally spoke up. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Grandpa. I¡¯ll handle this. I won¡¯t let the worldugh at our family. Kendra and I were married in name only. I¡¯ll make her divorce me as soon as possible and return Lucius¡® woman to him!¡± His words wereced with an mysterious smile ¡°As for thepany, I¡¯ll leave it to your decision, Grandpa Since I¡¯m not favored by my parents, I¡¯ll go back to Maplewood Manor. I¡¯lle to see you another day when you¡¯re in a better mood After saying this, Magnus left without another word, wheeling himself out of the old mansion. Watching Magnus solitary figure disappearing into the distance, Morgan turned to re at the three family members, grinding out. ¡°You¡¯ve pushed him to this point. What else do you want? As long as I am still breathing, you won¡¯t get away with this!¡± The consequences of Morgan¡¯s anger were severe. That very night, he issued orders to the Andersen Corporation¡¯s executive headquarters and shareholders. He immediately stripped Lucius of his position as vice¨Cpresident and ordered an investigation into all the issues mentioned in Lucius recording The next day, the Andersen Corporation publicly announced Lucius dismissal, leaving him idle. As for Lucius and Kendra, Magnus had said he would handle it. Morgan, who was deeply concerned for Magnus, naturally didn¡¯t interfere No matter what Magnus did, Morgan, as a grandfather, wouldn¡¯t me him. The matter of Kendra and Lucius was causing quite a stir in themunity. Meanwhile, in the rkson family¡¯s living room, an enraged Kyler pped Kendra across the face. With a loud ¡°smack, Kendra¡¯s face instantly swelled up. and the corner of her mouth started to bleed ¡°Kyler, what are you doing? Why are you hitting our daughter? Have you lost your mind?¡± Addison was already irate with the rumors flying around, and seeing Kyler hitting Kendra upon his return only fueled her anger ¡°Why am I hitting her? She knows why! Even at this point, Addison was still shielding Kendra Knowing that disaster was imminent, Kyler was so angry that he wished he could drag Addison over and beat her up along with Kendra. For so many years, it was Addison who had spoiled Kendra into being such a willful girl The rkson n was sure to crumble under the reckless actions of this stupid girl At Kyler¡¯s roar, the guilt¨Cridden Addison responded. She turned to re at Kendra, who was left in a sorry state after the confrontation. Then, she bellowed, ¡°Exin yourself! What exactly happened? You¡¯ve managed to offend both sons of the rkson n Are you trying to drag us all down with you? Kendra fell silent and slumped onto the couch Kyler red at her in fury. How could he have fathered such a daughter? if she had listened to him and divorced Magnus earlier, none of this would have happened The rksons might not have been the wealthiest family, but they held a reputation Now, thanks to their disobedient daughter, their name was tainted in Melfort 1 tell you now. You must divorce Magnus immediately it¡¯s the only way to save ourselves, and the only way our family can survive! You think Magnus would still want you as his wife after all this? Kyler said harshly Kendra sat on the couch like a puppet without strings, staring nkly at the setting sun outside the window. She finally understood how her foolishness had not only harmed herself but also her family. She would not divorce, absolutely not, over her dead body! Her hands suddenly lightened All of the day¡¯s events were Natalia¡¯s fault, and ale would make h pay back tanfold one day! 120 Chapter 120 Chapter 120 Kendra was still refusing to consider divorce, which left kyler utterly speechless. The Andersen family? How many economic lifelines of the entire nation were held in the hands of this family? It was safe to say there were few people in the world who dare to cross the Andersens And they thought that as long as their precious daughter Kendra could marry Lucius, the rkson family would surely achieve great sess and prosperity because of this connection. Although the rksons were already among the city¡¯s elites, they were certain that an alliance with the Andersen Corporation would take them even further But who would have guessed that not only did they fail to secure a good rtionship with the Andersens, but they also ended up in this mess. Kendra¡¯s actions had undoubtedly provoked both Magnus and Lucius to the extreme. Given the tempers of these brothers, the rkson family was doomed this time around So it was no wonder that Kyler was livid with Kendra. Even Addison, her mother, wanted toy a hand on her. ¡°I don¡¯t know I really don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on.¡± Kendra was already dazed from Kyler¡¯s scolding, and now Addison was questioning her urgently. Her mind was still a mess Magnus had told her that he would settle the score with her for what she did to Natalia. Could this be what he was referring to? The recording that Magnus released was indeed from her. However, he had edited out all the content that was detrimental to the Andersen Corporation. And he released the recording in Kendra¡¯s name, clearly intending to pit her against Lucius. With the scandal as big as it was, it wasn¡¯t just Lucius who would want revenge. Even Morgan would probably want her dead now. ¡°You don¡¯t know? You don¡¯t know how you got involved with Lucius again? Seeing Kendra still ying dumb, Kyler was so angry he felt dizzy. Just like that, he shouted at his disobedient daughter. Just a while ago, hadn¡¯t she been crying and making a fuss about not divorcing Magnus? So what was this about getting involved with Lucius now? Not only had they offended the entire Andersen family this time, but Kendra¡¯s reputation had also been completely ruined. By now, in the eyes of the public, Kendra was nothing more than a despised adulteress. Realizing the severity of the situation, even Addison, who always protected Kendra, was frantic. At Kendra¡¯s still bewildered look, she started crying. grabbed Kendra and shook her violently ¡°You need to exin this, Kendra. What do you mean you don¡¯t know? How dare you record what Lucius said and post it online? Lucius will never let you off the hook¡± They all knew what kind of man Lucius was. Those who crossed him never ended well. Now that Kendra dared to touch his sore spot, she was definitely in for trouble. Kendra, who was already frightened, cried out after a while, ¡°Stop pushing me I really don¡¯t know why things have turned out like this. It was Magnus. He said that as long as I proved that I was determined to break up with Lucius, he wouldn¡¯t divorce me. So I listened to him and I went to set Lucius up. But by the time I gave him the recorder, he changed his mind. I thought he was just tricking me out of the recorder, but I didn¡¯t expect him to pin this whole thing on me after it broke out.¡± Now Kendra was truly in shock, understanding the gravity of the situation, she was genuinely scared. So she ran over to Kyler, grabbed his arms desperately, begging. ¡°Dad, Dad, you have to save me this time. This must be Natalia tricking Magnus intoing after me. Dad, I¡¯m so sorry. You have to help me If not, neither Lucius nor Morgan will let me off¡± As Kendra¡¯s usual impulsiveness now led to such a catastrophe, Kyler pushed her away in fury. He yelled, ¡°Now you realize your mistake and want me to save you? Do I have the power to save you? Do you not know what kind of family the Andersens are? Or what kind of person Lucius is?¡± ¡°He can even kill his own younger brother, let alone you.¡± ¡°You dared to get involved in the feud between the Andersen brothers, you should have expected this day. How did I, Kyler, end up with such a foolish daughter? You¡¯re really going to get us all killed this time!¡± Kyler was truly at a loss Kendra had dared to get involved with the Andersen brothers, both of whom were not to be trifled with. Kyler¡¯s words showed that he wasn¡¯t nning on helping her Kendra turned to Addison, crying and begging. ¡°Mom, I really know I was wrong, can you help me? I was really framed by Magnus, otherwise, I would never have done such a thing.¡± She was truly scared of dying. She hadn¡¯t even warmed up the seat as the Mrs. Andersen, and now she was risking her life. How could she possibly be content with this? All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Addison¡¯s heart was torn apart when she saw her lovely kid screaming in dread Kyler stood there with a wrinkled brow, inly irritated, but he didn¡¯t appear to be thinking of a solution or deciding what to do next. Addison red at him and said sharply. ¡°Kyler, you need to start thinking of a solution. I understand you¡¯re angry. But are we really ready to risk our daughter¡¯s life over this? Moreover, who knows if this Magnus move isn¡¯t the result of Natalia¡¯s maniptions? After this mess is sorted out, I swear, I won¡¯t let Natalia off the hook. I¡¯ve been raising her for years, and not only does she not show gratitude, but she even teams up with Magnus to set a trap for Kendra. It¡¯s all your fault. If you hadn¡¯t brought her home, would we be dealing with all this?¡± Every time she thought about it, Addison was consumed with rage. Anything rted to Natalia, she just couldn¡¯t handle with a calm demeanor. ¡°Enough! You¡¯re still making a fuss at a time like this!¡± Watching Addison in this state, Kyler, feeling overwhelmed, turned back and red at her He roared at her, ¡°You¡¯re still ming Natalia. How could she possibly manipte Magnus¡® decisions? Let me tell you, from today onwards, you and Kendra better behave yourselves. Stop dumping all me on Natalia. And if anyone dares to cause her trouble again, you¡¯ll have Magnus to answer to and I won¡¯t be able to protect you¡± Chapter 121 Chapter 121 Thest time he had begged Natalia, he felt a heavy sense of guilt. Recently, Kyler wanted to see Natalia and mend the strained rtionship between them, but he was too ashamed to face her. ¡°You..¡± Addison couldn¡¯t believe that Kyler was still defending Natalia. She was ready to explode. However, she needed Kyler¡¯s help for Kendra¡¯s situation. So, in the end, Addison had to swallow her anger. Then, ring at Kyler, she said through gritted teeth, Fine. Regardless of whether Natalia is involved, we¡¯ll put that aside for now. But we need to figure out how to handle this situation. Kendra is our only daughter, you can¡¯t possibly leave her in the lurch, can you?¡± If Kyler was really so heartless, Addison swore that she wouldn¡¯t let this ungrateful man off Kyler felt helpless He gave it some thought and then suggested. ¡°Let Kendray low for a while Once things cool down, you cane back. As for this side. I¡¯ll hold the fort. As powerful as Lucius is, I don¡¯t believe he can find you In terms of influence and power, the rkson family thay not be on par with the Andersens, but they were still considered prominent figures. There was no way they couldn¡¯t even hide theirf daughter. On this point, Kyler was confident Upon hearing Kyler¡¯s n, Addison found it reasonable and nodded in agreement. Alright, let¡¯s do that. We¡¯ll leave now. I will drive to your uncle¡¯s ce to hide, and then we¡¯ll find a way to go abroad¡± The scandal involving Kendra and Lucius was blown wide open, and Lucius was suspended from his job. As for Kendra, the woman at the center of the scandal just vanished without a trace. Meanwhile, Natalia, who was always at the Andersen mansion, received a call from Lexi. Only then did she realize that such a big scandal had urred Kendra and Lucius affair was exposed, and Magnus was made aughing stock. Considering his pride, he must be really upset. With this in mind, Natalia was quite worried. She waited for him in the bedroom until midnight, not feeling sleepy at all. Just as Natalia was about to doze off, the door to her room opened. ¡°Creak, and there was Magnus in his wheelchair. ¡°You¡¯re back?¡± Seeing Magnus, Natalia, who was quite sleepy, quickly got up to greet him. Magnus felt a twinge in his heart when he saw her still waiting for him at this hour. As soon as she came over, he reached out and pulled Natalia onto hisp Leaning down, he gave her a light peck on the lips, and said with a softugh. ¡°Why are you waiting up for me? I¡¯ve told you, you don¡¯t need to stay up for me He didn¡¯t want Natalia to lose sleep over him. She was so young, her health would be affected. Despite the turmoil outside, he could still smile so nonchntly, as if nothing had happened. Natalia felt a sting in her heart. Then she said with teary eyes, ¡°Today Lexi called and told me everything that¡¯s happened You.¡± Even if Magnus had said he despised Kendra, this incident had hurt his pride How could he possibly bear it? ¡°I¡¯m fine, I¡¯ll deal with this tomorrow. So, my dear, you don¡¯t need to worry about me¡± Magnus knew Natalia would find out despite her staying indoors. So when Natalia mentioned it, Magnus knew what she was worried about and reassured her immediately This matter was part of his n to manipte Kendra and Lucius Why would he be upset? Natalia stared at him nkly, ¡®Really? You¡¯re not upset? I worried about you all day and even thought about how tofort you Turned out she was making a fuss over nothing Magnus was not affected by this incident at all. It seemed she still didn¡¯t understand him. However, hearing Natalia¡¯s words, Magnus tightened his arm around her. He spoke to her from such a close distance that his breath sprayed all over her face I¡¯m not upset, but I¡¯m curious about how you nned tofort me¡± Despite his words, augh was bubbling in Magnus¡® heart: His dear wife was too kind He had to hold onto her tightly and not let her slip away Magnus was always like this, making her heart flutter. The blushing Natalia quickly said, ¡°You said you¡¯re not upset, so whatfort do you need? (m tired, I need to sleep If she had known Magnus was unfazed, she wouldn¡¯t have worned about him Now, seeing Magnus like this, she felt a sense gl¨Cdanger But before Natalia could get up from Magnusp, he pulled her back. Without a word, he carried her to the bed and gently tossed her onto it. Then propping himself up with his hands, he jumped onto the bed Pinning her beneath him, he smiled mysteriously. This is thefort you¡¯re talking about, isn¡¯t it? i quite like this method offort My dear pleasefort me well My heart is withering¡± These past few days, he had been busy and by the time he returned, Natalia was already asleep He didn¡¯t want to disturb her rest, so he held back. But tonight, he decided he wouldn¡¯t hold back anymore His n had been a small sess, and naturally, it was time to celebrate. And spending a passionate night with his wife was the best way to do that ¡°No not that, um uh Magnus had deliberately misinterpreted her, and Natalia tried to exin, but before she could finish her sentence, Magnus lowered his head and stopped her. Then his hand slipped under her nightgown, iming her without her consent The night was still young Their room was filled with sounds of sweet intimacy that would make anyone blush it wasn¡¯t until dawn that the sounds gradually subsided All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. The night of passion didn¡¯t seem to tire Magnus, who woke up early. Instead, he seemed invigorated When he left for work in the morning, Natalia, worn out from their night together, was still deep in sleep Magnus couldn¡¯t help but smile. He walked over and gently kissed her forehead. Then he got so his wheelchair and left the room Chapter 122 Chapter 122 061 The blow he¡¯d dealt to Lucius this time was bound to sting. And for that woman, Kendra, divorce was no longer an option she could avoid. So he could soon withdraw from the situation, return to being single, and be with Natalia By then, he could tell Natalia everything. He could tell her that he was already able to stand on his own two feet, as he couldn¡¯t bear to see Natalia tire herself out, massaging his legs and pouring over medical books all day and night Due to the enormity of the scandal, the stocks of the Andersen Corporation had started to plummet. So naturally. Magnus, as one of the involved parties, had no choice but to step up and hold a press conference When Magnus arrived at the press conference, the media swarmed him, bombarding him with questions. Paul, who was apanying Magnus, nervously tried to shield him from the reporters. He had the bodyguards separate the reporters, then said, ¡°Please direct your questions at the press conference Our CEO will address your queries one by one¡± The very fact that Magnus agreed to appear at the press conference was indicative of his intention to confront the issue head¨Con. Once Paul made this clear, the reporters ceased their relentless pursuit. The bodyguards cleared a path for Magnus, who was in a wheelchair, to smoothly roll onto the stage. As soon as Magnus arrived, the reporters started firing off their questions. wife?¡± ¡°Mr Andersen, what¡¯s your opinion on the affair between Lucius and your wi While they were unfamiliar with the disposition of the elusive CEO of the Andersen Corporation, the reporters felt that such a scandal would naturally be hard for any man to bear. Therefore, they were waiting, ready to capture photographs of Magnus losing his temper with their cameras. They nned to write some sensational articlester, which would undoubtedly generate a lot of online clicks. However, Magnus was well aware of their intentions and merely offered a small smile. Then, in a calm voice, he said to the reporter, 1 am deeply pained by this incident. As Kendra¡¯s husband, it is indeed hard for me to ept that she betrayed me. But after some time to cool down, I have made a decision. If my brother Lucius and Kendra truly love each other, then i, Magnus, am willing to let them be I have already instructed my attorney to file for divorce. Given the negative impact this incident has had, we at the Andersen Corporation have taken disciplinary action against Lucius So the reason! called this press conference today is to make it clear that this matter is in the past. I, Magnus, respect those two individuals who couldn¡¯t resist the pull of love However, I am deeply saddened by their actions¡± The reporters, who had nned to provoke Magnus with probing questions and then exaggerate the facts to keep the scandal alive, were taken aback by his lengthy response. They were even more surprised to see Magnus, who had been subjected to such a humiliating betrayal, remaining calm and composed He neither condemned his wife and brother who had betrayed him together nor showed any anger. Instead, he decided to divorce Kendra and let the two of them be together. How magnanimous he must be to do something like that? However, they all knew about the many contributions Magnus had made since taking over the Andersen Corporation. If they didn¡¯t know how capable he was, his magnanimous attitude this time might have been interpreted as ipetence Even after Magnus had made everything clear, there were still some reporters who were not satisfied. One of them deliberately stirred the pot by asking. ¡°So. Mr. Andersen, are you saying that if Kendra divorces you, you wouldn¡¯t object to her being with your brother Lucius and joining the Andersen family?¡± Surely, even the magnanimous Magnus couldn¡¯t ept the idea of his ex¨Cwife bing his sister¨Cinw and constantly appearing in his house, could he? But upon hearing the reporter¡¯s question, Magnus justughed. Then, in the same calm voice, he said, ¡®As I said, I won¡¯t oppose them if they want to be together As for whether they will get married, that¡¯s something for the parents of both sides to discuss I dont need toment on that Magnus response seemed to be the conversation¨Cender. His words left no room for further questions, and the sharp¨Ctongued reporters were left speechless After a moment of silence, when they were about to ask more questions, Paul, who had been standing by, stepped forward and said to the reporters. Alright, that¡¯s all for today¡¯s press conference Without further ado, he had the bodyguards escort Magnus away from the press conference. After all, Morgan had instructed them to take good care of Magnus during this time, and it wasn¡¯t appropriate for Magnus to stay at the press conference for too long. The uproar finally began to subside after Magnus press conference But the main reason was that Lucius and Kendra, the two people (pveived in scandal, had inexplicably disappeared The media took turns staking out the Andersen family estate, Lucius¡® vi, and the rkson family¡¯s main entrance, but they never managed to take aliy photos of the two In contrast, Magnus, who had been the most hurt by the incident, won everyone¡¯s admiration with his magnanimity Magnus filed awsuit in court, and due to the heinous nature of these events and the resulting public opinion impact, the divorce case was expedited for an early trial. The decision was made in their absence. effectively ending Magnus and Kendra¡¯s marital ties Finally free. Magnus felt an unexpected wave of relief wash over him. He arranged to meet Natalia at the former mansion a decision that was not taken lightly considering the recent event that had happened there He had initially nned to buy Kendra a new mansion, a replica of the existing one, if she liked it. The layout, location, and design would be replicated exactly However, his proposal was met with unexpected resistance from his beloved it appeared as though she had developed a fondness for the mansion, insisting on continuing to reside there All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Left with no other choice, Magnus reluctantly gave in. He instructed Linden to hire a team to refurbish the mansion from top to bottom, ensuring that the security measures were upgraded to the highest standard. Chapter 123 Chapter 123 Then, feeling a sense of relief, he decided to carry out the next steps with Natalia here. Once everything was set, Magnus, under the pretext of having to work overtime at hispany, had the driver take Natalia to the vi first Recalling the incident that happenedst time they came to this vi, Natalia felt a bit uneasying here alone. But thinking about how this ce had witnessed her and Magnus go through life and death, Natalia firmly insisted on having this vi She didn¡¯t know how many memories belonging to her and Magnus she could preserve, so she cherished this vi dearly. ¡°Miss, Mr. Magnus will arrive shortly, Linden, standing beside Natalia, saw her standing at the vi¡¯s entrance, lost in thought. He respectfully bent over and stood by her side, speaking to her ¡°Alright,¡± Hearing Linden¡¯s words, Natalia turned her head, gave him a smile, and entered the grand doors of the vi Linden led Natalia to the room where the explosion had urred before Perhaps Magnus previous concerns were justified, saying that she would always feel fear here due to the ident Natalia didn¡¯t believe him at first, but when she actually walked to the room¡¯s door, she realized she was genuinely scared. The events of the day of the explosion shed before her eyes Back then, she was so scared, fearing that the explosion would take Magnus life. If Magnus was in front of her at the moment she wouldn¡¯t hold back and would hug him tightly Miss. Mr. Magnus said to wait for him here He¡¯ll be here soon, Linden said, noticing Natalia standing there, her face pale. Unlike his usual considerate self, he simply lowered his head, rigidly rying Magnus orders. ¡°Alright Linden, you can go on with your tasks. I¡¯ll be fine here alone,¡± Natalia responded, nodding her head She watched Linden leave, his departing figure seemed rushed. Natalia thought. ¡°Perhaps Linden also harbors fearful memories of the attack¡± Thinking so. she yearned for Magnus more. She stood at the door of the room, took a deep breath, and reached out to push open the doorknob ¡°Bang bang! However, the moment she opened the door two firecracker¨Clike explosions rang out. Natalia, already a bit fearful, was startled by the sound. Her face turned pale, and she covered her ears and screamed, ¡°Ah!¡± Her mind was filled with one thought: Had the bastard Lucius started an other attack? ¡°Natalia, it¡¯s us. Don¡¯t be scared.¡± James, holding a party popper with an innocent face, hurriedly spoke After speaking, he subconsciously nced at Magnus, who was sitting in his wheelchair in the middle of the room. Seeing the look of distress on his face, James could only think. Oh no, Magnus isn¡¯t going to lose his temper, is he? Magnus, who had initially opposed James and his surprise attack, saw that Natalia had been startled by the party poppers. He furrowed his brows and quickly wheeled himself over to Natalia. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace. Gently patting her back, he soothingly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. here Natalia, initially shaking from fear, had cold sweat running down her back, almost soaking her clothes. But when she heard Magnus voice, she looked up at him Her eyes were slightly red as she asked, ¡°Magnus, weren¡¯t you at the office? Howe you¡¯re in the room? And what was that sound just now? Wasn¡¯t it a gunshot?¡± Curious, Natalia turned around and saw the party popper confetti all over the floor and James and Chase each holding a party popper at the door. She then realized what that sound was. She couldn¡¯t help but blush a bit. She had screamed quite loudly just now. Magnus and the others must have heard and would probably tease her for being scaredter 1 came here earlier I wanted to give you a surprise, so I had Linden say I was at the office, Magnus said, seeing Natalia¡¯s slightly pale face. He felt a pang in his heart. He no longer cared for the process he and James had nned earlier and directly spoke these words. If he had known that James surprise would scare his girl, he wouldn¡¯t have agreed to hide in the room. ¡°Surprise? What surprise? Hearing Magnus words, Natalia widened her eyes in question. She remembered that there hadn¡¯t been any particrly noteworthy events recently So, what could be the cause for a surprise celebration? Just Magnus reached out to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He was about to exin when James, standing beside them, abruptly interrupted ¡®No, Magnus, don¡¯t just blurt it out like that Have you forgotten what i told you?¡± Magnus no longer cared about James and Chase¡¯s antics He didn¡¯t want hisdy to worry. He took out a booklet from his pocket ¨C the divorce papers between har and Kendra ¡°Darling. I¡¯ve divorced Kendra The paperwork was done yesterday¡± Natalia stared wide eyed at the booklet in Magnus hand She took it from him in a daze, staring at the words divorce certificate. Her heart was in turmoil He got divorced, he really divorced Kendra Then, Magnus took out a crimson box, gently opened it to reveal two glittering diamond rings Natalia¡¯s mind was still reeling from the divorce papers when she saw the man holding the rings. His fiery gaze, lucked onto her face, was as intense as a fame. His voice, low and sultry, slipped from his lips. ¡°Marry me, Nat¡± The words were soft but they exploded in Natalias mind like a thunderp. He was proposing? Indeed, it wasn¡¯t a drearn Although they had shared countless passionate moments in bed, they were and he was proposing to her trried couple. But now he was divorced, He truly loved her! Her eyes filled with tears, and before she could even respond, she saw the man impatiently sliding the ring onto her finger She hadn¡¯t even said yes yet, had she? Chapter 124 Chapter 124 ¡°You have no choice. You¡¯re forever my wife, and you are stuck with me for the rest of our lives.¡± Could he read minds? The chill of the ring warmed as it passed through hisrge,forting hand and slipped onto her slender finger. Her tears, held back for so long, finally rolled down her face. Around them, a round of apuse erupted. Magnus, with an indulgent look on his face, wiped away her tears ¡°Baby, don¡¯t cry. You¡¯ll make me feel bad¡± Natalia, weeping tears of pure joy, felt as though her life had be a rollercoaster Magnus had divorced his wife and proposed to her ¨C all in one day It was happening so fast that she barely had time to process it all. She looked at Magnus as he awkwardly wiped away her tears, then burst outughing Magnus was rendered speechless by her reaction. ¡°Natalia, you¡¯re scaring us with all this crying andughing, Chase chimed in with an embarrassed chuckle ¡°Natalia, you should kiss Magnus Most proposals end with a kiss, James suggested cheekily At James¡¯s words, Natalia¡¯s face turned bright red. She was still sitting on Maghusp, with him staring at her with fiery, expectant gazes He bent down to kiss her eyes, but Natalia quickly pushed him away. ¡°Stop it she protested, but Magnus ignored her. He held her head with one hand and kissed her deeply, cutting off any protest she had left ¡°Ahahaha Magnus, you really are a man of action. We¡¯ve been tortured enough, we¡¯ll leave you two lovebirds alone now.¡± Chase and James jokingly covered their eyes as they left the room. This was the first time they¡¯d ever seen Magnus act this way with a woman Magnus, ignoring them, held Natalia as they shared a loving and passionate kiss. They returned to Maplewood Manor as the sun was setting The rkson family had been informed of the situation. Kendra, who had been avoiding them, was shocked to learn that Magnus had managed to divorce her without her consent, thanks to a court ruling. What¡¯s more, Magnus had proposed to Natalia Infuriated, Kendra swore she¡¯d make Natalia pay for this. That Magnus. How date he y me like this! And Natalia, that bitch¡± Kendra fumed, gripping her cup so hard that it shattered when she threw it against the wall. ¡°Miss The servants stared at her in shock. They were used to Kendra¡¯s temper, but they had never seen her this angry before. ¡°Get out! All of you, get out!¡± Kendra shouted, venting her anger on the innocent servants Addison, hearing themotion from her room, rushed out to see Kendra. ¡°My dear daughter, what happened? Is it that Natalia again.¡± ¡°Mom! Stop it! I don¡¯t want to hear about her anymore Kendra interrupted, confirming Addison¡¯s suspicions. Addison realized that Kendra had changed after this incident ¡°Mom, Magnus proposed to Natalia Kendra sobbed, burying her face in Addison¡¯s shoulder ¡°Don¡¯t cry, my darling. It won¡¯t change anything You¡¯re only making me feel worse, Addisonforted her, softly stroking Kendra¡¯s back. ¡°Mom, no matter what i do. I can¡¯t seem to outdo Natalia What should I do? Now she¡¯s the wife of the CEO of Andersen Corporation. I¡¯ve worked so hard, only to have it all benefit her. How can I get rid of her! Magnus even divorced me for her.¡± Kendra¡¯s words stirred something in Addison. She wiped away her tears and helped Kendra up ¡°If you can¡¯t do it, someone else can,¡± Addison stared into Kendras face and spoke word for word Kendra immediately stopped crying. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Lucius¡± Both mother and daughter spoke the name simultaneously ¡°But I¡¯ve already offended him I am too embarrassed to see him, and after all the harm I¡¯ve done to him, there¡¯s no reason for him to help me,¡± Kendra said, her voice trembling. ¡°He will help you He has no other choice Addison said, a cold smile ying on her lips. Early the next day, Kendra dressed in a seductive red silk dress and meticulously applied makeup ¡°Let¡¯s meet, she wrote in a text message and sent i Lucius, the recipient of the message, could onlyugh bitterly ¡°Sorry, I have nothing to say to a woman like you. Given our history, I¡¯ll let you go this tama he replied, throwing his phone to the side. He didn¡¯t want anything to do with her All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. But soon, his phone lit up again. Then you¡¯ll never have a chance to beat Magnus You¡¯ll always be living in his shadow. Meet me at the coffee shop under your office at 6 pm it¡¯s up to you whether you show up or not, After writing these words, Kendra¡¯s hands were trembling in reality, she wasn¡¯t sure whether Lucius would actuallye Everything she sent was taught to her by Addison, and she had to certainty about whether Lucius would bug ther story At 6 pm, in the coffee shop Kendra nervously clutched the coffee in her hands, her legs shaking involuntarily. Ten minutes had passed beyond the agreed¨Cupon time, and there was still no sign of Lucius Her anxiety grew Just as she was about to leave, a familiar towering figure caught her eye it was Lucius A wave of relief washed over Kendra. She took a moment topose herself ¡°So you did show up, Kendra said, her voice barely above a whisper it was as if she had be a completely different person ¡°Cut the crap, Kendra What¡¯s your big n?¡± Lucius snapped, his impatience and disdain for her evident. His eagerness to bring down Magnus was also clear. ¡°I don¡¯t have a n, that¡¯s why I called you here. I thought we could brainstorm together.¡± ¡°Radiculous!¡± Lucius red at her, standing up to leave. ¡°We¡¯re two peas in a pod right now, Lucius. If we want to bring down Magnus, we need to work together. You don¡¯t have a choice. Kendra quickly stood up, her voice determined 125 Chapter 125 Chapter 125 Lucius halted in his tracks ¡°What do you say? How about we get back together? It was my fault in the past. My judgment was clouded by fame and fortune. Please, don¡¯t leave me. and don¡¯t ignore me. I¡¯ve paid for my foolishness. Compared to Magnus, I¡¯ve realized I still love you. Let¡¯s fix the things between us, please. You¡¯re the only man I¡¯ve ever loved, Lucius.¡± Kendra broke down in tears as she spoke. After all, Lucius had truly loved her once, and he couldn¡¯t deny that his heart was not entirely untouched. But he was unsure whether any of her words were genuine. If he was to bring Magnus down, he knew he couldn¡¯t do it alone, he needed Kendra¡¯s help Kendra seemed like a changed person today ¡°Kendra, you know, I¡¯ve always loved you. The way I treated you before was out of jealousy. Let¡¯s forget about the past and start anew¡± To an outsider, they looked like an affectionate couple, but both had their own ulterior motives In the parking lot, the swaying car finally came to a stop. Lucius wrapped his arms around the woman in his armhs, who was already weak from the intense action that they were just doing, and lit up a cigarette ¡°Kendra, everyone has a weakness, but what¡¯s Magnus Achilles heel?¡± ¡°Natalia, Kendra mumbled, her forehead resting against Lucius¡® chest ¡°Natalia Lucius¡® eyes shed, and his mouth curved up into an evil arc. ¡°Kendra. I¡¯ve just had an idea.¡± ¡°Natalia. It¡¯s been ages since you contacted me. Have you forgotten about me since you got married¡± The person before her looked upset, her innocent big eyes blinked, eliciting sympathy ¡°Oh, stop it, Lexi. We¡¯ve been friends for years. Don¡¯t you know I love you the most?¡± Lexi couldn¡¯t resist Natalia¡¯s charm, her face brightened instantly. ¡°Well, topensate for hurting my feelings, you¡¯ll have to spend the whole day with me tomorrow¡± ¡°Sure Lets meet here at the same time tomorrow.¡± Two twenty¨Csomething women, bathed in sunlight, looked like children lost in a dream. That night, at the Vi Montecresto. ¡°Magnus I saw Lexi today, you know, my best friend. I haven¡¯t seen her in ages since I moved here.¡± Natalia cozied up in Magnus¡® arms, speaking in a soft, sweet voice All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Listening to his girl talk about her day, Magnus felt a sweetness spread in his heart. ¡°Mm¨Chmm. Anything else?¡± Magnus responded nonchntly ¡°No, nothing I just wanted to tell you. She wants me to spend the day with her tomorrow. I feel like I owe her a lot¡± Natalia twirled a lock of her hair as she spoke. ¡°Who¡¯s going to keep mepany if you¡¯re with her, hmm?¡± Magnus feigned annoyance, looking at Natalia Natalia lifted her head, pouting and staring at Magnus with clear and shiny eyes. ¡°Why are you like this, getting jealous over everyone? Natalia turned h¨¦i head away Suppressing hisughter, Magnus cupped Natalia¡¯s chin, turning her face to him, and nted a light kiss on her lips. Natalia¡¯s cheeks immediately flushed ¡°You you¡¯re such a a pery!! Before she could finish, Magnus silenced her with another kiss, stopping her from more grumbles In the bedroom, Magnus effortlessly pinned her underneath him, kissing her passionately while unbuttoning her blouse. Natalia no longer resisted, she even found herself enjoying this Feeling her response, Magnus became more enthusiastic, bing one with her How could this woman be so irresistible? Even when she was angry. he wanted to possess her How could he allow her to leave so casually? The bedroom was soon filled with the sounds of their pleasure The next morning, Natalia woke up early, applied light makeup, and put on a simple white dress, looking incredibly ipnocent Magnus, however, was a bit worried. He looked at the freshly dressed Natalia, and said with indulgence, ¡°Come back early.¡± ¡°Mm¨Chmm. I will.¡± At the street corner. ¡°Lexi! I¡¯m here!¡± Natalia spotted a girl in a pink dress from afar, and she knew it was Lexi Lexi loved pink ¡°Natalia. I thought I¡¯d never see you I¡¯ve been waiting here for 20 minutes. Why are you sote? Lexi pouted cutely. ¡°Oh, stop it. There was a bit of traffic I even left homa 10 minutes early, Natalia defended herself, not mentioning that she had lingered in Magnus warm embrace until thest possible minute ¡°Alright, alright, I forgive you. Lexi said and raised her cute smile again. Natalia felt a pang of guilt. ¡°So where should we go?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go to the amusement park. It¡¯ll get crowdedter¡± ¡°Okay¡°Natalia gave in. The two girls, hand in hand, happily skipped towards the amusement park, unaware of the watchful eyes behind them. They had a st, but they couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that someone was following them. At first, they were puzzled, but as they immersed themselves in the fun and chatter, they forgot about their suspicions. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s just our imagination, Natalia thought ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m tired. Let¡¯s find a ce to rest, Lexi suggested, her cheeks flushed from the excitement ¡°Sure. Let¡¯s go to our favorite cafe from our school days.¡± ¡°Great!¡± Two girls quickly hit it off, yet they were unaware that these words had long been overheard by someone with ulterior motives. ¡°Here, two sses of iced Americano¡± ¡°Alright, just a moment¡± The girls continued reminiscing about their school days, oblivious to the fact that the barista had been reced by a different person. ¡°Hahaha, remember that time when ¡°Natalia? Natalia?¡± After a single sip of her coffee, Natalia slumped onto the table. Lexi, who was in the middle of a story, hadn¡¯t even touched her coffee. The sudden turn of events shocked her. She stared at Natalia, momentarily paralyzed. ¡°Somebody, help! Someone has passed out. Can anyone help?¡± Lexi shouted, her voice filled with panic. However, a few moments passed and no one responded to her ories Chapter Chapter 126 Chapter 126 When Lexi returned, Natalia was nowhere to be found. Lexi copsed on the floor, so panic¨Cstricken she¡¯d forgotten to call the police What happened? She had a bad feeling when they went out to y this morning. No wonder they always felt like someone was following them. It wasn¡¯t a misperception. It must have been a premeditated setup Suddenly, Lexi recalled that it wasn¡¯t by chance that she wanted to see Natalia, but because she received a strange text message early in the morning it said Natalia really missed her, and she thought Natalia was ying a prank, perhaps confined by Magnus and hinting at wanting to go out and y Now she suddenly got it. Her mind immediately went to Magnus. But she picked up the phone and didn¡¯t know his number Frantic, Lexi didn¡¯t have time to think further and ran directly to Andersen Corporation I¡¯m sorry, non¨Cemployees are not allowed to enter Please leave The security guard in front of her blocked her way ¡°Please, I really need to see Mr. Andersen. Something happened to his wife.¡± Lexi cried pitifully, tears streaming down her face. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll help you convey the message¡± ¡°Knock knock knock ¡°Come in Magnus didn¡¯t look up. His mood was already messed up by work. ¡°Sir, a young woman, around twenty years old, has just barged into thepany. She says your wife is in danger His secretary anxiously informed him. Upon hearing this, Magnus suddenly looked up. ¡°What? Take me to see her Without a second thought, Magnus wheeled himself out as quickly as possible When he arrived at the lobby, he saw a tearful young woman, sobbing heartbrokenly. Magnus cold demeanor immediately overshadowed her urgent concerns, and Lexi stared at the man on the wheelchair ¡°What happened? Where¡¯s Nat?¡± Magnus gaze was as sharp as a sword, pointed directly at the tearful girl. I don¡¯t know. This morning when we went out, we felt like someone was following us. But we didn¡¯t pay attention. At the coffee shop, she took one sip of her coffee and fainted. I was frightened too. I went out to get help, but when I came back, she was gone.¡± Lexi was clearly terrified, her speech disjointed and incoherent A sh of ferocity crossed Magnus eyes. ¡°I see.¡± Magnus immediately thought of the desperate Lucius Lucius could mess with him, but dare to touch his woman, he¡¯d make them all pay the price. Nat had better be okay, if she was even slightly hurt, he¡¯d make them all pay He picked up the phone. ¡°Hello? Magnus, why are you calling us today? Feeling lonely? Natalia not satisfying you?¡± James joked. ¡°Cut the crap, my wife is missing, I suspect it¡¯s Lucius doing Go check on him. I¡¯m going to kill him.¡± Natalia was his bottom line, anyone who touched her wouldn¡¯t be spared Upon hearing this, James instantly became serious. He pushed away the woman in his arms. ¡°Missing? Alright. I¡¯ll check now¡± This was no small matter. As James used his phone to track the location, he dialed Chase¡¯s number. ¡°Start phone tracking A tall man in a ck trench coat soon appeared at the entrance of the entertainment city, striding in fiercely ¡°Oh my god, you¡¯re not pretending anymore?¡± Chase and James looked at the man who strode in, their jaws dropping in shock ¡°I don¡¯t have time for that now. Nat¡¯s missing. I need to find her immediately She¡¯s in danger with Lucius.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Calm down, we¡¯ve found her. ording to Natalia¡¯s phone location, she¡¯s indeed with Lucius. And her sister, Kendra, is with her.¡± ¡°Damn it¡± He didn¡¯t expect the two of them to conspire and abduct his wife. They were really bold. Magnus kicked the sofa in resentment. At the same time, his phone rang. It was a message. When he opened it, it was a video ¡°Magnus, you must be panicking now. Your beloved woman is in my hands in the video, Lucius irritating face appeared. Tm telling you. Give up your position as CEO of Andersen Corporation, or else I¡¯ll bring someone to rape her then throw her into the sea I¡¯m only giving you thirty minutes,e alone with the transfer of shares This is yourst chance¡± Magnus angrily threw his phone to the ground ¡°James, help me find their location Magnus¡® eyes were bloodshot, like an enraged leopard. No one dared to speak. In a short while, James located them ¡°Found it. They¡¯re in the old car factory on West Street¡± Magnus bolted out of the room and rushed to the old car factory. He had never felt so anxious before. ¡°Nat, I won¡¯t let anyone hurt you.¡± In no time, he arrived at the dpidated factory. He wheeled himself to the front gate. Lucius! Come out!¡± Magnus at this moment was like a frenzied beast. No one could stop him. No one dared to ¡°Oh, oh, oh, Magnus, you came so quickly. Seems like I¡¯ve underestimated your friends.¡± Lucius despicable face was so annoying it made one want to p it Enough talk. Where¡¯s my wife? What have you done to her?¡± All he wanted was to see Natalia right away. ¡°Don¡¯t rush. Hand over your position as CEO. Then I¡¯ll return her to you. Otherwise, you may never see her again in your life. Lucius red at him fiercely. It was finally his turn to make Magnus kneel and beg him. He would make him sign the transfer of shares. ¡°Lucius, you better be sure about this. Magnus wanted to kill him with his cold re, but his wife was in his hands, he couldn¡¯t be reckless. ¡°I¡¯ll give you thepany. But I want to see Natalia safe first. If you¡¯ve hurt even a single hair on her head, I¡¯ll make sure you die a miserable death.¡± Thepany would be useless in Lucius¡® hands. But rescuing his wife was the priority. ¡°So, the tables have finally turned. Ha! She¡¯s in there, alright. You just need to hand over the deed to your shares and she will be safe.¡± Lucius looked so smug at the moment that anyone who looked at him would want to throw him into the sea and feed him to the fishes. Upon learning about Natalia¡¯s whereabouts, Magnus pressed the button he had prepared earlier, and a group of well¨Ctrained men in ck suits swiftly surrounded Lucius, restraining him. Ten minutes earlier. ¡°Magnus, are you really going to hand over the CEO¡¯s seat to him?¡± James, who was busily searching for Natalia, asked with concern. ¡°No way, Magnus simply said. ¡°What about the Natalia? Arent you going to save her?¡± ¡®Of course, I am. Natalia is my life. Lucius is desperate now. I believe that no one would want to help him. The only one who might stand by his side is Kendra Chapter 127 Chapter 127 Those two fools, they¡¯re just children ying adults. The best strategy right now is to avoid ruffling their feathers. Once we know where my wife is, we can nab them all in one fell swoop.¡± ¡°Alright, I got it. I¡¯ll get in touch with the security team. Have them tail you Watching Lucius get under control, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but smirk, his n had worked perfectly. ¡°You think you can challenge me? You¡¯re digging your own grave.¡± He moved his wheelchair closer, pping Lucius contorted face. ¡°You are so damn stupid¡± Biting his teeth in anger, Lucius stared at the man in the wheelchair He wished he could rip him apart. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Nat, I¡¯m coimg¡± Magnus turned and entered the rundown factory As he pushed open the broken door, it wasn¡¯t Nat¡¯s face that met his eyes, but Kendra¡¯s Magnus¡® presence sent a shock through Kendra. This was bad, Lucius had screwed up Magnus looked at the foolish woman before him, his dark eyes glinting ominously. ¡°Where¡¯s Nat? Where is she? Magnus asked, his disdain for Kendra clear in his eyes ¡°She¡¯s right behind me Kendra replied coldly, her smirk intact even in defeat. She wouldnt let Nat get away that easily. Magnus followed her gaze to see Nat, hanging high from the steel beam of the ceiling, unconscious and deathly pale. ¡°Darling Magnus shouted, his voice echoing in the empty factory Hearing his voice, Nat slowly opened her eyes, a weak smile appearing on her face at the sight of the man in the wheelchair. ¡°Magnus¡± She managed to whisper, his name carrying all the weight in her world. ¡°How about it, cripple? If you have the ability, save her yourself. You¡¯ve treated me like this before, and now it¡¯s Nat¡¯s turn to taste the bitterness I¡¯ve suffered Kendra roared, her face twisted in rage and vindictiveness. She tightly gripped the rope in her hand, ready to let Nat fall from the height at any moment. Magnus saw her intentions clearly, but instead of panicking, he felt an anger rise within him. He stared at her, his eyes cold and determined as he slowly stood up from his wheelchair ¡°You you can stand?¡± Kendra gasped, staring at the scene unfolding before her in disbelief. Magnus stood tall taking steady steps towards Kendra, his presencemanding and godlike Kendra was stunned, forgetting about her vengeance on Nat as she watched the man approach her. His cold demeanor like a demon from hell, yet captivatingly irresistible Nat too, was shocked She watched as Magnus stood up from his wheelchair, forgetting about the dangerous height she was dangling from. He really stood up. He was standing. A weak smile appeared on her face. ¡°I told you, anyone who touches my woman will die Magnus approached Kendra, pulling her up by her hair and throwing her to the side. ¡°You should be thankful that you re a woman. I¡¯ll spare your life Magnus said, pulling the rope and slowly lowering Nat to the ground Once Nat was safely by his side, he scooped her up in his arms, holding her as if she was his entire world. He was terrified of what could¡¯ve happened to her ¡°It¡¯s okay, don¡¯t be afraid Darling, I¡¯m here. I¡¯m sorry¡­ But the woman in his arms had already passed out, exhausted from the hours of torture and fear. He held her close, stepping out of the factory and heading towards the hospital After two days of unconsciousness, Nat finally woke up During this time, Magnus never left her side, not eating or drinking. ¡°Magnus Nat croaked weakly, her voice barely a whisper Hearing her voice, Magnus bloodshot eyes shot open, he held her hand tightly in his ¡°I¡¯m here, I¡¯m right here. Baby.¡± water water Magnus quickly fetched her some water, carefully feeding it to her Finally, after two days, she was conscious again She looked at the man bustling around her, a comforting smile appearing on her lips. ¡°Darling, you¡¯re awake¡± Magnus voice, hoarse from worry and lack of sleep, reached Nat¡¯s ears His face filled with relief and joy. ¡°1 ¡°Nat coughed, her throat felt like it was on fire, her head throbbing with pain. Her wrists ached too As she tried to recall what happened before she passed out, all she remembered was being hung from a high steel beam by Lucius It was cold and Kendra was there too Then Magnus arrived, he stood up from his wheelcha Did be really stand up? Yes! He did! But how? Wasn¡¯t he disabled? Was he lying to her all this time? Fighting the intense headache, Nat stared at the man before her with suspicion ¡°What¡¯s wrong Nat? Are you hungry? You haven¡¯t eaten in days, I¡¯ll get Linden to make something. What would you like, darling? Magnus got up and left the room, oblivious to the intense gaze Nat was giving him. ¡°Magnus.¡± Nat called out, her voice filled with disbelief Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°What is it? Do you want something specific to eat? Just tell I have Linden make it.¡± Magnus nonchnt response only served to irk Nat further. He could stand up, yet he lied to her. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to exin about your legs?¡± Nat asked, her voice cold and distant. It was then that Magnus noticed something was amiss. He immediately moved closer to Nat, taking her hand in his. ¡°Listen, Nat, I have my reasons.¡± ¡°Reasons? What reasons?¡± Natalia cut Magnus off abruptly Her voice was still raspy, tinged with a sense of betrayal. ¡°It¡¯s not something you should be so secretive about, talking about reasons. And even so, why would you keep this from me? Do you think our rtionship is not strong enough to handle this? All this time, what have you considered me to be?¡± Nataha felt as though she had been physically and emotionally wounded, and she couldn¡¯t help but dissolve into tears. Seeing Natalia raise her voice at him for the first time, her tears falling like pearls from a broken ne, Magnus felt a pang in his heart. ¡°Darling, I¡¯m sorry. I¡­ I didn¡¯t mean to hide it from you, I wanted to tell you multiple times. Remember those times after making love, when I held you as we showered together, didn¡¯t you sense anything?¡± Chapter 128 Chapter 128 ¡°Enough! Back then, I barely had the energy to notice whether you walked or wheeled around. Just leave I don¡¯t want to see you.¡± Natalia shouted, using every ounce of strength she had. She then buried her head into her pillow, her heart aching with humiliation. His legs had been fine for a long time, and she still massaged him every day like a fool, worried that his legs would atrophy if he sat too long. Her ceaseless worry had turned her into the butt of his joke. How foolish she had been! Magnus felt somewhat helpless. Back then, she was so exhausted she didn¡¯t even notice that he had walked to the bathroom, ¡°My dear, I¡¯m sorry. But you¡¯re partly to me, you know? Every time you¡¯d say that if my legs healed, you¡¯d leave. How was I supposed to let that happen? Now that you¡¯re my wife, you can¡¯t leave. I was nning to tell you soon. Can you forgive me?¡± Natalia ignored him, closing her eyes and refusing to look at him. Her face was devoid of any color. He reached out, hisrge hand brushing against her cold forehead He was shocked, why was she so cold? Magnus quickly called a doctor and informed Lexi, who was the only other person who genuinely cared for Natalia ¡°Take good care of her She¡¯s very weak right now. I lied to her and she¡¯s furious. She doesn¡¯t want to see me. I¡¯ll wait until she has the strength to me me before I see her again Make sure you inform me promptly Magnus instructed Lexi earnestly Lexi listened carefully, not daring to interrupt or argue. She found it peculiar that she was so afraid, especially since Magnus didn¡¯t me her or lose his temper She nodded in agreement and went in to care for Natalia. Poor Natalia, she thought She was such a timid girl. How did she endure this for so long? Lexi mused silently. Magnus was so heartless, lying to Natalia about his legs. In reality, he could¡¯ve stood on his own long ago. Lexi entered the room to find Natalia lying in her hospital bed, staring nkly at the ceiling. ¡°Natalia, you¡¯re awake!¡± Lexi eximed excitedly. ¡°Ah, it¡¯s you,¡± When Natalia noticed it was Lexi who came in, she actually felt a pang of disappointment. He didn¡¯t want to exin himself anymore. Of course, to him, she wasn¡¯t important. He had lied to her for so long. As she thought about it, Natalia forced a bitter smile ¡°Remember when I was kidnapped? It must¡¯ve scared you Natalia said, trying to change the subject. Lexi sat beside Natalia¡¯s bed, watching her. ¡°Yes. That really frightened me. I thought you were a goner. But Magnus actually managed to save you. Natalia, are you feeling better? I thought I¡¯d never see you again, Lexi confessed, her voice trembling with fear. ¡°Rx. I¡¯m fine now, Natalia replied, reaching out tofort her ¡°But you must have suffered a lot. Your sister is already difficult to handle, not to mention that ruthless Lucius Natalia, I¡¯m sorry for not protecting you Did they do anything to you? Lexi broke down into tears. Natalia patted her hand, ¡°It¡¯s ok, I¡¯m fine. You don¡¯t need to worry. I¡¯m just angry at Magnus. His legs are fine, but he lied to me for so long.¡± She felt her anger rising just thinking about it. Exactly, how could that wheelchair¨Cbound man be so mean? Pretending to be disabled and lying to you, he deserves to be ignored for a while, Lexi eximed indignantly Natalia couldn¡¯t help butugh at Lexis description of Magnus. The two of themughed and chatted in the hospital room, while Magnus, standing outside, finally allowed a smile to spread across his face. His wife was kind¨Chearted, she would surely forgive him. Meanwhile, in France. Carter was alone by the bustling dance floor, holding a ss of wine. The hazy lights reflected off the peculiar dance moves of the young men and women on the floor, making Carter seem out of ce. But he dared not return to the vi. He was ovee with an urge to Ahem, she was his fiancee, so what? But he hadn¡¯t been home for several days Why couldn¡¯t he resist the urge to kiss her? How could she always control his emotions? Was it because he had been single for too long? Carter was lost in thought, oblivious to the woman approaching him. ¡°Hey there, you are all alone. Care to dance? The woman was attractive, her mini¨Cskirt entuating her graceful¨Cfigure. Her red lips looked tempting under the lights and she exuded a seductive aura Carter frowned in disgust ¡°Beat it, Carter spat out ¡°Freak!¡± The woman, feeling rejected, stormed off it wasn¡¯t like this before. Other than her, he had no interest in anyone else. Carter¡¯s thoughts wandered back to Sabrina¡¯s innocent face Back at the school in France ¡°Hey! Sabrina!¡± ¡®Mr. Tom? Good morning.¡± ¡°Yep. Did you sleep wellst night? Any hangover?¡± Tom asked cheerfully. They had been out drinking at that restaurant the night before. Sabrina had mistaken Tom for Carter. Although nothing happened, it was still a tad embarrassing to think about ¡°Aboutst night ¡°Sabrina suddenly remembered what had happened and her face flushed. The word ¡°hu¡± that she was about to say got stuck in her throat. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Are you feeling unwell? Your face is so red. Are you running a fever?¡± Tom reached out to touch Sabrings forehead. Embarrassed, Sabrina dodged his hand and gave a nervousugh. Tom felt even more awkward and quickly withdrew his hand. ¡°¡­I have to go to ss. See youter, Mr. Tom, Sabrina said, and practically ran to her ss. Tom was left staring at her retreating figure, deep in thought. Did he do something wrong? Heughed and shook his head. Sabrina, having escaped, leaned against the wall of the school building, her heart pounding. Ever since Carter had forcefully kissed her, she had been thinking about how he took advantage of her and then disappeared. Why did he keep popping into her mind? It shouldn¡¯t be like this. All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Sabrina, restless and distracted, managed to get through a day of sses, having never looked forward to going home as much as she did right now. Atst, she was home Her eyes scanned the ce, unintentionally looking for that familiar tall figure. How could this be? He hadn¡¯t been back for a while. Forget it, stop thinking about it A bitter sentiment filled her heart. That jerk¡¯s absence, should be a relief, but why did it feel like something was missing? He hadn¡¯t shown up for several days. He practically ignored her as if she were invisible. What was she thinking? Sabrina chuckled to herself. After finishing the dinner Manan made, she leaned against the window, sketching. ¡°It was raining again, huh. Hopefully there won¡¯t be any thunder tonight, please, please.¡± Sabrina muttered to the soft drizzle falling from the sky. Chapter 129 Chapter 129 Chapte It seemed as if God didn¡¯t heed her pleas ¡°Boom!¡± The thunderous sounds from outside the window came in waves, causing Sabrina to drop her paintbrush and hide under the covers ¡°Damn it, stop with the thunder, she mumbled, covering her ears tightly. Meanwhile, at the local pub. Carter, drunk as a skunk, stumbled out into the pouring rain and the booming thunder. He had to get home Jack drove him to Carter¡¯s mansion and was going to leave ¡°Are you okay, president?¡® Jack asked, feeling worried. Tm fine. Go home¡± Carter drunkenly pushed open the mansion door Not seeing Sabrina, he assumed she was out drinking with some other men. ¡°Darn it¡® Do I mean nothing to her? Sabrina? Sabrina!¡± he yelled loudly Sabrina, who had been huddled under her covers, heard his call and immediately opened her bedroom door, only to see the man staggering down the hallway toward her ¡°Why didn¡¯t you answer?¡± Before he could finish his sentence, Carter lost his footing and fell onto Sabrina. His weight caused both of them to tumble onto the hallway floor. The stench of alcohol from Carter was overwhelming, making Sabrina feel nauseous. She tried to push him off, but he didn¡¯t budge He had fallen asleep. What a drunk jerk! ¡°Hey, wake up. This is the floor, not a bed¡± She began to lightly p his face. Sabrina was desperate. She forcefully pushed the man on top of her, wishing she could kick him awake. ¡°Um Sabrina Carter felt the softness under him moving, and muttered her name unclearly. Sabrina¡¯s heartbeat missed a half beat With a lot of effort, Sabrina managed to free herself from under him, leaving Carter sprawled out on the floor. Sabrina had to suppress augh. Carter looked ridiculous in his drunken state. What should she do now? Should she take him to his room or just leave him here? Should she fetch him a nket? In the end, she concluded leaving him in the hallway would be inhumane. If he woke up and found himself in the hallway, he¡¯d surelyin to her grandfather, and her grandfather would be furious. Why did he have to drink so much? Sabrina carefully draped his arm around her neck and slowly got up. Using all her strength, she managed to move the nearly six¨Cfoot¨Ctall muscr man to his bedroom it was a feat no one would believe she could pull off, but she did ¡°Boom!¡± Another thunderp sounded outside. ¡°Ah!¡± Sabrina screamed in fright, dropping Carter onto the bed The pain woke Carter up ¡°No more thunder, please Sabrina whimpered, hiding under the covers and hugging her knees. So she was afraid of thunder Carter, now partially awake, saw her trembling under the covers and couldn¡¯t help but smile A whileter ¡°Crash¡± What was that? This crisp sound definitely came from inside, not outside. Carter woke up fully and started looking for the source of the sound. Sabrina had hit her head on the bedside table. It was a hard hit, and she was now sitting on the floor, clutching her head. ¡°Sabrina? Sabrina? Carter called out No response Carter panicked and hurried to check on her Sabrina slowly copsed into his arms, unconscious The fear, the stress, and the sudden blow to her headbined to make her faint. Carter was now fully sober He quickly picked her up and ced her on his bed. The lightning illuminated her pale face. ¡°Hush, don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m here,¡± he said, holding her But she kept her eyes tightly shut. He held her close, his lips meeting her dry ones in a tender kiss, the taste of alcohol still lingering- He really loved kissing her. Her lips tasted so sweet, he couldn¡¯t stop He licked his lips, savoring the sweetness, and fell asleep holding her. The next morning, the rain had stopped and the sunlight peeked through the curtain, hitting Sabrina¡¯s eyelids. ¡°Ah, my head hurts,¡® she mumbled, slowly opening her eyes Suddenly, she saw a handsome face right in front of her ¡°Ah!¡± She screamed, waking Carter Their eyes met ¡°Why are you in my¡­ No, why am I in your bed?¡± Sabrina eximed. She remembered being in her own bedst night. ¡°I was about to ask you the same thing. Did you sneak into my bed because you¡¯re infatuated with me?¡± Carter teased, with a smirk on his face. ¡°But it¡¯s okay, we¡¯re engaged, so sharing a bed is normal it¡¯s what our grandparents want he continued, his eyes burning with desire. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Sabrina punched his chest, her cheeks burning hot ¡°No one has ever spoken to me like this before,¡± Carterughed, pulling Sabrina back into his arms and rolling on top of her. ¡°You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e. There¡¯s nothing wrong with this.¡± Carter¡¯s warm breath brushed against Sabrina¡¯s face, making her blush. ¡°You¡± ¡°Hmm? Do you want to argue? Didn¡¯t you sneak into my bedst night? I don¡¯t mind if you want to do it openly. Okay?¡± Sabrina had never been so embarrassed in her life. I didn¡¯t¡­ Before she could finish her sentence, Carter¡¯s lips met hers in a deep, passionate kiss. He was consumed by her, not wanting to let go. Sabrina felt dizzy, the kiss was so intense, she could hardly breathe Carter, sensing her difort, reluctantly let her go. Sabrina gulped down mouthfuls of fresh air, her cheeks flushed a rosy hue. ¡°So how was it? Huh? Did you enjoy it?¡± Carter¡¯s voice was hoarse, his face filled with amusement as he watched Sabrina. He found his fiancee incredibly entertaining ¡°You¡¯re such a jerk Sabrina, regaining her senses, red at him. She forcefully pushed the man off her and bolted from the room, her face burning with embarrassment. He had kissed her again ¡°My little bunny hehe. You¡¯ll get used to me.¡± Carter¡¯s smile was sweet and charming. He had made up his mind to stop hiding. He wanted to win her over and have her surrender to him Melfort After a week of recuperation, Natalia was back on her feet. Her daily antics with Lexi had improved her mood significantly, but the thought of Magnus still caused her heart to ache. All this time, he had not visited her once. Not even a single call. Chapter 130 Chapter 130 Lexi caught the flicker of loneliness in her eyes and remembered something important. She dialed Magnus¡® number. ¡°Mr. Andersen. Natalia seems to really want to see you. Maybe it¡¯s time for you to make an appearance.¡± Lexi was eager to share this good news with Magnus Magnus, who had been waiting for this call, quickly hopped into his car and drove off to see Natalia. He didn¡¯t want to waste a single second. In fact, he had been watching her from outside her hospital room every day, only leaving when he saw that she was happy. He had been busy with work and dealing with Lucius affairs Plus, the shock of him suddenly standing up from his wheelchair had caught everyone off guard, especially Morgan, who nearly fainted from joy when he found out his legs were healed. He wasn¡¯t sure how fast he was driving, only that he made the long journey in just ten minutes ¡°Natalia. Look who¡¯s here!¡± Behind Lexi appeared a familiar figure Natalia had been longing to see Yes, it was Magnus He had finally arrived Natalia was both happy and angry He hadn¡¯t visited her for such a long time. She turned to leave, but Magnus quickly grabbed her arm ¡°Sweetheart, are you still mad at me? You still won¡¯t forgive me after all this time?¡± He gently pulled her into his embrace, ¡°Nat, I¡¯ve missed you. I¡¯ve missed you every single day. Don¡¯t you miss me?¡± The Magnus before her was disying a level of tenderness and patience she had never seen before. He watched her, her long eyshes trembling like a feather, stirring his heart. He felt a warmth bubble up within him. Damn, he wanted her. He had to resist the urge to kiss herThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Natalia was moved. She slowly looked up at Magnus, noticing his thin and haggard appearance. His stubble was visible. She felt a pang in her heart. How could he not take care of himself? Natalia was touched, but she couldn¡¯t get past his deception. She didn¡¯t understand why Magnus had kept his recovery a secret. ¡°Magnus, we both need some time to cool down and think about whether we truly belong together. She wanted him to give her an exnation. ¡°My love, what are you saying. Natalia didn¡¯t respond, gently pushing him away and returning to her room. Magnus stood there, his heart breaking as though something had crumbled within him. He had deceived her for so long, but it wasn¡¯t intentional. He was just afraid of losing her. ¡°Natalia, are you really not going to make up with him? He¡¯s been so good to you,¡± Lexi asked, her innocent eyes widened Lexi, some things aren¡¯t as simple as you think. I don¡¯t think he loves me Nata replied, her eyes welling up with tears ¡°Not love you? How could he not love you? When you were sick, he stood by your bedside without eating or moving. He even avoided you for a few days because he was afraid you¡¯d be angry with him. But he was always watching you from afar. He specifically asked me to tell him when you were feeling better And look, as soon as I told him, he rushed over here. You should know he¡¯s the CEO of Andersen Corporation. And it¡¯s such a long way from here. he must care a lot about you¡± Lexi rambled on.. After hearing Lexi¡¯s words. Natalia fell into deep thought. 1. It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t not forgive him. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been massaging him like a fool for sa long, and his legs were actually fine. I just get angry thinking about it.¡± ¡°Natalia. Don¡¯t be angry anymore Let¡¯s go learn to drive tomorrow My dad said that once I learn to drive, he¡¯ll buy me that cool sports car I¡¯ve been eyeing for a long time Lexi blurted out, tugging at her skirt. ¡°Me? No, thanks. I¡¯m not really interested in driving Natalia replied. ¡°Oh right, of course, you don¡¯t need to. You can just order your CEO around. He¡¯ll be your personal chauffeur. I can¡¯t do that. Well, I want to go learn to drive Then I can take you for a ride ¡°Let¡¯s go Before Lexi could finish, Natalia suddenly changed her mind. ¡°I¡¯m not relying on him to be my driver. He doesn¡¯t love me that much.¡± Natalia thought, her heart in agony. ¡°I heard the instructor at that school is super handsome Let¡¯s go check it out tomorrow, haha. Lexi¡¯s expression was simply too funny to ignore. ¡°Okay, whatever you say After Natalia was discharged from the hospital, the two decided to get their driver¡¯s licenses over the summer break The next morning, they arrived early at the driving school Unfortunately, Lexi¡¯s dream shattered when she was assigned a middle¨Caged instructor Watching Lexi mope, Natalia couldn¡¯t help butugh harder ¡°What¡¯s so funny?¡± Hearing the familiar voice, Natalia¡¯sughter froze on her face. It was the voice she had been longing to hear Why was he here? Looking at Lexi, she realized it was a setup. But then, ¡°Hello, I¡¯m your instructor, Magnus He walked in stride in the sunlight, his suit pants wrapped tightly around his long legs, and he smiled like high school boy. She finally understood why Lexi had insisted on learning to drive Blushing, she introduced herself ¡°Well, I¡¯m Natalia¡± *Great, from now on, I¡¯ll be your personal instructor Feel free to ask me anything you don¡¯t understand¡± ¡°I do have something to ask.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°Can I change instructors?¡± 10:061 ¡°Then I have no questions.¡± Magnus was both exasperated and amused by the sharp¨Ctongued girl before him. He coughed to hide hisughter. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get in the car, my dear.¡± It had been a while since Natalia had heard that endearing term. She felt a prick in her nose and turned her head away. She really missed him Sitting in the passenger seat, Magnus gazed at the woman he had longed for for so long. He was momentarily lost in her. ¡°Nat, I¡¯ve missed you so much. Can you forgive me?¡± As Magnus watched Natalia¡¯s pale hand grip the steering wheel, a jolt of emotion surged through him ¡°Dummy, don¡¯t you know you should fasten your seatbelt when driving? Without waiting for a response, he leaned over and buckled her up. His warm breath brushed against Natalia¡¯s face, causing her cheeks to instantly flush a deep shade of red No, she thought that she was still mad at him. She needed to stay strong Hmph! Natalia consoled herself with this thought The car began to move slowly. However, Natalia couldn¡¯t control the speed at all, and the car was heading straight for the gate. Natalia screamed in terror Magnus stepped on the brake, hisughter echoing in the car, giving him an irksome yet charming air Chapter 131 Chapter 131 After a while, Natalia was too scared to step on the gas pedal. Magnus raised his voice, instructing her. ¡°Natalia, step on the gas. The gas.¡± Natalia¡¯s heart was about to leap out of her chest with anxiety. How could she dare? Magnus looked at her with disdain, and Natalia pouted. She shot him a re, thinking to herself, ¡°You¡¯re underestimating me. Wwait until I learn to drive, and I¡¯ll show off to you and wipe that smug look from your face.¡± As the day passed, their rtionship eased a lot. ¡°Nat, let¡¯s go grab something to eat *Sure¡± At the restaurant, Magnus ordered two medium¨Crare steaks, Natalia¡¯s favorite He didn¡¯t order any wine because she couldn¡¯t drink Natalia, touched by his thoughtful gestures, felt her heartstrings being tugged at again. ¡°Magnus I¡¯m not mad at you anymore I forgive you¡± He dropped everything to teach her to drive, and it really moved Natalia Magnus looked at her in utter surprise, his action of cutting the steak paused Honey, are you serious Magnus couldn¡¯t believe his ears and asked again. ¡°Mmm I¡¯m not lying Magnus felt like a kid in a candy store, he wanted to pick Natalia up and twirl her around, but the restaurant was too crowded, and he was afraid people would think he was crazy, so he resisted the urge. ¡°Honey, I promise I won¡¯t lie to you anymore¡± ¡°Mmm Then, can you move back in?¡± After being discharged from the hospital, Natalia had been staying with her friend, Lexi ¡°Mmm I¡¯ll move back in¡® She was his wife, where else could she go if not home? That might Magnus picked Natalia up and brought her home. As soon as she reached the doorstep, she felt a surge of familiarity wash over her, instantly lifting her mood She touched each of her belongings one by one, as if she was in a different world. She hadn¡¯t been home in such a long time. This, this was her home After Natalia had finished unpacking, she went into the bathroom. After freshening up, Natalia came out with her hair still wet Magnus, waiting outside the room, was clearly losing his patience. He quickly walked over to her, but he didn¡¯t make a move. He just gently took her hand and led her to dry her hair He sat her down on hisp, just like before, and dried her hair for her, then carried her to bed Now that he didn¡¯t need the wheelchair anymore, he climbed onto the bed as well, holding onto the girl he had missed so much. He buried his face in her neck, taking in her unique scent. Unable to hold back anymore, he found her lips and kissed her fiercely, greedily taking her in. ¡°Honey, I miss you so much¡± He pressed Natalia onto the bed andunched a vigorous attack Just as she was getting used to him, he pushed inpletely, his movements deep and fierce. Natalia winced in pain. ¡°Baby I¡¯m sorry I was too rough But he couldnt hold back anymore They made love all night Natalia lost count of how many times he brought her to climax, until finally satisfied, he held her as they cleaned up and then they fell asleep He looked down at the woman in his arms, kissing her flushed face, and closed his eyes contentedly The next morning, Natalia felt like her body was falling apart, there wasn¡¯t a single spot that didn¡¯t hurt. And the man responsible for her condition waka sleeping so soundly ¡°Why did Ie back to torture myself Natalia thought to herself, feeling sorry for herself. But looking at the man sleeping soundly in front of her, she felt at peace She couldn¡¯t resist giving his eyshes a gentle peck, but little did she know, her action would spark another round of passionate sex The man suddenly opened his eyes and rolled on top of her, ¡°Honey, were you satisfied with my service last night? ¡°Not satisfied Natalia replied without thinking, and the man¡¯s gazes darkened, Not satisfied? Alright. (il make you satisfied right now.¡± Ah, no, Magnus I didn¡¯t mean it, okay?¡± Toote The man caught hold of her small body and covered her with hisrge one, filling the room with romance. it wasn¡¯t until Natalia¡¯s intermittent pleas for mercy and the mans satisfied moans filled the room that everything finally came to a stop. They didn¡¯t part until noon Mrs Andersen, let¡¯s go practice driving Come, get in the car Magnus opened the car door for Nataka, who got in with a grin on her face Magnus looked adoringly at the woman beside him, gently tucking a stray hair behind her ear His movements were incredibly tender. All of this, however, was being observed by someone with malicious intent ¡®Damn, why can¡¯t I break them up Kendra, hiding in the corner, furiously clenched the purse in her hands and tucked a trash can next to her Her head was still bandaged from the injury. Even though Magnus hadn¡¯t hit her hard, the injury was enough to keep this spoiled brat bedridden for half month. She hadn¡¯t dared to show her face for half a month since it was her fault to begin with. And Magnus had made a fool of her, adding insult to injury. Now that her injury was almost healed, she couldn¡¯t bear her jealousy of Natalia any longer and ventured out on her own. T¡¯ll make you pay for what you¡¯ve done to me, tenfold, a hundred fold.¡± Kendra red at the distant couple, swearing revenge Lucius must have been released by now. Thest time Lucius kidnapped Natalia, he was arrested by the police, butter Lillian bailed him out.All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Lillian told Magnus, ¡°You would even send your own brother to jail. Are you even an Andersen? How can your heart be so cold?¡± ¡°If my heart was cold, he would¡¯ve been dead a thousand times over Magnus replied coldly. He knew he didn¡¯t have any real family ¡°Beep¡ªKendra dialed Lucius number There was no answer That bastard Lucius, he dared not answer her call. She thought to herself ¡°Fine, I don¡¯t need any of you I can ruin them all by myself ¡°Buzz Kendra¡¯s phone rang ¡°Lucius, you finally returned my call Kendra thought to herself, quickly answering the phone, but it was an unknown number. Who could it be? Kendra hesitated for a moment before finally picking up the call. ¡°Hello? Is this Ms. rkson? A pleasant female voice came from the other end. ¡°Hmm, yes May I ask who is this?¡± Kendra was perplexed Did she know this woman? ¡°I¡¯m Isabe. You might¡¯ve heard of me. I¡¯m Magnus first love. The woman¡¯s melodic voice flowed through the call. Magnus first love? Isabe? Kendra suddegly felt like she found a silver lining. She quickly tried to ingratiate herself. ¡°Oh, THE Isabe. I¡¯ve heard so much about you, it¡¯s a surprise that you¡¯ve reached out to me What can I do for you?¡± She also wanted to gauge the woman¡¯s intentions. ¡°How about we meet up? You can choose the ce and time?¡± Isabe¡¯s response brought Kendra immense joy She immediately responded, ¡°Sure, I am sure to attend.¡± ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s meet at July Cafe at eight tonight. I¡¯ll be wearing a ck dress. See you there.¡± With that, she quickly hung up the call 212 Chapter 132 Chapter 132 At a local country club, Isabe¡¯s lips curled into a smile. She was d in a sleek, ck dress that entuated her slender figure. Years ago, after Magnus¡® leg was crushed in an ident, she stayed by his side, witnessing his helplessness. Her parents urged her to leave the crippled man, but she couldn¡¯t Magnus, now the CEO of Andersen Corporation, was still irresistible to her especially when she saw his recent photos in a wheelchair. Her heart pounded uncontrobly at the sight. She quickly returned home to catch up on the events. Magnus had taken revenge by marrying Kendra, but the woman¡¯s recent scandal with Lucius had been the talk of the town Magnus standing tall again, no longer handicapped, was a sight to behold. He was as handsome as ever, exuding an aura of a mncholic prince descending from the heavens cold, yet captivatingly handsome. She was determined to win him back They once shared a mutual fondness for each other. He had genuinely liked her and had even drawn portraits of her. They would spend hours talking about everything and nothing But after his ident, everything changed. Upon learning that Magnus had divorced Kendra and was now with her sister a mere substitute ¨C she knew she needed to fight for him. Regardless of Kendra or the substitute, she was determined to take back her man. Things seemed simpler now. She knew Kendra hadn¡¯t given up and proposed an alliance, which the naive woman readily agreed to On the other end of the phone, Kendra was overjoyed at Isabe¡¯s proposition, her spirits lifted from the gloom of recent days ¡°Natalia, I will defeat you. I swear it¡® At eight in the evening. Kendra arrived early at the coffee shop, nervously scanning the room for any sign of Isabe Just as Kendra was about to give up and leave, she felt a tap on her shoulder. Turning around, she was greeted by a woman dressed in a ck dress, smiling cordially at her The woman had a mature grace about her, her almond¨Cshaped eyes flicked upwards, her face adorned with delicate makeup and her hair cut short, exuding an air of sophistication. ¡°Ms. rkson, I recognized you immediately the woman extended her hand with a smile ¡°Uh, yes, hi Kendra stammered in response. After settling down, Isabe got straight to the point ¡°I heard you married Magnus, then divorced him, and now he¡¯s with your sister is Magnus happy Or perhaps is he deeply in love with your sister?¡± Isabe asked, trying to gauge Kendras reaction. ¡°Well, not at all. Magnus doesn¡¯t like my sister. She just clings to him. Magnus seems helpless. After all, my sister can¡¯t hold a candle to you,¡± Kendra ttered, hoping to stay on Isabe¡¯s good side. It seemed the woman in front of her wanted to get back together with Magnus. Since they weren¡¯t familiar with each other, Kendra had to leave a good impression on Isabe. ¡°Really? From what I heard, it doesn¡¯t seem to be the case¡± Isabe said with a smile, but Kendra sensed an underlying chill in her words. ¡°No, no, few people know what is going on. I am her sister, and I know it best. Just a few days ago. Natalia threw a fit because Magnus deceived her. No matter how Magnus tried tofort her, she didn¡¯t give in. In my opinion, their rtionship is on the rocks,¡± Kendra said. ¡°It turns out Magnus can be sweet and caring too, but he has never done that with me before.¡± Isabe¡¯s eyes dimmed as she thought to herself This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Seeing Kendra¡¯s eagerness to help, Isabe felt a glimmer of hope. But she knew she couldn¡¯t trust Kendrapletely. Isabe put on a smile ¡°Oh, is that so? Could you help arrange a meeting with Magnus for me then? I want to see him.¡± ¡°Oh sure, absolutely¡°¡± Kendra was more than willing ¡°Let¡¯s do it tomorrow. Go to theirpany. He passes the elevator entrance on the third floor every day at nine o¡¯clock. You can pretend toe out of the elevator Kendra, who was about to say something else, was interrupted by Isabe That¡¯s enough, I can handle things myself from now on. Thanks for your help today We¡¯ll be in touch.¡± Isabe then gave her a courteous but clearly fake smile. However, her acting skills were undeniably good Seeing that Isabe wanted to get in touch with Magnus through her, Kendra¡¯s eyes revealed a sly smile! The next morning, isabe, dressed in an elegant outfit and light makeup, set out to meet Magnus She timed her arrival at his office building perfectly, making sure Magnus saw her as she exited the elevator Magnus was on his way to teach his young wife how to drive when he spotted a familiar figure Isabe? What was she doing here? His mind was flooded with memories of their past before the ident Back then, they were in love. One day on campus, a petite girl approached him, her cheeks flushed with excitement This this letter is for you. Be sure to read it, she said before running off ¡°Such a cute girl,¡± Magnus thought, opening the letter it was a love letter expressing her feelings for him. The next morning, Magnus arrived at the school gate early, waiting for her. When the girl finally arrived, she was taken aback at the sight of him and fled Magnus hadn¡¯t anticipated this and quickly hurried to catch up ¡°Hey! What¡¯s with you? Who confesses their feelings then goes into hiding¡± I was afraid you¡¯d reject me.¡± The girl in front of him had a misty veil over her eyes, threatening to spill over into tears at any moment. ¡°Whoa, whoa, don¡¯t cry. I didn¡¯t do anything to you.¡± ¡°But what if you don¡¯t want to be with me. The thought alone is heartbreaking. And how could you tell me not to cry¡­¡± Her long hair glistened in the sunlight, radiating a golden glow. I¡¯ll be with you, okay? But no more crying¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°Okay?¡± ¡°What?! You really want to be with me?¡± She looked unbelievingly at the attractive boy in front of her. He was handsome like a prince, making her heart beat so fast ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Magnus¡± ¡°Isabe¡± After that, the two spent some wonderful time together. Magnus indeed treated her as a girlfriend, apanying her to and from school every day. During that time, the girls at school were insanely jealous of Isabe. Chapter 133 Chapter 133 Magnus legs had failed him, and in a moment of despair, he suggested he and Isabe part ways. However, Isabe refused to leave his side, a gesture that touched Magnus deeply and gave him hope for the future. Half a yearter, when doctors informed him that he would never walk again, Isabe quieted down, and her once vibrant spirit seemed to wane. Magnus knew their rtionship was reaching its end. He asked his grandfather, Morgan, if he could recuperate on Sapphire Ind, perhaps for the rest of his life. Morgan agreed, even going so far as to give Magnus forty percent of the shares in Andersen Corporation Upon hearing this, Isabe insisted on going to Sapphire Ind to care for Magnus. She still held hope that Magnus wouldn¡¯t go. Yet, this was a decision made by Andersen Corporation, and she had no power to change it. Once on Sapphire Ind, Isabe took care of Magnus meticulously, but as the sun set each day, she¡¯d stare nkly at the horizon and fall deeper into silence Magnus realized she was growing lonely. He contacted Dr. Frankie in France and left for treatment. As he departed, he reassured Isabe, ¡°Wait for me. I¡¯ll be back.¡± But Isabe didn¡¯t wait Instead, she left Sapphire Ind for the United States. After Magnus leg had healed, he immediately went home to see Isabe, but he never saw her again, nor did she leave a single word. From then on, he harbored a deep resentment towards women and completely avoided any interaction with them. With the help of James and Chase Carter, he established a prominent corporation in France with branches across the country Yet, Isabe remained a hurdle in his heart. Recalling the bitter memories from the past, Magnus immediately rushed out, searching everywhere for the woman he had just saw, but he couldn¡¯t find her For a whole day, Magnus was lost in thought, even forgetting to give Natalia her driving lesson ¡®Magnus, what¡¯s wrong? Natalia asked with concern as theyy in bed. ¡°Nothing, let¡¯s sleep. Magnus replied, turning away He couldn¡¯t possibly tell Natalia about seeing isabe. His wife had a fiery temper when upset Natalia was left puzzled by his behavior. Days passed without another sighting of Isabe. Magnus concluded he must have been mistaken, and life slowly returned to normal. One day, as Magnus stepped into the elevator, he caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in a white dress. ¡°Isabe, is that you? Magnus asked, disbelief evident in his voice ¡°Magnus, is it really you?¡± The woman replied, her eyes widened with surprise. The woman before him had lost her youthful aura, and her hair, which he had loved when they were dating, was now cut short. ¡°Why are you here? Magnus asked, his expression unreadable He wanted to know why she had left him so abruptly all those years ago. I¡¯m here for some business. Magnus, your legs have healed? That¡¯s wonderful¡± she said, with a hint of tears in her eyes. ¡°Yes, I am healed. Magnus replied quietly. Isabe, trying to keep her emotions under control, suggested, ¡°Magnus, would you like to grab a coffee?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± At the coffee shop, Isabe ordered two caramel mhiatos, their old favorite ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to remember what I like after all these years, Magnus said, a smile ying on his lips. ¡°Yes, you always loved this coffee. Remember how happy we were back then? Are you doing okay now, Magnus?¡± Isabe asked softly I¡¯m doing very well I¡¯m married now. How about you?¡± Magnus asked, chuckling. Perhaps her leaving was the right choice after all. They never did end up together ¡°I¡¯m not married. My parents forced me to go to the US and I couldn¡¯t wait for you. I¡¯m sorry, Magnus I came back this time because I wanted to see you. I didn¡¯t expect you¡¯d be married Isabe said, her eyes downcast ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on the past. We didn¡¯t end up together in the end, and though it¡¯s regrettable, we can¡¯t turn back time, can we? I¡¯m doing well now, and i hope you can also find your happiness soon.¡± Magnus said, taking a sip of his coffee. ¡°Magnus, are you really so heartless? Didn¡¯t you use to love me? I¡¯m back, and I won¡¯t listen to my parents anymore. I came back for you, Magnus. Do you still have feelings for me? Isabe asked, her eyes welling up with tears. Magnus looked at the familiar scene before him, his heart stirred. He wiped away her tears with his handkerchief Isabe began to sob uncontrobly ¡°When you went to France, I was forced to go to the US You have no idea how heartbroken I was I cut my hair short, thinking it would help me forget you, but it didn¡¯t. I still love you, Magnus. I¡¯ve been waiting for you to find me, but now that you¡¯re finally here, you¡¯re married ¡°Isabe choked on her words, overwhelmed with emotion. Magnus felt a pang in his heart. 1 isabe, let¡¯s leave the past behind. I¡¯m married now, and I love my wife dearly I appreciate you standing by my side all those years ago. I hope we can be friends,¡± Magnus said,forting the heartbroken woman ¡°Isabe, I¡¯m sorry. Let me take you home¡± Isabe cried all the way home. When she got out of the car, her eyes were swollen red ¡°Can we still be friends, since we can¡¯t be together?¡± Isabe asked, her voice a gentle murmur in the quiet room. ¡°Sure, we¡¯ll always be friends,¡± Magnus replied, waving a casual goodbye to her However, Isabe took hold of Magnus¡® hand and gave him a hug As Isabe embraced Magnus, unbeknownst to them, a figure watched from afar. It was Natalia. Was this a coincidence? That women. Wasn¡¯t she the one in the portrait that hung in his study? It turned out that a day before, Kendra had made an unexpected visit to Natalia. ¡°Natalia, I¡¯ve wronged you in the past, and I¡¯ve paid for it. Magnus and I are divorced now. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?¡± Kendra lowered her head, feeling aggrieved, and tears fell from her eyes. Seeing the pitiful sight of tear¨Cstricken Kendra, Natalia was at a loss. What was she nning now? ¡°Kendra, what¡¯s your game here?¡± Natalia asked, her voiceced with suspicion. ¡°I¡¯m truly sorry for how I treated you before. I understand that now I shouldn¡¯t have done that to you. Please, for the sake of us growing up together, can you forgive me?¡± Kendra pleaded, her heartbreak evident. But Natalia was having none of it. She found Kendra¡¯s act too fake to be believable, and she brutally rejected her ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to, but I won¡¯t fall for it, and I won¡¯t believe you¡¯ve changed. We don¡¯t need to see each other anymore, Natalia said, her voice cold All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. Staring at the unyielding girl before her, Kendra¡¯s eyes flickered with an unreadable emotion. 10:07 Chapter 134 Chapter 134 ¡°Natalia,¡± Kendra began, her gaze unyielding. ¡°I thought you should know. I saw Magnus with another woman. I know he doesn¡¯t care about me, but aren¡¯t you his wife? I just didn¡¯t want you to end up like me, and get kicked out of Maplewood Mansion.¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes were cold. ¡°Our rtionship is none of your business, Kendra Who knows what schemes you¡¯re cooking up?¡± ¡°Fine, but if you want the truth, check out Oakwood Condos tomorrow at this time. Maybe you¡¯ll run into your CEO husband, Kendra retorted, and with that, she stormed off. The previous day, she had met with Isabe, who had promised to meet with Magnus and win him back. She had asked Kendra to record the meeting and show it to Natalia, hoping to make Magnus think Kendra was spiteful and to sow distrust between him and Natalia Isabe nned to take advantage of the ensuing chaos. However, Kendra chose to tell Natalia directly, eager to see the look on her face when she discovered Magnus with another woman. Nothing would make her happier than seeing Natalia in pain After Kendra left, Natalia felt confused What was going on? Reason told her not to believe Kendra, because who knows what tricks she¡¯s up to Though it was so, Natalia also wanted to figure out what was going on with Magnus these days. He seemed rather distant these days. Could it be that he really had another woman outside? The thought pained her heart. If he didn¡¯t want her anymore, it might be the end of her world, because she had given her whole heart to him. She loved him as her own life! The next day, she went to the ce Kendra had mentioned. After waiting for a while and not seeing anyone, she was about to leave when she saw Magnus car pulling in She hid behind a telephone pole and watched as Magnus got out of the car and opened the passenger door for a woman. Natalia recognized the woman from a portrait in Magnus¡® study. It was Isabe Seeing Isabe embrace Magnus, Natalia felt her heart sinking to the bottom of her chest. Her world was crumbling around her. Her beloved Magnus was in the arms of another woman, and he was not pushing her away. Overwhelmed with pain, Natalia turned away, but the image was burned into her mind Tears streamed down her face. She realized that the woman with Magnus was the woman from his past, the one he still loved. Meanwhile, Magnus felt a sense of closure. He felt he had finally repaid his debt to Isabe, who had been by his side for half a year ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Staring at the sunset on the horizon, he couldn¡¯t help but feel the urge to rush home to see Natalia immediately. He felt that he had been neglecting her a bittely. But when he came back home, she was nowhere to be found. ¡°Where¡¯s my wife?¡± he asked his housekeeper, May ¡°She left early in the morning and hasn¡¯te back yet.¡± Magnus immediately drove to the driving school, but they said she hadn¡¯t shown up. He then drove to her friend Lexi¡¯s house He barged in without asking and demanded, ¡°Where¡¯s Nat?¡± Lexi pointed to the bedroom. Natalia was curled up on the bed, her eyes swollen from crying. Magnus approached her, ¡°Nat, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Before Natalia could answer, Lexi pulled Magnus out of the room. ¡°Natalia isn¡¯t here for you to bully She¡¯s had enough of your nonsense. What did you do to upset her? If you don¡¯t love her, why did you marry her? If you can¡¯t make her happy, let her go You might be powerful, but if you mess up with Nat, I will not let you off Lexi shouted, shaking with fear and anger Magnus was confused What was going on? ¡°Get out! You¡¯re not wee in my home!¡± she said, dragging Magnus out the door. Magnus was stunned. As a formidable CEO, he wasn¡¯t just kicked out by this little girl, but he also didn¡¯t understand why. As he was about to knock on the door again, he saw Kendra approaching ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Magnus asked, his anger ring. ¡°Why can¡¯t I be here? How does it feel to be ignored by your wife? Haha. Kendra gloated, taking pleasure in his misfortune. Magnus sensed something off, his hand swiftly gripping her throat and pinning her against the wall. ¡°Speak! What did you do to her? Did this woman cause trouble again? Had she upset his wife? Kendra tried to pry away his hand, which was as firm as a steel mp on her neck. Her eyes reddened from desperation, ¡°Magnus, this is a residential building. I warn you hot to mess around One shout and someone wille to my rescue.¡± ¡°Help¡± Kendra, about to yell for help, was suddenly thrown to the floor by Magnus ¡°Say it, what did you do? You know I can end you¡® Magnus spoke with a grim look. ¡°Cough, cough ¡°Kendra warily climbed to her feet. Seeing the man in front of her, who resembled the Grim Reaper himself, she fell fear creeping in again. 71. 1. I¡¯ll say it, 13-4 It wasn¡¯t me. Natalia was heartbroken seeing you and Isabe so close,¡± she confessed Chapter Chapter 135 Chapter 135 in ¡°LLITI say it, I say it, it wasn¡¯t me. Natalia was ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°It was all Isabe¡¯s doing. She deliberately allowed Natalia to see you two acting intimate, causing her to misunderstand that you and Isabe were rekindling an old me. I have nothing to do with it.¡± The woman was really quite dim. A simple scare and she spilled everything. But given Magnus¡® temper, he might actually harm her. After hearing Kendra¡¯s words, Magnus realized how out of line he had been these past few days. He was already married, with such a beautiful and lovely wife, yet he still found himself wondering why Isabe had left him years ago. He had been so distant with Natalia these past few days because of that woman He was a fool! How could he let one woman disrupt his peace of mind. He could no longer bear it and immediately turned to knock on Lexis door. Hearing the knock, Lexi knew that Magnus hadn¡¯t left if he had, that would have been strange. ¡°What do you want now? Natalia is staying the night here She¡¯ll go back tomorrow. Lexi confronted the sullen man ¡°No.¡± Magnus strode into the bedroom, seeing the girl on the bed He uncovered the nket, picked up Natalia and said, ¡°Honey, let¡¯s go home.¡± Natalia, who was attempting to sleep due to difort, was suddenly lifted into the air. ¡°Magnus, let me go¡± Natalia started to struggle as soon as she realized what was happening ¡°Be good, honey. We can talk about everything when we get home The man picked up the girl without any further exnation, and walked out of Lexis house Tears rolled down Natalia¡¯s cheeks uncontrobly. She remembered how he had held another woman just now ¡®Put me down, I can walk by myself she struggled Magnus didn¡¯t say a word. He held the girl and walked towards the car. He opened the car door, put her in, went to the driver¡¯s seat, started the car and drove away. Kendra watched helplessly as the man walked away, holding Natalia, her teeth pressing hard against her lip Back home, Magnus carried Natalia directly into the bedroom and ced her on the bed Natalia, unable to break free from his hold, turned to ignore him, but the man forcefully turned her around, ¡°Honey, listen to me. That girl is Isabe She was my girlfriend back in college, just like you and Hector Magnus held the girl, lowered his head to kiss her lips, wanting her to look at him in the eyes and listen to him. That year, when my legs were broken, she apanied me to Sapphire Ind and took care of me for six months. I thought we would end up together, but she left I wanted to understand why she left, because I owed her for those six months. Today I finally understood after seeing her. I told her I was married and have a wife whom I love very much. She agreed that we would only be friends from now on Honey, in my heart, there is only you. You have to believe me.¡± The man looked anxiously at the girl¡¯s face. Her face was pale, she must have thought that he didn¡¯t want her anymore What a fool! He held her lovingly, kissing her lips. Natalia, after hearing what he said, finally looked up. Her eyes were full of tears, Magnus, if one day you don¡¯t want me anymore, just tell me directly. Don¡¯t lie to me, and don¡¯t hurt me Because she would rather face the cruel truth than his beautiful hes ¡°Dummy, how could I not want you? I told you, I am your family and your lover. In this life, you can only be by my side¡± He kissed her lips tenderly. He wished he could carve her into his bones. This was his woman, his wife. How could he not want her? Natalia, under Magnus passionate kiss, felt hurt beyond words but couldn¡¯t break free from his grip. Being kissed senselessly, she was exhausted and closed her eyes to sleep Magnus noticed her flushed face and her even breath in his arms. He smiled, got up and went into the bathroom to fix his reaction in the pants. Kissing her made him want her again. Seeing her sleep soundly, he decided to take a cold shower He came out of the bathroom, took one look at the girl on the bed, and went downstairs to prepare something to eat After another hour Magnus went upstairs to call Natalia for lunch, only to find her face even redder He felt something was wrong and touched Natalia¡¯s forehead it was hot. Sure enough, Natalia had a fever Magnus immediately had Linden call their family doctor After the doctor came and examined Natalia, he said, ¡®Mr. Magnus, your wife is suffering from stress¨C induced fever and a bit of a cold. Some medication will help ¡°Well hurry up and prescribe it then Magnus growled ¡°Right away¡± The doctor quickly prescribed the medication, left it on the table and gave a few instructions on the dosage before leaving Magnus poured some water and looked at the girl with her eyes lightly shut. Honey, take your medicine. You¡¯re sick.¡± Natalia, in a daze, opened her eyes and looked at Magnus. I don¡¯t want to take the medicine i dont want to ¡°Be good¡± Seeing the stubborn girl, Magnus crushed the medicine, mixed it with water, took a sip and kissed her lips. He slowly fed the medicine to the girl Natalia, unable to breathe, was forced to swallow the medicine in her mouth it was so bitter that she furrowed her brows Magnus fed all the medicine to the girl, then stood up went to the bathroom and got a towel to put on her forehead. After a while. Natalia¡¯s temperature still didn¡¯t¡¯i eturn to normal, and Magnus became worned He went into the bathroom, washed the towel in cold water, and came back to carefully wipe Natalia¡¯s body, while another towel continued to cool her forehead. He reced the towel every time it got warm, and he went back and forth between the bedroom and the bathroom It wasn¡¯t until midnight that Nataltas temperature finally returned to normal Magnus heart, which had been in his throat, finally rwed. He fell onto the bed in exhaustion, hugging Natalia as he fell asleep When she woke up, it was already noon Natalia rubbed her eyes and yeared As soon as she opened her eyes, she was startled Magnum? Why was he hare? Why was the sleeping in fan arima? (adert he ge She carefully recalled the scene from yesterday where he said he loved only her angkan na pyoa mia ant dur isabe man and a frand. She ended up with a fever and he fed her medicine A wave of embarrassment wathed river Natalia at the rerrambarad her jealousy fortet opartarta fium pectantas. The full ke a petty greanayed adu She shifted slightly in bed, stirring Magnus from his slumber Leeling the mohant a ta aina thagnum arty spened her apart. Good mo sweetdy, he said ?n her mind. Natalia reyed the scene where (sabells had hugged ham, and he dide 1 feelings for her. A bitter smile tugged at her lips. She war deeply bothered by the ¡°Magnus know, I¡¯m not good enough for you, the hagan locking eyes with her har tel me ¡°Darling what are you talking about¡± He furrowed his brows, staring i mune wander Remembering how helt hugged another woman the day before. Natalia fett heading for the bathroom vand halua ! of repulsion. She pushed over and 272 Chapter 136 Chapter 136 Magnus stared into the void in his arms, a knot of frustration and unease formed in his chest. He had taken care of her throughout the night, yet she remained icy towards him. He got up and dressed, then he headed straight to work, certain that his wife woulde around eventually In the president¡¯s office at Andersen Corporation, Magnus stood by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, watching the sunrise. A sense of unspeakable fatigue washed over him. Natalia hadn¡¯t sent him a single text or called him the entire day. His wife was truly upset Natalia, freshly showered and dressed, walked down the stairs Not seeing Magnus, she knew he must¡¯ve gone to work. She grabbed a quick bite and headed out Instead of going to see Lexi, she went to the seaside alone. As she gazed at the vast blue ocean, she gently closed her eyes. She sat on a rock, staying there until sunset before slowly making her way home When she checked her phone, she let out a bitterugh. Nice. Not a single call from him in a whole day. It finally hit her, perhaps a lot of things were never really hers to begin with At the Golden Groove, Chase and James watched as Magnus downed one drink after another. They didn¡¯t dare to intervene ¡°Magnus, did you have a fight with Natalia? You better not or I might just steal her away,¡± James, always the optimist, joked. ¡°Buzz off Magnus nced at his phone. His wife hadn¡¯t called or even texted high all day. He chuckled She was genuinely upset. Even though he had exined there was nothing between him and Isabe, she remained angry and unforgiving. He had taken care of her all night, and yet she was ungrateful. Why couldn¡¯t she understand him, and trust that he love her? The dimly lit bar made Magnus dizzy. He couldn¡¯t stand the noise. Just as he was about to leave, a girl walked towards him. He mistook her for Natalia and approached her joyfully. ¡°Nat, did youe looking for me?¡± ¡°Magnus, you¡¯ve got the wrong person. I¡¯m Isabe ¡± Isabe stood there, staring wide¨Ceyed at the slightly drunk man in front of her Isabe, what are you doing here?¡± He quickly withdrew his hand, furrowing his brow ¡°Magnus, I came here with some friends and saw you. You¡¯re drunk.¡± Isabe voiced her concern. ¡°Um not drunk. I m fine. Go back to your friends, I¡¯m leaving¡± Magnus turned to leave the bar Chase and James walked over, looking coldly at Isabe 1sabe, Magnus is a married man. Don¡¯t cause him any more trouble,¡± Chase warned. Isabe shed a charming smile ¡°Chase, Magnus and I have been friends for years. I¡¯m not causing him any trouble.¡± Her smile was captivating, but there was no warmth in Chase¡¯s cold gaze ¡°I hope so.¡± With that, he strode off after Magnus An hour ago, Kendra found Isabe. This woman was constantly monitoring Magnus and Natalia, looking for opportunities to cause them unbearable distress She sought to create various situations to break them apart because she didn¡¯t want Natalia to be happy ¡°Isabe, let me tell you some good news That despicable Natalia just had a fight with Magnus. This woman really can¡¯t appreciate kindness and only invites trouble on herself. She¡¯s making Magnus very angry. What more does she want? She¡¯s always causing trouble with Magnus. I think he is almost at his limit She really doesn¡¯t know how to appreciate¡­ Kendra rambled on with a wide grin. Isabe smiled and listened without speaking. ¡°Kendra, have some water. Isabe handed a ss of water to Kendra Unexpectedly, but within Isabe¡¯s expectations, the water spilled on Kendras skirt ¡°Oh no, what a mess. It was my fault. I don¡¯t have any spare clothes for you to change into here Isabe appeared apologetic, but inside, she was quite pleased Kendra, who was quite oblivious, didn¡¯t pick up on this. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Isabe. I¡¯ll go home and change. I¡¯ll come find youter, my house is not far anyway. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I have to work overtimeter, so I might not be able to go with you. Let¡¯s make ns for another day.¡± ¡°Okay ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. isabe would never genuinely be friends with someone like Kendra. She was only using her to gather information about Magnus, and surprisingly. Kendra always provided valuable information Isabe just couldn¡¯t stand her Deliberately sshing water on Kendra was a way to make her leave She didn¡¯t want to spend another second with her Upon hearing the news isabe immediately took leave from thepany, went home to change into a different outfit, applied exquisite makeup, and warted at the entrance of the Andersen Corporation. When she saw Magnusing out, looking deeply concerned, she smiled She followed Magnus into the Golden Groove Isabe just wanted to intentionally create a chance encounter with Magnus She didn¡¯t believe that by frequently appearing in front of him, he wouldn¡¯t take notice Isabe watched the retreating figure of Magnus, a sly smile curling her lips. He was her man, and she was determined to win him back. Magnus returned straight home from the Golden Groove It waste when he pushed open the bedroom door. The room was pitch dark. When he turned on the light, he saw the bed neatly made She wasn¡¯t home again. A surge of anger welled up inside Magnus. He stormed out of the room, convinced that she was ying a disappearing act again. Just as he was about to grab his phone, he noticed a light in the study. He was slightly taken back Walking over, he pushed open the door. Under the dim light, a girl was asleep on the desk. Her sketchpad was filled with her doodles ¨C mountains and a single flower growing out of a rock crevice Magnus quietly approached, looking at the painting on the easel. A sudden pang of pain stabbed his heart. In radiant mountains, life sprouted in the most unlikely ces. Was she in such despair because she had lost faith in everything, or because she had lost trust in him? He set down the sketchpad and gently picked up Natalia She had lost weight, and she felt so light in his arms She was not happy. He looked down at the restless girl nestled in his arms, her face pale He gently ced her on the bed, tucking her infortably before grabbing his pajamas and heading into the bathroom. After a moment, he returned wearing a bathrobe, lifting the covers to snuggle her lean frame tightly against his ¡°Darling beleve me. I love you¡± He closed his eyes, basking in the warmth of the woman in his arms. Natalia remained asleep, finding afortable spot against him, her slumber peaceful By the time Natalia woke up the next morning, Magnus was nowhere to be seen on the bed. She remembered falling asleep in the study, so how did she end up in bed? It must have been Magnus who carried her to bed. It must have been him After freshening up. Natalia went downstairs where May greeted her with a smile. ¡°Madam, Mr. Magnus ordered this soup to be made for you. He said you¡¯ve lost weight recently and this should help you regain your strength ¡°I¡¯m fine. May The cold from a few days ago is already gone¡± She sat at the table as May served her a bowl of soup As she slowly savored her soup, a servant entered the room ¡°Ms. Natalia, Mr. Morgan has arrived.¡± Natalia was slightly taken aback. Mr. Morgan? She immediately stood up as she saw Morgan already in the entrance hall of the vi Natalia walked over, ¡°Mr. Morgan, how are you doing?¡± Chapter 137 Chapter 137 evapter 137 Morgan gazed at the girl who had noticeably lost weight since hest saw her a few months ago, his brow slightly furrowed. He sat on the sofa, with the butler standing behind him. His expression was rather grim. Natalia cautiously served him a cup of tea, ¡°Grandpa, are you here to see Magnus? He might be at the office.¡± 1 came to see you. If I wanted to see Magnus, I would have gone to the office,¡± Morgan replied coldly is there anything that I can do for you, Grandpa?¡± Natalia felt a sense of foreboding when she heard Morgan came to see her If he was going to see her while Magnus was away, it was likely he didn¡¯t want Magnus to know. ¡°It¡¯s been half a year since you became a part of the Andersens Regardless of your initial intentions, I don¡¯t approve of you bing the futuredy of the Andersen family. Magnus may dote on you and like you, but I¡¯ve never thought highly of you Morgan stated bluntly Natalia lowered her head. She knew Morgan disliked her After all, she was not born into wealth and privilege, and she wasn¡¯t a match for Magnus ¡°So it would be best if you could bear the Andersens a child. Given the recent events in the rkson family, I disapprove of your young people¡¯s actions But it¡¯s all for Magnus I don¡¯t want him to have any regrets in life ¡°Since he likes you, I have no choice but to let you stay by his side, hoping you¡¯ll give birth to an Andersen child. Regardless of whether you can be thedy of the Andersen family in the future, right now you need to bear Magnus a child¡± Morgans tone fluctuated, his words filled with a calm indifference, as if he was discussing a mundane matter However, Natalia¡¯s heart was a whirlpool of tumultuous emotions. Having a baby? She and Magnus didn¡¯t even know if they could stay together Magnus¡® first love had returned, and Kendra was causing trouble. How was she supposed to protect her rtionship with Magnus? Although Magnus was indeed good to her at the moment, she was nothing, and she felt too inferior to stand by his side Morgans intentions were clear. He didn¡¯t want Magnus to have any regrets, so he asked her to have a child with him. As for who would be thedy of the Andersen family, that was still up in the air. ¡°All these decisions are up to Magnus I can¡¯t make them Natalia didn¡¯t know what to say. ¡°If you can¡¯t even decide to have a child, what can you do?¡± Morgan looked at her coldly. ¡°Magnus may spoil you, but you have to understand that not just anyone can take on the position in the Andersen family. The child is the priority ¡°But I still have school, Natalia said, gripping the armrests of the couch, suddenly overwhelmed with fear ¡°Having a baby wouldn¡¯t affect your education You can continue your education after giving birth I can even arrange for you to study abroad if you like. As long as you bear the child Morgan said, his gaze fixed firmly on Natalia Afterward, he stood up and left Maplewood Manor The butler opened the car door for him and he drove away Natalia sat on the couch, pondering Morgans words. She understood Morgan¡¯s intentions. He wanted her to give birth to a child, then send her abroad to study, while the child would be the heir of the Andersen family. As for who would be thedy of the Andersen family, that was another matter. Natalia felt as though a storm was raging inside her. Just then her phone rang. It was Hector, whom she hadn¡¯t seen in months. ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m back I¡¯d like to see you Can we meet? Hector said softly over the phone The sound of Hector¡¯s voice almost brought tears to Natalia¡¯s eyes. They agreed to meet at a coffee shop. As Natalia pushed open the door, she saw Hector sitting in the corner, waving at her. She walked over and Hector stood up, pulling out a chair for her ¡°Natalia, how have you been? Hector asked, looking at the much shimmer Nata. She had lost her childlike innocence and had be even more beautiful, although there was a hint of sadness in her eyes. She wore a blue dress that made her look even more delicate ¡°I¡¯m fine, Hector I thought you went to America? When did you get back? Hector had changed too. He looked more mature, like he had experienced a lot His gazes, once filled with the brightness of youth, had be deep and restrained. He looked at Natalia with obvious sadness in his eyes Ive been back for two days My father forced me to go to America six months ago I came back this time without his knowledge, just to see you You¡¯ve lost weight is Magnus not treating you well?¡± Hector reached out and held Natalia¡¯s hand, which was resting on the table. Natalia felt something well up in her eyes She stared nkly at the man in front of her ¡°No, I¡¯m fine ¡°How could she admit she wasn¡¯t doing well? Facing her former loyer Natalia suddenly felt like crying. Not for any particr reason, just because she felt insecure about her current situation Hector didn¡¯t miss the sadness in her eyes Natalia,e with me to America i don¡¯t want to see you get involved in the family fesad. There, you and help you achieve your dreams. Come with me, Natalia ¡± He gripped her hand tighter, to the point where it was starting to hurt and Natalia quickly pulled her hand back ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. an be with ¡°No, I can¡¯t go Magnus has been good to me Hector, I can¡¯t go with you right now Natalia thought about the way Magnus had lovingly told her, Darting, don¡¯t ever leave me. Not in this lifetime¡± But every time she thought about the day he held isabe, her heart ached ¡°Why, Natalia, have you fallen for my cousin? Can¡¯t stand to be away from hum? Hector s eyes burned with an intense fire as he stared at the gri before him Once she hadughed so brightly in his arms, but now she looked so heartrendingly sad Did she fall in love with him? She did love Magnus, her heart beat for him every second But seeing him hold isabe, her heartache was unbearable ¡°So, Hector, you went to America for six months and you learned was how to steal another marts wife? Maybe I should ask Uncle if he needs to discipline his son?¡± Suddenly, a cold voice echoed from above them. Both of them looked up in surprise to see Magnus, one hand in his pocket and a cigarette in the other, staring down at them. ¡°Magnus.¡± Natalia was taken aback seeing this man. What was he doing here? Hector furrowed his brows, standing up after a few seconds to meet Magnus gaze. His demeanor was much calmer than it had been half a year ago, but his gazes held the same sharp intensity ¡°Magnus, you were the one who convinced my father to send me away from Melfort half a year ago, weren¡¯t you? You were afraid I would see Natalia and take her away. You had my father send me to America. That¡¯s hardly the act of a gentleman, Hector said, his voice calm and steady ¡°Forced you? Whether it was half a year ago or now, she¡¯s still my wife. Can you really take her away?¡± Magnus stepped forward, roughly pulling Natalia into his arms Natalia stared at the brooding man, his handsome face cracking slightly. She didn¡¯t dare to move. ¡°Your wife? How did she be your wife in the first ce? And how did she get tangled up in your family feud? She almost lost her life because of you. Magnus, if you have any humanity left, let her go. She has her own dreams, she can¡¯t y your games, Hector retorted, his gaze locked onto Magnus. 212 Chapter 138 Chapter 138 10:071 He was not at all intimidated by the man standing in front of him. All he wanted was to see his beloved, Natalia, safe and happy. Natalia was too kind¨Chearted to be involved in hisplicated family affairs Hearing this, Magnus closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them suddenly, his expression fierce. ¡°No matter how Natalia became my wife, and no matter what hardships she might endure in the future, it¡¯s none of your business. I¡¯m here to fulfill her dreams and bring her happiness. Seems like your time in America didn¡¯t teach you much. I¡¯ll talk to Uncle, and send you to the Silent King. There, you¡¯ll learn some manners.¡± He then looked down at Natalia Ready to go, my dear? Let¡¯s head home He grabbed Natalia¡¯s hand and led her out of the coffee shop Hector clenched his fists. Don¡¯t get too cocky, Magnus Back at Maplewood Manor. Magnus didn¡¯t let go of Natalia¡¯s hand, leading her upstairs to their bedroom With a loud bang, he kicked open the bedroom door and closed it behind them. He pushed Natalia against the door and passionately kissed her before she could react His kiss was fierce, as if he wanted to consume her entirely He had been discussing some business with a client in the coffee shop, not expecting to see Hector holding Natalia¡¯s hand when he came out Natalia didn¡¯t pull away Instead, they were exchanging affectionate nces. He wanted to smash Hector¡¯s hand off. How dare he encourage his wife to leave him! Six months ago, he had sent Hector to America, but he and even had the audacity to encourage Natalia to leave him This infuriated him Natalia tried to resist his passionate kiss, sensing something was off about him. Magnus lifted Natalia into his arms, and before she could react, they both fell onto the bed. Natalia looked into Magnus furious eyes. ¡°Magnus, what are you doing?¡± ¡°What am I doing? Didn¡¯t you say you were done with Hector? Then why were you holding hands with him? If I hadn¡¯t seen you today, would you have run off with that kid? His eyes zed with anger. Natalia was speechless This man was too much. When had she held hands with Hector? She had only seen him embracing Isabe. Natalia defiantly watched Magnus loosen his tie, feeling a chill in the air. ¡°I wasn¡¯t holding hands with Hector On the other hand, someone was caught embracing their first love¡± Natalia stood up and coldly stared at Magnus. Magnus scoffed at Natalia¡¯sment, his eyes full of ridicule ¡°You saw me taking Isabe home yesterday, so you¡¯re still mad. Did you meet with Hector on purpose to get back at me?¡± He walked over to her, lifting her chin to look into her beautiful face, a sudden crack appearing in his heart. She was his woman, and he wouldn¡¯t tolerate her betrayal Would she leave him secretly like Hector said? The thought made him hiss In one swift motion, he ripped off her dress. Natalia was taken aback, watching as her dress fell to the floor in pieces. ¡°What¡­what are you doing?¡± She clutched her chest, backing away towards the bed. This man had gone mad. ¡°What am I doing? Of course, I am going to make love to you.¡± He wouldn¡¯t let her leave. He grabbed her arm and pulled her into his embrace, silencing her protests with another passionate kiss ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. As therge man pressed down on her, he showered her with kisses and left marks all over her body, marking her as his forever Before she had a chance to adjust, he entered her Natalia gasped in pain, biting her lip to hold back her cries Magnus looked at Natalia¡¯s pale face, her eyes filled with stoic resistance. He intentionally moved deeper, wanting to make her cry out However, she remained defiantly silent Tears began to fall from Natalia¡¯s eyes, which broke Magnus¡® heart. He leaned down and kissed away her tears, tasting their bitterness. His heart was just as bitter He kissed her lips gently, his hand tenderly caressing their joined bodies Natalia suddenly felt Magnus touch soften. She closed her eyes, more tears falling An hourter, Magnus left her side to freshen up in the bathroom When he returned, he was shocked to find Natalia was not in bed. He quickly got dressed and began to search for her ¡°Where is my wife? He asked May, their housemaid, who was in the living room ¡°She hasn¡¯te down. Mr Magnus Miss Natalia seems to be upsettely. She hasn¡¯t been eating much¡± May replied softly. Magnus brow furrowed, and he rushed upstairs to their room Pushing open the door, he saw Natalia curled up under the nket, her face buried in a pillow, her hair covering her face Magnus gently brushed away her hair, the dried tears on her face made his heart ache ¡°Sorry, my love, let me help you o Natalia didn¡¯t respond Magnus lifted the nket and carefully picked her up Natalia didn¡¯t resist, she no longer had the strength to She closed her eyes letting Magnus carry her into the bathroom After he bathed her and dried her off, he carried her back to their bed, lying beside her and pulling her into his arma. ¡°My low, please stop seeing Hectos, Be good to me, you¡¯re my woman, and I won¡¯t let you leave¡± Natalia closed her eyes, her heart freezing at his words Since then, Natalia rarely left Maplewood Manor, bing even more silent then before She ghen sat on the balcony, watching the sunset. As the sun descended, so did her heart Summer vacation passed quickly. Hector was sent back to America, and Lucius, after the incident, became much more peaceful, causing no more trouble. Kendra seemed to have vanished into thin air, no longer stalking Magnus like a shadow. As for Isabe, she continued to text Magnus as a friend and asionally bumped into him. Yet, Magnus didn¡¯t show any signs of lingering affection towards her In a blink of an eye, it was time for Natalia and Lexi to go back to school Natalia managed to temporarily forget about what Magnus had done to her. And it seemed like Magnus was aware of the pain he had caused Natalia. Every day, he would return early to Maplewood Manor, his heart at ease as long as he knew his wife was home One day. Andersen Corporation was celebrating its 20th anniversary and Morgan asked Magnus to host arge celebration. That night, all the high¨Cranking officials and elites of Melfort came to the hotel owned by the Andersen Corporation. After the dinner, there would be a grand ball and an award ceremony At six in the afternoon, Magnus called Natalia. ¡°My dear,e home early tonight and join me at the celebration.¡± Natalia was taken aback, ¡°Magnus, I don¡¯t want to go. She was not keen on attending such events. Chapter 139 Chapter 139 How can we start the evening without you, Mrs. Andersen? You have to be there,¡± Magnus gently cajoled over the phone. le wished he could immediately bring her close to soothe her, and make things right. If she wasn¡¯t there tonight, he wouldn¡¯t be in the mood to host any elebration. Magnus, I really don¡¯t want to go. I have ns with Lexi to discuss our participation in a French art exhibition,¡® she exined. Their school had secured hree spots for students to participate in a renowned Frenchicpetition, and she and Lex had applied hoping to see their friend Sabrina. Upon hearing her outright refusal. Magnus furrowed his brow into a tight knot, his expression darkening significantly. He silently hung up the phone Natalia assumed he had given in, allowing her to skip the company¡¯s anniversary dinner After school, she, Lexi, and another ssmate met with their utor to discuss their uing trip to France The Andersen Corporation¡¯s annual celebration went on as scheduled. As the CEO, Magnus delivered speeches and handed out awards. However, his nood was visibly sour, especially during the after¨C dinner dance party, because Natalia didn¡¯t show up. He sat sullenly in a corner, nursing a ss of brandy, one after another, drowning his disappointment. Was he not affectionate enough? Was he not treating her well? How could she actually skip the dinner Dame it! Without her, he felt a profound emptiness. As the rest of the partygoers danced andughed, he was alone, nursing his loneliness and frustration ¡®Magnus, don¡¯t drink too much, Chase advised, noticing his friend¡¯s foul mood. Everyone knew Magnus was upset because his wife, Natalia, hadn¡¯te Magnus shot Chase a nce, continuing to down his brandy and finally mming the crystal ss on the table impatiently, ¡°Enough with the chatter, drink with me.¡± ¡°Enough, Magnus You¡¯re going to get drunk,¡± Chase warned, eyeing the three empty bottles on the table. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Today, of all days, Magnus couldn¡¯t afford to get drunk. The celebration dinner was far from over, and it wouldn¡¯t do for the CEO to pass out. ¡°Drunk¡± A good idea, I could use it to forget my sorrows, Magnus replied, pouring two more sses and shoving one towards Chase, Drink with me.¡± Realizing he was stuck, Chase sighed and obliged. Everyone knew how formidable Magnus could be, and Chase wasn¡¯t eager to push his luck. He had never seen Magnus drink so much, nor had he ever seen his friend express his pain in such a way. Ah, love was soplicated. It had reduced even the mighty Magnus to this state. But fine, he thought, he would apany his friend. They were buddies after all.. Chase joined Magnus in his drinking, indifferent to the socialites and dignitaries around them. However, they were unaware that they were being observed Isabe arrived early for the Andersen Corporation¡¯s banquet, dressed in a sexy backless outfit. Her lips were seductively red, her makeup exquisite, and her walk exuded an alluring presence. When Magnus was giving his speech, she watched him with an entranced gaze, admiring his poise and intelligence. She had loved him since she was young and was determined to win him back, no matter what it took. Upon spotting Magnus in the corner of the room, she seized her opportunity. She retouched her makeup, reapplied her perfume, and adjusted her dress to reveal more of her back before heading towards him. ¡°Magnus, there you are. She feigned surprise and sat down next to him, acting as if they were old friends. Chase moved a little to the side, wary of her intentions and overwhelmed by her overpowering perfume. Magnus, somewhat drunk by now, looked up at the mention of his name and saw isabe He furrowed his brows, ¡°Isabe, what are you doing here?¡± By now, Magnus was already somewhat intoxicated, overwhelmed by a sense of frustration due to Natalia¡¯s absence. He had no particr feelings for isabe, only treating her as a friend Hearing Magnus call her by her name, Isabe felt ttered. She quickly picked up a wine ss and said with a charming smile, ¡°Come, Magnus, let me drink with you¡± With that, she took a delicate sip of her drink, her eyes seductively fixed on Magnus, awaiting his adoring gaze However Magnus didn¡¯t even bother to look at her. He was already half drunk and was preupied with pouring more liquor into his mouth upon hearing someone was joining him for a drink isabe was frantic inside, yet she dared not show it. She wished she could catch Magnus¡® eye and make him notice her. She knew how radiant and captivating she looked today From the side, Chase saw through Isabe¡¯s attempts. He had no respect for women who threw themselves at men like this and sneered slightly Isabe didn¡¯t notice Chase¡¯s contemptuous action, her mind fully upied with thoughts of how to draw Magnus attention to herself After all, she was wearing her sexiest backless dress today. With her perfect curves, she couldn¡¯t believe there would be a man who could resist her ¡°Magnus, how about we hit the dance floor?¡± Isabe tried to maintain her appearance of graceful composure as she extended her hand towards Magnus. Magnus squinted at Isabe and suddenly remembered that his wife was noting today, that she didn¡¯t take him into consideration at all. He hadn¡¯t danced yet today Rising to his feet, he said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s have a dance¡± Chapter 140 Chapter 140 Watching Magnus get up a bit unsteady on his feet, Chase knew something was off. ¡°Magnus, are you certain you want to hit the dance floor?¡± Magnus looked a bit blurry¨Ceyed and tipsy. ¡°Dance? Why wouldn¡¯t I? It¡¯s the Andersen Corporation celebration dinner. Let¡¯s get moving¡± ¡°Right, it¡¯s just a dance. What¡¯s the big deal?¡± Isabe swiftly moved to Magnus side to support his arm, leaning into him. Magnus pushed her away ¡°Back off, I can walk on my own¡± Chase shook his head disapprovingly Magnus must be out of his mind. It was obvious to anyone that Isabe was throwing herself at him, yet he was giving her the opportunity totch onto him The poor guy was drunk. Normally. Magnus wouldn¡¯t even touch a woman due to his aversion However, Magnus was known for his hot temper, so Chase didn¡¯t voice his concerns, instead watching them leave On the dance floor, couples were deeply engrossed in their dances, swaying to the music. Isabe was leaning heavily on Magnus, whispering in a way that left a lot to the imagination ¡°Well, Magnus, you¡¯re such a good dancer Magnus, feeling dizzy from the alcohol, barely heard what Isabe was saying: Suddenly, he had no desire to dance anymore. Forget it, let¡¯s go sing in a private room This action was in line with Isabe¡¯s intentions She wore a determined smile on her face, half¨C supporting Magnus as they walked towards the private room. A private space was perfect for intimate activities. She didn¡¯t believe she couldn¡¯t win against Natalia, that illegitimate girl Once she became Magnus woman, everything would be under her control. She would reim her man isabe, supporting Magnus, felt his muscr arm through his shirt and began to feel a feverish anticipation. She couldn¡¯t wait to be alone with him ¡°Let¡¯s go, Magnus To avoid being disturbed by others, Isabe specifically guided Magnus towards a private room. Unbeknownst to Magnus, all this was recorded. The one recording was Kendra. From the moment Magnus and Isabe hit the dance floor, Kendra, who came with Lucius, had been watching. She wouldn¡¯t miss any opportunity to strike against Natalia She pulled out her phone and recorded a video of them dancing intimately, then sent it to Natalia. Of course, she was careful when filming, trying not to capture Magnus sour face, and intentionally making the pair seem overly intimate. Especially when Magnus was dragged towards the private room by Isabe, the scene was cleverly filmed to look like they couldn¡¯t wait to be alone. At the same time, Natalia was discussing ns to attend aic exhibition in France with Lexi at their mentor¡¯s house ¡°Natalia, it¡¯s perfect that we three can go together We can also visit Sabrina in France, Lexi was more than excited about the uing trip. Natalia hesitated. I¡¯m not sure if I can go.¡± She hadn¡¯t discussed it with Magnus yet. She was afraid he might not let her go. Actually, she was a bit reluctant to leave Magnus After spending so much time together, despite some misunderstandings, Magnus was very affectionate towards her. She didn¡¯t want to leave him alone for France ¡°Ohe on! How can you miss such a great opportunity!¡± Lexi yfully tackled Natalia onto the couch, tickling her. ¡°Admit it, you don¡¯t want to leave Mr Andersen, right?¡± ¡°No way Natalia managed to escape Lexi¡¯s tickling, sitting up with a flushed face ¡°That¡¯s not true. You¡¯re making it up.¡± Really? Are you sure I¡¯m making it up? Lexi winked at Natalia with a teasing smile. ¡°Come on, tell me, did you and Mr. Andersen have a wild night after he carried you offst time?¡± Seeing Lexi¡¯s provoking smile, Natalia¡¯s face turned even redder. She punched Lexi yfully. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ady? How can you say such things? I¡¯m not going to entertain your nonsense¡± Just as she finished speaking her phone beeped with a new message ¡°Look, it must be a flirty message from your Mr. Andersen Go and enjoy Lexi¡¯s smile grew even wider Natalia felt even more flustered She hadnt attended thepany s celebration because she didn¡¯t like such asions, and she was nning to participate in the art contest in France However, she didn¡¯t know if he was upset about it. She was curious to see who would text her at this time though What if it was Magnus? A wave of joy spread across Natalia¡¯s heart as she took out her phone and headed towards the balcony, trying to escape Lexi¡¯s constant teasing. She unlocked her phone and saw a new video message, surprisingly from Kendra This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Why would Kendra send her anything good? Natalia was about to delete it when Lexi who had quietly followed her, snatched the phone from her hand ¡°Let¡¯s see what kind of sweet nothings Mr. Andersen has sent Lexi only intended to Lease Natalia and didn¡¯t really want to snatch the phone Natalia, trying to dodge, inadvertently opened the video that she had received but hadn¡¯t yet deleted. The sound of the g¡¯s music from the video drew both Natalia and Lexi¡¯s attention. Due to the dim lighting on the dance flour, the video wasn¡¯t very clear However, Natalia instantly recognized Magnus, who was dancing with Isabe The two embraced on the dance floor, isabe in a seductive backless outfit, pressed closely against Magnus chest Magnusrge hand rested on Isabe¡¯s exposed skin In an instant, a profound bitterness spread across Natalias heart, forming bitter fruits of sorrow. She tried to suppress the piercing pain in her heart, her hands beginning to tremble. So he was still in love with that woman. He had her in his arms because she didn¡¯t attend the banquet, so he brought isab as his date A hollowughter escaped her. Her heart felt as if a chunk had been ruthlessly gouged out, the pain unber So, his im of loving only her was a lie. She was the one deceiving herself all along. Indeed, she was not a girl from a rich family. She didn¡¯t even dare to attend a celebration banquet. How could she ever be worthy of him, the high and mighty CEO of Andersen Corporation Natalia swayed, her eyes desperately holding back tears as she leaned weakly against the wall behind her. Lexi naturally watched the video too, fuming on behalf of Natalia, ¡°This is too much! Natalia, Magnus is getting cozy with that woman again! Don¡¯t be sad. We don¡¯t need this kind of womanizer¡± Natalia didn¡¯t say a word. A bitter smile crossed her face, masking her own humiliation. Her heart was silently weeping, the pain so intense she didn¡¯t even have the strength to cry out loud. Looking at Natalia¡¯s smile, which was worse than crying, Lexi opened her arms and hugged the girl, gently patting Natalia¡¯s shoulder, ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t be too upset. If you want to cry, just let it out. Don¡¯t keep it in your heart. It¡¯s really not worth it for this kind of unfaithful man.¡± Chapter 141 Chapter 141 Summoning all her strength, Natalia held back tears. Tm not crying. I¡¯m okay, Lex¡± Looking at the fragile yet defiant Natalia, Lexi felt a deep pang of sympathy for her She tried her best to comfort Natalia. ¡®Natalia, it¡¯s okay. Maybe this is a set¨Cup by Kendra for you to see it¡¯s that shameless Isabe trying to seduce Magnus, Lexi awkwardly consoled Natalia. Let¡¯s get you home first, and then you can ask him directly to avoid arly misunderstandings¡± Natalia nced at Lexi, feeling lost She smiled again, but it was a bleak smile How could this be? if Magnus didn¡¯t want it, who coulde close to him, let alone seduce him? It¡¯s best to ask him face¨Cto¨Cface. Let¡¯s get you home first. We can decide about the Comic¨CCon in France tomorrow¡± said Lex, pulling Natalia from the wall and escorting her back to Maplewood Manor Meanwhile the party continued with the usual hustle and bustle As Isabe managed to take Magnus to a private booth, Kendra walked in just as she was about to close the door. Upon seeing Kendra, Isabe¡¯s expression faltered, but quickly recovered knowing they were on the same side. ¡°What brings you here?¡± All text ? N?velD(r)a''ma.Org. ¡°Of course, to enjoy the show Kendra walked into the booth uninvited, ncing at the drunken Magnus Pulling Isabe out of the booth, Kendra said, Isabe, anything that can ruin Natalia, I¡¯m all in¡± Unsure of Kendra¡¯s intentions and fearing she might ruin her ns, Isabe asked directly, ¡°What exactly are you nning?¡± Kendra smirked, pulling out a small packet from her purse. This is the fun¨Cstuff Lucius and I use, it¡¯s potent. I thought you might need it. That¡¯s why i brought it for you¡± Isabe took the packet, her eyebrows furrowing. She asked. ¡°You want me to sleep with Magnus, and let Natalia find out and leave him?¡± While she was eager for this ploy, she knew that once sober, Magnus wouldn¡¯t let her get away with it. ¡°Of course. It¡¯s a win¨Cwin, Kendra said, ncing at the booth with a smug smile, ¡°Enjoy your feast I won¡¯t keep you Watching Kendra leave, Isabe¡¯s heart was full of scorn. Fool, she wouldn¡¯t fall for her trap. Tossing the packet Kendra gave her into the trash bin, she pulled out her own aphrodisiac spray. At this point, Magnus wouldn¡¯t be able to swallow fun stuff. The spray wouldn¡¯t arouse his suspicion. Even if he got a blood test tomorrow, he wouldn¡¯t find anything. He would only me his drunken behavior She slowly approached the man on the couch, his eyes closed. A smirk curled up at the corners of her mouth. This handsome man, the king of Melfort was her ultimate goal After spraying Magnus with the aphrodisiac, Isabe leaned against him, trembling as she began to undo his shirt. Soon, she would have the man she had always dreamt of The spray was designed to take effect quickly ¡°What are you doing? Suddenly, a roar echoed through the room as the booth door swung open Chase stepped in, scolding loudly He had noticed that Magnus, who had been dancing with Isabe, had disappeared and feared Isabe would pull some tricks, which could lead to Magnus chewing him out the next day He hurriedly searched for them and was disgusted at the sight he found. This woman was shameless, her entire body was attached to Magnus. He haq, seen men force themselves on women, but a woman forcing herself on a man was a as a first for him isabe was startled by Chase¡¯s sudden shout, and she fell onto Magnus, her red lips pressed against his chest Magnus opened his eyes at the contact, seeing Isabe in front of him. He frowned in disgust. It¡¯s you? Get lost? He pushed isabe away without any hesitation, ¡°Chase, take me home isabe fell to the floor, scrambling to get up and pretending to be timid. ¡°Magnus, I was just checking if you needed some wals mean to fall on you it¡¯s so embarrassing¡± Magnus was disgusted by her touch Even if she was his first love, he had only danced with her out of politeness earlier. Now, swallowed a fly ¡°Stop talking and get out, now His body was reserved for his wife Dammit! He suddenly missed his wife he had to go home immediately Alright alright (1) leave now isabe hurriedly stood up. struggling to get off the floor As she took a staggering step, she intentionally fell back i Magnus arms Her lips brushed against Magnus chun Magnus was furious Get off He seemed to suber up a bit, his face stern as he pushed isabe away and sat up. ¡°Chase, take me home¡® Isabe was thrown to the floor scrambling to get up and pretending to be timid. ¡°Magnus. I really didn¡¯t mean to` in fact, she was secretly thrilled. She had deliberately fallen on Magnus and left a lipi chest. Such a sensitive spot. Natalia would undoubtedly suspect something if she saw ¦§ Now that he was under the influence of her spray she would have to let Natalia, that bastard child, take advantage ¡°Vanish from my sight before I lose my temper Magnus scolded Isabe, clearly displeased. This without his permission as so aud close to hem Fine. I¡¯m leaving and Magnus, please try not to get too angry And remember, you¡¯ve had a lot to drink. Make sure you have some coffee when you get home to sober up isabe replied, her voice soft and pitiful She stepped away from Magnus and quickly exited the private booth. No one saw the cunning smirk that spread across her face as she left She had finally encountered Magnus today His masculine aura made her heart Butter with yearning. She would give anything to spend the night with him. Once Isabe had left, Chase, who had enjoyed the free show pped his hands together What a spect Magnus, your allure is tameless. Nao Natalia wont give you the time of day | had arrived a momentter you twig v?rould have already been in the theses of ¡°Shut your trap¡± Magnus shot Chase a venomous re. ¡°Siaip me up ed to go home and can my Chapter 142 Chapter 142 He seemed to be yearning for her, and decided that regardless of her anger, he would spoil her. He felt an uncontroble agitation within him; he wanted her like hell. Damn it, he thought, why did alcohol make him miss her so much? When Isabe touched him, he felt repulsed. He forced a bitter smile. His little wife, she¡¯d got him wrapped around her little finger for life. Chase came over,ughing as he helped Magnus to his feet ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go. Back home, back to your wife Before he could finish, he found Magnus had fallen asleep against him. He hoisted him up and began to walk out What had gotten into him, he wondered, he felt so hot. Shaking his head, Chase supported Magnus as they left the bar, muttering to himself, ¡°When you sober up, you better thank me. If I hadn¡¯t shown up like some kind of superhero, you would have ended up in bed with that woman. Natalia would never forgive you¡± Of course, Magnus couldn¡¯t hear any of this. All he knew was that he needed to see his wife. He really needed her Chase grudgingly helped the drunken Magnus into his car and drove towards the Andersen family residence. ¡°Great, not only do I have to keep himpany while he¡¯s drinking, I also have to save his reputation and then act as a part¨Ctime driver. Where would you find a friend as reliable as me?¡± As he was speaking, he noticed a smear of lipstick on Magnus¡® chin and roughly wiped it off for him. ¡°Can¡¯t take that home. Natalia would kill you. Ha ha However, the careless Chase hadn¡¯t noticed there was another lipstick mark quietly resting on Magnus chest. Chase drove at breakneck speed to drop off Magnus at Maplewood Manor After parking the car, he looked up at the house to see the lights still on and let out a sigh of relief. At this hour, he didn¡¯t expect anyone to be awake waiting for Magnus. He helped the unsteady Magnus out of the car, all the while hearing him repeatedly asking for his wife. Chase chuckled at the sight of this usually mature man turning into a lovesick puppy. He¡¯d never seen Magnus this sentimental when he was drunk before Now, he couldn¡¯t stop asking for his wife Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. As he helped Magnus to the front door of the mansion, he prepared to knock Inside the luxurious mansion, Natalia sat dully by the window, staring into the endless night. Her long hair loosely draped over her shoulders, her eyes filled with sadness. She felt lost, unsure of where to go or what to do Magnus had repeatedly dered his love for her alone, but reality had cruelly proven otherwise. She realized that she had nothing to offer him. But then she remembered how they met and how they got together. It was all so clear in her mind She had once thought that after graduating and bing independent, she would go and find her mother. She believed her mother must have had her reasons for leaving her behind She didn¡¯t belong here, and Magnus had never truly been hers. Yes, he had said he only loved her, and then he was in the arms of another woman, dancing with Isabe Since he wasn¡¯t sincere about her, what was she doing here? Even though Magnus hadn¡¯t said it outright, as time went on, she knew he would eventually get tired and ask her to leave. And when that happened, she would be left with nothing but a broken heart. Such was the irony of her life. As she thought about this, Natalia forced a bitter smile. Her heart felt heavy, as if something was pressing against it, making her want to cry out. The sudden knock on the door broke Natalia¡¯s train of thought. She knew it must be Magnus, and even though the thought of him with Isabe still lingered in her mind, she straightened out the slightly wrinkled clothes she was wearing and got up, heading towards the door She opened the door and descended the stairs. Since it waste, Linden and the servants were all staying in the backyard and couldn¡¯t hear the knocking She had no choice but to answer the door herself it felt like she wasn¡¯t opening the door to Magnus, but to some ghastly specter from hell. Her heart was heavy with sorrow. Knock, knock Chase, losing his patience, knocked again, muttering to himself, ¡°Why isn¡¯t Natalia answering the door?¡± In reality, Natalia was standing not far from the door, but she was hesitant, unable to move. It wasn¡¯t that she didn¡¯t want to open the door. It was that she didn¡¯t know how to face Magnus at this moment He had been so intimate with his first love at the banquet. How could he juste home like that? She had believed that he truly loved her as he imed But now, she realized that it was all a joke The love they had shared had turned into a cruel mockery How was she supposed to face Magnus now? ¡°Natalia, open the door! Chase, struggling to support Magnus, urged impatiently ¡°He¡¯s drunk Come out and help me.¡± Chase could hardly support Magnus on his own Drunk? The weight on Natalia¡¯s chest seemed to lift at this revtion. He was drunk? Being drunk meant she didn¡¯t have to confront Magnus lies and hear his exnations just yet. That was a relief She hurried to the door, gently turned the handle, and saw Chase, his face stern, half¨Csupporting the drunken, unconscious Magnus. Magnus, his face flushed, was mumbling incoherently ¡°Natalia, Magnus is drunk Help me out here. He¡¯s heavy as hell¡± Chase waved Natalia over Natalia quickly approached and helped Chase support Magnus Together they moved him inside Finally, they managed to get the drunken Magnus onto the bed Chase, havingpleted the arduous task, let out a sigh of relief. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ve done my part. Now, I won¡¯t disturb you lovebirds. Goodbye¡± With that, Chase left. He needed to go home and wash up. He was covered in the stench of Magnus alcohol and perfume. He was a man with a strong sense of cleanliness. Chapter After Chase had left, Natalia stood there, staring nkly at the snoring Magnus sprawled on the bed, feeling a mix ofplex emotions. She didn¡¯t know how far things had progressed between Magnus and Isabe. Had they been intimate under the influence of alcohol? Or did he truly have feelings for Isabe? The image from the video still haunted her, it was like a fishbone stuck in her throat. Natalia was on the verge of storming out, but she found herself unable to leave. There was something about this man that was so irresistible. He was sopelling that despite knowing those videos couldn¡¯t be fabricated, she was still foolishly waiting for his exnations. She even wondered if this was his way of punishing her for not apanying him to the dinner party With a sigh, Natalia turned around and walked towards the wardrobe. She needed to find Magnus a comfortable nightgown. He must be ufortable sleeping in his clothes. As for the videos, she decided not to question them. Natalia wasn¡¯t sure whether she was deceiving herself, but she knew she was hopelessly in love She found herself secretly hoping that all of this was just a scheme by Kendra. She was hoping that Magnus and Isabe weren¡¯t as close as they appeared to be Opening the spacious walk¨Cin closet, Natalia picked a soft nightgown for Magnus and returned to the bedroom. On the luxurious king¨Csized bed, Magnus was tossing and turning, clearly affected by the aphrodisiac Isabe had sprayed on him earlier. He was mumbling. Natalia, water.¡± Chapter 143 Chapter 143 Natalia was making her way back to her room when she heard Magnus call out her name. Her heart clenched tightly, and she hurriedly made her way to his side. She bent down and asked, ¡°Magnus, are you thirsty? I can get you some water.¡± Magnus, still in a drunken stupor, opened his eyes and saw himself lying in bed. He asked in a daze, ¡°Babe, is that you? I remember you didn¡¯te to the dinner It was Isabe who danced with me, right?¡± He paused, realizing something didn¡¯t sit right. He remembered dismissing Isabe, but now, his wife was here. A wave of heat washed over him, drowning him in difort. ¡°Babe, I don¡¯t feel good.¡± A chill ran through Natalia. As shed suspected, he still carried a torch for Isabe. Even now, he remembered dancing with her. She stared nkly at the man lying in bed, a chill spreading through her limbs and heart. She forcefully pulled her hand back from Magnus grasp, saying calmly, ¡°Chase brought you back I didn¡¯t see Isabe.¡± Magnus didn¡¯t catch what Natalia said, his senses were clouded by the intoxicating haze of alcohol. He craved his wife like a man craving water in the middle of a desert. He was burning up, feeling like he was on the verge ofbustion Due to the excessive alcohol, he felt weak. But the moment he grabbed Natalia¡¯s hand, everything changed. It was as if her hand was a refreshing spring, instantly soothing his raging inferno Magnus was in a drunken stupor, thinking his sudden lust was due to the alcohol, oblivious to the fact that Isabe had drugged him Through his blurred vision, he watched the alluring Natalia, more beautiful than an angel. He noticed her frowning. Was she still upset? Grabbing her wrist, he pulled her closer, ¡°Babe, be good I want you Magnus suddenly pulled her, causing Natalia to stumble and fall into his arms. She was stunned and forgot to get up. His body was as hot as fire. Natalia stared at the man whose eyes were filled with desire, recalling the image of him dancing with Isabe She struggled against his hold Now he wanted her, but did he cared about her when he was in the arms of another woman? Could he be so cruel as to mistake her for Isabe at this moment? ¡°Magnus, look at me. I¡¯m not Isabe Don¡¯t mistake me for someone else, Natalia said coldly, noticing his flushed face and realizing something was amiss Magnus wouldn¡¯t let her go. His kisses, wild and passionate, overpowered her senses. He kissed her fervently and desperately, as if he wanted to consume her in one gulp. Hearing Natalia¡¯s words, he furrowed his brows, ¡°What are you talking about, darling? I only touch my wife, no one else. Be good¡± His frenzied kisses were filled with longing,nding on Natalia¡¯s eyes, nose, ears, and finally, her lips, where they lingered. This was a familiar taste, etched in his bones His wife Only she could drive him wild. Natalia struggled in vain, but it only served to further arouse Magnus. He patientlyforted the woman he loved the most, ¡°Sweetheart, stop resisting. Be good. I need you¡± Natalia tried her best to evade Magnus kisses, but her body betrayed her. As much as she resented the man, her body craved his touch. Despite her struggles, she was unable to break free from Magnus hold, her clothes swiftly removed. His fiery cock prated her body. Natalia trembled as he imed her, like a wolf starved for a thousand years. Struggling to calm down, Natalia stared at the man lost in passion, his wildness frightening her. Time and again, she nearly fell off the bed. Natalia had no choice but to hold onto his shoulders Then, she caught sight of a bright red lipstick mark on Magnus chest. Her mind went nk, and she almost lost consciousness. Despite her state, Magnus continued his passionate assault, oblivious to the tears streaming down her face and the icy coldness of her heart. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. When he finally slumped onto her, spent, Natalia pushed him off and headed to the bathroom. Left alone on the bed was Magnus, drunk and sated, unaware that his wife hadn¡¯t returned till dawn. Inside the bathroom, Natalia was struggling to breathe. She turned the shower on full st, not bothering to remove the sleepwear she had hastily put on, washing herself relentlessly. The lipstick mark was a stark reminder of his infidelity, cutting into Natalia like a dull knife Was it Isabes lipstick mark? For it to be in such a hidden ce, they must have had sex, right? Just like how he was with her now? Natalia shook her head in denial Had Magnus and Isabe gone that far? She knew how strong his urge was, but to have her right after Isabe, it was dirty She thought to herself ¡°Magnus how else do you n on humiliating me? After sleeping with another woman, how could you still want to im me She closed her eyes. the pain in her heart unbearable Letting the water wash over her, she couldn¡¯t tell if the wetness on her face was tears or water. The water cascaded down, tracing the contours of Nats body before pooling on the ground, doing nothing to wash away the bitterness in her heart He had said, ¡°Babe, in this lifetime, I¡¯ll only love you I¡¯ve never had feelings for another woman I wouldn¡¯t touch anyone else¡± Were all men like this? Promising to love you while being entangled with another woman? After a long time under the shower Natalia leaned against the tiled wall, letting the warm water wash over her She felt as if she had walked into a dead end What was she to do? She didn¡¯t know how far things had gone between Magnus and Isabe, and she didn¡¯t dare to think about it. If she was so insignificant, why was she still living here? Was she waiting for Magnus to kick her out? How many of his words were true? It took a full three hours before Natalia finally put an end to her self¨Cdestructive behavior The sky outside was beginning to turn while Dawn was breaking Natalia slowly rose, grabbed a towel to dry herself off, and changed into fresh clothes from the wardrobe. She quickly gathered her luggage and passport, which Hector had helped her prepare the previous year, and surprisingly, it was nowing in handy. She had her schrship funds from school and the allowance that Kyler gave her from time to time. Adding up, there was a decent sum in her card, enough to afford a trip to France Natalia retrieved her cell phone and sent a message to Lexi. [Lexi, I¡¯m heading to France with you. I¡¯ll be waiting at the airport.] Chapter 144 Chapter 144 Lexi was jolted awake by the sound of her phone buzzing in the early hours of the morning. It was a call from Natalia. ¡°What¡¯s up, Natalia?¡± she mumbled, still half asleep. ¡°It¡¯s not even dawn yet.¡± Natalia sniffed on the other end of the line. ¡°Nothing, I just thought I¡¯d wait for you guys at the airport. Go back to sleep¡± Lexi instantly woke up. Natalia¡¯s voice sounded off. ¡°Natalia, have you been crying? Did that jerk Magnus upset you again?¡± Natalia swallowed back her tears. ¡°No, Lexi, I¡¯m fine. What time is our flight? Can we leave as soon as possible?¡± Lexi could hear the quiver in Natalia¡¯s voice but decided not to press further. ¡°Alright, let me check the earliest flights. We¡¯ll leave early¡± She reached for herptop on the bedside table, quickly searching for the earliest flights to France. ¡°Found it. Natalia, there¡¯s a flight in an hour and a half. I¡¯ll be there soon.¡± Although Lexi didn¡¯t know what had happened between Natalia and Magnus, she still hoped Natalia would confront Magnus. But for now, she would stay by Natalia¡¯s side ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll be waiting¡± Natalia said, her resolve to leave this heart¨Cwrenching ce was set. ¡°Sorry for the inconvenience, Lexi,¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly, we¡¯re best friends ¡°Lexi reassured Natalia ¡°Everything will be better once we get to France and clear our minds.¡± Natalia nodded, although she knew that some troubles weren¡¯t that easy to shake off. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll quickly pack. You should get ready as well. We have only an hour and a half. See you at the airport¡± Lexi hung up, hastily stuffing clothes into her suitcase Natalia packed her belongings, most of which were gifts from Magnus. She took only her clothes and left everything else behind. She walked past Magnus room, ncing at the peacefully sleeping man oblivious to her departure. She thought to herself: ¡°Magnus, take care¡± And she left. Natalia checked the time and realized it was still early, Instead of going straight to the airport, she thought of going directly to Lexi¡¯s house to go to the airport with her. So, she grabbed her bag and headed over. By the time she arrived at Lexi¡¯s house, the day was just starting to brighten Lexi, while brushing her teeth, opened the door and asked, ¡°Who is it? Why so early?¡± When she saw Natalia standing at the door looking pale, Lexi was shocked dropping her toothbrush on the floor. She quickly ushered Natalia inside and said, ¡°Natalia, weren¡¯t we supposed to meet at the airport? Why have youe here? Is everything packed? What happened between you and Magnus?¡± Natalia shook her head ¡°Nothing. I just thought id head to the airport with you. Are you packed?¡± ¡°My God!¡± Lexi spat out her mouthwash, frantically scratching her head. ¡°I don¡¯t even know what to pack.¡± Natalia helped Lexi tidy up her scattered clothes, while Lexi hopped around, looking for her passport. ¡°How did you pack so fast, Natalia?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t have much to pack Just some clothes. Natalia answered, neatly folding Lexi¡¯s clothes ¡®Pick up the pace, we can¡¯t afford to miss our flight, ¡°All right, all right! Weren¡¯t you the one who was unsure about going to France yesterday? Now you woke me up before dawn¡± Lexi yawned as she emerged from the house and started packing her passport. Looking over at Natalia¡¯s baggage, she raised an eyebrow. That¡¯s all you¡¯re bringing?¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Yep, it should be sufficient, Natalia replied, unconcerned. Her bag was filled with several sets of clothes, which she felt was more than enough But Lexi looked like she had just heard the biggest joke in the world, ¡°Oh my God! Natalia, we are going abroad! It¡¯s not a short trip that we¡¯ll be back in a few days How can you make do with so little? I can¡¯t afford to buy everything we need aboard.¡± It¡¯s okay I really have enough¡± Natalia reassured, ¡°Are you ready? If so, let¡¯s head to the airport ¡°Let me see, sunscreen, foundation, facial mask, credit card. ¡°Lexi checked, ¡°Yep, I think I have everything. Let¡¯s go.¡± As they stepped out of the house, Lexi was about to close the door behind them when a sudden realization made her dash back inside, ¡°Oh no, I forgot my phone¡± Watching Lexi¡¯s frantic rush, Natalia shook her head helplessly. When would her carefree friend finally learn to be more organized? Finally, they rushed off to the airport, catching a cab just in time for their early flight to France, leaving behind Melfort Magnus woke upte, the remnants of a hangover fogging his mind. He reached over to Natalia¡¯s side of the bed, only to find it cold and empty His mind conjured upst night¡¯s events he was angry, intoxicated, danced with Isabe, and then everything became a blur He remembered his wife crying Her face was filled with tears, and she wouldn¡¯t let him touch her. He needed her badly He bolted upright Natalia¡± He called out for her, searching throughout the house but finding no sign of her Perhaps she was downstairs. Magnus didn¡¯t think much of it, wobbling towards the bathroom, certain that his wife wouldn¡¯t just leave without a word Since Magnus was already awake, he might as well empty his dder Feeling quite relieved after his little rendezvous with the bathroom, Magnus sauntered over to the sink to wash his hands. As he lifted his hand, he caught a glimpse of his reflection in the mirror Boy, was he a sight for sore eyes His hair was a wild mess, and he had no idea where his clothes had ended up But what really caught him off guard was the bught red lipstick mark printed on his chest. Magnus was taken aback. His wife would never wear lipstick, let alone such a garish shade of red. Who the hell left this mark? With a furrowed brow, he tried to recall if there had been any flirtatious encounters the night before. But for the life of him, he couldn¡¯t remember a thing. Chapter 145 Chapter 145 A sudden realization hit him. That was right, he had danced with Isabest night! But as far as he could recall, they hadn¡¯t crossed any boundaries, had they? Could it have been an unintentional touch? He washed off the lipstick mark with disgust. His mind shed back to his wife, Natalia, sobbing beneath him, looking so heartbroken. She must have seen the lipstick mark. Damn it! His eyes turned cold. Magnus tried his best to wash off the lipstick trace, disgust written all over his face. No one but Natalia had any right to mark him. Isabe! Had he been too nice to her that she dared to touch him? Having dealt with the lipstick mark, he quickly got dressed and rushed downstairs, but Natalia was nowhere to be found. His pace quickened, his voice echoing through the mansion, Linden? Linden?¡± Linden, the butler, approached with a bow. Yes, Mr. Magnus? How may I assist you?¡± ¡°How did I get homest night? And have you seen my wife?¡± Linden shook his head, ¡°Last night? I¡¯m afraid I don¡¯t know. I went to bed before you returned. As for Mrs. Magnus, I haven¡¯t seen her. I assumed you both were still resting after thete¨Cnight party.¡± A sense of unease washed over Magnus, and he quickly rushed upstairs. He opened his closet, only to find Natalia¡¯s suitcase missing, along with all of her clothes. His heart dropped. He frantically searched the room, finding her personal belongings all gone, except for the clothes he had gifted her and the ck credit card he had given her, lying dormant in the drawer. Had she left him? Where could she have gone? This realization sent Magnus into a frenzy. He immediately dialed Natalia¡¯s number, but it was off. He recalled spending the previous night with his friend, Chase, and decided to call him. As soon as Chase picked up, Magnus began, ¡®Did you bring me homest night? Where¡¯s my wife?¡± ¡°Natalra? She¡¯s at home. We both helped you to your roomst night.¡± Chase replied. confused. Magnus closed his eyes. ¡°Where is she now? And was she upsetst night?¡± ¡°Upset? I don¡¯t think so.¡± Chase sounded puzzled, ¡°Did you get into some troublest night?¡± ¡°Stop with the crap, Chase. Just tell me what happenedst night. Natalia is missing.¡± Magnus snapped. Something must have happenedst night that he wasn¡¯t aware of, something that must have upset Natalia. He remembered her sobbing, and yet he didn¡¯t hold back in bed. Damn it, he felt as if he had been druggedst night When Chase heard that Natalia was missing, he quickly recounted the previous night¡¯s events, You insisted on drinkingst night, and you got so drunk that you could barely walk. You danced with Isabe and she even tried to seduce you, but I managed to stop her. I drove you home afterward Chase paused, ¡°Good thing I got there in time, or you would have ended up with Isabe, and Natalia would never forgive you. I even wiped off the lipstick mark from your face, so she wouldn¡¯t see it. Hearing Chase¡¯s ount, Magnus took a deep breath. Isabe, she really crossed the line! The lipstick mark was thest thing on his mind. He realized Natalia must have seen the mark on his chest, which was why she was so upset. His heart felt like it was being squeezed by an invisible fist. Natalia must have been heartbroken Magnus was silent for a moment, before finally speaking, Chase, find out if Natalia has left Melfort She¡¯s missing, and she must be upset¡± Chase was taken aback, ¡°What? Natalia left Melfort? Why? Wasn¡¯t everything finest night? Isabe didn¡¯t seed in her ns. Magnus curtly replied. ¡°You better start looking instead of gossiping like a woman. The consequences of Natalia being upset are unthinkable,¡± hung up Staring at his phone in disbelief, Chase couldn¡¯t help but feel wronged. He had been dragged into a married couple¡¯s quartet. But thinking about Magnus stern expression, Chase resignedly pulled out his phone and instructed his men to investigate Natalia¡¯s whereabouts Soon, his men reported back There was a flight to France in half an hour, and Natalia had bought a ticket for that flight Originally, Natalia and Lexi bought ne tickets for 6 30 in the morning, but due to heavy smog, they changed to 11 00 in the noon. Now, Natalia and Lex could only take the 11 o¡¯clock flight to France. There was still half an hour before the ne took off Chase¡¯s heart dropped This was worse than he had anticipated. He immediately ryed the news to Magnus. The sound of shattering ss echoed throughout the mansion Magnus had thrown his phone in anger, shattering a window. Linden rushed upstairs, worriedly looking at the furious Magrius Mr Magnus, what¡¯s wrong? Is there something I can assist you with?¡± Magnus looked up, his eyes full of anger. ¡°Yes, get rid of everything in this room¡± Since Isabe touched him and he didn¡¯t take a shower when he came back, everything in this room had been soiled ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. inden was taken aback, ¡®Sir?¡± What are you waiting for? I was drunkst night, and this room reeks of alcohol. Throw everything out Having said that, Magnus hurriedly left the room. inden, knowing better than to question Magnus, quickly gathered the staff and had them empty the room. Meanwhile, Magnus sped to the airport, hoping to catch Natalia before she left. The car roared down the highway with Magnus pressing the pedal to the metal, cursing under his breath He drunk so much whiskey, and danced with Isabe, giving her the chance to touch him, and then his wife was so furious she was about to leave him. He must stop his wife, under no circumstances would he allow his littledy to escape from his side. The car sped onto the freeway, and Magnus was desperate, wishing he could turn his sports car into a ne. This was too slow. He had to get there before his wife boarded the ne. But as the saying goes, haste makes waste. The more Magnus was in a hurry to get to the airport, the more traffic seemed to pile up on the road. Looking at the long double line of cars ahead, Magnus, frustrated, got out of his car and started walking briskly forward He had barely taken a few steps when a delivery guy on an electric scooter whizzed by Magnus stopped him in his tracks, pointing at his parked sports car, ¡°Get off. I¡¯ll trade this with you¡± Chapter 146 Chapter 146 10:52 The delivery guy stared at Magnus like was mad, ¡°Are you out of your mind? That¡¯s a sports car. You could buy a dozen electric bikes with the cost of one tire¡± Magnus had no time to argue. He tossed the car keys at him, ¡°Do you want it or not?¡± He had a cold glint in his eyes that sent the delivery guy into a quick scramble to hand over his vehicle. ¡°Of course!¡± He couldn¡¯t help but beam at his luck, swiftly switching his scooter for Magnus¡® sports car. He was convinced he must have saved the gxy in his past life to stumble upon such good fortune in the current one Magnus felt a surge of relief. So what if there was traffic? With a bike, he was sure he could still make it to the airport. The CEO of Andersen Corporation, weaving through congestednes on a delivery electric bike, felt oddly liberated. There was nothing more precious in the world than his wife He¡¯d do whatever it took to keep her with him He pushed the bike to its maximum speed, finally breaking free from the congested traffic. Growing impatient with the bike¡¯s speed, Magnus abandoned it without a second thought, gged down a taxi, ¡°Get me to the airport, pronto I¡¯ll pay ten times the normal fare¡± ¡°Sure thing, buckle up the taxi driver nodded eagerly, flooring the gas pedal and weaving through the busy streets with Magnus in tow. For Magnus, who always traveled in private cars, taking a taxi was a first. Despite the slightly unpleasant smell, he bore it. ¡°Faster, I¡¯ll give you more money Magnus urged the driver, fearing missing his flight. ¡°Right away¡± The driver nodded and sped up on the road Under Magnus persistent urging, they quickly arrived at the airport. Before the driver could fully stop the car, Magnus threw a wad of cash at him, ¡°Keep the change The driver was over the moon it was a good day indeed he¡¯d made more in one trip than he usually would in several days. Meanwhile, Natalia and Lexi, who had been waiting all morning, were heading towards the boarding gate. Their flight was about to take off. Once they¡¯d checked in, Natalia nced back at the bustling airport, a sense of loss washing over her 1 Magnus must have woken up by now and realized she was gone. That was good, he could return to his old me. ¡°Natalia¡± What are you staring at? Hurry up. We¡¯re about to take off. Lexi nudged the dazed Natalia, urging her to board the ne. ¡°Right¡± With onest longing nce at the long corridor, Natalia reluctantly boarded the ne with Lexi ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seatbelts. We¡¯re about to take off,¡± a flight attendant announced sweetly. As the ne took off, Natalia leaned against the window, a profound sadness filling her heart. Through the window, she watched as thendscape below gradually shrank, the ne soaring above the highest buildings of the airport. ¡°Hey, Natalia, see that guy over there. Isn¡¯t that Magnus? Lexi nudged Natalia, pointing at the boarding gate. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Natalia turned to look but the ne was already too high, and all she could see was a blurry figure ¡°I don¡¯t think so. He doesn¡¯t know I¡¯m going to France, Natalia shook her head. Magnus was probably hoping she¡¯d leave quickly. There was no way hed be at the airport ¡°Well, I must have seen wrong then I thought the guy brawling with security was Magnus, Lexi commented casually. It seemed unlikely that the CEO of Andersen Corporation would be involved in a fight ¡°Fighting¡± Natalia thought she¡¯d heard wrong, ¡°Why would anyone cause trouble at the airport?¡± Lexi shrugged, ¡°Who knows? Right before boarding, I saw everyone looking down. Then i saw someone at the boarding gate fighting with security it looked like someone tried to force their way through the check¨Cin gate and was stopped by security¡± Natalia had no interest in this. Whoever was causing a fuss at the airport had nothing to do with her. She put on her sleep mask and drifted off into a deep sleep She hadn¡¯t slept all night, her mind filled with turmoil, and now, exhaustion was taking over With Natalia¡¯s disinterest, Lexi lost interest as well She pulled on her sleep mask and fell asleep. She hadn¡¯t slept well the previous night either. Both of them were soon fast asleep The ne slowly took off drawing an arc in the sky Back at the airport, the man involved in the altercation with ground staff was none other than Magnus. When he had hurriedly arrived at the airport, he saw Natalia had already passed through check¨Cin At the end of the corridor, he thought he saw Natalia¡¯s retreating figure heading towards the boarding gate ¡°Darling¡± in panic, Magnus jumped over the barrier and sprinted after her Despite his luxurious attire, his panicked actions made the security guards suspicious. They assumed he was a troublemaker and immediately stopped him Magnus, stopped in his tracks, was desperate He started fighting with the security guards, quickly knocking them to the ground. As he turned around, he realized the ne was already gliding on the runway it was toote¨Chis wife had really left! Damn it! He would make these security guards pay for this interruption When the head of security saw someone attacking the guards, he quickly brought arge number of special forces over. Only then did he realize it was Magnus, the CEO of Andersen Corporation The head of security was trembled in fear ¡°Mr. Andersen, I¡¯m sorry. What are you¡­ Everyone knew Magnus was the king of Melfort, and no one dared to upset him. This very airline¡¯s biggest shareholder was Magnus God, he was going to lose his job. M¨¢gnus, desperate, had forgotten to send someone to stop the ne, instead choosing to chase after Natalia himself. So when he saw the ne flying into the sky, he wished he could destroy the whole world. It was truly baffling how his usually sharp and intelligent intellect failed to work when it came to matters involving Natalia. Magnus watched, wide¨Ceyed, as the ne took off. It was only then he realized his grave mistake. He should have had the local authorities detain her first. His gaze hardened as he turned to the supervisor, ¡°What time does the flight to France arrive?¡± ¡°Um¡­ it, it arrives at two in the morning tomorrow, the supervisor stammered, hunching slightly. Is there anything you need, Mr. Andersen?¡± The thought of the girl leaving without a word painted a cloud of gloom over his handsome features. 212 Chapter 147 Chapter 147 He didn¡¯t say anything else, just turned around and dialed Chase¡¯s number. Hearing the fury in Magnus voice, Chase knew instantly that he hadn¡¯t made the flight. Chase expressed his helplessness, stating that the aircraft had already departed from Melfort. Once in the air, flight paths couldn¡¯t be easily altered, as it could lead to air idents. If Magnus insisted on forcing the ne tond, the implications could be severe, considering the hundreds of people on board. Besides, he couldn¡¯t guarantee that the passengers wouldn¡¯t panic, wondering why the ne had to make an emergencynding. Natalia¡¯s safety was also crucial Hearing Chase say this, Magnus, for the first time, tasted defeat. Anger simmered in him as he kicked the nearby trash can away. He failed to stop his wife He thought to himself: ¡°Well, sweetheart, wait till you get back. See how I deal with you.¡± The next day, headlines filled the front pages of newspapers, CEO of Andersen Corporation causes havoc at the airport, security personnel severely injured¡® This was obviously a deliberate provocation. The articles detailed how Magnus had lost his cool at the airport, even going so far as to demand the ne to make an emergencynding. They suggested that Magnus was immature and unfit to revitalize the Andersen Corporation. Behind all these was Lucius, who¡¯d heard from Kendra about the leaked video sent to Natalia. He had been keeping a close eye on Magnus, ready to strike when the iron was hot. As expected. Natalia had been angered enough to leave home. And more surprisingly, the usually reserved Magnus had lost control, causing a scene at the airport Lucius, who was always looking to bring Magnus down, was not going to miss this golden opportunity. He was out for revenge. He immediately hired online trolls to exaggerate the incident at the airport a hundredfold and even made sure the news reached Morgan. As expected, Morgan was furious when he read the reports and immediately called Magnus back Seeing the stern expression on his grandfather¡¯s face, Magnus knew he was being called back due to the newspaper report. He wisely kept his silence. ¡°What is this nonsense? You¡¯re ruining your own image, boy Morgan rebuked, showing Magnus the report, ¡°You¡¯re the CEO of Andersen Corporation How could you do such a foolish thing? Assaulting security and forcing a ne tond. Is a woman worth you throwing away your image?¡± Magnus knew Morgan had always been prejudiced against Natalia, but he didn¡¯t realize his bras ran so deep. Grandfather, she¡¯s my wife. I can¡¯t bear her leaving me.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Morgan mmed the table, ring at Magnus, ¡°You did such a childish thing for her. She could even take your soul¡± Looking at his grandson, Morgan couldn¡¯t bear to me him, only feeling that he was too impulsive. ¡°She¡¯s just gone to France, right? She didn¡¯t say she wasn¡¯ting back. What are you so worried about? You¡¯re the CEO of Andersen Corporation. You represent supreme authority Your childish behavior will make people think less of you¡± Morgan felt frustrated. ¡°Grandfather, I love her I¡¯ve already decided she¡¯s the only woman I¡¯ll ever marry in my life. She¡¯s angry and I can¡¯t let her leave alone. I won¡¯t be able to sleep or eat¡± Magnus voiced his feelings to Morgan This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Morgan stared at Magnus, who had lost all reason and dignity because of Natalia, and his hands trembled with anger ¡°Good! Good! I see you¡¯ve been bewitched by her Are you willing to give up your position as CEO for her? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re capable Perhaps you should hand it over to Lucius. Morgan just thought that Andersen family¡¯s image shouldn¡¯t be tarnished because of a woman. He had always looked down on Natalia because she wasn¡¯t good enough for the Andersen family. Now that Magnus liked her, he was thinking about letting her have a child and then kicking her out of the Andersen family. Thedy of the Andersen family had to be ady of high society or a woman from a respected family. Natalia could only be Magnus mistress Hearing his grandfather¡¯s words, Magnus was taken aback. He then shrugged, indicating he didn¡¯t care. As long as you¡¯re happy, grandfather, I don¡¯t mind¡± He knew his grandfather was saying this on purpose to anger him. ¡°You¡± Morgan stood up angrily, pointing an using finger at Magnus, ¡°Are you trying to make me angry on purpose? When did you be so disobedient! I, 1. F Saying this, Morgan¡¯s eyes rolled back and he fell backward Magnus was shocked, ¡°Grandfather¡°¡± He immediately helped Morgan and quickly called for an ambnce Grandfather, I¡¯m sorry. Please don¡¯t be angry.¡± The ambnce rushed to the hospital and sent Morgan to the emergency center Before long, the doctor in charge came out, ¡°Mr. Andersen, your grandfather just had a sudden rise in blood pressure due to anger, which led to fainting. It¡¯s not serious He just needs careful recuperation for a period and he¡¯ll recover soon¡® Afterwards, they moved Morgan from the emergency room. Although he was still unconscious, his complexion wasn¡¯t as frightening as before. Magnus immediately went over and wheeled Morgan towards the VIP ward As soon as Morgan was settled, Lucius rushed to the hospital with Kendra. ¡°Look at the mess you¡¯ve made. Not only have you disgraced the Andersen family, but you¡¯ve also made grandfather sick enough to be hospitalized Lucius chewed Magnus out as soon as he arrived, wishing he could punch him to vent his anger Magnus shot Lucius a look and sneered, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your little stunt, Grandpa wouldn¡¯t be in the hospital. It seems you didn¡¯t learn your lesson from yourst stint in the mmer. His eyes bore into Lucius like knives. Lucius gritted his teeth in frustration, but dared not admit his own doing. He brushed past Magnus, saying, ¡°Move aside. I¡¯m going to see Grandpa.¡± 10:50 Magnus stayed put. ¡°You better not be plotting anything. If anything happens to Grandps, I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead.¡± His own brother had always been out to get him, why should he show him any courtesy? Lucius shouldered past Magnus, striding arrogantly towards their grandfather¡¯s hospital room. Kendra squeezed past to follow him into the room. Before entering, she couldn¡¯t resist throwing a sarcastic jab at Magnus, ¡°I heard Mr. Andersen had a showdown with airport security. Quite the spectacle, I must say.¡± Magnus couldn¡¯t be bothered with her. He shot back coldly, ¡°Beat it.¡± Even though she had Lucius¡® protection, Kendra was still scared of Magnus, and her face turned pale. ¡°You don¡¯t push it too far. I¡¯m here to see Grandpa.¡± She carefully skirted around Magnus, then quickened her pace to follow Lucius into the room. Chapter 148 Chapter 148 Once Morgan was settled and stable, Magnus prepared to leave the hospital. Emerging from the hospital, Magnus was in a foul mood. When he spotted Lillian and Anthony heading towards the hospital, he promptly hopped into his car. He wasn¡¯t in the mood for any conversation. Magnus drove at the highest speed, releasing the pent¨Cup frustration within. He had asked Paul to investigate why Natalia had left for France and was informed that she had gone with Lexi for aic contest. Knowing that she had checked into a hotel, he secretly arranged for his contacts in France to keep an eye on her However, Lexi and Natalia only stayed at the hotel for the morning before heading to Carter¡¯s vi to see Sabrina Upon hearing this news, Magnus was quick to pick up the phone. ¡°So, my wife is at your vi? is your woman a friend of my wife?¡± Carter, who was in a meeting, stepped out upon receiving his call He was taken aback by Magnus statement. ¡°What? Your woman and my woman are friends? Seriously?¡± Carter chuckled at the coincidental situation. Could it really be that simple? He knew that Sabrina had indeed went to school in Melfort ¡°Of course it¡¯s true. Why else would my wife go to your vi?¡± Magnus, with a darkened expression, lamented that he had been calling Natalia daily, but she always had her phone switched off. It seemed like she was really upset with him. ¡°We can¡¯t be sure. Maybe Natalia came to see me. Maybe she thinks you¡¯ve been treating her unfairly, and she came to me to let off some steam?¡± Carter quipped Magnus fell silent, and Carter could almost picture his normally stoic face distorted in frustration. ¡°Well, you better take good care of her. If anything happens to her in France, you will have to answer to me.¡± Magnus warned before hanging up Carter chuckled to himself, amused by the situation, Imagining how Magnus must be feeling, being dumped by his wife, Carter was in high spirits. He returned to his meeting, eager to finish up and head back home. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Magnus, knowing that Natalia had gone to Carter¡¯s vi, felt somewhat relieved and called off his surveince. He had been busy these past few days, or else he would have joined her in France for the comic exhibition. He stood alone by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window, watching the sun slowly setting: His heart was filled with a deep sense of mncholy. ¡°Darling, how could you do this to me? How could you leave me alone? Do I really mean nothing to you? Did we really just misunderstand each other? ¡°Or have you never loved me at all? Filled with turmoil, Magnus picked up his jacket from the chair and left his office He got into his car and headed towards the Golden Groove. Once there, he handed the car keys to the valet, and entered the bustling establishment. It was just past five in the afternoon, and the Golden Groove was already lively. Magnus called both Chase and James. After the recent incident, Chase had immediately called James over to Melfort. He felt that he wouldn¡¯t be able to handle Magnus turbulent mood on his own. Without uttering a word, the three men downed their drinks. ¡°Cheers¡°¡± Chase and James exchanged nces, knowing that Magnus was upset about Natalia leaving for France. They kept quiet, providing him with silent support while they drank. Before they knew it, they had downed quite a few drinks Unbeknownst to them, a pair of eyes had been watching their every move from behind. The person spying on Magnus was none other than isabe, who was desperate to win Magnus back. She had deliberately left a lipstick mark on Magnus chest that night, hoping that Natalia would see it and cause a misunderstanding between them. firmly believed that no couple was inseparable, and that if she tried hard enough, she would break them up To her surprise, Natalia, the fool, had actually left Magnus and gone to France alone What a dumbass When Kendra had called her about this good news, she could hardly believe it Only after reading the news did she confirm that it was true This day, she once again lurked outside the Andersen Corporation, following Magnus when he left. She tailed him to the Golden Groove, watching as he drowned his sorrows in alcohol. She knew he was thinking about Natalia it turned out that the girl had be so important to him. He had never shown such deep affection for her, and the man she had loved for years had no feelings for her Jealousy and bitterness spread through her heart Downing her fruit cocktail in one go, she smirked, Natalia, I¡¯m going to take this man back from you. Just you wait and see After finishing her drink, Isabe quietly left the Golden Groove With Magnus in such a poor mood, she didn¡¯t want to be his punching bag. Even a chance encounter required the right timing. She didn¡¯t have to wait long for the right timing. The very next day, she showed up at the Andersen Corporation Magnus, who had some business at thepany, had just sat down when Isabe walked in with a box of pastries. His secretary stopped her. ¡°Miss, who are you looking for?¡± Isabe replied with a sweet smile, ¡°I¡¯m Magnus¡® friend. I just happened to be passing by and thought I¡¯d visit him.¡± Noticing how familiar she was with Magnus, the secretary didn¡¯t stop her Isabe gently pushed open the door to Magnus office. She didn¡¯t even knock. Hearing the crisp sound of high heels approaching, Magnus lifted his head in confusion, looking at isabe with a puzzled expression. ¡°Isabe, what brings you here?¡± He didn¡¯t think that he and Isabe had such a close rtionship. His eyebrows furrowed as he watched her approach, a smile ying on her lips. He ddenly remembered the lipstick mark she had left on his chest that night, causing a misunderstanding with his wife, and his gaze turned icy 1 was just passing by, so I thought i¡¯d drop in. Magnus, I brought your favorite pastries from back in the day. I¡¯m not sure if your taste has changed.¡± Isabe nced op into Magnus¡® icy stare, momentarily taken aback, but quickly regained her composure and continued to smile at him, ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Are you not happy to see an old friend?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m unhappy to see you, Isabe. But what did you do to me that night when I was drunk? I¡¯m sure you remember it quite well¡± His gaze was piercing. ¡°Some things aren¡¯t meant for you, so don¡¯t insist on having them I still believe the real you is the person you were nine years ago. I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯te here anymore.¡± His voice was deep and cold, each word dripping with disdain Isabe¡¯s heart gave a lurch. She looked at the man in front of her, her eyes welling up with tears ¡°Magnus, I know I¡¯m not worthy to stand by your side anymore. But you didn¡¯t used to treat me like this, I don¡¯t dare to hope that you¡¯d treat me like you used to, but at least we could be friends That year, when you were in despair, I was by your side. We got through that time together, Magnus Can¡¯t we at least be friends now? Why are you being so cruel to me¡± Chapter 149 Chapter 149 Isabe¡¯s words ended with a heavy stream of tears. Her broken image was heart¨Cwrenching. But Magnus was as cold as ever, his gaze indifferent. Hearing her speak of the past, of the lonely and painful times she spent with him, he retorted, ¡°I didn¡¯t say we couldn¡¯t be friends. I¡¯m married now. And for years, I¡¯ve loathed women. Only my wife is the one I love.¡± He then pulled out a check from his drawer. Take this, as a token of gratitude for your kindness, Isabe. Don¡¯t harbor any unrealistic hopes.¡± He handed her the check. Isabe stared at him, feeling as if her blood was running in reverse. He was giving her a check, buying off the past where she had been hispanion for six months. From now on, they would be strangers. No, she couldn¡¯t ept this. She took a step back, tears welling in her eyes. ¡°Magnus, can you really be this cruel? I loved you back then. Mypanionship can¡¯t be measured by a check. If I ept this, it would be an insult to my dignity How can you be so heartless, Magnus?¡± Isabe¡¯s cries grew louder. Magnus frowned when she refused the check. ¡°Alright, if you don¡¯t want the check, then you don¡¯t have to take it. Sit down, stop crying. Did you need something from me today?¡± He couldn¡¯t stand a woman¡¯s cry. It was annoying from this woman, it would only hurt him when his wife cried ¡°Thank you¡± Isabe knew when to fold. She wiped her tears, thanked him and sat down. In an offhand manner, she asked, ¡°Magnus, have you been busytely? I really came just to see you¡± ¡°I¡¯m not busy. Everything is as usual Magnus replied nonchntly, flipping through some documents in his hand. He was wondering whether this woman was here just for a chat. The thought of the lipstick mark he saw that day made him feel disgusted Seeing Magnus being distant and formal, Isabe didn¡¯t want to overstay her wee. She stood up ready to leave, 1 was just passing by and thought! would check on you. You go ahead with your work. I¡¯ll take my leave¡± With that, she hurried to her feet ¡°Oops!¡± The sound of fabric tearing, along with Isabe¡¯s gasp echoed in the room. Magnus instinctively looked up, only to find that isabe¡¯s skirt had somehow gotten caught on something. ¡°Magnus, my skirt got torn by a nail. What am I going to do?¡± Isabe said, her face drained of color, looking extremely anxious Magnus was taken aback by this sudden mishap. How could there be a nail on his office chair? He got up to inspect and found that Isabe¡¯s skirt was indeed snagged by a small nail protruding from the chair, and it was stuck. Magnus handsome face darkened. He was puzzled. Where did this naile from? Magnus was confused, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it. He bent down to free Isabe¡¯s skirt from the nail. The moment Magnus bent down, Isabe quickly pulled out her phone which she had already set to silent, and snapped a quick picture. She was clever about her shot, making it look as if Magnus was about to embrace her waist After taking the picture, Isabe quickly put away her phone. By this time, Magnus had managed to free her torn skirt But he had noticed her movement. He shot a cold nce at Isabe, his eyes filled with a destructive fury. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Then he smirked ¡°Alright, but you can¡¯t go out like this.¡± Magnus thought for a moment, then took off his jacket, ¡°Wrap this around you. It¡¯ll save you the embarrassment.¡± Isabe¡¯s face lit up at his gesture. She felt a surge of joy in her heart, ¡°Your jacket for me? I¡¯ll wash it and return it to you tomorrow. Thank you, Magnus.¡± Her heart was pounding ¡°No need, it¡¯s just a piece of clothing. Just throw it away when you¡¯re done.¡± Magnus waved his hand indifferently, turned and went back to his desk. burying his head back into his documents. Even though she knew the jacket was just a gesture of kindness from Magnus, Isabe still felt overjoyed. She tied the jacket around her waist. Tm leaving now, Magnus Thank you¡± What happens once can happen twice If she put in enough effort and nned carefully, Magnus would return to her side. Isabe treasured the jacket as if it were a prized possession and left the office with a beaming smile Once outside his office, she quickly leaned against the door and took a selfie, then sent it along with the previous picture to Kendra. The two images could readily be interpreted as them sharing a wild moment in the office, with her having to depart d in Magnus¡¯s jacket because her dress was ripped in the process That was the main goal of her visit. Wasn¡¯t Natalia the jealous type? Well, she was waiting for her to get jealous and run off, never to return. The message was quickly sent. As Isabe walked away, she couldn¡¯t help but send another text: [Opportunities like this don¡¯te often. Make good use of the pictures Kendra, upon receiving the text and pictures, was instantly consumed by jealousy. So Magnus still had feelings for Isabe. But why didn¡¯t he have the same feelings for her? Was she less worthy than Isabe? Despite her jealousy, making Natalia heartbroken and unhappy was the most important thing. Kendra laughed triumphantly, Hahaha, Natalia, you fool, just wait and see how I torment you¡± Quickly, she pulled up a photo editing software, found a few pictures of lovers kissing, and photoshopped Magnus and Isabe¡¯s faces onto them. Then she blurred the picture Isabe had sent her, inaking it look even more suggestive Once everything was ready, Kendra hit the send button with a smug smile. She thought to herself: ¡°Natalia, I¡¯ll enjoy watching you cry and your heartbreak.¡± Meanwhile, Natalia, who was in France, hadn¡¯t checked her phone in a few days. As soon as she turned it on, she received Kendra¡¯s message. Seeing that the sender was Kendra, Natalia instinctively didn¡¯t want to open it. But then she thought, what was the harm? She and Magnus were already like this. Could it be even worse? Kendra never liked Natalia, so she definitely wouldn¡¯t send her any good stuff. Yet, she feared it might be about Magnus. Despite her apprehensions, she couldn¡¯t resist the pull of her heart and clicked open the message. As Natalia clearly saw the contents within, she was brought to the brink of tears. It was indeed about Magnus, but it was a picture of him in the arms of another woman. She looked at the pictures in shock, her heart breaking into a thousand pieces as if someone was repeatedly stabbing it with a knife. She watched as he leaned down to embrace Isabe, their lips meeting in a passionate kiss. Eventually even Isabe showed up in front of his office draped in Magnus¡± jacket. In the photos, they seemed so deeply in love and inseparable. A loud ringing filled her head, her mind went nk. Looking at it now, it seemed that her decision to travel abroad was indeed the right one. Chapter 150 Chapter 150 Thankfully, she made a swift exit, sparing them any embarrassment. She¡¯d kept her phone off for days, not ready to face him. Despite touring every corner of France with her friend Sabrina, a cloud of mncholy loomed over her When she discovered that Sabrina¡¯s fianc¨¦ was Carter, she wanted to disappear But Carter, with a sly grin, reassured her, ¡°Natalia, Magnus has asked me to keep an eye on you. If you are slightly hurt while you¡¯re in France, he holds me responsible¡® Hearing this, Natalia was taken aback. He knew she was in France and had asked Carter to look out for her Just as she was starting to feel better, a text message from Kendra knocked her back to square one. Leaning against the wall, she felt defeated. Magnus, you were so cruel. She realized what she had lost in this gamble. The art exhibition was in full swing and under the guidance of her mentor, Natalia¡¯sic ¡°Ghost¡± won the second prize. ¡°Natalia,e over and introduce your artwork, Lexi beckoned, signalling Natalia who was engrossed in her phone ¡°Okay Suppressing the overwhelming sadness and hopelessness, Natalia managed to muster a faint smile and approached Lexi Despite her attempts to appear normal, she was struggling internally. After the exhibition ended, Natalia excused herself to return to her hotel to change clothes, wanting to leave early Back in her hotel room, she finally broke down, tears streaming down her pale face. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°Magnus, we had be strangers. If there was no love to begin with, why did you give me hope?¡± Wiping away her tears, she stood by the window, looking at the blood red sunset, vowing not to shed another tear Since her mentor decided to go back to school immediately, after thepetition, Natalia was apanied by Lexi and returned to Melfort disheartened. Before they evennded, Magnus received a call from Chase, Magnus, your wife is about tond¡± ¡°What?¡± Magnus couldn¡¯t believe it. He rushed out of the meeting leaving thepany executives in the lurch, ¡°Are you sure about the timing?¡± Chase held the phone away from his ear, afraid of Magnus loud voice, ¡°Yes, she ll be back in about half an hour. She¡¯s about tond¡± The news brought a ray of hope to Magnus, and he shouted into the phone. I¡¯m going to pick her up.¡± The thought of having his wife back filled him with joy. He had been missing her terribly. Without her, the world seemed colorless He hurried to the airport, eager to greet her. The high¨Cranking officials of the office sat waiting, yet Magnus did not return. They started gossiping amongst themselves, but couldn¡¯t leave halfway through their meeting. They had to patiently wait for their CEO to return. Meanwhile, their CEO was rushing towards the airport, filled with thoughts of reuniting with Natalia. How could he have the mood to care about them? This time, Magnus didn¡¯t encounter any traffic jams and smoothly reached the airport. He deliberately stood in the most conspicuous spot, fearing that Natalia wouldn¡¯t be able to spot him. He was waiting for his Intle miss to rush into his arms. Upon thinking of the soft figure that would be in his arms, his body heated up, causing an unexpected reaction. He quickly adjusted his trousers, Shit! He actually had a boner by merely thinking about her As Magnus anxiously waited, the ne returning to Melfort slowlynded Before long, Natalia and Lexi, along with their apanying professor and another student, emerged from the security passage, pushing their luggage along Natalia was dressed in a blue dress, her long hair flowing, and her small face devoid of expression. That pretty face instantly made Magnuss heart ache She had lost so much weight. Because her mentor was with her, Magnus refrained from rushing to embrace his wife. When he saw Natalia and Lexi hailing a cab, he quickly approached them, ¡°Nat, I¡¯m here¡± Magnus walked over, carefully observing his wife. He reached out to hold her hand and take her luggage, as if fearing she would run away again. Natalia was surprised to see Magnus there. Was he there to pick her up? Shouldn¡¯t he be with Isabe at this point? He still remembered her as his wife How ironic, men could also y such roles. Natalia closed her eyes momentarily, then gently pulled her hand away and walked past Magnus Magnus was taken aback by Natalia¡¯s reaction. He had expected her to run into his arms and give him a big hug. Instead, she ignored him and walked away Nat! His low voice tinged with anger She went away for more than a week without saying a word, and came back ignoring him. Even if there was a misunderstanding, she had to give him a chance to exin it clearly in person didn¡¯t she? Natalia heard Magnus call out but didnt stop, she continued to walk towards the airport exit Magnus growing impatient, ran after her, Natalia, stop right there Seeing Magnus approaching, Natalia quickened her pace, urging Lea, who was unaware of the situation, ¡°Let¡¯s go Lexi was taken aback. She turned around and said. ¡°Natalia, Magnus is here to pick you up You should go back and clear things up with him¡± ¡°No need Lexi, I¡¯lle to your ce Natalia tugged Lexi and started striding out of the airport Lexi had no choice but to jog after Natalia She nced behind her Magnus was hot on their heels, his handsome face dark with anger Lexi gave a mysterious spirk, ¡°Want me to ward him off for you?¡± Natalia rushed forward in a panic, ¡°Let¡¯s just keep moving. We don¡¯t want to stir up trouble¡± With Magnus fiery temper, when he got stubborn, it can be quite intimidating She didn¡¯t want to deal with him now. She¡¯d break up with him in a few days. Chapter 151 Chapter 151 She had just finished saying this when Magnus caught up to Natalia from behind and grabbed her arm, saying, ¡°Darling, why are you running?¡± Caught off guard, Natalia¡¯s eyes darted around. After a moment¡¯s thought, she looked at Magnus, ¡°I think it might be best if we took some time apart.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Magnus¡® dark eyes bore into her, as if trying to prate her very soul. ¡°Did I do something wrong? Why do you need to take some time to think? Let¡¯s go back and talk it out.¡± He said, pulling her towards the parking lot. Natalia forcefully shook off his hand¡± said we need a break. Magnus. I¡¯m going to stay with Lexi for a while Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke. Her heart ached. Why did he have to insist on being with her when he already had Isabe? Magnus fiery temper simmered down at Natalia¡¯s vulnerable state But he couldn¡¯t let her walk away If there was a misunderstanding, he would clear it up. He was always at a loss when it came to his dear wife She could do whatever she wanted, as long as she didn¡¯t leave ¡°Honey Magnus took Natalia¡¯s hand, looking earnestly into her eyes. ¡°Can we not fight? Come home with me, okay? I¡¯ve missed you so much these past few days Hisst words were barely a whisper audible only to Natalia. Natalia¡¯s mind went nk. She looked into his gentle gaze and pleading expression, her resolve crumbling. But the thought of what he¡¯d done with Isabe brought fresh tears to her eyes Magnus gently wiped her tears away ¡°Let¡¯s go home, sweetheart.¡± She hesitated, biting her lip, and weakly uttered. I want to stay with Lexi for a couple of days I¡¯lle back after that.¡± Seeing her teary eyes, Magnus felt a pang in his heart ¡°What for? You have your own home,¡± he asked, somewhat confused. ¡°Honey, is there some misunderstanding? Let¡¯s go home and talk it out¡± He held on to her hand ¡°Natalia couldn¡¯t find the words. She twisted her fingers nervously, keeping her head down in silence. Noticing Natalia¡¯s struggle and the hurt in her eyes, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but say in a tender voice, ¡°Honey,e home with me. I won¡¯t have my wife staying somewhere else Natalia remained silent with her head lowered, feeling a slight sting in her nose. He kept calling her his wife, but did he truly treat her as one? When he was cozying up with isabe, did he ever think about the fact that she was his wife?! What was she even hoping for? Perhaps she was just falling deeper into his trap and tenderness. By the time she realized it, her heart would already be in pieces With that thought, Natalia mustered the courage to look up and dered, ¡°I am going to stay with Lex. I¡¯m noting home with you.¡± Magnus knew Natalia was being stubborn, but he hadn¡¯t expected her to be this obstinate. She was as stubborn as a mule Without another word, he grabbed Natalia¡¯s arm and led her towards the parking lot. ¡°No way, you¡¯re coming back to the Andersen¡¯s with me today. No other options Lexi got angry and stepped in front of Magnus, Mr. Andersen, Natalia said she doesn¡¯t want to go with you. You have really gone too far this time. What gives you the right?¡± is that so?¡± Magnuszily looked at Lexi, his tone filled with a strong sense of threat. ¡°She¡¯s my wife. I¡¯m simply asking her toe home is that not allowed?¡± Lex hung her head in silence under Magnus intense gaze. Once again, Magnus took Natalia¡¯s hand and led her towards the parking lot. Natalia couldn¡¯t keep up with his pace and found herself running behind hum Upon reaching the car, he opened the door and pushed Natalia in, then ced the luggage in the trunk He then got into the driver¡¯s seat and started the car. His face was filled with anger as he floored the elerator Natalia watched as the car sped down the highway, realizing that Magnus was angry. She tightly gripped the seat belt with both hands, too scared to even open her eyes They finally arrived at Maplewood Manor Magnus parked the car opened the door and pulled Natalia towards the mansion. Linden immediately greeted them. ¡°Ms Natalia, wee back¡± ¡°Bring in the luggage Magnus ordered Linden in a low voice He then led Natalia upstairs and into their bedroom, closing the door behind them with a loud bang He angrily untied his tie and started unbuttoning his shirt revealing his tanned pin ¡°Alright, sweetheart, let¡¯s hear it Now, you can voice your discontent and the source of your anger He stood in front of Natalia, staring down at her ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. Natalia didn¡¯t say anything and sat directly on the edge of the bed. The two remained in a tense silence for several minutes. Natalia stayed silent, looking out at the setting sun ignoring Magnus presence Having run out of patience, Magnus walked over and sat next to her, wrapping his arms around her ¡°Sweetheart, what¡¯s going on? Why did you go to France without telling me, and why are you ignoring me What is 7 He forced her to look at him Natalia¡¯s gaze was icy, as if she was looking at a stranger Magnus, we should break up.¡± The words tumbled out of her mouth unexpectedly Magnus froze Break up? She wanted to break up with hum? ¡°Why?¡± He stood up and paced in frustration Don¡¯t even think about it! Brea No way You think you can just leave me and be with someone else? He walked over to her and lifted her chin to meet her watery eyes, and stubborn look. He wished he could tear her apart and swallow her whole to stop her from having these absurd thoughts 111 You want to break up? Only over my dead body With that, he bent down and captured her lips in a fierce kiss, biting down hard. Natalia gasped in pain. He took advantage of her surprise to invade her mouth entwining his tongue with hers in a punishing kiss. He kissed her fiercely. his kiss carrying a sense of punishment. Natalia¡¯s lips were numb from his kiss. She tried to push him away, but he wouldn¡¯t budge. The image of him kissing Isabe shed in her mind, making her feel sick. She struggled with all her might, but his frustration only grew with her resistance. He leaned into her, and they both fell onto therge bed. Magnus kissed Natalia unabashedly, his hand slipping beneath her dress, wandering over her silky skin. Despite her desperate efforts to resist, Natalia was unsessful Eventually, she stopped struggling, lying there like a lifeless doll, allowing him to take what he wanted and ravage her Magnus tore at her clothes like crazy, the only thing on his mind was that he must conquer her and make her obey and stop resisting Chapter 152 Chapter 152 When Magnus was on the verge of losing control and thrusting into her, he suddenly realized something was not right. Suppressing the difort coursing through his body, he lifted his gaze to Natalia¡¯s face. She was staring at the ceiling, her pale face streaked with tears. She looked as if she¡¯d lost all hope for the future, just silently gazing at the ceiling. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Something in Magnus heart felt like it had been pierced, the pain unbearable. He slowly reached out and wiped away Natalia¡¯s tears. ¡°Darlin, I¡¯m sorry if you don¡¯t want this, we won¡¯t do it. Please, don¡¯t cry.¡± He rolled off her, holding her close. His chin rested on her head, his hand gently soothing her, I¡¯m sorry, darlin¡®. I shouldn¡¯t have acted like that just because you mentioned breaking up. Nat, can we not break up? If there¡¯s anything you want me to change, I will Magnus words came tumbling out in a rush, his grip on her tightening with each passing second, as if he feared she¡¯d disappear. Natalia remained silent, falling into a deep sleep, exhausted from her recent flight. Sensing her peaceful, steady breathing, Magnus finally loosened his grip, his eyes fixed on Natalia¡¯s sleeping face. He stayed awake the whole night, just watching her sleep until dawn. ¡°Nat. I would never let you leave me.¡± As the sun rose, Magnus finally fell asleep. Because he hadn¡¯t slept all night, he slept soundly while Natalia had woken up Upon opening her eyes, she saw the handsome face in front of her, and the stubble on his chin. There was a pang in her heart, but she gently removed his hand from her waist and got out of bed to prepare for school. When Magnus woke up, it was almost ten o¡¯clock. He habitually reached for her, but the cold bed jolted him awake. He quickly got dressed and hurried downstairs, asking the maid, ¡°Where¡¯s she?¡± The maid, seeing Magnus in his pajamas, quickly averted her eyes, ¡°Ms. Natalia has gone to school Magnus sighed in relief, turning to go upstairs. He noticed the suitcase Natalia had brought home yesterday in the study. He picked it up and took it to their bedroom, nning to open the suitcase and hang up her clothes. Inside, he found a trophy, Natalia had won second ce in theic contest. He gently picked up the trophy and ced it on the desk in his study, admiration brimming in his eyes. He always knew his little wife was a gem; she just needed the right care to shine brightly. After tidying up her things, he got ready and left for work.. Natalia went to school and had a whole day of sses with Lexi. She watched the sunset, dreading going home to face the man in the mansion. But Lexi had to go to her parents house today as her mother was unwell. Before leaving, Lexi handed her a key, ¡°Natalia, if you don¡¯t want to go home, your can stay at my ce. I have to go see my mom. he¡¯s not well Natalia shook her head, ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll go home. She would have to face him eventually. There was no point in dodging him. After Lexi left, Natalia began her walk home. She had only taken a few steps when she felt like someone was following her. She turned around but didn¡¯t see anyone As she continued her walk, someone called out to her ¡°Ms rkson, please wait.¡± She looked up to see Isabe approaching her. Natalia was slightly taken aback. wondering what Isabe wanted. Isabe reached her, offering a polite smile, ¡°Ms. rkson, may we speak privately? My name is Isabe Isabe introduced herself, knowing that Natalia was sensitive to her name and would recognize who she was ¡°Isabe, what can I do for you? Natalia asked calmly There¡¯s a coffee shop nearby. May I invite you for a cup of coffee?¡± Isabe asked, unfazed by Natalia¡¯s cold demeanor. ¡°I won¡¯t take up much of your time, please Isabe smiled, leading the way. Natalia didn¡¯t really want to go but didn¡¯t want to seem cowardly in front of this confident woman. She followed Isabe to the coffee shop. Once they were seated, the waitress brought two iced coffees. Isabe still wore a smile, Ms. rkson, I wanted to talk to you about Magnus. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be interested Natalia frowned, ¡°Isabe, Magnus is my husband now. I¡¯m not sure what you want to discuss. Also, I¡¯m quite busy, I have a ton of homework because i am a student ¡°Even though she and Magnus were having issues, she didn¡¯t want to lose her dignity in front of this woman. ¡°Ms. rkson, you¡¯re very lucky. You can still study after getting married.¡± Isabe stirred her coffee absentmindedly, looking as if she was reminiscing or trying to intimidate Natalia Then she began to tell her story ¡°Nine years ago, Magnus and I went to the same school And at that time, we were both fond of each other until his leg was broken. I held him and fainted from crying, swearing to take care of him for the rest of my life He was self¨Cdestructive and even wanted to kill himself But I stayed with him, helping him through those dark times. He went to Sapphire Ind and I followed, that¡¯s where he started to regain his love for life. Later he went to France for treatment, asking me to wait for him But my parents sent me to America, and we missed each other for nine years. And now that we¡¯ve met, he¡¯s already married to you¡± Tears streamed down isabe¡¯s face as she stared at Natalia with a pitiful expression, ¡°Ms rkson, can you let Magnus and me be together? He knows he¡¯s married to you and doesn¡¯t want to hurt you. You also know why you two got married. I studied hard in America, just hoping to one day stand by his side¡® ¡°Ms. rkson, you¡¯re young and beautiful, and there will be better men out there who will love you. Please, can you let Magnus go? These past few days while you were in France, we were together, and he finally realized what we¡¯ve missed. Ms. rkson, I¡¯m begging you, please leave Magnus. How much money do you want? We can give it to you.¡± As Isabe spoke, tears streamed down her face, making her look really pitiful. Natalia stared at the girl in front of her coldly. Suddenly, she broke into a radiant smile. Her dainty face was lit up with amusement as she fixed her gaze on Isabe. ¡°Isabe, I must admit that your acting is unparalleled. As far as I know, back then, you looked down on Magnus because he was handicapped. You listened to your parents and moved to the States. This time, upon hearing that Magnus has be the CEO of Andersen Corporation, you hurried back to see him, joining forces with Kendra to stage one act after another just to provoke me.¡± ??? Chapter 153 Chapter 153 CERTAT ¡°If you two were as solid as a rock, why did you part ways for nine years? You know what happened within those years. All I can say is that your bond was of youthful naivety, and your decisions were immature and irrational. And now, when Magnus stands on his feet, you finally show up. Why didn¡¯t you come back to be with him all these years? If Magnus can¡¯t forget you, he could simply break up with me and marry you It¡¯s not about handing him back to you Magnus doesn¡¯t belong to anyone, and he¡¯s not a borrowed item that needs returning. As for your im that Magnus doesn¡¯t want to hurt me and sent you instead, it feels like a sympathy seeking drama you staged 1 admit, I¡¯m young and pretty. But does that mean I should sacrifice my marriage to make you happy? And about your offer of money? As of now, I¡¯m Magnus wife, and half of the Andersen Corporation¡¯s money is mine Where¡¯s yoursing from? isabe, I¡¯m not a charity, nor am I an angel Your words today mean nothing to me.¡± Natalia stood up, slinging her backpack over her shoulder. ¡°Isabe, I have an exam tomorrow. I need to go home and study Excuse me¡± With that, she left the coffee shop briskly Isabe watched Natalia¡¯s retreating figure, her eyes glinting with a fierce light. This girl was not easy to deal with She was much tougher than that foolish woman, Kendra Although these two were both the rksons, there was a world of difference She clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging into her flesh. With a sweep of her arm, she knocked her coffee off the table. When she noticed the cafe manager approach, she pulled out some cash from her purse, tossed it on the table, and left Natalia wandered aimlessly down the street, isabe¡¯s words stinging her heart However, she no longer felt the pain. She had grown numb. She simply didn¡¯t want to appear weak and vulnerable in front of this woman Even if she had no future with Magnus, she would not allow this woman to bully her Under the neon lights, she didn¡¯t know where to go. Looking up, she spotted the public library, its lights on Perfect. She could study in the library and return home a bitter to avoid Magnus. She walked in, finding a quiet corner, and took out her study materials to begin revising. Ten minutester, she felt a shadow over her Turning around, she found a tall man standing behind her, looking at her study materials ¡°Excuse me?¡± She asked, looking up at the stranger. He was dressed in a casual blue outfit. With his brown eyes and slightly curly hair, he had a handsome face that could make heads turn. He stood next to Natalia, staring at her with wide eyes for a full three minutes, going from surprise to delight to confusion. ¡°Sir, do we know each other?¡± Natalia asked as his gaze grew more intense She was worried that the man might be a yboy who flirted with pretty girls whenever he saw them. But with so many people here, surely he wouldn¡¯t do anything inappropriate. The man finally responded, ¡°Hello, miss. Your eyes remind me of someone I used to know ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know you With that, she stood up, ready to leave. The man quickly stopped her, ¡°Please don¡¯t misunderstand, miss. Continue with your studies. I won¡¯t disturb you anymore. I apologize.¡± He immediately moved away and took a seat further away Natalia resumed her studies and ended up sitting there for three hours. By the time she was ready to leave, only the man from earlier and she were left The library was about to close Back at Maplewood Manor Magnus was surprised to see Natalia hadn¡¯t returned. He wondered if she was still upset and had gone to Lex¡¯s house He couldn¡¯t wait any longer and asked Chase to locate her Chase found that Natalia was at the library. Magnus couldn¡¯t wait another minute and drove straight to the library. As he arrived, Natalia and the man wereing out of the library. The man smiled at Natalia, revealing his pearly white teeth. ¡°Miss, I¡¯m Callum Frerotte. I came to Melfort looking for someone. May I know your nam Natalia was about to answer when a Rolls¨CRoyce pulled up in front of them Magnus stepped out of the car, his cold eyes shing lethal res. He took a quick three¨Csecond nce at Callum before turning away. He reached out to Natalia Darling, itste Let¡¯s go home Are you hungry? His voice was low and husky filled with affection. He opened the passenger side door helped Natalia in and fastened her seat lielt. After she settled, she gave Callum a friendly smile. Once Magnus was back in the driver¡¯s seat, he noticed Natalia smiling at that man. He scowled and stepped on the gas, driving away from the library a rocket Callum watched the car leave, deep in thought Back at Maplewood Manor Magnus led Natalia into the mansion. Once they reached the living room, he let go of her hand. Natalia quietly with her backpack She had barely reached the second step when Magnus cold voice echoed, ¡°Stop Natalia paused, closing her eyes before turning around ¡°What is it?¡± Who was that man just now?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know him¡± ¡°Really? But you were smiling so brightly at him. Why didn¡¯t youe home after school? Can¡¯t stand the sight of me? Magnus stood up, walking towards her Natalia knew he was getting agitated She stood there, sadness filling her eyes. Magnus caught sight of her despairing eyes, his heart tormented as if being consumed by mes. Why? Why had his wife suddenly be so cold towards him? ¡°Answer me Why didn¡¯t youe home? Magnus turned his head away, not wanting to look into her eyes. He feared he wouldn¡¯t be able to control himself ¡°No reason. I wanted to do some studying Natalia gazed silently at the man, he profile looking so forlorn in the light. ¡°You can¡¯t study at home? You wereughing so happily with that man, but you¡¯re so cold towards me. Do you remember who you are?¡± Magnus¡® voice suddenly rose in pitch. Natalia¡¯s hands clenched into tight fists. When he was frolicking with Isabe, why hadn¡¯t he thought of who he was? ¡°That man and I barely know each other. There¡¯s nothing more. I¡¯m going to sleep now. Mr. Magnus, if you want to vent your anger, go ahead.¡± She coldly ascended the staircase, her silhouette indescribably deste. Magnus was so angry that he felt like he could kill. This girl had turned his world upside down, daring to treat him like this. Fine, very well. He paced in the living room before swiftly ascending the stairs. Chapter 154 Chapter 154 11:16 Pushing open the door of the study, he found the girl slumped over the desk, wiping away her tears. She was upset, 100 Spending time outside,ughing with other men, and yet crying when she got home He walked over and wrapped his arms around her. Natalia was startled and looked up at him. Seeing her tear¨Cstreaked face again, he felt his heart clench. He didn¡¯t let her go. Instead, he lifted her onto his lap Nat, tell me what¡¯s wrong. What have I done to upset you this much? I can change.¡± When Natalia heard his words, her tears flowed even more freely. Suddenly, she stared at him, her eyes devoid of warmth. ¡°Magnus, let¡¯s break up. Let me go. You already have.¡± ¡°No way¡± He interrupted her before she could finish. She wanted to say, ¡°You already have Isabe. Why do you insist on keeping me chained here?¡± Natalia looked at the man in front of her, her heart in agony ¡°You can forget about breaking up 111 never let you go in this lifetime. Just ept your fate as my wife¡± Magnus picked up Natalia and strode out of the study, heading straight for the bedroom. He carried Natalia into the bathroom and turned on the shower Natalia quickly stood up 1 can take a shower myself. You should leave.¡± Tll help you.¡± Natalia¡¯s reluctance made his expression darken even more. ¡°There¡¯s nothing on your body I haven¡¯t seen before. What are you hiding?¡± Natalia wished she could kick this man out. She wasn¡¯t as shameless as he was. His rtionship with Isabe felt like an invisible thorn lodged between them Even the slightest touch made her feel ufortable. Seeing Natalia¡¯s flushed face, Magnus handsome face darkened once more. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll go. Take your time.¡± After saying that, he walked out, leaving Natalia to finally breathe a sigh of relief. She locked the bathroom door and stripped off her clothes before stepping under the shower Magnus, who had left the bathroom, walked onto the balcony in frustration. He lit a cigarette and lost himself in the wisps of smoke. Why was his wife acting so strange? Even if she had seen the lipstick mark on his chest, she shouldn¡¯t be this cold, especially since he had never touched Isabe. In the past, Isabe had held a ce in his heart, but upon seeing her again, his heart no longer fluttered like before. Now, his heart only had room for his wife. After Natalia finished her shower and put on a bathrobe, she saw a tall figure on the balcony. Her nose stung, and she turned to leave. ¡°Darling¡± Magnus turned around and slowly walked towards her. ¡°Where are you going?¡± I¡¯m going to sleep in the guest room Natalia spoke tly. ¡°You haven¡¯t eaten yet I¡¯ll make something for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not hungry ¡°Alright, you don¡¯t have to eat. But I won¡¯t let you sleep in the guest room. Sleep here¡± He held her gently in his arms, her freshly showered body smelling faintly of shower gel and his familiar feminine scent. ¡°Let¡¯s talk, love The night you left for France, I got drunk and danced with Isabe. I was angry because you didn¡¯t show up. I have no idea how she managed to leave a lipstick mark on my chest, but I assure you that I didn¡¯t touch her I¡¯m sorry, and I promise I won¡¯t have any contact with her again. Can you stop being mad?¡± It was rare for this proud man to exin himself so patiently. But she was his wife, the woman of his life. Natalia looked up at him, her gazes deep and sad. Was that all? What about the times when he and Isabe were seen hugging, kissing, and then she was seen leaving his office wearing his jacket? ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. She stared wide¨Ceyed at the man before her His gazes were as deep and unfathomable as a bottomlesske, exuding a sense of destion and sadness. There was a moment when Natalia wanted to throw herself into his arms and cry, asking him why he had hurt her, and if he didn¡¯t love her, why didn¡¯t he let her go? But then she remembered the scenes of him with Isabe, and the words Isabe had said to her today. Her heart felt as if it had dropped into a freezingke ¡°Magnus, I know Isabe is important to you. After all, she was with you during a significant period of your life. And we were just a mistake I once said that if you found a woman you loved. I would leave. Now, let¡¯s think calmly about what you really want¡± Natalia said more than she had ever done before Her blue eyes were bloodshot Perhaps in this gamble, she had lost too much. ¡°What are you talking about, love? You¡¯re the woman I love the most Fool Isabe was with me only for a while, just like Hector was with you. They are all in the past. Love, I won¡¯t let you leave I¡¯ve said it before, you can only be with me in this lifetime¡± After saying this, he carried her towards the bed Natalia immediately struggled ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t force me I¡¯m sleeping in the guest room tonight¡± Hearing her words, he paused for a moment. Her indifferent gaze avoided him as if he were a snake or a scorpion. His blood ran cold. He slowly let her go. Natalia immediately walked out of the bedroom and locked the door to the guest room. Tears silently streamed down her face. Soon after, she heard the sound of a car starting outside. Magnus had left in the quiet night, her silent cries echoed her sorrow At the Golden Groove, Magnus drank one ss after another, gulping them down When Chase arrived, he found several empty bottles on the table in the booth Magnus¡® bloodshot eyes stared coldly at him, causing Chase to shiver ¡°What happened this time? Natalia is back, isn¡¯t she? Why are you acting like you¡¯ve lost the will to live?¡± Chase watched Magnus drink, unable to understand how this man had changed. The aloof Magnus of the past was gone, reced by a man tormented by a woman. This Nataka was quite something. Not only had she melted this iceberg, but she had also made him crumble. Chase felt like gloating. 11:19 Magnus looked at the man who was wearing a slight smile. He grabbed a bottle of alcohol. ¡°Drink!¡± ¡°Can you stop being so self¨Cdestructive? Last time you got drunk, you almost ended up in bed with Isabe. And yet, you¡¯re drinking again.¡± Chase grabbed the bottle from Magnus. Had he known better, he would have kept quiet. But he didn¡¯t, and that only stoked the fire in Magnus. ¡°You knew damn well I was three sheets to the wind that night, yet you let Isabe get near me, even let her smear her lipstick all over me. What the hell, man!¡± If it hadn¡¯t been for that night, Natalia wouldn¡¯t be so distant. It was the incident of that night that led her to misconstrue his actions. ¡°Oh for heaven¡¯s sake, Magnus! It was you who insisted on dancing with Isabe that night, and even went to the private booth with her after the dance. By the time I got there, Isabe was already sitting on yourp If it wasn¡¯t for me, you¡¯d probably be wolfed down by Isabe ¨C she¡¯s no dummy,¡± Chase defended himself, his voiceced with a hint of self¨Cpity. ¡°What? That can¡¯t be Isabe isn¡¯t that bold. He couldn¡¯t believe how bold she was. He was oblivious to all this. No wonder his wife was so pissed off and ignoring him. Chapter 155 Chapter 155 ¡°Magnus, do you stal think she¡¯s the naive little Isabe from nine years ago? She¡¯s cunning now. If I¡¯d been a momentter that day, she would have had you¡± Chase raised his voice, staring into Magnus¡® stormy gaze. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, Magnus, if you don¡¯t take care of the whole thing with Isabe, there will be more misunderstandings between you and your wife in the future.¡± Chase wasn¡¯t afraid of Magnus¡® outburst. He had a feeling something was off about Isabe. She was a schemer The words sent a chill down Magnus spine. He didn¡¯t remember much from the night he was drunk, but he remembered enough to know he had hurt Natalia in bed. She cried. Annoyed, he got up and walked out. ¡°Where are you off to?¡± Chase asked in confusion ¡°Home¡± Magnus was done with drinking Chase was left stunned Magnus had called him here in the middle of the night only to leave so abruptly Magnus drove straight back to his home, Maplewood Manor. It waste, so he quietly opened the door to his bedroom, only to find it cold and empty Right, his wife was in the guest room He turned towards the guest room, the door unlocked. The moonlight filtering through the pentagonal window illuminated her sleeping face. She looked troubled even in her sleep. Her pale face looked deste Magnus shrugged off his jacket, slipped into the bed next to Natalia, and pulled her into his embrace, taking in her sweet scent. Natalia stirred in her sleep, feeling too warm When she tried to push him away a little, he only held her tighter. With no other option, she found afortable spot and went back to sleep Only when he heard Natalia¡¯s even breathing did Magnus loosen his hold on her, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead ¡°Darling, don¡¯t do this to me I love you he whispered But Natalia slept through his confession The next morning. Natalia woke up to an empty bed. She stretchedzily, suddenly feeling as though someone had been sleeping next to herst night She sniffed the sheets, detecting the scent of alcohol and tobo. It was Magnus. He had left, hadn¡¯t he? But he had returned, drunk, and slept with her. She didn¡¯t dwell on it. She got up and got ready for school. Meanwhile, Magnus headed to work early, leaving town for a business trip. In a coffee shop in Melfort, Callum sat by the window, watching the bustling crowd. It had been fifteen years, but he thought about the little girl every single day. She would be grown up now. Last night at the library, he¡¯d seen Natalia¡¯s captivating blue eyes and was taken aback. Those eyes reminded him of the girl he was looking for She imed she was born here, and he hadn¡¯t seen the pendant. So she couldn¡¯t be the one he was looking for. Fifteen years ago, he was being chased by a Mexican gang due to family interests. The girl had bravely saved him, and he¡¯d made a vow then to marry her when they grew up ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. He gave her a pendant as a token. It was his family¡¯s symbol- an amulet of the Sphinx. He only knew that her name, Buttercup. She would be twenty this year Three years after that incident, he had visited the orphanage where he¡¯d met her. The warden had told him that she was adopted by a man. When he asked about the man, the warden only told him that he was from Melfort Now that his situation was stable, he had decided to find her again. ¡°Melfort was big, but where were you, Buttercup? Did you remember Cal?¡± Lost in thought, he suddenly saw a girl walking past the coffee shop. She had long hair and a red string around her neck. Taken aback, he immediately got up and chased after her Outside, Kendra was preparing to meet Lucius for a date when someone grabbed her wrist from behind. She turned to see a man holding her, staring at her intensely ¡°Who are you? Let go¡± She pulled her hand free When her pendant swung out of her cor, the man gasped. It was the amulet of the Sphinx. ¡°I finally found you. Buttercup Callum looked at Kendra with joy, grabbing her hand again, afraid she would disappear I don¡¯t know you Let go Kendra was getting angry ¡°I¡¯m Cal Don¡¯t you remember me? its okay I came here to find you¡± Callum¡¯s joyous expression didn¡¯t change Kendra was stunned but saw no malice in the man¡¯s eyes Perhaps he had mistaken her for someone else. Sir, I¡¯m not the person you¡¯re looking for. My name is Kendra, and I¡¯ve never seen you beture Kendra patiently exined ¡°No, you are the person that I am looking for Buttercup This amulet proves it I gave it to you fifteen years ago I can¡¯t be mischien.¡± Callum dered ¡°Amulet? Token?¡± Kendra stood, trying to process the man¡¯s words. The amulet was something she had taken from Natalia when they were kids. on reiming Later, she discovered it was extremely valuable and kept it with her always. Natalia, struggling to survive, was forced to give remembered who had given it to her. Kendra realized that the girl the ma Callum¡¯s grip But she talking about might be Natalia But would he want the amulet back? With that thought, she broke free from don¡¯t know you, and I¡¯m not the girl you¡¯re looking for. This amulet was given to me by my grandfather. It can¡¯t be yours.¡± Kendra turned to leave. Callum blocked her way. ¡°No, this amulet represents the Frerotte family. There are only two in the world. My brother has one, and I gave the other to Buttercup fifteen years ago.¡± Kendra was stunned. She felt the urge to flee but couldn¡¯t. She couldn¡¯t give up the amulet. ¡°Let go of me. I¡¯m not Buttercup. I¡¯m Kendra. I¡¯ve never seen you before.¡± Kendra managed to break free, turning to leave. As she walked away, she kept looking back, afraid Callum would follow. Suddenly, she was stopped by two men in ck at the corner. She was startled, but the men only blocked her path without causing any harm. In no time, Callum approached, ¡°Buttercup, tell me you haven¡¯t forgotten me. It was you who saved my life 15 years ago, and I promised then that when you grew up, I would marry you. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Kendra¡¯s blood ran cold as she realized that this man was Natalia¡¯s arranged childhood sweetheart. It must have been Natalia¡¯s shameless mother who had arranged this. A smirk tugged at the corner of her mouth. This was perfect. Natalia¡¯s fiancee hade looking for her. Once he took Natalia away, wouldn¡¯t Magnus be hers? Chapter 156 Chapter 156 ?? Thinking about this, she looked up at Callum. ¡°I¡¯m really not the girl you¡¯re looking for, but I do know where the actual owner of this pendant is, because it was given to me by someone else.¡± ¡°Given to you? How could it be? This is a family heirloom that signifies belonging to the Frerotte family. Buttercup, it¡¯s okay if you don¡¯t admit it. But I¡¯vee to get you. I want to take you back to Ennd.¡± Callum¡¯s deep voice resonated softly in Kendra¡¯s startled gaze N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. ¡°I¡¯m really not that girl. This pendant isn¡¯t mine, it was given to me by a girl. The girl you want to take away is also in Melfort. I can take you to meet her.¡± Kendra secretly rejoiced in her heart. Natalia, good job, hurry back to Ennd Callum had some doubts that Kendra might not be the girl that he was looking for, but she had a pendant as proof Even though she didn¡¯t have blue eyes, he thought it was normal for a girl¡¯s eye color to change as she grew up. However, this girl really didn¡¯t resemble the sweetie from years ago ¡°Alright, as long as you take me to meet the girl who gave you the pendant, I won¡¯t give you a hard time. Otherwise, I¡¯ll take you back to Ennd¡± Callum said Upon hearing his words, Kendra¡¯s body began to break out in a cold sweat, ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you there. Let¡¯s go. She couldn¡¯t meet up with Lucius anymore, so she sent him a message saying she couldn¡¯t make it. Kendra led Callum directly to Maplewood Manor She knocked on the door, and Linden answered, to see Kendra and a man standing at the doorway. He paused for a moment, recalling what Mr. Magnus had said, that no one from the rkson family was allowed to enter the mansion. ¡°Ms. rkson, what brings you here? Mr. Magnus said you can¡¯te in Linden was about to close the door. ¡°Linden, I¡¯m here to see Natalia. Tell her toe out. This gentleman wants to see her¡± Kendra quickly stopped Linden from closing the door. Linden looked at Callum, ¡°What do you want with Mrs. Anderson?¡± ¡± Mrs. Had his sweetie gotten married?! Impossible, she was only twenty years old, how could she be married, had he arrived toote? ¡°Linden, who¡¯s there? Just as Callum was about to speak, a girl¡¯s voice suddenly sounded from inside. Since it was Sunday, Natalia was reading in her study. Hearing someone downstairs calling for her, she thought Lexi hade Natalia, dressed in a blue dress, with long hair cascading over her shoulders, slowly approached the door Callum watched as the girl approached, his blood rushing backwards. It was her, the girl he had encountered in the library that night. Her pair of blue eyes gazed over at him, her demure demeanor akin to a goddess descending into the mortal world. She appeared before Callum gracefully. Yes, this was his Buttercup That day, he recognized her just from her eyes. That familiar feeling. Even without the pendant, he had a feeling then that this girl was the one he was looking for Was it her? Was it her who gave the pendant to this girl? ¡°What are you here for? Natalia furrowed her brows upon seeing Kendra, and then noticed the man next to Kendra. She was slightly taken aback Wasnt this the man she had seen in the library that day? What was he doing with Kendra? ¡°Natalia, this gentleman is looking for you.¡± Kendra quickly backed away, hoping to slip away unnoticed. She would definitely not return the pendant to Natalia Callum gazed steadily at Natalia, forgetting what he wanted to say. He just stared at her. She had really grown up, and she was so beautiful. He was astonished ¡°Buttercup, I¡¯m Cal. Do you remember me? Callum stood there, his hands beginning to tremble His heart was about to leap out of his chest. He had found his sweetie. He was so excited he didn¡¯t know what to do. He stepped forward, wanting to grab Natalia¡¯s hand, but was blocked by Linden. ¡°Sir, please leave. Our lady doesn¡¯t know you¡± Linden assertively blocked his way Natalia widened her eyes at the man, then gave a small smile, ¡°Mr. Callum, right? We¡¯ve met.¡± Linden looked at Natalia in surprise ¡°But I¡¯m not the person you¡¯re looking for Haven¡¯t you found your old friend yet, Mr. Callum? Natalia remembered him saying his name was Callum the other day. He was in Melfort looking for an old friend. Callum was pleasantly surprised and stepped forward, ¡°You remember me? Buttercup, the old friend I¡¯m looking for is you.¡± He stared at Natalia dumbfoundedly standing in front of him. He so badly wanted to tell her that he was her fianc¨¦, that fifteen years ago, he had set her as his future wife and he was here to take her back Natalia furrowed her brows, ¡°Me? How could that be?¡± She smiled brightly Callum was stunned. She was breathtakingly beautiful. This was his Buttercup ¡°No, Mr Callum, I was born here and I haven¡¯t been anywhere else since I was a child¡® Natalia¡¯s moist eyes locked onto his handsome face ¡°It¡¯s you It must be you. You were in Ennd until you were five years old. The pendant is the proof He immediately turned to look for Kendra, but he didn¡¯t see the woman He pressed a button on his watch, and a man in ck entered from outside the mansion, dragging Kendra in Callum didn¡¯t even nce at Kendra, directly pulling the red string from her neck. The pendant that Kendra had stolen when they were kids was now in Callum¡¯s hand ¡°Buttercup, this is yours it¡¯s something I gave you. It¡¯s a symbol of our family. Buttercup, tell me, did you give this to her?¡± Callum was so anxious he was panting He just wanted to tell her that she was his Buttercup Natalia was shocked as she stared at Callum. She knew that the pendant Kendra had was stolen from her. He said the it was his gift. Could he be someone from her mother¡¯s side? She stepped forward and slowly took the pendant, touching its smooth surface. This is my pendant. It was stolen by her when I was young. Mr. Callum, do you recognize this pendant?¡± If this pendant was left to her by her mother, then he must know her mother. ¡°This is a symbol of the Frerotte family. It¡¯s a gift from me to you. I gave you this pendant fifteen years ago. Now, I¡¯m here to take you home.¡± Callum was over the moon. He couldn¡¯t believe he had found his little girl so quickly Boom! Natalia¡¯s mind was blown by his words. He knew about the pendant, and he knew about her fifteen years ago. Then, he must know where her mother was. For a moment, Natalia looked at Callum, wondering if this man could be a rtive of hers. Looking at Callum, who was standing across from her with an ecstatic expression, Natalia couldn¡¯t believe it and asked in a disbelieving tone, ¡°You really own this pendant? So, you know my mother? Where is she now?¡± Callum shook his head, I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t know your mother. We met at the orphanage Natalia¡¯s face turned pale instantly. Yes, she was adopted from an orphanage by her current father. She couldn¡¯t even remember what her mother looked like How could she expect others to know 11:19 Chapter 157 Chapter 157 Why on earth did Mom leave her in the orphanage? Did her mother not love her? Yes, that seemed usible. After all, the circumstances of her birth were far from ideal. She was an unwanted child, an extra burden in this world. Gazing at Natalia¡¯s pallid face, Callum felt a pang in his heart. Was she disappointed? He quickly reassured her. ¡°It¡¯s alright, darling. You lived in Ennd until you were five Your mother must have lived there too. If you¡¯re willing toe back with me, I promise I¡¯ll help you find her.¡± With his current influence in Ennd, finding a person wouldn¡¯t be a challenge His words stirred Natalia. Her childhood memories were blurry. She vaguely remembered being brought back to Melfort by her father and was given an pendant. The rest was a blur, as if someone had erased her memories. But now, Callum offered to help her find her mother How could she not be tempted? She had always convinced herself that her mother must have had her reasons But now, there was no need to fantasize about a happier life. She remembered feeling envious as a child, seeing Kendra being cared for by her mother when she fell ill Would her mother treat her the same way if she were around? Even in her dreams, she hoped that she could one day be treated tenderly by her mother Although her wish had nevere true, she never stopped longing for her mother¡¯s embrace However, she couldn¡¯t agree to go back to Ennd with Callum just yet. Even though she unexinably trusted this suddenly appeared man, her current situation didn¡¯t allow her to leave If she were to leave, she wanted to walk away in broad daylight, not as a deserter. With these thoughts in mind, Natalia smiled warmly at Callum ¡°Thank you, Mr. Callum I can¡¯t go to Ennd to find my mother just yet I have some personal matters to attend to. Please, excuse me All Callum could see was Natalia, and he believed everything she said. There was no reason to argue with her. He was just d to have found her, and he nodded eagerly. ¡°Alright, no matter how long it takes, I¡¯ll wait for you I promised to take you home. You take care of your things, and I¡¯lle back to see you Hearing these words warmed Natalia¡¯s heart. He was like her dear friend, who brought her good news in her darkest hours ¡°Thank you¡± She felt a warmth in her heart. She suddenly felt a sense of familiarity with Callum. For some reason, she believed everything he said. Im Cal Don¡¯t be so formal with me, Buttercup. I¡¯m just so happy to have found you so quickly. Callum looked at Natalia standing in front of him, his heart filled with affection. This was his Buttercup, the one he had promised to marry and cherish, n¨°i matter what her life had be. She had to be his Facing Callum¡¯s blunt words, Natalia felt her face turn red: She nodded and smiled brightly Callum was captivated by her. She had grown up and be so beautiful T be in Melfort for a while. Call me if you need anything¡± He gestured to one of his men behind him, who handed him a business card. Natalia took the card and nced at it. The card was exquisite, with Callum¡¯s name written in elegant script. Below the name was a string of numbers, nothing else This is my private number Call me anytime if you need anything.¡± Callum said softlyProperty belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Natalia carefully pocketed the card ¡°I will, thank you.¡± Before she could finish her sentence, Callum stepped forward and took Natalia¡¯s hand. ¡°Buttercup, I will always wait for you.¡± Natalia was taken aback, unsure of how to respond to Callum. Linden watched the scene, his heart pounding for Mr. Magnus. Was this man going to whisk Mrs Anderson away He hurriedly informed his master. This was not good Kendra, standing nearby, felt a pang of jealousy Natalia seemed like a very seductive woman. Kendra didn¡¯t consider herself any less, so why were all these men acting as if they d lost their minds when they saw Natalia?i But maybe it was for the best. She didn¡¯t like that Englishman anyway She hoped he would take Natalia away, and then Magnus would be all hers Ha! Who cared about Ennd? Her dream was to be a CEO¡¯s wife. Linden, who was about to make a phone call, was worried. This man was dangerous if Mr Magnus found out, there would be trouble Mrs. Anderson was a married woman. Thank goodness Mr Magnus wasn¡¯t at home, or he would called Perth to deal with him Callum didn¡¯t hear any of Lindens negative thoughts. He kept his gaze on Natalia until he was sure she had put his card away. Then he waved goodbye Jll be going now. Buttercup Remember to contact me ¡°Alright take care. Natalia waved back, watching as Callum walked away with his men As they left, they took Kendra along with them. After seeing Callum off. Natalia had just returned indoors and was looking at the pendant she had regained not long ago when she heard at door again. She opened the door, puzzled, to find Kendra standing there on the Looking at Natalia¡¯s innocent face, Kendra felt the urge to p her ¡°Natalia, why won¡¯t you go with that Callum guy? You¡¯re his fiancee it must be your shameless mothers doing, betrothing you to a man at such a young age Go on Get out of here Stop clinging to Magnus. You should go back to Ennd Natalia was puzzled ¡°Weren¡¯t you taken away by them? How did you get back?¡± ¡°They hauled me out of the neighborhood, leaving me all alone You think I couldn¡¯t find my way back? Kendra held her head high, her voice filled with arrogance ¡°Look, Natalia, you¡¯d better leave Magnus. You can¡¯t have your cake and eat it too. And, give me back that pendant Facing Kendra¡¯s provocation, Natalia didn¡¯t bat an eyelid. ¡°What¡¯s it to you whether I leave or not? What gives you the right to demand that leave? The 11:09 515 pendant was always mine. You¡¯ve just been squatting on it all these years, and now it¡¯s simply returned to its rightful owner.¡± She looked at Kendra with a smirk. You¡¯ve been spreading all those photos, trying to get a rise out of me. So what? Kendra, I¡¯m Magnus¡® wife. No matter how much you stir up trouble, I¡¯m still standing tall. Whereas you? You¡¯re just a jester making a spectacle of yourself. Pitiful, really.¡± ¡°Natalia, who are you calling a jester? Kendra was livid, raising her hand to p Natalia. Chapter 158 Chapter 158 Natalia grabbed Kendra¡¯s wrist with a vice¨Clike grip, ¡°Don¡¯t think you can stilly a hand on me, Kendra. I¡¯ve paid back all the favours your family has granted me. Now, get out of here.¡± Kendra struggled, using all her strength to wrench her hand from Natalia¡¯s grasp. ring at her swollen wrist, she shot Natalia a venomous look She feared that the man woulde back for her, so she stormed out of the mansion, her pride intact. ¡°Natalia, you wait and see. I¡¯ll make your life a living hell.¡± Kendra stomped out of Maplewood Manor. Not long after, she bumped into someone. She looked up, and to her surprise, it was that man again. Hadn¡¯t he left? Why was he back? Callum stared at Kendra, ¡°Why are you still here? I¡¯ve found out that you¡¯re Natalia¡¯s sister, but I¡¯ve heard you¡¯ve bullied her since you were kids and even stole her pendant is that true?¡± Callum¡¯s brown eyes were as cold as ice, a stark contrast from when he met her on the street earlier. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t bully her, and I didn¡¯t steal her pendant. She gave it to me herself. Kendra knew this man was a force to be reckoned with. She had managed to escape earlier, only to be caught by his men and brought back. She had a feeling that Callum was even more intimidating than Magnus ¡°I hope not. From now on, I won¡¯t let you bully Buttercup anymore. Callum pointed to her nose as he warned her. Kendra didn¡¯t want to waste her breath arguing with him, so she turned to leave. But after a few steps, she turned back. She looked at Callum with a smirk, ¡°Mr. Callum, your beloved Buttercup is married now. How do you n to take her away? Her husband now is the king of Melfort, someone you can¡¯t afford to mess with After speaking, sheughed heartily and then strode away. At Kendra¡¯s words, Callum¡¯s face darkened. Had she really married? Had he arrived a step toote? His girl, he would take her away, whether she was married or not Natalia, at Maplewood Manor, saw off all the guests and returned to her room. She slumped into a chair as if she had lost all her strength. For the past decade, she had been haunted by a dream, not realizing that it wasn¡¯t a dream at all, but her memories from when she was five However, aside from that dream, she had no other memories. Could it be that her memories from before she was five had been erased? Was it her mother? Why would her mother erase her memories? Why didn¡¯t she want her? Why did her mother hand her over to Kyler and never ask about her again? Why would her mother do that? She sat on the balcony, staring at the fiery sunset, feeling unloved and rejected by the world. Two dayster, Magnus finally returned to Melfort. He went straight to Maplewood Manor after getting off the ne. When he got Linden¡¯s call, his heart was set on fire. Someone was actually trying to steal his wife. He couldn¡¯t wait to see who dared toe to Melfort to look for trouble. He didn¡¯t even stop by his company, heading straight for Maplewood Manor Upon seeing the ck Rolls Royce, Linden knew he had returned Mr. Magnus, you¡¯re back.¡± ¡°Wheres my wife? Magnus asked, his face full of concern. ¡°Ms. Natalia is in the study. She seems quite upset since that man visited. She hasn¡¯t left the house in the past few days.¡± Linden reported Magnus went straight upstairs and pushed open the door to the study, only to find a slender figure on the balcony, her long hair cascading over her shoulders, engrossed in her painting She was so focused that she didn¡¯t notice the man who quietly approached her from behind. She was drawing the scene from her dream a wide ssroom with many children, all with horrified expressions, and Miss Rose, who had already fallen to the floor in a pool of blood Magnus frowned. What was she drawing? It was so bloody Natalia finally finished her painting and stood up with a sigh. Suddenly feeling someone behind her, she turned around and was shocked to see Magnus. standing behind her ¡°You you¡¯re back¡± There was no joy or excitement in her eyes. All Magnus saw was her fearful and estranged gaze. Had he be such a stranger in her heart? ¡°Darling, what are you drawing?¡± He tried to suppress his anger Shouldn¡¯t she run into his arms and tell him how much she missed him upon his return? ¡°Nothing much, just doodling. She packed up her painting tools and casually walked past him, her long hair brushing against his face, leaving behind a faint fragrance He closed his eyes, feeling a heart wrenching pain. He turned around and grasped her delicate wrist. Natalia turned slightly, looking at Magnus gloomy expression Her heart ached, Ever since the day they had a falling out, they hadn¡¯t had sex Every time she woke up in the middle of the night during Magnus¡® business trip, she found herself missing him uncontrobly But this man was already involved with isabe She couldn¡¯t stay by his side anymore Magnus pulled her into his arms, hugging the girl he had longed for these past few days His wife He couldn¡¯t stop thinking about her. He wished he could have rushed back to see her immediately upon receiving Linden¡¯s call, but the project was really important So he rushed back as soon as he finished the project. Finally, he was able to hold her again He closed his eyes and breathed in her scent Natalia tried to push him away. Whenever she thought of the day when Isabe walked out of his office wearing his coal, her heart felt like it was being pricked by needies. ¡°Darling, let me hold you. I missed you so much.¡± Magnus tightened his hold on her 158 Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. ¡°Magnus, let go. I have something to tell you.¡± Natalia wanted to break free from his hold. She didn¡¯t want him to hold her. She feared that she would be addicted to his scent, losing herself even more. Magnus paused when he heard her say that she had something to tell him Was she going to talk about breaking up again? Where did things go wrong? His wife wanted to break up with him. He wouldn¡¯t break up. He absolutely wouldn¡¯t. He held her in his arms, wishing he could melt her into his bones He could control the entire world, but he couldn¡¯t control this girl¡¯s heart. The girl in his arms struggled so fiercely that his patience was wearing thin. He moved her shoulder away, found her lips, and kissed her directly. He drank in her sweetness, his kiss wild and untamed. He pried apart her pearly whites, stole her breath away, drawing on her small tongue as if he wanted to devour her whole. Natalia¡¯s tongue tingled, her body tightly confined in his embrace, unable to move. Just when she was about to suffocate, he slowly let her go. Looking at her flushed face, he said, ¡°Darling, I love you Don¡¯t do this to me Let me deal with my matters first, then we¡¯ll go on our honeymoon Behave¡± Magnus voice was hoarse, whispering lowly into her ear. Natalia was rigid all over, and she snapped back to reality, looking up at the man in front of her His passionate gaze made her heart flutter What about Isabe? Magnus, don¡¯t lie to yourself, don¡¯t you have feelings for Isabe? I once said, if you find a girl you like, I will leave.¡± Chapter 159 Chapter 159 Natalia stared at him, her expression jcy. ¡°Even if I were as lowly as can be, I could never share a man with another woman, Magnus. Let me go.¡± The mere thought of those photos made her feel as though a piece of her heart had been cruelly ripped out. How could she even think about going on a honeymoon with him? ¡°What did you say? Magnus looked at her in shock. 1 have no feelings for Isabe. The only woman I love is you, you silly girl.¡± He wished he could pry open her head to see what was going on inside. He had never touched Isabe. Where did she get the idea that she was sharing him with another woman? ¡°Magnus, Isabe has been with you for so long, and she is your first love The moment I saw her photos in your book, I knew you would never forget her¡± Natalia pushed him away forcefully I¡¯m leaving You don¡¯t have to feel guilty They won¡¯t have to use those disgusting methods to pressure me anymore¡± She pushed away from his embrace, turned around, and left the study Staring at her retreating figure Magnus felt a murderous rage build up within him. What was he guilty of? They were pressuring her? What the hell was going on? Magnus immediately pulled out his phone and dialed Chase. Find out immediately if Isabe has done anything to my wife if Isabe really dared to provoke him, he would not want to remember the year she had spent with him. His bottom line was his wife Anyone who dared to cross that line would have to be dealt with Magnus went downstairs and didn¡¯t find Natalia Frustrated, he drove straight to the office. He pulled up to the entrance, and was about to walk into the building when he bumped into someone. It was Kendra. Annoyed at being bumped by her, Magnus brushed off his clothes intending to ignore her and move on. However, Kendra wouldn¡¯t let this opportunity to be alone with Magnus go. She dramatically sat down on the ground, pretending to be injured Ouch, that hurts Magnus, you bumped into me Magnus stopped, looking disdainfully at Kendra pretending to be injured. Although he was unhappy with Kendra, he thought about how he still needed to use her against Lucius He put on a concerned face, feigning worry. ¡°Where does it hurt? Do you want me to take you to the hospital?¡± Kendra was only trying to talk to Magnus, she wouldn¡¯t dare let him take her to the hospital. She pretended to be weak as she stood up from the ground. her face full of pretense. ¡°No need for the hospital, it¡¯s not that painful.¡± After saying this, she looked at Magnus with affection Magnus wasn¡¯t expecting Kendra to stop pretending so soon. He barely managed to keep his composure, ¡°That¡¯s good. Be careful when you walk if there¡¯s nothing else. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Seeing that Magnus was about to leave, Kendra quickly spoke up. ¡°Wait, Magnus, I have something important to tell you. She had been waiting here for days just for the chance to see Magnus and tell him about Natalia and the British man. Magnus frowned slightly and turned to look at Kendra. ¡°What¡¯s so important?¡± Kendra¡¯s eyes darted around before stepping closer to Magnus, ¡°While you were gone these past few days, I saw Natalia with a man. They were happily shopping andughing together. You have to be careful. Don¡¯t let this woman make a fool of you Magnus knew Kendra¡¯s intentions She wanted to rece Natalia as his wife, but how could she even compare? He despised Kendra, but he needed her to deal with Lucius. Despite his distaste for Kendra, he still took in her words. After all, hearing about Natalia made his heart lurch ¡®Repeat what you just said. Where did you see her shopping with a British man?¡± Magnus face darkened considerably as he advanced on Kendra, ¡°If you are lying, I swear I¡¯ll break your neck¡± Compared to his wife, Kendra¡¯s remaining value was worthless Seeing the cold, angry man advancing on her, Kendra suddenly felt a wave of fear. One minute he was all smiles, and the next he was like a demon from hell Sc Natalia was his Achilles heel Good she wanted to see Magnus lose control She wanted both him and the British man to hurt, and for Nataka to feel sorry for the British man and leave with him She pretended to be flustered and backed away, as if afraid that Magnus would really break her delicate neck, I, I¡¯m telling the truth. You can go home and ask your butler He saw it too ¡°Is that so?¡± At this moment, Magnus looked like a devil from hell, his eyes about to spit fire, ¡°If I find out you¡¯re lying, I¡¯ll make sure you die a painful death¡± With that, he left Kendra and strode into thepany building His wife reallyughing and shopping with a British man? His cold eyes made people shiver and Paul who was opening the elevator for him, was also tense Why did the CEOe back from his business trip looking like the devil? He remembered that everything had been going smoothly, hadn¡¯t it? Once Magnus left, Kendra finally breathed a sigh of relief, feeling like the air around her was breathable agam Magnus angry demeanor was terrifying. but she still wanted to be his wife If Natalia was out of the picture, she could be the CEO¡¯s wife Only such a man was worthy of her Kendra! She looked up at the towering building, silently swearing. Natalia, no matter what, she would take this man back from her, because this man was originally hers After a while, Kendra left in her high heels, looking proud. After handling all the business in the office, Magnus returned home at six in the afternoon. Maplewood Manor Linden respectfully opened the door and saw Magnus walk in with a grim face. He bowed slightly and said, ¡°Mr. Magnus¡± 11:091 ¡°Hmm.¡± Magnus grunted, ¡°Where¡¯s my wife?¡± Upstairs, sir. Would you like me to call her down?¡± Linden asked with a respectful tone. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°No need, I¡¯ll go up myself¡± Magnus was relieved she hadn¡¯t left. He strode toward the stairs like a man on fire. After a few steps, he turned and questioned, ¡°Linden, has she been with the Englishman again these days?¡± Kendra¡¯s words still echoed in his mind, prompting him to ask Linden. Linder paused for a moment before answering honestly. ¡°No, just a few days ago an Englishman came to Maplewood Manor looking for her, a man named Callum. He wanted to take her to Ennd. That¡¯s when I called you. These past days, aside from going to school, she¡¯s been at the mansion. I¡¯m not sure if she¡¯s seen him.¡± 160 Chapter 160 Chapter 160 Hearing Linden¡¯s words, a chill ran down Magnus¡± spine. ¡°Wait, what did she say that day?¡± he implored hastily Linden gave Magnus a puzzled look. ¡°What else could she say? She didn¡¯t leave with him, of course. She sent him away. But he was persistent, left his number, and said he would be waiting for her.¡± Leave? Over his dead body. Magnus face turned icy cold. He turned on his heel and headed up the stairs. Watching the irate figure of Magnus, Linden suddenly regretted his words. Had he said too much? Should he have been less detailed? But what¡¯s said was said, and what¡¯s done was done. Magnus was clearly so attached to his wife that he wouldn¡¯t dare quarrel with her. There was no way this Englishman could measure up to him. Shaking his head, Linden went back to his things Magnus mbered up the stairs to the main bedroom and kicked open the door, which startled Natalia She was engrossed in her jade piece when Magnus suddenly appeared, startling her so much that she dropped the pendant onto the floor. Luckily, the thick carpet cushioned the fall, preventing the pendant from breaking Natalia bent down to pick up her pendant, frowning at Magnus What¡¯s the matter?¡± Magnus strode over to her, growling in a stern voice, Who is this Englishman? What right does he have to take you away?! What¡¯s going on between you Two? So, you wanted to leave with him! No wonder you¡¯ve been insisting on breaking up with me.¡± Damn it, he had thought she cared for him, and the lipstick mark from that night had made him feel guilty. Seeing Magnus livid face, Natalia realized he knew about Callum¡¯s visit She didn¡¯t think she had done anything wrong. Why was Magnus interrogating her so aggressively? ¡°He said he knew me before I was five, when I lived in Ennd, Natalia replied nonchntly, not nning to exin too much to Magnus. After all, she herself didn¡¯t know much about Callum. How could she exin him to Magnus? ¡°Knew you? When did you live in Ennd? He s clearly trying to take advantage of you, even daring to come here?¡± Magnus looked down at Natalia, grabbing her shoulders and pulling her up. Tell me! Are you nning to leave me for him and go to Ennd?¡± Natalia was dazed by Magnus sudden outburst. His face looked so fierce and terrifying that she was genuinely frightened. This must be his true nature, right? Suspicious of others without any real basis And what about him? He was constantly flirting with Isabe but would never admit it. Talk about double standards. ¡°Speak up¡® Do you want to leave with him? Do you want to leave me? Not getting a response from Natalia, Magnus¡® voice rose in frustration. It seemed like the only way to cover up his fear of her leaving. ¡°Yes! Yes, I do want to leave with him Natalia¡¯s stubbornness kicked in, and she bravely met Magnus fiery gaze 1 think we¡¯re not meant to be, Mr. Andersen. You status are too high above me, and I cant reach you Let me go, and let yourself go too¡± She suddenly felt that this ce was no longer suitable for her, and this man was no longer the one who had given her a home. It would be better to sort it out all at once, to avoid losing everything and her dignity in the future ¡°Impossible Magnus¡® worst fear was Natalia wanting to leave him Hearing her say it, his emotions spiraled out of control. I won¡¯t allow it. I absolutely won¡¯t let you leave me, not unless I¡¯m dead You want to leave with that Englishman? What a ludicrous idea!¡± Magnus gripped her shoulders fiercely, the fury in his eyes threatening to explode ¡°But why should we continue like this if neither of us is happy?¡± Natalia lowered her head in despair. Her future with Magnus was bleak, with no hope in sight He was the affluent CEO of Andersen Corporation, who could turn the tides in Melfort at his whim. He could have any woman he wanted Why would he care about her, a girl no one else wanted, not even her own mother? What was there for her to hold onto? The distance between them was as vast as the starry sky With this thought, Natalia mustered up her courage and looked Magnus in the eye. ¡°Magnus, let me go, and let yourself go too. We¡¯re not meant to be. really¡± Hearing Natalia say let me go again, Magnus felt like his heart was being ripped apart What did she mean by not meant to be, and let her gol Did she even know what she was saying?! She was the only woman he had ever loved in this world, and that alone was more than enough. How could there be any distance¡± All she needed to do was be his wife But no matter how many times he said this, she wouldn¡¯t believe him. She kept misunderstanding his true feelings, even now, thinking he didn¡¯t truly love her. This girl, whom he loved and hated, he wished he could swallow her whole And now she wanted to leave with another man? impossible Looking at her cold and indifferent gazes, Magnus felt a chill in his heart. Her eyes were devoid of any emotion, isting him and her in two separate worlds, unreachable and insurmountable All his chaotic emotions came rushing to his head. He could decide whether to take on billion dor deals in a second, yet he was at a loss when it came to this girl She was his nemesis, sent by god to punish him After waiting for a while without any response from Magnus, Natalia prodded, ¡°Magnus, we really mmm Magnus couldn¡¯t stand it any longer. The wordsing out of her mouth were like knives, each one stabbing his heart He wouldn¡¯t let her go, not even her dreams Without any hesitation, he leaned down and kissed her, silencing her beautiful lips, so they wouldn¡¯t utter any more words that angered him. The searing kiss was an invasion, a conquering force that ruthlessly awept over Natalia¡¯s lips and tongue, grazing her delicate taste buds and refusing to 11:00 This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. retreat. Every time at this moment, it always made him linger and unable to tear himself away. Natalia passively epted Magros domineering yet gentle kiss, yet her mind was filled with images of him with Isabe. Her hand was relentlessly pounding on Magnus back, the man was kissing her again, ¡°Let go mmh¡­let go of me.¡± Even if she gathered all her strength, this slight force wouldn¡¯t be of any concern to Magnus. Especially considering that Natalia wasn¡¯t even using all her strength at this moment, as the enchanting smell radiating from him left her feeling weak and powerless. Chapter 161 Chapter 161 She was infatuated with his taste, and Magnus was just as smitten with hers. He savored the sweetness before him, greedily desiring more, and more. Natalia, almost breathless from the kiss, struggled incessantly, but in front of Magnus, she had no effect at all. Instead, she found herself gradually sumbing to his advances more and more. Magnus¡® patience was wearing thin. It had been a while since hest touched her, and this time, he wanted her Desired her to the point of madness. Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Natalia felt a chill on her shoulders before realizing that her dress had been slipped off by him She was thin and frail, so Natalia¡¯s dress was easily removed by Magnus Gazing fondly at the beauty before him, Magnus felt his blood boil with desire He wanted to im her, possess her. ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t¡± Natalia clutched her shoulders in panic and backed away, her slender shoulders trembling slightly, as if she were a leaf fluttering in the wind. She didn¡¯t want him to touch her because he had touched Isabe. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, mydy I promise that I will love you¡± Magnus rasped, undressing himself hastily and moving closer to the girl who drove him insane She was his wife, and always would be! ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t¡± Natalia shook her head helplessly ¡°Get away from me!¡± He was tainted. His thoughts exploded like dynamite at her words. His face hardened, the air around him turning icy cold. ¡°Get away? Mydy, do you know how long it¡¯s been? I¡¯ve been patient with you because I love you I desire you. Where do you want me to go?¡± Hisrge hand gripped her slender waist tightly, applying just enough pressure. Seeing her continue to flinch from him, his heart sank. He forcefully pushed the frail Natalia onto the spacious bed The bed shook as Magnus covered her, his kisses no longer gentle, but vengeful. His girl was repulsed by him, and he wouldn¡¯t allow it. He would make her remember that he was her man Natalia couldn¡¯t break free from his embrace, and slowly there was a taste of blood at the corner of her mouth. Finally, she stopped struggling, feeling a sharp pain below, as if she were being torn apart. Magnus forcefully imed her, his vigorous movements causing her to faint Domination and plunder. Tossing and turning When Magnus finally exhausted his anger, the girl beneath him had already fainted. Staring at the girl beneath him, as fragile as a leaf in the wind, Magnus heart ached. How did they end up here? He truly loved her, so why was she treating him like this? She wanted to leave with that man. Magnus eyes darkened Callum, who appeared out of nowhere, wanted to whisk his wife away? Fucking hell. Nobody could take Natalia away from him, nobody Magnus carefully got out of bed, carrying the unconscious girl into the bathroom to clean her. Seeing the marks on her, his heart ached even more. He shouldn¡¯t have treated her like this, but he always lost control. He quickly helped her into her nightgown, ced her on the bed, and left the room with a cold expression. As he descended the stairs, he called for Linden, instructing. ¡°Keep an eye on her, and don¡¯t let her go anywhere¡± ¡°This ¡°Linden was at a loss for words it was unexpected to be asked to watch over ma¡¯am ¡°Watch her, and if she goes missing, you¡¯ll answer to me¡± Magnus cold voice sent shivers down Linden¡¯s spine. ¡°What about her studies? Surely, she couldn¡¯t stop attending school ¡°No more school¡± What was the point of school if she was going to be swept away by an Englishman. Linden was speechless Without school, Ms Natalia would be unhappy Magnus left the vi and drove off it was nine in the evening. Golden Groove Chase had been waiting for a while. He finally saw theter Leaning on the couch, he said, ¡°Tell me, Magnus, you¡¯re not here to drink again thiste at night I have some bad news for you¡± ¡°Speak¡± Magnus poured himself a drink and gulped it down Chase looked at the disgruntled Magnus and worried that he might lose control, but he still revealed the investigation results, Before Natalia went to France, she might¡¯ve thought there was something going on between you and isabe, which is probably why she left in a huff When she came back, Isabe went to see her and probably showed her somepromising photos ¡°On the day Natalia returned, she met with that Englishman ording to my investigation, he is the heir of the Frerotte family, named Callum. His background is substantial What¡¯s unbelievable is that Natalia lived in Ennd before she turned five and saved Callum¡¯s life when they were children. Callum gave her the family heirloom and promised to marry her when they grew up ¡°Natalia¡¯s background might be really important This Callum has strong foundations and he sought out Natalia as soon as he was established. His family had a belief that if a man gives a woman a family heirloom, he is obliged to marry her Magnus, Nataka¡¯s mother might be an English aristocrat ¡°And this Callum is not to be underestimated He came on strong Chase said, cing a stack of documents in front of Magnus Hearing Chase¡¯s words. Magnus felt his blood run cold So, she was indeed bom in Ennd. He knew she was more than she seemed No way could Kyler have fathered such a beautiful and intelligent daughter 11:09 And Callum, he was her fianc¨¦. No wonder she wanted to break up with him and leave. No matter how strong Callum was, it didn¡¯t matter. She was already his wife. Did this Englishman intend to steal his wife? Magnus thought about what he did tonight, his mood was in turmoil. His wife showed him a look of disgust, what should he do? So Isabe went to see her. No wonder she was so cold towards him. What did Isabe show her? He and Isabe were a thing of the past. There was no need to mention it at all At the witching hour of 2 am, Magnus finally returned home. He pushed the bedroom door open, finding the girl on the bed still look the same as when he left. A sharp pang of pain pierced his heart as he approached her, her face flushed as though aze. He reached out and touched her skin, the heat of it rming Damn it! She was running a fever again. It was all his fault for treating her the way he did He hastily grabbed a shirt to dress her up. Natalia was burning up, her senses blurred as she felt someone holding her. ¡°Mama¡± She seemed to be lost in a desert. She thought she saw her mom, but she ignored her. Magnus heard her calling for her mother, and it hurt his heart to the point of numbness. He thought to himself: Tm sorry, sweetheart. I will help you find your mother¡± Chapter 162 Chapter 162 He carried her downstairs without calling for Linden, cing her directly into the car and drove to the hospital. The resident doctor saw Magnus carrying Natalia into the hospital and immediately stood up. ¡°Mr. Andersen, please put her on the bed.¡± ¡°She has a fever. Please check her immediately, Magnus pleaded, sweat dripping from his forehead. The doctor quickly examined her. ¡°She needs an IV immediately.¡± ¡°Well, then get it started ¡°He held Natalia¡¯s burning hand tightly. ¡°Yes, right away The doctor, feeling the weight of Magnus stern gaze, quickly stepped out to prepare the medication. No one dared to cross Mr. Andersen, not even when he wasshing out at them for a sickness he himself caused. When Natalia woke up, it was already the next morning She tried to sit up but felt weak all over. The sterile white surroundings clued her in that she was in a hospital Was she sick? She remembered it was Magnus, that bastard, who had again forced himself to her. She felt pain all over, and tears welled up in her eyes. Just then, the door to the ward opened and a nurse walked in. She smiled at Natalia. ¡°Ms. Natalia, you woke up. You had a feverst night, and it was Mr. Magnus who brought you here. He seemed really worried about you.¡± Natalia didn¡¯t reply. She just stared out the window at the morning sun, lost in thought. She was in no mood to thank Magnus for bringing her to the hospital She was actually feeling very conflicted. What was she supposed to do? A maid brought in a tray of food Natalia managed to eat a little before standing up to speak to the nurse. ¡°I¡¯m feeling better now Please call the doctor so we canplete the discharge procedures¡± The nurse was taken aback. ¡°Ms. Natalia, Mr. Magnus has ordered that you stay in the hospital for two more days. You had a severe fever. He just went home to change his clothes and then to the office. He said he¡¯d be back soon.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need him toe. I know my own body. Please proceed with the discharge procedures. I have school to attend.¡± Natalia spoke to the maid in a t tone The aid quickly went out and dialed Magnus number to report the situation to him ¡°She can do whatever she wants, but don¡¯t bother reporting such trivial matters to me! Magnus growled into the phone. The maid quickly apologized and hung up. She then helped Natalia with the discharge procedures. It wasn¡¯t long before Linden arrived. ¡°Ms. Natalia, let¡¯s get in the car, Linden said, bowing respectfully ¡°No need I¡¯m going straight to school. Natalia was determined to go to ss. She was just six months away from graduation and couldn¡¯t afford to fall behind Ms Natalia, Mr. Magnus said you¡¯re sick and should rest at home. You can go to school once you¡¯re better, Linden said gently ¡°I¡¯m going to school¡± This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. ¡°Ms. Natalia, please don¡¯t make this difficult for us. Mr. Magnus insists that you must go home.¡± Upon hearing Linden¡¯s words, Natalia realized that Magnus was refusing to let her go to school. She felt a sudden pang in her chest. This was Magnus love trampling over her dignity and manipting her as he pleased. She silently got into the car and returned to Maplewood Manor. Shey down on the bed in her bedroom Once the maid had left, she opened the drawer and saw the pendant Mr. Callum had said that he gave her the pendant, and he would help her find her mother. But why would he give her this pendant? She quickly found Callum¡¯s business card and looked at the number on it. Her heart was racing. She wanted to find her mother in this world, she only had her mother if she could find her mother, even just to see her once, she would have no regrets in this life But could Mr Callum really help her find her mother? She thought for a long time before finally putting the card and the pendant back into the drawer. She closed her eyes and felt a wave of sadness wash over her Due to her fever the night before, she fell asleep again Magnus returned to Maplewood Manor after taking care of business. He quietly entered the room Seeing Natalia asleep on the bed, her pale face flushed with fever, his heart instantly calmed He gently touched her smooth face. There were tears on her face. Magnus felt a sudden pang in his heart ¡°My dear, I won¡¯t let you leave Please, be good¡± His voice was so soft that Natalia couldn¡¯t hear it in her sleep. Magnus was about to leave when he noticed that the drawer of the bedside table was slightly ajar The red string of the pendant caught his eye He opened the drawer and saw the pendant and the business card together He picked up the pendant and stared at it. His eyes were cold and his face was terrifyingly gloomy The coffee shop in a seaside resort was filled with the melodious sound of piano music. There were no other sounds. The people who came here were either rich or noble Callum had been here for a few minutes. He was wearing a white, handcrafted shirt and ck trousers. His nearly six¨Cfoot¨Ctall figure and slightly curly brown hair made him look elegant and noble His brown eyes gazed calmly out to sea as he absentmindedly stirred his coffee ncing at his watch, a faint smile formed at the corner of his lips. Magnus arrived ten minutester. He pushed open the door of the coffee shop and immediately saw the British man. It was indeed the man from the library that day. He sat down without a word, his cold expression giving off an aloof and distant vibe. His sharp gaze directly met Callum¡¯s 11:09 Om looked up to meet his gaze and smiled lightly. ¡°Mr. Andersen.¡± Magnus didn¡¯t say a word. He reached into his pocket, took out the jade pendant, and ced it in front of Callum. This belongs to you. Please take it back. Seeing Callum staring at the jade pendant in shock, he chuckled sarcastically. ¡°Mr. Callum, Natalia is already my wife. This pendant, representing the Frerotte family, is not suitable for her. However, you¡¯ve lost it for many years and now that it¡¯s found, it¡¯s a cause for celebration. As far as I know, without this pendant, you can¡¯t inherit the family property. I apologize for having kept it from you for so many years.¡± Magnus leaned back in his chair with an icy cool demeanor, his face expressionless as he stared at Callum Callum reached out and picked up the jade pendant, his fingers tracing over the surface. His brown eyes met Magnus¡®, ¡°Mr. Andersen, perhaps you are unfamiliar with a particr Frerotte family secret. The heir gives this pendant to the woman he loves most. That woman is destined to be his wife. Fifteen years ago, she saved my life. I gave her this pendant, and to me, she is my fianc¨¦e. I have been waiting for her to grow up. No matter what she has been through, I will be there for her¡± Callum¡¯s eyes were resolute. Magnus¡® hands clenched suddenly, his gaze sharp as a sword. If looks could kill, the British man in front of him would be dead ¡°Mr. Callum, you cannot take her away. She is now my wife. I advise you to refrain from any actions that may tarnish the reputation of the Frerotte family. And remember, you are in Melfort. Once you¡¯ve got what you came for, I suggest you leave,¡± Magnus retorted with an icy firmness. Chapter 163 Chapter 163 11:09 Magnus suddenly sat upright, like a king who ruled the world, looking down at Callum with icy hawk eyes that made one¡¯s blood run cold. He gestured lightly, and the bodyguard behind him immediately stepped forward, ¡°Mr. Callum, please¡± Callum stared at Magnus, ¡°Mr. Andersen, are you trying to kick me out? I came here under the protection and consent of the embassy, and you have no right to dismiss me. Furthermore, I¡¯m definitely taking Buttercup with me She¡¯s my fianc¨¦e¡± Callum stood up and dered loudly to Magnus, but his arms were held by two bodyguards who began to escort him out He immediately pressed hus wristwatch, and several men in ck appeared. These men hadn¡¯t evenid a hand on him before they found themselves on the receiving end of a cold metal gunpoint Seeing over twenty bodyguards pointing guns at him Callum furrowed his brows. Magnus this is illegal. Let me tell you, Buttercup was mine first. You forcefully married her And I¡¯ve found out that your wife should be Kendra¡® Before he could finish his sentence, he was pushed into a car by Magnus bodyguards which sped towards the airport Half an hourter Callums ne traced an arc over the skies of Melfort Magnus raised his hand and pressed his temple the annoying British man had finally been sent away He would never allow anyone to cover his wife Thes time he had sent him away and next time if he dared toe again, it wouldn¡¯t be as simple as just sending him away After sending Callum away the unease in Magnus heart slowly subsided. He didn¡¯t even go to the office heading straight back to Maplewood Manor Upon entering he didn¡¯t see his wife Has Natalia not risen yet?¡± Linder nodded ¡°Mr Magnus, she is upset. She hasn¡¯t eaten properly for two das In truth, Linden felt quite sorry for Natalia Magnus walked upstairs with furrowed brows, first checking the study finding no one there. He pushed open the bedroom door, to find a petite woman sitting on the balcony Her smali figure sank into the chair, as if she could be blown away by the wind Magnus walked towards her, crouching down to quietly observe her. Her eyes were fixated on the horizon, looking so helpless Magnus felt as if his heart was pierced by a needle, and it was bleeding. ¡°My baby, I¡¯m sorry aboutst night I couldn¡¯t control myself. Please dont be like This can we go back to how we were? He gently held her icy hand Natalia finally turned her gaze from the horizon, giving Magnus a cold look ¡°Can we go back? Magnus, I thought you were my everything, but what ha You done? You didn¡¯t let me go to school, and you took away the pendant my mother left me You even forced yourself on me Natalias hot tears rolled down her cheeks Magnus stood up, lifting her into her arms, holding her tightly I¡¯m sorry I love you, I love you so much if you want to go to school. Ti send you immediately, and that pendant wasn¡¯t left to you by your mother, it belongs to the sessor of Callum¡¯s family, and Le already returned it to hum Baby I¡¯m sorry I wont force you to do anything from now on Magnus was breathless with pain He wiped away her tears holding her petite figure tightly in his arms. He wanted to reeld her into his body never letting her leave for the rest of their lives But Natalia struggled hercely ring at the man whose face was full of pain. ¡°Magnus. can I trust your words? You im to love me, yet you flirt with isabe. Just let me go Magnus I beg you. In this vast world, I only want to live a normal life¡± Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. Hearing her words Magnus felt as if he was struck by lightning He stared nkly at the girl in his arms, who was so stubborn When had he ever finted with isabe? She didn¡¯t trust him anymore. She was determined to leave, and there was nothing he could do to stop suddenly gave her a cold look. ¡°Are you still thinking about that British man? His eyes were ame, making Natalia heart skip a beat Even at this point he was still ming others Natalia gritted her teeth and looked at him, ¡°Yes, I want to leave with him, and I want to find my mother Forget about it if you want to find your mother, I can help you, but you¡¯re not allowed to have any contact with him He suddenly icted her by Natalia was startled ae in to raid of falling she immediately grabbed his neck Magnus looked at her pale face, putting her on the bed, closed feu eyes, and ad and his kissnded on her cheek He didn¡¯t mind continued to kiss her along her cheek, down to esoled ha kisses the man closed his eyes with furrowed brows. Nat, absolutely wont break up with you, fON again if you insist on causing a fuss forget about going to school we c move back to Sapphire ind (thwa da fataka was started agair She stared nkly at the man before her the Sapphire ind. This was the who professed to love her She ioked at her Magnus kissed ?lunger resisting she gave up any struggle ike a klevesa dol had once sworn to love for the jet non ha martesi i sensing herpliance. He looked up at the gri, he didest condanum ¡°Mydy if you were a bit more obedient ? wouldnt have to treat you with¨Chas chan Nataka closed her wytany Magnus stared at the giri an his arstu, ced a kiss un her artuudhi furetmail inter restrict your freedom¡® Natalia, sleeping seemed to have heard his words, she breathed exerty with her eyes closed After a good rughts sleep. Natalia opened t?er eyes the real day, kocking get out of bed, the bedroom door was pushed open, May make? si will take you to school What? Magnus was sending her to school) Hadit te nested or kespeng bar cordred to bagytun algid, uning that any kind of school? ¡°You¡¯re serious ¡°Absolutely, Missy, you¡¯d best get up. You wouldn¡¯t want to bete for school,¡± May replied with a yful grin. Natalia quickly got up and headed to the bathroom, changing into her clothes before descending the stairs. A fancy breakfast was spread out on the dining table. She sat down and helped herself to a jelly doughnut. May watched as she ate heartily, then watched her leave Maplewood Manor with her backpack. Only then did she call Magnus ¡°Sir, Miss Natalia has left for school after having breakfast, she reported. ¡°Hmm.¡± Magnus, standing by the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling window in his office, responded with a slight smile ying at the corner of his lips. 11:09 Chapter 164 Chapter 164 For the next week, Magnus and Natalia coexisted peacefully without any conflicts. Natalia went to school in the mornings, and Magnus would return only after she had finished her evening studies and gone to bed. One afternoon, after waving goodbye to her friend Lexi, Natalia was preparing to head back home to study. Graduation was only a few months away. As she stepped out of the school gates, a sleek, ck Bugatti was parked by the curb. She nced at it and left directly from the side of the car. As she was getting close to Maplewood Manor, the car slowly stopped in front of her. Callum opened the car door, staring at her with surprise. ¡°Buttercup,¡± he eximed, ¡°I¡¯ve found your mom!¡± Taken aback, Natalia squinted up at the tall figure blocking the sunlight. He said he had found her mom! ¡°Mr. Callum, you really found my mom? Where is she?¡± Despite her mother¡¯sck of affection towards her, the chance to see her face in this lifetime would be worth it. ¡°She¡¯s in Ennd, Buttercup Your mother misses you. She had her reasons for leaving, but she¡¯ll exin everything to you. Come with me. She¡¯s waiting for you Callum reached out to hold Natalia¡¯s hand. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. As he watched the girl in front of him, he noticed that she had lost weight over the past week. She didn¡¯t look happy. In that moment, he felt the overwhelming desire to hold her and protect her from the world. He remembered looking into her blue eyes, promising himself that he would marry her someday. Natalia, visibly shaken by the news, didn¡¯t even realize that her hands were tightly held by Callum. Isabe, who happened to be passing by, saw this and quickly snapped a picture of the intimate scene on her phone. A smirk spread across her face. ¡°Magnus,¡± she thought, ¡°your wife is cheating on you.¡± ¡°My mom, is she doing well? Why didn¡¯t shee to see me? Does she not like me?¡± Natalia had been longing for her mother¡¯s love since she was a child The news that her mother had been found made her forget everything else. ¡°She misses you, Buttercup There¡¯s a secret about her life in Ennd, and the reason she couldn¡¯t come to see you is because the timing wasn¡¯t right. Come with me, and you can meet her, Callum said, his desperation evident. Natalia was first taken aback, then she lowered her head Magnus wouldn¡¯t let her leave. She knew she couldn¡¯t escape his grasp. ¡°I¡¯m about to graduate. After that, I¡¯ll go to see my mom¡± By then, she could leave Melfort Magnus wouldn¡¯t have a reason to stop her. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll wait for you, no matter how long it takes, Callum said, staring at her thoughtfully. He wanted to hold her, she was so thin it was heart¨Cwrenching. ¡°Have you gotten married? Is he good to you?¡± Callum¡¯s gaze was as intense as a me. ¡°Yes, Natalia murmured before looking down ¡°You don¡¯t seem happy, Buttercup Come with me. You were my fianc¨¦e 15 years ago,¡± Callum said, then pulling out a pendant from his pocket. This pendant can prove it. You were my fianc¨¦e 15 years ago. All you have to do is agree toe with me, and I¡¯ll take you away from here.¡± Callum grabbed her hand again. Natalia was speechless. How could she be his fianc¨¦e? She had no memory of such a thing. She was a child 15 years ago. ¡°Mr. Callum, I¡¯m sorry I¡¯m already married, and my husband is good to me. Thank you for finding my mom. As for this pendant, it should be yours. I cant keep something that doesn¡¯t belong to me.¡± She had only thought of Callum as a childhoodpanion, and she hadn¡¯t realized he was using it to stake a im on her ¡°No, it¡¯s yours. I gave it to you 15 years ago. Buttercup, you are the rightful owner of this pendant He said, pushing the pendant into her hand before turning to get back in the car Tlle back, Natalia Take good care of yourself¡± The car disappeared from sight, leaving Natalia standing there, holding the pendant and staring off into the distance. Back at Maplewood Manor, Natalia sat in the dimly lit study, with a book on herp. Her mind was filled with thoughts about her mother. What was she doing in Ennd? What was her secret? She suddenly realized that Kyler must know something. Her mother had entrusted her to Kyler, and he must know what happened By the time Magnus returned, Natalia had fallen asleep in her chair Upon seeing the empty bedroom, Magnus felt a rush of panic. He quickly pushed open the door to the study and found Natalia asleep in a chair, curled up like a kitten He walked over and gently picked her up. Her body felt cold, and he felt a pang of displeasure. This girl was always causing him worry Natalia mumbled in her sleep as she was lifted into a warm embrace ¡®Mom¡® she murmured, with a small smile on her face Magnus carried her into their bedroom and gently ced her on the bed. His heart ached for her ¡°Sweetheart,¡± he promised, ¡°I¡¯ll help you find your mom¡® He fetched his pajamas and went to the bathroom to take a shower. When he came back, he slipped into bed next to her. He gulled her close, savoring the familiar scent of her skin. His body responded to her proximity, and he found himself craving for her. He hadn¡¯t had sex with her in what felt like forever After theirst encounter, he didn¡¯t dare to upset her again But the past few nights, he had been tormented by the desire to be with her He kissed her gently careful not to wake her. His desire for her was overwhelming, and he found it increasingly difficult to control himself. He kissed her again, this time more passionately. Natalia stirred in her sleep, pushing him away with a small moan Pleading with her, Magnus said, ¡°Honey, please. I miss you¡± His voice was thick with desire, his boner pressed tightly against her abdomen. With that, he quickly undressed her and began to shower her with kisses, all the while whispering words of love and desire into her ear. Natalia felt as though a boulder was crushing her chest, stealing her breath away. She snapped her eyes open, only to find Magnus looming over her, his intentions clear. With a jolt of fear, she shoved him away. ¡°Magnus¡­ ¡°Baby,¡± he said, his voice thick with desire, ¡°It¡¯s been a while.¡± He moved to spread her legs apart. Images of Magnus with Isabe, and the night he forced himself onto her, shed in Natalia¡¯s mind, and she pushed him away even harder. ¡°Magnus, I don¡¯t want¡­¡± He looked at her, and his irritation red into full¨Cblown anger She didn¡¯t want him. She didn¡¯t miss him. Just then, the phone on the bedside table lit up. It was Magnus He grabbed it and was instantly met with a picture of Callum and Natalia, their hands entwined, staring deeply into each other¡¯s eyes. Chapter 165 Chapter 165 He was hit with a reality check, like a bucket of ice water was poured from his head to his toes. He sat up in bed, staring at the picture on his phone. His anger slowly ignited, burning his rationality to ashes ¡°So you don¡¯t want me, just because of him!¡± His voice was as cold as frost. Natalia, who was lying with her back to him, was roughly turned around to face him as he shoved his phone towards her. When Natalia saw the picture on the phone, her mind felt like it had exploded. He had someone follow her and take photos of her. There was nothing between her and Callum, but the photo implied otherwise ¡°It¡¯s nothing between us. I only ran into him on my way back, she stated tly. ¡°Nothing? I saw how your eyes lit up when you saw him, and yet you¡¯re always so cold towards me. Natalia, have I spoiled you too much? I¡¯ve allowed you to push my boundaries time and time again!¡± Magnus suddenly stood up, looking down at Natalia on the bed. It was the first time he had called her by her name, and his eyes were so cold it sent chills down her spine. I didn¡¯t he said he found my mother, Magnus. If you don¡¯t trust me, then my exnations are useless. But nothing happened with Mr. Callum.¡± She looked at him, and her eyes were filled with sorrow Perhaps this was a misunderstanding that would forever remain between them. Trust you¡± Darling, have you ever trusted me? When I danced with Isabe that night, she got her damn lipstick on me, and since then you¡¯ve been cold to me for months. I epted it Have you ever trusted me? And now you¡¯re asking me to trust you! I¡¯ve said you will stay here forever. As for that Englishman, I¡¯ll make him pay for trying to steal another man¡¯s wife! Move to Sapphire Ind tomorrow. You don¡¯t need to continue your studies!¡± Magnus got up and stormed out of the bedroom, mming the door behind him. Natalia sat on the bed. Tears were streaming down her pale face. Magnus descended the staircase, heading for his car, but his heart felt like it was being scorched. He wanted to destroy everything. That damn Englishman was so bold! He picked up the phone. ¡°Investigate Callum¡¯s every move in Melfort tomorrow! He sat on the couch, lighting a cigarette, and pulled out his phone to look at the photo again. Isabe had sent the photo. That woman was audacious and was pushing his boundaries time and time again. He then blocked Isabe¡¯s number Late into the night, Magnus sat on the couch in the living room, smoking an entire pack of cigarettes. In her sleep, Natalia felt a dryness in her mouth. She went downstairs to get some water and saw the glow of a phone and the heavy smell of smoke. She knew it was Magnus Hadnt he left? She descended the staircase, and in the moonlight, she saw Magnus sitting on the couch, enveloped in a cloud of smoke, and leaning against the couch tiredly. Natalia felt a pang in her heart Tears fell in an instant, and she went over to him. ¡°Magnus, why aren¡¯t you sleeping? You¡¯ll get sick if you smoke so much¡± ¡°Do you care about me? Can you still care about me? Don¡¯t you want to break up? To leave with that Englishman?¡± His voice was hoarse Natalia wiped her tears, and a mocking smile appeared on her face. ¡°I only met Callum once, and he said he found my mother I won¡¯t go off with him Don¡¯t worry. As long as you say I can¡¯t leave, I won¡¯t I owe you too much¡± She slowly stood up to get her water. He suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards him. She fell onto hisp, and just as she tried to resist, he tightened his hold around her. His warm lips, tasting of strong tobo, covered hers He kissed her fiercely, giving her no chance to resist. He didn¡¯t bother to exin anything. He pried open her teeth, entangling her tongue and savoring her sweetness His hand wandered under her sleepwear, grabbing her soft tits. His heavy breathing blew against her ear, sending shivers down her spine Natalia closed her eyes, no longer pushing him away His passionate kisses already consumed all her breath. Magnus pressed her onto the couch, kissing every inch of her body Then he thrusted into her deeply¡­ In the silent night, the couch was pushed to the center of the living room due to Magnus vigorous movements. Magnus finished once. He carried Natalia, who had no strength left in her and went upstairs. He cleaned her up, and then took her again. After cleaning her up again, Natalia was so tired that she was about to fall asleep. He carried her to the bed and started another round, tirelessly taking her He wanted to leave his mark on every inch of her skin. When the sky started to lighten, Magnus finally stopped. He watched Natalia lying beneath him, and she seemed so exhausted, worn out from his roughness He reluctantly let her go. He held her soft body close, inhaling her sweet scent as he fell asleep The next day. Natalia woke up with her whole body aching and a deep pain in her lower abdomen The room was devoid of Magnus She slowly got up, and began preparing to go to school, but she could barely lift her hand She slowly made her way to the bathroom to wash up Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her, causing her to retch a few times. She rinsed her mouth with A cold water and forced herself to go downstairs to eat The servant brought the food to the table ¡®Ma¡¯am, Mr. Magnus ordered this soup for you It¡¯s good for your body Please have some N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Natalia nodded, but after taking one sip, a fishy taste filled her mouth She ran to the bathroom to throw up What kind of soup was this? it was so disgusting! May watched as Natalia vomited violently. ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is your usual soup Why are you throwing up?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, it just smelled so fishy Make me some oatmeal and save the soup for dinner¡± Natalia clutched her stomach as she sat at the dining table feeling a dull ache 10 Not long after, the pain became unbearable. Sweat dripped down her forehead. May brought a bowl of oatmeal over and was shocked to see Natalia¡¯s pale face. ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°My stomach hurts¡­¡± Before she could finish, her vision darkened, and she slumped onto the table. ¡°Ma¡¯am Call Mr. Magnus quickly.¡± Upon receiving the call. Magnus rushed back home. Linden was already carrying Natalia towards the car, but Magnus intercepted them halfway. ¡°What happened to her? How did you take care of her?¡± Magnus yelled. ¡°She was throwing up everything she ate, then she fainted! The servant was on the verge of tears. At the hospital. Natalia was rushed into the emergency room, with Magnus pacing anxiously in the corridor. Half an hourter, a cheerful doctor emerged. ¡°Mr. Andersen, your wife is two months pregnant. Congrattions, you¡¯re going to be a father¡± Hearing the doctor¡¯s words, Magnus mind exploded like a muffled thunderp, leaving him dazed. ¡°She¡¯s pregnant! She¡¯s really pregnant She¡¯s carrying their baby!¡± Seeing Magnus stunned expression, the doctor knew this man was just like all the others, shocked at the prospect of bing a father for the first time The doctor chuckled ¡°Mr. Andersen, your wife is weak. She needs to avoid overworking herself. It would be best for her not to engage in strenuous activities, including intercourse, during the first three months of her pregnancy Chapter 166 Chapter 166 Magnus¡® mind was clouded with joy. He saw the doctor wheeling Natalia out before he even had time to react. He looked at Natalia¡¯s pallid face as shey on the bed, and felt a deep regret. He wasn¡¯t supposed to have sex with her, butst night, he fucked her all night. He cursed himself for being a beast! In the hospital room, Magnus tightly held Natalia¡¯s small hand. His palm was sweating ¡°My love, we¡¯re expecting a baby¡± He chuckled ¡®This is the greatest gift from God. If my grandpa knew about it, he would be over the moon¡± He opened her hand and pressed it against his face. He reached out to gently touch her belly This was his treasure. A new life was about to start. He swore to love this child. Their child wouldn¡¯t be like him, who lost his family¡¯s love at a young age, eventually turning him into this arrogant and lonely man ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my love!¡± He kissed her palm. His heart was melting. When Natalia woke up. Magnus was sitting there, watching her intently. He saw her open her eyes, and he immediately took her hand ¡°Are you okay, my love? Tell me if you want to eat something¡± Natalia looked at Magnus doting eyes. It was as if she was brought back in time. This man could be so gentle it was heartwarming, yet he was so temperamental it could drive you up the wall Natalia remained silent Was she sick again? Oh yes, she had fainted, and she had lost her appetite. He had rushed her to the hospital again. ¡°I¡¯m fine Natalia said casually You¡¯re pregnant, my love Did you know that? You¡¯re carrying our baby,¡± Magnus said. His eyes were filled with excitement. Natalia was stunned Pregnant? No wonder she couldn¡¯t eat. No wonder she had fainted. 7¡¯m sorry. Nat I shouldn¡¯t have been so roughst night I didn¡¯t know you were pregnant, Magnus said, filled with guilt won¡¯t do it again I promise I¡¯ll take good care of you and our baby. Please, my love, no more quarrels with me, okay? I want us to make up Please dont be mad at me anymore¡± He got up from the chair, sat on the bed, and pulled her into his arms. The familiar masculine scent instantly filled Natalia¡¯s nostrils. She was feeling a bit nauseous, but the moment she smelled him, her stomach started to settle Property belongs to N?vel(D)r/ama.Org. She smiled bitterly It turned out she needed him so much. But when she remembered Magnus with Isabe, her heart was broken into a thousand pieces Did she really have a baby? Why did she get pregnant at this time? Whether she and Magnus could make it was still an open question. She was actually pregnant now! Morgan had once told her to bear a child for Magnus, saying she wasn¡¯t yet qualified to be thedy of the Andersen family. But if she gave birth to this child, could she finally leave? Magnus saw Natalias nk and unresponsive expression, and gently moved her shoulder. ¡°Nat, aren¡¯t you happy? We¡¯re having a baby.¡± Was she starting to have doubts, just like him? Was she happy? Of course, she was But the timing of this baby couldn¡¯t have been more perfect. ¡°No Natalia replied faintly ¡°Nat. I n to move to Sapphire ind it¡¯s quiet and suitable for you to nurture our baby After the baby is born, I¡¯ll apany you to America to study You can study whatever you want, Magnus said, holding her Again Sapphire Ind He wanted to confine her to Sapphire Ind Natalia frowned No I¡¯ll stay at Maplewood Manor Theres no need to go to Sapphire ind Natalia said immediately Magnus looked into her eyes Maplewood Manor was not a quiet ce anymore Kendra knew it Callum, Isabe, and Hector all knew it. He just wanted his wife to have a peaceful pregnancy without any disturbances Only Sapphire Ind was safe ¡°No my love we re moving back to Sapphire ind be with you, okay?¡± Natalia¡¯s heart sank when she heard his insistence on moving back to Sapphire Ind. He wanted to hide her there and cut off from the world. She smiled bitterly Gid she have a choice? The next day Magnus instructed Linden and all the servants to move back to Sapphire ind immediately When Morgan finally got the news of Natalia¡¯s pregnancy he stood by the Boor to ceiling window, looking out at the blue sky and loat in thought Every day. Magnus would drive to the office and then return to Sapphire Ind Hatalia stopped going to school and was living a secluded the again. She became more silent spending her days sitting on the balcony and watching the suvise and sunset by the sea Her heart was an cond as som Callum had called her once to avoid getting him involved Natalia told turn she was fine and was away from Melfort for partie tume Callum had tried to find out where Natalia was but to no avail Kendra and isabe often sent videos or photos to provoke Natalia Most of the time, she didn¡¯t even look at them, the pat deseted them straight away Her heart had be numb She didn¡¯t want to see those annoying photos Magnus was leaving early and returningte as usual. He noticed Natalia growing colder towards hun every day, and it made hem feel worse However, in his mind, mood swings were normal for a pregnant woman Once the baby was born, everything would be fine. He would be there for her But he never knew how lonely and sad Natale feit being confined to Sapphire ind. She didn¡¯t even contact Let anymore Watching her belly grow bigger each day maternal tenderness began to flood her heart. When Natalia was five mucha pregnant. Morgan Sapphire Ind once. Seeing Natalia¡¯s swelling belly, he finally smiled. ¡°Just take good care of yourself and give birth to the baby. Then, you can do whatever you want¡± Natalia smiled bitterly. Giving birth to the baby would mean she was allowed to leave, right? She had known for a long time that this ce was not her home That night, Magnus took Natalia for a walk by the sea after dinner. The sea breeze was too cold, so Natalia did not wear a coat when she came out. Magnus gently guided her to take a seat ¡°Stay put, I¡¯ll fetch a nket. It¡¯s quite chilly out here,¡± he said. Natalia nodded in response As Magnus entered the vi, his phone, which he had left by the chair, lit up Natalia, out of the corner of her eye, saw the light and the name disyed on the screen, Isabe. She immediately turned away, and a pang of pain shot through her heart. She looked towards the vi, where Magnus had ascended to the second floor and turned on the lights. Natalia reached out and picked up the phone, swiping to unlock it. She hadn¡¯t intended to do this, but an inexplicable urgepelled her to read the message. [Magnus, the party in two days is at the beach club. You muste] The message read. Natalia quickly put the phone down and gazed out at the ocean. Her heart was in turmoil, as if a thousand waves were crashing against its walls. The pain was so intense it made breathing difficult. She had known what she would find, so why had she looked? What was she hoping for? He had hidden her away on Sapphire Ind, so he could freely mingle with Isabe. No one could interrupt them. Her phone rang It was a message from Kendra. She didn¡¯t open it, and simply turned off her phone Magnus returned with a nket and draped it over Natalia Hisrge hand clung tightly to her. ¡°My dear, you¡¯ve been through a lot. Once our child is born, we can go wherever you wish,¡± Thepany is now on the straight and narrow, and there¡¯s been no movement from Lucius. I think when our little one is born, we should have a wedding ceremony and then go on our honeymoon. What do you say?¡± Magnus suggested gently 10521 Chapter 167 Chapter 167 Natalia¡¯s mind was still buzzing with that message she had seen. The one from Isabe inviting him to a party. Wedding? Honeymoon? Ha! Those things weren¡¯t meant for her. She turned to look at Magnus, who looked as handsome as ever. His mature charisma was evident in his features. His gaze was enough to send a lethal attraction coursing through any woman ¡°Baby, are you missing me already? Once the baby is born, I intend to make up for lost time,¡® he murmured into her ear Natalia turned away. Magnus, are you busy the day after tomorrow? I have a prenatal appointment ¡°Of course not. Even if I had something going on, I would cancel it to aparly you Don¡¯t worry, Magnus assured her Natalia nodded. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go home I need some rest.¡± ¡°Sure Gently, he lifted her onto the sandy beach, and hand in hand, they started their walk home. After they reached home, Natalia fell asleep while Magnus retreated into his study to deal with some business matters. He opened his phone, only to freeze at the sight of Isabe¡¯s message His wife had seen his message! Isabe had invited him to her family¡¯spany¡¯s 8th anniversary celebration. Though he had initially declined, Isabe had insisted, reminding him of the six months they had spent together, and asked him to fulfill herst request. Since she refused to take money from him, he agreed to attend the party, thinking it was just an event, nothing more The day after tomorrow? No wonder Natalia had asked him if he was free that day. He could apany Natalia to her prenatal checkup during the day and attend the party at night. It was manageable, and he would just leave right after the party. He chose not to reply to Isabe The party was to be held at the beach club Magnus drove Natalia to the hospital for her prenatal checkup during the day. The doctor, with a warm smile. informed Magnus, ¡°Mr. Andersen, your wife and the baby are doing great. It¡¯s important that she walks more. It will help in the delivery. Plus, she should maintain a happy mood¡± Magnus nodded, carefully helping Natalia out of the hospital. Once she was settled in the car, Magnus caressed Natalia¡¯s face. ¡°Honey, did you hear what the doctor said? More walks and staying happy. There¡¯s a party tonight. Why don¡¯t youe with me? Magnus said, looking into her moist eyes ¡°Is it Isabe¡¯s party?¡± Natalia asked, her voice barely a whisper. ¡°Yes, the Andersen Corporation and the Simmons Group have a coborative project. Honey, Isabe and I are history, and my life is with you. Don¡¯t worry about anything, just focus on delivering our baby, okay? Magnus said, gently stroking her face. His sincerity shone brightly under the sun. Natalia wasn¡¯t supposed to ask such questions, but she had seen the message, and Magnus was aware of it ¡°You should go. I¡¯m not going It¡¯ll be too troublesome for me in this condition. I¡¯ll go home,¡± Natalia said, turning to look out the car window Magnus tried to hold her hand, to tell her he¡¯d return soon, but the cold look in her eyes left him at a loss. Linden, take Mrs Andersen back to Sapphire Ind¡± ¡°Yes, sir As Linden¡¯s car slowly pulled out of the hospital, Magnus called Paul to pick him up. Back in his office, Magnus held his forehead in his hand. His mind was in turmoil. He attended the party at six in the evening, intending to just greet the host and leave But as soon as he reached the entrance, Isabe rushed out grabbing his arm. ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re here¡± Magnus nodded, pulling his arm away from her grasp and heading inside. isabelia quickly caught up, cheerfully saying, ¡°Magnus, my father asked if you could give out the awards to our best employees tonight.¡± i have other things to take care of, so I¡¯ll just greet your father and leave Magnus said coldly N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. isabe hearing this, clung to him ¡°Magnus for the sake of our past, please Do thisst thing for me¡± Magnus looked down at the teary¨Ceyed woman, and finally relented, not having the heart to pull away from her. The two of them goiered the hail arm is arm From the moment Magnus stepped in and isabe threw herself at him, to when they walked into the hail together, Kendra, hidden in aer, look several photos, each one capturing their apparent intimacy She sent the photos to Natalia immediately with a triumphant unde on her face After entering. Magnus immediately found Isabe¡¯s father, had a cup of drinks, exchanged a few words, and tried to leave But Isab held onto hum, refusing to let him go Finally Magnus turned to her in disgust You know I hate being smothered I have to go home to my wife and child isabe, take advantage of th crowd of executives and dignitaries and find someone to marry¡± With that, he turned and left the party Isabe watched his retreating figure. Her hands clenched into fists, and her eyes were filled with despar As soon as Magnus stepped out of the beach club, he felt dizzy He immediately dialed Pauls number isabe, who had followed han out, saw him leaning against a pir and rushed over Magnus, whats wrong?¡± Magnus looked up at isabe His eyes were cold ¡°What did you do to me? He reached out and grabbed her throat With a growl, he warned, Isabe, this is thest time if you dare to cross me again, you¡¯re dead¡± He flung isabe away Isabe copsed against the car, a picture of misery. Kendra managed to capture this scene as well. Her lens urately portrayed Magnus¡® action as a romantic gesture rather than a threat. She sent these pictures to Natalia as well. By the time Paul arrived, Magnus was leaning against a pir, gasping for breath. ¡°Get me to the hospital, pronto. There¡¯s something foul in the drinks 1 drank. My wife¡¯s pregnant, and I can¡¯t go back home Isabe had once againced Magnus¡® drink. He would make her pay for her deeds! Returning home in this state would only harm his wife further. He couldn¡¯t let that happen. Paul immediately whisked Magnus off to the hospital. The doctor, upon seeing Magnus in this state, exchanged a knowing look with Paul Paul got the message and walked up to Magnus. ¡°Boss, do you need some ¡°Out Magnus roared before Paul could even finish his sentence. The doctor promptly administered an injection to Magnus it wasn¡¯t until midnight that the effects of the drugged drinks finally wore off. Magnus returned to Sapphire ind dragging his weary body. Meanwhile, Natalia, still at Sapphire Ind, received a batch of photos from Kendra. Instinctively, she wanted to delete them, but for some reason, she found herself opening them One by one, photos of Magnus interacting with Isabe filled her sight. Her heart ached as if being cleaved by a knife, and tears were silently cascading down her cheeks. She told herself not to care. Once the baby was born, she would leave She never belonged here, to begin with. But the tears betrayed her and were flowing incessantly. It peaked when she saw thest two photos ¨C Magnus lifting Isabe¡¯s chin and leaning down. for a kiss Natalia heard the sound of her heart shattering¡­. ? Chapter 168 Chapter 168 With a sudden burst of tears, she clutched her belly as a sharp pain shot through her. She quickly focused her attention elsewhere. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, baby. Mommy shouldn¡¯t be crying. You have to be good, okay?¡± Natalia held her belly, trying to clear her mind and forget about the photograph. She gently turned off her phone, closed her eyes, and settled into the chair on the balcony. In the middle of the night, Magnus returned to Sapphire Ind, a shadow of his usually vibrant self. He walked into the bedroom, only to find it neatly made and empty. His heart lurched. Where was she? Immediately, he went to the study, pushing the door open. Bathed in moonlight, he saw her lying on the small bed in the study. She looked like a small, abandoned kitten, lying on her side with her hands resting on her belly Magnus watched her silently. The lingering effects of the drug, which hadn¡¯tpletely worn off, suddenly red up again. He bent down and kissed her lips. He tasted her sweetness and pulled her into his arms to savor her unique sweetness. Her scent was his ultimate weakness. Dammit, he wanted her She was already more than five months pregnant. If he was gentle, it would¡¯ve been alright. As he thought this, Magnus continued to kiss her Natalia woke to him kissing her and immediately remembered that he had kissed Isabe not long ago. She quickly pushed him away, feeling a wave of nausea. She rushed into the bathroom and started throwing up. Magnus watched as she retched. His handsome face grew darker and darker. She disliked him so much that just kissing her would make her throw up like that? When he saw Natalia emptying her stomach, he got up and silently went to pat her back. Natalia turned around and coldly pushed his hand away ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Magnus? Didn¡¯t you get enough of kissing Isabe tonight? Now you want to kiss me, a pregnant woman?¡± She said, her voice sounding icy far the first time. Magnus was taken aback. His anger was threatening to explode. She still thought he was having an affair with Isabe. Her sarcasm made him so angry he wanted to tear her apart Natalia was so ungrateful. In order not to hurt her, he had even gone to the hospital to get the drugs out of his system, yet she still didn¡¯t trust him. Her sarcastic words were so infuriating that he felt like his lungs were about to burst! Magnus stared at the girl he had been treating with gentle care, suddenly feeling like she was a stranger. His face hardened, and he began to close in on Natalia. ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn. Why won¡¯t you open your eyes and see how I feel about you? Why do you always think that I am having an affair with Isabe¡°¡°¡± Natalia instinctively backed away until she was cornered. With nowhere else to go, she looked up at him with a defiant mix of resentment and usation. ¡°Magnus, dont worry. After I give birth, I will leave That way, you won¡¯t have to put on a show for me anymore!¡± Her words filled him with an uncontroble rage. He clenched his fist and swung it at the wall, leaving a bloody mark. Natalia was frightened by Magnus¡® outburst, but she didn¡¯t flinch She knew that the punch wasn¡¯t meant for her but for the wall. Despite being scared, Natalia felt a pang of concern when she saw his injured hand. She wanted to reach out and check on him, but she withdrew her hand when she thought about his actions earlier She didn¡¯t believe she had done anything wrong. She straightened her shoulders and gathered her courage to confront Magnus Magnus, only you know whether or not you¡¯re having an affair with Isabe. So you don¡¯t need to exin anything to me Magnus was on the verge of losing his mind because of Natalia¡¯s usations, He felt helpless in front of her bulging belly. He struggled to suppress his anger, turned around, and left the room. He stormed down the stairs and swept the cups on the coffee table to the floor The vi was filled with loud and scary noise, echoing eerily in the quiet night and causing a numbing sensation in the ears. Following that, the study room downstairs was also violently thrashed, and all those valuable items had fallen victim to Magnus¡¯s towering anger Natalia closed her eyes and cradled her slightly rotund belly, her body beginning to tremble. Don¡¯t be afraid, sweetheart Mommy will protect you Silently, she walked to her bedroom and gentlyy down on the bed, closing her eyes and emptying her thoughts. However, the fear within her heart and caused her to tremble beneath the nket. She could feel wetness on her face and reached up to touch it, only to realize that she was shedding silent tears She had told him numerous times, if he was tired of her, he should simply let her go! What was this situation now? He didn¡¯t allow her to go to school kept her confined on Sapphire Ind, and limited her personal freedom. Was it that only he and Isabe could have an unclear rtionship while she wasn¡¯t allowed even a bit of freedom? His eyes red, he turned and stormed upstairs pushing open the bedroom door to see a lump beneath the covers. He was irritated and had murderous thoughts He detested this kind of life. He missed the days when his girl would act tenderly in his arms Yet now, she cannot stand him, and that was putting a mildly Even a kiss would repulse her! He looked at the small shaking figure under the covers His heart ached until it went numb Enough! She was always crying with a look of utter injustice, as if he hadmitted a hemous crime. He didn¡¯t do anything wsong ¨C surely, kissing his own wife wasn¡¯t a sin? This time, Magnus didn¡¯tfort her, instead, he walked out of the room He was so agitated that he felt like killing someone. He stomped downstars again to see that Linden and May had woken up. They had heard themotion and knew that something was up. Upon seeing the chaos in the living room and study, they didn¡¯t say anything, but started to clean up Magnus, in a foul mood, growled at Linden, Just throw everything away What¡¯s the use of tidying up with that, he mmed the door and left The car drove away from Sapphire Ind once again in the deep night. The vi was quiet again. Natalia opened her eyes, her tears had long since soaked her pillow. Downstairs, Linden and May instructed the servants to clean up the room. The two went upstairs and saw Natalia, | her protruding belly, lying quietly on the bed, looking lonely and pitiful ¡°Ma¡¯am, don¡¯t be sad Being so upset is not good for the baby Please, don¡¯t argue with Mr Magnus anymore Focus on keeping healthy and giving birth to the child¡± Natalia hid her face in the covers and made no sound After hearing May¡¯s words she suddenly turned pate. That¡¯s right he was always domineering not letting her study restricting her freedom, acting brusquely without any consideration and the had no way to counter himN?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. She had to give birth to the child. She whispered an apology to her unborn child vowing not to be sad anymore ¡°Madam, don¡¯t get too angry. Although Mi. Magnut can be irritable he has a very kind heart. Besides which couple doesn¡¯t bicker? (nea in a few days things will naturally get better May tried tofort Natalia softly hoping the wouldn¡¯t be too upest Chapter 169 Chapter 169 Looking at the mess downstairs, it was clear as day that Mr. Magnus had thrown another tantrum. Ah, the fiery temper of youth. Quick to break things when upset, and seemingly oblivious to the cost That being said, Magnus was far fromcking in funds. To him, these mere objects were nothing more than trash. But, Natalia was with child. Such outbursts were risky because if anything were to happen¡­. May thought to herself, subtly signaling to Linden, who was bent over picking up the debris, to try and calm Natalia down. Linden caught the hint but was at a loss on how to handle this. They shared a look of uncertainty, unsure of how tofort Natalia. They were both well into their 50s, and it was clear to them that Magnus and Natalia cared deeply for each other. And yet, Magnus always managed to upset Natalia, while she, in turn, could easily infuriate him. Ah, the world of the young was truly a puzzle! As May and Linden deliberated on how to soothe a distraught Natalia, she suddenly experienced another bout of pain in her abdomen. Her face turned pallid with pain, and she couldn¡¯t help but let out a soft groan Hearing Natalias difort, May rushed over to find Natalia¡¯s face pale and covered with cold sweat. ¡°Ma¡¯am? Ma¡¯am, what¡¯s wrong?¡± May was terrified. She reached out to touch Natalia¡¯s forehead, it was cold and drenched with sweat. What do we do? Linden, call Mr. Magnus, quickly! May urged Linden, fearing that any dy would put Natalia, who already had fragile health, and her unborn child at risk. Linden nodded and dialed Magnus number. ¡°Sir, thedy isn¡¯t feeling well. Something seems off Magnus, who was en route to Sapphire Ind, mmed on the brakes upon hearing Linden¡¯s words Linden was cut off halfway through his sentence by Magnus roar from the other end of the line. ¡°You were supposed to take care of her! What have you been doing?¡± He hung up the phone before Linden could respond. Linden put away his phone, looking helpless. He told May. ¡°Mr. Magnus is furious. We¡¯re in for it.¡± ¡®So be it! It¡¯s his fault she¡¯s in this state. I¡¯ll give him a piece of my mind!¡± May was anxious about Natalia¡¯s condition. If anything happened to the child. how would she exin it to Morgan? While May and Linden were in a state of panic, Magnus car screeched to a halt outside their beach house. He flung open the car door and sprinted inside out of breath. What happened? She was fine when I left. What¡¯s wrong with her?¡± Linden remained silent, and his head was bowed. But May, being the straightforward person she was, retorted, ¡°Sir, she¡¯s pregnant. She can¡¯t be stressed out like this it¡¯s your fault this time. Can¡¯t you avoid arguing with her for the baby¡¯s sake?¡± May¡¯s words were cut short by Linden pulling at her sleeve, signaling her to say no more. May red at Linden, feeling wronged. Was she not right? It was Magnus fault, after all Normally, Magnus would have dismissed May on the spot for speaking to him in this manner, but this time, he let it slide. Instead, he instructed them to call the family doctor Given their distance from Melfort, they had a family doctor stationed on Sapphire Ind. Remembering this, Linden rushed downstairs to fetch the doctor Magnus and Natalia were upstairs, and she was now trembling all over. He looked at Natalia¡¯s petite figure. Her belly was swollen, and she was lying pale¨Cfaced on the bed. An overwhelming sense ofThis belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. regret washed over Magnus. He was sorry. He shouldn¡¯t have lost his temper. She was already going through the trials of pregnancy, so why couldn¡¯t he just be more patient with her? This little woman always managed to push his buttons Regretting his outburst, Magnus wondered if he had scared Natalia, or worse, their child. With this thought, Magnus leaned over Natalia, gently running his fingers through her hair Her sweat¨Csoaked hair felt smooth against his fingers Feeling his touch, Natalia, in her delirious state, reached out and grabbed his hand, whispering, ¡°Mom, I miss you Let me go¡­¡± Hearing an unconscious Natalia call out for her mother and talk of leaving him, Magnus felt as if a knife was being twisted in his heart. The woman he loved so dearly was not only disregarding him but also wanted to leave him. He had fallen head over heels in love for the first time and was being rejected and abandoned What a cruel irony! There was a knock at the door Linden had led the family doctor upstairs and ushered him into the room. The ductor, carrying his medical bag, conducted a thorough examination of Natalia He then turned to a worried Magnus and said, ¡°Sir, thedy suffered a panic attack, which was aggravated by her weakened state due to her pregnancy She also seems to have caught a chill You need to take good care of her and keep her spirits up. Any distress or sadness can be harmful to both her and the baby. She can¡¯t take any medication right now Prepare some ginger tea for her Magnus nodded, signaling to Linden to escort the doctor out May immediately set about making the ginger tea Since he couldn¡¯t upset Natalia anymore, Magnus decided to keep out of her sight for a while. The sight of him could only agitate her further Magnus was crestfallen She didn¡¯t love him anymore and wanted to leave him What was he to do? ¡°Please take good care of her. I won¡¯t be showing my face around her for a while Magnus summoned Linden and May, instructing them in careful detail. ¡°Her care is in your hands now. If she feels unwell, day or night, you must report to me immediately! No detail is too small, understood?¡± With that, Magnus turned away Unable to bear looking at a sleeping Natalia, he descended the staircase in destion True to his word, Magnus didn¡¯t return over the next few days. He did not want Natalia to feel upset by his presence. He gave her ample space to nurture her pregnancy Since she didn¡¯t love him, he¡¯d disappear from her sight. However, he absolutely, absolutely, wouldn¡¯t allow her to leave! After the incident where she smashed things in her anger, Natalia barely spoke once she regained consciousness. Even her smile became an infrequent visitor to her face. She spent each day sitting by the balcony, staring out at the vast, limitless ocean. The thunderous sound of the waves added to her mncholy. Chapter 170 Chapter 170 As the sun rose and set, Natalia lived quietly in her lonely world. It was as if she was detached from everything. She didn¡¯t even ask if Magnus had returned Ever since the incident, Magnus hadn¡¯t shown up for several days. The ce seemed like an abandoned mansion, with only Linden, May, and a few servants around Nobody else had visited. He clearly didn¡¯t love her, so why was he keeping her confined in this ce, and isting her from the world? ¡°Baby, you need to grow up soon, so you cane out and y with Mommy Natalia whispered, stroking her ever¨Cgrowing belly. Her words were swept up by the sea breeze, falling onto the boundless sea. She let out a desteugh. It felt like she was suffering from depression. She often stared at the sea alone, and smiled at the sunset. In Melfort, Magnus looked haggard after not seeing Natalia for several days. His chin was covered in stubble, which he had no mind to shave. He was only concerned about his wife¡¯s well¨Cbeing. He wondered if she had eaten. She didn¡¯t like his presence, and even his kiss was repulsive to her. He was afraid to provoke her again. Every day, he wanted to check on his little wife, but it took infinite self¨Ccontrol to convince himself not to do so. Since Natalia didn¡¯t want to see him, it would be better not to upset her. Once she understood his feelings for her, she would want to see him, right? With that thought, Magnus took out his phone, hoping to see a text from Natalia, but there was none. He tossed his phone on the table and sighed silently. This stubborn and obstinate little wife of his was really testing his patience! ¡°Out of my way, let me in!¡± There was amotion outside the CEO¡¯s office. Magnus raised an eyebrow, coldly ordering. ¡°Whoever is outside, let him int Magnus already knew Hector was the person causing the ruckus. Hector had just returned from the United States. As Magnus finished speaking, the door to the CEO¡¯s office was pushed open Hector stormed in, ring at Magnus ¡°Magnus, where are you hiding Natalia?¡± Hector no longer regarded Magnus as his cousin and addressed him by name. ¡°Sir, I couldn¡¯t stop him. He insisted on seeing you The secretary followed Hector, looking somewhat panicked. She feared losing her job at Andersen Corporation, which offered top¨Cnotch sries and benefits Magnus casually waved her away Relieved, the secretary hastily exited the CEO¡¯s office, afraid that Magnus would fire her on the spot. She knew she wouldn¡¯t find another job as good as this one. After the secretary closed the door, Magnus rose from his luxurious desk and walked towards Hector. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Hector¡¯s cold eyes were murderous Theard you¡¯ve locked up Natalia Tell me, is it true? Where are you hiding her?¡± Magnus red at Hector, implying something, ¡°Locked up? I¡¯m only protecting my wife from the harassment of irrelevant people. She¡¯s pregnant.¡± ¡°Harassment?¡± Hector wanted to punch Magnus. ¡°Magnus, do you know what you¡¯re doing? She¡¯ll be heartbroken You¡¯re heartless. She¡¯s a human being. a girl who canugh and cry, not your pet. She will never be happy with you!¡± Hector stepped forward, pointing at Magnus¡® nose ¡°You didn¡¯t lock her up on Sapphire Ind, did you?¡± With that, Hector turned to leave, not wanting to see Magnus a second longer. He was going to Sapphire Ind to see Natalia Magnus didn¡¯t take Hector¡¯s words seriously. ¡°Locked up? I¡¯m just protecting my wife. How¡¯s that considered locking up? What are you trying to do? Don¡¯t be childish Ill have Uncle send you to Silent King, then you¡¯ll stay put Dropping this line, Magnus leisurely walked back to his desk, sitting down calmly He nced at Hector standing by the door. Remember to close the door on your way out Contrary to Magnus calm demeanor, Hector was trembling with anger He strode up to Magnus, and his eyes were filled with fury ¡°Magnus, you¡¯ll regret doing this One day. Natalia will hate you. Have you thought about the consequences? Do you know how vulnerable a woman is during pregnancy? You li lose her forever!¡± Hearing Hector¡¯s words, Magnus felt a pang in his heart. Would he regret it? The most vulnerable period? His brows furrowed tightly, and his face darkened ¡®Mind your own business What¡¯s going on between her and me is none of your concern Hector was infuriated by Magnus nonchnt attitude ¡®Magnus, all you do is hiding her. Locking her up on Sapphire Ind is fucked up. You cant make her happy! You¡¯ll ruin her?¡± ¡°Really? If I can¡¯t give her happiness, can you? Magnus was already on edge these past few days Hector¡¯s provocation made him snap back. Wake up She¡¯s my wife and the mother of my child She¡¯s not someone you can covet!¡± ¡°You¡¯re a madman, and unreasonable Hector angrily left these words behind, storming out of Magnus office. Before leaving, he gave a hard kick to the door Magnus didn¡¯t take Hector¡¯s tant provocation seriously it seemed Hector was better off staying abroad. He couldn¡¯t make Nat happy? Ha, his wife wasn¡¯t something anyone could cover! And there was also that Callum! They were all acting like he didn¡¯t exist! At that thought, Magnus¡® temper red up once again. He got up irritably from his chair and walked towards the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows. His brows furrowed as he looked outside All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°My deardy, what am I to do with you?! Magnus would never know, not after some time, that Hector¡¯s words became reality. He regretted it. He shouldn¡¯t have locked her up like this; he had truly ruined her¡­. Sapphire Ind Every day, Natalia sat on the balcony, looking out at the sea. She had lost all her appetite, eating only a little bit each day. No matter what she ate, she didn¡¯t feel like it, and her already frail body was bing increasingly thin. A week had passed, and Magnus had not shown up. She knew that to him, she had always been disposable. It would be better if he didn¡¯te back, because that meant there wouldn¡¯t be any quarrels. Perhaps, like Morgan, what he cared about was only the child she was carrying in her belly Natalia¡¯s thin hand caressed her stomach, and she forced out a smile that looked uglier than a cry. ¡°Sweetie, what should mommy do?¡± Chapter 171 Chapter 171 ¡°Ma¡¯am, do you want to eat something?¡± Linden brought over a bowl of chicken soup. His eyes filled with concern as he watched Natalia, who had lost a considerable amount of weight. Natalia merely shook her head in silence. She wasn¡¯t hungry, and she had no appetite whatsoever ¡°Madam, even if you have no appetite, you have to think of the little gentleman growing inside you He¡¯s developing and needs plenty of nutrients. Look at you now. You¡¯re so thin. When Mr. Magnus sees you, he¡¯ll surely be heartbroken Linden tried to reason with Natalia, hoping she would feel better Natalia lifted her eyelids at the mention of Magnus Really? Would he truly care? Heh, I bet he has already forgotten about me.¡± Linden shook his head helplessly, he was amazed at Natalia¡¯s stubbornness ¡°Ma¡¯am, he is a very devoted man in all these years, I¡¯ve never seen him care for anyone as much as he does for you You¡¯re the only one who can sway his emotions ¡°Please stop being angry with the young master Shall I call him toe back? ¡°No need Natalia gave a bitter smile, not taking Linden¡¯s words to heart. If he wanted toe back, he would¡¯ve done so already. There was no need for any phone calls ¡°Madam, Mr. Magnus cousin is here. May¡¯s voice came from downstairs. She was hesitant as whether to let Hector in Magnus had instructed before he left to take good care of the madam and not to let her see anyone. So, would there be any problem letting Hector visit the madam? Magnus cousin? Natalia pondered for a moment Was Hector here? She slowly stood up from the balcony and walked downstairs ¡°Let him in¡± By the time Natalia descended the stairs, Hector had already stepped inside. Their eyes met, and both of them froze Hector stared at Natalia, who was so thin she barely looked human. Her belly was protruding. She looked so frail, a gust of wind could probably blow her away His heart felt as if it was being torn apart. The pain was unbearable. ¡°Natalia, how did you get so thin? That bastard Magnus, has he been mistreating you?¡± ¡°No Natalia forced a smile, gesturing for Hector to sit down I¡¯m fine. What brings you here?¡± ¡°Fine?¡± Hector¡¯s voice rose sharply. ¡°Natalia, why are you covering up for that bastard?! He has you trapped on Sapphire Ind and you say there¡¯s nothing wrong¡® Look at the state you¡¯re in! Where is he? Where is he? I¡¯m going to give him a piece of my mind!¡± He turned to leave but was stopped by Natalia grabbing his wrist. ¡®Hector, I¡¯m really okay.¡± She looked at Hector¡¯s handsome face, full of anger and sadness because of her. Unable to hold back her tears, she began to cry Hector opened his arms and pulled her frail body into his embrace, gently wiping her tears away. ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t cry. I¡¯m here and crying isn¡¯t good for the baby¡± He softly wiped away her tears Natalia cried even harder She was like a broken dam, unable to hold back her tears. She soaked a large patch of Hector¡¯s shirt with her tears Hector held her silently His heart was in pain as he watched Natalia, who he had once vowed to take care of for the rest of his life, weep uncontrobly He had promised to make her happy but look at her now¡­ After letting Natalia cry it all out, Hector gently moved her shoulders. ¡°Natalia,e with me I will take care of you and the baby. Magnus doesnt love you What kind of man leaves his pregnant wife alone on an ind?! Trust me, Natalia.¡± As he wiped away her endless stream of tears, he gently patted her shoulder Hearing Hector¡¯s words, Natalia finally came back to her senses. She quickly straightened up. I¡¯m sorry, Hector, but I can¡¯t leave. I promised Morgan that I would have this baby No matter what, I will have this baby¡± ¡°Natalia, why are you doing this to yourself?! Magnus is a bastard, and i¡¯m going to find him Hector was furious. Natalia wiped her tears andughed Hector, I¡¯m doing fine here. It¡¯s very quiet Magnus didn¡¯t trap me here I came willingly ¡°Natalia, how long are you going to defend that bastard? Do you know how fragile a woman is when she¡¯s pregnant? He, as your husband, should be by your side instead he left you alone on this ind is this his way of treating you well?¡± Hector grabbed Natalia¡¯s shoulders His heart was aching for her ¡°Let her gor Suddenly a cold voice echoed from the entrance of the living room. Magnus, dressed in a ck shirt and holding car katys, appeared king descending from the heavens. His piercing gaze fixed on Natalia and Hector huddled together in the middle of the room Ever since he heard Hectors words, he had been on edge. He couldn¡¯t hold back any longer He wanted to return to Sapphire ind. He hadn¡¯t slepi wel in days as he missed Natalia terribly He left work early today and headed straight for Sapphire Ind He wanted to apologize to his wife, he was willing to sleep in the shady ? she resented him But he didn¡¯t want to sleep in the office anymore The moment he opened the dour he saw the two of them huddled together in the living room Natalia was sobbing in the arms of her first turned cold, and his eyes were filled with mock She was unhappy and crying so pitifully after seeing Hector His blood Hector and Natalia slowly turned their heads to see Magnus walking towards them Hector let go of Natalia and stood in front of do you want? it¡¯s good that you¡¯re back, shielding h What Magnus didn¡¯t wait for Hector to frush. He clenched his fists and punched Hector in the face with a loud bang, Hector fell onto the couch Despite the pain in his jaw, he quickly got up Blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth He turned around and swung a punch at Magnus as well. The two men started fighting in the living room Feeling distraught, Nataha stood by their side, yelling. ¡°Stop fighting, both of your Hector, leave now Magnus, stop!¡± Magnus could hear Natalia calling out to Hector with such an intimate tone. She was pleading with him to stop. The force in his t intended immediately, and the living room echoed with the sound of his punchesnding and Hector¡¯s stifled grunts. Both of them ignored Natalia¡¯s cries, continuing the brawl. This belongs to N?velDrama.Org: ?. Witnessing Hector¡¯s battered and bloody face, Natalia rushed over, but as she moved forward, a sudden intense pain in her abdomen caused her to falter and copse onto the floor. Her vision blurred, and slowly, she fell to the ground, which both men saw. ¡°Natalia!¡± ¡°Natalia¡± The two men immediately rushed over Hector, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, moved to help Natalia, but was kicked away by Magnus. ¡°Get lost!¡± Magnus held Natalia, looking at her pale face. His heart was about to leap out of his chest. ¡°Natalia, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°My stomach¡­ it hurts so much Natalia could feel the little one inside her stirring restlessly. She had been feeling upset and had barely eaten anything. With this sudden stress, there was a high risk of prematurebor ¡°Linden, Linden, go get the doctor fast Magnus held Natalia tightly. She had lost more weight in the past week, and her belly was the only thing growing. while the rest of her body was thin as a rail! Chapter 172 Chapter 172 His heart ached as if it was pierced by a needle. ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t you worry. Are you going intobor?¡± Nataliaboriously shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not due for another two months. It¡¯s too early forbor¡­¡± ¡°But¡± ¡°Magnus, this is all your doing! If anything happens to Natalia, I won¡¯t let you off Hector growled from the floor, his face smeared with blood. Magnus red at him fiercely, shouting for his bodyguard ¡°Get over here!¡± ¡°Sir!¡± The bodyguard entered the room. ¡°Throw this man off Sapphire Ind immediately. If you see him again, let Perth take care of him!¡± ¡°Yes, sir!¡± How dare Hectory hands on his wife? Magnus couldn¡¯t believe Hector was still after Natalia, even knowing she was pregnant! The bodyguard hauled Hector up and began to escort him out. Hector was injured and also led away ¡°Magnus, you bastard! How can you torment a girl like this. You¡¯ll regret it. You should let her go!¡± Hector¡¯s shouts echoed as he was escorted to the car Magnus carried Natalia upstairs, and gentlyy her down in their bedroom. The doctor arrived shortly afterward to examine her. ¡°Sir, she is weak and malnourished. She can¡¯t be subjected to any shock, or she could go into prematurebor. The baby has formed but premature birth is risky¡± The doctor left after prescribing some medication to prevent premature birth. Magnus stared at Natalia as shey on the bed. Malnourished! He quietly descended the stairs. ¡°How have you been taking care of Natalia? Why is she this weak? And malnourished? What on earth are you doing?¡± He raged at the maids and May. ¡°Sir, it¡¯s not our fault. She barely eats anything. She spends her days staring nkly from the balcony. She never smiles, and won¡¯t eat anything we prepare¡± A maid sobbed in defense. She barely ate? And she was unhappy every day? Was she still unhappy even if he was not around? Didn¡¯t she hate him? She should¡¯ve been happy when he was not around Suddenly, he remembered Hector¡¯s words and a wave of panic washed over him. Darling, I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know what you really wanted.¡± He walked back upstairs and gently pushed open the bedroom door Sitting by the bed, he held her small hand tightly, gazing at her frail face, wondering how she came to be in such a state. ¡°Darling, what would you like to eat? I¡¯ll make it for you, okay?¡± Natalia heard someone speaking She opened her eyes to see Magnus sitting by her bed, looking handsome as ever it felt like a lifetime had passed. How long had it been? He hadn¡¯t returned to Sapphire Ind in ages. He and Isabe must¡¯ve been getting along well by now. Once her baby was born, would Isabe be weed into the Andersen family? The Simmons family was prestigious, so they would be a suitable match for the Andersens. Thinking back to Hector¡¯s battered face, she said, ¡°Magnus, please send Hector to the hospital. Thank you¡± He hade to see her after she got hurt, so she couldn¡¯t ignore him. Upon hearing her concern for Hector, Magnus felt a surge of jealousy. ¡°He won¡¯t die!¡± He tightened his grip on her hand. He had also been hit by Hector His wounds were internal and not visible, but he noticed that she hadn¡¯t shown any concern for him. Natalia silently closed her eyes, no longer wanting to think about anything. Her baby was protesting fiercely. In recent days, she tried to avoid thinking about these issues. She could feel her baby kicking in her belly. Magnus watched as she closed her eyes. He reached out to gently touch her swollen belly and suddenly felt a kick from below. The baby was kicking him He looked at Natalia¡¯s trembling eyshes and felt his heart soften. The baby knew his father was there. Perhaps he didn¡¯t like him either. He kept his hand there for a while, feeling the baby¡¯s kicks Natalia¡¯s eyshes were quivering intensely, clearly aware that their baby was kicking him. Slowly, he withdrew his hand and walked out of the bedroom The maid cleaned up the living room and then went upstairs to invite Natalia to dinner. Natalia shook her head, saying she wasn¡¯t hungry. When Magnus heard that Natalia wasn¡¯t eating again, he immediately threw back the covers Darling, please eat something. If you don¡¯t eat, neither does our baby¡® Realizing that she didn¡¯t have the right to starve their child, Natalia forced herself to eat a little. When Magnus finished his dinner downstairs and returned, she was lying sideways on the bed He picked up his pajamas and went to the bathroom Half an hourter, Magnus emerged from the bathroom. He gently lifted the covers andy down beside Natalia, who remained silent and rigid Magnus moved closer, and his hand gently rested on her belly Darling, let¡¯s not fight anymore The baby ising soon. Please.¡± His voice was low and he was pleading Natalia closed her eyes and said nothing The thorn of Isabe was forever lodged between them. Could they ever go back to how they were? She didn¡¯t want to think about it anymore. She just wanted to give birth to their baby. Magnus noticed that Natalia remained silent, so he sighed, gently held her, and closed his eyes. Natalia didn¡¯t say anything else and soon fell asleep in his arms. In the middle of the night, Magnus was awakened by cries. Natalia was sobbing in her sleep. ¡°Mom. no. Hector, no. Magnus, let me go.¡± Tears streamed down her face, but her eyes remained closed. Magnus realized she was having a nightmare. In her dream, she was calling for her mother and Hector She was begging Magnus to let her go! His heart sank. Had he truly lost her heart forever? He wiped away her tears, tucked her into bed, and quietly left the room. He dressed and headed to his study In the dark, Magnus stood by the window, looking out at the bright moonlight and listening to the sound of the waves. He chain¨Csmoked, pondering if he should let her go. Without him, would she be happier? But the thought of her leaving, and leaving him with nothing, brought him back to square one. Why did everyone hate him? As a child, his parents hated him. Now, even his wife hated him. All night, he stayed in his study, smoking and staring out into the night sky. When Natalia woke up, it was already dawn. She saw that no one was beside her, and she remembered that Magnus had slept next to her the previous night. However, he had already left early in the morning She chuckled to herself. Right, they didn¡¯t have anything to talk about anymore. She sat up, put on her slippers, and went to the bathroom. Afterward, she opened the balcony doors, but she quickly noticed that the study light was still on Could it be¡­ Natalia turned towards the study, finding Magnus sound asleep on the small bed. The room was filled with the scent of cigar smoke, a testament to histe¨Cnight activities. His tall frame was coiled up on the small bed, filling it in its entirety. So it turned out that he hadn¡¯t slept with herst night. Heh It seemed that even when he came home, he preferred to sleep in the study instead of with her. Maybe he was no longer used to being with her. She turned away from the study, returned to the bedroom and sat on the bed, watching as the sky gradually brightened outside. When the housekeeper began cleaning, she heard Magnus go downstairs. He left without having breakfast, driving off without a word to her. Natalia stood on the balcony, watching his car disappear into the distance. Her heart was sinking into the abyss. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. From then on, Magnus returned to Sapphire Ind every day. He rarely spoke to Natalia but still came home to eat in silence and sleep. He still took care of Natalia attentively, but they both knew that their hearts had drifted far apart! Chapter 173 Chapter 173 To ensure Natalia had good nights of sleep, Magnus moved to sleep in his study Natalia smiled in silence. Her hand was ced on her belly, as she fought the internal pain and reminded herself to stay strong. At eight months pregnant, Natalia was hit by a series of unfortunate events in the dark month of June. Fate had finally separated her from Magnus. It was a separation like death itself! At the Golden Groove, in a hidden VIP lounge, Kendra and Lucius were entangled like two people high on drugs, indulging in primal pleasures. ¡°Lucius, you¡¯re amazing. ¡°Baby, I can be even better. Lucius panted. All his attention was focused on Kendra beneath him. ¡°Do you like it, darling, should we change positions?¡± ¡°You¡¯re such a tease ¡°Kendra feigned shyness and turned her head, sneaking a nce at the hidden camera she had installed in the corner of the lounge Her red lips curled into a triumphant smirk She didn¡¯t lure Lucius to the Golden Groove for some mere thrill. If that was the case, any penthouse suite would have sufficed. She was here to record their passionate encounter and then send it to Natalia after some editing. Rumor had it that Natalia was several months pregnant and Kendra figured a good shock was just what she needed. Anything that could drive Natalia to the brink would be fantastic. It would save Kendra the trouble of dealing with Natalia once the baby was born. Lucius was engrossed in his carnal pursuits. He noticed Kendra was distracted and forcefully turned her face towards him, biting her lips hard. ¡°What¡¯s distracting you? Focus!¡± Lucius was a wild beast in bed, with little regard for boundaries. He bit Kendra¡¯s lips until they bled yet showed no signs of remorse. His movements grew rougher, ravishing Kendra without restraint ¡°Darling, I can never get enough of you.¡± Kendra pretended to be docile, clinging onto Lucius. She was well aware of Lucius wild tendencies in bed, and she was desperate to escape his clutches Natalia, you better be gone, stop iming Magnus as your own, and give me tiack my rightful ce as the wife of the CEO! Filled with resentment, Kendra had to keep her emotions in check. To avoid suspicion, she made an effort to respond to Lucius actions. The lounge was filled with heavy breathing, which eventually subsided after what seemed like an eternity. Lucius was still feeling unsatisfied, pulled his trousers back on. His eyes were filled with lust as they scanned Kendra¡¯s bare chest. ¡°This ce is a lot more exciting than any penthouse suite. You really are something, thinking of such a great ce¡± Kendra was pretending to be shy and blushed at hispliment. ¡°Not at all just wanted to make you happy. Don¡¯t exaggerate. You make it sound like I¡¯m some kind of expert¡± Lucius, now fully dressed, seemed less enthusiastic. ¡°Whether you¡¯re an expert or not, you know the truth. Even a whore could learn a few tricks from you¡± Kendra, also dressed, was taken aback by Lucius¡® words. She had never expected him to say something like that! ¡°Lucius, you jerk!¡± Kendra grabbed her stockings and threw them at Lucius in frustration. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Lucius caught the stockings with a swift move and took a dramatic sniff ¡°It¡¯s no big deal. If I¡¯m a jerk, then you¡¯re a slut. We¡¯re a perfect match.¡± Kendra was shaking with anger. How dare Lucius call her a slut! ¡°Get out of here, you¡¯ve gone too far!¡± Kendra bent down, pretending to rummage through her handbag, and quickly grabbed the hidden camera. Lucius, you¡¯re a jerk With that. Kendra stormed out of the lounge, with her high heels clicking against the floor. She couldn¡¯t wait to edit the video and send it to Natalia. Her anger was just a ruse to give herself an excuse to leave early. Lucius, however, found the whole thing amusing He took his time to straighten his clothes before leaving the lounge. The experience had been thrilling. and he was already nning to convince Kendra to meet at such public ces more often. It was far more exciting than he had imagined. As for Kendra¡¯s outburst. Lucius didn¡¯t take it to heart. He knew Kendra all too well. If she was angry, all he needed to do was spoil her with gifts and she would be all smiles again Women were just bedpanions If he liked one, he spent more time with her, if not, he moved on. As of now, he rather liked Kendra Meanwhile, Kendra, feigning anger, stormed out of the Golden Groove and headed straight to a private detective agency The receptionist saw Kendra elegantly dressed and immediately greeted her ¡°How may I assist you, miss Kendra looked down at the receptionist ¡°I need aputer expert I have a video that needs to be edited it needs to be wless, and untraceable. Can you do that? The receptionist saw a potential big client and was eager to please Kendra ¡°You¡¯vee to the right ce, miss. We specialize in tracking, searching. and manipting images and videos If you want it, we can make it happen However ¡°The price is high, right?¡± Kendra scoffed. ¡°Money is no issue Call your most expensive guy i need the best service¡± The receptionist hurriedly called the operations manager, deciding it was best to keep her distance from such a demanding customer The operations manager was a shrewd man, with a rather sleazy appearance. As soon as he saw Kendra, his eyes lit up and he scurried over to her ¡°What can I do for you, miss?¡± Kendra frowned, clearly annoyed. ¡°Are you professionals or not? If you can¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll find someone else. Repeating the same question is unprofessional¡± Having seen his fair share of finicky clients, the operations manager greeted her with a practiced, warm smile. ¡°Miss, don¡¯t be upset. Please follow me 10:58 He led Kendra to a private room, attentively closing the door behind them. ¡°Miss, please share your request. As long as you¡¯re willing to pay the right price, there¡¯s nothing we can¡¯t do ¡°Really?¡± Kendra quirked an eyebrow, suddenly feeling out of ce. ¡°What if I asked you to kill someone for me?¡± The ount manager¡¯s smile froze on his face. ¡°Miss, we might operate in the gray areas of thew, but we certainly don¡¯t break it!¡± The atmosphere in the room immediately thickened. Kendra studied the ount manager for a moment, then burst into exaggeratedughter. ¡°HA!! was only joking. The task is simple, really. I just need you to take the man in this video and edit it to look like another man.¡± Chapter 174 Chapter 174 Chapter With a nonchnt air, Kendra tossed her secretly recorded video to the operations manager Without an ounce of shame, she began to y the video Suddenly, the small room was filled with intimate sounds of a man and a woman. The passionate scenes left the manager blushing if his eyes weren¡¯t deceiving him, the woman in the video was the same morousdy standing in front of him, right? They were private investigators, though, and they¡¯d seen it all So after an initial blush, he coolly asked Kendra. ¡°Whose face do you want us to swap in?¡± Kendra tossed a photo of Magnus onto the table, and arrogantly ordered ¡°Him. And make sure it¡¯s wless I don¡¯t want anyone to suspect it¡¯s been edited.¡± The manager examined the photo, shocked. He hesitated ¡°Miss, are you sure about this?¡± The man in the photo was none other than the newly appointed CEO of Andersen Corporation His face had been stered across every major newspaper Anyone living in Melfort would recognize him Furthermore, Andersen was known for his ruthless business tactics. He showed no mercy to those who dared to challenge him Considering his own livelihood in Melfort, the operations manager promptly refused Kendra¡¯s request Tm sorry, Miss We can¡¯t take this job¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Kendra was perplexed ¡°You¡¯re turning down money? Are you out of your mind?¡± The operations manager chuckled politely it¡¯s because we¡¯re not out of our minds If we cross Mr. Andersen because of this, we might lose everything in Melfort Kendra immediately understood. The man in charge was aware of Magnus influence and was afraid of incurring his wrath She considered finding a different agency but quickly abandoned the idea if everyone was afraid of Magnus, then it wouldn¡¯t matter how many agencies she approached The result would be the same ¡°Rx, I¡¯m an old friend of Mr. Andersen, Kendra reassured him. This video is just a prank. If anything happens, I¡¯ll take full responsibility and I won¡¯t mention your involvement Name your price, as long as the video is to my satisfaction¡± Kendra¡¯s words caused the operations manager to reconsider After all, money was their primary motivation. If they could earn a hefty sum without any risk, why would they refuse? ¡°Deal!¡± With that, he copied the video onto hisputer and got to work. His fingers flew over the keyboard as he swiftly edited the video ording to Kendras instructions When Kendra saw the final product, she was more than satisfied. The edited video was so well done that even she couldn¡¯t tell it was doctored. She almost believed she¡¯d had a passionate night with Magnus. Natalia, get ready for the surprise I have in store for you!¡± Sapphire Ind Natalia leaned against the balcony. Her eyes nkly stared at the seemingly endless sea. Her heart was in turmoil, and she couldn¡¯t find peace. The setting sun painted half the sea red, casting a mncholy aura C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Natalia lowered her gaze to her swollen belly quietly feeling the life growing within her ¡°Baby, in just a couple of months you¡¯ll be here i cant wait to see if you look more like Mommy or Daddy¡± Her monologue drifted towards thoughts of Magnus it had been a while since they¡¯d had a proper conversation. The mansion was only upied by her, May, Linden, and a few servants Even Hector, who had fought with Magnus, was nowhere to be seen. He was probably cklisted from Sapphire Ind The thought of Magnus always led to images of him and isabe Her heart ached Even so, why did she feel a sense of loss when she didn¡¯t see hun? Could it be that she still couldn¡¯t let go of Magnus, despite his betrayal? She had hoped that time and motherhood would help her move past her heartbreak, but it seemed she still held on to him. She was truly hopeless With a sigh Natalia felt a gentle kick from her belly A smile spread across her face Little one are you eager to see the world? But you must be patient. Mommy needs to carry you to full term in just a month you¡¯ll be able to experience the wonders of the world Natalia gently rubbed her belly soothing the restless life within her. Her heart was filled with sweetness When she didert think about Majnus and isabe she felt pretty good. This little life would be her only hope her beacon of light in the darkness ¡°Ding Ding¡± The sound of a text message pulled her out of her thoughts She turned to see her phone lying on the table and slowly walked | Besny pregnant was quite inconvenient Her steps were slow and she felt like a turtle She was out of breath after just a few steps. Finally reaching the table. her phone and walked back to the balcony These days, she spent most of her time on the balcony it was hel sanc the only ce where she could find peace andfort Back on the balcony, she looked at the message it was a video from Kendra instinctively, she wanted to delete the video Kendra never had her best interests at heart and was likely sending her something unpleasant With that thought, she selected the video and hit the delete button. A prompt pepped up. ¡°Are you sure you want to delete thwa videu T bncing a freshly prepared dessert Maam, Just as Natalia was about to hit confirm, the door to her room swung open and May you a nutritious coconut pudding with pistachio its very delicious. You must have it, okay? ¡°Huh?¡± Natalia turned around and gave May a polite nod of appreciation. Thanks May Just set it on the table, 18 have ¡°Oh no, ma¡¯am. I can¡¯t just leave without watching you have some. If it gets cold, you might not ste.¡± May insisted Her brows furrowed with concern. ¡°Look at how thin you¡¯ve be. Take my advice and eat more nutritious food. It¡¯s beneficial for both you and the baby. You¡¯re about to give birth. You need all the nourishment you can get.¡± Chapter 175 Chapter 175 May expressed her concerns generously, cing the dessert she brought on the table and approaching Natalia. ¡°Look at you, are you still engrossed in your phone? This thing emits radiation, and it¡¯s not good for pregnant women and babies. Come on, give it to me.¡± Without waiting for a response, May took Natalia¡¯s phone and was about to put it on the table when she inadvertently yed a video that had just been received The unmistakable sounds of intimate pleasure erupted from the phone. May, having been around the block a few times, didn¡¯t need to see the video to know what was ying. She was mortified, her cheeks flushed red as she hastily handed the phone back to Natalia and made her exit ¡°Well, I have some things to do downstairs, so I¡¯ll leave you to it. Don¡¯t forget to eat your dessert¡® Natalia watched May practically running away, feeling as though all the air had been sucked out of the room. The message was from Kendra, but who were the people making those repulsive sounds? Magnus and Isabe? if it was them, it was just too disgusting. They had the audacity to record it and send it to her! Natalia felt as though her heart was bleeding. The intimate sounds were like demonic whispers from hell, scraping her soul, making her wish for death. Should she watch it? Would she be disgusted if she did? But what if Kendra just randomly picked a video to upset her? What if Magnus wasn¡¯t really with Isabe? Maybe, just maybe? Without seeing it with her own eyes, she couldn¡¯t jump to conclusions Natalia¡¯s heart was in turmoil, and she suddenly felt like a joke in their circle. Why did they always have to mess with her? She had already kept her distance. Natalia clenched her fists, and took several deep breaths before slowly walking towards her phone, which May had left on the table. The table wasn¡¯t far away, but it felt like she was walking through a lifetime of hardships. Those nauseating sounds made her want to stab her ears and never hear again. She moved hesitantly forward, both eager and afraid to see the contents of the video. Slowly, very slowly, she moved forward until she finally reached the phone that was still ying the video. With a trembling hand, she picked up the phone from the table, suppressed the urge to vomit, and bravely looked at the screen This time, she could see it clearly The video was clear capturing the messy hair, the suggestive spine, and even their most private parts. The face of the man in the throes of passion was unmistakably Magnus. But the woman beneath him wasn¡¯t isabe. It was another face she knew all too well. Kendra It wasn¡¯t Magnus and Isabe, but Magnus and Kendra. It was such a cruel joke. So, she meant nothing to Magnus He abandoned her, heavily pregnant, to be with Kendra. Natalia never imagined that a man who despised Kendra so much would now hook up with her. She felt sick! Truly nauseated! Natalia¡¯s fingers dug into her palms. She was unfeeling to the pain of her nails cutting into her flesh Magnus was something else! Just recently, he was cozy with Isabe, and now he was with Kendra. Where did he ce her? If he didn¡¯t love her why couldn¡¯t he let her go? Why did he force her to keep living in their filthy world? Tears streamed down Natalia¡¯s face like a broken dam. She felt as though all the air around her had disappeared She struggled to breathe but found she couldn¡¯t. The feeling of suffocation crept up on her. Natalia felt something hot and wet spreading from her abdomen. However, she felt so weak that she didn¡¯t even have the strength to look down. Suddenly, her vision cked out and she copsed The maid came in to check on her and screamed when she found Natalia unconscious on the floor ¡°Someone help! Ms. Natalia has fainted!¡± May and Linden ran upstairs immediately. Seeing Natalia on the floor, they were panic¨Cstricken. ¡°Quick, call Mr. Magnus! What are we going to do? She¡¯s due in a month May was almost crying Natalia was in so much pain her breath was bingbored when she heard the ambnce¡¯s sirens, but she couldn¡¯t hold on any longer and closed her eyes When Magnus rushed to the hospital, Morgan was already there. When Morgan saw Magnus in such a rushed state, he turned away ¡°Grandfather, how is Natalia? What happened? And the baby? Magnus had been carrying out an inspection in the suburbs. By the time he returned, Natalia had been inbor for over an hour due to the premature birth Morgan nced at Magnus Magnus, the baby was stillborn due to prematurity. You have to brace yourself.¡± After saying that, he looked out the window. feeling a deep sense of guilt ¡°No! That¡¯s impossible Grandfather, you¡¯re joking! Magnus took a step back ¡°Magnus, it¡¯s true it seems you and that girl have no fate Now that the baby is gone, there¡¯s no chance for you two Send her to America for recovery, and don¡¯t let the shareholders of Andersen Corporation know about this¡± Morgan¡¯s low voice sounded like a thunderp, shattering Magnus brain ¡°Not it can¡¯t be true! The baby was still kicking me yesterday He pushed the door of the operating room open, startling the doctors inside ¡°Mr Andersen, you cant come in here We¡¯re sterilizing Ms Natalia ¡°Get out of my way! Magnus ran to the operating table like a madman Natalia was being stitched up, and her pale face looked like a leaf being blown in the wind ¡°Natalia! Natalia!¡± Magnus gently shook Natalia, who looked lifeless on the bed ¡°Mr. Andersen, your wife is still under anesthesia. We need to disinfect her. Please wait outside ¡°Where¡¯s my child? Huh? Where¡¯s my child? Magnus interrupted the doctor¡¯s words If his child was gone, his wife would be devastated He could feel it clearly his wife struggled to survive just for the sake of this kid. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. The child the child was stillborn due to premature delivery. The child was deprived of oxygen for too long in your wife¡¯s womb We couldn¡¯t save him,¡± the doctor confessed guiltily, looking at Magnus. ¡°Why? That¡¯s impossible! My child was fine! What the hell are you people here for?¡± Magnus was furious, feeling a murderous rage. But the doctor¡¯s next words hit him like a death sentence, ¡°Your wife had a premature delivery because of severe stress caused by living too far away. When we found her, she showed no will to survive!¡± Chapter 176 Chapter 176 The doctor stood next to Magnus, finishing his sentence. ¡°Bang!¡± Magnus swung a punch at the doctor, sending him flying into the wall and bouncing back onto a tray of surgical tools. The noise echoed through the operation room and shards of ss scattered everywhere. Everyone stared at Magnus in shock, then at the doctor convulsively twitching on the §±§à§â§Ô Morgan stormed in with anger zing in his eyes. ¡°Magnus, what on earth are you doing? Four bodyguards immediately appeared behind him and dragged Magnus away. This chaos seemed irrelevant to Natalisying on the operating table Silent and still, she seemed to be drifting further and further away. Natalia had a dream, a dream of a smiling little boy reaching out with his chubby hand and calling her ¡°Mommy.¡± Her heart melted like butter. She reached out to hold the floating little boy, but he kept calling her ¡°Mommy¡± and floated further away. No matter how desperately Natalia screamed, she couldn¡¯t grab his tiny hand. He drifted away from her All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Suddenly Natalia woke up. Her child, her precious baby! She woke up in a hospital, with a nurse sitting by her side. As soon as she opened her eyes, the nurse stood up. ¡°Madam, you¡¯re awake?¡± So, she didn¡¯t die. She was still alive. She reached out to touch her belly, which was now t and felt a slight pain. ¡°Where is my baby¡­¡± Her voice was hoarse and barely audible The nurse quickly adjusted her bed. ¡°You need some water, madam.¡± After taking a sip of water, Natalia asked again, ¡°Where¡¯s my baby? Please bring him to me.¡± Your baby Madam, you should rest first. Ill be right back. The nurse evaded her question and Natalia¡¯s brows furrowed in worry. Ignoring her hunger, she grabbed the nurse¡¯s forearm. Where is my baby?¡± She needed to see her child. ¡°Madam your baby¡­ he didn¡¯t make it. He died of oxygen deprivation at birth. The nurse broke down in tears after finishing her senterice Natalia¡¯s mind went nk. She stared at the nurse, pulled out the IV, and staggered out of bed, making her way towards the door ¡°Madam, you can¡¯t leavel Oh no, you¡¯re not wearing shoes. You¡¯re bleeding! The nurse hurriedly grabbed a pair of slippers and followed her. Wearing a patient¡¯s gown, Natalia ran frantically. At the end of the hallway, she found the ¡°Neonatal Unit¡± She pushed the door open just as someone was leaving. She grabbed the person¡¯s arm. Doctor where¡¯s my baby? Where is he? Please bring him to me!¡± The doctor sighed and looked at Natalia with guilt. ¡°Ms. Natalia, I¡¯m sorry. We couldn¡¯t save your baby. He was already gone when you arrived it was due to oxygen deprivation Please be strong. You and Mr. Andersen are still young You¡¯ll have more children.¡± After the doctor left, Natalia stood outside the Neonatal Unit, drained of all energy. She didn¡¯t know when the nurse had put the slippers on her feet. She stood at the end of the hallway, staring at the blue sky. ¡°Baby, I¡¯m sorry!¡± She thought ¡°Oh dear, madam, what are you doing here? I just made some hot soup. I knew you would wake up. Mr. Andersen will be here soon. Let¡¯s go back to your room, madam¡± It was Lindens voice that brought Natalia back to reality. She nced at him and slowly walked forward Linden had a thermos in his hand. He quickly jogged to the room to put down the thermos and came back to assist Natalia. However, Natalia was already gone Despite searching everywhere, Linden couldn¡¯t find her He immediately called Magnus who was already at the hospital Magnus had been staying in the hospital and had not slept for days. On the third day, the doctor said that Natalia would wake up. He thought that Natalia would be repelled by his disheveled appearance, so he quickly went home to shower and change his clothes. As soon as he was dressed, he received a call from the hospital saying that Natalia was awake. He rushed to the hospital, promising himself that he would never leave her alone on the ind again. He would go wherever she wanted to go and apany her if she wanted to find her mother. He realized his mistake When he parked his car at the hospital, he didn¡¯t even have time to remove the keys before rushing upstairs to Natalia¡¯s room. No one was there! He ran into Linden at the door ¡°Where¡¯s Natalia? ¡± dont know She disappeared while I was putting the soup away¡± Linden was panicking Magnus started searching for Natalia but couldn¡¯t find her anywhere. Meanwhile, Natalia was slowly descending the stairs and standing at the hospital entrance She looked up at the sky Baby, you didn¡¯t want your mommy either?¡± She saw Magnus rushing into the hospital and walked from behind the pir towards his car She noticed that the engine was still running, and she got into the car and hit the gas, driving out of the hospital She got straight in the car, stepped on the elerator and pulled out of the hospitals entrance Magnus, unable to find Natalia, walked irritably to the window, only to see his car slowly leaving the hospital. A moment of shock in his brain was quickly reced by the realization. It¡¯s his wife! He snatched the keys from Linden and jumped straight out of the window, from the second floor balcony to the ground, next to Lindens car He opened the door and immediately chased after her, but Natalia¡¯s car had already driven out of the city centre and was racing toward the outskirts. Magnus taught Natalia how to drive Due to her long break from driving and her weak body, the car was swerving on the road Magnus caught up with her, and his heart was pounding. ¡°Natalia, stop the car now!¡± Natalia couldn¡¯t hear anything fromputside. She stepped on the gas pedal, quickly joining the freeway and rushing towards the overpass! At this moment, Magnus felt as if the world was shaking. He saw the car speeding towards the overpass, rolled down the window and shouted, ¡°Nat, listen to me, stop the car. It¡¯s dangerous ahead. Please!¡± But Natalia¡¯s eyes were only on the road ahead. Her mind was nk ¡°Baby, I¡¯m sorry. If there¡¯s a next life, I¡¯ll never let you leave me again. You must be cold down there Mommy will be with you soon¡± Ten minutester, the car was on the overpass. Natalia closed her eyes andughed bitterly. She wanted to end her life, and let the ugly world be none of her concern. Behind her, Magnus saw the car rush onto the overpass His eyes were about to burst from his skull as he shouted, ¡°Nat-¡± But his voice was ruthlessly scattered by the coastal breeze The car in front of him careened past the guardrail, and plunged straight into the sea Magnus had shut his eyes, following suit, and crashing into the barrier, only to be flung back and wedged between the metal beams. Finally, everything calmed. Natalia¡¯s car had caused a massive ssh as it plummeted into the water. Her petite figure was tossed about by the waves, carried off through the shattered window, and drifted into the distance. A fortnightter, in the Andersen family¡¯s private hospital, Magnus slowly opened his eyes. The afternoon sun streamed into his ward. The room was maintained at afortable temperature, but beads of sweat still trickled down his nose Where was he? And where was his wife? Chapter 177 Chapter 177 He remembered plunging into the sea with his wife. There was no way he would abandon her. The door to his hospital room swung open as Morgan, Anthony, and Lillian stepped in. Lying on the bed with his eyes wide open, Magnus stared at the ceiling. Morgan saw this, felt ovee with emotion, and rushed to Magnus¡® side. ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re finally awake. Do you know you¡¯ve been unconscious for half a month? How long were you nning on scaring me?¡± Morgan said as tears streamed down his face. Magnus slowly moved his gaze from the ceiling to Morgan¡¯s face Where is my wife? Where¡¯s Nat?¡± He tried to get up to look for Natalia, but Morgan held him down. ¡°Your leg¡¯s broken, and you have severe internal injuries. Don¡¯t move!¡± Magnus shrugged him off ¡°Where¡¯s my wife? I need to find her!¡± Even the hardened Lillian couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang, of sympathy After all, he was her flesh and blood. ¡°Nat fell overboard. we couldn¡¯t find her. Maybe someone else did. Once you¡¯re better we¡¯ll look for her!¡± Couldn¡¯t find her? Then he would continue the search. Natalia must have been freezing in the water. He had to find her! Ignoring Morgan¡¯s protests, he tried to get out of bed but ended up tumbling to the floor A sharp pain shot up his leg. What had happened to it? Anthony rushed over. Your leg¡¯s not healed. You want to ruin it again?¡± His leg had been broken again. What was he to do? Magnus closed his eyes as tears rolled down his cheeks. He remembered the moment Natalia fell into the sea, and his mind felt like it was going to explode. ¡°Nat, if anything happens to you, I won¡¯t survive¡± Who said men didn¡¯t cry? They just hadn¡¯t been hurt enough. Magnus felt a deep concern for Natalia, who had fallen into the water. He despised himself for not being able to do anything because of his injury. He looked helplessly at Morgan standing by his bed. ¡°Grandpa, I beg you. Can you help me find my wife? I¡¯ve never asked you for anything before, but now I¡¯m begging you Please help me find her.¡± Morgan shook his head ¡°Magnus, I¡¯ve told you before, that girl doesn¡¯t deserve you. Her background is murky at best, and if it wasn¡¯t for her, my grandson wouldn¡¯t left this world. Now that she¡¯s missing, it¡¯s even better i dont have to deal with her anymore! With a hard heart, Morgan spat out these words. Seeing Magnus heartbreaking look. he hated Natalia even more. Why did she have to jump into the sea? ¡°Grandpa, how many times do i have to tell you before you believe me?¡± Magnus stared at Morgan in despair 1 love Natalia. She is the only wife I¡¯ll have in this lifetime. Do you know that the early death of our child was partly my fault? I hurt her and our baby!¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Morgan sensed Magnus emotional state, and didn¡¯t want to upset him further. He nodded perfunctorily. ¡°Alright, alright I¡¯ll send someone to look for her Don¡¯t get too agitated. You need to focus on healing your leg. This is the second time it¡¯s been broken. You can¡¯t afford another ident.¡± With that, Morgan left the room with Anthony and Lillian, instructing his bodyguards to continue the search for Natalia But it had already been half a month. If they were going to find her, they would have by now. Morgan was deep in thought. As soon as Morgan left, Dr. Frankie walked in. He saw Magnus struggling to get out of bed, and rushed over ¡°You can¡¯t move around like that. Otherwise, your leg that I worked so hard to set will be disced ¡°You need to make my leg better, now! It¡¯s been days. What are you doing? Magnus shouted at Dr Frankie Dr Frankie was taken aback. This guy was so heartless When he¡¯d rushed back that day, Magnus leg had been crushed between a car door and a steel pipe He¡¯d spent a day and night without food performing surgery on him. And now that he was awake, this was how he treated him. Dr. Frankie was so angry he wanted to punch him ¡°Magnus, do you have a conscience? Your leg has broken twice! I ve wasted my youth and time with my family treating you, and you Magnus pushed Or Frankie aside. Then get out! I need to find Natalia. She¡¯s still in the sea I need to save her!¡± Magnus was on the verge of breaking down. Seeing how agitated Magnus was Dr Frankie pushed him back onto the bed. ¡°Calm down! Nurse, give him a sedative!¡± ¡°You dare Magnus red at him. ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t 17 Do it The nurse nodded and turned around to prepare the sedative Quickly, she handed the syringe to Dr Frankie He whispered to the nurse. ¡°Hold him down He¡¯s terrified of injections¡± The nurse approached Magnus hesitantly and reached out to hold him down. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± Magnus red at her warning her to stay away The nurse flinched and looked at Dr Frankie for help ¡°If you want to get better quickly, you need to cooperate with our treatment Otherwise you might never be able to stand again. Your leg has broken for the second time¡® Dr Frankie looked him in the eye Magnus had no response, but what about his wife? As Dr. Frankie¡¯s words echoed in the room, the Chase brothers and James walked in They heard Dr Frankie¡¯s words and knew that Magnus was refusing to cooperate with the doctor They approached Magnus and held him down ¡°Do you never want to stand again, or do you want to get better quickly to find Natalia?¡± James asked, holding down Magnus¡® arm ¡°Magnus, this isn¡¯t a minor injury. You can¡¯t take it lightly This isn¡¯t the first time you¡¯ve injured your leg. You need to take care of it Carter the most rational of them all, said. ¡°That¡¯s right. It takes a hundred days to recover from a bone injury. You¡¯re going to have to stay in the hospital for at least a few months, Chase added. While the three of them were talking, Dr. Frankie had already injected the sedative into Magnus arm. After pulling out the syringe, Dr. Frankie shook his head in resignation ¡°If we don¡¯t get tough, he won¡¯t behave. This time, his shock is no less than thest time. Sigh!¡± Magnus seemed deaf to Dr. Frankie¡¯s warnings, showing no concern for his own injuries. With thest vestiges of his consciousness, hemanded. ¡°You three head to the beach, now! Find my wife and get her out of those waters! I don¡¯t care how you do it. I need her back, alive or dead!¡± With that, the sedative that had been administered earlier began to take effect, and Magnus slowly closed his eyes. Fear that Chase and the others would not heed his words, he bit down hard on his bottom lip, drawing blood in an effort to keep himself awake. ¡°Go now!¡± Seeing Magnus¡® desperate attempt to stay awake, Chase and his friends were trembling with pity and distress. They were brothers in arms, each one always looking out for the other Magnus had always been their rock, but now his wife and child had been taken from him. How was he to bear it all? Swiftly they nodded. ¡°Alright, we¡¯re on it. You focus on getting better. We¡¯ll bring Natalia back? ¡°Yeah, you rest here, we¡¯ll go find her right away¡± # 10:58 Chapter 178 Chapter 178 Having said that, Chase and Carter promptly exited the room. James turned back to look at Magnus, who was lying in bed with a cast on his leg, andforted him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about Natalia. What will be will be. You lie here and rest, and remember, you have to listen to Dr. Frankie and cooperate with the treatment. You can¡¯t afford to get hurt again.¡± After saying this, James nodded at Dr. Frankie and followed suit, leaving the hospital room. The room quickly became quiet after they left, and Magnus soon fell into a sleep¨Clike state C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org True to their word, Chase and Carter spared no resources and cost in their search for Natalia, who had fallen overboard at sea. Theybed the area for three days and even sent divers a thousand meters out to search the ocean floor. But there was still no sign of Natalia. After half a month of no news, it seemed impossible that they would find her Upon waking, Magnusy despondently in bed, his expression somewhat vacant. He was sure his wife couldn¡¯t be in danger! He believed she was still alive As long as she came back safe, he promised he would never make her angry again. He would agree to anything she wanted! Even if she insisted on divorcing him and leaving his side, he would try to make it work. He silently prayed that his wife would return safely, even if it cost him a leg! Dr Frankie cast a nce at Magnus, who was lying quietly on the bed. He was no longer acting out or shouting, and was just lying there lifelessly, as if he had no interest in anything. He was lost in his world of longing for Natalia, full of regret. Dr Frankie watched him and couldn¡¯t help but shake his head As a doctor, beyond treating his physical wounds, there was little he could do to console his friend¡¯s emotional turmoil. He knew his friend¡¯s heart all too well. The first time, he watched as Magnus stood up from his wheelchair, enduring pain unimaginable to most This time, he watched as Magnus was once again bound to a wheelchair, and his heart ached for him. After checking the medical equipment monitoring Magnus condition, Dr. Frankie cast another concerned look at his patient before quietly exiting the room. He was just a doctor, after all Aside from treating physical ailments, there was little he could do to help his friend¡¯s emotional turmoil Judging by Magnus expression, it seemed like he wouldn¡¯tst long if they couldn¡¯t find his wife. Magnus stared silently at the ceiling for a long time. His mind was filled with memories of Natalia Her little tempers, her asional moods, the way she pouted, and her subtle frown. Everything was so beautiful. It was as if she was still by his side. never having left. ¡°Nat. God bless you. Please,e back soon¡± Silently. Magnus prayed in his heart for Natalia¡¯s safety. But he knew deep down that this was extravagant of him His wife might nevere back. Time passed in Magnus¡® silent prayer, and soon several more days had passed. Magnus sat on the bed, watching the sky darken, and his mood falling along with it. He knew that as time went on, he would never find his wife again. Chase and Carter, who Magnus had sent out to find Natalia, still had no news. As the sky outside the window gradually darkened, and the city lights began to shine, Chase and Carter once again came to the hospital room. As soon as they pushed open the door to the room, Magnus lifted his head anxiously ¡°How is it? Have you found my wife? Chase shook his head, telling him the harsh truth, ¡°We hired thirty search and rescue teams, and we¡¯ve been searching for three days, but we havent found Natalia¡° Following Chase, Carter came over with a stic bag in hand. ¡°Magnus, we searched the sea for several days and only found this.¡± With that, he brought the stic bag over to Magnus, revealing a soggy, tattered slipper. This should be Natalia¡¯s Looking at the slipper, Magnus heart sank to the bottom It was indeed his wife¡¯s skipper She had left wearing those slippers. Yes, it was hers. Only the shoe was found, but not the person it was all too clear Magnus didn¡¯t dare to think further, still constantlyforting himself in his heart it¡¯s impossible, she must have been saved by someone. She must haver Magnus went sident Chase and Carter knew he was having a hard time, but they didn¡¯t know how to comfort hum in this situatipa James came in just then That¡¯s great I asked everyone at the beach that day, and finally, someone told me they saw a girle up from the west dock after the police left, and then she drove away quickly ¡°What? Magnus suddenly sat up from the bed and asked loudly What did you just say? Say it again!¡± James was startled by Magrius strong reaction and scratched his head a bit awkwardly asked around at the beach today, and an old man who often picks things up by the sea told me that he saw a young man pull something out of the sea and then leave hurriedly ¡°Damn it, then you said it was a girl who was saved Chase red at James thinking he was exaggerating James puffed out his chest, refusing to ept the criticism ¡°That s right there about it, we¡¯ve been searching for Natalia for so long without finding her, so she must have been saved by someone¡± He knew that what James said had no basis, but to avoid discouraging Magnus Chase had no choice but to go along with it. Yes, Natalia must have been saved by someone¡® Looking at the slipper, Magnus waved weakly at Chase and Carter ¡°You can go now I want to be alone for a while.¡± As Magnus was still closing himself off. Chase was the first to speak, ¡°Magnus, you have to think poartreely. Natalia will be fine. She might have been saved by someone Magnus didn¡¯t say anything more, and just waved his hand to let them leave. His mind was in ghaos right now, and he wanted some peace He hoped Chase was right, but he no longer held that hope in his heart. His wife might nevere back ¡°Let¡¯s head back,¡± Carter suggested tugging gently at Chase as they made their way out of the room. He lowered his voice. ¡°He¡¯s not in a good mood. Let¡¯s give him some space.¡± The brothers nodded at each other and moved toward the exit. As they opened the door to leave, a voice echoed from behind them, ¡°Wait¡± Carter and Chase halted their steps, turning their heads back towards the bed where Magnusy. They were unsure why he had stopped them. ¡°Keep the search going out on the sea. Don¡¯t stop until you find her. Just keep looking,¡± Magnus rasped, and his voice was straining with evident exhaustion. He closed his eyes. ¡°I need some rest. Let¡¯s have some quiet¡± The search was a merefort for his restless heart, a beacon of hope that he clung onto each day. Days slipped by unnoticed in the waiting, in the hope that there would be news of Natalia However, with each passing day, the only thing that greeted him was disappointment, over and over again Chapter 179 Chapter 179 That day, Kyler and Addison suddenly appeared in the hospital room and were shocked to see Magnus, who had be haggard and almost unrecognizable over the past month. ¡°Mr. Andersen, death is irreversible. Please ept my condolences¡± Addison couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of glee. Now that Natalia was out of the picture, Kendra would surely step into the role of the CEO¡¯s wife soon. Kyler shot Addison a severe look. ¡°Leave us, I would like to speak with Mr. Andersen alone¡± Addison nced at Magnus before exiting the room, leaving the two men in their somber silence Magnus continued to gaze nkly at the ceiling Kyler sat by his bedside. Guilt was welling up in his chest as he looked at the shell of the man he once knew ¡°Mr Andersen, there is something I think you should know about Natalia¡¯s background,¡± Kyler began, watching as Magnus slowly shifted his gaze toward him He continued. ¡°Natalia wasn¡¯t my biological daughter. Her mother was a college sweetheart of mine. My parents disapproved of our rtionship, which caused her to leave for Ennd in a fit of anger. There, she worked as a secretary for a Duke, who took advantage of her in a drunken state, resulting in Natalia¡¯s conception She was diagnosed with a thin uterine wall, and terminating the pregnancy would have meant she could never bear children again So, she gave birth to Natalia in secret ¡°Fearing the Duke would discover Natalia, she ced her in a British orphanage. When Natalia was five, her mother entrusted her to me, fearing the Duke¡¯s family feud might have put her in danger. To help Natalia forget her past, a hypnotist was hired to erase her memories prior to the age of five ¡°When Natalia had her ident, her mother was devastated I, too, feel regret for failing to protect her Kyler finished with a teardrop rolling down his cheek Magnus sat in stunned silence. His mind was reeling from the revtion. So, Natalia was the daughter of a British Duke. No wonder her demeanor was so different from Kendra¡¯s Could Natalia still love her mother knowing all this? She wiped away Natalia¡¯s memories before the age of five, how cruel. Natalia¡¯s mother brought her into this world only to abandon her. What good was her mother? All these years, why didn¡¯t Natalia¡¯s mothere to see her? She was only expressing grief over Natalia when tragedy struck Magnus red at Kyler ¡°And what about you? How have you taken care of Natalia all these years? Her departure suits you just fine, doesn¡¯t it? Don¡¯t pretend to feel guilty!¡± Magnus was also partly to me. He had imprisoned Natalia on Sapphire Ind, leading to her depression and prematurebor. Natalia couldn¡¯t bear the loss of their child and jumped into the sea. Magnus was the true executioner Magnus felt as if his heart was bleeding. If he could, he would give up his own life to bring Natalia back, even if she no longer belonged to him. Kyler lowered his head without uttering a word, feeling regret for failing Natalia¡¯s mother. A few dayster, Magnus was unable to bear the cold istion of the special care ward, checked out of the hospital, and returned to Sapphire IndC¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org As the car slowly pulled up to Sapphire Ind, Carter helped Magnus out. Looking at the wheelchair he was bound to once again, Magnus let out a bitterugh. This wheelchair seemed to be more of a companion for him. He looked up at the familiar house, and his eyes began misting over for a moment. There was a time when he thought these luxurious houses were cold and uninteresting, but today, for the first time, he felt a sense of warmth. It felt like home. His most beloved woman used to live here, but now, nowhere to be found Magnus sighed deeply, turning to Carter ¡°Let¡¯s go in.¡± Carter nodded pushing Magnus into the mansion she was Linden and May emerged from the house, bowing their heads respectfully as they saw Magnus return. They quickly moved to take over, pushing the wheelchair ¡°Mr Mgarius Without a word, Magnus was wheeled towards the elevator and up to his bedroom with Carter following closely behind He pushed open the bedroom door it was a familiar room, familiar bedding, but no familiar person. As he slowly wheeled over to the bed, he reached out and gently touched the sheets. He opened the wardrobe, and it was filled with freshly changed clothes Suddenly, he felt something trickling down his face Tears He was bing just like Natalia, crying at the drop of a hat Carter saw Magnus pain, left him alone, and retreated to the study Magnus slowly wheeled around the room, touching every article of Natalia¡¯s clothing Then, he moved to the bedside table and slowly opened the drawer Tnside was the pendant he had returned to Callum and Natalia¡¯s cellphone He didn¡¯t take the pendant He just carefully picked up the cellphone. He held the familiar device in his trembling hands and caressed it carefully. He gently pressed the power button, curious to see what Natalia had been thinking and what she had been doing As the screen lit up. Magnus was greeted by a picture of him and Natalia It was taken when he was injured in France. He hadn¡¯t expected her to keep it, let alone set it as her wallpaper. The realization hit him hard, almost like a punch to the gut Natalia did love him. She hadrit abandoned him. She had kept their picture and their memories close to her, always. He was the one who had failed her. He had confined her to the ind and, isted from the world. He scrolled through the rest of the photos, hoping to find more of their shared memories But what he found instead were numerous pictures of him and Isabe! Kendra had sent these pictures to Natalia! Magnus felt as if his brain had exploded. His hands shook as he flipped through the pictures. Each one was a damning testament to his flirtation with Isabe. Some of the photos were incredibly convincing, showing him and Isabe in what appeared to be a deep kiss. There were even shots of Isabe, wearing his jacket, leaving his office. No wonder Nat despised him so much. These photos were enough to make anyone believe that he and Isabe were an item. Isabe! He swore he would make her pay. As he continued his perusal, he came across a series of videos. He immediately opened one, only to find himself and Kendra in apromising situation! He watched in shock as the video yed. The sounds of intimate whispers echoed in his ears. Impossible! He hadn¡¯t so much as touched a hair on Kendra¡¯s head, so how could there be a video like this? Carter came in from the study, only to hear the unseemly video ying. He shook his head with a chuckle, thinking. This guy even had the audacity to record himself in action. He¡¯s got some nerve¡± He stood behind Magnus with his head lowered in embarrassment Who would have thought that the seemingly gentle Natalia had such a kinky side? Chapter 180 Chapter 180 Just as Carter was contemting an excuse to leave, Magnus suddenly handed over the phone. Take a look Carter, looking disgruntled, took the phone. ¡°This isn¡¯t quite right, is it?¡± Magnus had asked him to watch a video of him and his wife¡¯s intimate moment Carter was a decent guy! ¡°Watch, Magnus simplymanded. His words were cold and ruthless With no choice left, Carter reluctantly looked at the video on the phone. It didn¡¯t take him long to realize something was off the video was clearly recorded in a booth in Golden Groove! The woman wasn¡¯t Natalia It was Kendra! My God! And since when did Magnus and that foolish woman, Kendra, start hanging out together? And they didn¡¯t just hang out. They filmed them having sex. That was clearly looking for trouble. ¡°Hold on, Carter asked, holding the phone The man in the video, is that really you?¡± Magnus snorted, and his voice sounded cold and ferillying ¡°What do you think?¡± There was no way it could be him. He would feel nauseous just by looking at Kendra, let alone having sex with her! Carter quickly pieced together the situation. The man in the video cant be you! I get it Kendra must have intentionally slept with another man, recorded it, reced the man¡¯s face with yours, and then purposely sent it to Natalia. That¡¯s what made her so angry that she had a premature birth Find out who was involved in this¡± Magnus ordered. His aura was chilling. ¡°I want them to pay in blood. No need to report back, just make sure they all pay for what they did to my wife!¡± After hismand. Magnus closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, a bloodthirsty glint shone through. He was like a demon straight out of hell, frigid and lethal ¡°Get Dr Frankie to help me recover my legs immediately!¡± Hemanded, not uttering another word Carter hurriedly left with the phone. It wasmon to photoshop pictures, but not somon to photoshop a whole video. It should¡¯ve been easy to trace Once Carter left, Magnus sat alone in the bedroom where Natalia used to sleep sitting there for the whole day. Linden, the butler learned about the situation from his young master and Carter. He was furious at the person who had framed Magnus, but as a butler there was little he could do to seek justice for Natalia. All he could do was to take care of Magnus so that he could deal with those who had dared to harm his wife Magnus, sitting in his wheelchair, remained expressionless. He didn¡¯t move all day until the sunset painted the sky red. He slowly turned his wheelchair to the bed andy down, and the familiar scent of Natalia filled his senses. Her sweetness filled every corner of the room, making him feel at peace and obsessed. Magnus moved his lips, wanting to say something, but he couldn¡¯t. He closed his eyes. He spent his days quietly on Sapphire Ind, just like Natalia, watching the sunrise and sunset from the balcony every day in front of him was the sea that she loved to watch. Back then, she would stand on the balcony and watch the sea every day, and he would hide where she couldn¡¯t see him, watching her Back then, he thought she didn¡¯t want to see him, so he didn¡¯t show himself, she didn¡¯t want to talk to him, so he kept quiet But none of that saved their marriage. Even their child didn¡¯t get a chance to be born. Thinking about their child, Magnus eyes instantly dimmed it was a suffocating pain. Their child was gone He thought he had protected his wife well but he didn¡¯t know that many malicious people were hurting his wife in corners he couldn¡¯t see His thin and frail wife silently endured all the mental torture Those people deserved to diel Kendra, Isabe, none of them would escape He would make them pay in blood! The sea outside the window asionally stirred up a few waves Magnus stared nkly, waiting for Carter to find out the truth. Carter was fast, and in less than two days, he was back at the vi Along with him were four burly bodyguards The bodyguards carried two bup sacks and followed Carter upstairs, dropping the sacks at Magnus feet The sacks hat the floor and let out two muffled groans, squirming on the floor it was clear that there were two people inside Magnus turned his wheelchair around Carter respectfully reported ¡°We¡¯ve found out the truth. Kendra invited Lucius to Golden Groove and recorded their indecent act. Then she hired a private detective to photoshop your face omo Lucius face¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. With that, Carter untied one of the cks and pulled out a man from inside. Here he is Hes the private detective | brought him here How do you want to deal with this guy? it¡¯s up to you¡± The private detective who was dragged out of the sack by Carter, trembled in kar He couldn¡¯t speak clearly and kept begging Magnus. Mr. Andersen please spare me I was just trying to make a living Please forgive me Kendra forced me to do this I was wrong! Please let me gor Magnus smirked a bloodthirsty smile on his face Spare you?¡± ¡°Who spared my wife and child¡± He gestured slightly Take this man to the back mountain to leed Perth ¡°Yes!¡± The four bodyguards immediately lifted the sack and walked out Ten minutester, the back mountain echoed with horrifying screams and the howls of a hungry wolf Hearing the screams from the back mountain, Magnus slightly lifted the corner of his lips and turned to Carter This is just a minor character Where¡¯s the main cupet? Carter wasted no time and untied the other sack The person inside was Kendra, who had fainted from fear ¡°Wake her up, Magnus ordered indifferently ¡°Ssh!¡± The bodyguard obediently brought a bucket of water and poured it over Kendra Kendra woke up from the cold water. Her eyes were dazed as she looked around. She was ambushed and knocked out halfway,pletely clueless about the identity of her assant. The chilling water had already soaked her to the bone. When she finally came to, she was met with the startling sight of Magnus sitting across from her ¡°Magnus, is it you?¡± She gasped at the sight of Magnus, who was back in his wheelchair. His eyes radiated a murderous intent. Her heart dropped like a stone in the ocean. She sat there, petrified, staring at Magnus, whose expressions were now as cold and ruthless as the grim reaper. Magnus shot Kendra a disgusted look. His voice was as cold as ice. ¡°Take her away; lock her in the basement¡± The basement of Sapphire Ind was as cold as a tomb and half¨Cfilled with water. It was a grim reminder of her causing Nat to fall into the sea. Now, he wanted Kendra to taste the bitterness of seawater. Chapter 181 Chapter 181 The tall, ck¨Csuited bodyguards lined up onmand, hoisting Kendra between them. Kendra¡¯s cries rang out, ¡°Magnus, what are you doing? Where are you taking me?¡± Magnus didn¡¯t answer, and couldn¡¯t even be bothered to look at Kendra. Carter, however, sneered at the frightened woman whose face had turned pale. ¡°What are we doing? You know better than anyone! You¡¯ve killed Mrs. Andersen and the child. You¡¯re done for! You¡¯ve lost all shame.¡± Kendra, trembling in fear, refused to give up, crying loudly, ¡°I didn¡¯t kill Natalia. Magnus, you can¡¯t imprison me!¡± ¡°Snap!¡± Natalia¡¯s phone was thrown at Kendra¡¯s feet, showing a video of Kendra in a heated sexual encounter with a man whose profile picture had been changed to Magnus Kendra swallowed hard, realizing that Magnus knew about the fake video she had made. Damn, even after Natalia¡¯s supposed death by drowning, she still wouldn¡¯t leave Kendra alone. ¡°Let me make it clear to you, Kendra. I told you not to mess with my wife, and yet you did I will make you pay Magnus waved his hand. ¡°Take her away!¡± Kendra¡¯s face was as white as paper. She cursed under her breath, crying out. ¡°Magnus, it wasn¡¯t me! Lucius forced me to do it!¡± ¡°You dare to lie! You¡¯ve done such despicable things to upset Mrs. Andersen and still refuse to admit it! Kendra, you¡¯ve truly sunk to a new low.¡± Carter¡¯s mouth curled in disgust Kendra, however refused to admit to anything She knew Magnus ruthless temperament. If he found out she had tarnished his reputation and caused the death of Natalia and the child, he would never let her go. ¡°Magnus, you must believe me! Lucius forced me to do it. If it weren¡¯t for his threats, I would never have sent that video to my sister!¡± Magnus didn¡¯t want to hear another word from her. He signaled the bodyguards to move. ¡°Get her out of here!¡± ¡°Magnus, you can¡¯t treat me like this!¡± Kendra was terrified. She knew that once she was taken away, there would be no good end for her. She had heard that Magnus had a wolf. Could it be that the basement was where Magnus kept his wolf? She screamed, ¡°Magnus, I am. Natalia¡¯s sister How can you do this to me?¡± Unfortunately for Kendra, Magnus¡® response was cold. ¡°You are not worthy of being my wife¡¯s sister. I think she will beforted watching from above as I punish you¡± After speaking, he looked out at the blue sky His gaze was as calm as the ocean. Kendra¡¯s face turned ashen. She knew that Magnus always followed through with his threats. ¡°Mr. Andersen, please don¡¯t! It wasn¡¯t my fault. Lucius and Isabe forced me into this. I¡¯m a victim too! Please, don¡¯t kill me, spare me: Kendra¡¯s pleas echoed throughout the mansion, sounding grating and shrill Magnus sneered, ¡°Everyone who tries to harm my wife will pay the price Don¡¯t worry, none of them will get away. As for you, I certainly won¡¯t kill you¡± A cruel smile appeared on his face. I¡¯ll make you suffer slowly¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re not going to kill me, let me go, Magnus, pleasel¡± Kendra made ast¨Cditch effort to save herself.N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. However, Magnus¡® next words sent her spiraling into despair. ¡°How could I let you go? That would be too easy for you. Since you¡¯ve shamelessly sent out these videos for all to see, I¡¯ll give you to my men. Then, we¡¯ll send you to the underground casinos in Mexico. There are plenty of people there who would enjoy ying with someone like you.¡± Magnus words were chilling, leaving Kendra trembling in fear. ¡°No, you can¡¯t do this! It¡¯s against the law! Magnus, you can¡¯t treat me like this! Please!¡± ¡°When you decided to do such evil things, you should have been prepared for the consequences¡± Magnus gave Kendra onest disdainful look before turning to Carter ¡°Take her away. Do as I said ¡± Carter nodded, signaling the bodyguards to drag Kendra away Kendra, however, wouldn¡¯t go without a fight. She was a rich girl who had grown up with a silver spoon in her mouth. The idea of being vited by these brutish men was more unbearable than death. ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re not human, you¡¯re a beast! I curse you, I curse you for never being able to be with Natalia! That wretch is already dead, drowned in the seal Ha ha ha, you two can never be together!¡± Her words enraged Magnus Magnus looking dark¨Cfaced, signaled the bodyguards to stop and coldly ordered. ¡°Gag her and have your way Don¡¯t forget to record a video and send it to Lucius!¡± ¡°Yes, boss¡°¡± The menughed loudly, quickly gagging Kendra, and dragging her away Kendra, with eyes as gray as death, was taken down to the basement Kendra didn¡¯t want to endure such humiliation. She thought it would be easier to die than to live through this. The men quickly stripped her of her clothes, and the basement was filled with screams! Facing the burly men, Kendra closed her eyes in despair You see, death was not the most terrifying thing, it was living that was truly torturous Inside the mansion, after Kendra was dragged out, Magnus finally turned to Carter ¡°Start the takeover of Simmons Group immediately!¡± Carter looked at Magnus puzzled ¡°Simmons Group? Are you sure?¡± ¡°Of course, I¡¯m sure No one who harms my wife will be left unpunished¡± Magnus was as terrifying as a demon from hell Quickly acquire the stocks of the Simmons family. It¡¯s time to settle the score with them¡± ¡®Yes¡® Carter took his leave. He would spare no effort in executing anything Magnusmanded, especially when it was as easy as dealing with a small fish like the Simmons family. Carter had always been swift and decisive. Within a couple of days, the majority of the Simmons family¡¯s stocks were in Magnus hands Chapter 182 Chapter 182 Magnus confirmed his chips before dialing Isabe¡¯s father¡¯s number, uttering just one sentence Mr. Simmons, I didn¡¯t think you had it in you to keep your cool! Thepany will bear the name of the Andersen Corporation by tomorrow. You can take your wife and children and leave Melfort now¡± Mr. Simmons had been in a state of distress all day He was always meticulous in his work, and the company was flourishing under his management Of course, the Simmons Group was nothing compared to the colossal Andersen Corporation¨Ca mere speck in the business world, incapable of withstanding the Andersen Corporation¡¯s thunderous assault Just as Mr. Simmons was racking his brains, unable to understand why the Andersen Corporation would target him, he received this call from Magnus, and everything clicked into ce. For many years, they had coexisted peaceably with the Andersen Corporation and even cooperated on a few minor projects. Now, with Magnus words, it was clear that the problemy with his beloved daughter. Closing his eyes in frustration, he knew Isabe had been infatuated with Magnus, and even went to lengths to seduce him behind closed doors. But he never imagined that her actions would result in such a dire consequence Mrs Andersen and her child had drowned at sea. This was sensational news in Melfort, and he had been worried about the implications this would have for Isabe Now, hispany was being acquired. ¡°Mr. Andersen, I beg you to spare the Simmons family. I have severed ties with iny disgraceful daughter. Her fate is no longer my concern Michael didn¡¯t want to see his life¡¯s work crumble to dust, so he ruthlessly abandoned his daughter to protect his family. Magnus remained silent, closed his eyes, and hung up the phone. As soon as he put down the phone, Michael immediately called Isabe toe to the office. Isabe drove her little Chevrolet to the office. She had recently learned about Natalia¡¯s drowning and was overjoyed, seeing everything in a positive light. Natalia was dead, perfect¡® It wouldn¡¯t be long before she could rece Natalia as the new wife of Magnus! As she walked into her father¡¯s office, striding confidently in her high heels, and brimming with triumph, she was met with a resounding p in the face Isabe covered her face in disbelief, staring at her father. ¡°Daddy, have you lost your mind? Why did you hit me?¡± Michael Smmons red at Isabe with anger ¡°Lost my mind? You¡¯re the one who¡¯s lost it, don¡¯t you think? Are you mad? You deliberately provoked Magnus Do you know the state you¡¯ve put the Simmons family in? You ungrateful child. Get out! You¡¯re no longer a part of this family I disown you!¡± Isabes face quickly turned bright red from the p, and her cheek stinging. She yelled out of control, ¡°What are you talking about? Why can¡¯t provoke Magnus? | like him, and I want to be the wife of the CEO of the Andersen Corporation!¡± ¡°p¡± Michael pped Isabe again, and her ears were ringing from the impact. ¡°You¡¯ve really lost your mind! How many times have I told you not to provoke Magnus, but you wouldn¡¯t listen, now look! He¡¯s about to swallow up the Simmons Group, and we¡¯re going bankrupt?¡± isabe was shocked ¡°What? We¡¯re going bankrupt? No. I¡¯m going to find Magnus Why is he doing this?¡± ¡°Why? Because he is the king of Melfort Michael¡¯s face was still filled with anger. His gaze towards Isabe was growing colder ¡°You don¡¯t need to find him if you want to save the Simmons Group, there¡¯s only one way.¡± Isabe was anxious ¡°What way?¡± Michael slumped in his chair ¡°That is to sever ties with you. Only then can thepany avoid being implicated by your isabe paled. ¡°Daddy, are you really going to disown me?¡± Michael sighed deeply, looking at isabe with some remorse. ¡°Be, I have no choice You must understand that the Simmons family may not be as powerful as the Andersen Corporation, and I can¡¯t let our family business end under my watch. You should leave Isabe burst into tears ¡°No, Daddy, how can you do this? How can you discard me for this? Didn¡¯t you say I was your little princess?¡± Michael looked at Isabe with a hint of sadness, and sighed. ¡°Ah, what can I do? If it werent for your wrongdoings, would Magnus target the Simmons family? Im not just responsible for you but for thousands of families if the Simmons Group goes bankrupt where will they go?¡± What do their lives have to do with me? Dad, you promised to give me a princess¨Clike life How can you ignore me for these people¡± Isabe cred¨Cout loud ¡°Secretary¡± Michael shouted Immediately. Michael¡¯s secretary entered the room ¡°Sir C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Announce immediately that the CEO of Simmons Group and his daughter Isabe are severing ties Freeze all her bank cards, and veuse her property Michaelsmanding voice made isabe take a step back She stared at her father with wide eyes as if she didn¡¯t recognize harts Understood The secretary immediately exited to carry out the orders Tears streamed down isabe¡¯s face as she dashed out the door colliding head¨Con with her mother Degree ¡°Isabe, what¡¯s wrong? Desiree asked looking at her daughters fear stained ¡°Mommy. Daddy is disowning me Isabe wailed out loud ¡°What What on earth makes you disown our child, Michael? Desiree fired at her husband ¡°If I don¡¯t disown her, we¡¯ll all end up homeless and begging in the streets Choose Daughter or destitution? Michael retorted ¡°Desiree was speechless Unable to hold back her emotions, Isabe ran out again. Her tears were blurring her vision. As the sun set her sobbing continued into the night. Suddenly, she remembered Magnus and thought of pleading with him to spare the Simmons family. Surely, he would show them mercy for old times sake As she rose to return home, a group of vagrants approached her ¡°Hey, there¡¯s a prettydy here What¡¯re you doing out here sote, sweetheart?¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°Did you have a fight with your boyfriend, darling? Come, let usfort you¡± They surrounded her tearing at isabe¡¯s clothes ¡°Get away somebody help¡± Isabe¡¯s clothes were torn off in an instant, exposing her body. In the darkness lecherous hands explored her body The vagabonds wereughing grotesquely Suddenly, a shadowy figure swooped in grabbing one of the vagabonds hands with a loud ¡°snap The vagabond cried out in agony as the shadow swiftly knocked them all down, draping his jacket around Isabe in the moonlight, Isabe saw the man¡¯s deep, dark eyes, as fierce as a demon from hell, locking onto her Terrified, she fainted The mysterious figure scooped Isabe into his arms and hopped onto a speedboat, quickly disappearing into the waters off the coast of Melfort Chapter 183 Chapter 183 I that Michael and isabe had severed their rtionship, he couldn¡¯t bring me to for their past camaraderie Two days inter news arrived that isabe was missing Magnus sat motionless, staring nkly at the azure expanse of ocean his face devoid of any expression Who knew what he was thinking? Nine years ago, he had been betrayed by Lucius, which resulted in him losing his legs. Afterwards, Isabe abandoned him. He had managed to endure all of that The time he had lost his legs again but had also lost his beloved wife. He surmised that he probably couldn¡¯t pull through this time. Even if he dealt with those who had betrayed his wife, he couldn¡¯t bring her back Magnus continued to gaze emptily at the sea every day. Outside his window, the sea wind rustled, and the waves seemed to sigh with regret and longing Morgan tred several times to cheer Magnus up, reminding him that thepany could not go one day without a leader But Magnus still lived in his memories of Natalia. He no longer cared about any company matters, leaving everything to Paul Carter and Chase also had their hands full On the day of Carters return to France, an irate Morgan announced that Lucius would temporarily take over as thepany president. When Magnus received the news, he showed no reaction Lucius strutted around Andersen Corporation with his shoes shining, and his suit perfectly tailored. He was full of pride and satisfaction Finally, Magnus, that bastard had lost his legs again, and Lucius had smoothly taken over Andersen Corporation while Magnus was recuperating The feeling of power was so wonderful! Even though Morgan said it was temporary, once Lucius had this position, he would never give it up! However, he regretted that Magnus had only lost his legs, and hadn¡¯t been killed it was so frustrating! He was afraid that one day, that cripple would stand up again and take his position ¡°But this is also not bad Magnus, do you want to fight with me? You¡¯ve ended up losing your wife and child, and now you have to sit in a wheelchair Lucius thought Hahaha he was the rightful president of Andersen Corporation! With these thoughts, Lucius opened the door to his office and walked in This was Magnus former office it was neatly arranged and meticulously maintained. Lucius looked around the room and sneered, ¡°What kind of taste does Magnus have? The office of a CEO doesn¡¯t have a single decoration It¡¯s so shabby¡± After saying this, Lucius called his assistant give you half a day to redecorate this office to be grand and opulent. If you can¡¯t do it, pack your bags, and get out After the call Lucius felt much better. He leaned back in his luxurious office chair and closed his eyes to rest in the peaceful environment, Lucius suddenly thought of Kendra. It had been a long time since he had seen her in fact, this time, it was all thanks to her that Magnus was brought down and Natalia and Magnus son were killed. Now that he had taken the position of CEO, why hadn¡¯t shee to see him? She should¡¯ve been eager to tter him and even willing to lick his shoes that was just the woman she was! With this thought, he casually dialed Kendras number, eager to have here over and satisfy his vanity Ding Ding¡ªDing¨C The phone was quickly answered, and Lucius frivolously asked. ¡°Kendra, do you know where I am?¡± He was expecting to hear Kendra¡¯s familiar voice, but instead, an anxious voice from Addison came from the other end of the line ¡°You¡¯re Lucius, night? Mr. Andersen, Kendra has been missing for several days!¡± ¡°What? Lucius instantly dropped his smile, sat up straight, and asked seriously. ¡°What happened? How could she just disappear?¡± On the other end of the phone. Addison was choking up, clearly having cried for a long time 1, I don¡¯t know, I found Kendra¡¯s phone at our front door it¡¯s been several days now, and she never came home I don¡¯t know where she went ¡°How could this happen? Did you report it to the police? Lucius asked. ¡°I did, but the police said that the surveince at our front door was broken There was some surveince footage of Kendraing home from a camera further away, but it didn¡¯t show what happened at our front door Kendra, she just disappeared without a trace Addison cried. On the phone Addison pleaded with Lucius. Mr Andersen, I beg you, you must save Kendra Even though Lucius was a heartless man, he still had a soft spot for Kendra ¨C she was his first woman. He was far from being deeply in love with her, as he didn¡¯t understand what love was But regarding Kendra¡¯s sudden disappearance, Lucius was also caught off guard ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. in Melfort everyone knew that Kendra was Lucius woman Who would dare toy a hand on her? Lucius comforted Addison with a few words and quickly hung up the phone He sat at his desk frowning as he pondered the reasons for Kendra¡¯s disappearance Who would be so bold? Suddenly a thought shed across Lucius mind ¨C Magnus? That was right, if anyone in Melfort didn¡¯t take Lucius seriously, it was probably only Magnus, right? He must have found out that Kendra had betrayed Natalia But where had he taken Kendra? He didn¡¯t kill Kendra, did he? This thought shed through Lucius mind, and without any hesitation Lucius immediately called Magnus. The phone was picked up and Magnus cold, distant voice came from the other end ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk tsk. Magnus, such disrespect for your own brother? Shouldn¡¯t you at least call me Lucius or Mr Andersen?¡± Upon hearing Magnusckluster Magnus was in a foul mood and intentionally provoked him with a sarcastic tone ¡°Mr Andersen? | hope you¡¯ll take that title to your grave! The icy voice that echoed from the phone seemed to originate straight from heli ne, Lucius knew A shiver ran down Lucius spine He retorted sharply Magnus, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re losing your temper now Ive told you before, you won¡¯t be able to hold onto your CEO position for long See, not even a year has passed, and you we resigned¡± ¡°Ha, ha, back in the wheelchair again, are you? How does it feel. Magnus? Are you enjoying your days of mourning your wile and sun? Lucius sheered from his chan Upon hearing his words. Magnus cellphone began to twist and warp in his grip, and the veins on his fomhead were buiging in agitation in an instant, with a phone was crushed in half Listening to the disconnected dial toneing from his phone, Lucius was so infuriated he nearly threw his own phone ¡°Damn you, Magnus, hanging up But as he lifted his phone, Lucius changed his mind. He still had to contact Kendra Left with no other choice he dialed Magnum muniber again. The phone The phone Chapter 184 Chapter 184 Magnus was dead Lucius immediately dialed thendline of Sapphire Ind, refusing to believe that Magnus could switch off all his lines of Magnur thought it was Morgan calling to appease his anger. He picked up Four Lucius again C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Du want 7 Magnus sneered his words ¡°Where have you taken Kendra Lucius voice was filled with anxety Heh, Kendra huh? She might be having a st with some guys in a Mexican underground casino right now Lucius, do you want toe see?¡± signaled to his bodyguard. The bodyguard immediately sent a video to Lucius from his phone ideo of Kendra in a foursome I was a Enjoy watching your having fun Learn something. Ha¨Cha Magnus hung up the phone, feeling a sense of relief He wheeled himself towards the elevator and went Lucius hung up the phone and then saw the video sent by the bodyguard. He was shocked and his hands gripped his phone so hard. He wished he could destroy the world Magnus was torturing Kendra Even though Lucius was disappointed in Kendra, seeing her like this hurt him. His heart was filled with rage. He squeezed out the words through gritted teeth ¡°Magnus, I will make sure you have no ce to rest in peace!¡± A few dayster Magnus sat in his wheelchair and was being pushed by Chase, to the bridge where Natalia had fallen off The cool sea breeze blew by, and beneath were the relentless waves Listening to the sound of the sea. Magnus asked quietly. ¡°Still no news about Natalia, huh?¡± Chase sighed softly. Yes, we send people to search every day, but there¡¯s nothing Magnus closed his eyes slightly. His face looked exhausted I see, you can go now. I want to be alone! Carter hesitated Magnus, if Natalia is still alive, she wouldn¡¯t want to see you like this Lucius has taken over the Andersen Corporation You can¡¯t be in this state ¡°What¡¯s the difference? Without my wife, what do I need thepany for Magnus said, closing his eyes and waving Chase away. ¡°Go¡± Chase acknowledged Magnus stubborn behavior and didn¡¯t insist. He shook his head and left, leaving Magnus alone on the bridge Magnus wheeled himself to the edge of the bridge, silently looking down at the raging sea. The sea was roaring and sshing, and the waves were mesmerizing ¡°My wife where are you now? Can youe back? I was wrong¡± In the distance, a vendor was selling a big bunch of red roses. He was yelling out to potential customers while walking towards Magnus Magnus looked at the bright red roses He had never given hisdy roses before Chase stood at a distance watching the vendor. He hesitated for a moment, thinking it was just a flower vendor and there wouldn¡¯t be any problem. He stood there as Magnus had instructed, not daring to disturb him Flowers, fresh roses representing the most faithful love! The vendor walked up to Magnus with a bunch of flowers ¡°Sir, do you want a bouquet? Give them to your beloved. I think she would like it¡® ¡°Is that so Magnus hooked his lips slightly ¡°Alright, help me throw these flowers into the water Mydy might really like it.¡± The vendor was surprised. He probably had never seen someone buy flowers to throw into the sea ¡°Sir, are you sure you want to throw these flowers into the water? Are you sure you dont want to keep some for your beloved girl?¡± Magnus shook his head ¡°No need, just throw them in the water I will pay you for theseter ¡°Alright¡± The vendor obediently nodded and suddenly lunged at Magnus, pushing his wheelchair towards the railing, saying maliciously Sir, let me take you to throw the flowers into the sea yourself ¡°Heh. I figured it out, you¡¯re not a flower vendor Who sells flowers and does not know their own product. You were not even paying attention when walking. Are you here to kill me? Magnus mouth curved in a sarcastic smile The man¡¯s face turned red from Magnus mockery, but he didn¡¯t have the time to argue with Magnus. ¡°No more nonsense, someone paid a high price for your life. I just take the money and do the job! Don¡¯t comin when you reach hell! The flower vendor was actually a disguised assassin Seeing the bodyguards not far away rushing over, he feared that he would fail, so he used all his strength to push Magnus against the railing of the bridge He prepared to push Magnus into the sea! Chase had seen something was wrong from a distance. No flower vendor would run that fast. He had already pulled out his gun and ran over while yelling Let him go Don¡¯te over None of youe over!¡± The assassin held Magnus, who was unable to resist due to his leg injury, and yelled at Chase to stay away None of youe over, or will push him down!¡± ¡°If you know what¡¯s good for you, you will let go of him now, then I might consider leaving you as a whole corpse Chase was furious, and silently ming himself for being careless and letting the assassin take Magnus hostage. ¡°Shut up! The assassin was furious Tm just a lowlife I can exchange my life for Mr. Andersen¡¯s, it seems like a good deal Don¡¯te over, or I will do what i say!¡± ¡°Heh, you don¡¯t need to kill me Magnus chuckled, looking at the roaring waves Natalia had driven off the same way I he could he would¡¯ve liked to join her in atonement Magnus used his strength to break free from the assassin rolled over the railing and fell into the sea The hitman hadn¡¯t expected Magnus to pull such a stunt, leaving him in a state of shock and confusion! He had thought that if Magnus handed over the money, he would take it and disappear with his wife and children fromt Melfort. But Magnus had thrown himself into the water ¡°Magnus Chase shouted in disbelief He immediately stared at the churning waves before diving in after him. The bodyguards trailing behind followed suit and plunged into the water The flower vendor turned and ran Magnus, swallowed by the waves, sank into the ocean with a smile on his face. He tried to swim, but he had forgotten his leg was still injured. We had to find his wife Saltwater rushed into his ears, nose, and mouth, draining him of all his strength. His body slowly sank deeper. The only sound he could hear was the crashing of the waves against his consciousness as it blurred into nothingness Chapter 185 Chapter 185 When Chase and his bodyguard hauled Magnus out of the water, his eyes were tightly shut, and his lungs were filled with water At the hospital Morgan rushed to the scene, looking at the lights shing in the emergency room He turned to Chase ¡°What¡¯s the status¡± ¡°He¡¯s in critical condition, and his leg wound has begun to worsen, Chase truthfully replied Anger shed across Morgan¡¯s aging face ¡°Is this all he¡¯s capable of? He¡¯s sought death multiple times for that girl! I don¡¯t need to have such a disgraceful grandson in the Andersen family! Let him perish!¡± Morgan trembled with rage, gripping his cane tightly ¡°Sir, someone tried to assassinate him He didn¡¯t jump willingly Chase quickly exined ¡°Do you think I¡¯m senile? Could that flower vendor have the capability to kill him? If he wasn¡¯t desperate enough to jump, who could have killed him!¡± Morgan shouted in the hospital corridor Chase quickly steadied Morgan Sir, don¡¯t worry Magnus will be fine. He¡¯lle around ¡°Chase tell me, has he be like this all for a woman? | let Lucius temporarily take over as president to motivate him to stand again But he Morgan shook his head. gripping his cane tightly ¡°Magnus loves Natalia deeply, and it¡¯s only human nature Sir, you should go home and rest, I¡¯ll stay here to watch over him, Chase said, guiding Morgan to the door Just then, the door to the emergency room opened, and the doctor pushed out Magnus Mr Andersen, the doctor greeted with a smile ¡°How is he? Morgan asked, looking at the pallid and bloodless face of Magnus lying on the bed. Morgan furrowed his brows ¡°Mr. Andersen¡¯s leg has been soaked in seawater it could take quite some time to heal. But the real concern is that he ingested a lot of seawater, he may suffer from selective amnesia the doctor exined ¡°Selective amnesia¡± Morgan turned to the doctor. ¡°If he could forget, that¡¯d be great.¡± What will he forget? Chase thought. He wouldn¡¯t forget him too, right? That would be disastrous! ¡°Typically, patients with selective amnesia lose memory of the most traumatic events, because, subconsciously they don¡¯t want to remember But over time, he might recall it Or it mighte back to him suddenly¡± Morgan nodded silently at the doctor¡¯s words. ¡°As long as he¡¯s alive, let him forget.¡± Three days passed before Magnus finally woke up in the hospital, feeling as though he had slept for an eternity. He stared nkly at the sterile white surroundings of the hospital room, wondering why he was there. As Linden entered the room, he saw Magnus awake and rushed over in relief. ¡°You re finally awake You scared us. You¡¯ve been asleep for three days, Linden said, setting down the thermos he brought and gently helping Magnus up ¡°Why am in the hospital? Magnus asked in a low voice ¡°Your leg injury worsened, so we had to bring you here,¡± Linden replied. Frowning Magnus asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Dr Frankie?¡± ¡°He¡¯s gone back to France¡± ¡°Call him back here immediately He¡¯s the only one who can treat my leg Magnus said coldly, staring out the window He felt like something was off, as though he had forgotten something important ¡°Okay, I call him right away. Linden said, leaving the room. Upon receiving the call Dr Frankie and James immediately rushed to Melfort. As they entered the hospital room, they saw Magnus expressionless face ¡°Magnus. I¡¯m here! Dr Frankie said, worried that Magnus might not recognize him James also chimed in, Magnus, do you know who I am?¡± Magnus shot them a nce, ¡°What¡¯s with the fuss? I don¡¯t have amnesia James and Dr. Frankie exchanged looks, they werent so sure! ¡°Get on with checking my leg I dont remember it worsening Wasn¡¯t it already healed? Magnus said, dismissing their concerns. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Your leg was indeed healed, but don¡¯t you remember? You were chased and fell into the sea. The seawater caused your wound to worsen, Dr Frankre exined *Well seriously Magnus furrowed his brow Someone tried to assassinate him? Lucius? Dr. Frankie stayed with Magnus in Melfort for two months During this time, Magnus was sullen and showed no unusual behavior. He never asked anyone what he had forgotten He quietly epted treatment After another month, Magnus leg slowly improved and he was able to walk again Dr Frankie finally left Melfort, leaving Chase to apany Magnus One more month passed and Magnus leg fully recovered. He returned to Sapphire ind, and his demeanor and entric personality remained as they had been. He never mentioned anything about Natalia as if he had never experienced anything rted to her To prevent him from being upset, Morgan ordered ( Natalia¡¯s belongings to be removed Every day, Magnus would gaze at the blue sea, feeling as though a piece of his heart missing One day Morgan came to Sapphire Ind Sewing Magnus silent and gloomy demeanor, he felt a pang af guilt. ¡°Magnus don¡¯t you want to go to thepany? After you were injured, I let Lucrus temporarily take over as presidem. Now that you¡¯re well, don¡¯t you want to j Morgan asked, staring at his grandson who had been utterly devastated by love Still, he coulder¡¯t being himself to me him. ¡°Grandpa, doesnt Lucius really want to be president? Then let him be he said quietly, seeming disinterested in everything ¡°You don¡¯t know what kind of person Lucius Can he really handle being the president of Andersen Corporation? If he¡¯s in charge, hy¡¯ll nui Magnus remained calm ¡°Grandpa, you should think about your own well¨Cbeing Lucius want ruin af And besides, I don¡¯t care about being the president. Corporation Chapter 186 Chapter 186 When the child was born, he was not dead, but Morgan had the baby taken away, because he felt that Natalia wasn¡¯t suitable to be Mrs. Andersen. All he wanted was to hide the child away and get Natalia to leave. If she had no ties to the child, she would leave quickly. But what he didn¡¯t expect was for Natalia to drive off a cliff when she learned of the baby¡¯s supposed death Morgan was guilt¨Cridden, but his principles remained unchanged Now that Natalia was gone, he would raise the child well Now, Magnus was still unable to cope because of Natalia, and this annoyed Morgan He considered whether to let Magnus know about the child, perhaps it would inspire hum to pull himself together After all, Natalia was no longer in this world, and the child would have to be known to Magnus sooner or later. If he knew he had a child, he would surely be the Magnus he used to be All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. On that day, the child did not die, Morgan fooled everyone. When Natalia was critically ill, Morgan received the news and rushed to the hospital The situation was dire, and the doctor asked Morgan whether they had to save the mother or the child Morgan always disdained Natalia and never cared for her well being. He never valued Natalia and felt she was not fit to be the Andersen family¡¯s matriarch, let alone Magnus wife He had no intention to consider her life at all So. Morganmanded that every effort should be made to preserve the Andersen Corporation bloodline, and as for Natalia, who was carrying the Andersen Corporation bloodline, it was left to fate to decide! When the doctors saved the child. Natalia also survived Morgan saw Natalia alive and well, and immediately bribed all the doctors and nurses present, to take the child away, and tell Natalia the child was dead. He just wanted Natalia to leave. The Andersen family¡¯s child would have the highest honor Luckily Natalia survived but when she woke up, all the medical staff told her that the child had died due to an untimely rescue. Natalia was devastated and never knew that Morgan had secretly taken her child away in Morgan¡¯s heart, Natalia was not suitable to be the matriarch of the Andersen family and this matter would soon pass. After all, there were many outstanding girls around Magnus every day, and he would forget Natalia in no time Women were all the same, if one was gone, there would be another. As long as Magnus had money, he would neverck a wife! Morgan¡¯s n was good but he did not expect to have underestimated the situation. He originally thought that as time passed, Magnus would gradually forget Natalia But what he didn¡¯t expect was that even after so long. Magnus not only failed to recover, but had also lost his memory Every day Magnus was like a child oblivious to world affairs. He even wanted to give up the entire Andersen Corporation What was this all about? Morgan was annoyed. and he felt he had to give Magnus a harsh stimulus That day Morgan woke up early, held his great¨Cgrandson in his arms, and drove to Sapphire Ind On the way, Morgan held his chubby great¨Cgrandson, kissed and looked at him with reluctance This was the Andersen family¡¯s bloodline. He was clever and smart, with adorable looks just like Magnus when he was a child. If it wasn¡¯t for waking up that damn boy Magnus, he really didn¡¯t want to send him away Soon the car arrived at Sapphire Ind and stopped in front of Magnus vi. Linden never expected Morgan toe to Sapphire ind again, he hurried to greet him. As soon as he opened the car door, he saw Morgan holding a little baby in his arms The baby was chubby and round, giggling at Linden, making him dazed. Was Linden crossing time and space? Otherwise, how was he looking at a spitting image of Mr. Magnus as a child? Not believing his eyes, Linden respectfully bowed to Morgan. Sir, this child?¡± Morgan knew Linder had guessed it and did not deny it. ¡°Yes, this is Magnus¡® son¡± Linden was stunned standing in ce, not knowing what to say next The son of Mr Magnus? He had just been guessing, but guessing and getting a definite answer werepletely different things. Moreover, Morgan had confirmed Linden¡¯s suspicions, which was even more surprising When did he have such a son? Looking at that smiling little face, it was clearly an angel who had identally fallen to earth! ¡°What are you dazing for? Why don¡¯t you lead the way? Perhaps because he was holding his great¨C grandson, Morgan was in a good mood, and his tone was a bit teasing Linden came back to his senses and nodded quickly ¡°Yes yes let¡¯s go, sir, this way um, Morgan grunted from his nose, carefully held his precious great¨Cgrandson, and walked towards the vi Linden walked ahead His steps light as if he was running in three steps, Linden arrived at the front of the vi, pushed open the door, and eximed joyoushy. Sir Mir Morgan is here Morgan is here Linder sudden shout echoed through the vi, and May came over in a hurry and nced at Linden ¡°What are you yelling for? Has Mr. Morgan never been h?rt ¡°It¡¯s different this time Linder¡¯s face crinkled up with delight. He pointed towards Morgan, not far behind him. Take a good look, a real good look. What¡¯s Morgan got in han arms there? May had been busily chiding Linden for his fussiness, but upon hearing his words, she followed his pointing finger and saw Morgan awkwardh them. She squinted slightly, and sure enough, Morgan was holding a baby It looked to be around five or six months old No way! May rubbed her eyes, tugging on Linder¡¯s sleeve Linden, whose little one is Morgan holding? ha way toy Having worked at the Andersents for over thirty years, the knew Morgans temperament well. He had a well¨Cknown aversion t Despite the fact that he now treated Mr Magnus as if he were his precious gem when Mr. Magnus was a child, the mere sound of his crying would have Morgen ready to toss him out, all because he was too noisy Yet, could it truly be that Morgan, a man with such repulsion towards children, was now crading a baby in his arms? May found. it hard to believe However, reality left no room for May¡¯s disbelief, for before Linden could answer, Morgan had already made moved gingerly It was as if he were holding a precious treasure, fearful that one careless move might break Chapter 187 Chapter 187 1. it. den were utmacy and firm, as he At that moment, May could finally see clearly. The child in Morgan¡¯s arms was as beautiful as a cherub. His big eyes were sparkling, his skin was soft and rosy, and his chubby little hand was in his mouth, as if he was hungry The child was drooling, making a pouting face, and his drool sttered onto Morgan¡¯s face But Morgan wasn¡¯t angry Instead, heughed and wiped his face, enjoying the moment May was taken aback Was she seeing things? Why did it feel like the child in Morgan¡¯s arms was a young Mr. Magnus? C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Morgan noticed the surprise on May¡¯s and Linden¡¯s faces, and his heart was filled with joy He strode into the house, calling out, ¡°Where¡¯s my grandson? Tell him toe Out! Upstairs, Magnus had already heard themotion, but he didn¡¯t respond. He stood on the balcony, silently looking out at the blue ocean Despite his healed leg, he wanted to stay on this ind. He felt empty inside as if this ce was his sanctuary. When his call was not answered, Morgan frowned, looking at Linden with displeasure Call Magnus.¡± Linden bent slightly pointing upstairs ¡°He is upstairs, looking at the seat Morgan frowned even more Magnus was bing more and more disgraceful Ever since he lost his memory, he had been staring at the sea every day, as if he was enchanted Sigh! With a long sigh Morgan held the child and went upstairs. Upon entering Magnus bedroom, Linden softly said, ¡°Sir, Mr. Morgan is here.¡± Magnus didn¡¯t respond, he did not even move a muscle. He didn¡¯t know what was wrong with himself. He felt disinterested in everything it was as if Magnus had lost the most important thing in his life Seeing Magnus gloomy look. Morgan felt even more frustrated Holding the baby he walked towards Magnus, nning to give him a good scolding. But after a few steps. the little darling in his arms suddenly giggled. Morgan looked down at the giggling baby, his face full of love Magnus also heard the baby¡¯sughter, and his heart stirred. He turned his head curiously, only to see his grandpa holding a baby. The baby was adorable, with a rosy, mischievous face He was looking at Magnus with his big eyes, and his little fist was still in his roouth Whose child was this? Magnus was a bit puzzled. Why did he feel familiar with the baby in his grandpa¡¯s arms? Morgan stopped in front of Magnus, cing the baby on hisp Magnus, look who this is? I¡¯m giving this little guy to you. You have to pull yourself together. The road ahead is still long You can¡¯t just give up like this Magnus didn¡¯t understand what Morgan was saying His attention was entirely on the baby in his arms. He couldn¡¯t help but hold the baby He stared at the baby¡¯s chubby face The baby wasn¡¯t scared at all. He was looking at Magnus with his big eyes ¡°Whose child is this? Magnus asked softly For some reason, his heart was pounding Morgan watched Magnus expression This is your son, Magnus. You¡¯re a father now, you can¡¯t be reckless anymore. The whole Andersen family needs you.¡± Magnus mind buzzed He only saw Morgan¡¯s mouth moving, but he couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying Did Morgan just say that this was his child? When did he have a child? Suddenly, a headache hit Magnus He clenched his teeth, desperately searching his memory for anything about this child, but he couldn¡¯t find anything! Enduring the headache, Magnus looked down at the baby in his arms. The baby felt so familiar, especially those bright eyes, they seemed to be deeply imprinted in Magnus bones, making them impossible to forget After staring at Magnus for a while, the baby sweetly smiled He grabbed Magnus hand and started to chew on it, as if it was a milk bottle. The soft and tender touch shook Magnus soul All the memories he had deliberately sealed off surged into his mind like a tidal wave All the past events, all the pain, and the unforgettable sorrow Everything flooded Magnus mind. At that moment, Magnus felt like he was on a roller coaster skyrocketing into the sky Everything suddenly made sense He remembered His wife He stared at the beautiful baby in his arms, and his heart was aching immensely Natalia His wife! His voice became hoarse, and his hands trembled slightly as he held the baby He murmured. ¡®This is my son?¡± Didn¡¯t the baby die as soon as he was born? Didn¡¯t he die of oxygen deprivation? Didn¡¯t he force the baby¡¯s mom to jump into the sea? Understanding Magnus confusion, Morgan regretfully said, ¡®Yes Natalia had a massive hemorrhage due to premature birth, and the baby was put in an incubator. To avoid the worry of losing the baby again. I hid the baby i nned to tell you when he was older, but I didn¡¯t expect Natalia ¡°Enough¡± Magnus abruptly turned around His cold voice cut off Morgan¡¯s words His voice was indifferent, as if Morgan was a stranger Grandpa, you don¡¯t need to exin You intentionally hid the baby to force my wife away. Are you satisfed with the result now? His voice was full of endless sorrow, as if all this just happened yesterday. At Magnus usation, Morgan opened his mouth to say something, but in the end he remained silent, sighing heavily With tears in his eyes, Magnus held the baby tightly He looked into the baby¡¯s eyes, which were a light blue just like Natalias With a steely resolve, he said Grandpa, if this is what you want. I will do as you wish from now on, I will shoulder the responsibility of revitalizing the Anders beg of you dont interfere in my affairs anymore because I¡¯m afraid I might lose control and do something disrespectiu This was the person Magnus loved most in the world yet he had indirectly caused the death of Magnus beloved How was he supposed to live with that? Morgan took a step back, staring at Magnus in disbebel. Magnus? Are you really defying me because of this? He had anticipated Magnus ming him when he found out the truth, but he didn¡¯t expect such a vehement reaction Holding his child in his arms, the expression on Magnus face remained impassive Gandpa, this is what you wanted, unit it? Ady wife is gone, and you¡¯ve sessfully brought me back to the Andersen Corporation. I agreed What more do you want?¡± Chapter 188 Chapter 188 Morgan had thought that introducing the child to the world might¡¯ve roused Magnus from his despondence. But what he received instead was his grandson¡¯s resentment. Magnus had regained his memory! Unable to hold back his tears, Morgan¡¯s steps faltered ¡°Good, good, myd, you¡¯ve done well I¡¯ve been a fool, and I must bear the consequences of my actions. But could you perhaps bring the little one to see me every now and again? I simply can¡¯t bear the thought of not seeing him ¡°I¡¯m sorry but I will be the one to raise the child, and no one else can visit him! Magnus¡® cold demeanor made Morgan¡¯s heart sink. After saying this, he turned to his ever¨Cpresent butler, Linden Linden, escort Morgan out And from now on, no one is to visit me if Morgan was so averse to Magnus wife, why should he be allowed to see the child¡® Linden, not daring to say anything else, slowly helped Morgan down the staircase. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Sir shall we?¡± Morgan¡¯s face, lined with age, was filled with disappointment This was the grandson he had raised, he was ruthless, cold¨Chearted! As long as Magnus managed to recover and continue the legacy of the Andersen Corporation, it didn¡¯t matter if Morgan didn¡¯t visit! ¡°Very well, very well indeed Morgan muttered under his breath, leaning on Linden for support as they descended the staircase Morgan¡¯s silhouette was hunched, and his steps were faltering It was as if he had aged a decade in just one night Ignoring Morgan¡¯s departure. Magnus looked down at the little bundle in his arms, feeling his heart melt. This was his little one, his and Nat¡¯s son He looked down at the small figure in his arms, reaching out to touch the soft baby cheeks. The little one stared back at him with wide eyes His heart was melting ¡°Linder, May! Find a nanny and a pediatrician, and purchase everything the baby might need Linden and May immediately agreed, and the entire Sapphire Ind erupted in cheers. Magnus had regained his memory, and he was ¡°back to life Most importantly, his son was home. The adorable baby boy was Magnus and Ms. Natalia¡¯s son Magnus held his son, barely daring to blink, afraid that everything would turn out to be a dream Tears of joy streamed down his face as he held his baby. ¡°Nat, our son is alive! Can you see this from heaven?¡± Looking up at the clear blue sky, his eyes filled with tears ¡°What should I call you? Magnus pondered. ¡°Let¡¯s call you Jonas.¡± Jonas sat innocently between Magnus legs, seemingpletely indifferent to his new name. All he knew was to gnaw on his fingers. He looked up at Magnus as if to protest, 1m hungry!¡± As Magnus caressed Jonas s little head, a slight smile formed on his lips, followed by a hint of mncholy. This was the bloodline of him and his beloved wife, but his wife was never going to see this A single tear drop fell onto Jonas¡¯s hand He felt something cool, and eagerly put it in his mouth. He tasted it and scrunched up his face in disgust. Magnusughed at Jonass reaction. His gaze was filled with affection ¡°Baby, that¡¯s daddy¡¯s tear, you can¡¯t eat that ¡± While saying this, he held Jonas in his arms and pointed at the vast sea outside the window ¡®Do you see that? That¡¯s the sea. Your mom loved watching the waves. always said there were countless stories hidden in the waves. I didn¡¯t believe her before, but now, I do believe Jonas listened intently, making cute noises from time to time. The shadows of the father and son stretched long on the floor After seeing off Morgan and purchasing baby supplies, Linden returned to the mansion. As Linden ced the newly bought items, May, who was standing by the door of Magnus study was wiping away her tears Upon seeing Linden, May immediately gestured for him to be quiet. Shh, he is ying with the baby. Let¡¯s not disturb them Linden seeing Mays red eyes, couldn¡¯t help but feel a lump in his throat. Ever since Magnus woke up from hisa, he¡¯d been like a walking corpse. But now, with the arrival of the baby, there was finally some life in his eyes ¡°Alright Linden nodded ¡®Let¡¯s not disturb their reunion Saying this, Linden quietly turned around and when May wasn¡¯t looking, he wiped away a tear. inside the room, Magnus was holding little Jonas, and looking out at the sea Jonas didn¡¯t fuss at all, and after a while, due to his hunger, he pouted at Magnus before failing asleep Magnus, knowing that Linden and May were waiting outside the door, whispered, ¡°May, Linden, you two need to take good care of Jonas.¡± May and Linden, who had been standing outside the door immediately entered. They moved softly towards Magnus May reached out to take the baby, and only after twice did Magnus reluctantly hand over the little one Magnus was still worned Be gentle don¡¯t wake him up May nodded repeatedly Don¡¯t worry, young master I raised you and I won¡¯t make any mistakes. ¡°Ainight Magnus nodded You need to be even more carefu an when you were taking cam of me. Only because Jonas didn¡¯t have a mulher Magnus heart was heavy ¡°Don¡¯t worry, young master: Linden quickly reassured. I¡¯m here too! Only then did Magnus feel slightly relieved. He watched as the two of them were about to leave, and quic back to have onest loot ¡°His name is Jonas Remember that ¡± At thu, May¡¯s eyes welled up with tears if Natalia knew how much Magnus missed her she would surely rest in peace, would Promise me, you¡¯ll look after him Maghus pressed A newfound determination was etched across his face. ¡°I have been in the dark for too long, it¡¯s time i settia my stuve with Lucius Lindan and May, cradling the child, auted the study with a would get away! enewed confidence. Their young maste ? dnally back? This time, no one vehic Thesest few days §Ó§à§á§à§â The reason mortha Then the furter spread that the loomattuun tub norarily handing over the rate of ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. insperation was the deappearance of What Bude the ready tingle Magrion facarra ar margin amneglenk 1 Andersen as the new national Heartbrok Chapter 189 Chapter 189 Magnus Andersen was riding high on sess, his face graced the cover of every magazine, selling out as soon as they hit the shelves. Just as life seemed to settle into a routine, a bombshell dropped from those in the know Apparently, Mr. Andersen¡¯s premature son hadn¡¯t died. He had been secretly kept hidden by the head honcho of Andersen Corporation, Morgan. The birth of his son had pulled Magnus out of his inconsble grief over the loss of his wife, transforming his sorrow into newfound strength. He was ready to rise from the ashes, take over the reins as CEO and take Andersen Corporation to new heights Of course, all of these were just rumors floating around. There was no guarantee of their authenticity However, when the next shareholders meeting of Andersen Corporation was held the first news to break was enough to shake the entire city Effective immediately, Lucius was relieved of his managerial duties, and the CEO, Magnus Andersen, would make all decisions The first to hear the news was the ever¨Cvignt media. They rushed to the Andersen Corporation headquarters, waiting eagerly at the entrance, ready to scoop up the first¨Chand information Time ticked by as the media waited Finally, Magnus car pulled up Paul, his assistant, opened the door for him Decked out in a sharp ck suit, Magnus walked confidently into the Andersen Tower His gaze was cold and focusedpletely ignoring the reporters on the side. This sent a chill down the spines of the journalists, and none dared to take a step forward The media eager for the scoop swarmed forward, not wanting to miss the opportunity Cameras clicked, and shes popped, surrounding Magnuspletely ¡°Mr Andersen, we ve heard you¡¯re taking back the CEO position at Andersen Corporation?¡± Mr Andersen, how do you feel about your sudden resignation and now your return to power?¡± ¡°Mr. Andersen, rumors are that your wife and son are still alive. Can we get a glimpse of them?¡± Mr Andersen, could you tell us briefly, what¡¯s the future of the Andersen Corporation under your leadership?¡± Magnus turned around arrogantly, ignoring the cameras pointed at him. He opened his mouth and coldly said, ¡°The CEO of the Andersen Corporation has never changed it has always been me And if anyone is spreading false rumors, they better be prepared for the consequences¡± With that, Magnus strode past the reporters and into the Andersen Corporation building. The media, usually bustling with excitement, were silenced by his icy demeanor Swiftly packing up their equipment, they quietly left the premises. The Andersens held great. power in Melfort if they wanted to erase someone, it was all too easy. No one was foolish enough to risk their lives. The scandal that had initially ignited public cunosity quickly faded away Without the media¡¯s maniption, the people of Melfort gradually forgot about the elite drama and went back to their daily grind The only person who couldn¡¯t let go was Lucius, who had briefly held the position of CED only to be overthrown by Magnus. His woman had disappeared, and his precious power vanished in an instant. This drastic change was more than enough to make Lucius seethe with resentment He never thought that Magnus, who had seemed so defeated, would suddenly y his trump card and expose Lucius¡® misuse of the Andersen Corporations funds. Without Lifting a finger Magnus had toppled Lucius from power Overnight, Lucius went from a well¨Cdressed acting CEO to a pariah Lucius was not willing to ept this He drove to Morgan¡¯s mansion, hoping for some help. However, when Lucius arrived, Morgan¡¯s personal butler met him ¡°Mr. LucIUS, the master has instructed that if youe, you are to be kept outside¡± Lucius was funous, but he knew his grandfather¡¯s stubborness It surpassed even Magnus¡® stubbornness He left in a huff ¡°Magnus, you wait. Whatever you took from me, I will get back a thousand¨Cfold!¡± Despite his internal curses, Lucius was helpless in his current predicament. Magnus held all the evidence of his misappropriation of funds. If he made any move, he would be put behind bars instantly ¡°Ainight Magnus, we¡¯ll see how this ys out!¡± Morgan watched from his window as Lucius drove away feeling a pang of regret in his heart He had raised his two grandsons It wasn¡¯t that he favored one over the other, but Lucius was just too comcent. If he handed over the Andersen Corporation to him, it would be ruined in no time C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org When Magnus brought Morgan evidence of Lucius corruption, Morgan, as a grandfather, could only ask Magnus to suppress the matter for the time being. After all, Luona was still his grandson No matter how disappointing Lucius was Morgan couldn¡¯t just abandon him. But as for Lucius future, he would have to leave it to time Morgan hoped that this situation would serve as a lesson for Lucius and make him change his ways Otherwise, if he made another mistake, even Morgan would not be abe to protect him Morgan moved away from the window and sank into his rocking chair He was old now, and his ambitions of expanding his empire were long gone All enjoy his twilight years with his grandchildren But Magnus, that stubborn man had not let Morgan see his great grandchild ever since he was sent away from Magnus vi. He heard that Magnus had n?rted the child Jonas if that woman Natalia, hadn¡¯t been imed by the sea perhaps today¡¯s situation would be significantly different? ¡°Ah Morgan sighed faintly, burying his somewhat aged face in the cushion of his rocking chair Maybe, he did make a mistake alter al? Five yearster London, Ennd Hampton Count Pce The red brick Hampton Court Pce, often referred to as the Versailles of Ennd, exemplified the grandeur of the Engi stry made it an unmissable attraction of London¡¯s rich cultural history and a sanctuary for artists style. Its unique royal history and At this moment, top artists from around the world had gathered here and were vying for the crown jewel of the design world After fiercepetition, the event reached its most thrilling moment the unveiling of the gold award winner Media reporters present had been itching to go, and were mentally drafting countless versions of the announcement,peting to be the fast to ry the award news The host took the stage gracefully and announced the result of the designpetition. Ladies and Gentlemen, frat of all, thank you to all the abats who participated my honor to announce the ultimate winner of thispetition That is. Me rkson¡® Chapter 190 Chapter 190 The host¡¯s voice had barely faded when an unusual wave of murmuring broke out among the audience. Designers whispered amongst themselves,pletely taken aback by the revtion And this particr woman, Ms. rkson, had actually clinched the championship? The host himself seemed surprised, pausing momentarily before continuing, ¡°From what I hear, she¡¯s a neer to the design world. No, rather, she¡¯s the dark horse of our design industry, and remarkably ims the highest honor a designer could attain. Now, let¡¯s invite Ms. rkson onto the stage to receive her trophy.¡± Though no one had heard of Ms. rkson before, they sincerely apuded the victor. Amidst the roaring apuse, the champion of the contest, Ms. rkson, gracefully made her way to the stage. Ms. rkson appeared slightly shy as she joined the host on stage, seeming somewhat uneasy. The host, a veteran of many such events, noticed the awkwardness and immediately lightened the mood with a genial grin. He gantly bowed to Ms. rkson. ¡°Mydy, are you from Neptune?¡± Ms. rkson blinked in surprise. ¡°Neptune?¡± ¡°Indeed, for why else would your eyes hold such intoxicating constetions?¡± The host joked. Ms. rkson chuckled. ¡°A smile that could topple a kingdom,¡± the host continued, seeing the mood had lightened. ¡°Ms. rkson, although you¡¯re a neer to the design industry, this crystal crown you¡¯ve designed has topped thispetition. Could you share the inspiration behind it?¡± The mention of the crystal crown referred to the piece on disy on the stage. The other designers on stage fell silent, and their eyes were all drawn to the mesmerizing crystal crown. The crown waspletely encrusted with amethysts, but it didn¡¯t resemble the traditional British crowns one might have expected. Instead, it was a novel design. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org A few recognized the design. ¡°Is that a phoenix crown? Combining the phoenix crown with a royal one, that¡¯s ingenious.¡± On the crown was azily perched golden phoenix. Its feathers were adorned with colorful crystals. The depiction was lifelike and exuded an indomitable pride, making the crown look regal. 13:09 ¡°Ms. rkson, would you honor me by epting my dinner invitation?¡± The host gentlemanly asked, once again bending down in a bow. I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t, I have a prior engagement.¡± A voice from the audience broke in. The host looked down to see a tall, blond, blue¨Ceyed man standing confidently at the front of the stage. The man¡¯s face was full of adoration as he said, ¡°This enchantingdy already has ns with me. So, David, you might as well give up.¡± David hadn¡¯t expected the sweet young woman beside him to know Callum. He and Callum were old friends, but he had never known Callum to keep a beauty secret. ¡°Well, since thedy is spoken for, I guess I shouldn¡¯t intrude,¡± David said, taking Ms. rkson¡¯s hand and gently kissing it. ¡°Beautifuldy, if you ever change your mind, please don¡¯t hesitate to let me know. Whether it¡¯s a sunny day or a stormy night, just one call, and I¡¯ll rush to your side.¡± The crowdughed at David¡¯s words but held a newfound respect for Ms. rkson standing on stage. Their respect wasn¡¯t just for the crown she designed, but for her connection with Callum. Everyone knew that Callum practically controlled all of London. Even the Queen had to tread carefully around him. Offending Callum meant losing any footing in London. Unaware of the crowd¡¯s thoughts, Ms. rkson happily epted her trophy and exited the stage. Callum quickly approached, taking out a silk handkerchief and wiping the spot on Ms. rkson¡¯s hand where David had kissed. ¡°Callum, that¡¯s not very polite,¡± Ms. rkson whispered, fearing Callum¡¯s action would offend the crowd. But Callum didn¡¯t care, and continued to wipe her hand, ¡°Dear, you¡¯re having dinner with meter. I can¡¯t have you carrying another man¡¯s scent.¡± Ms. rkson blushed at Callum¡¯s teasing, and yfully punched him. ¡°Stop it, people might misunderstand,¡± ¡°Let them misunderstand.¡± Callum seemed satisfied with his cleaning, and nonchntly tossed his handkerchief aside, He draped his arm around Ms. rkson¡¯s shoulder, and they left Hampton Court together, After the others had gone, David also stepped down from the viewing tform. His face, which previously held a jesting smile, suddenly froze in the next moment. He had seen every move of Callum¡¯s, understanding that he was marking his territory A 212 13:08 sense of regret surged in David¡¯s heart. Such a beautifuldy was already spoken for, how unfair was that! However, David¡¯s gloom didn¡¯tst long. Two voluptuous, sexydies came over, draped their arms around him, and were ready to apany him into the night. Well, there were plenty of women out there, and David wasn¡¯t foolish enough topete with Callum over a woman! Meanwhile, Callum, with Ms. rkson on his arm, strode out of the Hampton Court Pce and bent over to get into a stretched limousine. Chapter 191 Chapter 191 The driver gently pressed the gas pedal, navigating the Lincoln Town Car through the garden paths at Hampton Court. Ms. rkson had recently won an award and was in high spirits. She was seeing beauty in everything around her. She looked out the window and pointed to the manicured hedges and flower beds they drove by, remarking, ¡°These are absolutely stunning.¡± Callum, however, didn¡¯t share her appreciation for the gardens. He poured two sses of Cabe Sauvignon, and handed one to Ms. rkson. ¡°These geometric gardens are best seen from the sky. I¡¯ll take you up next time,¡± he promised. She epted the wine and nodded in thanks. ¡°Thank you, Callum, but I feel like I¡¯m imposing on you.¡± ¡°What are you talking about, Buttercup?¡± Callum objected. ¡°You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e, there¡¯s no such thing as imposing. Anything I do for you, I do willingly.¡± Indeed, the woman sharing a drink with Callum was Natalia, who had supposedly drowned in a boating ident. Five years prior, Natalia had driven her car off a cliff into the ocean, coincidentally when Callum was visiting Melfort. His yacht crew spotted her floating body in the water. They rescued her, but she was unconscious and barely alive. Callum immediately flew back to Ennd with Natalia, enlisting the best doctors to save her. This exined why Magnus¡® search parties never found any trace of her after the ident. After six months in aa, Natalia slowly woke up. Those six months were agonizing for Callum, who feared every day that the doctors would tell him Natalia was beyond saving. Fortunately, Natalia survived, although it took over half a year. The doctors said her memory loss was a result of her traumatic ident. Callum was relieved ¨C he hoped Natalia would forget about Magnus, her former lover. Natalia sipped her wine, looking uncertain. ¡°Callum, am I really your fianc¨¦e? Why do I keep dreaming of another man?¡± Over the years, Natalia had noticed Callum¡¯s dedication. He supported her in everything she wanted to do. Whether it was designing or painting, he was always the first to encourage her. With his support, Natalia had grown from a novice to an internationally recognized designer. She knew Callum loved her deeply. However, she couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was a man from her past that she couldn¡¯t remember. Hearing this, Callum¡¯s heart dropped. ¡°What man? What does he look like?¡± He asked nervously. Natalia noticed his anxiety and looked even more confused. ¡°Callum, does this man really exist? I can¡¯t see his face in my dreams, but every time I dream of him, my heart aches, as if it¡¯s been stabbed.¡± Callum took a deep breath, trying to keep his voice steady. ¡°Buttercup, you must have been traumatized by the ident. There¡¯s no such man, don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Natalia looked down, half¨Cbelieving him. She felt a strong connection to this man in her dreams, and she suspected Callum was hiding something from her. After a moment of silence, Callum sighed in relief. If Natalia had pressed further, he wasn¡¯t sure he could have kept the truth from her. He didn¡¯t want Natalia to remember anything about Magnus, the man who had caused her so much pain. Natalia, lost in thought, gazed out the window at the clear skies and lush trees. She decided to live in the present and let the past stay in the past. Callum watched Natalia as she stared out the window. A gentle smile yed on his lips. This scene reminded him of a line from a poem he had once read, ¡°You stand on the bridge admiring the view, while someone in a high tower is admiring you.¡± This was exactly how he felt about Natalia. To him, she was the view, the dream, and the beauty in his life. Her spirit, her resilience, and her courage were like a fragrant flower, attracting him and keeping him close. The car grew quiet and warm. Even the driver didn¡¯t want to disrupt this peaceful moment, as he drove them silently back to Callum¡¯s castle ¨C the ancestral home of the family. The car came to a gentle stop, as Callum, always the gentleman, opened the door to wee Natalia out. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Natalia lived on the third floor of this castle, and her room was boasting an exceptionallyrge balcony that offered panoramic views of the entire estate. In her spare time, Natalia would lean by the window, soaking in the scenery, and sketching. The endless greenery always managed to bring her a sense of peace and tranquility. Moreover, she always found this scene oddly familiar, as if she, in some distant past, had also leaned against the door frame, gazing aimlessly into the distance out of sheer boredom. Only, what she used to gaze at back then was not the pleasing greenery, but the deep blue tranquility of the sea. Chapter 192 Chapter 192 Callum escorted Natalia back to the grand hall of the castle and handed her cloak to a walting servant. He then turned to her with an excited grin. ¡°In honor of your triumphant return, I¡¯m throwing a spectacr feast tonight. I want everyone to celebrate your SUCCESS. Natalia blushed. ¡°Callum, isn¡¯t that a bit excessive? I just won a minor award, Won¡¯t this be too ostentatious?¡± ¡°Excessive? Minor? Ostentatious?¡± Callum responded with a heartyugh. ¡°My dear, you underestimate the significance of your achievement. Designers worldwide dream of the honor you¡¯ve received. I¡¯m merely adding a cherry on top of your celebration. There¡¯s nothing excessive about that.¡± ¡°But Callum,¡± Nata lowered her gaze, feeling guilty, ¡°I¡¯ve been living here for so long. I can¡¯t let you spend so much on me. I feel like I¡¯m taking advantage of your generosity.¡± Callum ruffled Natalia¡¯s hair affectionately. ¡°You seriously need to stop worrying about that, my dear. You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e; everything here is yours as well. If you keep talking like this, I might have to spank you.¡± His words made Natalia¡¯s cheeks flush. Was he flirting with her? ¡°All right, go freshen up. The feast will start once you¡¯re ready. No rush, take your time. Remember, you¡¯re the star tonight.¡± Callum then turned to the servants behind him. ¡°Assist Miss Natalia with her preparations.¡± ¡°No, Callum, I can manage on my own.¡± Natalia hastily refused, waving her hands in dismissal. She was okay with everything but the maids assisting her with her bath. She still remembered the embarrassment she felt when the maids helped her bathe after she regained consciousness. They were so thorough; they didn¡¯t even spare her private parts. The experience made her blush all over with embarrassment. Since then, Natalia had set certain boundaries with Callum and no maid would assist her in bathing. Absolutely not! Callumughed aloud. ¡°Natalia, you need to get used to their assistance. If you don¡¯t need them, then what¡¯s the point of hiring them? Maybe I should just let them go.¡± ¡°No, Callum.¡± Natalia objected, afraid that Callum might dismiss the maids. ¡°They¡¯re very helpful. I¡¯m ufortable with their assistance because I¡¯m not used to this type of service.¡± As Natalia spoke, her voice gradually faded until it was nearly a whisper, and she hung her head low in embarrassment. Callum waved her off. ¡°Alright, I was just teasing you. Go freshen up, you¡¯re going to be the center of attention tonight.¡± Natalia hurriedly retreated to her room. The moment she arrived, the diligent maids already had an evening gown ready for her. ¡°Miss, do you need our assistance?¡± A maid asked humbly, bowing her head. ¡°No, thank you. I can manage.¡± Natalia quickly picked up the dress and made her way to her private bath. Callum specially hired the maids in the castle to take care of Natalia while she was unconscious. During the half¨Cyear that she was unconscious, Callum had employed sixteer, maids to take turns watching over her. Every day, they would soak her in the hot spring for an hour to stimte her inactive muscles and bones. They would also tell her stories to stimte her brain and prevent her from turning into a vegetative state. When Natalia finally regained consciousness, she was still weak and uncoordinated. Callum would support her every day as they did various physical exercises around the castle. Once she was able to walk like a normal person, Callum hired private tutors to keep herpany and teach her various things. Over the years she was awake, Gallum had be her world. Sometimes, she thought that if she had forgotten everything, then so be it. She didn¡¯t even want to know who her parents were, and she never asked Callum. If he wasn¡¯t her parent, then she wouldn¡¯t ask, and she would just live quietly. Only the scar on her abdomen constantly through. Touching it still caused a faint reminded her of pain. Something she had gone After she woke up, Callum took good care of her, and she wanted to work. After going through dozens of courses, she finally chose painting and design, in which she was chose interested. So, without Callum¡¯s effort, Natalia wouldn¡¯t be who she was today. Soaking in the misty water, Natalia thought about all the things she was grateful to Cal for. However, she knew very well that even though Callum had done so much for her, there was still something missing in her heart. Her dependence on Callum was like a sibling¡¯s dependence, unrted to romantic love. She could fool anyone, but she couldn¡¯t fool her own heart. Callum¡¯s gaze toward her was as passionate as ever, full of love. What if one day he asked her to fulfill her duties as a fianc¨¦e, what would she do? Sitting in the hot spring, Natalia¡¯s mind was spinning with thoughts, unsure of how to untangle her messy thoughts. She absentmindedly pped the water, lowering her head to look at her abdomen through the clear spring water, and saw the long scar again. Natalia¡¯s face changed slightly as she touched the long scar. Callum had said that the scar was left from an appendectomy. But she wasn¡¯t stupid. Even appendicitis wouldn¡¯t leave such a long scar. Wouldn¡¯t it have been some type of gynecological surgery that left such a scar? Could it be¡­ Just then, a maid¡¯s voice came from outside the door. ¡°Ma¡¯am, have you finished soaking? The Duke said that you shouldn¡¯t soak in the hot spring for more than an hour.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ming.¡± Natalia responded hastily, putting all her messy thoughts aside. She quickly dried herself, put on her bathrobe, and headed to the dressing room. In the dressing room was an evening gown that Callum had specially prepared for Natalia. Dressed in an intricate and exquisite outfit, Natalia took a good fifteen minutes to finally get herself all dolled up. She picked up the hem of her dress and slowly stepped out, immediately catching the admiring gaze of her maid. ¡°Miss, you¡¯re absolutely stunning. You look like an angel descended from heaven.¡± Natalia almost burst outughing at the over¨Cthe¨Ctoppliment. She was far from angelic. But who didn¡¯t enjoy a good ttery? Natalia was no exception. ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. AJA Chapter 193 Chapter 193 With a nod and a smile, Natalia addressed her maid, ¡°It¡¯s not as dramatic as you¡¯re making it out to be. Let¡¯s get to the dinner party, shall we?¡± ¡°Seriously, Miss, you¡¯re like an angel fallen from heaven. Absolutely stunning.¡± The maid continusa to shower Natalia with praises and even puffed out her own chest with a sense of pride. It was as if serving such a beautiful woman was her own greatest honor. Natalia chuckled softly. Her steps were light and swift as she moved forward, and her mood was incredibly upbeat. The dinner party was held in the back garden of the castle. By the time Natalia and her maid arrived, the venue had already been transformed into a dazzling scene of luxury. Looking at the banner hanging in the semi¨Copen air of the garden, Natalia squinted her eyes, reading each word aloud, ¡°Celebrating Miss Natalia¡¯s triumphant win at the designpetition?¡± A slight twitch appeared at the corner of Natalia¡¯s mouth. Who came up with this banner? Was it purposely designed to mock her? Callum! Must be him! Moreover, what was the meaning of ¡°triumphant win¡°? She had fairly participated in thepetition, not a boxing match. Could they refrain from using the term ¡°triumphant¡°? As Natalia was internally criticizing the banner, she was unaware that all eyes at the venue were focused on her. This ce was never short of beautiful women. However, they had never seen someone quite as ethereal as Natalia. Ever since she had woken up, Callum had kept her well¨C protected and hidden, leaving manypletely unaware of her existence. But now, they were truly beholding her beauty. Her fashionable evening gown clung tightly to her exquisite figure, entuating her already perfect curves, and making her all the more alluring. The silver¨Cwhite gown was embroidered with silver threads that shimmered under the lighting, making her appear as though she was cloaked in stardust. From the moment Natalia emerged, Callum¡¯s gaze had not wavered from her. He suddenly regretted having this gown specially made for her. Why did he organize this dinner party? Her beauty was so captivating, it was something that should¡¯ve been treasured and not coveted by others. She was his! As Callum was contemting whether or not he should have Natalia change her dress, the guests he had invited began to arrive. ¡°Oh, Callum, it¡¯s been so long. I thought you¡¯d embarked on another world tour.¡± A tall man approached Callum with open arms and an easy smile. Callum stepped forward for a hug and yful punch,ughing. ¡°Henry, my old friend, your presence here lights up the room!¡± ¡°Cal, you couldn¡¯t even spare a hug for me.¡± A petnt voice sounded. The speaker was a voluptuous blonde with blue eyes, pouting at Callum. Callum subtly stepped back, and a forced smile showed on his face. ¡°Ah, Ms. Alice from the Mckinney family, wee.¡± The blonde¡¯s face registered even more displeasure. She tugged at Henry, her brother, and comined, ¡°Henry, look at Cal. He¡¯s not sincere at all.¡± Henry seemed helpless with his sister, cating her with a smile. ¡°Where¡¯s the insincerity? He clearly weed you.¡± ¡°Hmph! That¡¯s not a wee. He¡¯s so distant. Cal is the worst. He did not even spare me a hug!¡± The woman continued to pout. Henry shook his head helplessly. ¡°Alice, you know Callum. He never hugs any woman, let alone kisses them. Show some dignity, we¡¯re from the McKinney family. You¡¯re not some little girl begging for candy.¡± After speaking, Henry looked at Callum with regret. ¡°She¡¯s always been like this. She¡¯s idolized you since she was little and has always wanted to win your attention. She¡¯s prone to throwing tantrums.¡± Callumughed it off. ¡°It¡¯s okay. She¡¯s like my Callumughed it off. ¡°It¡¯s okay. She¡¯s like my sister. I don¡¯t mind. Come, let me introduce you to the star of tonight¡¯s party.¡± With that, Callum led Henry over to Natalia, presenting her with great formality, ¡°This is the star of tonight¡¯s party, the recent winner of the Global Design Competition, Ms. rkson.¡± Then, he introduced Henry and his sister to Natalia, ¡°They are from the McKinney family. This is my childhood ymate, Henry, and this is Henry¡¯s sister, Alice.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± ? N?velDrama.Org - All rights reserved. ¡°Hello.¡± Natalia and Henry both nodded, exchanging polite greetings. Only Alice pouted unhappily. Her blue eyes darted to Natalia before she walked away. She had been infatuated with Callum since childhood. Callum was hosting such a grand party for another woman, and Alice couldn¡¯t help but want to make a sarcastic remark. ¡°Oh, what kind of designer is so incredible? Seems like you¡¯re quite capable.¡± Natalia noticed the hostility in Alice¡¯s eyes but didn¡¯t understand what she had done to offend her. However, all guests should be treated with respect, especially since Callum invited them. She had to be gracious. She simply responded to Alice¡¯s rudeness with a slight smile and modesty. ¡°I¡¯m not as amazing as you suggest. I was just lucky.¡± Contrastingly, Alice¡¯s arrogance only increased. She huffed through her nose, and her disdain became more apparent. ¡°Hmph. I knew you couldn¡¯t be that impressive. To think Cal would go to such lengths for you¡­¡± Alice¡¯s words were cut off by a stern nce from her brother. ¡°Alice, don¡¯t be rude! Mind your status and tone.¡± He then turned to Natalia with a soft smile. ¡°I apologize, Ms. rkson. My sister can be a bit spoiled. I hope you won¡¯t take it to heart.¡± ¡°Of course not, she¡¯s just stating the facts,¡± Natalia said with a soft chuckle, showing that she didn¡¯t take Alice¡¯s provocation seriously. The moment she uttered those words, it highlighted Alice¡¯s rudeness, making her so furious that she began to stomp her foot. ¡°I can¡¯t believe this! Why did I evene to this stupid dinner party? I could¡¯ve been sittingfortably at home instead of being humiliated by some unknown outsider!¡± ¡°Alice!¡± Henry retorted. His expression was stern. ¡°If you¡¯re not pleased, feel free to leave. Callum didn¡¯t invite you, remember? You insisted on tagging along with me!¡± Henry felt utterly embarrassed by Alice¡¯s foolish behavior. How could his sister be so thoughtless? It was crucial to remember that they were there representing their family at the banquet. Every word uttered, every action taken, absolutely could not tarnish their family¡¯s reputation. Chapter 194 Chapter 194 Alice was once again scolded by her brother, and her face was turning from pale to flushed. She stomped her foot and turned to leave, but seeing that neither her brother nor Callum had any intention of stopping her, she reluctantly turned back towards the banquet. Watching Alice storm off made Henry shake his head at his sister¡¯s foolishness. Her disrespectful behavior was utterly embarrassing for the McKinney family. ¡°Ms. rkson, I sincerely apologize. My sister is a bit spoiled, I hope you don¡¯t take it to heart,¡± Henry apologized again, feeling embarrassed by his sister¡¯s antics. Natalia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s really okay, Mr. McKinney. Your sister is straightforward, and it¡¯s quite endearing.¡± Henry knew Natalia was just being polite, but he still admired her humble and consistent demeanor. Such grace and poise were hard toe by. With these thoughts in mind, he couldn¡¯t help but take another look at Natalia. Not only was she stunningly beautiful, but there was also something oddly familiar about her. Upon noticing the deep blue hues in her beautiful eyes, he was surprised. ¡°I¡¯m curious about your lineage. Your background seems so refined and noble. Could you tell me about it?¡± The more Henry looked at Natalia, the more familiar she seemed. Perhaps, she was a hidden heiress from some well¨Cknown family? Nataliaughed shyly. ¡°Mr. McKinney, you tter me. I¡¯m just an orphan. I don¡¯t belong to any noble family, and I don¡¯t even know who my biological parents are.¡± After surviving a near¨Cdeath experience, Natalia chose to suppress all memories rted to Magnus but remembered everything else about herself. She was adopted from an orphanage by Kyler. Which noble family would¡¯ve abandoned her and given her to an orphanage? Henry frowned in confusion. ¡°An orphanage? No, Ms. rkson, you must be joking. Your manners and behavior clearly reflect a noble upbringing. I¡¯m just curious about your background, nothing more.¡± Henry was a stubbornd. He firmly believed Natalia was withholding her true identity, so he turned to Callum for help. ¡°Callum, since Ms. rkson doesn¡¯t want to disclose any information, could you tell me?¡± Callum shrugged his shoulders, helplessly replying, ¡°What Natalia said is true. She grew up in an orphanage and waster adopted by a man. She isn¡¯t from any noble family. You¡¯re overthinking.¡± Callum had no intention of revealing Natalia¡¯s true identity. Over the years, he just wanted to keep her safe from harm, hence the secrecy. ¡°Really?¡± Henry was surprised. ¡°That¡¯s truly incredible! I can¡¯t believe it. Ms. rkson, you look so familiar. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve met someone who resembles you!¡± Natalia was speechless at Henry¡¯s persistence. But did he really know her rtives? His words shook Natalia. She incredulously took a step forward and asked, ¡°Is that true, Mr. Henry? Do you know my mother?¡± Henry hadn¡¯t expected his casual remark to elicit such a strong reaction from Natalia. ¡°Um, I just thought you looked familiar. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve met someone who looks like you, but I just can¡¯t recall who it is right now.¡± ¡°Oh, I see.¡± Natalia lowered her head. There were many people in the world who looked alike. He probably didn¡¯t know her parents. Seeing Natalia¡¯s disappointed expression, Henry felt a pang of sympathy. ¡°Ms. rkson, don¡¯t be too anxious. If I get the chance, I¡¯ll help you find your rtives. You are as beautiful as an angel; I¡¯m sure whoever lost you is also looking for you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± A wave of sadness washed over Natalia. ¡°What could have been the reason for them to lose their child?¡± She looked up at Callum. If it were possible to find her mother, Callum would have found her by now. Perhaps her mother didn¡¯t want her. ¡°That¡¯s not it, Ms. rkson. You¡¯re so lovely and beautiful, your mother must have hadpelling reasons.¡± Henryforted her, patting her shoulder. Callum watched the interaction between Natalia and Henry, and a storm began brewing in his heart. He quickly changed the subject to assert his im over Natalia. He hadn¡¯t missed the affection in Henry¡¯s eyes for Natalia. Hmph, even if Henry was his friend, he didn¡¯t want him to know about Buttercup¡¯s background. All these years, he had already discovered Natalia¡¯s past. However, she had lost her memory due to her ident at sea, and he didn¡¯t want to burden her with it. ¡°That¡¯s fine,¡± Callum thought. He would keep her hidden and take good care of her. He would make her the happiest woman in the world. ¡°Sweetheart, the banquet is about to start. Let¡¯s go, we still have to wee the other guests.¡± With that, Callum put his arm around Natalia¡¯s shoulder and led her into the crowd, giving Henry a nod as a sign to make himselffortable.C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Henry watched Natalia being led away by Callum, and a sense of loss swept over him. Such an outstanding girl had been snatched away by Callum. How lucky he was! However, rtionships between men and women didn¡¯t necessarily have to involve romance. He still had a chance to be the best friend of Ms. rkson, didn¡¯t he? Lost in thought, Henry wandered into the crowd. A vague memory was tugging at him. He was certain he had seen a face simr to Ms. rkson¡¯s somewhere before. As the fireworks began to light up the night sky, the banquet Callum had organized 213 specially for Natalia officiallymenced. Guests showered Nata with sincere congrattions and enthusiastic apuse. They could not stop praising how strikingly beautiful and well¨Cmannered she was. Natalia was not adept at socializing. Like a little bird, she quietly stayed close to Callum, extending a smile and her gratitude to everyone. After a full round of greetings, Natalia¡¯s feet were aching. She had mingled with the nobles and dukes, and felt like her feet were about to give out. Noticing that Natalia was slowing down, Callum leaned in and asked softly, ¡°Are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°Um¡­¡± Natalia nodded, whispering back, ¡°These high heels are too thin and tall. I feel like my ankles are about to snap.¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than Callum scooped her up into his arms, heading straight towards the castle. Chapter 195 Chapter 195 Natalia gasped and quickly wrapped her arms around Callum¡¯s neck, whispering, ¡°Callum, there are so many people around, please put me down.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Let them watch. You¡¯re my fianc¨¦e, and you said your feet hurt, didn¡¯t you? I¡¯ll carry you back,¡± Callum dered without a hint of hesitation. ¡°But, Callum, I¡­¡± Natalia¡¯s words were cut short as Callum feigned annoyance. ¡°What? Now you¡¯re not even listening to me?¡± Seeing Callum¡¯s displeasure, Natalia gave up on arguing and allowed herself to be carried towards the castle. Callum held Natalia and felt like a victorious king. He was light on his feet and ted. This was his girl, his to take care of, and no one could take her away. As for her background, he would tell her in time. They walked across the lush greenwn towards the castle, eliciting a roar of apuse as they passed. However, amongst the apuse, there was a resentful, envious gaze. It was Alice, and her eyes were aze with jealousy. Alice watched Callum, the man she had been secretly in love with for years, carrying Natalia. This sight made her clench her fists tightly, as she struggled to restrain herself from tearing Natalia away from him. ¡°That shameless woman dares to let Cal carry her like that. She deserves to go to hell!¡± Unable to bear it any longer, Alice strode over to her brother Henry, tugging at his arm. ¡°Henry, look at that woman. She¡¯s so shameless. Cal is mine!¡± Henry was holding a ss of red wine, and nearly lost his grip when Alice startled him. He slowly turned his gaze towards the couple, and a smirk yed at his lips. ¡°Ms. rkson is Callum¡¯s fianc¨¦e, Alice. Stop making a scene.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care. I hate Ms. rkson. Cal can¡¯t be with her!¡± With that, Alice shot Natalia another spiteful nce before storming off towards the parking lot. Henry followed Alice¡¯s gaze and knew about her hot¨Cheaded and impulsive antics. For years, Alice had been smitten with Callum, but he had always seen her as a sister. Callum had even given the family heirloom, a pendant, to an unknown girl and was iming her as his future wife. That girl was Natalia. Alice knew that Callum never reciprocated her feelings, and so she had no right to be angry. However, seeing him holding Natalia like that, made her eyes turn vicious. Seeing Alice leave, Henry lost interest and followed her, trying to reason with her as they walked. ¡°Hey, slow down. Don¡¯t be so reckless!¡± Chapter ¡°Shut up!¡± Alice flung a punch at Henry. Her fiery temper was ring up. ¡°Henry, Cal is mine and mine alone. No one else can have him!¡± She felt annoyed, resenting the way he always tried to control her. She didn¡¯t care about any family honor, all she wanted was Cal. Henry rolled his eyes. ¡°Wake up, will you? We mighte from a long line of counts, but Callum, is a duke. Plus, he sees you as a sister. After all these years, how have you not figured that out?¡± ¡°Shut up, shut up, shut up!¡± Alice¡¯s mind was consumed by jealousy. She stormed to her car, mmed the door, and hit the gas. The car disappeared into the distance in an instant. ¡°Hey, Alice, slow down!¡± Alice was the apple of their father¡¯s eye. If anything happened to her, Henry would certainly be med. Henry chased after the car for a bit, but he couldn¡¯t keep up. He shook his head, acknowledging his sister¡¯s stubborn temper. If she didn¡¯t change, one day, she would surely cause a disaster. Back in the castle, Callum carried Natalia up to their room, gently cing her on the luxurious leather couch. Kneeling on one knee, he began to remove her high heels. Natalia blushed and tried to pull her feet away. ¡°Callum, I can do it myself.¡± ¡°Stop fussing, let me check how bad it is.¡± With that, Callum gently removed Natalia¡¯s shoes. Carelessly cing the shoes on the polished floor, Callum inspected Natalia¡¯s swollen ankle, frowning in disapproval. ¡°You¡¯re so stubborn. Why didn¡¯t you change into morefortable shoes when your feet started to hurt? Look, your ankles are swollen now.¡± Natalia bit her lower lip. ¡°Callum, my evening gown wouldn¡¯t have matched any other shoes.¡± Callum stared at Natalia¡¯s swollen ankles, exasperated, ¡°Who cares about matching? You look good in anything. Even if you went barefoot, no one would dare to criticize you.¡± He tenderly cradled her foot in his hand, and gently massaged it. Natalia, ustomed to his care, let him be. Suddenly, sheughed. ¡°Cal, you¡¯re so cute when you¡¯re angry.¡± ¡®Stillughing? Look at your feet, I bet you won¡¯t be able to walk for a few days.¡± Callum pretended to be angry and red at Natalia. He then called for the maid, ¡°Rita, Ms. Natalia is injured,e quickly.¡± Jpon Callum¡¯smand, Rita, dressed in a maid uniform, rushed over with a first aid kit, anxiously asking, ¡°Ms. Natalia is injured? Where? Where?¡± Natalia was at a loss for words at Callum¡¯s overreaction. Her feet were just a little red and wollen, not injured! All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. /3 However, as Rita had rushed over, Nata didn¡¯t have the heart to send her away. She reluctantly pointed to her feet. ¡°It¡¯s nothing serious, just a little red and swollen.¡± Rita knelt down to inspect it, finding only a minor swelling. She couldn¡¯t help but feel speechless at Callum¡¯s exaggerated reaction. ¡°What are you standing there for? Quickly apply some soothing ointment on her!¡± Callum barked at Rita, finding herck of urgency rather frustrating. With Callum¡¯s orders, Rita didn¡¯t dare ck off. She diligently opened her medical kit, pulling out a quaint little bottle. ¡°Ma¡¯am, this is a pain¨Crelieving balm. It may sting a bit when applied, but please bear with it.¡± With these words, Rita bent her head, carefully applying the ointment on Natalia¡¯s ankles. The balm was evenly spread on Natalia¡¯s ankles, providing a slight cooling sensation instead of the anticipated sting. Natalia felt immediate relief flooding her ankles. She turned to Rita with sincere gratitude. ¡°Thank you, Rita.¡± Chapter 196 Chapter 196 Rita¡¯s golden curls bounced as she gave a nervous smile. ¡°Just doing my job, ma¡¯am. No need for thanks.¡± She liked Ms. rkson, not just for her heavenly beauty, but also for her kindness. Never once had she raised her voice at them, and she was always grateful for their services. ¡°Alright, enough.¡± Callum dismissed with a wave of his hand. ¡°Go prepare something for Ms. rkson to eat. She¡¯s injured her feet and won¡¯t be heading out.¡± Natalia protested, ¡°Cal, I didn¡¯t hurt myself. They¡¯re just a bit swollen.¡± ¡°Do not underestimate this. Stay in tonight, as I say,¡± Callum ordered, then turned to Rita. ¡°What are you still doing here?¡± Rita quickly left, carrying the first aid kit. Once Rita had closed the door, Callum scooped Natalia into his arms and gentlyid her on the bed. ¡°My darling, you look so beautiful today.¡± His brown eyes burned as he looked at her. He had known her since childhood, lost her for fifteen years, found her again, and cared for her for the past five years. She was his everything. He leaned down to kiss her forehead, which made Natalia squirm. ¡°Callum¡­you¡¯re acting differently today.¡± She was a bit scared. ¡°Buttercup, you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e. I love you, and you¡¯re mine for life. I want to be with you tonight, is that okay?¡± Callum held her gaze. His words left Natalia¡¯s head spinning. He wanted to be with her, and she was his fianc¨¦e. It was normal for them to be together. He had taken such good care of her for thest five years. It was so good that she felt she had never experienced a past without him, but she was not ready for this step yet. ¡°Callum¡­ I¡¯m not ready yet.¡± She looked up at him with dewy eyes. But Callum couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. He kissed her cheek. ¡°Natalia, you don¡¯t need to be ready. You were mine twenty years ago. I¡¯ve waited so long for you. Just give yourself to me, and I¡¯ll be with you for the rest of your life.¡± Without waiting for her response, he kissed her lips. For the first time in thirty¨Cfive years, he felt such deep affection for a woman. He had always kept himself pure. He wanted to give all his love to Natalia. Natalia stiffened, the unfamiliar scent around her was like a needle piercing her heart. She wanted to push him away. However, she remembered that he had saved her from the sea and had taken care of her for five years. She was his fianc¨¦e, so she had no right to push him away. She closed her eyes, trying to endure the kiss, but her heart ached, and she felt a voice screaming inside, ¡°Push him away, Nat, push him away.¡± She opened her eyes suddenly, looking at the handsome face close up with a unfamiliar scent. Tears flowed down her cheeks uncontrobly. Callum, lost in the passion of the kiss, suddenly tasted salt. He opened his eyes to see Natalia¡¯s face streaked with tears. His body jolted, and he immediately pulled away. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I¡¯m sorry, Natalia. I lost control. I shouldn¡¯t have pushed you.¡± He quickly tucked Natalia into bed and fled the room. As he left the room, he ran into Henry, who had been waiting outside. Henry happily approached him. ¡°Callum, I finally figured out why Ms. rkson looked so familiar. She looks just like someone from my family.¡± Callum¡¯s face changed, he¡¯d thought Henry wouldn¡¯t care about such things, but he was wrong. Henry was too absorbed in his own thoughts to notice Callum¡¯s reaction. ¡°Ms. rkson looks just like my father¡¯s secretary, Lena. What¡¯s going on?¡± Callum nodded. ¡°You¡¯re right, she does resemble Lena. I¡¯ll take her to meet Lena when I get the chance.¡± Henry didn¡¯t think much of Callum¡¯s calm reaction. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go ask Lena if she¡¯s ever lost a daughter.¡± Callum frowned. After Henry left, Callum re-entered the room. He saw Natalia staring out the window, lost in thought. He gently walked over to her. ¡°Buttercup, do you want to find your mother?¡± Natalia turned to look at him and nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll take you to meet someone. Her name is Lena.¡± He knew that one day Natalia would want to meet her real mother. ¡°She could be my mother?¡± Natalia asked. Callum nodded. ¡°Really? Can I meet her?¡± Natalia hesitated, looking at Callum. ¡°Cal, can I meet her?¡± ¡°Yeah, go ahead.¡± Callum sighed. ¡°You might be her daughter, and I¡¯ve known this for a while.¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief. ¡°Callum, you knew all along? Why didn¡¯t you tell me? Why didn¡¯t you tell me about my past? Do you know other things about me?¡± Callum looked at her demanding questions and sighed, ¡°Buttercup, I didn¡¯t want you to get hurt, please believe me. Regardless of what I¡¯ve kept from you¡­¡± Natalia turned pale; she was shocked. Cal had known about her past all along. But why didn¡¯t he tell her? ¡°Natalia, if you want, I can take you to meet Lena right now. As for your biological father, I think Lena should be the one to tell you.¡± After hearing Callum¡¯s words, Natalia looked out at the night sky outside the castle and hesitated before nodding. ¡°Cal, take me to my mother. I want to ask her why she abandoned me. As for my father, I thought Kyler¡¯s my father?¡± All she wanted was to find her mother. ¡°Okay.¡± Callum didn¡¯t want to say more. He picked Natalia up again and headed for the door. Natalia was startled because tshe didn¡¯t expect they were going now. As they left, they ran into Henry, who was still here. Callum frowned. Stepping forward, he looked at Henry. ¡°What are you doing still standing there,e on.¡± Henry snapped back to reality and quickly followed, yfully punching Callum on the back. ¡°You, my friend, are just too much. Why wouldn¡¯t you tell me what you knew earlier? You left me there wracking my brains! I almost couldn¡¯t remember!¡± Callum was holding Natalia, and his facial expression was serious. ¡°Because it¡¯s often best not to make everything too clear. Sometimes, it¡¯s better to just let things be.¡± ¡°Let things be?¡± Henry repeated. His face mirrored his confusion. What on earth did that mean? N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Chapter 197 Chapter 197 Natalia¡¯s heart was in turmoil, and the anticipation of seeing her mother left her in a bundle of nerves. She was so lost in her thoughts that she¡¯d forgotten Callum was still holding her. Under the cover of night, the trio exited Callum¡¯s mansion, climbed into the car, and set off for Lena¡¯s residence. Inside the vehicle, Henry finally broke the heavy silence, ¡°Callum, if you knew that Ms. rkson might be Ms. Lena¡¯s daughter, why didn¡¯t you say anything?¡± Callum shot a nce at Henry, shing a look that screamed ¡°shut up.¡± Henry saw Callum¡¯s dark expression, and wisely refrained from asking any more questions. They were almost at Ms. Lena¡¯s house, and the truth would soon be unveiled. He didn¡¯t mind waiting a bit longer. Soon, the car pulled up in front of an English¨Cstyle building. This was where Lena, Rowell McKinney¡¯s secretary, lived. Perhaps due to work, Lena¡¯s residence was quite close to Henry¡¯s mansion. Callum was the first to step out of the car, helping Natalia out, and patiently waiting for her to descend. As for Henry, he didn¡¯t get such treatment. He pushed open the car door and walked straight to the front entrance, pressing the doorbell. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Natalia stepped out of the car, noticing Henry had already rung the bell. Her hands were clenched nervously. Her heart was a mess. She was terrified at the thought of Lena being her biological mother, yet equally afraid if she wasn¡¯t. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± Following the ring of the doorbell, a soft voice echoed from inside the house, followed by the sound of shuffling slippers. The door opened, revealing a slender, tall woman. She was dressed in a beige maxi dress. Her hair was in loose curls, and she had a forlorn expression on her face as she opened the door. Lena looked at Henry standing at the door in confusion. ¡°Mr. Henry, it¡¯ste. What brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh, I have something to discuss with you. Won¡¯t you invite us in?¡± Henry asked in a cordial tone. Lena wrapped her arms around herself in slight difort. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯ste. If you to visit, could you come tomorrow instead?¡± wish Henry sensed Lena¡¯s aversion to being alone with men, and pointed to Natalia and Callum standing by the car. ¡°Actually, Ms. Lena, I have two friends who would like to meet you.¡± Following Henry¡¯s direction, Lena saw the Frerotte family¡¯s car. When her eyes fell on Natalia, her face paled instantly. She clutched the door tightly, staring at the girl by the car. Was that Buttercup? But her daughter had been dead for five years, so who was this 13:10 girl? ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Master Henry, it¡¯ste. Let¡¯s talk tomorrow.¡± With that, Lena turned and walked back inside, quickly shutting the door behind her. The sudden turn of events left everyone stunned. By the time Henry had processed what had happened, the door was firmly shut. Henry blinked in surprise. He hadn¡¯t expected things to have turned out this way. Natalia, who was standing by the car, had seen everything. Before she could marvel at the striking resemnce between Lena and herself, the door was abruptly closed. She hung her head in disappointment, and her heart was filled with bitterness. From the looks of it, Lena was likely her mother, but clearly didn¡¯t want to acknowledge Natalia. After all, she¡¯d abandoned her as a child. Why would she want to acknowledge her now? But was she really Natalia¡¯s mother? A tear slid down Natalia¡¯s delicate face, followed by another, and another. As the tears fell faster and faster, like pearls falling off a broken string, they sshed onto the ground, breaking Callum¡¯s heart. He marched towards the house, not bothering to ring the bell, and began pounding on the door. ¡°Ms. Lena, there¡¯s no point in avoiding this. I¡¯ve already looked into your past. Open the door.¡± As Callum¡¯s words echoed in the night, the once tightly shut door opened. Lena slowly emerged, tears streaming down her face, but her gaze was locked on Natalia. Was she truly her daughter? This girl looked just like her when she was young. Had she not died? But now was not the time to acknowledge her. From Callum¡¯s tone, it seemed he already knew about her. She gently approached Natalia with a sorrowful look on her face. ¡°Kid, can we talk privately?¡± Natalia nced at Callum before bravely walking towards Lena. She slowly approached the unfamiliar house, quietly agreeing, ¡°Alright.¡± As Natalia followed Lena inside, the door closed behind them, leaving Callum and Henry outside. It was a typical English¨Cstyled house, neatly furnished and cozy. Lena gently guided Natalia to sit, studying her face carefully, as tears freely flowed down her cheeks. ¡°Are you really my daughter? You didn¡¯t die?¡± Her tears flowed unchecked, tugging at Natalia¡¯s heartstrings. Her earlier resentment vanished. She stared at the woman before her, struck by their uncanny resemnce. ¡°Ms. Lena, my name is Natalia. Are you¡­¡± When Lena heard her say the name Natalia, she clung onto her, crying even harder. Natalia looked helplessly at the woman sobbing in front of her, and her own eyes began welling up. After a moment, Lena wiped her tears and looked at Natalia again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Buttercup. It was all my fault. I sent you to Japan, hoping you¡¯d lead a happy life, and forget everything here. But I ended up causing you such hardship. It¡¯s all my fault.¡± 13:10 Natalia clenched her fists ufortably. She¡¯d wanted to ask Lena if she was her mother, but the words died on her lips. Lena was crying so much, and Natalia didn¡¯t need to ask. She knew that Lena was her mother. A wave of anguish washed over her, and her eyes were stinging. Natalia¡¯s tears fell, and her voice was trembling as she asked, ¡°Why¡­ why did you send me away? is Kyler my father?¡± Lena looked at Natalia, and her eyes filled with sadness. ¡°Would you believe me if I told you that I did it all to protect you?¡± She did not mention anything about Kyler. Tears silently rolled down Natalia¡¯s cheeks as she shook her head continuously. She couldn¡¯t comprehend. Why did Lena send her away? Was abandoning one¡¯s child called protection? How was she supposed to ept that? ¡°Yes, I understand how hard it is to ept,¡± Lena admitted. ¡°But if you let me tell you my story, you will understand how helpless I was when I had to let you go.¡± With that, Lena began to unravel her past. As it turned out, Lena was a part¨Ctime student, and a part¨Ctime personal assistant. She worked for a Count in a British castle, just to pay for her tuition. Chapter 198 Chapter 198 But then she was vited by him who was drunk. When he sobered up, the count concerned about his reputation, pressed a significant amount of money into Lena¡¯s hands, insisting that she must never reveal what had transpired. At that tine, Lena¡¯s family was in dire need of arge sum, so she epted the Count¡¯s money, never expecting that she would be pregnant. Lena initially nned to abort the unexpected child, but the doctor informed her that her uterine wall was too thin to endure the procedure, and she would never be able to conceive again. She couldn¡¯t bear the thought, and despite the agony, she brought the child into the world. Then, to hide the existence of the child and to prevent the Count and his wife from discovering her, she tearfully left the child at an orphanage. Still, she would asionally sneak off to see the child she had abandoned. She watched her daughter grow day by day, which brought her both joy and sorrow. Her joyy in her daughter¡¯s blossoming beauty, and her sorrow in not being able to meet her lonely gaze and innate longing for maternal love. At the time, the Duke already had a son and a daughter, and a family feud was brewing. Revealing the truth about Natalia¡¯s birth would likely put her in mortal danger. Thus, Lena, burdened by guilt, happened to encounter her old me, Kyler. Lena confessed to Kyler the truth about her daughter¡¯s conception and implored him to take Natalia back to his homnd, to raise her as his own, and to promise to provide her with the best care. Kyler, who had been in love with Lena in their youth but was separated from her due to parental interference, agreed to Lena¡¯s request. He took Natalia home and introduced her to his family as his biological daughter. Natalia sat on the couch, quietly listening to Lena recount her past. Her emotions were in turmoil for a long time. She had always thought that she was an unwanted child, but she had never imagined that she was the product of a rape. The realization caused indescribable pain that left her feeling dizzy. No wonder she lived in an orphanage. Everything was because she was a child that should not have existed! At this moment, Natalia¡¯s eyes were dry. She only wanted to know who the despicable perpetrator was. ¡°I want to know, who is he?¡± She asked. Although Natalia didn¡¯t say it explicitly, Lena understood that she wanted to know who her biological father was. Lena hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell the truth. ¡°It¡¯s Henry¡¯s father, Count Rowell. Natalia was stunned by this revtion. She had never imagined that the seemingly amiable Henry would turn out to be her half¨Cbrother. Everything was too bizarre. It seemed that Cal¡¯s decision to keep the truth from her was because he was afraid that she wouldn¡¯t be able to bear it. Now that she knew everything, Natalia didn¡¯t know how to face Lena. She quickly stood up and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Ms. Lena, I have to go.¡± Lena hurried after her. ¡°Can you forgive me, baby? I sent you away because I feared for your safety. If the count and his wife knew about you, they would surely harm you. I had no choice¡­¡± Natalia shook her head weakly. ¡°It¡¯s all in the past¡­ I just need some quiet time alone. I¡¯m sorry to have disturbed you, Ms. Lena.¡± With that, Natalia pushed her way out of the room. Lena leaned against the wall, sinking to the floor as silent tears streamed down her face. Her daughter wouldn¡¯t forgive her. She referred to her as Ms. Lena. The pain was unbearable. She wished she could disappear from this world. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Natalia was her flesh and blood, borne from her womb after ten months. How could she not love her child? However, the aristocracy valued lineage above all else. They only allowed intermarriages within the nobility. Commoners were strictly forbidden from bearing their offspring. To protect Natalia, she had secretly ced her in the orphanage. Now, Lena was facing an adult Natalia, and her inquiring gaze left her at a loss for words. Outside, Natalia staggered away. When she saw Callum, she couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. She copsed into Callum¡¯s arms, and her expression filled with sorrow. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Ms. rkson, are you really Ms. Lena¡¯s daughter?¡± Henry immediately asked. Callum red at Henry. ¡°Shut up, can¡¯t you see how pale she is? Why are you still asking questions!¡± With that, he scooped up the frail Natalia, and asked her worriedly, ¡°Are you okay, Buttercup?¡± Natalia slumped in the car seat. Her breath was shallow. ¡°I¡¯m fine¡­ Let¡¯s go home, Callum.¡± Alright.¡± Callum didn¡¯t press for more details. He drove off, leaving Lena¡¯s home behind. Not long after, they pulled up in front of an imposing castle. Without turning his head, Callum told Henry, ¡°You can get out now.¡± Henry was visibly upset. ¡°Really? I don¡¯t understand anything yet, and I¡¯m just getting /3 13:10 kicked out? That¡¯s not fair.¡± ¡°Fair? Where in the world is there true fairness?¡® With that, Callum pushed Henry out of the car and drove off. Henry looked disheveled, and dusted off his crumpled suit, shaking his head in disbelief. *Jerk. So impolite!¡± With that, he headed towards his family¡¯s castle. Before he could enter, he unexpectedly ran into someone. ¡°Dad, what are you doing standing here sote?¡± The man was none other than Henry¡¯s father, Count Rowell. Dressed in a ck suit, he had a head of gray hair that was like snow. His gaze was deep and stern, and his dark blue eyes shone with a faint light. Hearing Henry¡¯s voice, Count Rowell turned around and asked sternly, ¡°It¡¯ste. Where are you coming from?¡± Henry scratched his head. ¡°Ah, I¡¯ve just returned from Ms. Lena¡¯s ce.¡± Count Rowell¡¯s eyes flickered as he frowned. ¡°What were you doing at her ce in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°I was just with a girl, who might be Ms. Lena¡¯s daughter,¡± said Henry, sticking out his tongue a bit. He then quickly corrected himself. ¡°They just look very simr, and I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯re rted. It¡¯ste, I should head back to my room.¡± Count Rowell just hummed in reply. After Henry was out of sight, he cast a nce towards Lena¡¯s house, then scowled as he retreated back to his castle. A girl who looked like Lena Chapter 199 Chapter 199 Callum drove a distraught Natalia back to their castle. Once they arrived, Natalia climbed out of the car. A heavy burden was weighing on her heart. She gazed at Callum, and her voice was barely above a whisper. ¡°Callum, did you always know that Lena was my birth mother?¡± Callum nodded. ¡°Yes, I had my men investigate and found out she was the one who left you at the orphanage. They also tracked down the midwife who delivered you and confirmed that Lena gave birth to a girl ¨C and that girl was you.¡± ¡°So, the man who vited my mother and fathered me was Count Rowell? And Henry and Alice are my half¨Csiblings?¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes burned with anger as she stared at Callum, like a small, furious wolf. Callum, seeing her anger, nodded reluctantly once more. ¡°Yes, my men found out that Lena was vited by Rowell and became pregnant. And all these years, she was Rowell¡¯s secret mistress. She was coerced into it, Buttercup!¡± ¡°No, it can¡¯t be!¡± Natalia refused to believe it, covering her ears in denial. ¡°She was vited, so how could she willingly be his mistress? This is impossible!¡± ¡°Natalia.¡± Callum took hold of Natalia¡¯s hands, pulling her into his embrace. ¡°Not everything in life happens as we want it to. More often than not, we¡¯re helpless to change it.¡± Helpless? Natalia felt a bitter taste in her mouth. Indeed, she was conceived against her mother¡¯s will, abandoned at the orphanage due to circumstances beyond control, and then her mother became the mistress of the man who vited her. All because she was helpless. What a cruel joke the universe had yed. Was there anything in this world worth cherishing and holding on to? Natalia felt a bitter taste in her mouth, one that seemed to seep up from the depths of her heart. If the truth was this harsh, she would rather have remained ignorant, forever believing herself to be an abandoned child, rather than the illegitimate daughter of a shameless Count! ¡°Callum, I feel so tired all of a sudden. I really don¡¯t know how to move forward from this.¡± Natalia¡¯s gaze was empty as she stared at Callum, looking like a porcin doll devoid of emotion. Callum looked at Natalia with a heart full of pain. He had known the truth for a while now, but he hesitated to tell Natalia, fearing the brutal facts would break her. He gently patted Natalia¡¯s frail back, and his voice was filled with affection. ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t be sad. You still have me, right? I¡¯ll stand by you and be your rock.¡± 12.11 Natalia remained silent, letting Callumfort her. A wave of exhaustion washed over her, and soon, she fell asleep. Callum felt the sweet rhythm of Natalia¡¯s breath against him and couldn¡¯t resist kissing her softly. ¡°Sleep tight, my love. No matter what hurts and what injustices you face, I¡¯ll always be your safe harbor.¡± The moonlight gently filtered through the towering windows, casting a soft silver glow on the floor Callum cradled Natalia, who was sleeping, in his arms, reluctant to let go. After a while, he gentlyid Natalia on the bed, tenderly tucking her in. Looking at Natalia¡¯s peaceful, sleeping face, Callum bent down to kiss her hair once more before quietly leaving the room. He knew Natalia was still resistant to him, but he wasn¡¯t afraid. He could wait. Life was long, and he was willing to wait until Natalia willingly became his wife. With the morning light yfully peeking through the windows, Natalia awoke. She stretchedzily, got up and looked out at the pleasant scenery, and her mood instantly lifted. Why should she punish herself for the mistakes of others? She had grown up without it better to consider herself an orphan? The world was vast, and there was no need to waste her good mood dwelling on the past. parents, so why would we bother forming ties with them now?, Natalia tried to convince herself to stop thinking about her biological parents, but it was often the case that the more you tried to forget something, the more it seemed to persist. The maid, Rita, hurried in, ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a visitor insisting on seeing you.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Natalia was surprised. She had few acquaintances here, so who would want to see her? Rita dutifully ryed the message, ¡°She says her name is Lena and insists on seeing you today.¡± Natalia¡¯s mental defenses crumbled. It was Lena, the woman who gave birth to her only to abandon her. ¡°Should I go see her?¡± Rita asked quietly. ¡°No need, tell her to leave.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Rita left the room. It was probably for the best not to see her, to avoid any awkwardness. Natalia thought so, but her trembling hands were betraying her conflicted emotions. Soon, Rita returned. ¡°Miss rkson, Lena says she won¡¯t leave until she sees you. If you don¡¯t want to see her, I can ask her to leave.¡± Natalia waved her hand dismissively. ¡°Never mind. I¡¯ll go see her.¡± After all, this was the woman who gave birth to her. Regardless of the circumstances, she 12-11 shouldn¡¯t be so cold¨Chearted. With that, Natalia¡¯s emotions were churning, and she made her way to the front door of the castle. Rita led the way, escorting Natalia to the entrance. She pointed to Lena, who was anxiously pacing outside. ¡°Miss, there she is.¡± ¡°Alright, you can leave now.¡± Natalia dismissed Rita, not wanting her to overhear her conversation with Lena. When she noticed Natalia approach, Lena¡¯s face lit up, ¡°Natalia, you agreed to see me.¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh.¡± Natalia nodded curtly. ¡°What do you want?¡± As soon as the words left her lips, Natalia realized something was off. Last night when she saw Lena, she was still the epitome of elegance and intellect. How could it be possible that she looked so aged overnight? And, what was with the bruises on her face? It seemed evident that someone had hit her. In a sh, the realization hit Natalia. Her blood ran cold! ¡°Did he hit you? Did he?!¡± Natalia¡¯s temper red instantly, and her fingers gripped Lena¡¯s forearm tightly. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Lena looked at her daughter, who imed not to forgive her, yet her concern was clear. Lena was deeply moved. She gently patted Natalia¡¯s hand, ¡°No, Buttercup, it wasn¡¯t him. I bumped into something, that¡¯s all.¡± Chapter 200 Chapter 200 How could Natalia believe such a flimsy lie from Lena? ¡°Really? This couldn¡¯t possibly be from an ident. Who are you trying to fool?¡± Nata¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. Even though she had been abandoned, seeing Lena being bullied like this made Natalia¡¯s heart ache! Lena bit her lip, showing a troubled expression. ¡°Well, it¡¯s nothing. I¡¯ve told you before. These so¨Ccalled highborn folks are very particr about lineage. They absolutely can¡¯t stand the thought of someone below their status tainting their bloodline.¡± ¡°So he found out about me? And he¡¯s ming you for it? And that¡¯s why he hit you?¡± Natalia felt like her head was about to explode. What kind of messed up logic was that? It was absolutely infuriating! ¡°You go by Natalia, right? Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve gotten used to it over the years. As long as you¡¯re doing well, I¡¯m content. I came here today to check up on you, to see if you¡¯re doing okay.¡± N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Natalia heard Lena saying her name. This woman was once a stranger, yet had given birth to her. Natalia couldn¡¯t describe the feelings swirling inside her. However, Natalia was being inherently kind and didn¡¯t want Lena to worry about her. She nodded earnestly. ¡°I¡¯m doing really well, honestly. Even though life wasn¡¯t great at the rkson¡¯s, everything changed when I met Cal. He¡¯s been really good to me.¡± I ¡°Cal? You mean Callum?¡± Lena¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°He¡¯s a big shot in Ennd, virtually untouchable. If he¡¯s treating you well, I can rest easy. But remember, the English are very particr about lineage. If you don¡¯t have a noble lineage, you won¡¯t be able to marry him.¡± Natalia¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Had Lenae all this way just to tell her these things? Although Callum was indeed very good to her, Natalia was well aware that marrying Callum was not something she was entirely sure about. Right now, though, she didn¡¯t want to discuss these things with Lena. After all, they were practically strangers. Natalia didn¡¯t say anything else and invited Lena in to tend to her injuries. But then, ¡°Natalia¡­ Could you¡­ Could you call me ¡®Mom¡®?¡± Lena asked suddenly. Her eyes were shimmering with unshed tears and made her look desperate as she pleaded. If she could hear Natalia call her ¡®Mom¡® just once in this lifetime, she could die in peace. Natalia was taken aback and shook her head with difficulty. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t.¡± Lena¡¯s face paled, but she managed a weak smile. ¡°It¡¯s alright. All this is my fault. I will find a way to make it up to you.¡± With a feeling of destion, Lena turned around and slowly left the castle. Her figure was radiating a profound sense of loneliness and sadness. 12-11 Mom! Natalia was already calling her that in her heart. Lena¡¯s staggering figure and the evident injuries on her face pierced Natalia¡¯s heart like a sharp knife. But after only a short distance, Lena turned back around and took out an envelope from her pocket. Lena walked up to Natalia and handed her a letter. ¡°I hope you could read this after I¡¯ve left. Can I¡­ Can I hold you?¡± As Lena stared at Natalia, she noticed her face was marred by injuries. It made Natalia feel like her world was falling apart. Natalia was trembling as she epted the sealed letter. She wanted to deny Lena¡¯s request, but seeing the pleading look in her eyes, she agreed. Lena¡¯s face lit up with relief, and she pulled Natalia into her arms. She hugged Natalia tightly, as if exerting all the strength she had left. Natalia felt something wet on her shoulder. She was almost suffocating in Lena¡¯s embrace. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my child, my angel. You must find happiness.¡± Lena whispered into Natalia¡¯s ear, then let go of her and walked away without looking back. Watching Lena¡¯s retreating figure, Natalia felt an inexplicable sense of finality. That embrace was a mother¡¯s embrace. It might haveete, but it was truly warm. After Lena was out of sight, Natalia finally opened the letter. Inside was a single sheet of thin paper, filled with a neat, delicate script. ¡°To my dearest baby, 1 years. It¡¯s all my fault. I¡¯m sorry for not being there for you all these years. From the moment you were born no, from the moment I first felt you move inside me, you became my whole world, the only reason I have for living. Over the years, I spent every night consumed by guilt and longing. Every second of every minute, I thought about my baby. I wondered if you were okay, if you had enough to eat, if you were sleeping well. But Rowell¡¯s influence was too strong. He took away all my identity documents, and I couldn¡¯t leave Ennd because I discovered his traitorous secret. From then on, I was trapped, Nat. I never wanted to be a mistress. Forced into this situation, I had no choice but to be a caged bird in his golden cage. I spent countless nights longing for you. Had I not sent you away, you might have lost your life in the McKinney family feud. My baby, all of this is my doing. I was unable to break free from Rowell¡¯s hold, and I couldn¡¯t go searching for you in our homnd when you were still young. Thankfully, you finally came, and you¡¯re just as beautiful as I imagined. My child, I¡¯ve failed as a mother. I wasn¡¯t by your side all these years, and yet you¡¯ve grown into such a wise and sensible young woman. I¡¯m truly proud. Ennd is a country that values lineage above all else, especially among the nobility. Last night, after you left, Rowell found out about this. He was furious and took it out on 13:11 1. me. Our rtionship started to crack. But my child, for your sake, I must fight for you one more time. I can¡¯t let you follow in my footsteps. If you don¡¯t have a noble lineage, you will face many obstacles from stubborn aristocrats when you want to marry Callum. And I would rather die than watch is something like that happen. The only solution is for you to be acknowledged by Rowell as a McKinney. As an Earl¡¯s daughter, you would have the right to talk of marriage with Callum. Living here for so long, I¡¯vee to understand Callum¡¯s ways, and even more, I¡¯ve seen the unwavering love in his eyes when he looks at you. The greatest joy for a woman is to marry a man who loves her more than his own life. From my own experience, I can say without a doubt that Callum is capable of such love. For the sake of your future happiness, my dearest darling, I must fight for you to have the recognition you deserve. Goodbye, my child. My life has been filled with hardships, from my difficult childhood to my adult years filled with unbearable circumstances. Having to abandon you when you were but a babe are the sins I have sown. Now, it¡¯s time for me to pay for these transgressions. Promise me, my child, that you will find happiness. Even if the road ahead is muddy and difficult, always move forward with a smile. Your loving mother, Lena.¡± Chapter 201 Chapter 201 Natalia¡¯s hand trembled as she read the letter. The paper slipped from her grasp, her heart pounded like a drum, and her blood was roaring in her ears. What on earth did the woman who had given birth to her intend to do? A terrible thought shed across her mind, making her heart jump with dread. Lena wouldn¡¯t do something foolish, would she? The woman who had abandoned her all those years ago had been fine up until now. Now that Natalia had grown up and returned, Lena surely wouldn¡¯t do something drastic, would she? But the dreadful thought kept spreading, making Natalia¡¯s heart pound harder. She couldn¡¯t care less about her past problems. Letting the letter fall to the ground, she quickly followed the path Lena had taken. Outside the castle, a broad road stretched out. The direction Lena had taken was not the one leading to her home. Natalia followed her intuition, and her heart was pounding with fear. She wouldn¡¯t¡­ She couldn¡¯t¡­ Although Natalia walked for what felt like forever, she couldn¡¯t find Lena. Pain shot through her feet, and she copsed in despair, with tears streaming down her face. Natalia didn¡¯t know why she was crying. Was it because of her abandonment, or the thought that Lena might have done something terrible? A car horn beeped, and Natalia looked up to see Callum rolling down his car window. ¡°Buttercup,¡± he called. ¡°Rita told me you ran out of the castle?¡± Without waiting for the car to stop, he stepped out. Callum¡¯s face was filled with concern. ¡°Have you been crying? What happened? Are your feet hurting?¡± Natalia shook her head. ¡°Cal, Lena was here, she¡­¡± But she didn¡¯t know how to exin the letter she had received. She had only guessed that Lena might have done something drastic. But what if she was wrong? ¡°Did youe after Lena because of this letter?¡± Callum asked, taking out the letter Natalia had dropped. ¡°How did you get this?¡± ¡°I heard from Rita that Lena was looking for you. I went to check, but I didn¡¯t find you there. I found this letter on the ground. I opened it without your permission, I¡¯m sorry. After reading it, I was worried, so I rushed to find you. Luckily, since you were moving on foot, I found you easily.¡± As he spoke, Callum helped Natalia to her feet. ¡°Let¡¯s go look for Lena. She might be in danger Natalia nodded, not caring that Callum had read her letter ¡°But Cal, where should we look her? I saw her heading this way, but after walking for so long I didn¡¯t se anywhere.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll find her soon if we go by car,¡± he assured her. After helping a panicked Natalia fasten her seatbelt, he added, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll be fine.¡± Although he wasforting Natalia, Callum was worried. The words in Lena¡¯s letter clearly conveyed her intention of ending her own life. He didn¡¯t agree with Natalia finding out about her origins, but now that she knew, he didn¡¯t want her to face the pain of losing her mother again. He¡¯d do anything to prevent his darling from getting hurt. As they drove along the coastal road, Callum frowned in concern. ¡°Lena, you¡¯ve held on for so many years. Please don¡¯t do anything rash.¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Sitting next to him, Natalia¡¯s face was pale. She was afraid that things would turn out as she had feared. They drove for a long time without seeing any sign of Lena. Callum¡¯s face darkened. It seemed Lena was indeed nning to end her life. Natalia¡¯s heart sank, and she let Callum drive her back to the castle. As they returned to the castle, Callum tried tofort Natalia. ¡°Buttercup, don¡¯t overthink. Maybe things aren¡¯t as bad as you think.¡± His words rang hollow even to his own ears. Natalia didn¡¯t respond and walked back into the castle like a sleepwalker. Just then, a shrill voice rang out, ¡°You shameless little brat, get out of here!¡± Callum turned in fury. ¡°Who gave you the right to yell and insult people in my castle?¡± Natalia looked over to see Alice, a woman she had met once before, marching towards them. Alice had been swearing at Natalia but was taken aback when Callum scolded her. She pointed a finger at Natalia andined to Callum, ¡°Cal, do you know who she is? She¡¯s the illegitimate daughter of that slut Lena and my father. You¡¯re letting her stay in your castle. Kick her out!¡± Her voice echoed through the castle. ¡°Enough! This is my castle. You¡¯d better leave before I lose my temper!¡± Callum ordered, pointing to the door. He turned to Rita, who had followed Alice in. ¡°Rita, what kind of gatekeeper are you, letting a mad dog run in?¡± I¡¯m sorry, sir. Miss Alice insisted oning in. I¡¯ll ask her to leave immediately. Rita hurried to Alice¡¯s side and said, ¡°Miss Alice, please leave.¡± Alice¡¯s face was flushed; she couldn¡¯t believe that she was being treated this way by Callum She remembered, not too long ago, Callum was always gentle with her, and never once raised his voice in her presence of that damn woman, Natalia! She was the one pulling the string A wave of anger washed over Alice, and she shook off Rita¡¯sforting hand, striding over to Natalia in two swift steps. She raised her hand and aimed a p at Natalia¡¯s face. ¡°You little bitch, you and your wicked mother are both nothing but trouble!¡± Chapter 202 Chapter 202 She put all her strength into that p, with the intention to leave a mark on Natalia¡¯s face. This pretty face was prettier than hers and was the one that had seduced Cal. If that wasn¡¯t the case, how could Callum have treated Natalia like this! However, just as Alice¡¯s hand was about to hit Natalia, it was caught in mid¨Cair. Natalia firmly clutched Alice¡¯s wrist, and her icy gaze bore into Alice. ¡°What did you just say? Say it again.¡± Alice tried to pry her wrist free, but to no avail. Natalia¡¯s grip was too strong, she couldn¡¯t break free. Alice gave up and was confident that Natalia wouldn¡¯t dare do anything to her. She lifted her chin in a haughty manner. ¡°What, you want to hear it again? I said you¡¯re a cheap little tramp, just like your mother. Both of you are good for nothing!¡± Alice rolled her eyes disdainfully. What could Natalia do to her anyway? The swift and sharp p that Natalia delivered as a response echoed through the mansion, startling Rita. She had never expected Natalia to be this assertive. That p was well¨Cdeserved! Shocked, Alice covered her stinging cheek in disbelief, pointing at Natalia. ¡°You, you dare to hit me?¡® Being the daughter of an earl, she had always been treated with the utmost respect. When had she ever been humiliated like this? Without thinking, Alice raised her hand, intending to return two ps to Natalia. This bastard, not only did she steal Alice¡¯s father, but she also had the audacity to hit her! However, before Alice could do anything, her arm was caught by Callum, who hade over. Callum¡¯s face darkened, and his grip was tightening around Alice¡¯s arm. ¡°Alice, if you wish to leave this ce alive, I suggest you behave yourself. Not even your father would dare to act recklessly in my house.¡± Alice felt as if Callum was about to crush her wrist. The humiliation and pain brought tears to her eyes. She was sniffling, and sheined, ¡°Cal, she hit me first, and yet, you¡¯re siding with her. That¡¯s not fair!¡± Callum snorted. ¡°Fairness is subjective. Also, don¡¯t ever call me Cal again. You¡¯ve lost that privilege. The continuous humition overwhelmed Alice. She directed all her anger towards Natalia. ¡°Natalia, I swear on my life, I will not rest until I¡¯ve avenged this humiliation! Really? Callum intervened. ¡°If you wish for death, I can arrange it for you. the threat in Callum¡¯s voice, and wisely chose to hold her tongue. She looked dingly Cal, 1 ¡°Stop! I¡¯ve told you not to call me that. Don¡¯t make me remind you again. People who test my patience usually end up six feet under.¡± Fearing another beating, Alice regretteding here. If Callum were to kill her, her family wouldn¡¯t even know what happened. For the sake of her life, Alice decided to swallow her pride. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. Taking a deep breath, she hid her anger behind a pitiful facade, staring at Callum pleadingly. ¡°Duke Callum, I am deeply sorry for my earlier rudeness. However, please understand my feelings. I have just found out about my father¡¯s infidelity. That homewrecker may be dead, but I still despise her.¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± Natalia stumbled over to Alice, shaking her by the shoulders. ¡°What did you say? What happened to her?¡± Alice gave Natalia a disgusted look, wanting to unleash her fury but fearing Callum¡¯s wrath. She reluctantly said, ¡°You¡¯re asking about your mother, aren¡¯t you? Well, after causing a ruckus in our home, she killed herself by jumping into the sea. She¡¯s currently lying cold and wet in our mansion.¡± The news hit Natalia like a bolt of lightning, leaving her trembling. She wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the air around her turn ice cold. Even breathing became difficult. ¡°That¡¯s not possible. She can¡¯t be dead. She was just talking to me. She can¡¯t be dead,¡± Natalia muttered in disbelief, shaking her head vehemently. Alice¡¯s triumphant smile emerged as she watched Natalia¡¯s despair. ¡°You think I¡¯m lying? That horrible woman is lying soaked and lifeless in our mansion. My mother even argued with my father because he wanted to bury her in our family cemetery. Over my dead body!¡± Natalia¡¯s tears fell once more. At this point, she finally believed Alice¡¯s words. But why? Why had the woman who had just wanted to hear her call her Mother passed away so suddenly? She hadn¡¯t even had the chance to call her Mom. She regretted it so much! Natalia¡¯s strength drained away as she copsed onto the floor. ¡°She came here earlier, and hoped I could call her ¡®Mom, but I rejected her. I didn¡¯t even get the chance to call her Mom. How could she¡­ how could she just leave like this?¡± Nata¡¯s words were filled with grief, breaking Callum¡¯s heart. He wished Natalia didn¡¯t have to go through this, Regret was a bitter pill to swallow, Nata and Lena had parted ways before they could even acknowledge each other. ¡°Do you¡­ want to see her onest fegret not seeing Lena onest time. To save Natalia from a life of quilt, he still asked. e nodded woodenly, and a determined glint glimmered in her eyes. ¡°Yes,t want to Would death mean liberation for Lena? She had been a mistress for years and was nevertruly free. Now, she could finally breathe. Tears poured down Natalia¡¯s face like a breached dam. Slowly, she rose from her seat and began to walk away. Chapter 203 Chapter 203 Callum drove Natalia to the ancient McKinney family mansion. Before they even stepped out of the car, Natalia overheard a harsh tirade. ¡°Get rid of this damned thing at once! I can¡¯t bear to see her for another second!¡± The woman who was venting her ire was dressedvishly, and her eyes were revealing a harshness that she didn¡¯t attempt to conceal. Alice, who had been sulking in her car behind Callum, regained her confidence as soon as she returned home. She stepped out of the car and boldly approached the woman who was furiously ranting, ¡°Mother!¡± Alice¡¯s mother, who was raging at Lena¡¯s suicide, softened instantly upon seeing her beloved daughter. ¡°Alice, where have you been? I¡¯ve been looking everywhere for you.¡± Reassured by her mother¡¯s presence, Alice recovered her usual haughty demeanor. Pointing at Natalia, who was being led by Callum from the car, Alice fumed, ¡°Mother, I went to find this little tramp. She¡¯s Lena¡¯s bastard, and she¡¯s been hiding in Cal¡¯s castle for five years!¡± Alice¡¯s mother¡¯s eyes followed Alice¡¯s hand, and she stared at Natalia with ill intent. Upon seeing Natalia¡¯s blue eyes that resembled Rowell¡¯s, her gray eyes disyed a cruel determination. ¡°So you¡¯re Lena¡¯s daughter?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Natalia replied with dignity, meeting the woman¡¯s gaze. The woman scoffed. ¡°Well, the apple doesn¡¯t fall far from the tree. Lena¡¯s daughter is just as worthless. Get rid of your mother¡¯s mess!¡± Alice¡¯s mother retorted. Natalia, ignoring the woman, slowly moved towards Lena¡¯s body, which was disyed in the center of the hall under a white cloth. Callum had already coolly retorted, ¡°Lady McKinney, when you speak about others, do your words reflect your upbringing? It¡¯s clear that the illustrious Lady McKinney¡¯s family values are quitecking.¡± Enraged, Lady McKinney wanted tosh out, but standing in her way was the Duke, a rank higher than her. She swallowed the angry words that were on the tip of her tongue. Meanwhile, Lena¡¯s body had been retrieved and wasid out in the mansion¡¯s courtyard. Rowell was sitting nkly in a chair, and his eyes were nkly fixed on Lena, seemingly oblivious to the crowd that had gathered. Suddenly, his gaze drifted towards Natalia, who was slowly walking in. A jolt of realization hit him ¨C this was her daughter! He stood up slowly, and his eyes took in Natalia¡¯s blue dress. Her long dark hair was cascading down like a waterfall, and her delicate demeanor mirrored her mother¡¯s. Was this really his daughter? She was way more fragile than he had imagined, and stunningly beautiful, even more so than Alice. Could she really be his daughter? Natalia had no interest in bickering with Lady McKinney. She walked towards Lena¡¯s corpse, and her eyes blurred with tears. All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Just a few hours ago, Lena was standing before her, pleading with Natalia to allow her to be called Mother. Now, Natalia was staring at Lena¡¯s lifeless body. She wept silently, begging for Lena¡¯s forgiveness for her earlier obstinacy. If she could turn back time, she would definitely have called Lena Mother and could have even given her a big hug. When she was little, Natalia had imagined countless reunions with her mother, but she never thought it would be under such circumstances. She didn¡¯t even get the chance to know Lena¡¯s hobbies or understand who Lena truly was. And now, Lena was gone. Natalia¡¯s shoulders shook uncontrobly as she was overwhelmed by grief. Why was it that others had both parents while she was sent to an orphanage at an early age? Why was it that just when she found her mother, she was snatched away before Natalia could even adapt to the idea? Rowell, the Earl, was immersed in the pain of Lena¡¯s tragic death. He stared at Natalia, his sudden daughter, wondering whether to be happy or sad. Because of her arrival, Lena was dead. The night before, he had learned that Lena had been pregnant with his child years ago and had given the baby away to an orphanage, and then sent her away. In his rage, he had hit Lena. Despite his harsh actions, he was deeply drawn to Lena, a woman of stunning beauty and proud spirit. She was like the finest wine that had captured his soul. But he was an Earl and could not marry her, so, he kept her as his secret lover. Over the years, although Lena had always been indifferent to him, When Count Rowell tought of this proud woman as his own, his heart felt as sweet as if he has drunk honey. He loved her deeply and wanted to keep her by his side forever, but he never imagined that she would choose to end her life in this manner. Because of his actions, Lena chose to protest in this way. Against his failings, against their love, against theck of a proper status, and against the daughter she had to give 1. up. She¡¯d left a suicide note and leaped into the ocean. Herst wish was scrawled in ink, pleading with him to acknowledge his daughter. She knew that as long as she lived, Natalia¡¯s status would be complicated. Only in her death could Natalia rightfully reim her ce in the McKinney family. Rowell watched as Lena¡¯s life extinguished, feeling as though a stone lodged itself in his heart. He lifted his gaze to Natalia, only to be met with sapphire eyes as deep and vast as the ocean itself. Those eyes shimmered as though filled with stardust, causing a pang in Rowell¡¯s heart. How much they resembled his own! These eyes, so strikingly simr to his own, were set Chapter 204 Chapter 204 The little girl before him, who looked like an angel straight out of a Renaissance painting, was his daughter, a child he never knew he had, a child he shared with Lena. Rowell¡¯s eyes glistened with a hint of tears, and his voice raspy. ¡°Are you Lena¡¯s child?¡± Natalia lifted her gaze to the imposing older man, and a mix of destion and guilt washed over her. She felt no affection for this man who had wronged Lena. He was responsible for her mother¡¯s death! It didn¡¯t matter whether he was an Earl or even the King of Ennd; she wanted nothing to do with him. Natalia¡¯s silence caught Rowell off guard. His brow furrowed. His daughter was strong¨Cwilled, possibly even resentful towards him. He saw Callum approach and nodded his acknowledgment. ¡°I apologize for dragging you into this mess, my friend.¡± Before Callum could respond, Natalia retorted, ¡°A mess? Does the noble Count condone violence? Or perhaps you think the woman who died here has dirtied your grounds and tarnished your reputation?¡± Her swift retort left Rowell momentarily stunned. The courage and audacity she showed in confronting him were unexpected. Was she not supposed to respect him and call him ¡®Father¡®? ¡°You!¡± Rowell sharply rebuked Natalia, ¡°You are Lena¡¯s child. Your manner of speaking is disrespectful!¡± ¡°Disrespectful?¡± Natalia scoffed. ¡°I have no home. I was abandoned in an orphanage. How should I know about manners?¡± Rowell¡¯s demeanor shifted. It was clear she held resentment towards him. Yet her sharp wit was intriguing in its own way. Regardless, for Lena¡¯s sake, Rowell decided not to take offense. He calmly looked at Natalia, and the guilt he felt over Lena¡¯s death was evaporating. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange a paternity test. If you are indeed my child, you will join the McKinney family.¡± He would teach this audacious¡® girl a thing or two about respect then! ¡°No need. I am of humble origins. I do not deserve the prestigious McKinney name.¡± Natalia rebuffed him without hesitation, an icy detachment in her eyes. Rowell¡¯s face contorted in difort. He had not anticipated Natalia¡¯s rejection. Being an Earl¡¯s daughter was a status many women could only dream of. Lena had even given her life to reim this heritage for her. Now, this unexpected daughter showed not only indifference but disdain towards his name. He scrutinized Natalia from head to toe, asking begrudgingly, ¡°So, you don¡¯t want to take on the McKinney name?¡± ¡°Father, she can¡¯t possibly be your daughter,¡± Alice interjected. ¡°Lena must have concocted this story to smear your reputation. Who knows who fathered this bastard? Now, she wants to ruin you!¡± Alice would not let Natalia im her father. The McKinney family¡¯s honor was hers alone. No one would take it from her! As she fanned the mes, she shot Natalia venomous nces. ¡°You be quiet!¡± Rowell, without warning, struck Alice across the face, causing her to stagger backward. In this manor, Rowell¡¯s authority was absolute. Not even his wife would dare to disrespect him, let alone Alice. Alice turned her wrathful gaze towards Natalia. It was all Natalia¡¯s fault! If not for her, how could Cal have abandoned her? How could her doting father p her? ¡°Natalia, I will make you pay!¡± Natalia, unbothered by Alice¡¯s false usations, remained calm and collected. She initially had no interest in any connection with the McKinney family. However, to clear Lena¡¯s name and do justice to the woman who had never been called ¡®Mother, Natalia had to take the paternity test. ¡°I¡¯ll take the test to clear my mother¡¯s name,¡± Natalia stated calmly. Her eyes were on Rowell and filled with detachment. ¡°But I have a question. How will my mother beid to rest?¡± Rowell¡¯s eyes narrowed. ¡°I¡¯ll arrange for her to be buried in the best cemetery.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take the paternity test,¡± Natalia reiterated. ¡°But I want to handle my mother¡¯s ashes myself.¡± Rowell pondered for a moment, then agreed. ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll cremate her and give the ashes to you. Is that eptable?¡± ¡°Very well, let¡¯s make that arrangement. Now, let¡¯s get the paternity test done,¡± Natalia said and walked away, not wanting to spend another second with Rowell. After Lena was cremated and Natalia received her ashes, they headed to the most reputable testing facility in Ennd. The results came quickly. Natalia¡¯s gic markers were a 99.9% match with Rowell¡¯s, confirming their blood rtion. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Holding the test results, Natalia coldly turned to Count Rowell. ¡°Have I now proven my mother¡¯s innocence?¡± Rowell nodded, ¡°Yes, you are indeed my daughter. From today on, you will be known as McKinney¡­ ¡°Thank you kindly, Earl Rowell, for your generous offer. However, as I¡¯ve said before, I have no intention of bearing the noble name of ¡®McKinney.¡® My name is Natalia rkson.¡± Natalia articted each word deliberately before turning to Callum, who stood steadfastly by her side. ¡°Cal, let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Hold it right there!¡± Rowell trembled with rage, pointing an using finger at Natalia. ¡°Have you no regard for me in your eyes?¡± ¡°Father?¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes were brimming with mockery. ¡°All these yearster, are you certain you¡¯ve fulfilled your duties as a father? Do you think you¡¯re worthy of that title? You¡¯re well aware of the circumstances of my birth! If not for you, how could my mother have possibly died?¡± Her eyes glinted with a chilling resolve, sending a shiver of fear down Rowell¡¯s spine. Chapter 205 Chapter 205 Rowell reeled a bit under Natalia¡¯s usations and was unable to formte a defense. Lena¡¯s death had not been his intention. He had been fond of her, but he hadn¡¯t loved her. Not yet. He was an count- with power, wealth, and women aplenty. Yet he was also the most impoverished, for he had never understood what love truly was. As Natalia and Callum began to walk away, Rowell called after them. His voice was tinged with desperation. ¡°Natalia, I¡­ I can make amends.¡± He had no shortage of women, but he had sincere intentions toward this child, who bore his bloodline. She was his daughter, a part of him, and deserved nothing but the best. She should never have been left to fend for herself. If other earls or dukes found out, he¡¯d get so embarrassed. So when Natalia left with Callum, Rowell begged her to stay. He couldn¡¯t bear the thought of a scandal. Natalia, however, had no interest in understanding Rowell¡¯s thoughts. She just wanted to get as far away from these people as possible. ¡°Cal, let¡¯s go,¡± Natalia said, ignoring Rowell¡¯s pleas and briskly heading for the car. Seeing Natalia¡¯s aversion to Rowell, Callum didn¡¯t bother with niceties. He slipped into the car and drove off without a backward nce. As Rowell watched the car disappear into the distance, he felt a hollow pang. This daughter he had just met was so much like him in his younger years. ¡°Why do you bother with such riffraff from the slums, Father?¡± Alice, who had been watching from the sidelines, finally spoke up. ¡°Father, do you not love me anymore? Why else would you invite that horrid person back?¡± Rowell red at Alice, and she quickly released his hand, fearing a p. ¡°Shut up, Alice! You¡¯ve been spoiled to the core by your mother. You¡¯re an embarrassment!¡± With that, Rowell stormed off, leaving Alice fuming but afraid to speak up. She hurriedly ran after Rowell, afraid that she would be left behind. Meanwhile, Callum was driving Natalia away. The atmosphere inside the car was heavy. Natalia looked downcast, her face a picture of mncholy. Natalia, cheer up. We can¡¯t bring the dead back to life. It breaks my heart to see you like this Callum said, ncing at her through the rearview mirror. Nata managed a weak smile, but it looked more like a grimace. She turned to Callum and quietly said, ¡°Cal, I want to take my mom¡¯s ashes back home. ation Callum agreed, even though he knew they would run into the ck home. But he couldn¡¯t bear to see Natalia upset, nor d the simple wish toy her mother to rest. ¡°Alright, when do you n to leave? I¡¯ll arrange everything.¡± ¡°Can we leave now?¡± Natalia asked as her eyes welled up. ¡°I don¡¯t want to leave my mom here any longer. It¡¯s been over twenty years since she¡¯s been home, and I want to take her back.¡± Callum could only agree. After making a quick phone call to book two tickets, Natalia thanked him profusely. Callum, however, brushed it off with augh. ¡°Silly girl, you¡¯re my fianc¨¦e. I should be doing this for you.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Cal, after my mom¡¯s funeral, we can get engaged. If you don¡¯t mind, that is,¡± Natalia said, surprising Callum into silence. He couldn¡¯t believe his ears. Natalia blushed and lowered her head, shyly repeating her words. ¡°Life is full of uncertainties, and we should live in the moment. We shouldn¡¯t waste time. I want to cherish the people in my life.¡± Overwhelmed with joy, Callum could barely contain himself. He pinched his own cheek to make sure he wasn¡¯t dreaming. ¡°Ouch! That hurt. But I¡¯m not dreaming. You really said yes, Buttercup! I¡¯m the happiest man on earth!¡± He eximed, grinning from ear to ear. With that, Callum couldn¡¯t help but start dancing in the car, twisting and shaking off his ecstatic joy. ¡°Oh my God, oh my God, my Buttercup actually agreed to marry me! I¡¯m so incredibly happy! I can¡¯t even put into words how I¡¯m feeling right now. Phew, I need some oxygen, I want to shout, I want to tell the whole world. I¡¯m the happiest man alive at this moment!¡± Watching Callum¡¯s excited, incoherent behavior, Natalia found it hard to imagine that this usually reserved man was acting so childishly. Her previously downcast mood was suddenly uplifted. She looked out the car window and smiled. Indeed, life was fragile and short. She had made Cal wait for her for five years. How many more five¨C year periods could one afford to squander in life? Chapter 206 Chapter 206 She¡¯s all alone now, so if Cal¡¯s wish was to make her his wife, maybe she could give it a shot. She could try to be a good wife and a good mother. The car started again, snaking its way through the road. Callum couldn¡¯t help himself. He was so happy he wasughing uncontrobly all the way. It¡¯s a good thing they weren¡¯t on a main road, otherwise, he¡¯d surely be mistaken for a lunatic and taken away. Natalia sat quietly in the back of the car, silently observing Callum¡¯s raw expressions of joy. Perhaps being his wife was her final destiny. Soon enough, Callum drove Natalia to the airport in Ennd, When they got out of the car, Callum¡¯s staff had already taken care of everything and were waiting at the airport entrance. Tossing his car keys to his assistant, Callum randomly picked six bodyguards in ck suits and gestured for them to board the ne with him. Having gone through all the boarding procedures, Natalia sat quietly by the window, holding her mother¡¯s urn. Callum sat next to her, holding her hand tightly. Despite being in public, he couldn¡¯t contain his joy and greeted everyone who passed by their seats with a beaming smile. Some passengers returned his smile, but others, frightened by his seemingly manic behavior, hurried away. None of this could dampen his spirits. He even started humming a tune, asionally tapping his foot to the rhythm. Natalia found Callum¡¯s childish behavior quite embarrassing. With all the people on the ne, Natalia tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible by the window, but they were still the center of attention, which made her incredibly ufortable. What Natalia didn¡¯t know was that people were staring not because of Callum¡¯s entric behavior, but because of their striking good looks. Their beautiful faces had earned them the title of the ¡°golden couple.¡± Men wished for a girlfriend as beautiful as Natalia, while women desired a boyfriend as handsome as Callum. Natalia was too preupied with her thoughts to notice the envious nces thrown their way. The ne slowly took off, picking up speed in mid¨Cair and quickly reaching above the clouds. As Ennd slowly disappeared beneath her, Natalia felt a mix of emotions as she found herself back home, the home she had left five years ago. She said she was returning to bury her mother, but for some reason, there was another unfamiliar voice in her heart, calling her, beckoning her toe back. The voice was All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. following her heart and returning to her roots. The ne slowlynded at Melfort Airport. Cal and Natalia walked off the ne side by side, heading towards the exit. The airport terminal was bustling with people, and very lively. Holding the urn, Natalia¡¯s face was gloomy. ¡°Mom, you¡¯re finally back! This is your homnd. After more than twenty years, you¡¯re finally back,¡± Natalia said quietly. For some reason, from the moment she set foot in Melfort, her heart started to race. She didn¡¯t know what was making her anxious; she just had a hunch that she shouldn¡¯t havee back. This city was the ce she had once stayed, so why did it feel so unfamiliar? Her intuition told her that the owner of the voice that often appeared in her dreams lived in Melfort. Callum noticed Natalia¡¯s low spirits and put his arm around her shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Buttercup? Are you feeling unwell?¡± Natalia shook her head, forcing a smile. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. I just feel strange being back here. Let¡¯s go.¡± She always felt like there was someone in her mind, vague and blurry. Every time she thought about it, Natalia would have a severe headache. If she couldn¡¯t remember it, then it was best not to think about it. There must¡¯ve been a reason she couldn¡¯t recall it. Hearing Natalia say this, Callum immediately became anxious, fearing that Natalia would remember her past. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Natalia rekindling her old feelings for Magnus, but more afraid that Natalia would get hurt again. Five years ago, when he rescued her from the sea, her face was pale, and she was barely breathing, on the verge of death. In order to get Natalia the best treatment, Callum didn¡¯t even have time to settle scores with Magnus. He took Natalia back to Ennd in a hurry. In the past five years, all his focus had been on taking care of Natalia, naturally leaving no time to deal with Magnus. He wished that Natalia would never remember any of it. He wouldn¡¯t put her through that pain again. This time, he came back to bury Lena with his beloved Buttercup. If they didn¡¯t run into Magnus, it would be for the best. But if they did, he would definitely give him a good beating before settling the score for almost causing Natalia¡¯s death. Fortunately, Natalia didn¡¯t say more and left the airport with Callum. The journey to Lena¡¯s hometown went smoothly because Callum had taken care of everything in advance. After a brief period of busyness, he apanied Natalia throughout the process and finally gave Lena a decent burial. Looking at the beautiful scenery around the grave, Natalia felt a flood of emotions. ¡°Rest In peace, Mom. You¡¯re finally home,¡± she whispered. After everything was taken care of, Callum immediately booked tickets to return to Ennd. He didn¡¯t want Natalia to stay in this sorrowful ce for long. Natalia originally wanted to visit Kyler, but he decided against it. It was better to let everything end, and to disappear from this world. Callum had an uneasy feeling, a nagging worry that Magnus, thatplete jerk, might¡¯ve been lurking around. If Callum ever did bump into Magnus, he¡¯d give him a piece of his mind, no doubt. But what he feared most was stirring up painful memories for Natalia. So, on their second day back in Melfort, after they¡¯d taken care of all their affairs, Callum and Natalia returned to Melfort Airport, ready to catch their flight back to Ennd. The airport terminal was as bustling as ever. Natalia walked alongside Callum. A touch of mncholy was creeping into her heart. She had finallyid her mother to rest in her hometown, yet she was already on the verge of leaving. Although she knew there were no more family ties keeping her here, why did she feel a pang of reluctance to leave? Chapter 207 Chapter 207 Passengers flying to United Kingdom, please note that your flight is about to take off shortly. Please carry your ID and ticket with you and head to the check¨Cin gate.¡± The sweet voice of the airport cabin crew echoed through the airport inte. Callum gently nudged Natalia. ¡°Buttercup, let¡¯s get going.¡± ¡°Uh¨Chuh,¡± Natalia murmured, nodding her head as she followed Callum towards the check¨Cin counter. Just then, a tall man emerged from the exit opposite them. His face looked stiff, and hisplexion was worn. A man in a suit trailed behind him. Passing by the check¨Cin counter, he nced at Natalia, who was about to check in and froze. He took in hervender Italian maxi dress and white trench coat. The moment she turned around to pull her luggage, he felt as if he was struck by lightning. ¡°My wife!¡± Impossible. He closed his eyes. His wife had been dead for five years. How could it be her? But when he opened them again, the figure in thevender dress was there, with her back to him. That shape was etched into his marrow for the past five years, and he couldn¡¯t be mistaken. ¡°My wife! My wife!¡± His voice was hoarse and filled with emotion. Natalia had barely taken two steps when she heard the urgent calls from behind her. The voice was somewhat strange, yet vagIs it really you? Am I dreaming?¡± The man¡¯s voice was deep and filled with pain. Natalia turned and saw the man holding her. His eyes were bloodshot, and his handsome face looked haggard, but his eyes were fervent, hopeful, and pained. uely familiar. Natalia continued walking, not slowing her pace. Wife? The man couldn¡¯t be calling her, could he? She wasn¡¯t even married. She wasn¡¯t anyone¡¯s ¡°Wife,¡± so he couldn¡¯t possibly be calling her. Before she could take another step, the man from behind rushed over, grabbing her slender wrist. ¡°My wife! Who was he? Why didn¡¯t she recognize him? And why did her heart ache at the sight of him? His weathered face pricked every nerve in her body. ¡°Sir, let go¡­¡± Natalia began in a soft voice. She didn¡¯t know this man, and she certainly didn¡¯t understand why he suddenly rushed over, grabbed her, and called her ¡°Wife.¡± Was he some kind of lunatic? Natalia tried to pull away but found she couldn¡¯t break free Seeing the mixture of joy, and confusion in his pain¨Cfilled eyes, she turned to Callum for help. ¡°Callum, I¡­ Before she could finish, Callum threw a punch, knocking the man who had been holding her to the ground. ¡°Let her go!¡± Callum shouted. The man on the ground quickly picked himself up, and when he saw Callum, his heart filled with even more pain, spreading throughout his body. So, Magnus¡® wife had been rescued by this British man and was hidden away for five years. He lunged at Callum, grappling with him. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org This man was Magnus, who had just returned from a business trip to the U.S. He looked a bit gaunt. Yes, gaunt. Natalia was sure that he hadn¡¯t always been this size. Even his complexion had changed. It was no longer a healthy flush, but a pallid, tired hue. Who was he? Why was he calling her his wife? And why did she find him so familiar? Natalia watched the two men wrestling, feeling helpless and stunned. She searched her mind for any information about this man. Her subconscious told her that this man was the cause of her nightmares for the past few years. ¡°Callum, you kidnapped my wife and hid her for five years. You deserve to die!¡± How could he have thought his wife was in the UK? Callum was hiding Natalia for five years. Magnus¡® fist mmed into him with all his might. But Callum was no pushover. He was a duke who had undergone training in the royal army and was unmatched inbat. The two started fighting right there in the airport lobby. Paul quickly dialed his bodyguard¡¯s number. For so many years, the CEO hardly spoke to anyone, let alone fought. My God, his wife was still alive! They didn¡¯t bring any bodyguards. Paul was helpless and couldn¡¯t assist Magnus in fighting the British man. ¡°Magnus! Kidnapped your wife? Have you no shame? If it weren¡¯t for you, would Buttercup have ended up driving into the sea? If it weren¡¯t for you, would she have been in a life¨Cor¨Cdeath situation? How dare you call her your wife after all you¡¯ve done? You killed her, do you know that?¡± Magnus? Driving into the sea? Natalia listened to their argument in confusion, and her forgotten memories were slowly resurfacing¡­ She had received a disgusting video of Magnus and Kendra, and then she had miscarried. She drove like a madwoman, crashing through the guardrail of the bridge and plunging into the sea. The turbulent seawater rushed into the car. The cold water was filling her mouth and nose, but she didn¡¯t feel any difort. Without her baby, she felt like a walking corpse, unable to feel any pain. Didn¡¯t she die? Why was she still alive? It was Callum who had saved her, and then taken care of her for the past five years. And what about Magnus? What did he bring to her life besides pain? Natalia felt a wave of exhaustion wash over her. Yes, these were the memories she had intentionally sealed away for five years. No wonder she had chosen to lock these memories away. They brought nothing but pain and helplessness and were nothing worth remembering. As Natalia¡¯s thoughts raced, Magnus and Callum continued their brawl on the floor. Neither of them yielded, throwing punches at each other with red¨Crimmed eyes. Their bodyguards stood helplessly aside, watching the fight without intervening. They were struggling so fiercely that they didn¡¯t dare step in, fearing they would hurt their own boss. Onlookers in the airport had stopped to watch the spectacle. These two well¨Cdressed men seemed important, yet they were rolling on the ground, fighting like children. ¡°Callum, you¡¯ll pay for this today!¡± Magnus said, delivering a punch to Callum¡¯s left eye with swift, ruthless uracy. Callum cried out in pain, countering with an elbow to Magnus¡® chin. ¡°Magnus, you murderous demon. I¡¯ll take you down for Buttercup today! I¡¯ve been wanting to beat you up for a long time!¡± The crowd of onlookers listened as the two burly men hurled usations at each other. They whispered and murmured amongst themselves, beforeing to a conclusion. No wonder people said behind every sessful man, there was a woman. Because while men conquered the world, women conquered men! Both men were bruised and battered. Magnus¡® bodyguards were summoned to the airport in waves and promptly apprehended Callum and his entourage. Chapter 208 Chapter 208 Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, Magnus staggered towards Natalia. ¡°Nat, you¡¯re back at last. I¡¯ve missed you terribly!¡± Magnus grabbed her hand. ¡°Nat, let me take you home.¡± Ignoring his own pain, he tugged at Natalia, ready to leave. Natalia immediately recoiled, and her re was piercing Magnus, like a bucket of ice¨Ccold water. ¡°Natalia¡­¡± Memories flooded Natalia¡¯s mind, leaving her in turmoil. She gently moved towards Callum, pulled him away from the bodyguards, and wiped the blood from his mouth. ¡°Callum, let¡¯s go!¡± Images of Magnus¡® past actions yed in her mind, fueling her resentment towards him. She needed to leave, and fast! As Natalia tugged Callum to leave, the bodyguards quickly surrounded them. Unable to move, Magnus watched as Natalia and the Englishman walked away. His heart was aching. He wiped the bloody smear on his lips and threatened Callum, ¡°Callum, get out of here and go back to Ennd. Leave my wife alone! You¡¯re on my turf now. Believe it or not, but I have a hundred ways to make your life hell?¡± Callum¡¯s hair was a mess, and his face was a patchwork of bruises, a sight no less gruesome than Magnus¡® face. Unfazed by Magnus¡® threats, he sneered, pulling Natalia towards the airport¡¯s check¨Cin counter. ¡°Magnus, a real man fights upfront. What are you, a backstabber? I fear no one. You¡¯re wee to visit Ennd!¡± The security staff, who initially thought it was just a local ruffian causing a scene, were stunned to find their boss involved in the brawl. Today was Magnus¡® grand return from the States, but instead, he found himself in a fight at the airport with another man. This was a scandal that would surely make tomorrow¡¯s headlines. [Shock! Andersen Corporation¡¯s CEO encounters presumed¨Cdead wife and engages in a public brawl with a man.] The head of the security team nervously looked at Mr. Andersen. ¡°Mr. Andersen, what, what should we do?¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Magnus was straightforward and pointed at Callum. ¡°Send this man away. Make sure he never steps foot here again.¡± He then tried to reach for Natalia again. Taken aback by Magnus¡® audacity, Callum was about to retort when Natalia intervened. Magnus, you have no right to interfere with our ns. We have our tickets, and our flight is soon. We won¡¯t be returning to Melfort!¡± Natalia pulled her hand away. Her cold, emotionless tone made it clear that to her, Magnus was a stranger. Magnus was stunned and couldn¡¯t believe what he was hearing. For the past five years, he had searched tirelessly for his wife, and never once considered that she might¡¯ve been with Callum. Now, watching her defend the Englishman and calling him so coldly, Magnus felt a chill. No wonder he sent so many people to search but couldn¡¯t find anything. It turns out his wife was taken away by Callum. As for him, living without his wife was like being a soulless puppet. Only in his dreams could he be with her again. Today, he couldn¡¯t have imagined that he would meet his wife, whom he thought had already passed away. When he saw her familiar face in the crowd, everything around him became silent and still. In his eyes and in his heart, there was only her. She now looked even more radiant than five years ago, like a blooming rose exuding a mature fragrance. She was still his wife, beautiful as ever, but he himself had be worn out. Because of the longing, his heart had dried up. Almost instinctively, he rushed towards her, wanting to embrace her in his arms, but he didn¡¯t expect Callum to block his way. And now, his wife was speaking to him, but why did her gaze towards him seem like she was looking at a stranger? Was she pretending not to recognize him? Or did she hate him? He cared for her so much, missed her so much. When did such a huge rift form between them? Magnus¡¯s once passionate heart was instantly frozen by Natalia¡¯s unfamiliar gaze. He had dreamt countless times of reuniting with Natalia, but he never imagined it would be so distant. Listening to his wife calling his name with indifference, defending that British man at every turn, her voice devoid of any emotion, Magnus¡¯s expression turned icy. ¡°You can¡¯t leave, not after I¡¯ve finally found you,¡± Magnus said, inching closer. Seeing Magnus approach, Natalia felt the air around her evaporate. She remembered how, five years ago, he had imprisoned her on an ind. Terrified, she hid behind Callum, clutching his arm. ¡°Cal, let¡¯s get out of here?¡± Magnus¡® heart sank as Natalia instinctively avoided him in favor of a stranger. Callum, however, promptly took Natalia¡¯s hand and shielded her behind him. ¡°Magnus. Buttercun Furious, Magnus ripped open his shirt, revealing his tan chest. He stepped in front of Natalia with urgency. ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t leave. Every moment of every day, I¡¯ve been thinking of you! Let¡¯s go back, and I¡¯ll tell you everything about thesest five years, and about what happened five years ago.¡± Natalia looked into his eyes, which carried the hue of a dying ember. ¡°Are you nning to keep me captive, just like five years ago?¡± Her words sent a shudder through Magnus¡® entire being. Yes, he had imprisoned her five years ago! Natalia turned around, pulling Callum with her. A surge of resentment welled up in her heart. ¡°Nat, don¡¯t leave!¡± Magnus whispered in anguish. He was fearless against everything the world had thrown at him, but he was terrified of Natalia leaving again because he knew he could never imprison her for a second time! Chapter 209 Chapter 209 Natalia heard Magnus¡® call, and a sharp pang of pain hit her heart. Instinctively she shook her head, murmuring to herself, ¡°Move on, it¡¯s all in the past!¡± She had to distance herself from this man! Having made up her mind, Natalia mustered her courage and turned around. She tried to keep her face expressionless, staring straight into his eyes, and said in a low voice, ¡°Magnus, we have no connection anymore. Everything that happened in the past is just that, the past. I hope you stop bothering me and disrupting my current life.¡± Magnus felt a heavy blow to his heart. Standing before him was his wife, the woman he had yearned for, but now she was telling him they had nothing to do with each other. ¡°No, no, no!¡± Magnus shook his head and shouted, ¡°You are my wife, Natalia. Everything about you is my business. How can you say it has nothing to do with me? Come home with me!¡± As he reached out to grab Natalia¡¯s hand, she swiftly evaded him. ¡°Magnus, I think Buttercup has made it very clear. She doesn¡¯t want to see you, nor does she want you to interfere with her life. Although you have a lot of clout in Melfort, please have some consideration for your own dignity. Don¡¯t keep behaving like a child.¡± Callum promptly stepped in between them, admonishing Magnus. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Step aside, this is a matter between a husband and a wife, and it¡¯s none of your business!¡± Magnus pushed Callum aside and gazed at Natalia passionately. ¡°Natalia, look at me. I¡¯m Magnus, the man who loves you the most in this world. Come back with me. Once we¡¯re home, you can punish me however you want!¡± Even if it meant going through hell, all that mattered was that she could return to his side! This stalematested for a while, preventing Natalia and Callum from boarding their ne. Everyone was held up at the airport. As the crowd dispersed, only Magnus, Callum¡¯s henchmen, and security personnel remained. Magnus defiantly surveyed the onlookers, continuing to persuade his wife whom he had been longing for and finally reunited with after five years. ¡°Natalia,e home with me. Can we start over?¡± Listening to Magnus¡® luring plea, there was a moment when Natalia felt that he had changed and was no longer the man he had been five years ago. This man was her Achilles¡® heel. Every move he made tugged at her heart, but he would make vows of love to her one moment and be in bed with another woman the next. How could she trust him? The lesson from five years ago was still fresh in her mind. She didn¡¯t need anything else from him. ¡°Magnus, please respect me. We have long been separated! Let go of the past.¡± Natalia clenched her fingers, forcing herself to utter these words. She had to leave immediately, otherwise, she would go insane facing this man. ¡°Natalia, i¡­¡± Magnus was about to say something, but fearing that he would say something that would make her heart flutter again, Natalia quickly interrupted him, ¡°Callum, let¡¯s go.¡± Looking into Natalia¡¯s cold eyes, all of Magnus¡® persistence instantly vanished. Most of the past troubles had arisen from his stubbornness and disregard for her feelings. In many a sleepless night, Magnus had been filled with regret. If given a chance to do it all over, he would cherish Natalia, love her, and prioritize her feelings above all else. He would do what made her happy and avoid what upset her. Now that this moment hade. He was reluctant to let her go, but he decided to keep the promise he had made to himself. She wanted to leave, so he would give her some space. As long as she was alive, no matter where on earth she was, he would find her! Magnus felt an unbearable pain in his heart as he had to watch Natalia leave again. This was their first reunion after five years. Oh, why was God being so cruel? So, Magnus turned to the head of the security team. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you taking my wife to board the ne?¡± The security chief was taken aback and quickly nodded. ¡°Yes, and, and what about this gentleman?¡± Magnus nced at him and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth. ¡°What do you think?¡± The security chief shivered again. ¡°Mr. Andersen, should we refuse him?¡± ¡°Who will ensure my wife¡¯s safety?¡± Magnus grumbled, his face darkening. ¡°Let him board too.¡± ¡°And from now on, he can use our airline for free?¡± The security chief asked for confirmation again. Magnus really wanted to kick this fool. ¡°Shut up!¡± Magnus had been a dominating figure in the business world for many years and had never encountered an opponent who dared to defy him. Yet, in front of his own wife, he waspletely defeated, but he epted it willingly. Callum smugly shrugged his shoulders at Magnus and took Natalia¡¯s hand to head towards the boarding gate. ¡°Buttercup, let¡¯s go.¡± Okay, Nata responded quietly, feeling an indescribable sadness. She hated Magnus but seemed unable to let go of him. The man who had hurt her the most was now so worn and thin. Magnus was staring at Callum holding Natalia¡¯s hand with a murderous intent shing in his eyes, but he held it back. Natalia gently pulled her hand back and said in a low voice. ¡°Cal, let¡¯s go back to Ennd immediately.¡± Callum understood that he was at Marcus¡® turf now and wisely followed Natalia onto the ne. Magnus stood there, watching them leave, feeling as if he had lost all his strength. He must¡¯ve been crazy to let Natalia leave with that detestable Englishman, but it seemed that Natalia was very repulsed by Magnus. After all these years of longing for a reunion, it turned out to be really unpleasant. No, he had to n again to win back Natalia! He had survived for five years, so what was a bit more time? ¡°Natalia, wait for me. I wille to find you soon. Wait for me!¡± On the airne, Natalia sat with her eye mask on, but sleep eluded her. Her mind was a whirl of uncontrolled thoughts, all because of bumping into Magnus. For a brief moment, she felt a pang of regret. Why, oh why, had she decided to return to Melfort? Had she not returned, she wouldn¡¯t have run into Magnus. Had she not run into Magnus, the memories she had carefully locked away wouldn¡¯t have resurfaced. She wouldn¡¯t have been reminded of those days that were akin to living in hell. Chapter 210 Chapter 210 She wouldn¡¯t remember her precious baby, who was taken away far too soon. With that thought, Natalia¡¯s hand involuntarily caressed her abdomen. The scar there began to throb with a dull pain. Once, it had nurtured a tiny life, but due to her carelessness, the little one never got to see the colorful world before his time came too soon. Sigh¡­ Natalia heaved a long sigh, and a tear trickled down her cheek, for herself and her unfortunate baby. ¡°Buttercup, if you want to cry, let it out. Seeing you holding back emotions makes me feel worse,¡± Callum said, using a tissue to gently wipe the tear from her cheek. From the moment they boarded the ne, Callum had been carefully observing Natalia¡¯s expressions. Callum saw her downcast, almost tearful demeanor, and felt an overwhelming sense of regret; he wished he had punched that bastard Magnus a couple more times. Magnus was the one to me! Natalia removed her eye mask, and guiltily looked at the bruise on Callum¡¯s face. ¡°Cal, I¡¯m so sorry. Does it hurt?¡± Callum burst outughing. ¡°Not at all. Didn¡¯t you see how I made his jaw fly? If that scumbag ever crosses my path again, I¡¯ll beat him so badly that even his parents would not recognize him!¡± Natalia noticed Callum¡¯s nonchnt behavior and felt even more guilty. She knew Callum didn¡¯t want her to worry. He always downyed things. As for Magnus, there would never be any interaction between them. There probably wouldn¡¯t be a next time, would there? ¡°Buttercup, don¡¯t let anything upset you. Let¡¯s just consider today as having run into a mad dog and, unfortunately, getting bit. Once we reach Ennd, we¡¯ll forget all the unpleasantness.¡± Callum gazed at Natalia with deep affection. ¡°We agreed before we left, that once we return, we will have a grand wedding. When that timees, you have to be my beautiful bride.¡± Looking into Callum¡¯s earnest eyes, Natalia, for a moment, couldn¡¯t bear to meet his gaze. ¡°Cal, I¡­¡± Seeing the obvious panic in Natalia¡¯s eyes, Callum felt a pang in his heart. He knew Magnus was the rotten apple spoiling the barrel. Without Magnus, Natalia would definitely not be like this. However, Callum didn¡¯t show his feelings. His Buttercup was feeling down, but that was okay, he could wait. Once they returned to Ennd, Callum would patiently wait for his Buttercup to say she wanted to marry him. If one year wasn¡¯t enough, then two years, if two years weren¡¯t enough, then three years. Even if it took five years, it was okay. He had time. As long as his Buttercup wanted to get married, he would always be her one and only love! As for Magnus, that jerk, if he dared toe to Ennd, Callum certainly wouldn¡¯t let him off easily. Callum would definitely settle old and new scores with him. ¡°Buttercup, we still have a while before we arrive. You should rest for now,¡± Callum said, recing the eye mask on Natalia. He had seen the hesitation in her eyes, so, he wouldn¡¯t allow her any opportunity to reject him. She was his Buttercup, and he wouldn¡¯t allow anyone to covet her! He would spend a lifetime protecting her and loving her! ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± Natalia knew Callum was trying tofort her. But after running into Magnus at the airport and remembering all those memories, Natalia really couldn¡¯t calm herself down. She had lost her beloved baby; the pain was too deep. It was something Magnus could never fully understand. How great would it be if she didn¡¯t remember all this, didn¡¯t return to Melfort, and didn¡¯t run into Magnus? Though Natalia said she was fine, her furrowed brows and sorrowful eyes betrayed her true feelings, which Callum could see right through. Callum knew Magnus had hurt her again. He felt a heart¨Cwrenching pain. He immediately reached out to pull Natalia into his arms, gritting his teeth inwardly. ¡°That bastard Magnus. I definitely wouldn¡¯t let him go!¡± Once they returned to Ennd and Callum had finally managed to soothe Natalia¡¯s emotions, he would definitely return and settle the score with that bastard! Initially, Natalia was to return back home with Callum after having settled her mother¡¯s affairs. Then, she would have been able to let go. And she could look forward to their wedding day, bing Callum¡¯s happy bride. But after unexpectedly running into Magnus at the airport, even after returning to Ennd, Natalia was constantly in a daze, and dwelling on the painful past. She hated Magnus, his heartlessness, and his indifference. She hated his unfaithfulness and hated him for indirectly causing the death of their child! But the more she hated Magnus, the more she recalled their times together, the more her heart ached. Sometimes, unknowingly, tears would start flowing like rain. Buttercup, what¡¯s wrong? Why are you crying?¡± Callum asked, having entered the room unnoticed. Natalia was by the window, reminiscing about the painful past. N?velDrama.Org owns all ? content. It¡¯s nothing, just thinking about my mom and feeling a bit sad.¡± Not expecting him to see her in such a state, Natalia felt a bit guilty. Hastily, she wiped her tears away and tried to y down her emotions. Soon, she would be Callum¡¯s bride. Though a sliver of hesitation remained in her heart, the fact was irreversible. So, no matter what had transpired between her and Magnus in the past, she couldn¡¯t let Cal know, that she was still thinking about Magnus! Callum knew why she was crying, but he didn¡¯t have the heart to expose her. He simply went along with her, saying understandingly, ¡°I understand how you feel, but the past is the past. Don¡¯t be too hard on yourself.¡± Then, Callum reached out, holding Natalia¡¯s shoulders, and saying with deep affection yet firm determination, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Buttercup. I will take good care of you in the future. I will ensure your mom rests in peace and make you happy. No matter what has happened in the past, promise me you¡¯ll forget about it, okay? You need to let go of the past to embrace a better future, don¡¯t you think?¡± On the surface, Callum seemed as cool as a cucumber, brimming with confidence. But beneath that calm exterior, his heart was in a state of turmoil. Ever since they returned from Melfort, Natalia had been in a funk, all thanks to that scoundrel, Magnus. Even though Callum was desperate to help, he feltpletely powerless when it came to Natalia¡¯s situation. His worst fear was that even though Natalia detested Magnus with every fiber of her being, she could have still harbored feelings for him. What if Magnus relentlessly pursued her, reigniting the old me? Chapter 211 Chapter 211 As Callum looked at her, trying to console her, Natalia¡¯s eyes welled up with tears. The guilt she felt towards him was overwhelming. Then, looking into his eyes, she said with conviction, ¡°I¡¯ll try, Cal. No matter what Magnus does, he¡¯s no longer the man I love!¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Her past experiences with Magnus were enough to make Natalia despise him. She shouldn¡¯t have let the baby she was carrying die. She had to pull herself together! Magnus couldn¡¯t sway her anymore, and he was definitely not allowed to hurt her again! ¡°That¡¯s my girl,¡± Callum replied, overjoyed by Natalia¡¯s words. ¡°As long as you have no lingering feelings for that bastard Magnus, I have nothing to worry about.¡± Perhaps it was time to consider moving up their wedding date. After all, making Natalia his wife sooner rather thanter could prevent a lot of unnecessary trouble. Natalia followed Callum back to Ennd, leaving Magnus, who had spent years desperately searching for her, almost mad. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re really going to Ennd to get Natalia back?¡± Carter, Chase, and James, who had all witnessed Magnus¡® life these past years, asked. Seeing Magnus in such a state made them feel terrible. ¡°Callum is not an easy guy to deal with. I checked him five years ago!¡± Since Magnus was so determined to go to Ennd, Carter, Chase, and James began to have a discussion. They had all thought Natalia was dead after she jumped into the sea. They had tried many times to persuade Magnus to stop searching, to no avail. It was too heartbreaking. They even found a few women simr to Natalia and presented them to Magnus, but he remained indifferent! Chase and the others thought there must¡¯ve been something wrong with Magnus, but, against all odds, Magnus had found Natalia. She was alive! However, the gentle Natalia they knew was now taken, and the man she was with was not easy to deal with. So, what good would it do for Magnus to chase after her without a n? If it was in France, where they held power, it would be fine. But now he was heading to Ennd! However, no matter what they said, Magnus remained steadfast. His tone was upromising and firm, ¡°How could I not go? I¡¯ve been searching for her for so many years, and now that I¡¯ve finally found her, I won¡¯t give up no matter what they say! She is my wife, and I will never let her stay with that British man in Ennd. ¡°I don¡¯t care about the background or status of the man by her side. I will bring her back, I must bring her back! I have entrusted most of thepany matters to Paul for arrangement and handling. If there are any major issues, I will deal with them promptly. Just help me stabilize things on the Melfort side, that¡¯s enough.¡± He had finally found Natalia, and for Magnus, it was like a divine blessing. So no matter what, he would never let go of this woman he deeply loved. Even if it cost him his life, he would bring Natalia back and exin all the misunderstandings from before. He had once thought: If his remaining years didn¡¯t have Natalia by his side, what meaning would there be in living in this world? Without her, he couldn¡¯t go on! Nat,e back! He gazed at the fiery sunset on the horizon. ¡°But boss¡­¡± James was genuinely worried about the dangers Magnus might face in Ennd given his resolute stance. He thought about assigning more people to apany him and level the ying field or protect their boss. However, Magnus¡® heart was already filled with Natalia, leaving little room for anything else. He couldn¡¯t care less about James¡¯s words. His tone was unyielding and left no room for negotiation. ¡°I¡¯m going to Ennd as soon as possible. I will bring my wife back, at all costs!¡± Carter, Chase, and James couldn¡¯t persuade Magnus, so they had to watch him leave for Ennd with Paul and a few bodyguards. Although they were worried, they could only mobilize their limited resources in Ennd to ensure Magnus¡® safety. However, as long as Natalia was there, she probably wouldn¡¯t let Magnus suffer too much. After all, she had once loved him to the core. Upon arriving in Ennd, Magnus started digging into Callum¡¯s background and whereabouts until he had all the information he needed. There was nothing else he could do. He aimlessly wandered the streets of Ennd, trying to ease his anxious and helpless heart. He had been to Ennd countless times for business. He never imagined that the woman he dreamt of was living somewhere in this country. If he had known she was in Ennd, he would have turned the country upside down to find her! Natalia had no idea how Magnus had suffered after she fell into the sea. Now that she was alive and they could meet again, it was a sign from heaven that they were given another chance to reconcile. So Magnus had to seize this opportunity! ¡°Buttercup, I¡¯ve made up my mind. I¡¯m moving our engagement to this Sunday,¡± Callum said, looking lovingly at Natalia across the dinner table in the mansion they were staying in. ¡°I want to make you mine as soon as possible!¡± After his talk with Natalia, her mood had visibly evened out. She hadn¡¯t shed many tears in hst few days, and her spirits seemed to be lifting. Callum breathed a sigh of relief and was eager to get all the necessary arrangements out of the way. Natalia had been eating when she heard him say this, and her fork and knife paused mid¨Cair. Feelings swirled within her, but she couldn¡¯t find a single reason to say no to Callum. She fell silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Alright, Cal, we¡¯ll do it sooner if you say so.¡± However, after a trip back to Melfort, the memories she had recalled gave her a sudden urge not to marry Callum. Chapter 212 Chapter 212 However, the thought of her forgetting the wounds Magnus had inflicted on her and epting that heartless man again was absolutely out of the question, so Natalia decided to push herself, forcing herself to ept Callum. Perhaps, once she took that step, she would no longer agonize over Magnus. The fact that Natalia had so readily agreed to an early engagement had Callum over the moon. ¡°Great, I¡¯ll start making arrangements tomorrow. I promise you a grand engagement ceremony.¡± Once the engagement ceremony was held, he would be Natalia¡¯s rightful fianc¨¦. No matter what tricks Magnus, that bastard, tried to pull, Callum would stand by the side of his beloved, protecting her. No one would be able to take her away! Callum was ecstatic when his suggestion to move their engagement date forward was epted. Natalia, in a whirlwind of emotions, was unsure how to respond, and simply nodded and continued to eat. She remained silent, focusing on her food. Her mind was back at the airport, reying the scene where Magnus had fought fiercely with Cal. After all these years, Magnus still refused to let her go. Regardless, there was no way they could be together again. News of Callum and Natalia¡¯s early engagement soon spread throughout the city. Magnus, having received the news first, was on the verge of madness. Ignoring the advice of his friends, he jumped in his car and headed straight for Callum¡¯s residence. No matter what, he would not hand over his woman to Callum. He had to take Natalia back! When Magnus¡® car pulled up outside of Callum¡¯s mansion, he didn¡¯t bother with the gate but drove straight in. Magnus realized that even if he had knocked politely, Callum, that bastard, would never let him see Natalia. So he had to resort to this method to force Natalia out! When Magnus¡® car pulled up in front of the main building of the mansion, he looked almost insane, stepped out of the car, and shouted at the mansion, ¡°Darling, you can¡¯t marry someone else. You¡¯re my wife!¡± instability would affect the engagement, had put aside all his work to stay with Natalia at the mansion. Unexpectedly, there was a ruckus outside his mansion. Hearing Callum¡¯s question, a servant came over nervously and replied respectfully, ¡°Sir, a man suddenly rushed in and started shouting. He¡¯s too crazy. None of us can handle him!¡± Natalia¡¯s face turned pale instantly. She turned towards the door. Could it be Magnus? Could he havee to Britain? As if to confirm her fear, Natalia made her way to the door and gazed out of the living room window to see Magnus¡® eyes filled with anguish. Her heart ached! Magnus stood in the courtyard of the mansion. Callum¡¯s bodyguards surrounded him, preventing him from moving further, but they couldn¡¯t stop his shouting. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Darling, I¡¯m here for you! I¡¯m here to take you home! You can¡¯t get engaged to someone else!¡± He would never allow her to get engaged to Callum. She was his wife. The mother of his child! Magnus¡® shouts were so loud that Natalia and Callum could hear him clearly from inside the mansion. Callum stood up abruptly. ¡°This is ridiculous. How did he just barge in here? What¡¯s the point of having you guys around?¡± The butler, who was being scolded by Callum, lowered his head, and defended himself, ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve done our best to stop him, but that man is just rushing in like a mad man.¡± ¡°Hmph, if he was here to kill me, you wouldn¡¯t be able to stop him either! Worthless!¡± Callum left this harsh remark and strode towards the door. He was eager to see what Magnus could possibly do on his turf! ¡°Callum, you vile man, give me back my wife!¡± Outside, Magnus¡® voice grew louder. He didn¡¯t care about the bodyguards surrounding him. Callum walked over, rebuking him, ¡°Magnus, what do you want? This is my mansion. I won¡¯t tolerate your yelling here!¡± Magnus nced at Callum, radiating hostility. ¡°Callum, you deceived another¡¯s wife. You¡¯re not fit to be a duke!¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Callum red at Magnus. ¡°Your wife died five years ago because of you! Natalia is my fianc¨¦e, my soon¨Cto¨Cbe¨Cwife. Who do you think you are? Get out of my ansion! five years ago, heh¡­ But Magnus wouldn¡¯t give up. ¡°Callum, don¡¯t deceive yourself. Let Nataliae out, and I will take her away. I will repay you for all your help, but I won¡¯t let your n seed!¡± His eyes were filled with boundless pain. ¡°Darling, I won¡¯t let you go.¡± Callum was infuriated by Magnus¡® actions. This was his territory, and that bastard, Magnus, had the audacity to challenge him and try to take away Natalia. It seemed as if without teaching this bastard a lesson, Magnus wouldn¡¯t understand the rule of respecting the master¡¯s orders! With that thought, Callum signaled his bodyguards. ¡°Throw him out!¡± The bodyguards had long grown tired of Magnus¡® incessant ranting and raving. With the Duke¡¯s order, they didn¡¯t hesitate to throw punches Magnus¡® way. But Magnus wasn¡¯t one to be easily taken down. He raised his fists and exchanged a few blows with them. The Duke¡¯s bodyguards were the cream of the crop, each one a tough cookie. And Magnus? He was a wolf provoked! But even so, he was outnumbered. Soon, Magnus, isted and outmuscled, couldn¡¯t keep up with the burly men. He found himself at a disadvantage. It wasn¡¯t enough for the bodyguards to just knock Magnus to the ground. They kicked him a few more times, leaving Magnus with a bloodied nose and mouth. Chapter 213 Chapter 213 At this point, Magnus was a far cry from his usual noble demeanor. He was battered, bruised, and bloodied Blood blurred his vision, and his body ached. But no physical pain could match the agony in his heart. His body was numb from the beating, as years of living under the influence of alcohol without exercise had rendered him incapable of fighting off four burly men The four bodyguards knocked Magnus to the ground and started kicking him mercilessly. Natalia watched the ordeal from the living room window. Her face was streaked with tears, and with each kick Magnus received, she felt as if a needle was stabbing her heart. She clung tightly to the curtains, and her nails were digging into her palms When she saw Magnus coughing up blood, she could no longer hold back. ¡°Stop¡± A frail figure stood protectively in front of Magnus Ever since Callum had stepped outside the mansion, Natalia¡¯s heart had been in her throat She was afraid that Callum and Magnus would fight, but she didn¡¯t want to see Magnus again. Hearing his voice was torture enough. If she saw him in person, Natalia feared her heart would break even more, but if she didn¡¯t intervene. Natalia knew that Magnus, with his stubborn nature, would never back down C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org This wasn¡¯t a suicide mission! After much hesitation, Natalia decided to follow her heart. The moment she ran out, she could hear her heart shattering! She saw Magnus covered in wounds. His handsome face was pale as death ¡°Stop! Just throw him out, if you keep hitting him, he¡¯ll die ¡°Natalia, looking frail, stood in front of Magnus, and sessfully stopped the bodyguards flurry of punches Though they looked tough and rugged, they knew that Miss rkson was their employer¡¯s precious gem, and was to be handled with utmost care if they identally hurt her, they might not live to see another day. Callum waved his hand, signaling his bodyguards to back off He nced at Magnus sprawled on the ground and figured he had leamed his lesson. He turned to Natalia, his tone gentle Buttercup, don¡¯t bother with such a person. Come, let¡¯s go back.¡± Natalia straightened up and tried to move away from Magnus, but before she could take a step, Magnus grabbed her foot ¡°Please don¡¯t leave Natalia looked down at Magnus, who was in such a sorry state. Her heart was numb with pain again. What could she do to save Magnus? She didn¡¯t even know how to save herself?! The past was behind them. Natalia¡¯s heart was bleeding, and her eyes were filled with helplessness when she looked at Magnus Let go. I am not your wife anymore, not since the moment I fell into the sea!¡± Her words struck Magnus like a bolt of lightning ¡°No, you are my wife You didn¡¯t die, so you¡¯ll always be my wife Magnus, reminding Natalia of the incident five years ago, struggled to his feet. He looked at Natalia with deep affection I know I wronged you five years ago, and you can punish me anyway you want. Juste back with me. Regardless of how long you ve been gone, you¡¯ll always be my wife, and that will never change.¡± ¡°Magnus, why don¡¯t you understand?¡± Natalia said in agony. ¡°It¡¯s impossible for us. It¡¯s over Please leave. Don¡¯te back here to cause more trouble. And please, don¡¯t disturb my life anymore¡± With that, Natalia tumed and walked away without looking back. Her steps were hurried, as if she were fleeing from a ferocious beast. ¡°Magnus, this is Ennd, not Melfort, where you can do as you please! If you continue to mess around, I will not hold back? Magnus watched as Natalia walked away, knowing it was impossible to take her back today. He exchanged a cold nce with Callum, then turned and walked away without a word. His steps were unsteady His expensive clothes were torn and tattered, making him look quite miserable But none of thispared to the pain in Magnus heart. His wife had walked away without a second nce, leaving him behind. What could he do to win back her heart? He suddenly felt utterly drained Watching Magnus walk away. Callum headed back into the mansion As he walked, he gave his bodyguards an order, ¡°if he dares toe again, beat him. He¡¯s not allowed inside the mansion!¡± ¡°Understood¡°¡± The bodyguards responded in unison, their spirits high Callum felt a bit befer He had given Magnus a good beating Let¡¯s see how arrogant Magnus could be now! That damn guy was like a bad penny. He actually dared to show up at Callum¡¯s mansion! Magnus appearance would certainly remind Natalia of the past, and that would surely upset her. The one thing Callum couldn¡¯t bear was seeing Nataka upset He hurned back into the mansion eager tofort Natalia When he entered, he saw Natalia sitting on the sofa, looking lost. Her petite figure and gloomy expression made her look like a lifeless doll Callum picked up a wedding dress from the side and walked over to Natalia asking softly. Buttercup, let¡¯s continue. Which of these dresses do you like best? Before Magnus amval Callum and Natalia had been choosing a wedding dress. Now that jerk had spoiled their good mood! He had to fun things around Natalia was sitting on the sofa, her mind nk Hearing Callum¡¯s question she looked up without thinking What? Callum realized Natalia hadn¡¯t heard what he had said, so he sat down and repeated himself patiently. ¡°Which wedding dress do you ¡°A¡± Oh ¡°Natalia paused for a moment before replying indifferently. You decide ¡°Let¡¯s keep them all, and then switch everything out when we have our engagement party¡® Callum set the wedding dress aside, casting a hotpulega sigh at Mataka¡¯a obvious distress ¡°He¡¯s still getting to you, isn¡¯t he?¡± ¡°No¡± Nobelia Mched her head, paueng momentarily imagine how I managed 1 Not was so vulneratie Se Cour Rowell wit dina b?rgeel in turn Frustrated at being intarien Chapter 214 Chapter 214 The ever straightforward Rita had no idea she¡¯d just ruined the mood Callum had been trying to set. ¡°That¡¯s night, sir¡± She nodded. ¡°Count Rowell wishes to discuss the engagement ceremony with you He wants to move it up a few days.¡± The news struck Callum night in the heart. He¡¯d been worrying about whether his sweetheart would be swept off her feet by the rascal Magnus. And now, Rowell McKinney was suggesting moving up the engagement ceremony? This was nothing short of fantastic! ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go over there right now Prepare the car,¡± Callum announced. Tuming to Natalia, he proposed, ¡°Buttercup, let¡¯s go together, shall we?¡± ¡°But ¡°Natalia hesitated ¡°Can I not go? I really, really don¡¯t like them¡± ¡°This will be the only time After this, you will never have to go there again¡± Callumforted Natalia ¡°We¡¯re just making an appearance. Don¡¯t worry, no one dares to give you a hard time if they do, they have me to answer to Not long after Natalia¡¯s return, Rowell officially announced that she was the lost daughter. Natalia, preupied with thoughts of Magnus, had ignored Rowell¡¯s actions. But if she were to be engaged to Callum, they had to go through Rowell, as she was his daughter Once Natalia had agreed, they set out for the historic McKinney mansion Upon arriving, Natalia couldn¡¯t help butugh at the sight of maids in their finest garb waiting to wee them it seemed her shameless father was quite the showman Rowell and Henry warmly greeted Callum and Natalia. However, Alice¡¯s reception was less than friendly. She seemed overly excited at Callum¡¯s presence, yet radiated hostility towards Natalia. Compared to Alice¡¯s overt hatred, her mother appeared more reserved, but it was only a superficial appearance. Her eyes were filled with great disdain The McKinney family¡¯s attitudes were clear to Natalia, but she didn¡¯t care. She had nothing to do with them Callum, on the other hand, appeared much more mature andposed. In response to Rowell McKinney¡¯s friendly greeting, Callum nodded and expressed his intentions directly, ¡°I heard that you want to advance the engagement ceremony?¡± As he spoke, Callum put his arm around Natalia and casually sat on the sofa in the living room. Rowell nodded with a somewhat moumful expression on his face. ¡°Yes, because in two days, it will be Lena¡¯s birthday Thope your engagement ceremony can be held on that day I was worried that you might not make it in time, so I wanted to discuss it with you.¡± ¡°We have no problem here,¡± Callum responded, turning his head to look at Natalia Right, Buttercup?¡± Natalia furrowed her brows even tighter, but she forced a smile that appeared somewhat strained. ¡®I¡¯ll go along with your decision.¡± Her mind was in turmoil, still thinking about the scene of Magnus getting injured just now. Marrying Callum was an urgent matter but did that man go to the hospital? Alice watched all of this, her eyes filled with malice. She immediately changed her expression ¡°Oh, Natalia, your engagement day ising up soon! I bought something to give you as a gift. Come with me and take a look,¡± Alice said with a smile as she approached, grabbing Natalia¡¯s hand and pulling her upstairs without giving her a chance to refuse Natalia was caught off guard by Alice¡¯s forceful actions, and as she opened her mouth to refuse, she saw the provocative look in Alice¡¯s eyes. If you have the guts. Since she was deliberately causing trouble, it wouldn¡¯t be right to refuse Natalia decided to y along and said, ¡°Really? Well, thank you in that case¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s go to my room upstairs and take a look. I promise this gift will surprise you,¡± Alice said, pulling Natalia upstairs while pretending to be obedient as she said to Rowell, ¡°Dad, I¡¯ll take my sister upstairs to have a look. You can chat slowly¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Rowell nodded lightly, feeling pleased that Alice suddenly seemed so understanding. He was happy that the two sisters had reconciled Amid the low murmurs downstairs, Natalia was forcefully pushed upstairs by Alice. Callum¡¯s mind was still on the ceremony and didn¡¯t notice the tension between the two girls. He always thought Alice hade to terms with reality. She wouldn¡¯t put Natalia in a spot. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Once they reached the second floor, Natalia stopped, ring disdainfully at Alice. ¡°Enough, drop the sanctimonious act, I¡¯m not in the mood for it.¡± ¡°You!¡± Alice pointed a finger at Natalia, wishing she could p that smug look off her face, and make her hideously ugly! ¡°Me? What about me?¡± Natalia challenged Alice, unafraid of her ring eyes ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll head back downstairs, instead of standing here feeling sick. ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m warning you. This is my home! The people downstairs are my dad, my mom, and my brother! You have no ties to them whatsoever. Don¡¯t you dare show up uninvited at our house again!¡± Chapter 215 Chapter 215 After listening to Alice¡¯s usations, Natalia was unfazed ¡°Your home? Ha, do you think I care to be here? I only came to because of Cal, and I promise you that even if you begged, I wouldn¡¯t step foot in this ce again ¡°What nonsense Fire filled Alice¡¯s eyes You and your mother are both shameless, aren¡¯t you? All for a piece of my family¡¯s wealth and status. De worthy of Cal without the McKinney name? | tell you as long as I¡¯m around, you won¡¯t get a penny! ¡°Are you done? Natalia tumed to leave Thave no interest in arguing with a dimwit lest my own 10 be insulted 1 wouldnt want to tamish your noble title. Hopefully, I¡¯ll never see you again!! ¡°Don¡¯t you dare leave Alice leaped in front of Natalia, blocking her path. ¡°Exin yourself today, when are you leaving Caf Natalia couldn¡¯t be bothered to entertain her ¡®Get out of my way! Alice, however, didn¡¯t back down She pinched herself hard bringing tears to her eyes and making her voice whiny as she called out. Dad Coma sava ma fkati going to kill mel Natalia was caught off guard by Alice¡¯s audacious lie But since Alice was so insistent on ying the victim, she decided to give her actly what she wanted Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, she pped Alice across the face Her resentment towards this family stemming from her mother¡¯s departure, was far from over it was just Aloft bad luck to be in the line of few. The wan happy to be the one to give her what she deserved Her p was swift and urate and left Alice¡¯s cheek red and swollen ¡°This is what you asked for i wouldn¡¯t want to disappoint your ims of being bu Natalia gripped her tingling hand and looked at Alice coldly ¡°Ahhh¡± Alice screamed lunging at Natalia, and grabbed her throat, pushing her towards the staircase. Natalia was forced to retreat, but Alice was crazed and pushed Natalia towards the staircase ¡°Go to hell you little tramp¡± Alice¡¯s face was twisted in malice, and she shoved Natalia down the stairs. Caught off guard by Alice¡¯s strength Natalia reached out instinctively for something to grab onto. But there was nothing. As her slender body start the stairs, she closed her eyes But instead of the expected pain, shended in a warm embrace Opening her eyes, she saw Callum¡¯s eyes filled with panic ¡°Buttercup Callum called out ¡°Are you okay?¡± Natal more startled than hurt, shook her head Tm fine, thank you, Callum¡± With the utmost care. Callum picked Natalia up and ced her on the couch His demeanor was gentle as affection was palpable he was ? fragile treasure Rowell and the Countess were dumbstruck! They looked towards Alice at the top of the staircase, and their faces were twisted in anger Before word they heard Callums angry roar ¡°Alice¡± Callum¡¯s cold eyes were filled with rage ¡°What did you do? He marched up the stairs, and to everyone¡¯s shock, grabbed Alice by the throat Alice was so scared she could barely breathe, but the next moment, she was lifted off her feet and tossed down the stairs. ¡°Ah¡± Alior tumbled down the stairs, rolling to a stop at Rowell¡¯s feet Blood trickled down theer of her mouth and her face was ashen Daddy save me My leg Then she passed out Rowell immediately scooped up Alice calling out in distress. Alice bodyguards T Two bodyguards, immediately entered from the front door her to the hospital immediately!¡± was taken away nded the stairs, picked up kowel was funous and kicked a priceless vase nearby shaftering it Natalia in nothing but troubir Shes causing chaos before she ever attives hotter? Shes nothing but a kuwite r¨¹y Callum carted fatale bac The Countess chuted. make me unavortb, of tuning engaged in you)! realty deigene that family. She stood on the balcony watching the darkening Callum Malunneyi we WUFT Natalia nodded The can dy in Natalia aher al voice was tinged with hurt ribled omahoushy can¡¯t forget him but i started pouring ? be haft ether is once saved my life All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. in the most stigerous. most he had shield al ham Back then, she had Callum gently embraced her from behind. ¡°Alright, Natalia, I¡¯ll listen to you. Whenever you¡¯re ready, we¡¯ll proceed. I¡¯ve waited all these years, so what¡¯s a few mom days?¡± He affectionately ran his fingers through her hair, knowing that until she resolved her past, their marriage wouldn¡¯t bring happiness With a heavy heart, he turned to leave, leaving Natalia alone with her thoughts. After her shower, Nataliay in bed, staring nkly at the ceiling. The sound of the heavy rain outside apanied the stillness of another rainy night. The rain had pounded down relentlessly all night, and by moming, Natalia was up early, having barely slept at all. The mansion, her new home, looked as though it had been cleansed by the night¡¯s tempest Her husband to he, Callum, had already left for the office early to attend to business matters. He had instructed the bodyguards to keep a close watch on the mansion, barring anyone from approaching it Feeling a bit stir crazy, Natalia decided to venture outside into the mansion¡¯s garden for a breath of fresh air. To her surprise, she spotted Paul stepping out of a car With an impassive expression, he started walking towards her. One of the bodyguards immediately stepped in to block him, but Natalia waved them off. It¡¯s okay, he¡¯s a friend¡± As the bodyguards dispersed, a visibly upset Paul approached Natalia Ma¡¯am Chapter 216 Chapter 216 ¡°Miss rkson,¡± said Paul solemnly ¡°Our CEO was roughed up by Callums bodyguards yesterday. He¡¯s been refusing to go to the hospital and has been running a high fever sincest night. He¡¯s been calling your name deliriously¡± ¡°Miss rkson, Magnus came to you without his bodyguards. He let Callum¡¯s men beat him, all out of respect for you. Do you really think a small fry like Callum could take down our CEO? ¡°For these past years, he¡¯s been searching for you relentlessly, barely sleeping and often drinking himself into oblivion. His body¡¯s worn out from the strain. Now, he¡¯s sick and he keeps calling for you. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Please, could you go see him? For old times sake. Even if he¡¯s hurt you in the past, he¡¯s also saved you. You can¡¯t turn your back on him now! Paul¡¯s plea cut through Natalia like a knife Was Magnus ill? Why wouldn¡¯t he go to the hospital? Then take him to the hospital. Natalia said dismissively ¡°If he was willing to go to the hospital, I wouldn¡¯t be here begging you, Miss rkson Please, go see him This time, he came to Ennd alone, all to bring you back Tm not going back with him!¡± Natalia dered, turning to walk back into the mansion. ¡°Miss rkson, are you really going to leave him to die? He hasn¡¯t eaten in days. If you don¡¯t go see him, you¡¯ll regret it Paul called after her Natalia¡¯s body stiffened for a moment, her hands clenched into fists, and she walked to the castle door, closing her eyes She turned and headed towards Paul¡¯s car saying. Take me to see him onest time!¡± Paul, surprised and pleased, immediately opened the car door and said, ¡®Ms. rkson, thank you¡± The car immediately left the castle and headed towards the Crown Hotel. After Magnus was injured by the bodyguards and heard Natalia telling him to leave, saying they could never be together again, he suddenly felt like the past five years had been a dream. He woke up, and Natalia was by his side. But she had changed, bing ruthless andpletely rejecting him. She was now engaged to Callum, and he didn¡¯t know what to do. He didn¡¯t want to force her to be with him again, as he had caused her so much harm with his previous actions. But what should he do? Hey in the presidential suite, drinking one ss after another until he fell into a deep sleep. in the middle of the night, Paul pushed the door open and saw Magnus, heavily intoxicated and with a weak breath. His body was burning up Shocked, Paul immediately thought of taking Magnus to the hospital, but Magnus, upon opening his eyes, told him to leave. Paul had no choice but to call a doctor The doctor said Magnus had internal injures and,bined with the alcohol, his fever wasn¡¯t going down. They prescribed medication, but Magnus refused to take it. Paul had to stay with him all night, using a towel to cool him down Magnus murmured Natalia¡¯s name in his semi¨Cconscious state, causing Paul great distress. Early in the morning, he went to the castle. When Natalia entered the hotel room, she found it in disarray. The breakfast and medicine on the table were untouched. She walked to the bedside and saw a man lying lifeless on the pillow Her heart sank, and her eyebrows furrowed tightly Magnus face was emaciated, his long hair and beard making him look like a homeless man rather than the CEO of Andersen Corporation Hisplexion was pale,cking any color, and Paul had managed to lower his temperature somewhat with physical cooling throughout the night. Natalia squatted down Magnus, you need to go to the hospital or go back to Melfort! Don¡¯t die here.¡± Magnus heard her voice and his eyelids twitched slightly. He slowly opened his eyes a little and saw the girl in front of him. His wife? ¡°Natalia his throat couldn¡¯t produce sound, but the person in front of him was his wife Oh, he was dreaming again. In his dreams, she never spoke, but now she was speaking ¡°Nat is it you?¡± Magnus struggled to move his body and reached out to touch her face, but as soon as he made contact with Natalia, she turned her face away ¡°Magnus, get up and go to the hospital. Who are you showing this childish behavior to? Don¡¯t die here, and don¡¯te looking for me. We have nothing to do with each other Natalia looked at the man¡¯s haggard face, and his eyes were fully open, bright eyes met hers Magnus looked at her moving ps as she spoke, and his blood surged with excitement. It was his wife, she hade in his dreams, his wife couldn¡¯t speak, but now she was speaking ¡°Nat. I knew you woulde, I knew it was you Madam, please listen to my exnation¡± Magnus held onto Natalia¡¯s wrist tightly, and Natalia tried to pull her hand back forcefully. She was unable to withdraw her hand, perhaps because he was sick, or perhaps because her own heart was struggling ¡°Nat baby, Irlow it¡¯s you Nat, dont leave The man on the bed suddenly sat up and lunged towards the girl who was about to leave. He fell to the ground, tightly hugging Natalia¡¯s legs Paul quickly walked over to help him, but Magnus waved his hand forcefully. ¡°Get away!¡± Paul almost stumbled Why was he suddenly so strong? Magnus held onto Natalia¡¯s legs tightly, begging her not to leave. The girl was already in tears, but she used all her strength to remove the man¡¯s hands and left the room Behind her, Magnus saw her resolute figure, and his vision blurred, fainting ¡°Mr Magnus Paul hurriedly helped the man up from the floor, but upon seeing him faint, he immediately called the hospital Nata heard Paul¡¯s voice and hesitated for a moment, but she wiped away her tears and stepped into the elevator Paul would take her to the hospital, but she couldn¡¯t see Magnus again. She was afraid that if she saw him one more time, she wouldn¡¯t be able to gather the courage to leave. She knew that she had to let go of everything that had happened in the past. Callum had save kindness. As for Magnus she hoped that he would be a thing of the past At the hospital The strong smell of antiseptic roused Magnut back to consciousness, as a taken care of her for five years. She could tunlight nted in through the His wife she was gone again. He nced at the TV tube inserted into his arm and managet i buffer onuda Paul walked into the room immediately rushing over when he cax Magnon pwaka 16 Magnen yto¡° outta me Magnus shot him a nce. Tve been asleep for two days? Where¡¯s my wifat ¡°Ah well, counting that night at the hotel you¡¯ve been unconscious for those days deight. Uni only tell the truth A sh of light sparked in Magnus eyes. So it mally was her that night. That was good to know just the fact that der¡¯de she still cared Hit woman he still understood her a bit. He allowed himself a small smile Chapter 217 Chapter 217 Magnus woke up in the hospital, was discharged after half a day, and returned to the hotel. He wanted to confront Callum again it wasn¡¯t that he was afraid of Callum, but rather, Callum had saved Natalia and he knew if he pushed too hard Nataha would inevitably side with that man Magnus instructed Paul to investigate Callum¡¯s connections in the UK immediately Meanwhile, he busied himself with his business on hisptop When Paul returned in the evening, he brought shocking news to Magnus Natalia was the biological daughter of Powell, and like him the had lost her memory for five years after being rescued from the sea She had only recently learned of her lineage in order to reim her ce in the McKinney family her mother had exchanged her life for Natalia¡¯s ce in the McKinney family Before Natalia had the chance to get to know her mother she had died too soon, leaving Natalia to slowly recover the painful memontee from fue mart age Magnus felt a storm maging in his heart. No wonder Natalia wouldn¡¯t forgive him. Rowell was a selfish man and any association with hum anglif tamich Nataliafa punity Moreover, Natalia didn¡¯t want to return to the McKinney family at all ording to Paul where her sister had attempted to set her up C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org estigati Callum had recently taken her to visit the in Magnus was even more determined to take Natalia away He would never leave her in such a complicated situation. All the needed in this life was him. Thane was no need to acknowledge that scoundrel Rowell! Magnus rose to his feet and looked out at the sunset through the lingering snowkes. He tumed around and walked out of the room Three days passed Magnus hadn¡¯t sought out Natalia and Callum hadn¡¯t pressured Natalia about their engagement Natalia had won the crown design contest, and job invitations were flying in like snowkes from all over Natalia looked at the pincere invitations and was deeply touched. She decided to take up a job offer Among the many invitationi, one from a multinational corporation called Orange Honzon seemed particrly suitable The CEO was rumored to be from Melfort Although Natalia harbored resentment for Melfort, she was born there and felt a certain affection for it Unable to dissuade her Callum agreed to let her work After Lena¡¯s death Natalia inherited all her assets, including an apartment closest to the McKinney family. She told Callum that the wanted to move into her mother¡¯s house Callum vehemently disagreed Natalia took his hand and said. ¡°Callum, in this life, you¡¯re the only family I have I didn¡¯t get a before she died. This was herst wish I want to try to understand what kind of world she lived in to know my Callum looked at Natalia who seemed to have grown up suddenly, and felt reassured. After thest incident. Alice had broken her leg and no longer dared to provoke Callum She had calmed down considerably On Natalias insistence Callum agreed to let her move into Lena¡¯s old apartment The apartment was simply decorated all Lena¡¯s masterpieces Natalia slowly sorted through Lena¡¯s things. She saw arge number of books in the hometown She could imagine how much Lena must have missed her homnd After tidying up everything Natalia went to report to thepany the next day The HR manager immediately led her to the office with utmost respect ¡°Ms rkson, this is Orange Horizons contract Please take a on the twenty¨Cfirst floor Based on your previous achievements, we are offering you the position of Chief Designer and Director. We hope you talents The HR Manager was a man in his forties and British. His mannerisms indicated years of experience in the field Natalu nodded. Thank you for your trust I will do my best and not let you down She nced at the contract it wasn¡¯t a big deal. The only use was that she had to contract and cost her two hundred million | Orange Honzon for five Sheughed They were afraid she might be poached by otherpanies in the future, so the penalty was beyond her magnation. Shy De her word where else would she go? the besnated the HP manager rubbed his hands together. ¡°Ms rkson, please on¡¯t want you to be poached by otherpanies As for the penu Just as she thought Orange Moruton was recently bought in the cutget. The manag Nathanudded proken up the pen signed her name, and handed the amediately turn the corkant. Why Darkan hat the take pise be pronat The twenty¨Cfirst floor was the design department Adsiat twenty pengre ocongret a Tveryoner called out introducing kataha li eratyota biz va Natalia She will be your dreckar hun h?n i then dranity with he The hat erupted into em apuse Natalia may of aming fac Dressed in departem blue dress wit howing and was stunning fuch a bes in awe. They all rushed ou to hug hla ¡°Wee, Director rkson!¡± Natalia was taken aback by the enthusiastic reception, but she cheerfully hugged and greeted everyone in return. A rare smile graced her petite face The HR Manager quickly made his exit. At the elevator, he dialed a number. ¡°Sir, we¡¯ve signed Ms. rkson She¡¯s already in the Design Department¡± ¡°Mm, double the bonus this month! A deep, indifferent voice slowly responded ¡°Yes, yes, thank you¡± The HR Manager quickly wiped his sweat. Good Lord, had Ms rkson not signed, he would have been out of a job. Thank heavens for his good fortune The thirty¨Csixth floor housed the president¡¯s office where a man sat quietly by hisputer, observing the happenings in the Design Department He couldn¡¯t hide the smile tugging at the corners of his lips ¡°My dear, it¡¯s been many years since you¡¯ve smiled, but this time, you did Like the pure blue of the sky, it gently touches his heart, warming it No doubt, Magnus bought thispany three days ago for fifty billion. He wants to create a kingdom for his wife Since she was not willing to follow him back, he decided to move thepany here instead Paul walked in. ¡°Madam Natalia definitely won¡¯t breach the contract she signed because she can¡¯t possibly cough up two billion. Even if she knows thispany is yours, she has no way out!¡± Magnus watched as Natalia slowly walked into the office and began to arrange her things. He smiled at Paul. ¡°Make sure my wife isfortable and free from any pressure at work. Also, buy a vi near the company¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Paul hadn¡¯t seen Magnus smile in years, but he was smiling now His eyes were filled with joy Chapter 218 Chapter 218 Ever since Natalia sealed the deal with Orange Horizon and ascended to the position of director, she had been meticulously working around the clock, making the most of every workday Under her hands¨Con leadership, the staff in the design department were fueled with infectious enthusiasm, working with zealous diligence every single day Perhaps it was Natalia¡¯s radiant beauty that had won her such obedience from her subordinates. This filled Magnus, who observed every move of hers through his office¡¯s surveince system, with immense satisfaction The sight of her constant bustling about the office was enough to make him feel as if she was right beside him. His wife was indeed not an ordinary woman. She managed to win over the seemingly difficult to handle staff with ease. He had always known that she was a hidden gem, a radiant diamond Even if she was unable to manage her subordinates, he would never stand idly by Anyone who dared to upset his wife would be dismissed without hesitation! Witnessing her busy yet fulfilled demeanor daily made Magnus feel torn between letting her work and interrupting her Magnus chuckled as he picked up the phone on his desk. He ordered through the phone. ¡°Send dessert to each member of the design department as a reward for their hard work. Send the best one to Ms rkson Tell her thepany¡¯s boss is extremely pleased with her performance¡± After hanging up, he looked at the surveince footage, grinning confidently ¡°You¡¯re not going anywhere, my dear wife! Magnus had initially drowned his sorrows in alcohol, believing that his wife hadpletely given up on him. But now, he realized that she was just as reluctant to let him go and was just temporanly overwhelmed by everything Magnus was determined to win her back, no matter what He didn¡¯t care about anyone, especially Callum Natalia was his, and no one could change that After a busy day, evening came swiftly. Magnus watched Natalia through the surveince. She was packing up to leave work. He quickly descended into the elevator He nned to stage a casual encounter, perhaps to persuade his wife to return home with him. He arrived at Natalia¡¯s floor, smiling Natalia emerged from the department door, a radiant smile on her face. To his annoyance Callum was right beside her Tve reserved your favonte restaurant for dinner tonight, Callum said softly with a loving gaze in his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s watch thetest movie tonight. You mentioned wanting to see it, right? I¡¯ve booked the whole theater so no one can disturb us.¡± Natalia didn¡¯t reject Callum¡¯s offer, instead, she merelyughed and called him childish Then, she joined Callum in a different elevator ¡°Damn it!¡± Magnus was fuming with jealousy, seeing their intimate smiles. He wondered how far they had progressed in the past five years. Magnus thought about Callum being by his wife¡¯s side for five years. He wished he could destroy the world! No matter how far Callum and Natalia hade, Magnus would take his wife back, and make that British guy wish he was dead Magnus was in a sour mood, to say the least. It seemed his nval was not to be underestimated Callum dared to ask his woman out for dinner and a movie, as if Magnus was no threat Especially when Natalia, the little minx, not only didn¡¯t decline but alsoughed so sweetly Just thinking of that scene made Magnus heart feel like a cat was scratching it. His heart felt tingly and was hurting, and helpless! When Magnus saw Natalia get into Callum¡¯s car through the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows of the design department, he gritted his teeth and said firmly, ¡°Just wait, Callum I¡¯ll make you wish you were dead¡± Callum, the crafty fellow had whisked Natalia away, so Magnus was left stewing in his anger for the entire evening Even the next day, as he watched Natalia go to work through the surveince footage, he was filled with jealousy. If not for the fear that his impulsive actions might scare his wife and backfire, he would ve grabbed her, chained her to him, and never let her go So with anger boiling within him, he dialed his deputy¡¯s number ¡°I want the design department to finish the designs due for the day after tomorrow as soon as possible Everyone will work overtime tonight. No exceptions/¡± Callum thought that by sticking to his fianc¨¦e every day, he could get a piece of the sweet pie Magnus had weathered many storms, and he wouldn¡¯t lose to Callum! ¡°Yes, sir, the deputy replied promptly. Under his direction, the entire design department was instructed to work an extra four hours. As evening fell, Callum, like the previous day, came to Natalia¡¯s office to pick her up This time, Magnus saw Natalia exin to Callum with a troubled expression, Tm sorry, Cal I might not be able to join you for dinner tonight I have some drafts, to finish, and the production department is waiting for them.¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Natalia felt guilty, knowing that Callum had put aside his responsibilities to spend more time with her But she finally had a job at Orange Honzon, and she wanted to prove her worth Even though Callum was disappointed, he still smiled at her understandingly it¡¯s okay. Nat if we postpone our ns, we can do them a little you¡® ¡°Tve asked the restaurant to close a bitter tonight. However, we might not make it to the movie tonight. Besides, isn¡¯t good for your health red to rest after dinner, stayi toote ¡°Mmm, but Cal if you have something to do, don¡¯t wait for me I might bete¡± Upon hearing Callum say this, Natalia was deeply touched Callum had always been incredibly kind and considerate towards her, never causing her any difort or trouble The more gently she was treated, the more moved she felt The more moved she was, the more she felt she didn¡¯t deserve Callum¡¯s kindness. However, upon hearing Natalia say this, Callum justughed Chapter 219 Chapter 219 Callum gently patted her head and smiled. ¡°I understand. Go on with your work¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Natalia responded to Callum Without wasting any more time with idle chatter, Natalia headed back to her desk. From his office, Magnus watched the interaction on the security cameras Natalia¡¯s rejection made him smile. His mood, however, quickly soured when he saw that Callum didn¡¯t leave but instead waited outside the Design Department for Natalia to finish her work Frowning, he picked up the phone and ordered. Have the irrelevant people removed from thepany! He was astounded by Callum¡¯s audacity. He needed to tread carefully, not wanting to cause any unnecessary trouble that might upset Natalia Hence, he decided to just make Callumn leave As someone known for his swift and decisive actions, Magnus wasted no time Soon, Callum received a call from his family about an emergency, forcing him to leave Relieved to see Callum leave through the security footage Magnus couldn¡¯t help butugh triumphantly Did Callum think he couldpete with Magnus was a death wish. He decided to let Callum live a bit longer. He wouldn¡¯t make a move, not until he had Natalia¡¯s full affection As expected. Callum was no match for him Everything was ying out just as Magnus had anticipated. To ensure that Magnus and Natalia could spend time together without any interruptions, he made a few phone calls to the deputy head,ing up with various reasons to send the employees in the Design Department home early When Natalia finally looked up from her work, she found herself alone in the vast office. ¡°Where did everyone go?¡± She wondered, feeling a chill run down her spine. She quickly packed her things, ready to leave She had expected to find Callum waiting for her outside when she finished her work, but when she stepped out of her office she found the hallway empty She suddenly remembered Callum¡¯s call. He had mentioned a family emergency and had to leave. This only made Natalia more fearful After closing the office door she grabbed her bag and prepared to leave. Just as she reached the elevator, a strong arm snaked around her waist from behind. ¡°Ah Natalia screamed, thinking she had run into a thug ¡°Darling, it¡¯s me, Magnus quickly assured her, surprised that his sudden appearance had scared her so much Had he known that his presence would frighten rather than delight her, he would have chosen a gentler approach. ¡°Magnus¡± What are you doing here? Didn¡¯t you return to Melfort? Have you lost your mind?¡± Natalia asked, her heart settling down after recognizing his voice. She was in Magnus arms, and his familiar scent filled her nostrils. She struggled to break free, demanding. ¡°Magnus, let me go. What do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± ¡°This is apany, Magnus You better not do anything reckless if my colleagues see us, you¡¯ll regret it!¡± Did he think he was still in Melfort? Or that this was the Andersen Corporation, where he could do whatever he pleased? Despite Natalia¡¯s protests, Magnus held her even tighter, closing his eyes to savor her scent. For five years, he could only hold her like this in his dreams. Now, he could finally hold her in reality, and his heart was nearly bursting with joy. As soon as the elevator arrived, he cared Natalia out without a word. He had made up his mind to exin everything to her today ¡°What are you doing. Magnus? Let me go. Have you gone mad?¡± Natalia demanded. Her body was stiffening in his arms. His arms were strong and unyielding, and she couldn¡¯t break free She hadn¡¯t been held like this in years. Even Callum had only camed her when she was injured Her heart was racing, and she began to struggle and cry out for help. She assumed that though the Design Department was empty, there would still be employees from other departments working overtime in the enormous Orange Horizon building. She hoped that someone would hear her cries and come to her aid But no matter how much she yelled, the entire office seemed to have vanished. There was no one there, not even a security guard, to open the door! It was bizarre! That was when Magnus, without any hindrance, simply scooped her up and carried her to his car Natalia was a bit frightened, unsure of where Magnus was taking her. ¡°Magnus, where are you taking me? Let me go, I¡¯ve told you everything. There¡¯s no future for us its pointless for you to do this!¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She didn¡¯t want anything more to do with this man Chapter 220 Chapter 220 Magnus¡® relentless pursuit was a constant source of pain for Callum, so Natalia really didn¡¯t want things to turn out the way she least wanted them to ¡°I¡¯m not letting you go. Natalia I hope you understand that Natalia struggled, and Magnus, holding her managed to push her down to the backseat of the car Then, looking down at her, he smirked. If you keep struggling. I can¡¯t quarantee that i¡¯ll be able to control myself I might do something you¡¯ll regret He had been yearning for her for five years and searching for her for the same length of time. His desire for her had prated deep into his bones If Natalia continued to resist, he really wouldn¡¯t be able to control himself, just like he had said ¡°You.¡± Magnus¡® words were obviously a threat Natalia was angry, but she held her tongue at thest moment. She had been with Magnus before, and he was always a man of his word. Therefore, she wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to question him She knew him well She turned her head away from him. She wanted to see what he was going to do. After all, this was Ennd, not Melfort ¡°That¡¯s a good girl. Magnus said when he saw Natalia stop struggling. He gave a satisfied smile ¡°Drive¡± ¡°Yes, sir Soon. Magnus¡® driver brought them to a luxunous vi in the city. This vi was just as luxurious as the one Magnus had in Melfort When the car stopped, Natalia wanted to get out on her own, but Magnus didn¡¯t let her. He picked her up and carried her into the vi What are you trying to do? Did he buy this vi? Was this his home? Magnus ignored the quards who were snickering at their intimacy and camed her into the vi. He swiftly ascended the stairs and entered arge room ¡°What are you trying to do, Magnus? Let go of me Magnus was now in much better shape than when she hadst seen him. He was no longer emaciated and listless Natalia put on a serious face and spoke to him. She believed that he wouldn¡¯t force her to do anything. Seeing her serious expression Magnus couldn¡¯t help butugh. He gently set her down on the floor of the room. Then, holding her hand, he said eamestly. ¡°Natalia. I brought you here today because I wanted to clear everything up with you¡± He led her to the bed and looked at her radiant face. His heart started to race His wife was alive, thank God He touched her face, and Natalia stared at him. Her eyes were filled with caution ¡°What do you want to say? Say it and let me go.¡± She didn¡¯t think he had anything to say to her other than to ask for her forgiveness for the past five years, which she would not give That was a painful memory How could she possibly forgive him so easily? Magnus gently held her hand, and his eyes were burning with intensity. ¡°Five years ago, I didn¡¯t get together with Isabe The person I¡¯ve always loved is you, and you alone Believe me, there¡¯s nothing between Isabe and me After Natalia jumped into the sea, he investigated everything thoroughly. When he discovered that Isabe and Kendra were behind all the dirty tricks, he wanted to kill those two damned women! Even though he didn¡¯t kill them in the end, the fate of those two women wasn¡¯t any better Even now, you¡¯re still lying to me. Do you find that amusing? When she heard Magnus say this, Natalia, who thought he was still trying to deceive her looked at him with disappointment Her bright eyes were red, and there was a faint trace of tears It was better not to mention the past, as it felt like tearing open an old wound! Five years ago, she had seen with her own eyes the scene of Isabe and Magnus together And there was the video of him and Kendra having sex, which led to the death of her child! She would never forgive Magnus in her lifetime! Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. And now he wasing to her and saying that all of that wasn¡¯t true. How was she supposed to believe that? Did Magnus think she was a fool? Whatever nonsense he said, she definitely wouldn¡¯t believe it! After all the hardships she had endured, Natalia only believed in what she saw with her own eyes! ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m not lying to you Everything I¡¯ve said is true Knowing that she wouldn¡¯t believe him without any evidence, Magnus looked at her and said eamestly, ¡°Everything you saw was a trap set by Isabe and Kendra After you jumped into the sea, I found out everything Isabe wore my suit jacket because she deliberately ripped her drese I gave her a piece of clothing in return for her pastpanionship And the video of Natalia was doctored it was her and Lucrush Natalia, I love you so much How could I possibly do those things with another woman? Is that how I come across to you? I couldn¡¯t fall in love ith anyone else after all we ve been through You¡¯ve already taken up residence in my heart My love believe mel ¡°And I¡¯ve made those two damned women pay for what they did to you! My love, can you forgive me ¡°For the past five years, I¡¯ve been looking for you missing you Can you really bear to leave me At this moment, Magnus was no longer proud and aloof He was like a little wolf abandoned by its mother, begging for forgiveness if it weren¡¯t for the fact that he couldn¡¯t find Natalia for five years and mused her terribly, he would never have uttered these words But Natalia, who had been so righteous and indignant just a moment ago, was now at a loss for words after hearing what Magnus had to say. She, too, had doubted that the video was real, but she had believed it because she was in a bad mood at the time She had fallen into Kendra¡¯s trap Remembering all this, she felt incredibly foolish! But all of this had already happened, and her child was gone. Even if she forgave him, it wouldn¡¯t bring back the past five years or her child. Back then, she had believed it to be true, thinking that the man in bed with Kendra was really Magnus. Once she had calmed down, she was Magnus no longer loved her, he wouldn¡¯t have crossed that line with Kendra, but that was water under the bridge now she just looked at Magnus, very seriously, and said, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say what you¡¯re saying is true. So what? It¡¯s been five years now, Magnus. I¡¯ve moved on, and I¡¯m ready to start a new life. So let¡¯s just live our own lives separately, okay?¡± She owed Callum a debt of gratitude, so no matter what, she couldn¡¯t betray him As for Magnus, she decided to let bygones be bygones. Chapter 221 Chapter 221 Magnus hadn¡¯t expected that after his confession, Natalia still rejected him so resolutely. She was adamant, she wasn¡¯ting back to him Magnus felt a keen sting of hurt. It was an anguish that spread through his gaze He looked at Natalia. ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t you think you¡¯re being too cruel? All the misunderstandings have been cleared up, and we¡¯ve already wasted five years. Nate back to us. Let me take care of you. Okay?¡± He¡¯d loved her from the beginning, and that had never changed How was he supposed to start over? He had chased her all the way to the UK, risking everything. He¡¯d even nearly lost his life Wasn¡¯t that enough to move her? What was so great about Callum? Had she fallen for that man? ¡°Cruel?¡± Nataliaughed at Magnus words His confession didn¡¯t move her Perhaps the past hurt was too deep Then she said firmly. The cruelty is in fate, not me. We didn¡¯t just lose five years, but something far more important! Do you think we can go back?¡± ¡°So, Magnus, stop obsessing, and stop insisting that you still love me I didn¡¯t just lose five years. I lost trust! I¡¯m sorry.¡± From the beginning, she and Magnus weren¡¯t meant to be, but she hadn¡¯t seen it then. After everything they¡¯d been through, she finally understood everything. It was their fundamental differences, theirck of trust, which led to this tragedy. So, no matter what Magnus said, they could never go back to the way things were! ¡± don¡¯t care, Natalia I won¡¯t give up As long as youe back, I¡¯ll make up for everything I owe you in this life. I just need you to tell me honestly, do you still love me? As long as we still love each other, we can be together!¡± He looked at the beautiful woman in front of him. She was as beautiful as she was five years ago There was pain in Magnus¡® eyes. He refused to believe that Natalia no longer had feelings for him. He would force Natalia to admit her true feelings He believed she must¡¯ve loved him. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have gone to the hotel to see him that day. But Magnus words shocked Natalia. Her heart pounded Did she still love him? She didn¡¯t know, but she didn¡¯t want to love anyone anymore. Whether she loved him or not, she wanted to escape from him, because too many things made her hesitant to try She owed Callum a debt of gratitude. She had to repay it In the end, she could only grit her teeth, look at Magnus, and say, ¡°You don¡¯t have to push me anymore. I can tell you clearly now that I don¡¯t love you anymore. | have my fiance now and we¡¯re getting married soon. Magnus heard her words, and his hands were tightening. A storm of anger was raging in his eyes So she really fell in love with Callum. She really was getting engaged to him. But how could this be he wouldn¡¯t allow it! Natalia felt his big hand gripping her wrist tighter and tighter She immediately pulled her hand away and stood up to leave. Before she reached the door, her slender wrist was grabbed again Natalia, I won¡¯t let you marry him. You¡¯re mine You¡¯re my woman in this life!¡± He picked her up and threw her onto the soft bed. His towering figure pressed down on Natalia instantly. Magnus eyes were bloodshot, as he stared at Natalia, who was frightened beneath him. His heart throbbed ¡°Natalia, behave and I won¡¯t hurt you! Baby I can¡¯t let you go!¡± Before Natalia could scream, he kissed her # ¡°Hmm Natalia struggled with all her strength, but Magnus was like a hungry wolf. He kissed her lips fiercely. His towering body was like a fumace, burning all of Natalia¡¯s senses He raised her hands above her head, easily prying open her teeth, finding her tongue, and entwining it tightly The familiar taste was as intoxicating as it had been five years ago. It drove him crazy! He attacked her mouth with wild, reckless kisses Natalia gradually stopped struggling. Her body slowly went limp. She was about to suffocate fromck oxygen, but Magnus wasn¡¯t done. He let her breathe a little before covering her lips with his again Just a kiss couldn¡¯t satisfy Magnus parched heart. He pressed his hand inside her clothes, touching her soft tits. They both groaned Magnus blood boiled, and his lower body reacted strongly He gently released her hand, gently holding her limp body As he began to remove her clothes, Natalia clung to them Tears streamed down her face. Magnus heart stung She was crying! He was hurting her He immediately let go of her but his lips didn¡¯t want to leave. He kissed away her tears. ¡°Nat, I¡¯m sorry I love you! You can¡¯t get engaged to some His hoarte voice echoed softly in her ear mad All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. Natalia was momentanly stunned Her mind went nk She pushed Magnus off of her jumped off the bed, opened the door and ran away ¡°Natalia Magnus snapped back to reality, immediately chasing after her But he was toote, and his crotch was still erect. The bodyguard saw Natalia run out and then saw Magnus follow He didn¡¯t know what had happened. ¡°Sir ¡°Where¡¯s Natalia?¡± ¡°She left¡± ¡°Damn it Go after her Don¡¯t let anything happen to her!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The bodyguard nced at Magnus crotch, then awkwardly turned away, and left the vi Natalia ran back to the apartment, as soon as she opened the door, she saw Callum sitting on the couch. He immediately went to her and where¡¯ve you been? I couldn¡¯t reach you on the phone I was worried sick!¡± Natalia guiltily looked down She pulled out her phone and saw it was turned off ¡°Im sorry, Callum I was taken to Magnus¡® ce. She didn¡¯t want to lie to him. Callum looked at Natalia¡¯s swollen lips, and his brown eyes darkened. He fought the urge to rush out, holding her hand and saying. ¡°Nat let¡¯s get engaged tomorrow Natalia looked up into Callum¡¯s sorrowful eyes A bitterness was washing over her. She gave him a light,forting smile ¡°Alright, she agreed Without uttering another word, Callum gently embraced her, closing his eyes to savor the moment. After a while, he scooped Natalia into his arms and gentlyid her on the bed in her bedroom Rest well I must go now He leaned down to nt a tender kiss on her forehead, then turned away to leave the apartment. Departing from Natalia¡¯s ce, Callum went straight back to his castle Chapter 222 Chapter 222 Callum was anxious to understand Magnus¡® current situation, and his patience was running thin with Magnus constant meddling with his girl In no time, his loyal men gathered the necessary information. ¡°Boss, Magnus now owns apany called Orange Horizon. Ms. rkson, Natalia, is currently working there. He bought it for fifty billion.¡± Callum waved his hand to dismiss his men, scoffing internally He knew Magnus would go to great lengths to get close to Natalia Magnus, do you still think you¡¯re the king of Melfort? If you think you can lead me by the nose again, then all my years have been wasted! Anger surged within Callum, and he wanted nothing more than to give Magnus a good beating But as he reached the door, he stopped Natalia might seem delicate on the outside, but she was fiercely stubborn on the inside. What she hated most was deceit if she found out about Magnus calcted deception, then she would be so mad and disappointed ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t think you¡¯re so clever You might just end up shooting yourself in the foot!¡± A yful smile curved on Callum¡¯s lips Magnus, brace yourself for the wrath of Nat¡± ¡°Boss, Count Rowell ns to announce in the headlines tomorrow that Ms. rkson is his daughter¨C inw The man Callum had just dismissed came back with the news ¡°Alright¡± Callum nodded dismissively. ¡°Well, that¡¯s the truth. Suppose he wants to acknowledge it publicly, even better You all just stand by for now ¡°Understood¡± His men left to carry out his orders. Callum had found Magnus weak spot and was in high spirits. He strode out of the castle, heading towards Natalia¡¯s apartment. Magnus was so shameless that Callum had to stay on guard. Who knew what kind of tricks Magnus would pull next? The morning sun streamed through the light pink curtains, warming Natalia¡¯s face. She stretchedzily and got up from bed As she pulled the curtains apart, she was surprised to see a motorhome parked outside her window It was a sleek, new Lincoln motorhome basking in the morning sunlight. It looked luxunous yet reserved Whose vehicle was this? Why was it parked outside her window? Natalia was slightly puzzled. She quickly freshened up and headed towards the motorhome As she approached, she bent slightly, trying to peer inside to see if there was anyone in it. However, the vehicle was designed for privacy, and all that was reflected on the thick windows was Natalia¡¯s confused face Just as Natalia was debating whether to knock on the window, the motorhome door slowly opened. A pair of long, straight legs stretched out, ending in shiny polished shoes Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Cal, is that you?¡± Natalia was surprised to see Callum Why was he sleeping in a vehicle instead of his castle?¡± Callum looked tired and his eyes were bloodshot. ¡°Natalia, I can¡¯t bear to let you stay here alone Im womed Magnus might pull another stunt. I just picked a vehicle from the garagest night and slept outside your window. It¡¯s the only way I could rest easy.¡± Natalia was speechless She couldn¡¯t imagine the always elegant Callum, choosing to sleep in a vehicle outside her window instead of his castle ¡°Cal, I¡¯m fine living by myself You don¡¯t have to stay outside. It¡¯s too much trouble, Natalia said softly, trying to dissuade Callum from his n Callum¡¯s heart warmed at Natalias sweet smile. Where was the fatigue from a night in a car? ¡°Natalia, you have no idea how cunning Magnus can be. He actually bought an entirepany just to get close to you. I have to stay on guard against someone like that Callum decided to reveal everything he knew to Natalia. She shouldn¡¯t be under the impression that Magnus was some kind of hero ¡°What?¡± Natalia was shocked ¡°You¡¯re saying he bought Orange Honzon, where I¡¯m currently working?¡± Callum nodded ¡°Yes, my men have confirmed it. He bought thepany for fifty billion¡± Upon hearing Callum¡¯s words, Natalia found it unbelievable Magnus arrogant and domineering nature hadn¡¯t changed at all. ¡°He must be insanel He actually fifty billion to buy Orange Honzon!¡± She thought No wonder he showed up in thepany elevator yesterday He had already bought the entire company No wonder no one answered when she screamed as he dragged her into the elevator It was all part of his premeditated n Natalia closed her eyes in frustration. Her whole body was shaking with anger. She¡¯d thought she was hired on ment, but it turned out to be part of Magnus game She was being yed It was too much! Abaolutely too much! Fury surged from the tips of Natalia¡¯s toes shooting straight to the top of her head. ¡°Magnus, how could you do this!¡± No, she had to confront this arrogant and conceited man It was too much! sed with anges. ¡°Cal don¡¯t worry Magnus won¡¯t bother me anymore! He yed me for a fool, so I¡¯m going to quit my job right now¡± Natalia was burn everything in sight. As soon as she finished speaking she walked away in her high heels, determined to clear this matter up ¡°Natalia, it¡¯s a long walk I¡¯ll drive you Callum got back into the vehicle and started the engine following her. There was a smug look in his eyes ¡°Magnus, you thought you were smart. Now you¡¯ve met your match? Natalia stopped and without hesitation, got into Callum¡¯s vehicle. He drove her towards Orange Horizon It was peak hour and the roads were bustling with the hustle and bustle of cars Callum, with Natalia in tow, swiftly mached the enbu building With the car parked securely, Natalia stepped out and waved at Callum saying. Cal just hang tight here for a bit. I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°Alright Callum watched Natalia go, leaning back in his seat with arms folded. His eyes were sparkling with curiosity Magnus, you just Natally entered the towering building of Orange Horizon, taking the elevator straight to the penthouse | Orange ving worked here for a few days, she knew that the penthouse housed the CEO¡¯s office, a ce off limits without explicit permission. Now, she was in a hurry to validate something, to see if the person sitting inside was indeed Magnus. Chapter 223 Chapter 223 Natalia stood in the elevator Her feelings were a whirlwind of emotions. She stared at her reflection in the shiny elevator mirror, feeling like a fool that was being yed around with Callum would have never deceived her, and yet Magnus was going through all this trouble, just to y her for a fool. What was the point? ¡°Ding¡± The elevator came to a stop at the penthouse Natalia hesitated, biting her lip, before stepping out Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. The top floor was decorated in a simple yet elegant style that was refreshing to the eye. Yet, beneath its modesty, there was a hint of luxury Her stilettos clicked pleasantly against the polished floor as Natalia made her way towards the CEO¡¯s office. Taking a deep breath, Natalia mustered up her courage and pushed open the door to the office The room was tidy and bright On therge desk, there was a photo of her. The room was empty. Seeing her photo on the desk, Natalia walked over and picked it up In the picture, she was looking down, smiling slightly. Her right hand rested on her slightly protruding belly. She looked so tender and sweet. From this angle, it was clear that the photo had been taken without her knowledge The person behind this must have been Magnus. She wondered when he had taken this picture Natalia gazed at her image in the photo, and a lump was forming in her throat. She gently touched her t stomach, as if recalling the time when she was pregnant. Back then, although she was often in low spints, the baby inside her was her biggest support. Every day, she felt the baby¡¯s heartbeat and movements, and that was the happiest time of her life But now the baby was gone, and all that remained was painful history. Natalia¡¯s smile faded as she put the photo back on the desk. She unconsciously touched her t belly, a bitter taste spreading in her mouth Who would ever know that she once camed a precious life inside her? A tear escaped from her eye and fell onto the shiny floor Realizing she was crying, Natalia quickly wiped away her tears and started searching the room. She was here to expose Magnus lies, and she had to find him However, after a thorough search, she found nothing but cold decorations and books. There was no sign of Magnus. She pushed open the door to the lounge and was stunned to see the walls covered in photos of her There were pictures of her frowning, smiling lost in thought, and even sleeping The photos were stered all over the lounge walls, not only from the time when she was pregnant five years ago but also from recent moments There was one of her licking cream off theer of her lips. It was taken on a day when thepany had served cheesecake. She remembered that cheesecake, it was nich and smooth There were also photos of her watering nts, working at herputer, and exining proposals to her staff It seemed that Magnus had captured all sorts of moments in her life. Feeling a sense of helplessness, Natalia was furious. This obsessive man had been secretly capturing her moments without her knowledge, which was infuriating. This was her life, and Magnus had intruded without her permission. He was even trying to manipte her personal lifel Without hesitation, Natalia started to peel off the photos from the walls. She was angry and quickly removed many photos, holding a thick pile in her hands. ¡°Hey! What are you doing? Who let you in Magnus had just entered his office when he saw someone in the lounge tearing down his precious collection. He was livid He quickly approached Natalia and grabbed her by the shoulders. ¡°Get out of here wait, Natalia?! Natalia was wearing a green suit, and from behind, she looked like a high school girl. It took Magnus a moment to recognize her. Startled by Magnus sudden grip, Natalia turned to face him ¡°You, you All the usations and questions she had prepared in her mind vanished when she saw Magnus incredibly handsome face. She stuttered, unable to form a coherent sentence ¡°Natalia, did youe specifically to see me?¡± Magnus was thrilled to see Natalia, and he grabbed her hands. ¡°My wife, I knew it. I knew you loved me. I knew you couldn¡¯t let me go¡± Natalia pulled her hands out of Magnus grip as if they had been burned. She remembered why she was there and questioned Magnus angrily, ¡°Did you Did you buy thispany? For fifty billion?¡± Magnus paused bet quickly realizing that Callum must have told Natalia the truth So what? Everything he did was to win his wife back, and there was nothing to be ashamed about So, Magnus nodded without hesitation. Yes, I did buy thispany Natalia, I know you love designing. So why should you work for others when you can work for your ownpany? I think you would be happier here!¡± He bought thepany, but the legal owner was Natalia He took out the property deed and the company¡¯s contract from his drawer ¡°This is yourpany? Natalia stared at him, unable to say a word She pointed at Magnus and said fiercely. ¡°Are you crazy? You spent fifty billion on thispany! Do you have that much money to burn? Go back to Melfort now!¡± ¡°I won¡¯t leave Wherever you are. I¡¯ll be there, Natalia. You are my woman!¡± Magnus was thrilled to see Natalia¡¯s cheeks tum pink. He wanted to pull her into his arms. He had wanted her sincest night, but she had run away. His desire had been left unfulfilled for the entire night For years, he had lost interest in other women. Chase once introduced him to a woman who looked a lot like Nataba,but even when she stood naked in front of him, he felt nothing Chase and James had teased him about him being impotent. He had also begun to suspect that maybe he was Butst night, he had impulsively kissed Natalia, and to his shock, he had felt something. It kept him awake till the wee hours of the moming. Her petite figure and the sweet taste of her lips were haunting his thoughts. He desired her ¨C with a fervor that drove him to the brink of madness! Her angry look actually stirred his blood and set his heart ame. Tm not! We¡¯re nothing to each other now!¡± Natalia flung the tom photograph at Magnus. ¡°And you! Are you like some peeping Tom? You were secretly photographing me?!¡± Chapter 224 Chapter 224 115 The photographs fluttered down like colorful snowkes, dancing in the air before cascading to the ground Facing Natalia¡¯s reproach, Magnus responded not with anger, but withughter His eyes shone with profound affection ¡°My dear he began. ¡°You must know how much I love you Howpletely I am devoted to you. I want to know and feel everything about you haven¡¯t been spying on you, but I¡¯ve been appreciating you openly You just never realized it He took her hand and looked into her angry eyes, now moist with unshed tears ¡°My dear However, Natalia remained unmoved by Magnus exnation His repeated deceit and maniption infuriated her Her fading anger red back to life. She red at Magnus, and now her voice was thick with ire ¡°Magnus, get out of my life! Eve had enough of your games. I have nothing left for you to hurt so please for my sake and yours, leave me alone¡± Seeing Natalia¡¯s pain¨Cstricken face, Magnus felt his heart shatter He approached her slowly, undeterred by her attempts to retreat ¡®My dear¡± he said softly, how can you ask me to let you go? Don¡¯t you understand that you¡¯ve stolen my heart? Since you were lost at sea five years ago, I¡¯ve spent every day every minute, every second, in endless longing for you I could only find sce in your photographs, using alcohol to numb the pain. Without you, everything feels so cold and lonely How many more five years do I have to wait? ¡°No, it¡¯s over it ended the moment I was lost at sea Can¡¯t we just be strangers who once knew each other top well? Isn¡¯t that enough? Natalia knew there was no going back. Nothing could return to how it was five years ago unless their child could be brought back to life However Magnus never intended to inform her about the baby yet. It was hisst card to y, and he couldn¡¯t reveal it yet. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org As Magnus closed in on her, Natalia was forced to retreat further until her back hit the cold wall His gaze was soft and tender, as he backed Natalia into a corner His voice was husky with emotion My dear what are we to do? I can¡¯t let you go, and I ca be a stranger to you. You¡¯re my wife, now and forever. Let¡¯s put our past misunderstandings behind us and start anew, okay? For a moment, Natalia found herself almost lost in Magnus intense, affectionate gaze, but she quickly snapped out of it No, she couldn¡¯t entertain any illusions about Magnus Hadn¡¯t the heart¨Cwrenching past taught her anything? She couldn¡¯t afford to make the same mistake again after a brush with death Magnus noticed the hesitation in Natalia¡¯s eyes. Leaning against the wall, he moved closer to Natalia, reaching out to caress her face. He whispered into her ear his breath warm against her skin ¡°My dear, these past five years without you have been like an eternal darkness. Isn¡¯t that punishment enough? Can you bear to watch me suffer and die?¡± His minty, fresh breath lingered in Natalia¡¯s nostrils, causing her cheeks to flush with heat. Natalia pinched herself, mentally scolding her wes Magnus bewitch her again. She couldn¡¯t let herself experience that heart¨Cwrenching pain again. She couldn¡¯t Seeing Natalia¡¯s flushed face Magnus felt a sweetness spread through his heart. He knew her every sensitive spot, this shy woman was his sweet porson His desire for Natalia was bing unbearable, so he leaned down without a second thought and urately captured her lips. The kiss was passionate and intense, leaving no room for rejection Natalia pushed him away immediately No, let go, get away! With all her strength, Natalia managed to push Magnus away slightly Magnus blinked and came back like a sticky candy ¡°No. He murmured. Natalia could feel her face burning up and her blood rushing to her head. She was furious with Magnus for making advances at her. She remembered that was waiting for her downstairs, and yet she was up here, kissing this man. Without thinking, Natalia pped Magnus across the face, leaving a clear handprint on his cheek. She regretted it instantly She knew Magnus arogant nature and feared his retaliation Natalia felt a pang of guilt, but she swallowed her apology and spat out harsh words instead ¡°Magnus, I¡¯m getting engaged tomorrow. Goodbye¡® With th tumed to leave the office But Magnus was tall and imposing, and quickly blocked her way and closed the office door behind him. His face was dark and menacing, and his dark eyes appeared to be filled with murderous intent He stared at Natalia like a demon emerging from the darkness. His gaze was fierce. ¡°Say that again What are you doing tomorrow? Natalia felt an invisible pressure, but she refused to back down. She took two steps back, trying to escape from Magnus chilling aura. Callum tomorrow From now on please don¡¯t interfere with my life!¡± ¡°No Magnus snarled, his teeth grinding in frustration it wasn¡¯t the p Natalia had delivered him that bothered ham, but the fact that she kept inwaling ¨C marrying someone else How could she? How could she be so heartless as to tell him she was going to get engaged to another man? ¡°What wouldn¡¯t I dart to do. Magnus? Since the moment I plunged into the ocean, we¡¯ve been as good as strangers | advise you to face reality soone and stop bothering me ¡°Bothering? You consider my sincere feelings for you a bother? Magnus was seething his hand gripping Natalia¡¯s shoulder get water in your brain when you fell into the sea? How can you treat my sincerity as a joke? i won¡¯t let you get engaged to that Magnus was livid! Chapter 225 Chapter 225 king her rough glishman, not on thy Natalia felt dizzy as Magnus whirled her around, struggling to steady herself. She stood tall, facing Magnus¡® predatory gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t need your sincerity anymore, so please¡± ¡°Mmm¡­..¡± Magnus couldn¡¯t bear to hear Natalia utter another heartless word, so he silenced her chattering lips with a kiss. Natalia was fully aware of his deep love for her, had repeatedly trampled on his heart and disposed of it like garbage. He decided it was high time for some discipline! This time, Magnus intended to punish Natalia. He scooped her up in his arms, striding over to the table in two steps. He leaned heavily over her brutally ravishing her lips ¡°Mmm let go mmm. ¡°Natalia struggled desperately, but she was no match for Magnus Despite her best efforts, she couldn¡¯t resist Magnus in the slightest. Magnus, at this point, was nearing madness. He greedily devoured Natalia¡¯s lips, consuming every bit of her sweetness. He wished he could consume her wholet After a while. Magnus couldn¡¯t control his arousal anymore. He rose to undo his belt ¡°Magnus, you madman Let go of me Taking advantage of a moment to breathe, Natalia used him, embarrassed. She tried to push him away, but it only resulted in a stronger hold from him. At this moment in her eyes, Magnus was a madman He quickly undressed Natalia His desire fromst night ignited instantly, and his mind was filled with the thought of her marrying someone else He couldn¡¯t stop He wanted to make her his before she could be someone else¡¯s! Magnus, trembling slightly from the excitement of their reunion, pulled down his pants, pressing himself upon Natalia He reached to tear off her clothes Darling, want you! You¡¯re mine With that, he pressed his whole body against her His eyes were red with desire, and his arousal was growing stronger. ¡°Darling, can you feel it? | thought i was impotent, I haven¡¯t been able to get it up in five years, but it rose when it saw you! Darling_¡± Natalia was so embarrassed she wished she could disappear She clenched her teeth. ¡°You¡¯re insane, bastard?¡± She knew no matter what she said at this point she wouldn¡¯t be able to change the mind of this obsessed man. What did he take her for? His actions made her feel like a cheap prostitute! But how could she, a petite woman, resist Magnus¡® control? Natalia¡¯s eyes welled with tears, regretting her impulsive decision toe here, which had only provoked Magnus Natalia still treated him coldly, so Magnus picked her up and carried her to therge bed in the lounge. Natalia looked into his frenzied eyes and was reminded of her first time, that rainy night, when he took her virginity. And then he took her heart. He then hurt her so much that she drowned herself in the sea. He was a devil! Tears rolled down her cheeks ¡°Darling, don¡¯t cry Darling. I love you. Let me take care of you.¡± Magnus kissed her tear¨Cstreaked cheeks, babbling, ¡°Darling, I¡¯m sorry, I lost control again. If you don¡¯t like it. I won¡¯t do it. Don¡¯t be scared, don¡¯t cry.¡± ¡°So you want to have sex with me like the way you took my virginity on that rainy night, don¡¯t you?¡± Natalia¡¯s blue eyes shone in the dim light. Upon hearing her words. Magnus froze. He awkwardly climbed off Natalia, pulled up his pants and helped Natalia off the huge bed. Darling, don¡¯t be upset. | was wrong. I just love you too much, I can¡¯t control myself whenever I see you. And don¡¯t ever mention your engagement again Natalia shook her head, and tears were streaming down her face. She was truly scared of Magnus. She was terrified of this man who was obsessed to the point of madness because she never knew what he¡¯d do next She shouldn¡¯t havee up here today So what if she knew Magnus was the CEO of Orange Honzon? What good would arguing about it do? Regardless of who the legal person was, she didn¡¯t care! It was better for them to stay away from each other Natalia sniffled, and her voice was heavy with a nasal tone ¡°Magnus. I want to resign¡± Magnus face darkened, and he demanded harshly. ¡°Why? Why do you want to resign? Darling, do you really despise me that much? Besides, thisparty is yours! Natalia took a deep breath, her tane detached ¡°Mr. Andersen, I am just an ordinary employee I¡¯m not the legal person of thispany! | can¡¯t manage this job Now are you telling me I¡¯m not even allowed to resign?¡± ¡°No! You can¡¯t resign Magnus refused without hesitation In order to keep Natalia, he had to resort to his trump card, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t admit that thispany is yours, you signed contract with thepany if you quit, you have to pay a penalty of two hundred million. And you can¡¯t Natalia argued ¡°When did i sign such a contract with you? impossible!¡± Magnus didn¡¯t argue he pressed a button on his office phone, instructing his secretary to find the contract he had stored away Before long, the secretary brought the contract Natalia had signed when she joined thepany After cing the contract on the table, she discreetly room, as the atmosphere was getting too heated for her to bear Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. As soon as the secretary closed the door behind her Magnus opened the contract and turned to the page where Natalia had signed. He signature, and said, ¡°Darling, take a good look, isn¡¯t this your signature?¡± ted at the beautiful Natalia recognized her signature of course She suddenly remembered the unfair use in the contract that stipted a penalty of two hundred million for breach of contract. At the time, she thought they had written such an unfair use to prevent otherpanies from poaching employees. Nok, she malized it set for her ¡°This is clearly an illegal contract. It¡¯s not fair!¡± ¡°Fair Oh, my dear wife, it¡¯s as clear as day in ck and white, with your actual signature gracing the bottom of the doc contract?¡± Magnus chuckled, his eyes gleaming with shrewdness hidden beneath Atalia was fuming. She knew she | fallen into Magnus trap from the very beginning If she were to leave now shed be facing the conundru Natalia stomped her foot in frustration. ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re so despicable the start, and just waited for ma Thank you for thepliment, dear Magnus dideh dip a beat. Hisughter was achoing in the root. Whan aen to anything short attention to every single detai Chapter 226 Chapter 226 Thank you for your efforts, goodbye¡± Natalia forced the words through clenched teeth. ¡°I can continue working at Orange Horizon, but please, Mr. Andersen, respect yourself As of tomorrow, I¡¯ll be someone else¡¯s fiancee I hope you won¡¯t do anything that damages thepany¡¯s image¡± ¡°Ha, you think I¡¯d just stand by and watch you get engaged to that Brit? My dear wife, you don¡¯t seem to know me very well Magnus face was graced with a smile that felt like a spring breeze, but there was an underlying coldness that sent chills down her spine. As he undid his tie and approached Natalia, the air in the room seemed to freeze Natalia cautiously moved towards the door as the previous scene shed before her eyes. She needed to escape this room ¡°My dear wife, I¡¯ve been too lenient with you. You seem to think you can leave me whenever you want. Let me tell you, you won¡¯t escape from my side, not even for a second¡± Magnus removed his suit jacket and casually tossed it onto his desk as he advanced towards Natalia She quickly unlocked the door, but Magnus pulled her back into his embrace before she could open it fully C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Feeling her softness against him, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but inhale deeply. Only his dear wife had this intoxicating scent Noticing Magnus sniffing her hair, Natalia felt herself stiffen Mr Andersen, please show me some respect ¡°Ha, my dear wife, you certainly know how to test my patience. I wonder what¡¯s so disrespectful about being affectionate with my wife¡± As soon as Magnus finished speaking, Natalia broke free from his embrace. But before she could take two steps, she found herself back in his arms. Feeling dizzy, Natalia was once again held tightly by Magnus, who showered her with soft kisses. Her delicate wrists were trapped by Magnus, and her hands were forced to rest against his crotch. Even through his trousers, she could feel his arousal. ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re a jerk.¡± ¡°Right, since you¡¯re calling me a jerk, I might as well live up to the title! You are driving me insane! Magnus¡® desire, which he had barely managed to suppress. erupted at the touch of Natalia if hatred could keep her by his side, then he was willing to be hated But once he had her in his arms again, he didn¡¯t want to let her go. He wanted to express his pent¨Cup desires freely, to make the emptiness of the past five years real! Even if it meant going to hell afterward, he didn¡¯t care. Just then, the office door was kicked open, and Callum stormed in, his face grim. Seeing Magnus pushing Natalia onto the couch, he was filled with rage. He grabbed Magnus by the cor and punched him ¡°Magnus, you bastard!¡± Callum¡¯s punch was strong, pushing Magnus back a few steps. ¡°Call Natalia was startled by Callum¡¯s sudden appearance. She didn¡¯t expect him to witness her in such a vulnerable state Callum scooped Natalia into his arms. ¡°Let¡¯s go ¡± He had been waiting in the car for Natalia, but when she didn¡¯t appear, he decided to go in. Luckily, he arrived in time to stop Magnus from taking advantage of Natalia Magnus wiped the blood from his lip and growled, ¡°Stop! Do you think you cane and go as you please here? Is this ce some kind of convenience store to you?¡± Magnus stood up, grabbed Callum¡¯s hand, and pulled Natalia back into his arms. ¡°She¡¯s my woman. It¡¯s not your ce to take her away!¡± He bellowed ¡®Security What am I paying you for? Letting this guy in¡± The security guards immediately rushed in and started pulling Callum away. Callum turned back to face Magnus, and his eyes were filled with disdain. ¡°Magnus, you disgust me! I wee a fairpetition for Natalia, but I will not tolerate anyone who disrespects her!¡± Magnus felt embarrassed, realizing he had been forcing Natalia. He had been too impulsive, and his longing for Natalia over the years overpowered his rational thoughts if Callum hadn¡¯t amved in time, he might have taken Natalia night there and then. ¡°My dear wife, I. I¡¯m sorry Magnus awkwardly apologized, fearing Natalia would never speak to him again. He held her tightly, terrified she would leave him again. And things were heading in the direction he feared Seeing the security guards pulling Callum away. Natalia¡¯s gaze towards Magnus was filled with estrangement ¡°Magnus, I¡¯m just your subordinate, and I don¡¯t know you well. Please, don¡¯t call me your wife again. I¡¯m not!¡± Turning to Callum, she said, ¡°Cal, let¡¯s go now! She needed to leave immediately, to get away from this dangerous man. If she didn¡¯t leave now, she feared her defenses would crumble Magnus was like a demon from hell, wanting to possess herpletely His possessiveness was too strong. Five years had passed, and all she wanted was to forget the unpleasant past and live a peaceful life. She also didn¡¯t want to continue owing Callum ¡°Okay, let¡¯s go ¡°Callum red at Magnus and then walked out with Natalia. This was Ennd, not Melfort, where Magnus could rule unchallenged Callum didn¡¯t give a damn about Orange Horizon! Magnus watched Callum leave with Natalia and furiously punched his desk. The loud noise echoed around the room, and blood slowly dripped onto the floor from his fingers. He could match wits with Callum, but he couldn¡¯t stand being looked down upon by Natalia He was filled with regret now Callum had ruined what was supposed to be a joyous reunion. Magnus strode towards the floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, watching the crowd below. His eyes were turbulent with emotion Callum, who had just stepped out of the door, heard a thunderous noise from inside the room. He stopped abruptly and turned back. ¡°Magnus, I dislike you, but I¡¯m still inviting you to my engagement party with Natalia tomorrow¡± With that, Callum left, taking Natalia with him in a stylish exit. The descending elevator doors slowly closed. Callum heard the sound of fumiture being smashed in the CEO¡¯s office, and a smirk had spread across his face. A Magnus had heard him, and he was furious to the point of wanting to kill! His eyes sparkled with a bloodthirsty grin. Ha! An engagement party? Callum boking for trouble! Chapter 227 Chapter 227 Callum thought to himself. ¡°Of all the people he could bother, why did that scum Magnus have to mess with his Buttercup?¡± If Magnus didn¡¯t back off, Callum would be sure to give him a taste of his own medicine. He was no pushover, despite what Magnus might have thought! Were it not for the consideration of Natalia¡¯s feelings. Callum would havended more than just one punch on Magnus! The sounds of rage and destruction reached Natalia¡¯s ears, but she said nothing She just leaned tiredly against Callum¡¯s chest, closing her eyes She felt exhausted, and her heart was empty. She felt like a lone boat adrift on the ocean, with no anchor or direction Perhaps, she thought, if she got engaged to Callum, Magnus would finally leave her alone. Callum noticed Natalia slowly lose her strength, so he scooped her up and made his way towards the exit of Orange Horizon Outside the building, a crowd of reporters armed with cameras and microphones had gathered. Clearly, they were here for the juicy gossip. They had received a tip-off earlier in the day about Rowell¡¯s lost¨C and¨Cfound daughter, Natalia. As soon as they saw her being cared out by Callum, they became excited Everyone knew that Callum was the Duke favored by the Queen, and the fact that he was holding the Count of Rowell¡¯s daughter so intimately indicated that their rtionship was not ordinary This was sure to be big news! As Callum carned Natalia through the revolving ss doors, the reporters swarmed around them, sticking their cameras and microphones in their faces. ¡°Duke Callum, is that the Count of Rowell¡¯s daughter in your arms?¡± ¡°Duke Callum, are you two a couple?¡± ¡°Is it true that the girt Count Rowell spent so much effort finding is named Natalia?¡± ¡°Miss Natalia, could you share your feelings about Duke Callum?¡± ¡°Miss Natalia, we heard you work at Orange Honzon and recently won the Global Designer Award. Is that true?¡± The reporters asked questions all at once, creating a chaotic scene reminiscent of a bustling marketce Natalia, already feeling down, was further imitated by this unexpected media frenzy. She wanted to shout and tell everyone she didn¡¯t like the attention! But she knew that if she did that, it would only bring more attention to her This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Sensing Natalia¡¯s difort, Callum shielded her face with his hand to protect her from the blinding camera shes. He whispered to her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Buttercup It¡¯s just some annoying reporters. We¡¯ll get out of here soon With that Callum tried to make his way through the crowd, but the persistent reporters followed them wherever they went. Finally, Callum stopped and turned to face the reporters, his gaze cold. I don¡¯t care who you are or which newspaper you work for I¡¯m just warning you not to cross my line. The consequences of angering me are not something you can bear¡± At Callum¡¯s words, the reporters fell silent. They looked at each other unsure of whether to leave or not These reporters were no fools. They knew when to retreat They quickly dispersed, watching as Callum walked away with Natalia in his arms. Once they were away from the crowd, Natalia finally rxed She snuggled into Callum¡¯s arms and whispered, ¡°Cal, put me down. I can walk on my own.¡± Callum shook his head, and his voice was softening ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I don¡¯t want those vultures to get a better look at you.¡± His girl was too beautiful to be ogled by just anyonel Natalia blushed at Callum¡¯s words, remembering how Magnus had nearly ripped her clothes earlier. If it weren¡¯t for Callum, she would have been utterly humiliated. ¡°Thank you, Cal¡± Natalia said sincerely As she spoke, Callum started the car and shook his head. ¡°Sweetheart, you know what I want isn¡¯t your thanks¡± Natalia knew what Callum meant. She hesitated but didn¡¯t respond. The only way to cut ties with Magnus was to get engaged to Callum She could lie to anyone, but she couldn¡¯t lie to herself. She didn¡¯t love Callum She owed him, for he saved her life, and she had promised to marry him. He had waited for her for twenty years. Could she really not marry him for that? That was the reason why she didn¡¯t want to have anything to do with Magnus anymore ¡°Cal, ¡°Natalia started, biting her lip She was trying to find the right words tofort Callum. Callum, who was driving, kept ncing at Natalia through the rear¨Cview mirror He was worried that she might say something to reject him. He quickly said, ¡°It¡¯s okay, sweetheart I know you¡¯re confused right now. But if you don¡¯t make a decision soon, Magnus won¡¯t stop bothering you.¡± Natalia fell silent considering Callum¡¯s words After saying these words, Callum couldn¡¯t help but despise himself. Had he really stooped so low to take advantage of Natalie¡¯s vulnerable state, to pressure her into making a decision? Indeed, Natalie, after hearing Callum¡¯s words and remembering Magnus raging and obsessive demeanor, felt a light tremor in her heart and reluctantly said, ¡°Cal. I¡¯m not worth the sacrifices you¡¯re making for me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly. Buttercup It¡¯s not like what you think. As long as it¡¯s you, and just because it¡¯s you, everything is worth it,¡± Callum said with deep affection, his voice sounding irresistibly charming ¡°But, Cal, I¡¯m not sure about my feelings¡­¡± Natalie lowered her head with some guilt. How could she not know how good Callum had been to her? Chapter 228 Chapter 228 But why hadn¡¯t she fallen in love with Callum yet? Was it because a past heartbreak had made her heart imprable? If she didn¡¯t truly love Callum, then epting his proposal would be unfair to him. But what else could she give in return for his kindness? Natalia didn¡¯t want to deceive Callum, so she spoke her mind. Callum was relieved. As long as Natalia hadn¡¯t outright refused, he had a lifetime to wait for her to fall in love with him He pulled the car over to the side. His gaze was so tender and loving ¡°Natalia, trust me, I¡¯ll make you fall in love with me. And even if you don¡¯t, having me love you for the rest of our lives is enough.¡± Natalia was unsettled by Callum¡¯s intense gaze and could only agree ¡°Okay, Cal, let¡¯s get engaged. But¡­¡± ¡°Shhh¡± Callum ced his finger on Natalia¡¯s lips gently ¡°No buts, Natalia All you need to do is agree to marry me, and I promise that you¡¯ll never regret it. I¡¯ll love you, care for you, cherish you, and provide you with everything I can¡® Who wouldn¡¯t be moved by such words? Especially Natalia, who had been cared for by Callum for many years She felt a warm feeling in her heart. She wasn¡¯t heartless, she had always recognized Callum¡¯s silent sacrifices for her if getting engaged was the only way to let go of Magnus, then she couldn¡¯t think of anyone else but Callum ¡°Ainght, let¡¯s do as you say Natalia said softly. Her words were quick, but Callum caught them ¡°Natalia, let¡¯s go home and prepare I can¡¯t wait to see you in a wedding dress,¡± he said, driving off towards the castle. He had waited for this day for so long that he had started to doubt whether it would evere Natalia had finally agreed to get engaged to him, which was wonderful news! Once back at the castle, Callum got busy preparing for the engagement party. He had been eagerly anticipating this day, and now that Natalia had agreed, he had to make sure everything was perfect All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. The morning sun rose gently as Natalia was taken by the maids in the castle to get dressed. Today was her engagement day with Callum, and the castle was filled with joy. Everyone wore warm smiles, and Natalia couldn¡¯t help but grin The castle was decorated anew with countless nbbons and balloons hanging in everyer. The floor was covered with ayer of white lilies For a moment, Natalia thought she had stepped into a fairy tale. Callum, the man of the hour, was nervously checking himself in the mirror. He looked handsome and dashing. His suit was cut to perfection, exuding an air of luxury. Yet, his face showed a hint of nervousness, as if he was afraid of messing up the carefully nned engagement party. Callum adjusted his suit cor, trying to calm himself it was just an engagement party, he thought, he couldn¡¯t afford to be nervous! However the moment Natalia appeared, all his calmness dissipated Today, Natalia was wearing a wedding dress that she had designed. The white ruffled skirt was complex and intricate, resembling a beautiful mermaid just out of the water Her slender waist was adorned with dazzling pink crystals, highlighting her stunning figure. Under the simple yet elegant veil was Natalia¡¯s slightly bewildered face She held up her dress delicately as she walked towards Callum. Even though it was just an engagement party, the wedding dress was essential. As soon as Natalia had drawn her wedding dress yesterday. Callum had it made overnight. Staring at Natalia, bathed in sunlight, walking towards him, Callum¡¯s heart started pounding. This was his Buttercup, the woman he had been waiting on for twenty years, and today she was finally bing his wife. She was kind, resilient, elegant, and charming Every move she made fascinated him Callum, full of joy, walked towards Natalia, ready to take her hand, and join her on the stage that had been prepared. Before he could reach her, the Count of Rowell and his family arrived unannounced. Leading the way. Rowell stretched out his arms, making a pose as if to hug Callum, and strode towards him ¡°Oh, today is the engagement day of my favorite little girl I must extend my sincerest blessings Callum nced at Natalia and noticed that she didn¡¯t object. Callum responded, ¡°Thank you, thank you. You can rest in the guest area ¡°Hm, this engagement party is very grand I am very pleased, Rowell said, nodding his head and walking towards the guest area. Although he was not pleased with Natalia, considering that she was marrying Callum, Rowell generously decided not to hold it against her. After all, just the name Callum could bring Rowell unparalleled honor Rowell¡¯s wife followed him with a displeased expression. If it weren¡¯t for the distinguished guests at the engagement party, she would have definitely sneered at Natalia Why on earth would Callum marry a in Jane like Natalia? It should have been her precious baby girl! Therefore, she had no desire to give Natalia any blessings On the contrary, she was cursing in her heart, wishing that Callum would abandon Natalia sooner rather thanter. That way, her darling daughter could take her ce swiftly Meanwhile, Alice, who trailed behind Rowell, had a grim expression throughout the ceremony. She watched Natalia, who looked like a princess, with burning jealousy She wished she could tear off that beautiful wedding dress from Natalia¡¯s body Damn this woman. If it hadn¡¯t been for her, Callum would have been marrying Alice today! Chapter 229 Chapter 229 Alice couldn¡¯t fathom what kind of sweet nothings this wicked woman had whispered into Cal¡¯s ear to bewitch him into proposing. He was about to be engaged to this lowly woman, and it was driving Alice mad Frustration and resentment bubbled within her as she red daggers at Natalia, praying for someone anyone to stop the wedding and retum her beloved Cal to her. Four members of the Rowell family had turned up, essentially making it a full house However, Henry was the only one who genuinely wished Natalia and Callum well Henry, seeing the lovely, delicate Natalia, offered his heartfelt blessings. Bending slightly, he kissed Natalia¡¯s hand ¡°May you and Callum find happiness.¡± Thank you Now, remove your filthy hand. Before Natalia could express her gratitude to Henry, Callum grumbled in disapproval. He was irked at Henry¡¯s audacity to kiss his bnde¨Cto¨Cbe without his permission Yes, all these formalities, like kissing hands and cheek¨Cto¨Ccheek greetings, should be abolished Henry noticed Callum¡¯s imitation and chuckled. These were justmon courtesies, and Callum¡¯s jealousy seemed a bit excessive Just as he was about to make a sarcastic remark, Rita dame rushing over, frantic ¡°Sir, we have a problem Our castle it¡¯s surrounded Rita was so panicked that she didn¡¯t even lower her voice, attracting the attention of the quests attending the engagement party. What on earth was going on? Who would dare cause such a ruckus at his engagement party? Callum¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion Very soon, however, he had hunch Magnus was the only lunatic he knew capable of such nonsense. ¡°Rx. Il handle it Callum reassured Rita, striding towards the door ¡°But, my lord, our castle is surrounded by six Gatling guns. Those are not toys if they fire, they¡¯ll blow the castle apart, Rita wamed Callum in a hushed voice The ce Callum had chosen for the engagement ceremony was a private chapel on the eastern side of the castle, protected by a thick castle wall This was to keep Natalia safe from any unwanted disturbances However, Callum had never imagined that Magnus would go to such extremes and bring out six Gatling guns Callum¡¯s eyes narrowed When had all of this happened? The so¨Ccalled Gatling gun was a tank gun that weighed approximately 15 tons and measured 6.7 meters in length. It required a crew of four to operate, with each member responsible for a different task to ensure its effective operation How had Magnus managed to get his hands on such a formidable weapon, let alone six of them? With a puzzled frown, Callum decided to investigate Natalia, standing by his side had also heard Rita¡¯s words. Although she didn¡¯t quite understand what a Gatling gun was, she could tell from Callum¡¯s reaction that it wasn¡¯t something to be trifled withC¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Just like Callum, Natalia figured that Magnus was the only one mad enough to challenge Callum in such a brazen manner. However, this wasn¡¯t his turf Ennd How had he managed to pull off such a feat? it was Despite her confusion. Natalia was worried about Callum. As he prepared to confront the threat, she reached out and grabbed his hand. Callum paused and regarded Natalia¡¯s concerned expression. He gave her aforting smile ¡°Don¡¯t worry This is my territory. Nothing will go wrong¡± ¡°But, Cal, what if Magnus actually uses those weapon?¡± Natalia¡¯s worry didn¡¯t abate. After all, they were surrounded by Gatling guns! ¡°Don¡¯t worry. This is Ennd. He wouldn¡¯t dare to cross that line. Stay here, I¡¯ll be back soon,¡± Callum reassured her before he strode out. The guests, curious about themotion, followed Callum out, keeping a safe distance. They wanted to see what was going on In contrast to Natalias worned expression, Alice was seething with rage. She walked up to Natalia and, taking advantage of her distraction, pushed Natalia roughis. Viciously muttering. ¡°You bitch¡± Caught off guard, Natalia stumbled backward, stepping on her gown, and almost fell. Just as she was about to make a fool of herself, Henry, who was standing next to Alice, quickly reached out and steadied her Thank you, Natalia murmured, her face pale as she thanked Henry Henry nodded courteously. ¡°It¡¯s nothing. We are family, after all.¡± Then, he turned to his sister, Alice and chastised her, ¡°Alice, there are guests present. What the hell were you thinking?¡± ¡°Henry¡® Whose side are you on? Am I not your sister?¡± Alice stomped her foot in anger. She couldn¡¯t believe her brother would scold her for this woman, Henry shook his head in disapproval I stand by what¡¯s right, not by family. This is Natalia and Callum¡¯s special day. Don¡¯t cause a scene. If anything goes even our father won¡¯t be able to save you You have no idea what Callum is capable of After exining the situation to Alice, Henry turned to Natalia Tapologize for my sister¡¯s behavior She¡¯s been spoiled and can be quite arrogant at times. | hope you won¡¯t mind Natalia shook her head. It¡¯s fine. I didn¡¯t fall ¡± Now, all of Natalia¡¯s attention was focused on the approaching showdown between Callum and Magnus,pletely ignoring Alice¡¯s taunts. Natalia¡¯s magnanimity made Henry admire her even more. He helplessly nced at his sister, Alice, acknowledging the vast gap between the two Feeling rejected by her brother Alice¡¯s face turned beet red in indignation She stomped her foot and stormed off after snapping. Natalia, i hate your Alice¡¯s outburst left Henry with a face full of embarrassment. He rubbed his hands together helplessly You see, shes just so immature. It¡¯s really ¡°It¡¯s okay. I really don¡¯t mind Natalia reassured Henry generously She then headed towards the castles exit. She had to see for herself if Magnus and Callum really started fighting she would have to figure out what to do Chapter 230 Chapter 230 11:57 Aa Natalia walked, she was wracked with anxiety,pletely bewildered as to where Magnus had acquired a Gatling gun. After all, this was Ennd, not the Wild West. If they were to start a full¨C fledged shoot¨Cout, wouldn¡¯t they be thrown straight into a British prison? Natalia¡¯s concerns were not unfounded. The moment she had left Orange Horizon, Magnus had hastily called James, ¡°Bring the organization¡¯s weapons immediately. Someone wants to propose to my wife! I¡¯ll make sure he has nowhere to run!¡± If Callum wanted to marry Magnus¡® wife, he wouldn¡¯t get the chance to because Magnus threatened to level his castle! James was utterly bbergasted, unable toprehend why Magnus would want him to bring weapons to help him reim his wife What could have happened to provoke Magnus into deploying the newly acquired Gatling gun? However, James observed Magnus funous expression and wisely decided it was best to keep his thoughts to himself and agreed readily. Who cared, it was a good chance to test this bad boy¡¯s power Not only would James bring six Gatling guns, but he¡¯d also bring a dozen nes if Magnus asked, without any hesitation. The next morning, James and his men hauled the six Gatling guns to Ennd. Was all this firepower just to reim Natalia? Wouldn¡¯t it be easier to sneak into the castle and whisk Natalia away? Why would they make such a show of fore with their prized weapons? Wasn¡¯t this a bit of an overkill?.All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. But, facing Magnus dark re James kept his opinions to himself. He simply followed Magnus orders, directing his men to surround Callum¡¯s castle Then, James stood behind Magnus, waiting for the castle¡¯s owner toe out and face them. The stage was set for a showdown, wasn¡¯t it? In no time, things started to go as James predicted. Callum, with a scowl even fouler than the one on Magnus¡® face, stepped out of the castle Looking at the line of Gatling guns outside his property, Callum finally believed what Rita had told him. He¡¯d thought Rita had been exaggerating, but it seemed she had actually downyed the situation. ¡°Magnus, what the hell are you trying to do?¡± Callum stood there, hands sped behind his back, with an air of disdain, finding Magnus actions as immature as a petnt child¡¯s Magnus took a couple of steps forward, meeting Callum¡¯s gaze. ¡°Tm here to take my wife home, Callum If you¡¯re smart, you¡¯ll return her to me, or else, don¡¯t me me for being rude¡± ¡°Ha¡® Callum couldn¡¯t help but scoff ¡°Magnus, have you lost your mind? Natalia is no longer your wife. Today is the day she and I get engaged. If you¡¯re here to join the feast, I wee you with open arms. But if you¡¯re here to cause trouble, well, I won¡¯t go soft on you¡± With that, Callum signaled, and a line of well¨Cdressed bodyguards emerged from behind him. These bodyguards moved with cald, military precision, an aura of lethal intent surrounding them. Each one of them held a sniper rifle Under Callum¡¯smand, they were his most trusted aides, ready to execute any order without hesitation Although Magnus brought six Gatling guns, the advantage between long¨Crange and closebat was unclear. If a fight were to break out, it was uncertain who woulde out on top But one thing was clear- it would result in a bloodbath. Magnus looked at the hardened mercenaries andughed heartily. ¡°Callum, you¡¯re really overestimating yourself. If you dare to make a move. I¡¯ll level your castle and chapel. But I¡¯m only here to bring my wife home. If I can¡¯t aplish this, then, this day next year will be the anniversary of your death! Magnus eyes were filled with a deadly chill, like a demon straight out of hell His love for Natalia was bone¨Cdeep, and he wouldn¡¯t stand by and watch her marry another man. Not unless he was dead. No, even if he died, he would want ther love to live on. She could never marry anyone else. Magnus knew he was horribly selfish, but love was about possession. He could never be magnanimous The thought of Natalia bing another man¡¯s wife made Magnus want to burn the world down! He loved Natalia with all his heart and soul. He wouldn¡¯t tolerate her thinking about another man, nor could he bear her constant avoidance and escape All he wanted was to keep her by his side, forever belonging to him alone. Facing Magnus¡® tant provocation, Callum didn¡¯t flinch So what if Magnus had brought six Gatling guns? Even if Magnus dared to unleash such destructive weapons in Ennd, the worst that could happen would be half his castle getting blown up. Callum would never let Natalia return to such a vile man Natalia was so pure and innocent, and how could she bear such a wicked man like Magnus? Therefore, Callum boldly confronted Magnus Humph, do you think I¡¯m scared of you? If you want to fight, let¡¯s not beat around the bush. But let me tell you. you win by some fluke, Natalia will never go back with you. She told me that the person she detests the most in this world is you, a selfish freak¡± Callum deliberately provoked Magnus, ignoring his threats. The conversation reached a deadlock, with neither man willing to back down A showdown seemed inevitable ¡°Since you won¡¯t let her go, I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Magnus was enraged by Callum, especially by hisstment. He felt like he was on the verge of losing his mind. What kind of spell had this damned Callum cast on his wife? He needed to get her back as soon as possible! With that thought, Magnus looked at Callum¡¯s face, and the more he looked, the angrier he got He waved his hand Prepare to fire!¡± James immediately got ready His cold eyes were fixed on Callum This guy was asking for it! Seeing Magnus get serious, Callum felt a twinge of fear. He was terrified of jeopardizing the innocent lives in the castle, fearful that such an act would drown him in guilt! ¡®Come on, Magnus, let¡¯s have it out just between you and me! You¡¯re not hurting anyone else! Before Magnus could even respond, Callum lunged at him, throwing a punch that nearly knocked Magnus off his feet Magrius adjusted his stance, biting his lip in annoyance. Callum had the nerve tounch a surprise attack. How low! Infuriated Magnus retaliated with a punch of his own. Callum blocked Magnus¡® counterstrike, and the two of them began grappling with each other. They tussled Having James, who was ready to fire,pletely dumbfounded. What on earth was Magnus doing? Weren¡¯t they supposed to be firing their guns? Instead, the two men were having a childish brawl. Chapter 231 Chapter 231 Why didn¡¯t Magnus just go after Callum directly if he wanted to brawl? Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Magnus and Callum had already tumbled to the ground, wrestling, and rolling around. Their once crisp suits were now crumpled, and their handsome appearances were long gone James stood by,ughing, but kept shouting, ¡°Magnus, beat the hell out of him; let him taste a piece of our grit.¡± However, James may have been celebrating a bit too early. Callum was not a pushover. All these years, he had been practicing various self¨Cdefense skills and had never considered Magnus a real threat. But to be honest, Magnus was indeed a handful. Soon, both Magnus and Callum had their fair share of bruises, either a swollen eye or a broken lip, looking utterly disheveled. Their clothes had long since been reduced to wrinkled rags Still, neither was willing to back down, continuing to roll around on the ground, each trying to twist the other¡¯s wrist or fingers Since they hadn¡¯t received any orders, their men simply stood by, watching the two men fight Natalia emerged from the castle to find this scene unfolding before her. She could never have imagined that these two normally high and mighty men would now be like schoolboys brawling after school ¡°Stop it, you two! Cal, stop fighting with him¡± Natalia pleaded, bending down to try and separate the two men. Magnus and Callum, afraid of hurting Natalia, finally stopped their brawl and stood up, ring at each other. Looking at Callum with a bruised eye and then at Magnus with a swollen nose, Natalia felt both frustrated and amused. Today was supposed to be her and Callum¡¯s engagement day, but who would have thought that Magnus, the wildcard, woulde and throw a wrench in the ns? ¡°Are you guys naive? Brawling in front of everyone, don¡¯t you feel embarrassed? Natalia reprimanded the two men with exasperation, unable toprehend their actions Seeing Natalia emerge from the castle in her beautiful dress, Magnus expression darkened. He pulled Natalia into his arms, holding her tightly and whispering. ¡°Sweetheart,e home with me, please? I won¡¯t let you get engaged to this jerk. You¡¯re mine, and no one can take you away from me!¡± Callum was caught off guard when Magnus pulled Natalia away. He reached out to grab Natalia but was evaded by Magnus Callum quickly advanced a few steps and pointed at Magnus, shouting. ¡°You despicable bastard, let go of my girl!¡± But Magnus ignored him, focusing instead on Natalia in his arms ¡°Darling. I¡¯d do anything for you if you don¡¯te with me today, I¡¯ll use this Gatling gun to blow up Callum¡¯s castle¡± Natalia heard Magnus threatening words, and she felt an intense dislike for him Was he capable of anything beyond threats? This annoying man She tried to struggle free from Magnus grasp but found herself unable to escape Frustrated, she said, ¡°Magnus, I¡¯ve made it clear to you that we¡¯re over Can you please get a grp and stop interfering in my life?¡± ¡°You want me to give up on you? Not possible, darling! Don¡¯t you care about me at all? if thats true, why did youe to visit me when I was sickst time? Nat. you can¡¯t let go of me!¡± Magnus words were so gentle that Natalia was at a loss for words Meanwhile, Callum was seething Today was supposed to be his big day, and Magnus had spoiled it all. Without thinking, he charged at Magnus and Natalia, intending to rescue Natalia from Magnus arms But before Callum could reach them, he was stopped by James. James cracked his knuckles, stared at Callum, and said with a warning tone in his voice, ¡°Now listen here, pal, I mean, Duke Callum, I don¡¯t think you want any unpleasantness that might make the headlines and get the Queen involved, do you?¡± Callum red at James ¡°Who the hell are you? Magnuspdog?¡± James couldn¡¯t help but tease him, ¡°Well, I¡¯m not a dog. My zodiac is Cancer, so at most, I can be his running crab, not apdog.¡± After saying this, James startedughing so hard that he almost cried Callum looked at James, who wasughing hysterically, and thought that birds of a feather indeed flocked together. This guy was just as crazy as Magnus Callum couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re apdog or a running crab But this is my turf, and you guys are acting too arrogantly. Do you really take me for an easy target?¡± James stoppedughing and adopted a humble demeanor ¡°Of course not, Duke Callum It¡¯s just that a gentleman doesn¡¯t covet another¡¯s beloved. You tod Natalia, and my freed, of course, wants to have a word with you He¡¯s just being modest. If it were me, I would have already blown up your castle. James¡® words nearly choked Callum Did he just hear that right? This guy just called Magnus a modest man What a joke! This was the biggest insult to the word modest This young man was tantly arrogant and was even threatening to blow up Callum¡¯s castle Did they think Callum was a pushover? Callum narrowed his eyes and gestured to the men behind him ¡°Since our friends here look down on us, maybe they should show us what they¡¯ve got?¡± ¡°Right¡± The line of men standing behind Callum quietly agreed, setting down their sniper rifles. With a senes of disassembles and reassembles, they conjured up a mortaruncher from thin air. Well, it was a game of hardball indeed. Once the two sides began their battle, an explosive disy of power was guaranteed! James, being the savvy man he was, recognized the toughpetition they were up against He turned to Magnus Boss, it¡¯s your call now. Do we engage? Magnus didn¡¯t even bat an eyelid at the looming confrontation. He turned his gaze back to Natalia, cradled in his arms, and asked softly, Darling, what do you think? Do we fight or not?¡± Chapter 232 Chapter 232 Natalia knew Magnus was capable of anything! He had purposely asked her if she was game, gauging if she was willing to leave with him. If she refused, he¡¯d threaten to bomb Callum¡¯s castle If a fight broke out because of her, the result would be catastrophic. The weapons at y weren¡¯t just fists and kicks butrge¨Cscale destructive artillery that could cause irreparable harm. This was the castle that had been in Callum¡¯s family for generations, filled with innocent people. She couldn¡¯t possibly let Magnus wreak havoc So, after much deliberation, she resignedly sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you, just put away those weapons.¡± ¡°Great! As you wish!¡± ¡°No way!¡± Both Magnus and Callum spoke simultaneously. One face lit up with joy, while the other was etched with deep loss ¡°Natalia, you can¡¯t go back with him. I don¡¯t fear the fire from his Gatling guns, Callum protested, his face filled with panic as if terrified Natalia might go with Magnus Natalia looked at Callum with sympathy ¡°Cal, you¡¯ve already done so much for me over the years, and I don¡¯t want you to suffer anymore because of me ¡°How can you call it suffering? Callum shook his head desperately, afraid of losing Natalia. I¡¯ve told you marly times that doing anything for you is my pleasure. how can you think this?¡± ¡°Cal, I¡¯ve made up my mind. If he wants me to go with him. I will. Once he realizes I¡¯vepletely given up on him, he won¡¯t bother you anymore Tears brimmed in Natalia¡¯s eyes She didn¡¯t want to go with Magnus, but she wanted even less for Callum to be hurt by him. ¡°No way! I won¡¯t allow it! Natalia, today¡¯s supposed to be our engagement day. How can you, how can you just leave me like this?¡± Callum wailed, unwilling to ept Natalia¡¯s impending departure. In stark contrast to Callum¡¯s devastation, Magnus was ted. As long as Natalia agreed to go with him, he was confident he could soon make her forgive him He pulled Natalia to his side, eximing joyously, ¡°Darling, you¡¯re really going back with me?¡± Natalia gave Magnus a cold look and nodded. ¡°Isn¡¯t this what you wanted? I¡¯ve agreed to go with you. Now you can withdraw your artillery, right?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Magnus nodded enthusiastically, turning to James. ¡°Did you hear that? Withdraw the Gatling guns, as thedymands¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Sure, sure, Natalia¡¯s always right. Let¡¯s move, James ordered his men to retreat, and the threatening Gatling guns were removed from Callum¡¯s castle Callum was furious and refused to let Natalia and Magnus leave. ¡°No matter the cost, I want Ms. rkson to stay!¡± He shouted to his mercenaries, who obeyed his Callum¡¯s men listened to his order and prepared for battle, loading their mortars. ¡°No, Cal, please don¡¯t do this. If a real fight breaks out, many innocent lives will be harmed,¡± Natalia pleaded Callums eyes were bloodshot. ¡°I don¡¯t care about coteral damage! My fianc¨¦e is openly getting kidnapped on our engagement day. I¡¯ll be aughingstock How will I face others if I can¡¯t keep you here?¡± Natalia knew Callum was in pain, but she had to leave with Magnus in this situation. Violence wouldn¡¯t solve anything ¡°Cal, trust me. I¡¯ll be back. I promise Once I convince Magnus, I¡¯ll return to you immediately. Please trust mel¡± She assured him, her eyes filled with resolve. She was determined to make Magnus understand that keeping someone by force couldn¡¯t mend a broken heart Natalia turned to Magnus. Her eyes were icy, as though she was looking at a stranger ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Good The ne will be here soon,¡± Magnus agreed ne? Natalia was taken aback Well, it seemed Magnus had prepared for everything. He had decided, whether she was willing or not, that he would take her away. Soon, the roar of an airne engine filled the air as a small private jet began to descend ¡°Cal, take care. I¡¯ll be back soon, Natalia thought, ncing at Callum onest time before being pulled onto the ne by Magnus. As the ne ascended, Natalia watched Callum, who was still standing there watching the ne Tears welled up in her eyes. Cal always put her first. She would forever be indebted to him for his kindness On the ne, Magnus noticed Natalia ignoring him His handsome face darkened with anger. She still cared for that Englishman! ¡°You still care about him!¡± He growled, wishing he had killed Callum when he¡¯d had the chance. Natalia ignored him, focusing only on the clouds drifting by outside the window. Magnus realized Natalia was giving him the silent treatment and knew she was still angry with him, but he didn¡¯t mind. He was determined to win her over, no matter what it took Regardless, he had scored a win today, sessfully preventing her engagement to Callum. That was enough Magnus looked at Natalia, d in her pristine white wedding dress, and felt a potent urge to tear it to shreds. It was a thom in his eyes. Yet, he fought back the impulse, quietly taking in the sight of his beautiful woman before him He didn¡¯t voice any of these thoughts, though Natalia was still seething, and he didn¡¯t want to add fuel to the fire. The rest of their journey was spent in tense quietude. Natalia¡¯s gaze was frosty as she stared out the airne window, and Magnus silently observed Natalia. Chapter 233 Chapter 233 Natalia was acutely aware of Magnus¡® gaze lingering on her, but she simply ignored him, not even sparing him a nce. Magnus knew Natalia¡¯s temperament well and didn¡¯t mind it at all. All that mattered was that his wife had returned. After a few hours of flying, the ne gentlynded As Natalis disembarked, she paused, confusion etched on her face. She had expected to return with Magnus to their old home, Melfort, but the scenery before her eyes was far from familiar ¡°Where are we? Why have you brought me here?¡± Natalia questioned, her voiceced with curiosity Magnus looked at her intently. ¡°My dear, we¡¯re in France. Don¡¯t you remember?¡± Natalia didn¡¯t respond Whether it was France or Melfort, it made no difference. She would make Magnus realize that their rtionship was beyond repair, no matter how hard he tried A car awaited them as they exited the airport, ready to transport them to a seaside vi Passing through unfamiliar streets, Natalia felt no emotion. However, a sense of familiarity washed over her upon arriving at their destination The vi was the spitting image of their old home back in Melfort, even down to its proximity to the sea. ¡°Do you like it? Magnus asked softly Natalia didn¡¯t respond She despised the vi that reminded her so much of Melfort, a ce that had only brought her endless pain and humiliation. These thoughts, however, she kept to herself. She followed Magnus into the vi, feeling a chill run down her spine as they approached it Entering the vi, Natalia had to admit that Magnus had put a lot of thought into it. The house was decorated simrly to their old home. Yet, she felt nothing but emptiness ¡°My dear, take a look. The view of the sea is the same as it was in Melfort, isn¡¯t it?¡± Magnus said, a hopeful smile ying on his lips Natalia had no interest in entertaining him. She found a chair and sat down, stating her stance bluntly, ¡°Magnus, the only reason I agreed toe back with you is to prevent you from causing harm to Cal and other innocent lives. Don¡¯t mistake my intentions. It¡¯s over between us. Keeping me by your side won¡¯t change that Magnus felt as though he had been struck. He had brought Natalia back, not to hear her draw a line between them. ¡°My dear, don¡¯t be so quick to decide i believe you still love me, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t havee back with me¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Natalia was exasperated with Magnus self¨Ccenteredness ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re so self¨Cabsorbed. Why can¡¯t you believe what others tell you? How many times do I have to tell you that it¡¯s over between us!¡± Natalia dropped these words with a cool tone, and her face looked stern. ¡°I need some rest. Please leave.¡± Magnus was disheartened by her words but didn¡¯t argue. He stood up, gently touched her hair, and said, ¡°Calm down, my dear. There are clothes for you upstairs. Take a shower and rest. Tl be back soon Natalia didn¡¯t move. She sat there, as still as a statue Once the door had closed behind Magnus, Natalia headed upstairs. She opened the door to the bedroom, saw the massive bed, and buried her face in the pillows, too exhausted to even change or shower. She soon fell into a deep sleep. When she awoke, the sun was setting. She freshened up and changed into one of the dresses from the wardrobe. She sat by the window, gazing out at the infinite sea The sound of the waves soothed her. For a moment, she felt as though she had been transported back five years, She subconsciously touched her t belly, a ce that once nurtured a small life That child, whom she had tragically lost before even knowing its gender, would have been about five years old ¡°Click¡± The door was gently pushed open. Natalia assumed it was Magnus and didn¡¯t bother to turn around. After a while, she realized that Magnus hadn¡¯t said anything She tumed around, only to see a small boy standing at the door with rosy cheeks and big, blue eyes that mirrored her own. ¡°Who are you, sweetheart?¡± Natalia asked softly, crouching down to his level. When the little boy saw Natalia approach, he reached out and touched her dress, calling out in a soft voice, ¡°Mommy!¡± Natalia froze, and her mind exploded. If her child had survived, he would be about the same age as the boy before her Could this be real? Or was it a hallucination brought on by her longing for her lost child? Natalia pinched herself, and the pain confirmed that this was not a hallucination. The boy was real Could it be Her heart pounded like a drum, echoing her disbelief. But why did the boy¡¯s eyes resemble hers so much? And his facial features were undeniably simr to Magnus features Oh god Holding the little boy who clung to her dress, Natalia asked, trembling, ¡°Who are you? Where are your mommy and daddy¡°¡± The tiny bay elung to Natalia¡¯s neck, and his face was inches away from her ear. His big, bright eyes blinked excitedly as he spoke softly. ¡°My name is Jonas, my daddy¡¯s name is Magnus, and my mommy¡¯s name is Natalia Daddy said Mommy has finallye home, after I¡¯ve waited for her for five years. You¡¯re my mommy, aren¡¯t you? Why did you leave me for five years? Don¡¯t you know how much I¡¯ve missed you?¡± Boom! Natalia¡¯s mind went nk Jonas? Although Natalia had a vague suspicion in her heart, hearing Jonas say this out loud still left her stunned and speechless. This precious little boy, as delicate and pretty as a porcin doll, was indeed the child she thought she had tragically lost years ago! Her baby, whom she thought had died. Could it be him? Chapter 234 Chapter 234 But the doctor had said the child didn¡¯t make it, hadn¡¯t he? If not for his words, why would Natalia have driven her car into the sea in despair? ¡°Mommy, Daddy said you went to a faraway ce and that you¡¯de to visit me in my dreams, but every time I slept, you don¡¯te. Don¡¯t you love me, Mommy?¡± Little Jonas asked Natalia with a serious expression on his face. A shock rippled through Natalia¡¯s heart as she struggled to absorb the reality that she had a son. My God, her baby was alive! The child she thought was lost forever was still with her! Unable to contain herself, Natalia pulled Jonas into a tight embrace. Tears flowed freely from her eyes as she stammered. ¡°Yes, you are Mommy¡¯s precious baby, the one Mommy loves the most. Even when I¡¯m not by your side, I think about you every moment. I¡¯m so sorry, sweetheart, for not being there for you I¡¯m so sorry.. Overwhelmed with emotion, Natalia couldn¡¯t find the words to express herself anymore ¡°It¡¯s okay, Mommy forgive you Don¡¯t cry¡± Jonas was still a child and was delighted to hear Natalia¡¯s words. With his chubby little hands, he wiped away Natalia¡¯s tears Daddy was right all along As long as I¡¯m a good boy, I¡¯d reunite with Mommy one day.¡± Just then, Magnus walked into the room. As he looked at Natalia embracing their son, guilt washed over him ¡°My dear, I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered. He was sorry for all the pain she had gone through, the hurt he had caused her, and for keeping her from her son at birth Holding Jonas in her arms, Natalia slowly looked up at Magnus. Her face was stained with tears, and her gaze was icy. Don¡¯t you think I deserve an exnation?¡± Magnus lowered his head, and his hand lightly rested on her trembling shoulder ¡°My dear, I¡¯ll exin He took Jonas from her, put an arm around her waist, and led her to sit on the bed. ¡°This is our son We both thought he didn¡¯t make it into this world, but it turns out my grandfather hid him from us. It wasn¡¯t until I was searching for you and broke both my legs that he revealed Jonas to encourage me to try and live¡± Did Morgan hide their son? Natalia was aghast. She always knew Morgan disliked her, but she never thought he¡¯d go to such lengths to keep her son away from her it was despicable! Holding Jonas, Natalia wept uncontrobly. ¡°How could he do that? He knew how much I loved our son. How could he do such a thing? Isn¡¯t he a parent himself? How could he Watching Natalia¡¯s tears, Magnus felt a pang of guilt. He reached out tofort her, but she pulled away ¡°My dear all the suffering and pain you¡¯ve gone through is my fault I swear I won¡¯t let you get hurt anymore I¡¯ll make amends for the rest of my life!¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Natalia cried silently, holding Jonas close and pushing Magnus away. ¡°No, I can¡¯t trust anything you say anymore because you never follow through if you have any conscience left, give my son back to me. He is my life. I was ready to die when I thought I¡¯d lost him Jonas, cradled in Natalia¡¯s arms, watched everything with his wide, innocent eyes. However, he comforted Natalia by wiping her tears and assuring her, ¡°Don¡¯t cry. Mommy I won¡¯t leave you¡± Seeing how understanding her young son was, Natalia cried even harder. She had thought her actions had prevented her son froming into this world. But in the end, it was all Morgan¡¯s ploy to drive her away! How could he be so cold¨Chearted? How could he keep a mother and son apart for so long? Five years, countless days, and nights had resulted in the mother and son being separated, never having met face¨Cto¨Cface How much time would it take to make up for the lost five years? How could Morgan do such a heartless thing? Facing Natalias tearful usations. Magnus knew he had wronged her. His wife was so strong and beautiful, but because of him, she had been hurt again and again. He was indeed a terrible husband. ¡°My dear, it¡¯s all my fault. Everything is my fault. Can we forget all the unpleasantness and start over?¡± Magnus sincerely hoped their son¡¯s appearance could reignite Natalia¡¯s lost hope However, Natalia shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s toote. We can¡¯t go back to the past. Even with Jonas, I cant stay with you anymore ¡°Why? My dear, we can start over¡± Magnus pleaded, refusing to give up. In exchange for Natalia¡¯s love, he was willing to give everything, even his life, without a moment¡¯s hesitation Holding Jonas, Natalia sat on the edge of the bed and spoke earnestly. Thank you for raising our son so well. But gratitude and love are different. I thank you, but i can¡¯t ept you anymore I hope you understand No matter what you do, we can¡¯t go back.¡± Magnus refused to ept her decision. ¡°No, I won¡¯t ept this! My dear, you can¡¯t leave Since you¡¯re back, can¡¯t we be a family again? Thesest five years. | thought you were long gone I lived a torturous life Only Jonas gave me the strength to carry on because I wanted him to be happy Natalia sighed in frustration Magnus was known for his decisive nature, but now, he was acting like a child who was denied his favorite candy. His words stung Natalia¡¯s heart. She didn¡¯t know what to say ¡°Magnus, a lot can change in five years I won¡¯t deny that I had feelings for you back then, but given everything we¡¯ve been through, you should know that even the most passionate love can turn cold.¡± As she spoke, Natalia gently ran her fingers through Jonas¡® hair, her voice dropping to a whisper I thought I¡¯d never have a child after the ident. The nightmares still make me shiver in the dead of night. I¡¯m thankful to God for letting my precious boy survive Magnus stiffened at Natalia¡¯s words ¡°What do you mean, thank God? I raised Jonas single¨Chandedly I admit, i neglected you in the past and caused you immense pain, but I swear to God, I will make it up to you. As for the two women who continuously plotted against you, I¡¯ve made sure they paid for it Chapter 235 Chapter 235 Natalia shook her head, indifferent to the fate of Kendra and Isabe. Magnus had thought he was avenging her, but even now, he still failed to realize that he was the one who had hurt her the most ¡°Let¡¯s not argue in front of the child,¡± Natalia gently suggested. ¡°Magnus, could you leave us alone for a bit? I¡¯d like some alone time with Jonas¡± Jonas had been quietly sitting in Natalia¡¯sp. He had seen countless pictures and videos of his mother, but nothingpared to the warm, real touch of her now. She was soft, and she smelled lovely it was a scent that was uniquely Mom Jonas didn¡¯t pay much attention to what Natalia and Magnus were discussing. He was too engrossed in theforting scent of his mother Magnus rose to his feet, as the conversation wasn¡¯t going well. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go check on dinner, he said, before gently exiting the room and considerately closing the door behind him Once the lock clicked into ce. Natalia felt a sense of relief For some reason, she always felt insecure whenever Magnus was around. Perhaps it was because of the prison like years she had spent with him five years ago, the memory of which was permanent Subconsciously. Magnus always repelled her Only when he was gone did she stop feeling so tense Natalia picked up Jonas, not finding the five year¨Cold too heavy. These past years, she had thought her beloved child was no longer in this world. Seeing him now felt like a dream Five years was neither long nor short, but what she had lost were the precious moments of watching Jonas grow up Natalia was overjoyed. She picked up a stuffed animal from the bed and yed with Jonas ¡°Do you like this, sweetheart? Mommy got it for you¡± Thank you, Mommy,¡± Jonas responded softly, leaving a sweet kiss on Natalia¡¯s cheek that instantly melted her heart Natalia didn¡¯t notice that Jonas, who was five years old, didn¡¯t have much interest in the stuffed toy. He just didn¡¯t want to upset his mother. He liked his mommy. Time always flew when mother and son were together. Before they knew it, it was already dark outside. Instead of sending a servant to call Natalia and Jonas for dinner, Magnus knocked on the door himself. ¡°My lovely wife and soni, dinner¡¯s ready?¡± He called out He was no longer the cold, mysterious CEO of Andersen Corporation He had be childlike, foolish even. All because he had found his treasures There was unabashed anticipation in his voice Regardless of how Natalia rejected him, she was now living in the closest ce to him Wasn¡¯t that enough? Inside the room, Natalia frowned in annoyance, which was immediately caught by the perceptive Jonas. ¡°Mommy, Daddy is calling us for dinner Don¡¯t you like Daddy ¡°Ah? No, let¡¯s go Let¡¯s have dinner¡± Natalia didn¡¯t want to pass on her negative emotions to Jonas. This was between her and Magnus. She couldn¡¯t let it affect their child Holding Jonas¡® hand, Natalia walked to the door. When she opened it, she saw Magnus leaning against the wall with one hand in his pocket. Seeing theme out, Magnus even cheerfully whistled. ¡°It was tough waiting for you toe out ¡°Let¡¯s go Natalia didn¡¯t want to say more. She led Jonas straight downstairs. Jonas winked at his father Magnus shrugged nonchntly and followed them down The dinner table wasden with rich dishes. The delicious scent was too tempting for Natalia to resist. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s eat¡± Natalia gently said, when she notice Magnus and Jonas wait for her to speak. She picked up a fork and helped Jonas with his food. Thank you, Mommy. But Daddy said I shouldn¡¯t rely too much on adults and should eat by myself Jonas said seriously, feeling a little proud of himself for telling on Magnus This was how it was on TV wasn¡¯t it? Natalia ruffled Jonas hair andughed softly Your Daddy¡¯s right. But what if Mommy wants to help you? What should we do then?¡± All content is ? N0velDrama.Org. ¡°Ah,¡± Jonas sighed dramatically. Since you like it, then go ahead. You¡¯re my favorite, Mommy¡± Nataliaughed at his serious expression and looked at Jonas lovingly ¡°Thank you, Magnus You¡¯ve raised him well, Natalia said, looking at Magnus Magnus was somewhat taken aback. He quickly helped Natalia with her food, his face full of eager smiles ¡°Nat, it¡¯s my duty Jonas is a good boy¡± Natalia hesitated, not eating the food Magnus had served her. She thought for a moment and pushed the food Magnus had served her to the side, not touching it. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating? Isn¡¯t this your favorite dish? Magnus asked, puzzled. Had her tastes changed over the past five years? ¡°No Natalia responded indifferently Magnus quickly figured out Natalia¡¯s feelings and, mischievously, filled her te with food Natalia sighed helplessly. She hadn¡¯t expected Magnus to be so childish ¡°Natalia, get used to it. This is our home. From now on, Jonas is all yours,¡± Magnus said, looking at Natalia hopefully Natalia was ready to shake her head But then she saw Jonas looking at her expectantly. The words she was about to say got stuck in her throat ¡°Mommy, can you stay here? Can you live with us? Please, Mommy? Jonas eyes were filled with pleading Observing Jonas in such a state, Natalia found it impossible to express any form of rejection. She hesitated for a moment before stuttering. ¡°Well, I mean, it¡¯s not entirely out of the question. It¡¯s just that have some business to take care of in London¡± ¡°Really?¡± Jonas sprang up from his chair, joy radiating from his face ¡°You have to go to work, not because you don¡¯t want me That¡¯s great!¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes flickered, finding it hard to meet Jonas innocent gaze She felt her heart bleed, and her resentment towards Morgan for tearing their family apart intensified Instead of embracing the joy of familial bonds, she found herself living each day in a trance, like a body without a soul Now that she was finally reunited with her son, nothing could be more important than him Magnus, standing nearby, was overjoyed. He knew, with the trump card that their son yed, he was fully confident of winning his wife back into his arms. Chapter 236 Chapter 236 Though the glimmer of triumph was already on the horizon, the battle wasn¡¯t won just yet, and Magnus knew he needed to keep pushing. In his heart, he ma vow As long as Natalia wasn¡¯t dead set against him, he was determined to thaw her icy heart. And so, they had their dinner in a somewhat peaceful atmosphere Natalia led Jonas upstairs, with Magnus trailing behind, only to be shut out at the door if Magnus reflexes weren¡¯t sharp, the mming door would have smacked his nose Well, it seemed that he was miles away from winning Natalia¡¯s heart Magnus shrugged helplessly and obediently retreated to his own room. Natalia, who had closed the door, had no idea that Magnus had followed her. She had no intention whatsoever of sharing a room with him. Magnus was simply too desperate, and she was always at risk of being taken advantage of when she was with him So, the further she was from him, the better. ¡°Mummy, can I sleep with you tonight? Jonas, already in his pajamas, was bouncing excitedly on the bed Natalia tidied up the pillows Jonas had scattered around, then sat down and nodded. ¡°Yes, Jonas, you¡¯re a big boy now You can protect Mummy¡± Jonas¡® face lit up even more. He stopped bouncing and patted his chest with his chubby little hands. ¡°Of course, Dad said I¡¯m a super strong man He then nestled up to Natalia and pleaded, ¡°Mummy, can you, can you tell me a bedtime story?¡± He had grown tired of hearing the same old stories from the housemaids Natalia couldn¡¯t refuse Jonas request and quickly agreed. ¡°Of course, what do you want to hear?¡± After thinking for a moment, Jonas replied, ¡°Fairy tales are boring. I want to hear Mummy¡¯s stories¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes moistened. This little guy was finding ways to bond with her She ruffled his soft hair. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll tell you stories about when I was little. When I was your age She began recounting tales from her childhood. Jonas listened attentively, but gradually, his eyelids started to droop. He rubbed his eyes a few times, but it was clear that sleep was creeping in Natalia lowered her voice and gently patted Jonas back. She watched as he slowly closed his eyes, and his breathing became steady. After putting Jonas to sleep and seeing his sweet, sleeping face, Natalia found herself restless. In the dim moonlight, she listened to the sound of the waves crashing outside the window. Her thoughts were as tumultuous as the sea, refusing to calm down She wondered how Cal had dealt with the awkward situation after she left. She was aware of Cal¡¯s feelings for her, but she had chosen to leave with Magnus. She knew Cal must have been heartbroken But the situation was dire. If she hadn¡¯t left with Magnus, he might have blown up the castle. She had been under Cal¡¯s care for so long. She couldn¡¯t bear to see him get into trouble, especially not with Magnus, who was known to bear grudges. Before leaving, she had promised Cal that she would return soon. But who would have thought that Magnus would bring their son into their love triangle? Seeing her long¨Clost son again, and how well¨Cbehaved he was, how could her heart remain as cold as ice? ¡°Cal, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to return. It¡¯s just that. I want to spend more time with our son Natalia¡¯s thoughts were a mess Eventually ovee by exhaustion, she drifted off to sleep The next day Natalia woke up early. As the sky began to lighten, she couldn¡¯t fall back asleep Looking at the little boy sleeping next to her, she felt a wave of happiness. In the morning light, she traced the features of his face with her finger as her lips curled into a smile Jonas was perfect. His eyebrows were dark and thick, his eyshes long and curved like two fans. His small nose was strong and straight, and his lips were as red as a cherry. He looked like an angel carved out of snow This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Natalia gazed at her son, a product of her own blood, and her heart swelled with joy She leaned in and nted a gentle kiss on his forehead. Jonas stirred and rubbed his eyes as he woke up. ¡°Mummy?¡± He mumbled ¡°Hmm?¡± Natalia asked softly ¡®Do you need to use the bathroom? Even though Natalia hadn¡¯t taken care of a child before, she knew that young kids often needed to pee first thing in the morning after holding it in all night Jonas nodded and shuffled off to the bathroom. Watching her little boy head off to the bathroom, Natalia took the opportunity to tidy up the bed. By the time she finished folding the nkets, Jonas had finished in the bathroom The fresh¨Cfaced Jonas, no longer sleepy, stood energetically beside Natalia ¡°Mummy. I¡¯m a bit hungry.¡± ¡°Are you? Can you wait a bit? Let me freshen up, and then I¡¯ll make you some breakfast¡± Natalia said, squatting down to his level. Jonas, who had just wanted Natalia to apany him downstairs, was pleasantly surprised when she offered to make him breakfast. Before he could recover from his surprise. Natalia had already gone to freshen up Fantastic! Listening to the sound of running water from the bathroom, Jonas was over the moon. Oh, he was about to eat a breakfast prepared by his mother. He was so happy The more he thought about it, the more excited he got. He couldn¡¯t wait, so he decided to stand by Natalia and wait for the breakfast she was going to make He had no idea what his mother¡¯s cooking tasted like. He had never tasted it before Natalia quickly freshened up and then took Jonas downstairs She was going to fulfill her promise and make ate breakfast for Jonas Natalia moved swiftly into action, and before long, she was preparing a simple breakfast for Jonas It wasn¡¯t anything fancy, just a typical scrambled eggs and pancake breakfast, Natalia¡¯s usual morning fare She took out an egg, cracked it into a bowl, and whisked it until smooth. She then added a small amount of flour to the egg, creating a thick batter, which she set aside Next, she turned on the gas and melted a pat of butter in a t pan. Once the butter had melted, she poured the batter into the pan, forming a thin pancake. hed from the kitchen, causing Jonas to sniff the air repeatedly. ¡°Mommy, what are you making? It smells so good.¡± Chapter 237 Chapter 237 Natalia tossed a bit of cheddar cheese into the skillet, followed by a couple of slices of bacon, and waited for them to sizzle just right. The skillet crackled, and the mouthwatering aroma wafted through the air, quickly attracting Magnus Magnus had followed the scent and saw his wife bustling about in the kitchen, along with their son standing nearby. He felt a sense of sheer bliss. Natalia was unaware that Magnus hade over. As she ced the pancakes onto a te, she patiently exined to Jonas, I used to love this. Give it a taste, and if you don¡¯t like it, I can make you something else.¡± ¡°Delicious!¡± Jonas nodded eagerly, without even taking a bite. ¡°Anything you make is delicious This is your special breakfast of love¡± ¡°You little charmer Natalia ruffled Jonas¡® hair and ced the te with the quesadi in front of him it¡¯s still hot, so be careful ¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy, but I really can¡¯t wait, Jonas said, reaching for the fork to pick up the pancake. But as quick as he was, someone was quicker Without even using a fork, Magnus lifted a piece of pancake with his hand and popped it into his mouth, not minding the heat at all He finished it in just a few bites and exaggeratedly eximed. ¡°Oh my god, this is delicious, honey absolutely delicious¡± ¡°Daddy, how could you? That was my pancake Mommy made it for me Jonas was upset. His hands were on his hips as he expressed his dissatisfaction with Magnus Magnus was out of line He was the adult here, and how could he snatch food from a child? Especially food that Natalia had specifically made for him Magnus scooped Jonas up in his arms, without much sincerity, he said, ¡°Oh, I just wanted to taste it for you, but it was so good, I ended up eating it alt ¡°Hmph Jonas crossed his arms, clearly unhappy with Magnus behavior Natalia, busy cooking, didn¡¯t expect Magnus to suddenly appear in the kitchen and childishly fight over food with their son Jonas. She was about to say something. when the housemaid entered and announced, ¡°Mr Magnus, you have a visitor Magnus, mouth full of delicious food, waved his hand dismissively ¡°Mm¨Chmm, let them in.¡± Natalia paused, wondering who it could be visiting so early. But she didn¡¯t say anything else. They were in France, not Melfort so she probably wouldn¡¯t know whoever was looking for Magnus With that thought, she ced another pancake onto a te and brought it to the table. Father and son instantly got into a squabble, scrambling for the pancakes. This is mine. Daddy, how could you?¡± Jonas, being smaller and having shorter reach, couldn¡¯t get his hands on any Magnus imed all the pancakes for himself, then reluctantly shared a small portion with Jonas, seemingly realizing his actions were somewhat inappropriate ¡°Well, kids can¡¯t eat too much it¡¯s not good for your stomach¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, you just don¡¯t want to share with me¡± Jonas rolled his eyes ¡°Being humble is a virtue, Daddy, you seem to have forgotten that Magnus didn¡¯t seem bothered at all. He grinned. ¡°Ha, I guess I need to tell you the story about sharing¡± ¡°But this is a special breakfast that Mommy made for me Not only did you steal it, but you want to hog it all. That¡¯s too much Jonas was indignant, hopping up and down, trying to snatch back some pancakes from Magnus te Seeing the two of them bickering. Natalia felt a wave of warmth rush over her. She quickly shook her head, trying to nd herself of these feelings. She was leaving soon, and she had promised to return to Cal. She couldn¡¯t afford to entertain any other thoughts. ¡°Natalia. is it really you? Oh, Magnus wasn¡¯t lying to us. You really are okay. I thought I¡¯d never see you again in this lifetime¡± A familiar voice filled with sobs came from the doorway Natalia looked up and was stunned to see Lexi and Sabnna Shaw She rose from her seat in shock, her hand covering her mouth in disbelief Tears began to well up in her eyes. Lexi Sabrina, how are you two here?¡± If they d met in Melfort, it would¡¯ve made sense. But here? In France? How could it be such a coincidence? ¡°You, you¡¯ve been hiding away and Irving perfectly fine all this time, yet you put us through so much Lexi and I mourned you for years. We even held a memorial for you each year You¡¯re terrible, utterly terrible Sabrina sobbed, her emotions running high Back when they d heard of Natalia¡¯s supposed shipwreck, they¡¯d both nearly fainted from crying. All these years, every time the anniversary of Nats disappearance came around, the two of them would instinctively go to the shoreline to pay respects to her But now. Natalia was alive and well. This was indeed a surprise It was a wee surprise God must ve seen that it was unjust for kind¨Chearted Natalia to lose her life like that, hence allowing her to miraculously return to them. ¡°You guys sure have sharp senses I just brought my wife home yesterday, and you guys found out?¡± Magnus looked at the two unexpected quests, and his face showed clear disapproval They¡¯d disrupted his family s peaceful morning Natalia, however, was ovee with joy Lexi, Sabrina, I forgot to ask you to sit down,e, please uit Lexi and Sabrina nodded, ignoring Magnus, and took a seat Lex was straightforward, not one to hold her tongue Natalia, spill the beans Where have you been hiding all these years? You even kept it a secret from us, that¡¯s too much¡± ¡°Yeah, even if you didn¡¯t want to deal with anyone else, you should ve at least let us know¡± Sabrina agreed Natalia looked at Lexi and Sabrina, friends she hadn¡¯t seen for years, and felt a mixture of emotions Tears welled up in her eyes, and she ¡°You guys, I¡­ on her words. Magnus furrowed his brow. These two were clearly here to make his wife cry! Had he known, he never would have let them in. He felt a tug watched the tears stream down his wife¡¯s face, and his hand instinctively reaching out as if to wipe them away i heartstrings as he As Natalia wept, unable to get a word out, Lexi couldn¡¯t hold back her own tears. ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t cry We¡¯re all here together she implored. This is a reunion, not a don¡¯t cry.¡± too, was wiping away tears, and her eyes were as red as the cherries in an all¨CAmerican cherry pie. ¡°Yeah, Natalia,¡± she added in between sniffles. ¡°You have had it tough these past few years. Otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t have been out of touch for so long¡± This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 238 Chapter 238 11-541 Natalia¡¯s cheeks flushed, a tinge of embarrassment coloring her features ¡°¡­I just forgot about the past, I¡¯ve only recently started to remember everything again.¡± ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you something¡± Lexi huffed, hands on her hips in an exaggerated show of indignation. ¡°We¡¯ve been worried sick and lost our appetites and sleep over you. And you just forgot about us? That¡¯s simply outrageous¡® Sabrina quickly intervened, ying the peacemaker ¡°Alright, alright. As long as Natalia is safe and sound now, let¡¯s not tease her anymore.¡± Natalia nced at her two best friends, and a whirl of thoughts and words begging to be spoken were swirling in her mind. But with Magnus still present, and she refrained from voicing them instead, she got up and ushered them upstairs ¡°Come on, let me show you my room¡± Both Lexi and Sabrina understood Natalia¡¯s need for privacy and followed suit. ¡°Sure, let¡¯s see what your new room looks like ¡°Absolutely, let¡¯s go and check it out ¡°Mummy, I want toe too Jonas, who was finally filled after stuffing down a few pancakes, ran over from the dining table, eager to join the excitement. Lexi looked surprised ¡®Oh my gosh, Natalia, is he your son? Magnus had hidden Jonas so well that they didn¡¯t even know about his existence. Natalia nodded ¡°Yes, we were all deceived by Morgan. He hid Jonas and lied to me, telling me my baby was dead¡± Lexi shook her head in disbelief, disregarding Magnus presence. ¡°What a despicable man! How could he be so cruel?¡± Sabrina tugged at Lexi, signaling her to be more cautious with her words After all, Magnus was still in their presence Lexi, however, was undeterred What? We can¡¯t criticize him for his wrongdoings? If it hadn¡¯t been for his actions, would Natalia have been so heartbroken to have driven her car off a cliff?¡± Sabrina pursed her lips, exasperated Lexi, always one to speak her mind, didn¡¯t seem to understand the need for tact, regardless of who was present Magnus, having heard Lexi¡¯s words, didn¡¯t retaliate. Instead, he admitted candidly, ¡°Yes, my grandfather was wrong in this matter. He has since secluded himself and no longer interferes with family affairs¡± ¡°Indeed, as if seclusion is a punishment Who¡¯s going to make up for Natalia¡¯s lost years?¡± Lexi asked boldly, unafraid of Maghus potential bacsh Magnus lowered his gaze remorse etched on his face. ¡°All of this was my fault, and I will make it up to her I hope she can give me a chance to start over.¡± He vowed to make up for his mistakes for the rest of his life. Please forgive me, my love Magnus pleaded silently ¡°That¡¯s not for us to decide. You have to ask Natalia, Lexi said, turning to Natalia ¡°Right, Natalia?¡± Natalia didn¡¯t respond, unsure of what to say. She urged Lexi to follow her upstairs ¡®Let¡¯s go, we can talk in my room! Lexi wanted to press on, but Sabrina nudged her, and the three women finally made their way upstairs. Jonas wanted to follow, but was stopped by Magnus. Jonas, don¡¯t¡± ¡°Why?¡± Jonas paused at the foot of the stairs, confused. Magnus, wanting to spare Jonas from the adult conversations, made an excuse. ¡°Because they¡¯re girls, and it¡¯s not polite for boys to eavesdrop on girls¡® whispers.¡± ¡°Oh, really¡± Jonas, still too young to question, found Magnus exnation usible. He cast a longing look upstairs, then hung his head, resigned. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll just wait for Mommy downstairs.¡± Upstairs, Natalia led Lexi and Sabrina into her room. Lexi nced around the room, then out at the sea from the balcony Scratching her head, she remarked, ¡°Huh, why does this room look so familiar?¡± Natalia handed them some water There¡¯s nothing surprising about it. This ce is set up to look exactly like my old ce in Melfort. Everything is the same Lexi clicked her tongue in realization Natalia, Magnus really put thought into this. Back when he thought you were gone he invited us over to help sort out your things. He looked so sickly then like he was on hisst breath¡± Sabnna nodded in agreement ¡°Yes, he was in a wheelchair when we visited, apparently from trying to save you from the sea. Rumor has it he hasn¡¯t been with any woman since and was focusing solely on his work and appearing cold and ruthless.¡± ¡°Natalia, how have you been getting by these past years? How did Magnus find you?¡± ¡°And I never knew about you and his child Magnus kept this matter a secret. Now that you three are reunited, what¡¯s your n?¡± Lexi and Sabrina fired questions at Natalia, leaving her unsure of which to answer first With a deep sigh, she began to recount her experiences over the past years, including how Callum rescued her from the sea and nursed her back to health She even revealed her own family background to her two best friends. Lexi and Sabrina were moved to tears after hearing Natalia¡¯s harrowing experiences andplicated lineage. They had no idea that Natalia had not only suffered so much but also garried such aplex hentage. Sabrina wrapped an arm around Natalia¡¯s slender shoulders. ¡°Natalia, you¡¯ve really suffered over the years. I¡¯m sorry for your loss. But what¡¯s done is done, and I hope you can find the strength to move forward¡± C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Lexi swept Natalia into a fierce embrace ¡°Why does it seem like you always get the short end of the stick, Nat?¡± Wrapped in their warm constions, Natalia patted their hands reassuringly I¡¯m okay, really Ivee through¡± ¡°So, what¡¯s your next move?¡± Lexi asked. ¡°Your little one is growing fast, Nat. He needs a stable home. I know I¡¯ve had my issues with Magnus, but he does love you. He¡¯s been a wreck without you¡® Sabrina didn¡¯t share Lexi¡¯s opinion. She thought Callum, who had been looking after Natalia all these years, was quite a catch. ¡°Natalia, marriage isn¡¯t about settling You need to listen to your heart. Who¡¯s the one you can¡¯t stop thinking about? Who¡¯s the one you can¡¯t bear to let go? That¡¯s the one you should choose. Not out of obligation or to keep the peace. That¡¯s just a recipe for disaster¡± Chapter 239 Chapter 239 11:58 Natalia nodded ¡°Yes, the nft between Magnus and I is too deep to mend. Besides, Cal has done so much for me over the years¡­¡± ¡°But gratitude isn¡¯t love!¡± Lexi eximed abruptly. ¡°Natalia, you mustn¡¯t mistake gratitude for love. True love is about sticking together through thick and thin, no matter what How romantic that is!¡± Natalia hesitated for a moment. ¡°But I don¡¯t think what¡¯s between Magnus and I is love. All of this stems from his obsession. Things wouldn¡¯t have turned out this way if he had let go earlier¡± After hearing Natalia¡¯s words, neither Lexi nor Sabrina had anything to say After all, it was hard for outsiders to understand the feelings between them. The emotional entanglement between Natalia, Magnus, and Cal was something Lexi and Sabrina, who were not involved, couldn¡¯tment on ¡°Natalia, no matter who you choose, we sincerely wish you happiness, Sabrina stated earnestly Lexi nodded in agreement ¡°Right, Natalia, whoever ends up marrying you will be the luckiest man in the world. And I¡¯m so curious about Cal, who is so devoted to you. If I get a chance. I would love to meet him and see if he¡¯s a thousand times better than Magnus¡± ¡°No problem When I go back to Ennd. I¡¯ll take you with me I¡¯ll show you the medieval castles Aren¡¯t you fascinated by those?¡± Natalia agreed cheerfully At the mention of medieval castles, Lexi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Natalia, you mean to tell me you¡¯ve been living in a castle for the past five years? That¡¯s amazing! Give me a castle and lock me up in it, I won¡¯t comin!¡± Natalia, aware of Lexi¡¯s fervor for ancient British castles, nodded knowingly. ¡°Sure. Next time, I¡¯ll take you. And I¡¯ll ask Cal if their castle has a dungeon or something so you can experience what it¡¯s like being locked up.¡± ¡°Stop it Lexi gave Natalia a yful re, pretending to be offended. ¡°I¡¯m a princess, not a prisoner I want to sleep in the princess bedroom¡± Sabrina chuckled, teasing. ¡°Yes, yes, you¡¯re a princess, albeit a clumsy one.¡± ¡°Hey, you! Do you need a spanking, is that it? Lexi retorted, yfully reaching out to tickle Sabrina, who quickly raised her hands in surrender. ¡°Alright, alright, I admit, you re a princess destined to live in a castle is that better?¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s more like it. As a princess. I won¡¯t argue with you any further You may go now.¡± The three of them were in high spirits. Their yful banter temporarily eased Natalia¡¯s inner turmoil. After a while. Lexi and Sabrina said their goodbyes, not even staying for lunch Natalia saw them out, sternly telling them to check in every day before she let them go After watching Lexi and Sabrina¡¯s figures disappear, Natalia turned around, only to be engulfed in a big bear hug by Jonas ¡°Mommy, can you y with me for a bit? ¡°Sure, sure, I will y with you. What do you want to do?¡± Perhaps it was because she had just met old friends, Natalia was in good spints and was more than willing to fulfill Jonas request. ¡°Mommy, let s y hide and seek. The one who gets found will be tickled. Daddy can y, too¡± Jonas said. He ran over to Magnus, who was reading the newspaper on the sofa, and pulled him over Magnus was worrying about how to improve his rtionship with Natalia when their little mastermind, Jonas, came up with this brilliant idea. He secretly gave Jonas a thumbs¨Cup, as if to say. ¡°That¡¯s my boy Jonas proudly lifted his head and dragged Magnus over to Natalia, ¡°Mommy, I¡¯ll hide first. You and Daddy have to find me If you can¡¯t find me, you¡¯ll be punished. Natalia looked at Magnus awkwardly, but since she had already promised Jonas, she couldn¡¯t back out and reluctantly agreed, ¡°Okay, it¡¯s been a while since I yed this game. How do you y it?¡± Jonas excitedly exined the rules, ¡°Mommy, you and Daddy turn around, then count. When you reach fifty, you can start looking for me But no peeking¡± After he finished Jonas snuck out of the living room and managed to shoo away the servants outside Before he left, he gave Magnus a meaningful nce. The look meant, ¡°Dad, I¡¯m creating an opportunity for you. If you can¡¯t sort things out with Mommy, you¡¯ll be really a fool Good luck! But Magnus had already turned his back and didn¡¯t see Jonas¡® encouraging gaze. Natalia, who had also turned her back, naturally didn¡¯t see it either. Natalia silently counted to fifty in her heart. When she reached fifty, she turned around, ready to look for Jonas. As she turned around, she bumped into Magnus. Their eyes met, and Natalia suddenly felt a bit awkward. She struggled to free herself from Magnus¡® embrace At Natalia¡¯s panic, Magnus felt like his heart was shattering. ¡°Natalia, do you really find me so repulsive?¡± Facing Magnus hurt expression, Natalia couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit guilty. ¡°No, it¡¯s not what you think.¡± ¡°Then what is it? Natalia, we are husband and wife. Don¡¯t you even want to give me a chance to make up?¡± Natalia felt powerless ¡°Magnus, have you heard of the saying Water spilled on the ground can¡¯t be gathered up again? Not everything can be foved Now, I need to go find Jonas Please move aside After saying this, Natalia walked around Magnus to look for Jonas Magnus watched as Natalia passed by him. His fists clenched light, hidden from sight. This woman, the woman he loved with all his being, could always knock him down so effortlessly it seemed that the road to winning her heart was still a long journey There he was, a man who could control anything in the world, yet he couldn¡¯t find a way into this woman¡¯s heart! Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. He refused to ept it! And so, the day drifted by, full of such tender family interactions When evening fell, Natalia, in an attempt to avoid further interactions with Magnus, quickly led Jonas upstairs after dinner. Jonas, already in his pajamas, obedientlyy next to Natalia. His small, marshmallow¨Clike hand was resting on her neck as he asked cautiously. ¡°Mommy, do you not like Daddy?¡± Natalie was taken aback, she hadn¡¯t expected her five¨Cyear¨Cold son to be so perceptive. She gently stroked his hair, responding softly, ¡°Why no, Johas, why would you ask that?¡± 11-58 Chapter 240 Chapter 240 Jonas moved close to Natalia, nting a sweet kiss on her cheek. ¡°Mom, I am no longer a little kid, I can see that you don¡¯t really like Dad. But my teacher said that children are the product of their parents¡® love, does that mean you didn¡¯t want to have me? Did I cause you trouble, Mommy?¡± Hearing these soft, childish words, Natalia¡¯s eyes filled with tears. Her precious baby boy was cautiously asking if he had caused her any trouble. She pulled Jonas into a tight hug, speaking with utmost sincerity, ¡°Jonas, you are my most beloved treasure. I¡¯ve never thought of you as a burden. Instead, you¡¯ve been my strongest emotional support during my most difficult times. The issues between your father and me are not because of you, do you understand?¡± Jonas rubbed his eyes, sleepily replying, ¡°Really? That¡¯s good, then Mommy, can you stay here? Can you stay and watch me grow up? All the other kids have mommies, and I want one too The breakfast you make is so delicious, it tastes just like love, and like it so much, I wish I could have it every day¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes welled up with tears once more She owed her child so much. ¡°Jonas, you are my treasure it was wrong of me not to be there for you as you grew up. But darling, not everything in life goes as we wish. I Natalia stopped mid¨Csentence, noticing that Jonas had already fallen asleep She tucked him in and followed him into slumber. Outside, the moonlight was pouring into the room, scattering like silver dust. After a while. Natalia and Jonas were deep in sleep. The bedroom door was gently pushed open, and Magnus tiptoed in. In the moonlight, he quietly approached the bed, looking at his sleeping wife and son Hey down next to Natalia with a satisfied smile on his face Seeing his wife and son lying by his side filled Magnus with a sense of contentment Of course, when Natalia fully epted him, he would be even happier. He would then be the happiest man in the world, without a doubt! As the moonlight waned, the sun began to rise. Natalia was awakened by the sunlight streaming into the room. She opened her eyes to Magnus¡® handsome, smiling face ¡°Good morning, my dearest wife.¡± Magnus was beaming. He affectionately kissed Natalia¡¯s forehead As Magnus lips touched Natalia¡¯s forehead, he trembled slightly Natalia, too, shivered at his touch. Without thinking, Natalia tried to move back forgetting she was on the bed, and almost fell off Fortunately, with his quick reflexes, Magnus caught her in time preventing her from falling ¡°Darling I wouldn¡¯t want you to get any bruises. That would break my heart.¡± Magnus voice was seductive, making Natalia weak in the knees. Taking advantage of Natalia¡¯s distraction, Magnus, adhering to his policy of taking advantage when opportunity struck, nted another kiss on her forehead. His surprise attack was sessful, and Magnus felt as if he had just had a spoonful of sweet honey! Before Natalia could confront Magnus about his stolen kisses, Jonas woke up, stretching and yawning Jonas woke up to see Natalia and Magnus next to him, and his joy knew no bounds He jumped up from the bed. ¡°Awesome firally get to sleep with Mommy and Daddy Watching Jonas excitement, Natalia¡¯s heart ached Children sleeping with their parents was such a simple pleasure, yet Jonas had not only been denied this joy but was also so thrilled about it it was heartbreaking. Jonas, lost in his happiness, was dancing on the bed, repeating his joy, ¡°Oh, this is wonderful, i finally get to sleep with Mommy and Daddy¡± After bouncing around, he finallyy down, hugging Natalia Mommy, can we wake up together like this every day? I feel so happy!¡± Seeing Jonas joy, Natalia managed to smile but remained silent. She was searching for the right words, not knowing how to gently refuse Jonas¡® request. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Magnus saw Natalia¡¯s struggle and pulled her and Jonas into his arms, sincerely saying, ¡°Darling, let¡¯s start over, together with Jonas. I swear, I will make you both happy Natalia looked out at the sunlight, her mind a whirl of confusion. She was indeed happy to have her son back, but the idea of starting over with Magnus seemed so unreal. She had promised Cal when she left Ennd that she would return, but now, she was being held back by her own son. For a moment, she¨C even found Magnus vision of the future appealing. Oh God, how could she? How could she be so fickle? If she decided to stay, how would she face Cal, who was waiting for her back in Ennd? The sunlight outside was perfect, streaming in through the window, and casting a warm glow on Magnus and Jonas. It was a picture of love and warmth. But to Natalia, it all felt like a dream, almost otherworldly This wasn¡¯t the life she wanted, truly Magnus noticed Natalia remained silent, and knew he couldn¡¯t rush things, he had to take it slow. He sighed quietly to himself, continuing. ¡°Darling, I have to make a trip to Melfort in the next few days. Please take care of yourself while I¡¯m gone. If anything happens, call me right away. I¡¯ll fly back immediately.¡± Natalia gave a nonchnt nod at Magnus, fully aware of his bustling schedule, and chose to remain silent To be frank, shed rather have him back in Melfort taking care of business than hovering around her every second of the day, giving her some much¨Cneeded space to breathe and think Magnus fervor was zing, leaving her at a loss for how to react, and she found herself constantly dodging him After finishing their breakfast, Magnus hurriedly left their residence in France As he was leaving, he made a special point to instruct the staff of the vi to heed Natalia¡¯s every word. Any insubordination wouldn¡¯t just result in termination ¨C he made that much clear Chapter 241 Chapter 241 11:58 The staff of the vi were all top¨Cnotch professionals, trained to a T When they received orders from their employer, they ensured their tasks were aplished to perfection Thus, the moment Magnus stepped out, Natalia found herself in a state of absolute freedom. Finally free from Magnus relentless attention, Natalia heaved a sigh of relief. She grabbed a moment to dial Callum¡¯s number This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. The phone rang for a long time, but no one picked up. Natalia was surprised, and thought perhaps Callum was avoiding her calls because she was in France, so she decided to dial thendline in the castle. ¡°Beep Beep Beep After a long time, someone finally answered. ¡°Good afternoon Who¡¯s speaking, please?¡± The familiar ent from the other side of the line made Natalia realize it was Rita on the other end. Rita, could you please get Callum on the line? It¡¯s Natalia.¡± Recognizing Natalia¡¯s voice, Rita¡¯s tone was filled with an unmistakable excitement. Thank heavens, Ms. rkson! We¡¯ve finally heard from you! Mr. Callum needs you! Natalia felt a sudden chill, and she quickly asked, ¡°Rita, what are you talking about? Saved from what? What happened to Callum?¡± ¡°Ms rkson, ever since you left, Mr Callum fell terribly ill. He¡¯s still bedridden, and ording to our private physician, he¡¯s barely hanging on. He¡¯s been calling for you even in his unconscious state Rita sobbed over the phone Rita¡¯s crying stabbed Natalia¡¯s heart. She couldn¡¯t fathom how Callum could have fallen critically ill in just three days since she left. The thought was inconceivable. She had promised him that she would return! What on earth had she done? Callum was the only family she had in this world. ¡°Rita, calm down. Tell me everything. What happened to Callum?¡± Natalia was extremely anxious, wishing she could teleport to Ennd night away. ¡°Ms rkson, I have to attend to Mr. Callum. I can¡¯t talk much. Please,e back as soon as you can. If you dy you might not see him again¡± Rita hurriedly hung up after saying this Listening to the busy tone from the receiver, Natalia¡¯s heart sank to the bottom of her chest. She had no idea what had happened to Callum, but she knew Rita wouldn¡¯t joke about such matters. Rita had said, if Natalia dyed, she might never see Callum again. Natalia was in a state of panic. She needed to fly back to Ennd immediately. Prompted by her thoughts, Natalia quickly grabbed her passport from upstairs. ready to leave Magnus French vi. As she descended the stairs, she noticed someone in the living room. It was Lexi ¡°Lexi, what brings you here?¡± Natalia asked in a hurry Lexi shrugged. Talk about being heartless! I¡¯m leaving France and came here to say goodbye If you¡¯re too busy. I¡¯ll just go.¡± ¡°Alright, ainght, Lexi, my bad You¡¯re leaving France? Why?¡± Natalia asked Lexi pointed to her small bag Tonginally came to hang out with Sabrina. I¡¯ve seen everything I needed to, and even ran into you. Don¡¯t see a reason to stick around. I¡¯m thinking of packing up and heading back to Melfort.¡± Then, noticing the passport in Natalia¡¯s hand, Lexi asked, ¡°Natalia, are you nning to travel?¡± Natalia nodded, without any attempt to hide her intentions. Yes, and I must leave right now. Callum is sick.¡± ¡°Callum¡± The Duke from Ennd?¡± Lexi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Natalia, can Ie with you? I want to experience living in a medieval English castle and rejuvenate my soul¡± Natalia knew Lexis artistic tendencies were acting up again, but she didn¡¯t bother arguing. Instead, she agreed right away. ¡°Sure, you were leaving France anyway You might as welle with me to Ennd for a while ¡°Mommy. I want to go too!¡± Little Jonas ran down from upstairs, his eyes filled with determination, ¡°Mommy, I heard your conversation with Auntie Lexi Wherever you go, I want to go too. I don¡¯t want to be apart from you¡± Seeing Jonas on the verge of tears, Natalia¡¯s heart ached. She had just reunited with her son. How could she possibly leave him behind? ¡°But, should we tell your daddy? In case he doesn¡¯t agree with youing with me?¡± Natalia pondered, thinking she should seek Magnus permission before taking Jonas with her Jonas quickly shook his head ¡°Mommy, Daddy always said that a man should be adventurous. And I am leaving with you. If you ask him and he doesn¡¯t allow us to leave, what then?¡± Natalia was speechless Indeed, given Magnus stubborn nature, if he knew she was going back to Ennd to see Callum, he would certainly not let her go Under such circumstances, acting first and exiningter would be better So, Natalia impulsively decided to take Jonas with her to Ennd Of course, the staff asked about their sudden departure. However Natalia deflected their quenes by saying they were going out for some fresh air Soon, a ne was carrying the trio to Ennd Throughout the journey, Jonas kept asking questions excitedly. He had always been well cared for by Magnus and had never experienced the novelty of traveling alone with Natalia Uponnding. Natalia hailed a cab and headed straight to her apartment in Ennd in no time, the taxi pulled up in front of the apartment building. Natalia, cradling Jonas, paid the fare and stepped out of the vehicle Lexi couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the quintessential British architecture in front of them. ¡°What a gorgeous ce. I love it¡± ¡°I love it too, Jonas chimed in, not wanting to be left out. Natalia fished out her keys and unlocked the door, gesturing for Lexi and Jonas to enter ¡°This is my mom¡¯s ce. I¡¯m staying here for now? ¡°Wow, this ce is really nice. I love theyout too. Your mom must have been an artsy type, just my kind of woman, Lexi said, looking around the ce with batisfied gaze before sinking into the plushfort of the sofa. Chapter 242 Chapter 242 After settling Jonas down, Natalia finally spoke. ¡°Lexi. I need to run back to the mansion and check on Call You and Jonas can hang out here in my apartment for a bit, Fit be back soon. Could you look after Jonas for me in the meantime?¡± ¡®Sure, make it quick. And while you¡¯re there, pass on my best wishes. I¡¯ve always been curious about Duke Callum, who¡¯s taken care of you all these years,¡± Lexi responded dismissively waving Natalia off Off you doe back soon? ¡°Sure¡± Natalia replied, hurrying out the door Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Not far from the mansion, Natalia didn¡¯t bother grabbing a taxi. To save time, she went on foot, moving briskly Luckily, the distance wasn¡¯t too great. After a while, Na saw the all too familiar mansion. She quickened her pace, eager to see how Cal was doing. Before long, she passed through the mansion¡¯s grand entrance, making her way to the main hall Rita was rusting out of the mansion when she saw Natalia returning Overjoyed, she ran over, shouting. Thank God. Ms rkson is back Natalia saw the visibly excited Rita, and her mood lightened a bit ¡®Rita, take me to Cal quickly. What happened to him?¡± ¡°Sure night away But you must be prepared, Ms. rkson, his condition is quite serious, Rita warned, leading Natalia into the mansion Natalia stumbled a bit at the news. Had Cal really be incurable? Her mind was a mess if Cal really was at death¡¯s door, she didn¡¯t know what she¡¯d do The two women quickly reached Cal¡¯s bedroom Before they even entered Natalia could hear the distressing sound of coughing It was Caf¡¯s voice, fractured and weak Hearing the urgent coughing Natalia immediately pushed open the door The room was dimly fit, with curtains blocking out the light. A pungent smell of medicine hung in the air. Natalia walked over to therge bed in the room, seeing Callums. feeble figure lying on it. His face was so pale it was almost transparent Callum¡¯s emaciated figure made Natalia cover her mouth in shock. She¡¯d only been gone for three days. What had happened to him? Callum, once strong and robust, now looked skeletal His face was sickly pale with a touch of gray, his eyes were sunken, and his lips were slightly purple Weakly lying on the bed, he heard footsteps and opened his eyes tiredly. Upon seeing Natalia, his mood instantly brightened. His previously dull eyes lit up as he struggled to sit up. But after a few attempts, he realized he didn¡¯t even have the strength to support himself The joy in his eyes turned into disappointment Callum reached out to Natalia, his voice raspy. ¡°Buttercup, is that you? Are you really back? I¡¯m not dreaming, am (7¡ã Natalia couldn¡¯t contain her emotions any longer. She tightly held Callum¡¯s hand. Tears dropped onto the floor as she choked, ¡°Cal, what happened to you? it¡¯s only been three days. How did you get like this?¡± Callum forced a smile Buttercup as long as you te back, nothing else matters. I thought you were taken by Magnus and wouldn¡¯te back.¡± ¡°Callum, I promised you I¡¯de back, and here I am. But first, tell me what happened Why have you be so weak? I just heard from Rita that you She couldn¡¯t finish her sentence. She couldn¡¯t ept what Rita had said. How could Cal be dying? He was always so strong! Callum knew what she wanted to ask and gave her aforting smile. ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t listen to Rita I just. I just had a little too much to drink. It¡¯s nothing a few days rest, and I be fine ¡°Cal, you don¡¯t have to hide it from me Look at yourself, you¡¯re clearly seriously ill! Why aren¡¯t you taking care of yourself?¡± in response to her question, Cal didn¡¯t give a direct answer. His heart was filled with euphona, all because of Natalia¡¯s return. ¡°Natalia as long as you¡¯re back, that¡¯s all that matters Really. I¡¯m fine,¡± Cal said, hesitantly asking. ¡°But will Natalia hesitated, unsure of how to answer Cal¡¯s question After all, she didn¡¯t know what the future held for her you leave again?¡± Seeing the conflict in Natalia¡¯s eyes, Cal imagined she couldn¡¯t let go of Magnus. His ted expression froze on his face Holding Natalia¡¯s hand, he pleaded, ¡°Butter know I¡¯m being selfish, but i can¡¯t live without you Could you stay? I wouldn¡¯t survive without you¡± His hands tightly gripped hers, as if she¡¯d vanish if he let go Natalia felt his hot hands like a burning me 1 Cal, your hands are so hot. Look after yoursest heat, okay We¡¯ll talk about everything elseter What¡¯s important now is that you get better Natalia said, calling for Rita, who was waiting outside, ¡°Get Cal to the hospital quickly! Rita came in at Natalia¡¯s call, carefully replying ¡°Ms rkson, ever since you left, my master has been constantly drinking And these past few days, when i was raining heavily he justy in the courtyard and wouldn¡¯t let us approach him He wouldn¡¯t let us take him to the hospital either. We could only watch as hey in the rain for two days until he passed out Only then could we bring him back inside¡± Natalia didn¡¯t expect such a situation She quickly asked, ¡®What did the doctors say?¡± Ruta went on The doctor said the master gut sick because he¡¯s been drinking out in the rain for days. His body temperatures too low, and be a got a bit He needs to take some medicine. But the master refuses to take his pills, and he won¡¯t even drink his tea. It¡¯s like he¡¯s trying to torment himself to With these words steeled in her heart. Rita quickly excused herself, fearing that she might get a tongue lashing from Callum Upon hearing this Natalia realized that Callum was trying to wreck his health, which saddened her Chapter 243 Chapter 243 Had she not run off with Magnus on their engagement day how would Cal have ended up in such a state? She heaved a sigh, her voice soft with regret Cal, it¡¯s all my fault if I hadn¡¯t left you at our engagement party, you wouldn¡¯t be like this ¡°Cough, cough ¡°Callum coughed a few times, waving his hand to dismiss Natalia¡¯s quilt it¡¯s not your fault, Buttercup I was just afraid you wouldn¡¯te back, and life would lose its meaning You know without you I don¡¯t see the point of anything ¡°Cal I¡¯m back now You need to take care of yourself. Are you hungry? I¡¯ll ask Rita to whip up something for you With that, Natalia stepped out of the room instructing Rita to prepare some stomach friendly food In no time. Rita brought over a bowl of hearty chicken soup. Natalia carefully helped Callum sit up in bed, propping up his back with pillows Cal have some soup, it¡¯ll settle your stomach. Then we can give you your medication and hopefully get you on the mend soon! Callum obediently sat up, staring at Natalia as he sipped the soup she had brought him. However, he had been ill for too long, and his body was extremely weak. He struggled to finish even half of the bowl ¡°Cough cough Buttercup I¡¯m full¡± Callum coughed a few times, cing the bowl on the bedside table Natalia nced at the mostly unfinished soup, realizing how seriously ill Callum was Now that she was back, she was determined to take good cam of him Once Callum had eaten something, Natalia waited a while before letting him rest Callum¡¯s energy was extremely low, and he quickly fell asleep. He had a smile on his face in his dreams, seemingly thrilled at Natalia¡¯s return. Natalia sat by his side, watching the time, waking Callum after an hour to persuade him to take his medication as Rita had instructed earlier Callum reluctantly took his medication, nobody would have guessed that the imposing duke was afraid of taking medicine But Natalia was insistent, stating that she would leave if Callum didn¡¯t take his medicine. With that, Callum obediently swallowed the pills. Of course, he grimaced as he took the medication. It was as if he preferred to throw the pills away And so Natalia devotedly cared for Callum until nightfall, unaware of the passing time. Callums energy was extremely low, drifting in and out of sleep. When he woke again to find Natalia dozing off, he couldn¡¯t stand it anymore. His voice was hoarse. ¡°Nat I¡¯m fine. You dont need to stay with me Go rest.¡± Natalia shook her head ¡°But you¡¯re still feverish, Rita said tonight is crucial. If your fever breaks, you¡¯re safe. If not, it could be life¨Cthreatening¡± ¡°Rita, Rita, always Rita Tm paying her too much and giving her too much time to gossip! Callum was clearly annoyed. ¡°You¡¯ve been sitting here all day, and I feel bad. How can i make you wait on me? Cough, cough, cough¡­ ¡°Cal don¡¯t be like this. I haven¡¯t done much. I just brought you some water. What I¡¯ve done is nothing compared to what you did for me Natalia soothingly patted Callums back signaling him to calm down. ¡°Cal, don¡¯t think about anything. Just take your medicine and wait for your temperature to drop, then I¡¯ll go rest Natalia was so stubborn, and Callum had no choice but toply. But this time, he cooperated fully with Natalia, hoping to recover soon. After all, his Buttercup was back He needed to regain his strength to protect her As the night deepened, Natalia, who had been up all day, finally fell asleep at the edge of Callum¡¯s bed. Callum woke in the middle of the night to see Natalia asleep by his bedside. His heart was filled with sweetness, as if he had just eaten honey. He gently touched her hair, reluctant to withdraw his hand His Nat was always so kind and considerate, he had chosen right No matter what, he had to keep her by his side, he couldn¡¯t let Magnus take her away! Callum looked at the sleeping Natalia, struggling to get out of bed to move her to a morefortable position However, Callum, who was critically ill, had overestimated his strength As he tried to support himself, he fell off the bed ¡°Thump The sound of the fall woke Natalia She opened her sleepy eyes to find Callum on the floor ¡°Cal, what happened?¡± Callum felt his face burning with embarrassment. How could he have made such a fool of himself? He had no strength left in him. Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. But to save his image in front of Natalia, he wouldn¡¯t admit that he had fallen. ¡°Um, if I said I wanted to lie on the floor to feel the temperature of the wooden nks.. you believe me? in the middle of the night, Natalia couldn¡¯t help butugh at his words. She wiped away the tears of laughter from the corner of her eyes and walked over to help Even though Callum had lost a lot of weight he was still tall With all her strength, Natalia finally managed to help him sit on the edge of the bed. Then, with a puan, they both fell onto the bed Natalianded on top of Callum and quickly tried to get up. finding their position somewhat intimate, but Callums hand was tightly wrapped around Natalia¡¯s want, ¡°Buttercup lie next to me watch me sleep please? Natalia matinctively wanted to refuse but seeing Callums Raggard appearance, the words of refusal were stuck in her throat 1 Sweetie just be next to me, okay? I¡¯m really weak night now I just want you to the next to me for a while, ia that ok Looking into Callums sincere gaze, Natalia could no longer voice her refusal and obedientlyy next to Callus Kumunately, the bed was Horaus erwagh. She moved as close to the edge as possible keeping a good distance from Callum Chapter 244 Chapter 244 Even so, Natalia couldn¡¯t shake off a twinge of quilt that seemed tount her, as if she¡¯d betrayed something or someone Good heavens, what on earth was she thinking? Inwardly, she chastised herself, steadying her emotions, and soon fell into a deep sleep. After a day¡¯s ordeal, she was utterly exhaunted On the other hand, Callum was delighted to have Natalia by his side. He atched her affectionately, his gam lingering on Natalia lying next to him Contentedly, he drifted off to sleep When Natalia ve up the next day her first instinct was to check Callum¡¯s forehead Thank God his fever had finally subsided She tiptoed out of the room, giving instructions to Rita to prepare some food for Callum Knowing Callum had managed to pull through. Rita expressed her gratitude to Natalia foring just in time to save this disheartened man Natalia, however felt she had no need for Ritas gratitude if anything it seemed she owed more to Callum chatting to Rita Natalia headed back into Callum¡¯s room. She stared at him carefully, the once normally hearty and robust man was now a frail and sickly man & shad of emotions welled up within her Despite knowing she could never go back to her past with Magnus, ever since she saw little Jonas, her heart seemed to lean more toward, Magnus She could deceive everyone else, but not herself. It wasn¡¯t a rekindling of old feelings, but her desire to give Jonas aplete family. But this would inevita betraying his years of dedication, and waiting Natalia heaved a long sigh, unsure how to convey her internal turmoil to Callum His health was currently unstable, and voicing her concerns now would undoubtedly upset him Perhaps it would be better to wait until his health improved before exining everything in truth. Natalia didn¡¯t want either Magnus or Callum All she wanted was her precious Jonas, whom she had lost and found again Natalia quietly walked to the bedside gently pulled out a chair, and sat down. Despite her best efforts to be as quiet as possible she ended up waking Callum As soon as Callum opened his eyes, he saw Natalia sitting next to him. His eyes met hers, and he said with gratitude, ¡°Buttercup, waking up to see you is the greatest joy¡± Natalia greeted him with a bright smile. ¡°Cal, you¡¯re awake? Do you feel any better than yesterday?¡± ¡°Ahem¡± Callum coughed lightly, his voice significantly better than the previous day ¡°Yes, I am much better. Your return is the best medicine for my reco promise me that once you¡¯re better you¡¯ll stop recklessly damaging your health, okay?¡± Natalia asked earnestly Callum responded with a bright smile, ¡°Risking my health? Oh no, I will definitely take better care of myself. Because only then can I take better care of you, and have a healthy baby after our marriage¡± The mention of a baby reminded Natalia of Lex and Jonas, whom she had left at the apartment Goodness, she had been so focused on taking care of Callum the previous day that she had With this thought, Natalia promptly got up, intending to take her leave ¡°Cal, I have some things to attend to I¡¯lle backter to check on you, okay ¡°Where are you going, Buttercup? Callum asked, puzzled. He knew Natalia better than anyone else. She had no friends in the UK. Why was she in such a hurry to leave? Natalia didn¡¯t hide anything and said directly ¡°Cal I rushed here to see you as soon as I returned yesterday, but I left my son, Jonas, and my friend Lexi, at the been a day and a night. I need to go check on them¡± The mention of Natalia¡¯s son immediately caught Callum¡¯s attention. He asked in surprise. ¡°Natalia, you mentioned your son. When did you have a son? Why did She must have been joking Over the years, no one knew Natalia better than him Where did this sone from? Mait a minute, a son named Jonas Could it be the child who was said to have died shortly after birth years ago? Her child with Magnus? Callums questioning gaze. Natalia simply said. ¡°Cal Jonas is the kid we thought died years ago Morgan tricked us all by secretly taki believe he was dead. That deception pushed me into so much despair that I crashed my car into the sea. Hearing Natalias words. Callum felt so pitiful. He remembered rescuing an unconscious and lifeless Natalia from the se? years ago. unconscious, but sometimes she would mutter the word ¡°baby¡± in her sleep. fath away chuid was alive and had suddenly appeared Dear God, was Ni to Mag cause of the child? with warty He looked at alia anxiously Nata #1 My Gain ace ase don¡¯t leave me ukay 10a ?yes were filed with a desperate plea and endless porium He held oras Natalia¡¯s artis ¡°Buttercup heart ached untxarably She didn¡¯t know how to gently refuse Catium, so she said vaguely. Cal you need to focus on getting twiter first cli 500 Having said that she hastily leh in fact. Natalia had made up her mind. She couldnt tras herself. Ever since she saw little Jonas, the cu From the get go she had always treated Callum like a better vet the debt the zaed hom was ate she could never shon her gratitude towers: fon Callums health mai have a heart to he lovers, they could utili be farruly Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Even if they cOU messed fax year unua kile and vowed not to had there been a chanca far semantic home, it Chapter 245 Chapter 245 w Watching Natalia flee in a panic, Callums heart sank. He knew that their future seemed even more elusive than before He summoned Rita with all his strength. ¡°Tell the castle¡¯s doctor to treat me immediately Rita happily obliged Finally Callum was showing some fighting spirit. In his chamber, Callum mustered his courage. He had to get better as soon as possible to stand a hance against Magnus. He refused to believe that he couldn¡¯t win. Natalia¡¯s affection if he gave it his all The doctor was quickly summoned, and after a thorough examination, be informed Callum that he was lucky to have passed through the critical period. However he needed to rest and recuperate. His deteriorated health wasn¡¯t something that could be fixed overnight Callum disregarded the doctor¡¯s advice If you cant restore my strength as soon as possible, you might as well leave the mansion I¡¯m sure there are plenty of people waiting to be my physician¡® The doctor nodded without hesitation ¡°Very well, your Grace But if you wish to recover quickly, you¡¯ll need to undergo more rigorous training than usual ¡°Then stop wasting time and get to it Callum said decisively. Compared to the possibility of losing Natalia, there was no hardship he couldn¡¯t bear While Callum was undergoing recovery training in the mansion, Natalia had safely returned to her small apartment. She gently pushed open the door, and a pi towards her ¡°You heartless woman, you finally decided toe back! Do you even care about your son?¡± Natalia caught the pillow with quick reflexes and chuckled at the fuming Lexi ¡°Well, aren¡¯t you here?¡± Lex stood up from the sofa, visibly upset ¡°Yes, me! You disappear for a whole day without a call. I thought you were locked up in the castle.¡± ¡°Sweetie, it was just a misunderstanding Cal was really sick, and I was just taking care of him for the night.¡± ¡°Sure, you took care of him for the night and forgot about us. Natalia, you need to make a decision, Lexi said slyly Natalie was away for a day, leaving Lexi and Jonas in the apartment Fortunately, Lexi knew how to cook, and the apartment had plenty of ingredients. Jonas was also well¨Cbehaved and didn¡¯t make a fuss. If he were a troublesome child, Lexi thought she would have gone crazy. So, when Natalia returned, she didn¡¯t hesitate to throw a pillow at her Faced with Lexi¡¯s teasing, Natalia grimaced I¡¯m sorry, Lexi I really was just taking care of Cal. I¡¯m not lying¡± ¡°Mummy, are you trying to find a new daddy for me? Don¡¯t you want my old daddy anymore? Jonas, who had been ying on his tablet, suddenly asked His question nearly choked Natalia What did he mean by finding a new daddy and not wanting his old daddy? After some thought. Natalia turned to Lexi Did you tell Jonas something you shouldn¡¯t have? Tell me! Lexi stuck out her tongue ¡°No. I just said there might be a possibility¡± ¡°LEX Natalia shouted ¡°You¡¯re too much. What nonsense are you telling my child? There¡¯s no such thing.¡± ¡°Aight aight if you say there¡¯s no such thing, then there isn¡¯t¡® Lexi quickly begged for mercy Seeing the two womenughing and fighting on the sofa, little Jonas squinted his eyes. He looked so much like Magnus. If you nced at him, you might think it was a mus version of Magnus sitting there Mummy. I support your decision to pursue a new life. But the condition is, he must be more handsome and better than Daddy Jonas expressed his opinion senously. Lexi had told him about the emotional entanglement between his mummy and daddy yesterday. As for the adults feelings, he was too young to have a say. But he liked his mummy and as long as she was happy he would support her no matter what decision she made Natalia blushed when she heard Jonas¡® words Her son had just given her life advice Lex look at what you¡¯ve done Nataliained softly, moving next to Jonas on the sofa ¡°Jonas, things arent as you think. Your Uncle Callum and I are just good friends not lovers Jonas sighed in relief ¡°That¡¯s great I thought Daddy was really going to be reced. Even though he¡¯s always grumpy and has a lot of rules, I still Really daddy more Ha Im really grateful for your candid appraisal You don¡¯t despise me for being grumpy Magnus voice suddenly came from the entrance of the apartine three of them to turn around Magnut was leaning against the dour dressed in a crisp suit. He had one hand in his pocket, his long legs were stretched out, and his face tilted with a He seemed to have just gotten uff a ne his imposing figure was bathed in the evening glow Natalia and Lexi were stunned. It was Magnus How did he find them? But Jonas reaction was different. He jumped off the sofa and ran wanda Magnus ¡°Dadh (evt you the most! Magnus prcked up Jonas, gave spt your love and forgive you for chikutzing me behind ng back Jonas stuck out his tongue relieved that he managed to get away with it Natalia sat on the sofa in a daim not expecting Magnus to store up in Ennd so soon Lexra Mi Anderson. We meet again¡® Maghus nodded Tes would have been happier if With that he made his way straight to Natalia Magnus was supposed to be back in Melfort master had gone missing This was rming! much better than Nlas. De as 1) 4t Magniva. ?H meeting here ext to her. You brour | Ennd Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. , the housekeeper torni tas called to say that the The young Chapter 246 Chapter 246 Without a second thought, Magnus abandoned his affairs in Melfort to Chase and hopped on the next flight back to France After a thorough interrogation of the vi¡¯s servants, he deduced that Natalia had likely snuck off back to Ennd, so he didn¡¯t hesitate to follow her there Well, if she was ying hard to get, he was willing to y harder to track her downt Initially, he was fuming when he arrived. He wanted to have a word with his runaway wife, demanding an exnation as to why she could just leave him behind with their child, but when he arrived at her doorstep, all his anger evaporated into thin air And what surprised him even more was hearing Natalia¡¯s words for himself. All his worries had been for nothing She viewed Callum as nothing more than her brother. This was a huge relief and made his painstaking journey all worth the while With that he was in such a good mood that he didn¡¯t even mind his son¡¯sment about his grumpy moods. All he wanted to do was pull Natalia into his arms and express his longing for her Faced with Magnus imposing figure, Natalia felt a pang of unease. She tried to shrink back into the couch, hoping to conceal herself Noticing Natalia¡¯s small gestures, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but grin. No matter what she did, she easily caught his eye and made him fall for her even harder ¡°Um, so, uh, why are you here?¡± Natalia stuttered out as a greeting, instantly regretting her words. God, why was she so clumsy? Wasn¡¯t this just inviting Magnus to reprimand her? Sure enough. Magnus chuckled knowingly. ¡°I¡¯m here to find my runaway wife and child. If I didn¡¯t find you here, where else would I go?¡± Natalia felt a bit embarrassed as she had indeed left France secretly with Jonas. She knew she was in the wrong Lexi, who didn¡¯t want to be the third wheel, stood up nonchntly, picked up her bag, and said, ¡°Oh my. I don¡¯t want to be the ring light bulb here. I¡¯ve finally made it to Ennd, and I want to make the most of it. I¡¯ll leave you three alone¡± Natalia was afraid of being left alone with Magnus once Lexi was gone. She quickly got up as well. ¡°I¡¯ll go too.¡± Lex pushed her back, disdainfully saying, ¡°What are you leaving for? I¡¯m going to find myself a handsome British husband don¡¯t get in my way¡± With that, Lexi left Natalia¡¯s apartment waving her hand, and saying. ¡°Don¡¯t forget to leave the door unlocked for me if you guys decide to go out. I don¡¯t want to sleep on the streets ¡°I think you¡¯d better note back. Go sleep with some handsome Brit!¡± Natalia teased, feeling a bit betrayed by Lex¡¯s refusal to stay and help ¡°Fine then don¡¯t get jealouster bye!¡± Lexi waved and left, secretly praying for Natalia, hoping she would finally straighten out her feelings Once Lex was gone, the atmosphere in the room became a bit tense Natalia tried to make herself as small as possible, hoping to avoid Magnus intense gaze But things didn¡¯t go as she hoped. Not only did Magnus not keep his distance, but he also shamelessly moved even closer to her Natalia was very anuous Every time Magnus moved closer, she would shift away, resulting in a slow, silent dance on the couch, which left Jonas dumbfounded. Having dummy parents was quite a helpless situation! Natalia moved a bit more toward the edge of the couch, trying to maintain a safe distance from Magnus Unfortunately, all her actions were in vain. Anything that caught Mr Andersens attention was bound to be caught ¡°Careful¡± Magnus stretched out his long arm, and with a swift move, scooped Natalia into his arms, and whispered into her ear, ¡°Were you nning on falling off the couch? Seeing the scene unfolding before him, Jonas screamed internally and decided to find a cooler ce to hang out instead of being the third wheel. Magnus held Natalia tightly in his arms. Her face was burning with embarrassment. Even her voice didn¡¯t sound like her own,pletelycking any confidence. Let me go. Please let me go ¡°I wont if I do, you¡¯ll definitely run away again Magnus didn¡¯t let go, but instead moved even closer, brushing his lips past Natalia¡¯s ear. Waves of heat washed over her Natalia felt like her ears were about to burn off. She covered them with her hands, pleading softly. ¡°Jonas is still here. Don¡¯t do this.¡± ¡°Huh, he has already run off to another room, Magnus whispered enticingly into Natalia¡¯s ear ¡°Wifey, we¡¯ve only been apart for two days, and I¡¯ve missed you so much that i can¡¯t eat or sleep Have you missed me too?¡± Natalia didn¡¯t know where Magnus had learned his sweet nothings from, but hearing them made her heart flutter involuntarily ¡°Stop Im not your wife.¡± Magnus squinted his eyes, leaning in to smell the scent lingering on Natalia¡¯s neck ¡°Really? Are you sure?¡± Afraid that her heart would fall for him again Natalia struggled out of Magnus arms Magnus. I¡¯ve told you many times. There¡¯s nothing between us anymore.¡± ¡°On? Then who do you have something with? Natalia, I heard it myself You only have a brotherly love for Callum¡± ¡°Yes Callum and I indeed have a brother sister rtionship But, that doesn¡¯t mean i want to continue what I had with you. Don¡¯t misunderstand me, please hesitate to pour cold water on Magnus However her cup of cold water clearly wasn¡¯t cold enough because Magnus didrit gel mad butughed instead ¡°Darling it¡¯s okay. You can be even harsher: Magnus was certain that after all these years, she and Callum had nothing going on, and his wife still fully belonged to him. He was so happy he felt like he was floating kinned Magnuk Seeing Magnus chameless expression Natalia felt like hitting a pile of cotton Yes, she waspletely helpless against the thick Was she supposed to let him have his way? No she couldn¡¯t go down that old road again, couldn¡¯t leave herself battered and bruised and couldnt lingeri With that thought Natalias face regained its aloof coolness She pointed a single finger towards the door Magnus if you¡¯re here to see out son, joute always we But if you¡¯re here to ruffle my feathers again, don¡¯t me me for showing you the dour Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Magnus cracked a grin Natalia, I didn¡¯te to ruffle your feathers. This is just my instinctual response to you¡± Ainght then Natalia let out a sigh that seemed to reach the sky She¡¯d never won a debate with Magnus Chapter 247 Chapter 247 Natalia didn¡¯t scold him Magnus felt a burst of joy in his heart and asked, ¡°When do you n on returning home with me, darling?¡± ¡°Home¡± Where¡¯s that? Nataliaughed incredulously ¡°I haven¡¯t asked you to leave, but I didn¡¯t say I¡¯d go with you either. Besides, after I fled from my engagement party. Cal fell seriously ill I still have some things to clear up with him¡± At the mention of Callum, Magnus felt a surge of anger Magnus tipped up Natalia¡¯s delicate chin ¡°Darling, don¡¯t test my patience Especially by calling Callum ¡°Cal¡® in my presence it¡¯s too intimate, I can¡¯t stand it ¡°Magnus, you¡¯re hopelessly domineering Not to mention, Cal has been taking care of me all these years. Even if we¡¯re just friends, what¡¯s wrong with calling him by a pet name?¡± Natalia was a bit imitated Magnus was bing more and more overbearing She regretted not kicking him out earlier However, Magnus was a stubborn man. Once he decided on something, no one could change his mind. He quickly changed the topic ¡°Anyway, it annoys me to hear it. If you insist on calling him that, I won¡¯t mind keeping that Brit locked up in the castle forever¡± Natalia knew he meant what he said, so she stopped arguing about the name. After all, it was just a name, and it wouldn¡¯t change her feelings for Callum ¡°Magnus, you¡¯ve seen Jonas now You can leave I won¡¯t give Jonas back to you ¡°Natalia quickly made her stance clear vowing never to hand Jonas over to Magnus Magnus smirked, ¡°Will I take him away? No, no, no How could I take Jonas away? We¡¯re a family We stick together, through thick and thin. Wherever you are. I¡¯ll be there¡± Natalia just wanted to bite him out of frustration. She wanted to bite a chunk of flesh from him, just to see if he dared to continue being arrogant. Grinning Magnus said. ¡°My dear, are you eyeing that piece of meat? Feel free, I promise not to move a muscle¡± Magnus began to unbutton his shirt, revealing his muscr chest and lean waist Natalia blushed Could Magnus read minds? She quickly stood up to find Jonas, but her slender wrist was caught by a warm hand ¡°Where are you going, darling With a gentle pull, Natalia found herself sitting on hisp. Her mind seemed to explode Sitting on his hot thighs, she could feel his warmth even through the fabric She used to sit on hisp every day, and now she was sitting in his arms again and felt her heart racing ¡°Darling, it¡¯s been five years since you¡¯ve sat on myp. Does it feel asfortable as it used to? Hm? His voice was deep and husky, and his hands held her waist tightly Natalia tried to stand up, feeling her body start to soften. The strong scent of his masculinity and his restrained desire seeped into her nostrils, making her feel suffocated Magnus rested his head on her shoulder, kissing her swan¨Clike neck. The familiar taste and fragrance made him close his eyes infort ¡®Darling, I miss you Let¡¯s move back to our vi. This ce is too small, let¡¯s give it to Lexi ¡± He kissed her neck, moving slowly towards her chin ¡°T Til stay here with Lex You can take Jonas home¡± Natalia¡¯s voice started to tremble. Magnus was too smooth. Magnus lifted his head, and his eyes were filled with desire. ¡°Darling, do you think that¡¯s possible? Jonas won¡¯t want to leave you any more than I would. Be good! Let¡¯s go home Okay?¡± Natalia had to agree, the apartment only had one bed. If Jonas stayed, three people would have to share it. She decided to send both Magnus and Jonas home for now ande backter Natalia sent Lexi a message saying she was taking Jonas to Magnus¡® vi and told her toe back and get some sleep Magnus took Natalia and Jonas back to his vi in Ennd. Natalia had been here before, so she was familiar with the ce For the first time in ages, Natalia cooked dinner for Jonas and Magnus. She wanted to invite Lex, but Lexi said she was out and didn¡¯t want toe In the end, Magnus and his small family had dinner together. Watching Natalia bustling around the kitchen had Magnus feeling a sweetness in his heart Momentster, they all sat down for dinner, a scene he¡¯d only seen in his dreams for years. His wife and child were right beside him. What could be more blissful than that? Magnus stared at Natalia and Jonas, and his heart was filled with joy that wouldn¡¯t fade. After dinner, Natalia cleaned up the dishes, bathed Jonas, and put him to bed. She was about to head back to the apartment to check on Lex, but Magnus pulled her down on the couch ¡°Darling, this is your home. Where else would you go?¡± Tm going to see if Lex¡¯s back Natalia tried to leave but was caught in a warm embrace from behind This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. She was lifted into the air ¡°She¡¯s grown up, she won¡¯t go missing Darling, stay!¡± Natalia looked up at Magnus, and his eyes were burning like fire, as if he wanted to melt her reason. ¡°Stop Magnus, let me go Magnus said nothing carrying her upstairs and into the bedroom ¡°Darling, how much longer do you want me to wait? Do you know what these five years have been like me? He propped himself up on tus elbows and looked deeply into her eyes ¡°Chase tried to set me up with other women, but it didn¡¯t work I thought I was broken, but darling, I¡¯ve finally woken up after seeing you. Because it recogniz His voice was deep and husky, every word reflected his pain 1. ou. Darling. * Natalia looked at his pained expression. Her mind uncontrobly wandered back to the past She knew how strong he was. He hadnt touched another woman in five years My God Natalia berated herself for thinking of such things Magnus watched as Natalia stared at him. A smile immediately curled at the corners of his mouth. He bent down to kiss her striking blue eyes. Her longshes brushed against his lips. Magnus felt a heat surge through him as his lips traveled down to meet hers. The familiar sweet scent overwhelmed his senses. He showered her with tender, fingering kisses uzprise, immediately pushing him away Natalia found herself entirely weak, lost in the kiss When her blouse was suddenly being unfastened, she jerked back ¡°Natalia, please let¡¯s give Jonas a real home together Do you want him to grow up deprived of a mother and father¡¯s love for another five years? His husky voice caused Natalia to slowly lower her hands. At that moment, he felt as though the world had halted in its tracks. It was as if time had momentarily stopped spinning Chapter 248 Chapter 248 The entire world seemed to contain only Magnus and Natalia lying beneath him. After what felt like centuries, she was finally his again. Completely his. Deep down. Natalia still loved him. After countless struggles, she closed her azure eyes and decided to let go for once. To follow her heart. The king¨Csized bed in the bedroom swayed all night long. The moon had already hidden behind the clouds, leaving all time and space to these two who had been separated for too long Out on her own, Lexi wandered until eleven at night before returning home. Upon entering, she casually freshened up and threw herself onto Natalia¡¯s spacious bed, quickly sumbing to sleep After walking around all day, she was exhausted. Since Natalia¡¯s family was out, she enjoyed sleeping alone in thisrge bed Soon, Lexi fell into a deep slumber, but forgot to lock the door behind her The moonlight gradually intensified as a tall shadow approached Natalia¡¯s apartment The shadow swayed, its footsteps unsteady, slowly arriving at the apartment door The sensor light at the door immediately illuminated the shadow¡¯s figure, revealing it to be Callum During the day, Callum followed the doctor¡¯s orders and recuperated as quickly as possible. But his heart was empty, for he had noticed that Natalia seemed distant from him since her return from Magnus¡® home. Even though she was attending to him attentively, the constant gap between them was piercing his heart. After enduring a whole day in the castle Callum, unable to be at ease, made his way to Natalia¡¯s small apartment. He wanted to have a serious talk with his Buttercup, fearing that Magnus might have bewitched her Beforeing Callum had toughened his courage with two sses of whiskey, despite his doctor¡¯s repeated warnings against alcohol, but how could he dare appear before her without a little liquid courage? He couldn¡¯t bear her leaving. For all these years, she was his. How could she be with Magnus? He would go mad! Shaking his slightly dizzy head, Callum raised his hand to knock on the door. Feeling slightly intoxicated, he raised his hand and found that he could easily push the door open Furrowing his brows, Callum simply walked in. A small night light dimly lighted the room. With unsteady steps, Callum made his way to the bed and saw a woman sleeping on it. Her long hair obscured her face, but the moonlight made her skin look as delicate as pearl, smooth and tender Looking at her peaceful sleep, a wave of desire surged in Callum¡¯s heart. For all these years, he had been carefully protecting Natalia, fearing that she would get hurt. Was it because he was too careful that Magnus repeatedly snatched his Buttercup away? She would have been his woman years ago if he had been less cautious. He wanted to im Natalia! He just couldn¡¯t bear to let her go! Some drunkenness, coupled with years of unrequited love, these feelings were like a raging sea, completely controlling Callum in that mom a wicked demon. All he could think of and see was the woman sleeping peacefully on the bed¨CNatalia. He was determined to have her, no matter how difficult it was!Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Even if it meant hell, he had to have her! he was as if possessed by Without a second thought, he pressed himself onto the woman on the bed, kissing her lips. Her lips were sweet, making his blood rush. He was going to make her his woman, to keep her by his side! Deep in sleep, Lexi had no idea someone was on top of her. She wanted to scream, but her lips were covered, and she couldn¡¯t make a sound My god, who was this man? Why had he suddenly appeared in Natalia¡¯s apartment? Was he a murderer? Was he going to rape her and then kill her? Fear gripped Lex¡¯s heart. She had never expected to encounter such a terrifying situation. She was trembling like a leaf in the wind, using all her strength to resist the assault on her However, the significant physical disparity between her and the man meant that all of Lexi¡¯s resistance was in vain. The man was forcefully kissing Lexi, both roughly and carefully One hand firmly held Lexi¡¯s arms, while the other swiftly tore off her nightgown. The cool air made Lexi shiver She tried her best to free herself from her restraints ¡°Let go of me, let go of me! She shouted! But Callum, blinded by lust heard Natalia asking him to let go. He paused momentarily! No! Never! She was his! He was going to make her his woman! Len exerted all her strength, but it was all in vain Tears streamed down her cheeks. What had she done wrong to deserve this? Callum kissed away her tears, saying sorrowfully. ¡°Sorry, Buttercup you can only be mine!¡± He thrust forcefully Unable to bear it any longer, Lexi screamed and fainted Callum, however, was trembling His precious Buttercup, whom he had cherished like a jewel fat so many years, was finally his. With a devoted heart, Callum kissed every inch of her that he had longed for over the past twenty plus years She was his angel, his everything Callum swore that from now on, he would love this woman with his life. Lexi¡¯s innocence made Callum sofortable that he couldn¡¯t stop it wasn¡¯t untilte at night that he felt satisfied and held the girl in his arms, kissing her dark hair After a long while. Callum sumbed to the effects of the alcohol and fell asleep Even in his sleep, he heid Lexi tightly afraid she might sit away Morning When the first ray of dawn hit Calluris eyes, he was still reluctant to wake up However a harsh p soonnded on his check Callum was stunned by the p Opening his eyes, he was shocked to find that the woman he was holding was a stranger The woman in front of him was beautiful, her body was covered in bruises, and her eyes were bloodshot with anger. Who are you? Callum asked, his eyes narrowing in caution Wait a minute, didnt he go to bed with his Buttercup yesterday? When did this woman take her ce Staring at the man who had forced himself on herst night. Lex was so infuriated she could almost taste blood in her mouth Chapter 249 Chapter 249 This brute, not only did he vite her, but he also even had the audacity to ask who she was?! ¡°You monster! You vited me, and you¡¯re so nonchnt about it. I swear, I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Lexi said, frantically searching for something to cover herself with She tried to rise from the bed, but her legs were weak and shaking, unable to support her weight. Her nightgown, torn into shreds by this brute, was no longer of use Out of desperation, Lexi grabbed the bed sheet and wrapped herself in it Her words exploded like thunder in Callum¡¯s mind What did this strange woman just say? Did he vite her? Impossible! Callum rose from the bed but before he could utter a word, Lexi¡¯s piercing scream cut him off, ¡°Pervert! Put some clothes on!¡± It was then Callum realized he was stark naked. He burnedly pulled on his boxers, unable to believe what he was hearing, ¡°You,st night, you were you weren¡¯t Buttercup?¡± ¡°What are you talking about? You are absolutely shameless! I will make sure you pay the price!¡± Lexi was in tears. She never imagined herself in such a situation Callum felt a cold sweat breaking out as he looked at the crying girl in front of him. He could not believe he had lost himself to alcohol and vited a woman. He was a But who was this girl? Why was she in Natalia¡¯s room? Callum took a step towards Lexi, intending to ask her something But Lexi screamed and backed away, ¡°Don¡¯te any closer! I¡¯m calling Natalia!¡± As she reached for her phone, Callum snatched it away. ¡°Shh¡± Callum tried to calm her down, ¡°You¡¯re Buttercup¡¯s friend, right? I¡¯m her friend too. I wont hurt you¡± Lexi was left without any way to call for help, but she refused to give in Despite being as pale as a ghost, she red at Callum ¡°Do you think Natalia would be friends with you? You¡¯re an embarrassment to her Now get out of here!¡± Callum tried to soothe her. Tm sorry I didn¡¯t mean to. I thought you were Buttercup¡­ A spark of realization flickered in Lexi¡¯s eyes as she staredat the tall British guy in front of her ¡°You, you wouldn¡¯t happen to be the Callum that Natalia talks about, would you?¡± Callum was taken aback, he couldn¡¯t believe that Lexi knew of him. ¡°How do you know?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell Natalia aboutst night Callum begged. He couldn¡¯t believe he had slept with Natalia¡¯s friend. How was he going to exin this? Lexi looked at Callum with disgust ¡°And to think Natalia thought you were a gentleman. You¡¯re nothing but scum!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry I apologize I didn¡¯t mean to I canpensate you¡­ Callum pleaded ¡°Compensate? How are you going topensate me? Lexi¡¯s tears flowed freely ¡°I will tell Natalia about this. I will make sure she knows what kind of a hypocrite you are. I will make sure she stays away from you!¡± ¡°No, dont Callum panicked. The only thing he feared was Natalia leaving him. He couldn¡¯t let Natalia know about this. No matter what the cost, he couldn¡¯t let her find out ¡°Now you¡¯re scared? Why weren¡¯t you scaredst night?¡± Lexi scoffed. ¡°You¡¯re a coward. Get out of Natalia¡¯s house if you don¡¯t, I¡¯ll scream) This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Callum looked at Len apologetically Tm sorry, I didn¡¯t mean to ¡°Really Lexi red at Callum ¡°Then go kill yourself!¡± Please don¡¯t tell Natalia. I¡¯ll do anything¡± Seeing Callum nch, Lexis hatred for him intensified ¡°Can¡¯t do it, can you? Then get out of here! Are you going to leave or not? If not, I¡¯m going to scream for help When Lexi started screaming hysterically, Callum rushed over and covered her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t scream, shh!¡± Lex struggled fiercely, using all her strength to bite and w at Callum, but she was no match for him. Despite her best efforts, she not only failed to drive Callum away but also passed out from ack of air Callum had used too much force Combined with the exhaustion from the previous night. Lexi had fainted fromck of oxygen. Feeling the woman in his arms go limp, Callum panicked. He only wanted to stop her from screaming and alerting Natalia, but he had no intention of causing her to pass. out What was he supposed to do now? What if Natalia showed up at any moment? Would she look at him with the same disgust as Lex did when she found out what he had done? No! He couldn¡¯t let Natalia see this Cattums mind was facing No matter what, he couldn¡¯t let Natalia find out. He couldn¡¯t let Natalia leave him He was sorry but he had no other choice. He quickly tidied up the room and then called Rita His body was already weak, and after the events ofst night and the the morning, he was barely able to stand Soon following Calluris instructions. Rita pulled up in hot cat outside Natalia¡¯s apartment. As Callum hoisted a woman over his shoulder. Rita roshed over in a fury Mi Callum, you¡¯re still not feeling well, you can¡¯t be wasting your strength like this. Let me Although Rita was a young woman, she was actually Callums private bodyguard possessing impressive physical prowess art skilia. Seamlessly, Callum handed over Les to Rita casually remanding her ¡°Careful now dont wake her u? ¡°Yes, buss, I definitely won¡¯t wake Ms rkson Ritas words traded off as she realized that the woman she had taken was rkson at al Chapter 250 Chapter 250 There was a moment of confusion reflected in her eyes, but as a maid, she knew better than to question her boss As such, Rita swallowed her doubts, hoisted Lexi up, and headed towards the spacious RV parked outside Callum took another look around Natalia¡¯s apartment, knowing that she would undoubtedlye looking for the girl. He swiftly wrote a note for her [Natalia. I¡¯ve gone back home Take care!] He thed to create the illusion of Lex returning home. He then meticulously inspected the apartment until he was sure there was no trace left before hefortably drove back to the mansion. Following Callums instructions. Rita drove Lest back to the mansion and locked her in a specially designed room. Afterpleting all these tasks, she retreated Caltum¡¯s secrets were best left undiscovered, safer that way When Lexi woke up, she realized she was no longer in Natalia¡¯s cozy little apartment. Everything around her wasvish, a stark contrast to the simplicity and warmth of Natalia¡¯s ce Where was she? Lexi pushed through the pain in her body, towards the door Despite her efforts to twist the doorknob, it wouldn¡¯t budge. Obviously, she was locked in Lexi qackly regained herposure. It seemed that Callum had imprisoned her to cover up his despicable actions But how could be conceal such an act indefinitely? Did he n to keep her captive forever? Lexi¡¯s heart sank. This was her first time in Ennd, she knew no one here if she disappeared, would anyone notice? She couldn¡¯t even get in touch with Natalia. Lexi gave a bleakugh. She had once wished for someone to imprison her in a mansion, and her absurd desire hade true on this trip to Ennd. This was indeed self inflicted misery! If Callum had erased all evidence in the room, did that mean even if she disappeared, no one would suspect him? Where was her phone? Ignoring the pain in her body. Lexi frantically searched the room, but after turning the room upside down, she found no trace of her phone, not even a She leaned against the wall, her head bowed in defeat. Of course, if Callum intended to imprison her, he wouldn¡¯t provide her with a means to call for help. How could such a vile man do such a thing? Not only had he vited her, but now he intended to imprison her in a ce unknown to others Lexiughed bitterly Was this her trip to Ennd? it was absurd andughable! Over the years, she had had boyfriends but had always been reserved. It was unimaginable that she would lose her innocence to a scumin a foreignnd! Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Callum, you hypocrite! Coward! Lexi exhausted all her energy, cursing Callum until she copsed on the floor. She felt so helpless, the damage was more than just physical. The beastly Callum had shattered her understanding of the world¡¯s evil. The door creaked open. Lexi sprang up from the floor to see a woman dressed as a maid. It was Rita, following Callum¡¯s orders, who was there to bring Lexi some food ¡°Who are you? Let me out Lexi said warily as Rita entered with a tray of food Rita smiled kindly, her English slightly broken. ¡°Miss, my name is Rita. I¡¯m here to take care of you. If you need anything, just let me know. I¡¯ve made you some food. You must be hungry Faced with Rita¡¯s benevolence, Lex felt nothing but anger She yelled at Rita. ¡°Get out! I¡¯m not hungry! I¡¯m telling you, Callum locking me up is illegal! it¡¯s a wtion of my freedom! You better let me go, or you¡¯ll be an aplice!¡± Rita saw Lexi¡¯s emotional agitation and ced the food on the table, trying to pacify her, ¡°You mustn¡¯t get so worked up. My master is a good man. You must be misunderstanding him ¡± ¡°Misunderstanding? Lexi screamed ¡°How could I possibly misunderstand him?! A good man? He is a rapist! He assaulted me, and now he¡¯s imprisoning me just to cover up his crimel Rita was taken aback not believing Lexi¡¯s words. I think you must be mistaken Mr. Callum is one of the most respected dukes in all of Ennd. There are countless noblewomen who have thrown themselves at him, but he has never shown any interest. He only likes Rita was about to say that Callum only had eyes for Natalia, but she felt it was inappropriate to discuss her master a personal affairs, ao the said instead, ¡°Anyway, he would nevermit such a crime. He has no shortage of women! Hearing Ritas words. Lex felt as if she was about to explode Wouldn¡¯t Callum do such a thing? So was all the me was on her? Callum, had no shortage of women throwing themselves at herr, and it was her. forced him to assault her. What kind of sick logic was that?! ¡°Do you think I¡¯m lying? Lex, in a fit of anger, tore open her shirt pointing to the bruises on her corbone. Look at these these, they were left by thai Hita rusted her forehead in difort. She was just a maid it wasn¡¯t her ce toment on her master¡¯s personal life Despite this it was clear that her master had loved My rk son for many years, and while this gil was pretty in her owil night, she was tu match must have been some misunderstanding ckson. There Regardless, this had nothing to do with bet, a mere maid Rita sighed softly. To surry for what you¡¯ve been through, but inere¡¯s nothing i can do for you. (hope you can taker care of yourself. The food is on the table. Please try to eat something if you need anything just ring the bell and cali feu ma With that Rita pointed t small bell by the door and left closing the dour behind her As soon as Rita stepped out. Lex in her fit of rage, tossed at the food hom the table onto the floor. She refused to eat their meals. She¡¯d rather starvet Fora had barely taken a few steps when she heard the sound of disfies crashing from within the house with a resigned shake of her head, she turned back This youngdy seensed even more fierce than Ms rkson Chapter 251 Chapter 251 1227 After tidying up the mess of scattered food in the room, Rita stepped out with a sigh, leaving Lexi with a piece of advice before she left. ¡°Miss, there¡¯s a saying in America, knowing yourself is the beginning of wisdom! Your body is your own. If you ruin it, no one else can bear the consequences for you¡± ¡°Get out! Just get out! Lex felt like she was on the verge of madness, shouting at Rita, wishing she could vent all the anger boiling inside her. Rita knew that Lex would struggle to ept her current situation. Not wanting to add fuel to the fire, she quietly left the room Once again, Lex was left alone in the room She leaned against the wall, feeling dirty and spent. Her body was marked with the kisses of that shameless man, leaving a sticky, nauseating sensation Lexi felt like she could vomit Taking a deep breath she got to her feet and walked towards the corner of the room There was a bathroom there. She wanted to clean herself in her current state, she felt utterly filthy! For the entire day Lex had been held captive in Callum¡¯s mansion, feeling lonely and helpless, with no one to turn to for help. Meanwhile, Natalia had stayed the night at Magnus vi After breakfast, she returned to the apartment with Jonas, worried that Lexi might be upset that she had left her alone Magnus, the clingy guy came back with them. After their night together, Magnus was in high spirits, humming a tune all the way back. The lyrics were super cheesy Despite his pleasant voice, the lyrics were enough to give Natalia goosebumps. No matter how many times Natalia rolled her eyes at him, Magnus remained in a good mood, as if he was on cloud nine Soon, they arrived back at the apartment. Pushing the door open, Natalia called out, ¡°Lexi? Lexi?¡± But there was no response from Lexi Magnus, holding Jonas¡® hand, walked in behind her ¡°No one¡¯s here. Maybe she didn¡¯te backst night. After all, there are so many handsome guys in Ennd Maybe she had a romantic encounter? While speaking Magnus let out a teasing chuckle. Natalia gave Magnus a hard pinch, scowling. ¡®Don¡¯t talk nonsense Do you think everyone is like you, with nothing but romance on their minds?¡± Magnus spread his hands, looking innocent. ¡°Honey, you¡¯re really misunderstanding me. When did I ever think of a romantic encounter? Even if I did, it would have to be with you!¡± Natalia blushed at his words, pouting ¡°Jonas is here!¡± Hearing Natalia¡¯s cute scolding. Magnus grinned cheekily. ¡°I only say these things to my wife. Even if others wante Natalia couldn¡¯t help but shake her head, admitting defeat to this arrogant man Ito hear them, I wouldn¡¯t bother.¡± After searching the room and finding no sign of Lexi, she noticed a note on the table. The note read Natalia, I¡¯ve gone back h ¡°See. I told you something was happening. She left without saying goodbye. I bet she¡¯s fallen in love¡± Magnus teased. Natalia shook her head ¡°No, this isn¡¯t Lexi¡¯s handwriting Her writing is elegant and neat. She would never write this messily¡± Saying this she took out her phone and dialed Lexi¡¯s number After two rings, a voicemail message came on. Natalia furrowed her brows, ¡°Why is her phone off?¡± home. Take care!] Magnus responded ¡°Honey, think about it. To get from Ennd to Melfort, she would have to fly. You can¡¯t use your phone on a ne. Have you forgotten this basicmon sense? He winked at Natalia teasingly Natalia¡¯s face turned red. This guy, why did he have to flirt while speaking? Ainght, alright She¡¯s an adult. She won¡¯t get lost. Just rx, Magnus gently reassured Natalia. He told her not to worry about unnecessary things and to focus more on herself Natalia also believed that Lee must have had an emergency to leave so abruptly, so she didn¡¯t say anything more. She decided to call her again in the evening. ¡°Alright, maybe she really had something to do. I¡¯ll contact her tonight, saying this, Natalia put her phone on the desk, then crouched down to ask Jonas, ¡°Jonas, are you thursty? If you are, I can make you some juice Jonas nodded his head. Even though he wasn¡¯t really thirsty, he would never turn down juice made by his mom! ¡°Okay, wait a bit I will be right back After saying this, Natalia headed towards the kitchen to prepare some juice for Jonas, Magnus instantly felt left out. He grumbled from behind, ¡°Honey, how can you y favorites like this? What about me? I¡¯m thirsty too! ¡°What did you do that made you so thirsty Natalia gave Magnus a look. He was acting like a child, arguing over a drink! ¡°Hehe Magnus grinned cheekily ¡°What do you think? Of course, I was busy taking care of you Natalia blushed This guy even in front of Jonas, he didn¡¯t know how to act properly. He really needed to be taught a lesson She red at Magnus, then hurriedly walked away afraid that if she stayed any longer, he would tease her again After a bit of hustle and bustle. Natalia came out with freshly squeezed mango pace She ced arge cup of mango juice on the table and politely asked, ¡°Would you like Some ice? Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Yes¡± ¡°Me too¡°¡± Both father and son answered at the same time. Their eyes were glued to the freshly squeezed mango juce as if they bad never had it beform. Natalia shook her head helplessly. No matter what she made these two would always fight over it like children. After pouring them each a cup of mango juice and adding a bit of ice, Natalia was about to do the same for herself when Magnus stopped her Honey I suggest you not have ice right now ¡°Why not?¡± Natalia was taken aback. It was hot outside, and having some for would be so refreshing Magnus gave her a wink Last night, we what if you know Natalia couldn¡¯t help but rub her temples Enough was enough. Why was it that whenever she was with Magnus, he always steered the conversation in that direction! However, recalling the suggestive undertones ofst night at seemed they really didnt take any precautions If there was a chance. Oh Lord she was getting sidetracked again by Maga Chapter Natalia was both embarrassed and frustrated, silently chiding herself for herck of self control, and always getting led astray by Magnus Chapter 252 Chapter 252 She stood up from the sofa, moving to a position further away from Magnus, fearing she might be swayed by his charm again. As Natalia quietly took her juice to a more distant location, Magnus unleashed his superpower of being irresistibly charming and moved closer to her with a cunning smile on his face ¡°Honey, shall we get going?¡± ¡°Go where?¡± Natalia was puzzled. Didn¡¯t they just return to his ce yesterday? The sofa was barely warm again. Why were they leaving so soon? Natalia set down her drink, and Magnus looked at her with affection ¡°My love, can we return to Melfort? After all, this isn¡¯t our home. Plus, you can asionally visit your mother¡¯s grave back there¡± Magnus words struck a chord in Natalia¡¯s heart. Yes, home in whem the heart is, and this ce would never be home for her ¡°But, Cal¡¯s health hasn¡¯t improved yet, I¡¯m worned if I leave abruptly. Natalia¡¯s words were cut off by Magnus slender finger ¡®Shh Stop calling him that name, it makes me jealous Darling. I know your feelings for him are just like a sibling¡¯s love, but can you guarantee that Callum doesn¡¯t have other intentions? It¡¯s better to reject him dimctly than let him live in an illusion. It won¡¯t hurt him to start a new life.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m afraid he can¡¯t handle it, Magnus. You know how well he has treated me all these years. He¡¯s been my only support How can I be so cruel to him? Natalia lowered. her head feeling upset Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. She was well aware of Callum¡¯s devotion, but to directly reject him was something she couldn¡¯t do. She was terrified of seeing the disappointment in Callum¡¯s eyes ¡°Darling I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t there for you all these years. Trust me, I¡¯ll love you more than Callum ever could and I¡¯ll be your only support! Also, being a man myself, no one understands men better than I do. The more you don¡¯t reject him, the more he thinks there¡¯s a chance. It will only make him more obsessed with you Let him go, let him start his life anew And you, are destined to be mine for life!¡± Magnus gazed deeply into Natalia¡¯s eyes. His warm hand gently caressed her cheek. His deep¨Cset eyes reflected only love and affection Magnus words was like a punch to Natalia¡¯s gut. Yes, she was always worried that Cal couldn¡¯t handle it. She gave him hope only to disappoint him again! Was she really doing the right thing by dragging this out? Watching Natalia lower her head, Magnus couldn¡¯t bring himself to utter a single word of guilt. He gently embraced Natalia. ¡°Honey, go rify things with him. Let him let goi of his hopes and start a new life sooner Shall we leave tomorrow?¡± Natalia¡¯s mind was full of thoughts about how to rify things with Callum, she didn¡¯t notice that she was already in Magnus arms. By the time she realized Magnus had sneakily pulled her onto hisp, giving her a passionate kiss. Feeling the heat from Magnus thigh and his undeniable hardness, Natalia¡¯s face turned beet red. She pushed away and squeaked, ¡°You put me down!¡± Jonas was still there! As she spoke, she looked towards Jonas, only to find him covering his eyes with his small hands, peeking through the gaps and grinning. I didn¡¯t see anything!¡± He then darted into the room and closed the door. Natalia¡¯s face turned even more crimson. She immediately pushed Magnus away ¡°Honey you know, every time I¡¯m close to you, I can¡¯t control myself Magnus didn¡¯t seem embarrassed at all. His voice was husky and sexy. I¡¯m thinking about doing it again What should I do? His masculine scent filled Natalia¡¯s nostrils Natalia was speechless. Was this really the cold and calcting Magnus she knew? Oh, she remembered he was indeed this cheeky, always making her blush with his smooth talk ¡°Magnus, I need to see Cal to see if he¡¯s feeling better and to rify things. Then I¡¯ll go with you Natalia hesitated for a moment before agreeing to return with Magnus. Because Jonas would go back to school there, and she didn¡¯t want to leave Jonas. Magnus was overjoyed ¡°Good, but before we return to Melfort, let¡¯s go to France. I don¡¯t want you to face a bunch of old acquaintances as soon as you retum. You need to spend some time with me first, to make up for all the years of longing¡® Hearing Magnus childlike words, Natalia managed a helpless smile She never had any solution for Magnus persistent charm. Natalia and Magnus were having a lovey¨Cdovey conversation at their apartment, oblivious to the fact that Lex was being held captive by Callum in the mansion. At that moment. Lex had been taking a long bath in her confined room, hopelessly soaking in the water, and trying to wash herself clean The cold water had wrinkled the skin on her hands, but she refused to get out She felt utterly tainted Not just her body but her soul too And she was powerless to resist, helplessly imprisoned in this ce that seemed morous but was a living hell. Other than silent sobbing Lexi didn¡¯t know what else she could do Suddenly, she heard footsteps outside the door. Lexi quickly got out of the bath, hastily wrapped herself in a bathrobe, and quietly stood by the door The door creaked open slightly, and a man¡¯s fout stepped in Len knew that it must have been the jerk who had hurt her Without a second thought, she grabbed a brass flower vase by her side and smashed it towards. Caitum, who had just entered the room Callum had initially wanted to check on Lexi as he heard she hadn¡¯t eaten all day and had been throwing things around. He stepped inside without a moment¡¯s hesitation, only to be greeted by a flower vase hurled in his direction by Lear With his hands outstretched he caught the flowerpot in mid air lifting has hazel eyes to meet the gaze of the pelite girl standing belone hum ¡°Why aferit you eatin He slowly approached het cing his hands on her trait shoulders Lexi swung her hand in an attempt to p him Callum, you better let me go. Do you think Natalia will spare you when she finds out you have locked Callum caught Leas oing p and pulled her towards hum pressing her against his chest Then i guess fil just keep you here for the west of your life so you won¡¯t get a chance to tell her that 1227 Chapter 253 Chapter 253 Lex gazed at the man shrouded in shadows, and her hand slowly fell to her side as panic filled her heart. The day had passed without a morsel of food, and her spints were at an all¨Ctime low Her vision blurred, and she once again fainted. Callum managed to catch Lexi in his arms, effortlessly picking her up and carrying her out of the room. He carried her into his bedroom and gently ced her on the bed. He silently stared at her pale face, and a twinge of pain crossed his heart How had he managed to intimidate a young woman to the point of her fainting twice? He called for a doctor to administer Lex with an IV drip to nourish her frail body. A servant entered the room ¡®Sir, Ms. rkson has returned?¡± Callum¡¯s hands paused, and he quickly stood up leaving the bedroom, and locking the door behind him. In the mansion¡¯s living room, Natalia stood tall in a purple gow, her slender figure silhouetted against the grand windows. Callum slowly approached her stopping only a foot away Natalia.¡± Natalia turned to face him, seeing his wellposed demeanor and vibrant energy However, his gaze seemed to avoid hers With guilt overwhelming her she said, ¡°Callum, I¡¯m sorry I came today to tell you that I¡¯m going back to France with Magnus for a while. For the past five years, Jonas has been without a mother. I don¡¯t want to lose him again.¡± Seeing Callum¡¯s face harden at her words, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to continue. After a long moment of silence, she finally looked up at him ¡°Callum, I¡¯m not a good woman I can never repay your kindness Please ept my deepest gratitude She bowed deeply, only to be pulled back up by Callum. His eyes were bloodshot, and he said, ¡°Buttercup, I knew this day woulde. I just didn¡¯t expect it toe so soon At his words, tears streamed down Natalia¡¯s face. ¡°Callum, I¡¯m sorry¡­ He reached out to wipe away her tears. His smile was strained ¡°Stop crying, Natalia Go on, find your happiness. I wish you well Despite his reassurances, Natalia couldn¡¯t stop her tears. Callum, unable to wipe them all away, shook his head, ¡°Come on, you are a big girl now¡± He gently pulled her into a hug, closing his eyes. ¡°Natalia, my girl, find your happiness. I¡¯ll always be here for you.¡± After crying her heart out, Natalia lifted her head. ¡°Callum, I need to go. Take care of yourself and forget about me The truth is I cant forget you. Buttercup. You go and spend some quality time with Jonas When you¡¯re ready, you cane back. This is your home.¡± Just as Natalia was about to reply the living room doors swung open, and Jonas walked in ¡°Mommy, we need to get to the airport!¡± Callums eyes bulged at the sight of the young boy. He¡¯s a spitting image of Natalia ¡°Natalia, this is your son, night? He¡¯s so handsome, Callumplimented, his heart filling with jealousy He turned to look at Jonas, wishing he could make them stay. But all his hopes were dashed by that bastard, Magnus. Callum couldn¡¯t ept it! Natalia hand in hand with Jonas, looked back at Callum. ¡®Callum, I need to go¡± Tll drive you to the airport Callum insisted, and Natalia reluctantly agreed Magnus, in the car had a sour look on his face. Could Callum stop being a third wheel here? Once at the airport. Natalia helped Callum settle into a chair in the waiting area and gged a waiter ¡°Could I get a cup of coffee? No sugar or milk, please Callum, watching her with a warm smile, said, ¡°Natalia, you still remember my coffee preference That¡¯s so sweet of you¡± Compared to what he had done for her, getting a cup of coffee was nothing, Natalia thought. Just as she was about to reply, the waiter brought over their coffee ¡°Thank you Callum said, handing the waiter a tip. ¡°Mister, why did you give the waiter a tip?¡± Jonas asked. Callum looked at the little boy in surprise That bastard Magnus had such an adorable son with Natalia. It was infuriating! But despite his jealousy, Callum didn¡¯t forget to answer Jonas¡® question ¡°Well, he provided us with a good service. Jonas It¡¯s only right to give him a tip: Callum replied with a kind smile ¡°But my daddy doesn¡¯t give tips, Jonas countered, his curiosity piqued Magnus. feeling a bit ufortable ruffled Jonas hair ¡°Stop asking so many questions Jonas Drink your coffee.¡± Jonas stuck out his tongue, annoyed. His daddy was always hogging his mommy¡¯s attention! Natalia rubbed the spot on Jonas head where Magnus had hit then spoke to Callum, ¡°Cal, this is Jonas, my son. The one I thought I had lost, but miraculously subvved Callum nodded. Hes adorable¡± Natalia turned to Jonas Jonas this is Uncle Callum Jonas dutifully greeted Callum, ¡®Hello Uncle Callum I¡¯m Jonas I¡¯m five years old I¡¯m single, and | have an IQ of 180. Til be 180 centimeters tall in ten years.¡± Callumughed heartily ruffing Jonas hair Nice to meet you, Jonas I¡¯m Callum, thirty years old, and also single Yeah, Callum had a soft spot for the kid even though he was a product of Magnus, but he was also the son of his Buttercup. Only such a perfect woman like Natalia, could give birth to such an adorable and lovely boy if only the boy wat just Jonas had no idea that Callum would mimic his speech. His eyes crinkled in mirth. ¡°You¡¯re getting up them in years and still single. Better get a move on! ¡°Right, Ill strive to marry a beauty soon¡® Callum replied grinning yet his gaze was faed on Natalia who sat usa from hiri Magnus felt a twinge of difort at Callus tant stare Clearing his throat he outright spoke to Natalia ¡°Abem, Natalia, I think you should bid Mr. Callum gode now because our flight is taking off soon Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Natalia hesitated for a moment, but finally said. ¡°Cat Fm going to France with Jonas for a few months¡± Chapter 254 Chapter 254 1228 She refrained from even mentioning Magnus, as her decision to go to France wasn¡¯t about him, but about the need to be there for their son Callum, though, took this as a huge irony. He didn¡¯t anticipate that his girl, his darling, would eventually fall for Magnus¡® relentless pursuit and decide to go back to him. She was even too afraid to tell Callum the real reason for her departure. ¡®Darling, are you sure? You want to go back with this jerk? After all he¡¯s done to you, can¡¯t you see him for what he is? Callum was struggling to keep his temper in check if they weren¡¯t in public, he would have already punched Magnus right in the nose He hated Magnus for taking his girl away from him Magnus scoffed. ¡°What! Are you trying to break up a married couple? Is this the so called British gentleman¡¯s nobleness? Well, I¡¯ve seen it all now¡± Jonas, their son, also chimed in Uncle Callum 1 like you a bit but whenpared to my dad Ill always side with him! Plus, I love my mom and want her to live with me He turned to his mom, Natalia, with worried eyes ¡°Mommy am I right? You said you¡¯d always live with me¡± Looking at the tears welling up in little Jonas¡® eyes, Natalia felt a pang in her heart. She knew that although Jonas seemed independent and well behaved, he was still a child who longed to be with his mom. To ease Jonas fears, Natalia pulled him onto herp and wiped the cake crumbs from his mouth with a napkin. ¡°Yes, I promised you this, didet? Dont worry, sweetie Jonas finally smiled. ¡°Mommy, a promise is a promise, right?¡± Nataba was surprised that Jonas knew about promises, but she figured Magnus must have taught him well ¡°Of course, sweetie. Mommy always keeps her promises the reassured him with a smile, then turned to Callum ¡°Cal, you see, my son really needs me. These past five years. I¡¯ve missed out on so much of his life I don¡¯t want to miss any more moments of him as he grows up The sincerity in Natalia¡¯s voice was palpable. Women might¡¯ve been seen as fragile, but the moment they became mothers, they transformed into unbending pirs of strength No matter how vulnerable they seemed to be, they yearned to be their child¡¯s strongest support. Callum could see the sincerity in Natalia¡¯s words, but he wasn¡¯t ready to give up just yet. ¡®Darling we are living in modern times. If you don¡¯t want to separate from him, I cam bring you both to live with me. Besides¡­¡± ¡°Mr. Callum, if my presence here can¡¯t earn your respect, then perhaps we should settle this privately Magnus interrupted coldly That damn British guy! He actually had the audacity to try and steal his wife right in front of him. And that¡¯s not all, he shamelessly wants to take his son as well! Enough is enough! Taking his manners as ipetence. Callum was pushing his limit. The anger in Magnus¡¯s heart grew stronger and stronger. He loosened his shirt cor, wishing he could just beat Callum right then and there Callum was never a coward Since he dared to instigate Natalia to leave Magnus in front of him, he naturally wasn¡¯t afraid of Magnus¡¯s provocation. He intentionally said this as he wanted to set Natalia free, but he also couldn¡¯t stand this guy¡¯s arrogance. Callum, never one to back down stood up and flexed his wrists. ¡°Why not now? Let¡¯s settle this once and for all, shall we?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go The two proud men were ready to duel, leaving Natalia stunned ¡°Have you both lost your minds? Fighting? Are you three years old? Do you have any dignity left?¡± Natalia shouted at their retreating backs, effectively halting their steps Magnus was the first to reply ¡°Honey don¡¯t worry about this if I don¡¯t show this Brit my strength, he¡¯ll think I¡¯m a pushover. I¡¯ll make sure he regrets messing with us. Stop Natalia shook her head, frustrated ¡°How old are you? Your son is almost in elementary school, and here you are, ready to fight like a child. Have you no flight is about to take off! If you keep this up, we may as well not leave today¡± When Magnus heard that their flight was about to take off, he quickly apologized and tried to diffuse the situation with a smile. ¡°Honey, I was wrong Let¡¯s hot argue with tum anymore Can we leave now?¡± Natalia finally nodded in approval, then turned to Callum Cal Magnus has always been a bit rude If he said anything inappropriate, please dont take it to feart,N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Callum remained silent Natalia¡¯s subconscious actions had revealed her true feelings. Perhaps she didn¡¯t realize it, but in her heart, she was closer to Marius She stold him freely, whereas she always referted to Callum with respect and politeness creating a distance between them. forced a smile prefering Natalia scold him rather than being overly polite He sighed inwardly hiding ha disappointment Buttercup, you sure you can¡¯t stay Natalia hated seeing Callum like this, it made her feel guilty However, her long¨Clost son remained the primary concern in her heart, and she simply from him for avan a moment Tm so sorry Gal Natatia apologized with difficulty Her eyes were glistening with unshed tears. Tknow everything you we vacsificed and done for the cvet. The peaca, ful truly Im sorry. Magnus couldn¡¯t stand to see it anymore. This was his wife, for goodness sake! How could she be shedding tears for another man? tie had alwady Track concession possible by allowing her to say dbye to Catum Chapter 255 Chapter 255 Instantly, Magnus face darkened, pulling Natalia close to him. ¡°Honey, if you dally any longer, we¡¯re going to miss our flight. And didn¡¯t you mention you wanted to call Lexi? Did you do it? While waiting for their coffee at Starbucks earlier, Natalia had mentioned she needed to call Lexi to inform her about their prolonged stay in France. However, because of Callum, she had put it off Reminded by Magnus, Natalia¡¯s mncholic expression shifted ¡°Oh, right, I need to call Lexi. She left without a word, not even a text, which was quite heartless¡± With that, she started dialing Lexi¡¯s number, but all she got from the other end was the busy signal Natalia frowned in confusion ¡°What¡¯s up with her? Why isn¡¯t she picking up?¡± Natalia was so engrossed in her attempt to reach Lexi, that she failed to notice the unease on Callum¡¯s face as he stood across her. Callum was determined to keep Natalia from leaving, but the mention of Lexi¡¯s name brought back the image of the girl trapped in his mansion. He knew he had lost any grounds to keep Natalia here With a deep sigh. Callum acknowledged his inability to challenge Magnus for Natalia. At least, not until he had sorted out Lexi¡¯s situation, he didn¡¯t deserve to stand beside his Buttercup Of course, Natalia was oblivious to Callum¡¯s internal conflict. She pocketed her phone and nced apologetically at Callum ¡°Cal, our flight is soon. so. Callum averted his gaze Buttercup, I know I shouldn¡¯t keep you here in the UK. But, if you go there, could you not ept Magnus too quickly? Il sort things out here ande find you soon Natalia gave Callum a puzzled look, not knowing when the usually nonchnt Cal had be so bashful, that eyes were even dodging hers Could it be that her leaving had hit him too hard? Natalia looked guiltily at Callum, trying to reassure him. ¡°Cal, don¡¯t overthink it. I¡¯m only going to take care of Jonas ¡°Ainght, let¡¯s get going. We¡¯re runningte for boarding¡± Magnus, unable to bear the sight any longer, interjected. A moment more, and his heart would burst out of frustration. Magnus briskly led Natalia away from Starbucks, and did not even get the chance to say a proper goodbye to Callum Watching Natalia leave, a sour taste filled Callum¡¯s mouth. He wished he could p himself Drinking had indeed muddled his senses! If he hadn¡¯t gotten drunk and acted recklessly, he wouldn¡¯t have to watch his Buttercup being fed away by another man today! Feeling utterly despondent, Callum drove back to his mansion in a huff, plunging straight into his wine cer. He wanted to drown his sorrows, hoping to drink until he lost all sense of time. That way, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about Magnus taking advantage of his Buttercup In anotherer of the mansion, Lexiy in bed, too drained to even cry. She had been fasting for a day, and despite her stomach growling in hunger, she chose to fight against the brute in this way! Even if he had imprisoned her, she wouldn¡¯t bow down to him! He was the one who had done wrong so why should she bear the consequences for him? Tears welled up in Lexi¡¯s eyes She missed her family and her parents. If she had known that going abroad would lead to such events, she would have never set foot outside her home After a bout of crying Lexi fell into a fitful sleep. She didn¡¯t know how long she had slept before the door to her room was forcefully swung open, the noise startling her awake Lex propped herself up, noticing Callum, the brute who had vited her, walking in Callum entered with a bottle of vodka in his hand, swaying unsteadily Seeing Callum¡¯s drunk state, Lexi¡¯s heart raced. She was weak, if he decided to do something she wouldn¡¯t be able to escape Not if she were vited again, she¡¯d rather die Thinking this. Lexi asked fearfully. ¡°What what do you want to do?¡± Callum snickered staggering towards Lexi, who shrieked, ¡°Don¡¯te any closer, or fil scream¡± She had no intention of reliving the nightmare again. She was ready to die rather than let him vite her again. Even if it cost her life, she¡¯d make him pay a hefty ancel However, Lexi had misunderstood. Although Callum was indeed drunk, he had no intention of viting her Callum bent down as the strong smell of alcohol was hitting Lexis face. He squinted chuckling bitterly. ¡°You think I want to take advantage of you again? i did that, what would the difference between me and a beast be? Now I know you¡¯re a close friend of Buttercup¡± Lex¡¯s heart pounded not trusting the words of a drunkard. One moment they were making promises, but you wouldn¡¯t know what they¡¯d do the next Seeing the warness in Lea¡¯s eyes, the drunk Callum realized the extent of the damage he had done to the girl Tm sorry I apologize. He murmured an apology, then sat on the floor learing against the bed with his bottle of vodka His action startled Lexi who watched Callum wanity When she noticed he had no intentions of getting up the breathed a sigh of relief Seemed like the brute was really drunk She wished he would pass out, then no one would imprison her N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°You know? Buttercup left¡± Callum suddenly blurted out startling Len Her heart, which had just rxed started racing again. Who left? Lex furrowed her brows, not understanding Caltums drunken ramblings ¡°She¡¯s gone Just up and left with Magnus Callum took a swig of his vodka mumbling in a defeated tone, ¡°My Buttercup just left me like that, and i didirt oven have the guts to try and stop her¡± As she listened to Callurn¡¯s low voice. Les finallyprehended the situation Was Natalia gone? Had she gone with Magnus? It seemed like the young couple. Magnus, and Natalia, had reconciled Chapter 256 Chapter 256 v Lexi silently rejoiced for Natalia because she knew that Natalia was still hung up on Magnus ¡°You know when we were both still just little kids. Nat promised she¡¯d marry me. I waited for her for over two decades, only to stand helplessly by as she left with Magnus. ¡°Magnus, that bastard, hurt her so badly once and all I could do was watch I couldnt even give him a piece of my mind ¡°Oh, how I wish I hadn¡¯t gotten drunk that night Then, I couldve stopped Nat from leaving with confidence ¡°But now what is this? What¡¯s the point of all this? I messed up how can I face Buttercup now? She just left with that jerk. I know what Magnus is like Hell definitely take advantage of her ¡°Oh, I regret it so much if I could turn back time, I wish I hadn¡¯t gotten drunk that night Nat please forgive me. I didn¡¯t do it on purpose love you, don¡¯t leave Callum mumbled to himself before slumping onto the bed, sound asleep Lexi sat quietly at the foot of the bed, listening to Calum¡¯s worth feeling a pang of sympathy Another hopeless romantic, yet, he was to me for his own misery if he hacht been so brutal, maybe he could¡¯vepeted with Magnus. Natalia left, and he drowned his sorrows in alcohol. But what about her? She was still trapped in this cager Les looked at the slightly ajar door, and a surge of determination rose in her heart. She needed to get out, to escape this cage Her heart pounded with the desire for freedom as she climbed out of bed, feeling a surge of strength. She gingerly kicked Callum¡¯s body, and when he didn¡¯t mact, she knew he was finally asleep Time was of the essence. She had to seize this rare opportunity Lew held her breath stealthely got out of the bed, quickly moved to the door, and gently pulled it Sum enough, it wasn¡¯t locked. Her heart filled with joy as she pushed the door open and stepped out Outside the room she was dumbfounded. Thedor wasvish and opulent, with countless rooms under the ornate chandeliers. When was the eat? Moreover, all the doors looked the same, so how was she supposed to leave? She couldn¡¯t stay here, or she might never get out. Lexi steeled herself and cautiously moved forward Theidor was long and filled with exquisite oil paintings Lexi, being somewhat of an art enthusiast, knew that these paintings were at least three to four centuries old and worth a fortune if it were any other day she would have definitely taken pictures of these precious paintings. But now, all she could think about was escaping. She needed to move faster to leave this nightmare before anyone noticed her But, after passing more than a dozen moms, she still couldn¡¯t find the ext. Even looking back, she couldn¡¯t remember which mom she hade out of Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching from not too far away Lead instinctively pressed herself against the wall and moved forward. She couldn¡¯t be found, or she¡¯d be locked up again The footsteps got closer and Lexi realized that if she had moved faster earlier, the exit would have been just a bit further But now, where could she hide? Suddenly, the felt the door behind her move. It was unlocked. Lexi barely suppressed her tion and quietly slipped into the room. As she did the footsteps reached the door and she could hear two people conversing in English From what Lex could make out, it seemed like a maid was saying something about the master being drunk. So, it was probably one of the mansion¡¯s maids That was close! Luckily, she had managed to hide in this room it time, or she would surely have been caught again. Lex let out a sigh of relief, unconsciously sticking out her tongue in a cheeky gesture before daring to take a look around the room. This is property ? N?velDrama.Org. Then, she was taken aback by what she saw The room was a luxurious, dreamlike princess mom, everything was pink. The cozy and dreamy pink was every girl¡¯s favorite color because it was the color of a princess The rooms windows were covered in pinkce curtains with fresh floral prints. On the wide princess bed a pink nket was neatly folded, and it was piled with various cute plush toys No, not just on the bed the windowsill, the corners of the room, and even behind the door, were upied by various toys This ce was like a princess¡® bedroom. Lex couldn¡¯t help but be amazed, she hadnt expected Callum to have such a fascinating hobby Every girl had a princess dream, but if a burly man like Callum also had such a dream, it seemed a bit strange. Not only was there no sense of beauty, but it gave people a When Lex saw the pink princess outfits hanging in the wardrobe by the window, she felt a chill down her spine. Alright, a big man with a cross¨Cdressing fetish? She couldn¡¯t help but admire hund Le didn¡¯t want to stay in this room for another second, although she admitted that the room filled with dreamy elements was indeed beautiful. When she imagined Callumarge figure living in it, she lost all interest She cautiously pushed the door open again, quickly scanned both sides of the hallway, saw no one, and hurried out of the room Not fur from the corner was the eat! Lex rushed towards the corner but just as she was about to dash around it, she heard a voice behind her ¡°Where are you going?¡± Lex turned around in panic, only to find a maid pointing at her and shouting. At this moment, every second counted, she didn¡¯t even check what was in front of her, she just ran towards Uaar Behind her there were chaotic footsteps. The people causing these sounds were the servants of the mansion, and their aim was to mecapture Lexi Lexi knew this Letter than anyone. So, even though she hadeit eaten all day she kept running forward. Freedom we just ahead. She had to keep going However, things didnt go na smoothly as Lex had hoped. She could no longer keep running after running past more than a duzen xi¨®ns. She found out, NO there was no war aleat only a realistic painting of a courtyard smoking at the vivid flowers and nts in the painting Lexi atmost burst into tears. Enough was enought Who on earth had brought in such arge piece of arta 14.05 The sound of her Like hung har he sobered up (? in Tackung. Since she¡¯s been in the princess roo At Calummymand. PL fed to move Lai 5 1 tanai Chapter 257 Chapter 257 zuk like Eyes noted escape. Callum raised an embrow. ¡°Seems like the security in that and Remem ¡°Yes,¡± Peta replied, and per uff to carry out Callums orders N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. princess room. Lex asked Rita. ¡°Can i te locked up in a different room¡± This room was a surprise for Ms rkson You should be grateful you get to stay here. Am you real comining ta shut the door and left Lexi feally realized that this room wasnt But why was she staying here? a surprise for Nat us to Ms. Lex. She is my guest.¡± Before she could figure it out the door opened once again. This time, it was Rita, followed by two maids carrying jewelry boxes. Rita approached with a smile. ¡°Mos these are gifts from Mr. Callum. He hopes you enjoy your stay Just let us know whatever you need, and we¡¯ll do our best to provide it Looking at the jewels piled high in the boxes, Lexi was sturned. Was Callum trying to cage her like a canary? Whatever she needed? All she wanted was freedom I want to leave. ls that possible? Lexi asked Rota, her tone indifferent Pitaughed awkwardy. Miss you Te handbags clothes makeup piu name it ung things diff. for a mera sarvart So as long as money can s?be it. it¡¯s not a problem¡± Lexi theered. The nevercked faw the clothes or food are rything you want, as long as it¡¯s not your freedom Like thetest ey witht x the point of being trapped in this gilded cage? It does not matter how in the rogumi ?sta didnt know how to respond. She simply led the two maids out, leaving Les At the doorway she turned back his Lexi. ¡°Mi Lexi Thope you can face this temporary harding bravely. Mr. Calum is not as bad as you! think After a respectful bow. Rita left silently Leachad no response. Calum was the defection of dagating and vilei (haring at the furuncus pink room, Lexi falt a muffled by the soft Carpet Sts unsatd Lex gratted a rod hom the the knocked over a 1. sa. The heavy dulhouse crashed to the ground, and the noise was ekage and started amastung i rything in sight. Soon, the once cozy princess room turned into a wastnd of feathers and Looking at the destruction, Lex tech, a surge of relief. But as the thema ber head back tough, tears welled up and rolled down her cheeks ged bird. Meanwhile. Natalia and Magnus had foen back to their home in France Magnus was in high spirits the Hack a by French al cher the warm sunlight. Natalia sa corner of the greenhouse, deeply engeissed in her drawing Staring at teatara Magnus coUICHT oman h?r kowe more than his own life in this life the next, and each one after that, he mould protect her even if it cost hum teg ?fg Natania was focused on her sketch when she noticed Magnus intense gaze. She shook her head. ¡°What are you staring at fou. Magnus replied, resting hoa chin on Natalia¡¯s head, his heart full of happiness. Dating why do I always feel like I¡¯m the luckiest man in the world?¡± Magy Natalia jushed Magnus chen off her head. ¡°Leave me alone, fim busy. Don¡¯t you have work to du? Czarna back, like a dog with a bone. ¡°Darling, how can you push me away when I¡¯m pouring my heart out to you? It mally hurts. And if i have to handle everything at Thepany what are the mu Natalia nigbel Fre win against you. Just don¡¯t disturbi me when I¡¯m busy¡® ¡°Al your senice Magnus saluted then leaned in to look at Natalia¡¯s sketchpad. ¡°What are you drawing?¡± Natalica ibichit stop skatching as she answered. I¡¯m designing a brouch Looking at the sketch), Magnus gave a thumbs up. 1 didnt know my wife could design such a beautiful brooch. You¡¯re amazing ¡° Kat courdert help but taugh Come on, it¡¯s just a sketch, you know Wait til | Reich the painting, it will need some touch¨Cups. ce it¡¯s finalized, it could only made into one brooch, Magnus imed possessively It¡¯s the fruit of my wifebor wouldn¡¯t want anyone else cowting it.¡± at Magnus who was behaving Natalia could only feel helpless Magnus seemed to be her destined weakness. When it came to him, she was always at By the way where¡¯s J¨®n me I didn¡¯t see hun following you? Only then did Natalia realize little Jonas wasnt trailing behind Magnus Chapter 258 Chapter 258 14:05 Magnus raised an eyebrow ¡°Well, he has a nanny, and you are so busy with your design sketches and chatting with me. Who has time for him?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Nataliaughed at hisment and continued to sketch her design. Magnus stood quietly behind her, watching the sunlight illuminate her hair. He longed to hold her close and kiss her enticing red lips. As he thought it, he did it. He moved her design sketch aside, and with his warm hand, he gently held her small, hand ¡°Darling, stay with me. I¡¯m feeling lonely His dark eyes were as captivating as the ocean, looking at Natalia¡¯s small face. Natalia rolled her eyes, utterly speechless. But before she could respond, Magnus had already lifted her into his arms and was heading towards the bedroom ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± She protested. Magnus kicked the bedroom door open with his foot and then kicked it closed ¡°What do you think, sweetheart?¡± Heid her down on the bed, his tall figure pressing down on her I want you. Feel this. he said, pressing his arousal against her stomach Natalia¡¯s mind was a whirl of confusion ¡°But it¡¯s daytime, and Jonas will be here any minute!¡± He leaned down and kissed her lips, assertively prying open her lips and exploring her mouth ¡°He¡¯s ying in the yard. Darling. I need you. Not giving her any chance to resist, he began to undress her. His masculine scent and the stimting aroma of his hormones filled her nostrils Natalia tried to resist, but her hands were captured and his kisses traveled down to her neck and ears. His kisses were aggressive, yet tender, not sparing any part of her When Natalia had be a soft puddle of pleasure, and her consciousness started to blur, Magnus imed her. In the bedroom, bathed in the sunset, their lovemaking was passionate. It wasn¡¯t until Jonas knocked on the door that Magnus finally took a satisfied Natalia to the bathroom After cleaning up, he tucked a sleeping Natalia into bed before opening the door. At the door, Jonas was wide¨Ceyed. ¡°Where¡¯s Mommy? What were you guys doing?¡± Magnus stood in the doorway ¡°Mommy¡¯s sleeping, be a good boy¡± He bent down to pick up Jonas Jonas, I have a question for you. Would you like a little brother or sister?¡± Little Jonas immediately nodded. ¡°Yes!¡± ¡°Okay don¡¯t disturb mommy then. She¡¯ll give you a little brother or sister to y with.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Father and son met eyes and erupted intoughter Life was sweet, and the days passed quickly. The family of three lived happily in France. It felt as if there weren¡¯t enough hours in the day Magnus was head over heels for his wife, and even secretly transferred all his assets in France and Ennd to Natalia¡¯s name behind her back Jonas was ecstatic every day, nothing could be more wonderful than thepany of his parents. Jonas ever secretly anticipated the promise his dad made, to give him a little brother or sister. For this, he was troubled many times, not knowing whether to choose a brother or a sister Luckily, he had a sudden insight and decided to let his mommy work a little harder and give him both a brother and a sister. Time flew by and Christmas was approaching Far away in a foreignnd, it didn¡¯t feel like Christmas at all One day, like usual, Magnus and Natalia yed with Jonas in the garden. After a while, they decided to lie down on the lush green grass,ughing heartily Natalia rested her head on her hand, watching the fluffy white clouds float across the blue sky feeling a sense of happiness welling up inside her Magnusy next to Natalia. His left arm was wrapped around her slender waist, and his right arm was around Jonas small body. After thinking for a while, he said, ¡°Honey should we go back to Melfort? Natalia¡¯s smile froze Melfort wasnt a ce filled with happy memories for her. Subconsciously, she felt some resistance to the idea. Seeing Natalias difort, Magnus quickly changed his tone ¡°Or we can stay in France, it doesn¡¯t matter whether we go back to Melfort or not¡± Natalia thought for a moment, considering that the Christmas was approaching. If Magnus wanted to go back, they could take Jonas to experience a festive Christmas back home ¡°Going back is fine it is your real home, after all¡± ¡°Honey, if you don¡¯t like it, we won¡¯t go. Anywhere with you is paradise.¡± Magnus was afraid of pushing Natalia away. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine I¡¯ve been trying to contact Lexi, but she¡¯s not answering her phone or replying to my messages. She seems to have disappeared. I¡¯m a bit worned. We should go to her house and check on her when we get back, Natalia said, frowning It was unclear what had happened to Lexi. Since she had left a note, there had been no news from her. Since they were going back, it was a good opportunity to visit her house When Natalia agreed to return to Melfort with Magnus, he was overjoyed. He sat up on the grass, not caring about Jonas, and leaned down to kiss Natalia¡¯s lips Honey, do you know how much I love you?¡± Natalia, who had been constantly pursued by Magnus these past few days, had not developed the thick skin that Magnus had. She pushed him away, not allowing him to be affectionate in front of Jonas Jonas is here* ¡°He¡¯s asleep¡± Before Magnus could finish his sentence, he leaned down to kiss her In the perfect sunset, the family of threey on the lush greenwn, embodying the sweetest form of happiness Back in the ancient mansion of Ennd, Lexi, who Natalia assumed had returned to Melfort, was listlessly tossing a stuffed doll around,pletely lost, and deste She couldn¡¯t remember how long she¡¯d been locked up here. In the beginning, she wanted to break everything in the room. No matter how much havoc she wreaked, the diligent servants would promptly rece every single piece of decor the next day, restoring the room to its original state In this manner, she relentlessly destroyed, and the maids tirelessly cleaned up. Eventually Lex ran out of steam to keep up with this destructive routine. She realized that no matter how much damage she inflicted, it didn¡¯t seem to faze anyone. The only one who ended up worn out was herself. Her hunger strike n was also shelved prematurely, as the maid named Rita would serve her a variety of enticing dishes in different styles every day. Faced with a table full of delicious meals Chapter 259 Chapter 259 In any case, she was already a prisoner, and who knew when Callum might just flip his lid and off her. She might as well live it up while she was here Lexi was surprised to find her chin getting chubbier despite being confined to her room, where she could indulge in a variety of gourmet dishes from around the world. This morning, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror, she felt nothing but contempt for herself. Anyone who knew her situation would understand that she was being held captive, but others might think she was off living the high life somewhere A Her would her face look so pufty? It was as if it had been inted! No, she had to rescue herself from this downward spiral and get out of this godforsaken ce! was plotting her escape, Lex heard footsteps outside the door She quickly tossed the teddy bear she was holding into the air and rolled off the bed princess bed, with its dreamy canopy, had arge enough gap underneath to hide an adult. ¡°Creak¡± The door was pushed open, and the sound of footsteps followed Lexi knew it must¡¯ve been fita, leading the maids to deliver her food Sure enough, Rita¡¯s professional voice filled the room ¡®Ms. Lexi, today¡¯s delicacy is from Paraguay Before Rita could finish, she noticed that Lexi was nowhere to be found. She stopped speaking, knocked on the bathroom door, and called out softly. ¡°Ms. Lex, Ms Lent After a moment of silence when Lexi did not respond, Rita pushed the door open in a panic ¡®Oh dear, where has Ms Lexi gone? Lexy under the bed, holding her breath, watching as Rita quickly led the maids out. She waited a moment until she was sure they were far enough away before crawling out from under the bed ¡°What are you doing?¡± A voice suddenly echoed from above. Lexi looked up in surprise to see Callum standing in the doorway, and she was caught in the act of crawling out from under the bed Lex was instantly flustered ¡°Um, I was looking for something¡± Callum gave Lexi a cold look, seemingly aware of her intentions but not calling her out ¡°I heard you¡¯ve been behavingtely. That¡¯s good, a smart choice¡± Callum left her with these words, then strutted out of the room. Lexi watched Callumi¡¯s departing back, wishing she could kick him over Enough! What does he mean by ¡®smart choice? Absolutely infuriating!¡± For some reason, Lex always felt a bit powerless whenever she faced Callum. She knew she hadn¡¯t done anything wrong, so why did she always feel like she was beneath him? As Lexi was questioning where her courage had gone, Rita rushed back in with the maids Seeing Lexi sitting properly on the bed, Rita was thoroughly impressed with Callum¡¯s prediction that Ms. Lexi hadn¡¯t disappeared for no reason and was indeed still in the room. ¡°Ms Lexi, we¡¯ve brought your meal. This is a special crab dish from Paraguay, it¡¯s incredibly vorful and is said to have beauty and weight loss benefits.¡± Lexis attention had already been captured by the food the maids were carrying. She took a deep breath- it smelled heavenly! However, she kept her cool facade, pointing to a table and saying ¡°Put it there for now¡± Once Rita left. Lexi uncovered the exquisite dishes and saw the sulent king crab inside. All thoughts of escape were quickly forgotten As the holiday season approached Magnus took Natalia and Jonas back to Melfort. Uponnding, Magnus was extremely excited on the drive home because he had atst sessfully brought his wife back home The driver was in the front and Magnus sat with Natalia and Jonas in the back seat. Looking at Natalia, who was silently staring out the window Magnus grabbed her hand. ¡°Are you nervous, honey?¡± ¡°No¡°Natalia shook her head, then nodded after a moment ¡°Maybe, a little homesick perhaps. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve been here.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, honey, we te going home, not to a battleground. And remember, you¡¯re thedy of the house, so you call the shots. Don¡¯t worry about anything else. As soon as Magnus finished, Jonas, who had been leaning on Natalia, chimed in. ¡°Yes, Mommy. I¡¯ll always protect you¡± Natalia gave a small smile ¡°Okay, I¡¯m not afraid anymore. You will protect me ¡°Honey, why are you ignoring me? i can protect you, too, Magnus said feeling a bit neglected. Natalia nced at Magnus is that so? Here¡¯s a look, interpret it as you will Magnus immediately fell silent, reflecting on Natalia¡¯s words it seemed his wife still didn¡¯t trust him completely. Indeed, he was partly to me for what happened to Natalia in the past if he hadn¡¯t been negligent those jealous women wouldn¡¯t have been able to hurt her But just wait, this time, he swore, he wouldn¡¯t let her experience the same pain she felt five years ago As they drove towards their mansion the streets were bustling Jonas yfully rolled down the window at a red light and gazed outside. Natalia sat quietly in the car and all of Magnus attention was on her Neither of them noticed the resentful gaze locked onto them from another vehicle. The light turned green, and their car smoothly crossed the intersection Befund them, a red convertible followed. The driver was Addison, who was ring resentfully at the car she had identally spotted wishing she had a gun to blow them all to amithereena. Five years ago. Addison¡¯s daughter Kendra had mysteriously disappeared causing Addison and Kyler to spend a lot of resources to track her down. They eventually found Kendra imprisoned in an underground gambling den Witnessing her daughter being tormented by those despicable men, Addison was seething with rage Although she had no tangible proof, she was sure that her obert daughter would never antagonize anyone willingly. The only person capable of executing such a heinous act and leaving no trace was Magnus, the man who practicaly owned MelfortMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. Magnus must have done this to avenge Natalia That damn girl, even in death, she managed to cause such havoc She surely didit suffer enought Addison, along with Kyter immediately set out to redeem Kendra. They spent millions, but they had no other choice. The casino imed that Kendia had umted a massive debt she couldn¡¯t repay, which forced her to sell herself to cover it Chapter 260 Chapter 260 14-05 Addison was confronted with Kendra¡¯s promissory note from the casino, and it was signed in Kendra¡¯s handwriting Addison was left with no choice but toply These casinos were ruthless and feared by all, even the wealthy dared not cross them What other choice did she have but to ept her fate? After bringing the battered Kendra home. Addison could no longer contain her tears Addison had spoiled Kendra since she was a child never allowing her to experience any form of hardship. She never imagined that Kendra would endure such humiliation and be used as a ything by those despicable men Seeing Kendra¡¯s evidently disturbed state, Addison, after a bout of uncontroble weeping decided to hire a renowned psychiatrist to provide Kendra with private counseling at home Every night, Kendra would sob uncontrobly, cowering in a corner, repeating the same two words. ¡°No more, no more ¡± Witnessing this broke Addison¡¯s heart. This was her precious daughter, whom she had raised on her own Natalia, that little witch, had turned her daughter into a mess Utterly ungrateful! She should¡¯ve known better than to let that witch into her home! Now every time Addison saw her daughter she couldn¡¯t help but curse Natalia in her heart. If only she hadrit found out that Natalia had supposedly drowned at sea, she would¡¯ve been tempted to drag Natalia¡¯s corpse out of her grave One day, while driving to pick up Kendra¡¯s medication, Addison¡¯s gaze was drawn to a charming young boy staring out of a car window while waiting at a red light. Bored she looked over to the boy and was shocked to see someone she never thought she¡¯d see again. Natalia N?velDrama.Org is the owner. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes. Without a doubt, it was Natalia in that car it had to be. She wouldn¡¯t mistake that face for anyone else. Beside Natalia was Magnije. There. was no mistaking him either It turned out Natalia had not died after all but had been hidden away by Magnus. They even had a grown son now. Addison fumed, and her face was twisted in anger. They had gone too far Natalia was glowing, and it was clear Magnus was pampering her What about Addison¡¯s daughter Kendra? Why was her daughter suffering such an unfair fate? As she silently cursed Natalia to a bitter end and followed their car, a thought struck her. She wanted to hit them with her car However, she then decided that her life was far more valuable than Natalia¡¯s. She had a hundred ways to end Natalia¡¯s life without implicating herself ¡°Natalia, just wait. One day you¡¯ll taste the torment of hell!¡± With that. Addison steered her car onto another road. The driver of Magnus car had noticed a car tailing them and decided not to mention it to Magnus when he saw the luxury convertible turn onto another road. Was it perhaps just a coincidence? The driver shrugged it off and continued driving Soon, they arrived at the Andersen mansion Magnus stepped out of the car and gantly opened the door for Natalia. ¡°Darling, please¡± Natalia carrying their son Jonas stepped out of the car, and found herself standing in the grand courtyard of the Andersen family home once more. She felt as though she had been given a second chance at life ¡°Natalia shall we proceed? Magnus suggested, taking Natalia¡¯s hand in one of his and holding Jonas¡® with the other The household staff, who had been waiting respectfully at the entrance, greeted them as they approached ¡°Wee home ¡°Thank you, you may all go now Magnus waved them away before leading Natalia inside Just as they stepped inside, a deep, masculine voice filled the room ¡°Finally, you¡¯ve decided to visit this old man, Magnus¡± Magnus looked up to find his grandfather, Morgan. Natalia too saw Morgan, but she hadn¡¯t expected him to age so much in just a few years. Feeling uneasy about Morgan, who had never seemed to care for her, Natu worned he might say something unpleasant Magnus sensed Natalia¡¯s anxiety and squeezed her hand reassuringly ¡°Grandfather, how did you know I wasing back? Magnus asked, puzzled since he hadn 1 anyone about his return ¡°Humph Morgan grumbled, his age¨Cold authority still evident despite Magnus disregard for it. ¡°You thought I wouldn¡¯t know if you didn¡¯t tell me? You¡¯ve kept my precious greet grandson away from me all these years. Such heartlessness! I¡¯m old, how much longer do I have? Why won¡¯t you let me spend time with him? Morgan¡¯s words sounded more like pleading than scolding He had grown old and had no control over the younger generation, especially since Magrua refused to let him interfere Fine, Morgan wouldn¡¯t interfere, but why couldn¡¯t he even see his great¨Cgrandson? For years, Morgan yearned to see his precious great¨Cgrandson, but his wish was DEVET fulfilled That rascal Magnus had not only hidden Morgan¡¯s great grandson but had also sent him overseas and probibited hum from leaving the country The manager of Melfort Airport became a frequent visitor to Morgan¡¯s house, and always left with a tongueshing Morgan unleashed all his frustration on the airport manager who had unwittingly spilled the beans yesterday, revealing that Magnus was about lu retun with. Natalia Upon learning that his grandson was about to bring his great grandson home Morgan was so thelied that he old mansion, eagerly waiting for Magnus to return with his great grandson As for Natalia, Morgan had heard that she hadn¡¯t perished all those years ago. The moment he heard Natalia was alive, Morgan finally fit a weight tit from Na conscience He knew he couldn¡¯t interfere too much anymore because Magnus was insanely protective of his wife. When he was upset, he wouldnt even recognize Morgan as ho grandfather Considering this, Morgan decided to take a step back. All he wanted was to spend time them be happy together The world of young folk was bing increasingly iprehensible to this old geezer his beloved great grandson. if Magnus loved Natalia, then Morgan i Chapter 261 Chapter 261 When Morgan saw Natalia this time, he wisely decided not to give her a hard time, to avoid rousing the rebel spirit in Magnus and getting himself thrown out Hearing Morgan¡¯sints, Magnus just raised his eyebrows dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s not as bad as you make it out to be. As long as you aren¡¯t hostile to my wife, you¡¯re wee to visit Jonas anytime¡± Natalia tugged at Magnus, thinking he was being far too disrespectful to his own grandfather. Although Morgan had once kidnapped her child and caused her to nearly drown at sea, she had decided not to hold it against him because he was Magnus¡® grandfather. Now that Magnus was being so rude, Natalia tried to smooth things over Grandpa, Magnus didn¡¯t mean it that way Morgan looked at Natalia standing before him and felt a deep sense of guilt if he hadn¡¯t been so stubborn back then, perhaps all of this could have been avoided. Now, Morgan was older and not only had no grandchildren around him, but couldn¡¯t even see his great grandson. If Morgan could turn back time, he was certain he would never have done such a thing as kidnapping Jonas But there are no ifs in life, and since it had happened, he had to ept the consequences. Despite his guilt towards Natalia, Morgan would¡¯ve rather died than apologize to her. He nodded slightly, as if epting Natalia¡¯s form of address, and fell silent for a moment before finally speaking. ¡°You¡¯ve had it tough over the years¡± Natalia knew that for Morgan to say these words was already a big step. After all, as the former patriarch of the Andersen family, it was likely that no one had ever made Morgan bow his head So, Natalia just shook her head lightly. I¡¯ve been okay Magnus was pleased to see this exchange. After all these years, it seemed that his grandfather had finally given up his negative views of his wife if he had known this would happen, he would have stayed abroad for a few more years. Maybe then his grandfather would have been the one urging him to hurry up and marry Natalia. ¡°Grandpa, here¡¯s Jonas,¡± Magnus said, stepping forward to reveal the little boy Hearing this, Morgan was overjoyed. He knew that Magnus was finally letting his guard down, but Morgan wasn¡¯t so naive as to think that Magnus was simply bing more obedient with age. The young man was probably just worried that Morgan would continue to challenge Natalia, and that¡¯s why he was so agreeable. Humph, was Magnus testing him? Did Morgan question Magnus¡® wife? Morgan was busy, okay? He didn¡¯t have time to meddle in their affairs. Morgan turned to look at Jonas, who was standing behind Natalia, and waved him over ¡°Come here, you¡¯re Jonas, right? Come, Great¨Cgrandpa will y with you.¡± Jonas looked up at Natalia, got her approval, and confidently walked over to Morgan ¡°Hi Great¨C grandpa. Yes, I¡¯m Jonas. Nice to meet you¡± ¡°Good¡± Jonas was well¨Cbehaved and sensible, and it brought a smile to Morgan¡¯s face. He pulled Jonas onto hisp and couldn¡¯t stop hugging him. The little boy¡¯sughter filled the room. ¡°Your beard is tickling me¡± ¡°Is it? Hehe, I will shave it all offter Morgan waspletely focused on Jonas, hisughter causing more wrinkles to form on his face. This boy was just like his grandson when he was little. Not only was Jonas sweet, but he was quick¨C witted, too. If Jonas was raised properly, he would definitely achieve more than his father Watching the harmonious scene between the great¨Cgrandfather and grandson, Natalia couldn¡¯t help but smile. The saying ¡°Blood is thicker than water was definitely true Magnus had hidden little Jonas away because of her, and now, with one more person to date on Jonas, things were even better. Magnus was also touched by the scene in front of him and was reminded of his own childhood when his grandfather had raised him. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. His grandfather was night. He was getting old and could pass away at any time. Since he wanted to see Jonas, why not let him? As long as he stopped plotting against his wife, everything was negotiable While Morgan was interacting with Jonas, Magnus took Natalia and headed upstairs. The room was the same as it had always been, even the furnishings hadn¡¯t changed. Magnus closed the door behind him and said, ¡°My dear, this is the bedroom you used to live in. After you left, I instructed the housemaids to keep it clean, and await your return He walked over to the window and sat down. ¡°In the quiet of the night, I often sat here, looking at the scenery you used to enjoy, imagining what you felt, and even praying that you could see it too Magnus looked at Natalia with deep affection ¡°My love, now that you¡¯re back, I won¡¯t have to live the rest of my life like a walking corpse. Thank you, darling Natalia was moved by the affection in Magnus¡® eyes. This was Magnus, the stubborn Magnus, who once he decided on something would stick to it until the end. Natalia slowly walked to the window, touching the familiar frame, and a picture formed in her mind The stars twinkled in the night, and Magnus sitting alone at the window, missing her when he thought she was long gone Such a romantic scene, how could it not move her? As Natalia turned to say something to Magnus, he kissed her ¡°Um Natalia made a sound of surprise, feeling Magnus¡® passion, and was taken aback. This man, was always so horny It was broad daylight, and Morgan and Jonas were downstairs Magnus tenderly held Natalia¡¯s head, savoring the sweetness of her lips, and pulling her petite frame closer into his arms This delightful woman was his wife, whom he never seemed to get enough of Whenever he came in contact with her, his self control would vanish. He gently pried her tips apart, wildly exploring everyer of her mouth. Every inch of her was intoxicatingly fragrant, sweet, and bewitching, making him linger, utterly captivated After what felt like an eternity. Magnus finally pulled away from Natalia¡¯s lips, and whispered lightheartedly into her ear Natalia felt weak all over from Magnus¡® kisses, and her toes felt so warm that she could barely stand. She pouted slightly and protested ¡°Can¡¯t you refrain from being so affectionate, especially in broad daylight, and when someone might walk in at any moment? It would be so embarrassing if anyone saw us¡± As she spoke, Natalia pointed towards the door, indicating that the housemaid could walk in at any time to clean the room. Chapter 262 Chapter 262 Magnus couldn¡¯t care less about decorum, gently guiding Natalia¡¯s hand to his arousal His voice was a husky whisper ¡°Darlin¡® see how much it¡¯s missed you¡± Natalia¡¯s face flushed a deep crimson Wasn¡¯tst night¡¯s romp enough for this beast? ¡°No way, don¡¯t you dare movel What if someone walks in? Natalia struggled to withdraw her hand, but Magnus held it firmly, not allowing her any space to escape ¡°Okay, I won¡¯t move How about you move? Come on, sweetheart Natalia¡¯s mind exploded How could he be so shameless? Before she could react Magnus scooped her up in his arms and fossed her onto therge king¨Csized bed, pressing his body against her His hand slipped under her skirt His fingers trailed a tantalizing path against her skin, and his voice sounded husky and sensual ¡°Baby, let me do the work. You just sit back and enjoy the ride As she listened to Magnus captivating voice and his suggestive words, Natalia felt herself melt into him. This man, this infuriating and irresistible man, always managed to disrupt her peace and invade her senses Oh God. How was she supposed to resist his charms? Magnus leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to Natalia¡¯s red lips. He was gentle and slow, careful not to hurt her. He slowly moved down her neck, trailing kisses all the Way There was nothing more delightful in the world than two people in love, sharing intimate moments. The room was filled with their shared passion, as the two of them were lost in their own world Therge window curtains fluttered gently, bringing in the cool breeze that bore silent witness to their intimate moment Late at night, Addison returned home, kicking the door open and tossing her wallet on the table. She pped the table in frustration. ¡°Kyler¡± Kyler was in the bathroom, brushing his teeth. Hearing the infuriated yell of his wife, he wiped his face on a towel and hurried out ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°What¡¯s up¡± Kyler Do you know who I saw today? Your precious daughter is back!¡± Addison rolled her eyes at Kyler, tearing at the napkin on the table. Kyler¡¯s heart skipped a beat a cating smile on his face isn¡¯t our daughter home? You see her every day, don¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Cut the crap! I¡¯m talking about Natalial Natalia! That tramp caused all the trouble for Kendra. She¡¯s not dead. It¡¯s infuriating!¡± Addison continued to shred the napkin, as if it were Natalia herself Without tearing it to bits, she couldn¡¯t quench her anger. Kyler was incredulous ¡®What did you say? Is Natalia still alive?¡± Addison red at Kyler. ¡°Are you deaf? What do you think I was busy with all day? I¡¯ve been tailing her. Not only is that tramp alive, but she¡¯s also back with the Andersen family and has a five¨Cyear¨Cold son! The world is so unfairt Why is she having the time of her life while Kendra is suffering? Kyler had always believed that Natalia had drowned at sea five years ago. He never expected her to be alive and well. Remembering how their daughter had to take tranquilizers and anti¨Cdepressants just to get through the day, he felt a surge of resentment But the Andersens were a force to be reckoned with in Melfort. Even if Kyler was unhappy, what could he do? After mulling it over, he let out a sigh, ¡°What can we do? We can¡¯t fight the Andersens Addison, already furning, grew even angrier at Kyler¡¯s words ¡°You spineless worm! So what if the Andersens are powerful? Are we just going to let our daughters suffering go unanswered? I don¡¯t care, I¡¯ve decided to do something. Even if it costs me everything, I have to take revenge¡± Kyler was too scared to speak Ever since Kendra was saved he felt guilty. Whatever Addison said or did he didn¡¯t argue In fact, he was more supportive now ¡°So, what¡¯s the n? Kyler asked, curious about Addison¡¯s intentions ¡°Hmph Addison snorted with a ruthless glint in her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s the n? I will make Natalia pay, no matter what! She will suffer as Kendra did. Not only that, but she will pay a hundred, nay a thousand times more!¡± Kyler thought Addisons ns were absurd and tried to reason with her, ¡°That might be difficult. For one, Magnus is extremely protective of Natalia. Secondly, we don¡¯t even go near the Andersen mansion¡± He didn¡¯t want Natalia to get hurt After all, she was once his daughter as well. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Ever since Kendras incident, Magnus had issued an ultimatum, forbidding anyone from the rkson family, except Natalia, from appearing around his house. Vitors would face the consequences Addison crumpled the napkin and threw it at Kyler ¡°You idiot! Can¡¯t you think of a solution? I don¡¯t care, you have toe up with a viable n right now. i have to bring Natalia to Kendra skin her alive, gnaw her flesh, and break her bones. Only then will my hatred be quenched Seeing Addisons rage, Kyler was moved. He knew better than to mess with a woman on a warpath, especially one like his wife ¡°Ma am, there¡¯s trouble Miss Kendra is causing amotion in her room again You should take a look Addison was busy scheming how to reel Natalia back in, when their maid came running in, hollering as if the end of the world was near Addison paused dropped the torn pieces of paper he was holding, and made her way upstairs Kyler quickly followed suit, both were practically spenting in their fear that Kendra was causing some sort of ruckus When Addison and Kyler joined the maid upstairs, they found Kendra sprawled out on the flour, her clothes shredded to bits by her own haids, leaving her stark naked and in quite a state ¡°Oh my darling Kendra, what on earth has happened here? Addison hurried over to Kendra, while throwing a harah re at the maid. ¡°You bunch of good for how you take care of the youngdy of the house? The maid stuttered, ¡°Maam, we tried to help Miss Kendra dress up but she started kicking and biting sa tvery time we got close. We just cant handle he (tungs) is this ¡°Rubbish¡® Addison red at the maid ¡®What do you mean you can¡¯t handle her? Kendra is normally such a refined youngdy. What do you mean you can¡¯t handle her? Get out of my sight! Chapter 263 Chapter 263 The maid didn¡¯t want to stick around any longer. Upon hearing Addison¡¯s words, she quickly nodded and headed back. ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± ¡°You¡¯re all useless!¡± Addison red at the maid¡¯s retreating figure, cursing under her breath. ¡°Don¡¯t think I don¡¯t know You¡¯re all snickering behind my back about Kendra being assaulted by men You will be men¡¯s ything, too!¡± Having voiced her frustrations, Addison let out a long sigh, as if venting her annoyance. She bent down, intending to pick up Kendra, who was lying on the floor ¡°Kendra, let¡¯s stop this, okay? Mommy will take you shopping for new clothes, and buy you toys, okay?¡± Unfortunately, Kendra was now far from the well¨Cdressed girl she used to be. Her eyes were dull, her hair was dry and yellow, and her body was streaked with hideous scars, the ones left by the disgusting men in the underground gambling den she was sold to N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. In the underground world, Kendra lived a life worse than hell, enduring endless verbal abuse and horrifying torture every single day. She was treated like a ything, and those men used every means imaginable to torment her if it weren¡¯t for her hatred for Natalia driving her, Kendra might have broken down long ago. It wasn¡¯t until her mother, Addison, and her father, Kyler, found her that Kendra was able to let down her guard. The moment, her parents saw her in her pitiful state, her spiritpletely copsed Kendra became somewhat dazed and childlike But there was one thing she didn¡¯t forget that was to keep repeating Natalia¡¯s name. Whether she was eating or smashing things, she would only repeat that name, Natalia. This intense hatred upied her mind, almost bing her instinct. Just like now, even though Kendra was held in Addison¡¯s arms, she kept muttering. ¡°Natalia, I hate you!¡± Tears fell from Addison¡¯s eyes, and she sobbed, ¡°Kendra, I know, mommy knows you hate her! Don¡¯t worry. Even if it takes my life, I¡¯ll make Natalia pay! She¡¯s just a worthless piece of trash, but you¡¯re different, Kendra. You¡¯re mommy¡¯s precious baby Be good, alright?¡± Kendra, pacified by Addison, suddenly became very excited. She broke free from Addison, trembling in terror. ¡°No, I¡­I¡¯m not baby, not¡­not¡­! Addison¡¯s heart shattered She realized that she had unintentionally triggered Kendra with the word that had be a taboo That was because in the underground gambling den, Kendra was constantly humiliated and bullied, and those disgusting guys always shamelessly called her ¡°baby¡± ¡°Ah, Kendra, I made a mistake Come here, let me help you get dressed Let¡¯s not lie on the ground anymore. It¡¯s cold, and it will make you get sick, my Kendra¡± Addison was softly calming down Kendra¡¯s emotions. Seeing her daughter¡¯s fearful eyes, her heart was breaking. Kendra was still stuck on the word ¡°baby¡± She curled up, mumbling to herself. ¡°No, no, I¡¯m not baby, I¡¯m not¡­¡± Addison couldn¡¯t control her tears anymore. She turned to Kyler, who was standing aside, and scolded him. ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! My daughter has been bullied like this, and you can¡¯t do anything. Are you even a father? Worthless!¡± Kyler was hit, but it was his heart that hurt the most. He was deep in self¨Cme. If he had known that adopting Natalia would lead to this situation, he would never have brought Natalia back from Ennd He had provided her with the best life and care, but how did Natalia repay him? Natalia, you shouldn¡¯t have done this to Kendral Kyler¡¯s heart was filled with boundless hatred. He looked at his suffering wife and his naked daughter lying on the ground. He said coldly to Addison, ¡°Addison, send Kendra to a mental institution, and stop provoking the Andersen family¡± ¡°Kyler Addison¡¯s eyes were full of resentment ¡°Our daughter has be like this, and you still want to send her to a mental institution! Are you even human?¡± Kyler was speechless ¡°Honey you can see Kendra¡¯s condition is getting worse. If we don¡¯t send her to the hospital, shouldn¡¯t we at least get her a doctor?¡± Kyler discussed carefully with Addison, fearing that she would lose her temper He felt guilty This was his daughter, after all. His heart was in pain! As expected Kyler was right. As soon as his words fell, Addison yelled again, ¡°No! I absolutely won¡¯t let outsiders look at my daughter with judging eyes! Every time I think of them snickering behind my daughter¡¯s back, I want to kill them! I won¡¯t allow it. I won¡¯t!¡± ¡°Honey, calm down.¡± Kyler tried to calm down the furious Addison ¡°We won¡¯t send her to a mental institution, but we¡¯ll hire a specialist at a high price. Is that okay?¡± Addison finally calmed down. She thought for a while and nodded. ¡°Then you go and hire one. Remember, don¡¯t let him leak any information about Kendra¡¯s condition Kylers eyes were icy ¡°Don¡¯t worry. After he treats our daughter, I¡¯ll make sure he won¡¯t have the chance to talk.¡± Addison understood immediately ¡°Then do as you say, go¡± Kyler might not have been the richest man in Melfort, but hiring a renowned doctor wasn¡¯t difficult for him. However, he didn¡¯t go out to hire one. Instead, he had kidnapped the doctor on his way home from work After examining Kendra, the doctor shook his head. ¡°This is a traumatic psychological disease. It requires time to recover and rest. There¡¯s no major issue. I¡¯ll prescribe some medication to soothe her nerves and relieve her emotions. Follow the prescription for a while, and it should gradually ease Just remember, never bring up these matters in front of her, or else she¡¯ll have another episode¡± ¡°Really? That¡¯s fantastic¡± Addison¡¯s face lit up with joy, then she shot Kyler a grateful nce ¡®Thanks, doc.¡± Kyler nodded appreciatively ¡°Thank you for making a house call, doctor. We¡¯re really counting on you to treat my daughter¡¯s illness. Could you please write out the prescription now?¡± ¡°Sure, here¡¯s the prescription. Your daughter is just dealing with some emotional trauma. If she takes these medications and rests, I believe she¡¯ll bounce back from her current state very quickly. The doctor handed the prescription to Kyler and then turned to leave. ¡°Mr. Kyler, if there¡¯s nothing else, I need to take my leave I have some matters back home that need my attention¡± Chapter 264 Chapter 264 Kyler nodded repeatedly following the doctor towards the exit. ¡°Thank you, doctor. Let me walk you out.¡± Unsuspecting the doctor walked ahead towards the front door. As they neared the entrance, Kyler grabbed a sledgehammer he¡¯d hidden behind the door and swung it with all his might at the back of the doctor¡¯s head Crack! Thud The doctor hit the floor with a dull thud Kyler wiped the bloody sledgehammer on his pants, muttering, ¡°Only the dead can keep secrets. It¡¯s not my fault. You just had bad Addison, who had covered Kendra¡¯s eyes, reproached Kyler ¡°Are you out of your mind? Why do this in front of our daughter? And now the house is a bloody mess, disgusting Clean this up right now! Kyler didn¡¯t respond but dragged the doctor¡¯s body towards the basement Meanwhile, in Melfort, Natalia was finally settling in. It was the town shed grown up in, and once she¡¯d gotten past her initial unease, she managed to rx a bit, especially after learning that Morgan wouldn¡¯t bother her anymore. After all, Morgan was Magnus grandfather, and Natalia knew that Morgan had never liked her. She didn¡¯t expect to gain Morgan¡¯s approval, she just hoped he wouldn¡¯t make things difficult for her However, it seemed that over the years, Morgan had clearly stopped targeting her. Whether it¡¯s because Morgan hadpromised with Magnus or simply because he had grown old and wanted to enjoy his family this oue was exactly what Natalia desired On her third day in Melfort, Natalia packed a small gift basket to visit her old friend, Lexi. It was a day when Magnus was away at work, and Natalia was d for the rare moment of peace Since leaving that note, Lexi seemed to have disappearedpletely. How iresponsible Natalia would give Lexi a piece of her mind when she met her As she prepared to leave a small voice stopped her ¡°Mommy, where are you going?¡± Natalia looked down at little Jonas and answered gently. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m going to visit an old friend, sweetie. I¡¯ll be back soon¡± Jonas looked up at her with hopeful eyes ¡°Can Ie too, Mommy? I promise I¡¯ll be good¡± Natalia thought for a moment, then nodded ¡°Sure, honey I think Auntie Lex would be happy to see you¡± As they drove towards Lex¡¯s house in the convertible Magnus had gifted her Natalia failed to notice the pair of eyes watching them from a distance As she drove. Natalia couldn¡¯t shake off the feeling that they were being followed Jonas, wise beyond his years, confirmed her suspicions. ¡°Mommy, there¡¯s been a car following us since we left the house Natalia¡¯s heart pounded as she nced in the rearview mirror and saw a red sports car failing them closely N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Maybe they¡¯re just passing through? She suggested, more tofort herself than Jonas But Jonas was certain No. mommy This car has been following us for a while. Im sure of it Natalia felt a wave of panic wash over her She was unsure of what to do if the knew leaving the house would be this dangerous, she wouldn¡¯t have brought Jonas along ¡°What do we do, Jonas? What do we do? She asked, her voice trembling with fear As she slowed down the car behind them sped up, threatening to overtake them. ¡°Mommy, you can¡¯t slow down if they get in front of us, they¡¯ll force us to stop. That¡¯s bad,¡± Jonas warned. ¡°Okay okay I¡¯ll speed up Natalia replied, trying to calm herself as she stepped on the elerator Their car sped away leaving the red car a little behind But the driver of the red car wasn¡¯t giving up and sped up to catch them. The two cars raced down the deserted highway, each trying to outpace the other ¡°Oh God, Jonas, they¡¯re catching up What do we do? Natalia asked, her voice filled with panic. She was driving a car shed sneaked out with, and now they were being chased She waspletely out of her depth. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mom, we¡¯ll shake her off! Jonas encouraged Natalia. Tve already sent a text to Dad. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be here soon to help us out.¡± Upon hearing Jonas words Natalia felt as if her brain was failing her Of course, why hadn¡¯t she thought to alert Magnus? Perhaps it was the knowledge that Magnus wasing to their rescue, but Natalia felt a sudden calm descend upon her. Her earlier panic vanished without a trace She nced in the rearview mirror, taking a closer look at the car behind them. To her surprise, she recognized it God wasn¡¯t this the car that Addison used to drive? Could it be Natalia shivered, not daring toplete the thought Chapter 265 Chapter 265 She didn¡¯t want to entertain any dark thoughts. No matter how much they despised her, they wouldn¡¯t wish her dead, would they? However as the car behind hers drew nearer, Natalia felt her heart sink. Yes, that was Addison¡¯s car. No doubt about it. What was she up to? Natalia was perplexed, unsure why Addison was tailing her. Maybe she had something important to say? Suddenly, it dawned on her that she had forgotten to tell Addison about her mother¡¯s death. After all, Kyler had raised her, and her mother had been his best friend. Considering this, Natalia slowed her car and rolled down her window Soon, the car behind caught up. Natalia knew Addison had always loathed her. It seemed she was in for some trouble. ¡°Natalia! You¡¯re such a bitch! How dare you show your face! Addison shouted, her car running parallel to Natalia¡¯s. Natalia frowned, raising her car window again to avoid hearing Addison¡¯s harsh words N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. But her actions only stoked Addison¡¯s anger Natalia, you little tramp, you¡¯ve turned my Kendra into a shell of a person. Why don¡¯t you just go to hell! ¡°Natalia, the rkson family must havemitted some sin in a past life to deserve you. You¡¯ve turned our household upside down. You slut! ¡°Natalia, have the guts to roll down your window Do you think you can hide and pretend you don¡¯t hear me? You¡¯re trash!¡± As Addison drove, she spat out abusive words at Natalia, wishing she could drag Natalia out of her car and beat her senseless. As Addisons insults became more vicious, Natalia¡¯s frown deepened. She nced at Jonas and noticed his anxious expression, clearly affected by Addison¡¯s tirade She couldn¡¯t let this go on Natalia hit the brakes, bringing the car to a slow stop Taken by surprise, Addison also stopped, almost hitting her head in the process. This only fueled her rage. She pushed her car door open and got out, marching toward Natalia¡¯s car and banging on the window ¡°Natalia, you little bitch,e out!¡± Natalia paused before exiting her car, her gaze cold upon Addison Jonas followed, confusedly watching Addison Addison saw the innocent Jonas up close and felt a surge of jealousy. Natalia¡¯s indifferent expression further ignited her wrath. With a swift motion, Addison tried to p Natalia But Natalia caught Addison¡¯s wrist in mid¨Cair. ¡°What are you trying to do?¡± Natalia asked coldly, gripping Addison¡¯s wrist tightly. ¡°Let go of me, you tramp I¡¯ll ruin your facel it¡¯s your face that¡¯s caused all the trouble Addison struggled to free herself from Natalia¡¯s grasp Natalia watched Addison¡¯s struggle with an icy stare, as if watching a clown perform ¡°What¡¯s wrong with my face? What got into you, Mrs rkson? As Addison struggled, she spat out, ¡°It¡¯s all your fault! If it weren¡¯t for you, my Kendra wouldn¡¯t be in this state. You¡¯re a curse! If I¡¯d known this would happen, I would have strangled you in your cradle. You¡¯ve stolen Kendra¡¯s happiness!¡± Hearing Addison¡¯s bitter words, Natalia felt a chill. ¡°Oh, I should thank you for your mercy then. But what happened to Kendra has nothing to do with me. It wasn¡¯t me who hurt her¡± ¡°You dare say that! It¡¯s all because of you! Magnus wouldn¡¯t have taken his anger out on Kendra if you hadn¡¯t decided to jump into the sea. He wouldn¡¯t have thrown her into that underground gambling den, where she, where she was¡­¡± Addison couldn¡¯t continue. Her daughter¡¯s ordeal was her greatest shame, and she would never tell Natalia about it. But Natalia had caught on. No wonder Addison was so furious. It seemed Kendra had suffered greatly in that gambling den ¡± sympathize with her, but it has nothing to do with me. Please don¡¯t interfere with my life again, or I won¡¯t be polite next time.¡± With that, Natalia released Addison¡¯s wrist, opened the car door for Jonas, and drove off Watching Natalia¡¯s car disappear, Addison clenched her teeth in anger. ¡°Natalia, I swear I¡¯ll make you pay!¡± Inside the car, Natalia drove calmly, though her mind was a whirlpool of thoughts. Addison¡¯s outburst suggested Kendra¡¯s situation was dire. But it had nothing to do with her She couldn¡¯t control what Magnus did ¡°Mom, you were so cool just now Jonas said, looking at Natalia with admiration. He had watched the whole confrontation and was frustrated by the obnoxious woman yelling at his mother But his mom had been so powerful, grabbing that woman¡¯s hand and sternly warning her. It was so impressive! Natalia gave a wry smile and shook her head, choosing to remain silent. They continued driving until they finally reached Lexi¡¯s house. Upon knocking Natalia found Lexi¡¯s mom looking rather crestfallen. She held out the gift she¡¯d brought and asked, ¡°Is Lex home?¡± Lexi¡¯s mom heaved a heavy sigh. ¡°Oh dear ever since she went abroad, she¡¯s be like a ghost, never even a call or a text. I just don¡¯t understand why she can¡¯t see how worried we are Natalia froze. This didn¡¯t add up. Thest time she was in Ennd, Lexi had specifically left a note saying she wasing back home! But Natalia held her tongue, afraid that revealing this to Lex¡¯s mom might cause more distress. ¡°Well, I guess I¡¯ll head back then if she doese home, could you please let her know I was looking for her?¡± Natalia left her gift at the doorstep, deciding not to enter ¡°Natalia, dear, there was no need to bring a gift. We have everything we need here. Please, take it back¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s just a small token of my appreciation. Please, keep it. And when Lexies back, remember to have her call me¡± With that, Natalia led Jonas away ¡°Such a polite girl Lexi¡¯s mom picked up the gift, sighing again. ¡°I just wish Lexi would remember to get in touch. She can be so stubborn at times.¡± Chapter 266 Chapter 266 Without seeing Lexi, Natalia¡¯s spirits were notably dampened. A car suddenly pulled her over Natalia lifted her head in irritation, expecting Addison to be causing trouble again. However, she was mistaken this time. The man who had stopped her was Magnus, who had received a text from Jonas and was in a hurry to get back. He had been in a meeting when he received Jonas¡® message. Without a second thought, he left his colleagues behind in the office and sped off to find Natalia, fearing that something terrible had happened to her. ¡°Nat, are you okay? Is there any trouble? What happened to the person who was following you?¡± Magnus asked anxiously Seeing Magnus worned expression, Natalia couldn¡¯t help but smile. This man was usually so ruthless and cold¨Chearted. How was it that he could get so flustered? It was kind of heartwarming though ¡°Oh, we just ran into Addison, but she¡¯s gone now. Everything¡¯s okay¡± Natalia reassured Magnus. However, Magnus didn¡¯t seem convinced ¡°Addison? Why would she be following you? Honey, did she hurt you in any way? Let me check.¡± With that, Magnus took hold of Natalia and began to thoroughly examine her from head to toe Honey, are there any injuries that I can¡¯t see? Please tell me, I¡¯m worried sick Natalia burst intoughter, but before she could say anything, Jonas gave Magnus a ring eye roll ¡®Daddy it seems there¡¯s also a certain someone¡¯s son here who hasn¡¯t received any constion Magnus waved his hand dismissively ¡°Out of the way, of course, my wife is the most important.¡± A disgruntled Jonas sulked off to doodle in the dust. Seeing Magnus hand inching lower, and about to slip under her shirt, Natalia quickly caught his hand. Tm really fine. You¡¯re the one who¡¯s harassing me ¡°Harassing? How can this be considered harassment? I¡¯m simply worried for you¡± Magnus retorted with a hurt expression, clinging to Natalia, unwilling to let go. ¡°Honey, as long as you weren¡¯t hurt by that detestable Addison, I can rest easy¡± Knowing she couldn¡¯t out¨Ctalk Magnus, Natalia relented, gently saying. I really am not hurt. Addisen only had an argument with me, then she left¡± Magnus hand reluctantly left Natalia¡¯s soft skin, his voice filled with affection, ¡°Sweety, did she have an argument with you? That despicable woman!¡± Natalia nodded ¡°Yes, it seemed to be about Kendra. She said Kendra is in a bad condition.¡± ¡°She deserves it. She brought it upon herself, Magnus admitted callously ¡°Yes, my men kidnapped her and sold her to an underground gambling ring. Since she likes to steal other women¡¯s men, I¡¯ll give her a taste of different men.¡± Magnus looked nonchnt, but his words were chilling Natalia felt a cold shiver run down her spine. ¡°Magnus, if I upset you one day, would you do the same to me?¡± Magnus was taken aback, and quickly covered her mouth. ¡°Don¡¯t say such things. How could I possibly do that to you? Honey you¡¯re my life. Without you, there¡¯s no reason for me to live I won¡¯t allow you to say such things.¡± Natalia pped away Magnus hand ¡°Go away with your sweet talk. I don¡¯t know how you manage to lead your employees with that slippery tongue of yours.¡± ¡°Hehe, honey I don¡¯t need to lead them. They naturally follow my orders. But, it¡¯s kind of you to worry about me and understand my hardships Magnus smiled, his eyes curved in delight Natalia rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re so hardworking. You only go to the office once in a while.¡± ¡°Of course, mentalbor is always harder than physicalbor! Magnus boasted shamelessly, completely disregarding Natalia and Jonas¡® contemptuous expressions. ¡°Fine, you¡¯re right. You¡¯re the hardest working person in the world, you know? But, Natalia hesitated, then sighed, ¡°But aren¡¯t you being a bit too harsh on Kendra? She¡¯s still a young girl, after all ¡°Hehe, shes the most devious girl I¡¯ve ever met,¡± Magnus said dismissively. ¡°If there are any issues, they cane to me. If she dares to harm my family again, I will make them disappear from this world!¡± Seeing Magnus ruthless demeanor, Natalia knew better than to continue the argument. She decided to change the subject. ¡°By the way could you help me find out what happened to Lex when you have the time?¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Lex? What¡¯s wrong with her? Magnus seemed confused Natalia hit Magnus lightly. ¡°Lexi went to Ennd with mest time and then disappeared after leaving a note I went to her house to find her today, but her mother said she went on a trip abroad and hasn¡¯t returned. I¡¯m a bit worried.¡± After thinking for a moment, Magnus asked, ¡®Oh? Is she missing?¡± Natalia frowned. ¡°I¡¯m not sure I didn¡¯t tell Lexi¡¯s mother the details, fearing she would worry I thought it would be best to let you send someone to investigate first¡± Magnus was thrilled Having Natalia ask him for help meant that she trusted himpletely. Nothing could make him happier *Sure, I¡¯ll do whatever you ask. Ill send someone to Ennd to investigate right away, Magnus promised He sent a message to his men in Ennd, asking them to check Lexi¡¯s immigration records ¡°Honey, don¡¯t worry They¡¯re very efficient. They¡¯ll reply soon¡® Natalia nodded ¡°Okay, I hope she¡¯s alright.¡± ¡°Alright, it¡¯s almost noon. Let¡¯s go have a feast Consider it a treat to calm your nerves. How does that sound?¡± Magnus didn¡¯t take the matter to heart. He abandoned his car by the roadside, squeezed into Natalia¡¯s car, and took them out for lunch Natalia¡¯s mood wasn¡¯t improving. She was distracted throughout dinner. Her mind was far away in Ennd, where Magnus had sent people to investigate. But what could they possibly find? Seeing Natalia¡¯s furrowed brow, Magnus couldn¡¯t help but pinch her cheek. ¡°Come on, don¡¯t worry. Lexi seems sharp, she should be fine¡± ¡°At this point, that¡¯s all we can hope for Natalia conceded, nodding reluctantly. She decided to put the matter aside for now and await the news from Ennd. In an English castle. Chapter 267 Chapter 267 Lexi sat despondently in the pastel pink princess room, her face etched with sorrow She had lost count of how long she had been confined in this room. Every day, she felt her sanity slowly ebbing away. She walked listlessly to the window and pushed against it with all her might, but the window was firmly nailed shut from the outside. There was no way for her to open it Right, how could she forget? Thest time she tried to escape through the window, Rita discovered her attempt and Callum had ordered the window to be nailed shut Now the only exit was the door There was no other way out of this suffocating ce. Lexi shook the window again, in vain. She walked towards the door and began to pound on it, her voice weak ¡°Open the door Let me out!¡± But the door stayed firmly closed, unyielding to her pleas. Lexi had no more strength left she had started another hunger strike. Unlike her previous hunger strikes, she could no longer stomach the gourmet meals Rita brought her She was hungry but she just couldn¡¯t eat Lexi had been on a hunger strike for two days now. She was so weak that she could barely stand Perhaps due to dehydration, she slowly slid down the wall hugging her knees, lost in thoughts of how she could escape this hell. ¡°Creak¨Csqueak-¡± The door opened. Rita, as usual, hade to deliver the freshly cooked meal. She saw Lexi sitting against the wall, and the untouched food on the table and sighed in resignation ¡°Miss Lexi, what happened? You were eating just fine a while ago, why did you stop?¡± Rita asked, cing the tray of food beside Lexi and gently persuading her ¡°Miss Lavi you are what you eat. You can¡¯t neglect your health like this. Lexi nced at Rita and then looked down. Heh, I¡¯ve been imprisoned for so long I would rather die of starvation than stay locked in this room¡± ¡°Miss Lexi, you need to stay positive, Rita said, setting aside the tray with the meal and trying to help Lexi up Lexi shrugged off Rita¡¯s hand, avoiding any contact with her In Lexi¡¯s eyes, everyone in this castle was despicable. ¡°Miss Lex, don¡¯t be like this. Let me help you up,¡± Rita insisted, reaching out for Lex again. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Lexi struggled her eyes catching sight of the shiny silver cutlery on the food tray. Without a second thought, she grabbed the steak knife and pointed it at her own neck ¡°Get away from me! Let me out, or I swear I¡¯ll kill myself!¡± Rita was taken aback ¡°Miss Lexi, calm down. Put the knife down. You¡¯re going to hurt yourself* ¡°No! Let me out!¡± Lexi pressed the knife against her neck, the sharp de cutting through her delicate skin, leaving a trail of blood Rita hastily waved her hands. ¡°Miss Lex, please don¡¯t do anything rash. Your life is precious. Please don¡¯t do anything you¡¯ll regret.¡± ¡°Let me out! Let me out! Lexi cried shaking her head ¡°I just want to leave this ce! ¡°Miss Lex, I¡¯m sorry I don¡¯t have the authority to let you out,¡± Rita said gently, though this only made Lexi press the knife deeper against her throat. The sharp de cut deeper into her skin, and the blood flowed down the de and dripped onto the floor, leaving a sinister stain. ¡°Miss Lexi, please don¡¯t hurt yourself. I¡¯ll go get Mr. Callum, Rita pleaded, promising to return soon before rushing out of the room. The door was once again shut firmly behind her The door closed, and Lexi was left alone with her thoughts. She looked at her blood soaked hand questioning whether she should cry out in pain. She used to be so afraid of pain. Now here she was, hurting herself, losing hope in life. She wondered if Callum would follow Rita hereter She was just a bird trapped in a golden cage by him. Who would care about the life or death of a bird? If he still refused to let her go, then she would end this. At least, she wouldn¡¯t have to be trapped in this dreadful cage anymore, where even breathing felt difficult. Footsteps echoed outside the room Lexi knew that Rita had returned, and instinctively, she pressed the knife back against her throat. If she couldn¡¯t gain the freedom she desired, then she was ready to die fighting for it! The door swung open, and to Lex¡¯s surprise, Callum had actuallye. His face was stern as he looked at Lexi with the knife pressed against her throat. ¡°What are you trying to do? ¡°I want to leave Or Til die right here! Lexi retorted a look of deadly determination in her eyes Callum remained unaffected ¡°That¡¯s impossible, Lexi You know why I¡¯ve kept you here to keep everything under wraps. I didn¡¯t mistreat you because you¡¯re a friend of Natalia¡¯s I didn¡¯t dispose of you like I usually do- by mixing you into cement and throwing you into the sea. But if you don¡¯t want to live, I cant stop you. However, leaving this ce is not an option Lexi¡¯s body was shaking like a leaf in the wind ¡°No, I beg you please let me go I swear on my life, I won¡¯t breathe a word of this to Natalia. Honestly, please believe me Callum simply shook his head. The only ones who can truly keep a secret in this world are the dead I can¡¯t take your life away, but if you choose in end it yourteit, weit, there¡¯s not much I can do about it. At most, I could arrange a decent burial for you Chapter 268 Chapter 268 Listening to Callum¡¯s words, Lexi felt a wave of sadness washing over her Yeah, he had imprisoned her merely to keep her quiet. He didn¡¯t care about her well being if she died, it would be just what he wanted But was death the only escape from this dreadful room? ¡°Please let me go. I¡¯m on the verge of a mental breakdown Les begoed fears streaming down her face Although you provide me with gourmet meats and designer clothes, all I crave is freedom. Please let me go What happened that night it was a mistake Lowest, I¡¯ll never tell anyone I promise?¡± Despite Lexi¡¯s pleading Callum was determined not to let her leave. He coldly looked at Leo Tm sorry, but I can¡¯t trust you Human hearts am unpredictatte Who knows how you might change in the future?: With that Callum turned and walked slowly towards the door. In here. I can provide you with everything you want, anything you want to eat wear or But Callum hadn¡¯t taken two steps before he heard Rita gasp. ¡°Oh my God Callum turned around to see Lex with a knife in her hand a deep cut on her wrist, and blood pooling on the floor ¡°Call the doctor Callum panicked He had thought Lexi was just being dramatic, he didn¡¯t think that this gentle girl would be so rash Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Rita nodded and bolted for the door, almost colliding with the doorframe Callum moved towards Lex, extending his hand, trying to soothe her ¡°Give me the knife, sweetheart¡± Lex: shook her head her face twisted in a bitter smile. ¡°No If my body can¡¯t be free, at least let my soul be* As Lex moved to cut herself again, seeing the fresh blood pooling around her wrist, Callum felt a sharp pain in his heart. He quickly promised, ¡°Stop, don¡¯t do this (ca. 1 promise Lexis mind was on the brink of copse. She stared at Callum ¡°You would really let me go?¡± ¡°Yes, I swear I won¡¯t keep you here anymore Callum promised slowly moving closer to Lexi Lex didn¡¯t notice Callums approach. She looked out the window Her eyes were filled with longing for freedom. In that fleeting moment of distraction, Callum seized the opportunity. He grabbed Lexi¡¯s wrist disarming her and holding her firmly She screamed in despair ¡°Liar You never intended to let me go! Kill me! Kill me!¡± Callum struck her neck, knocking her unconscious. The doctor arrived just in time to see Lexi copse in Callum¡¯s arms. ¡°Duke thedy has cut an artery Luckily, she didn¡¯t hit a vein, or the consequences would have been dire Callum looked down at the unconscious Lexi, guilt washing over him. ¡°Treat het immediately, no matter the cost Watching Lex lying on the bed lifeless, Callum felt remorse He had to reconsider how he should treat Lex Perhaps he had made a mistake? When Lex woke up, she felt a heavy pounding in her head Worse than her headache was the burning pain in her wrist. This agonizing pain had woken her up from her dee sleep She opened her eyes slowly, filled with despair. Not only was she imprisoned, but she couldn¡¯t even die Tears streamed down her face as she noticed a figure slumped beside her bed. She turned her head and saw Callum, his brow furrowed even in sleep Despite everything Callum was undoubtedly handsome His deep¨Cset features and sensual lips made him an ideal husband Given his high¨Cprofile stature, if it wasn¡¯t for the absurd soap opera¨Clike mishap that urred between them, their paths probably would have never crossed in this lifetime But s they were never meant to be a happy ever after This exceptional man mistook her for Natalia took advantage of her, and even restricted her freedom, all out of fear that she might spill the beans to the real Natalia. On the irony ¡°You can¡¯t have what you love¡± Chapter 269 Chapter 269 Lex sighed quietly, unsure of how to extricate herself from the predicament. Callum was so domineering, so perhaps, she should have shown weakness from the start. Just as the thought crossed her mind, Callum, ever the sharp listener, heard Lexi¡¯s sigh. He slowly opened his eyes and addressed Lexi, who was lying in bed. ¡°You awake?¡± His voice was rasp with fatigue, and his eyes were slightly red, probably from staying up watching over her Lexi quickly dismissed the sympathy that tried to creep into her thoughts. There was nothing praiseworthy about the overbearing devil in front of her She had to reconsider her tactics. This time Lex did not turn her head away. She bravely met Callum¡¯s gaze and murmured, ¡°Yeah¡± Callum noticed Lexis change of demeanor She seemed to have lost much of her hostility and disgust towards him. He liked this change Lexi was finallying to terms with her situation. ¡°Hungry? Should I have Rita whip you up something? Callum asked quietly After losing all that blood she surely needed to replenish her strength Lexi nodded and even managed a feeble smile. ¡°Yeah, I am a bit peckish Callum was pleased with what he saw A satisfied smile spread across his face ¡°Good I¡¯ll have Rita order the kitchen to prepare something nourishing for you. You¡¯re such a good girl Lex despised the term ¡°good girt but she had learned from the recent ordeal that brute force was futile. She decided to keep her thoughts to herself. Rita, who had been waiting outside the door for Lexi to wake up was relieved to see her not only awake but also asking for food if only Ms. Lex hadplied earlier, she wouldn¡¯t have had to go through all this However, Rita genuinely hoped for Lexis quick recovery, so she hurried to the kitchen when Callum ordered food for Lex Callum and Lexi were left alone in the room Looking at Lexi¡¯s pale face due to blood loss. Callum expressed his regret. ¡°Im sorry for what happened today. I didn¡¯t expect you to be so desperate to the point of risking your life N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Lex shook her head slowly. I was too impulsive It won¡¯t happen again¡± ¡°Really?¡± Callum was skeptical The desperation in Lex¡¯s eyes was too vivid to forget ¡°Yeah I¡¯ve realized its not so bad. Some women would kill to be kept. I guess I can consider myself one of them, except I don¡¯t have to share a bed.¡± Lexi tried to joke, but her smile didn¡¯t reach her eyes Callum had intended tofort Lexi, but her sudden change of perception left him speechless. The words, ¡°share a bed caused a strange reaction in him. He remembered the night he imed her. He was drunk, but her softness and tightness were unforgettable This man, who hadn¡¯t indulged himself for over thirty years, finally understood how wonderful that experience was! He frowned inwardly, cursing quietly in his heart, ¡°Shit!¡± Lexi felt a bit puzzled Could it be that her attitude was wrong and it displeased Callum? However before she could understand the meaning behind Callum¡¯s muttered curse. he had already briskly walked out of the room. It was strange. Why did he leave in such a disheveled state? Alone, Lexiy there contemting the reason for Callums sudden change of demeanor,pletely unaware that Callum was trying to conceal his own embarrassment. He had a boner just thinking about that night ¡°Shit Callum continued to curse as he left the house Damn it! Just because of two words, he had a boner it must be because he hadn¡¯t been with a woman for a long time! He definitely didn¡¯t miss the soft and fragrant body of Lex! No, he didn¡¯t! Soon, Rita brought the cooked meal and helped Lex eat Lexi felt apologetic and said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for troubling you.¡± ¡°Huh? Rita was taken aback. She never expected someone to apologize to her. After all, she was just a maid. Rita wiped her hands on her apron in excitement and said somewhat embarrassedly ¡°Ms Lexi, as a maid, it¡¯s my duty to do these things. You don¡¯t need to thank me But please take care of yourself in the future and stop ying with your life Lexi knew Rita genuinely cared for her and gave her a smile. ¡°After this experience. I¡¯ve learned my lesson. I wont do such things again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good. Ms Lexi Everyone only has one life, and you mustn¡¯t give up on yourself easily No matter what difficulties you encounter, face them bravely and solve them. You can do it¡± Rita said a lot in one breath, reciting all those words she often heard on TV Lexi¡¯s mood inexplicably improved. She sipped the nutritious porridge cooked by Rita and suddenly felt a sense of eptance Had she gone crazy? Meanwhile, in Melfort, Natalia finally received news from Magnus. His men in the UK hadn¡¯t found any records of Lexi leaving the country Natalia was panicked ¡®Oh my God, she never left Ennd? Where could she be? Is she alright? What if she¡¯s in trouble?¡± Magnus hugged her trying to soothe her ¡°Darling, don¡¯t worry I¡¯ve sent men all over Ennd to find her. As soon as we find her, I¡¯ll let you know¡± ¡°But I¡¯m so worned, Magnus. With all the craziness happening in the world right now, I¡¯ve heard about so many serial killers in Ennd, my God, what if something terrible happens to Lex if anything happens to her while she¡¯s there, I¡¯d never forgive myself I was the one who let her go to Ennd in the first ce,¡± Natalia said, as her fear turned into tears Seeing his wifes distress. Magnus felt a pang in his chest. To calm her down, he told a small white lie, ¡°Darling, there¡¯s no need to worry My guys just didn¡¯t find any record of Lexis travels, but it doesn¡¯t mean she didn¡¯t go with a tour group, maybe by ship, you know? If the tour group is big, they sometimes don¡¯t keep strict records ¡°Really? Are you sure? Natalia asked, wanting to believe him pter Chapter 270 Chapter 270 At this point, all one could do was hope for the best ¡°Yes, sweety, rest assured. I¡¯ve asked my men to double¨Ccheck everything. If there¡¯s any news, they¡¯ll call me right away Don¡¯t worry anymore, okay?¡± Those were the words from Magnus, and Natalia had no choice but to suppress her anxiousness for the time being The next day, Natalia drove her son, Jonas, to school Jonas attended an elite private school, and though the school provided a dedicated chauffeur service, Natalia felt she had time to spare and preferred to take him herself The morning was bright and sunny lifting Natalia¡¯s spirits as she drove. Halfway through the trip, she felt a sudden difort. A warm sensation washed over her, and she realized her period had arrived unexpectedly In an awkward predicament, she pulled over at a convenience store, turned to Jonas, and said, ¡°Jonas, I need to buy some things. Stay in the car and don¡¯t wander off, okay? ¡°Okay Mommy¡± Jonas nodded obediently, though confused as to why they had to stop With a sigh of relief, Natalia hurried into the store After buying some tampons and cleaning up, she also grabbed a pack of gum for Jonas before heading back to the car. ¡°Jonas, mommy got you some Her words were cut off as she dropped her items in shock. Her car door was wide open, but Jonas was nowhere to be seen. Panicked, Natalia scanned the area, hoping to spot Jonas, but there was no sign of him. Natalia felt her legs go weak. She had only left for a few minutes, where could Jonas have gone? Could he havee looking for her? She bent down and searched the car for any signs or clues, but found nothing. Stepping out of the car, she paced around it before heading back into the convenience store. Upon entering the friendly cashier greeted her. ¡°Wee back.¡± With a desperate urgency Natalia quickly said, ¡°Hello, can I check your CCTV footage, please** The cashier hesitated, shaking his head after a moment. I¡¯m sorry, only the police are allowed to ess the footage.¡± Natalia¡¯s face went pale, pleading. Please, I left my son in t Just as the cashier was at a loss for what to do, the man car when I came in, and now he¡¯s missing. I need to check your CCTV to see if I can find out where he¡¯s gone¡± of Natalia gratefully followed him, profusely thanking him alone store stepped in ¡®Ma¡¯am, please follow me The manager shook his head, his expression filled Natalia was taken aback, apologizing. I¡¯m then, maybe my child wouldn¡¯t have gone the way. ¡°Thank you! Thank you!¡± concern. ¡°Let¡¯s take a look quickly I lost my child in front of a supermarket years ago. If there had been cameras I didn¡¯t know.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s been many years. The most important thing now is to find your child as soon as possible¡± The manager said, proficiently pulling up the surveince footage ¡°When did youe in?¡± ¡°About ten minutes ago I left my son in the car when I came in to buy some things. When I came out, the locked car door was open, and my son was gone. After listening to Natalia¡¯s story the manager quickly rewound the footage to ten minutes ago Natalia stared intensely at the screen. It didn¡¯t take long for her to spot a familiar car parked next to hers. It was Addison¡¯s car She watched as Addison got out of her car, knocked on Natalia¡¯s car window, and seemed to say something to Jonas. Shortly after, Jonas opened the car door and stepped out The small boy seemed to be arguing with Addison, waving his arms around. Suddenly, Addison covered Jonas¡® mouth and nose, picked him up, and shoved him into her car before driving off Natalia began shaking Addison had kidnapped Jonas! The footage clearly showed a cloth in Addison¡¯s hand that she used to cover Jonas¡® mouth and nose. When had Addison started targeting her and Jonas? What was that crazy woman nning to do? That¡¯s kidnapping Do you know that woman? Should we call the police? The manager asked quietly. Seeing Natalia¡¯sck of response, he gently probed again, ¡°Should we call the police? N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The managers woice pulled Natalia back to reality. She nodded. ¡°Thank you, we must call the police. But before they arrive, I have to find that crazy woman who kidnapped my son¡® ¡°You may have enemies, but children are innocent I hope you find him soon,¡± The manager said sincerely Natalia expressed her gratitude. ¡°Thank you for your help. I have to go after that madwoman now. Goodbye¡± With that, Natalia rushed out of the store, got back in her car, and sped off in the direction Addison had gone, dialing 911 as she drove. On the road, Natalia drove fast, desperate to catch up to Addison She didn¡¯t know what that crazy woman would do to her son Meanwhile, Addison¡¯s car slowly pulled into her driveway Looking at the unconscious Jonas in the back seat, a sinister glint shed in her eyes. ¡°Ha¡® Little brat, you can¡¯t stand me badmouthing Natalia, huh? Oh, just wait, there¡¯s more where that came from! Natalia, you wait and see. Everything you¡¯ve done to my daughter, I will make you pay Her shriek of fury didn¡¯t stir Jonas The little guy was snoozing away in the backseat. He was blissfully unaware that Addison, who came to stand just outside the car door Swearing at Natalia, was purposefully provoking a confrontation with the sole intention of kidnapping him. The car roared away engine rumbling like the thunderpus growl of a wild beast, and in no time, Addison pulled up at her home. She parked the car, then hoisted the unconscious Juhas out of the backseat if she weren¡¯t afraid of him suddenly waking up and causing a scene, she would have just yanked him out by his ankles. She despised this child for he was the offspring of Natalia and Magnus! Kyler was in the yard, sipping on his coffee, and looked up in surprise when he saw Addison carrying a child. ¡°Why on earth have you brought a kid home?¡± He asked, perplexed Addison shot Kyler a re. ¡°You see me struggling and don¡¯t even offer to help? fm exhausted¡± Chapter Chapter 271 Chapter 271 Kyler set down his coffee mug and walked over to take little Jonas from Addison. ¡°Whose kid is this?¡± He asked Addison rolled her eyes, massaging her aching shoulders ¡°Who else¡¯s could it be, if not that hussy Natalia?¡± ¡®Natalia¡¯s kid?¡± Kyler was puzzled ¡®When did she have a kid this big?! He remembered Natalia being pregnant five years ago, but he¡¯d heard the baby had died shortly after birth Addison red at Kyler I said it¡¯s her and Magnus kid. This is the kid everyone thought died five years ago. Magnus has been hiding him! She grimaced ¡°That woman made our daughter¡¯s life a living hell, and now she¡¯s living happily. She even has a grown kid I swear, I won¡¯t let her livefortably!¡± Kylerid the still unconscious Jonas on therge leather sofa, asking doubtfully, ¡°What do you n to do? How did you get her kid? Kidnapping is illegal, you know!¡± Addison gritted her teeth. ¡°Illegal? I¡¯m not afraid to die to avenge my daughter Unlike you, who¡¯s always moping around Kyler was taken aback by Addison¡¯s harsh words but didn¡¯t say anything else. ¡°Damn Natalia, I¡¯ll make sure you pay a heavy price! It¡¯s because of you that my daughter¡¯s life is ruined,¡± Addison yelled hysterically, her eyes cold as she looked at Jonas on the sofa Kyler was stunned. He felt Addison was losing her mind just like Kendra had. ¡°So what¡¯s the n? Even though Kendra was now like this because of Natalia, it was Magnus who did it. The kid is innocent. We can¡¯t harm a child¡± ¡°If you hadn¡¯t brought Natalia home all those years ago, she wouldn¡¯t have ruined Kendra¡¯s life!¡± Addison shot Kyler a venomous look before dialing Natalia She¡¯d paid a hefty sum to a private investigator to get this number, preparing herself to take Natalia down Natalia was frantically driving after Addison. She was certain Addison had taken Jonas to her house She just didn¡¯t know what the unhinged Addison would do to Jonas She prayed Addison wouldn¡¯t harm him! As she was praying her phone rang It was a familiar number she had not saved in her contacts Who could be calling her? Natalia thought for a moment, and then it hit her, Addison! She quickly answered the call. As expected, it was Addison¡¯s voice. ¡°Natalia, your son 15 with me¡± ¡°Mrs. rkson, have you lost your mind? You¡¯ve kidnapped my son. What do you want? Natalia¡¯s heart pounded as she tried to keep her voice steady. ¡°Ha¨Cha Addison¡¯sughter echoed through the phone. ¡°Natalia, are you scared now? Scared that I might kill your son?¡± Natalia was horrified ¡°Addison, whatever your grudge is, take it out on me. Don¡¯t hurt my son! This insane woman, if she dared to hurt Jonas, Natalia would make her payl She was not the same Natalia as five years ago. She owed them nothing! ¡°Oh Natalia, you sound so righteous. Where was this righteousness when you were ruining my daughter¡¯s life? Addison taunted. ¡°Now,e to my house immediately. I want you to see how I¡¯m going to torture your son.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯m on my way Don¡¯t hurt him! You¡¯re going to harm a child, heartless Natalia¡¯s words were cut off as Addison hung up the call. Listening to the busy tone on the phone, Natalia felt more unsettled. She floored the elerator, wishing she could fly to Addison¡¯s house. Soon, she pulled up in front of the rkson family home. She had lived in this house for fifteen years. She didn¡¯t even wait for the car toe to aplete stop before she stumbled out, calling out, Jonas? Jonas?¡± Kyler watched as Natalia entered. She had only grown more beautiful over the years. Seeing the girl he had raised, Kyler felt a wave of emotions. He turned away, unable to face Natalia But Addison was thrilled. She jumped up from the sofa, taunting Natalia, ¡°You sure got here fast! ¡°Addison, where¡¯s my son? Natalia was frantic. She searched the room, spotting Jonas on the sofa. Her heart eased a bit. ¡°You want your son unharmed? Easy¡± Addison got up, holding a kitchen knife. She walked over to Natalia, her voice filled with malice, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to scar your face, I promise your son will be unharmed Natalia was shocked. She had never expected Addison to propose such a thing. She looked at Jonas on the sofa and quickly walked over, but Addison blocked her way ¡°What, can¡¯t bear to do it? Addison sneered ¡°I knew it, you can¡¯t bear to mar your pretty little face! It¡¯s that seductive face of yours that had Magnus head over heels, and do the unforgivable to my daughter! Today, you either scar that face, or I¡¯ll do it for you!¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. With that Addison tossed the kitchen knife at Natalia¡¯s feet. Your beauty, or your son. You choose¡± The sharp knife ttered on the floor, catching the light ominously Natalia coolly met Addison¡¯s gaze This woman had gone mad Natalia nced back at kyler, standing by the French windows. The man who had raised her for fifteen years was pretending he saw nothing Five years. Was it time that had forgotten the human heart, or was it the human heart that was naturally cruel? ¡°Dad, her voice was icy as she addressed Kyler, ¡°are you really going to let your wife harm a child like this?¡± Slowly, Kyler turned around, his expression serious ¡°Addison, let the child go,¡± he ordered sternly Addison was taken aback, then exploded. ¡°Kyler, have you seen what¡¯s be of our daughter? And you¡¯re still siding with this child who was born out of wedlock! Are you out of your mind?¡± Chapter 272 Chapter 272 Bending over, Addison picked up the kitchen knife, her voice bitter and cold. ¡°Natalia, you would have to be dead first! Then I will return him safe and sound to the Andersen family, without a hair on his head harmed!¡± Watching Addison, who seemed to have lost her mind, and the heartless Kyler, Natalia began to chuckle. She slowly approached Addison. Suddenly, she reached out and grabbed the hand that held the knife Before Addison could react, Natalia snatched the knife from her and tossed it at Kyler¡¯s feet ¡°You¡± Addison was taken aback, never expecting Natalia to fight back, and her wrist began to ache Natalia looked at Addison with indifference ¡°You think you can bully me like you did five years ago?¡± In the four years since Callum woke her up, he had taught her many self defense and grappling techniques in order to strengthen her body. Therefore, Addison couldn¡¯t hurt her at all Addison panicked, shouting at Kyler who was standing by the window, ¡°Kyler, you fool, subdue her!¡± Just then, Natalia brushed Addison aside, causing her to fall to the floor Natalia rushed to the couch and held Jonas Jonas, are you okay?¡± Panicked, Natalia picked up Jonas and made her way out of the room. Addison got up from the floor and picked up the knife that was by Kyler¡¯s feet. She aimed it at Natalia¡¯s back! ¡°Stop, Addison Kyler finally snapped out of his daze, but it was toote. Bright red blood began to flow from Natalia¡¯s shoulder. At that moment, the door was kicked open, and Magnus saw Natalia holding Jonas, a knife lodged in her shoulder. ¡°Honey Magnus shouted With a loud thud, Addison was kicked by Magnus and flew back, crashing into the living room wall and rebounding onto the TV Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Policemen flooded in from outside, subduing Kyler and Addison on the floor. Magnus eyes were bloodshot. Holding Jonas with one hand and supporting the pale¨Cfaced Natalia with the other, he said, ¡°Hold on, Honey I¡¯ll take you to the hospital right away! Paul hurnedly took the unconscious Jonas Magnus picked up Natalia and rushed to his car, heading straight for the hospital. Kyler¡¯s house was in chaos after Magnus left. Several policemen surrounded Addison. ¡°You¡¯re Addison? You¡¯re suspected of kidnapping. Come with us!¡± Addison got up from the floor, clutching her aching head. ¡°What? Kidnapping? When did I kidnap anyone?¡± The police officer put handcuffs on Addison ¡°You know what you did. Save your exnations for the police station!¡± With that, the officer pulled Addison up from the ground and pushed her toward the door. Kyler, desperate, tried to intervene ¡°Officers, my wife just lost her head for a moment. Please forgive her. She won¡¯t do it again.¡± ¡°Mr Kyler you¡¯re a respected figure in Melfort. Kidnapping is not a joke. We¡¯ll handle this case impartially, the officer advised him. ¡°You should be pleading with Mr Andersen, not us He might be able to reduce the charges against your wife. Otherwise, she¡¯ll spend the rest of her life in jail Hearing this, Addison nearly lost her mind. She cried out to Kyler, ¡°Kyler, I don¡¯t want to go to jail! Go find Natalia! It¡¯s all her fault! She should save me!¡± Kyler looked at his wife, her makeup smeared from crying and he felt helpless Addison, if you had listened to me earlier, we wouldn¡¯t be in this situation. But you¡¯re still ming Natalia I don¡¯t know what to say to you¡± ¡°How could you say that?¡± Addison screamed. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for you being so useless, I would have avenged our daughter! As long as I don¡¯t get the death penalty, the first thing I¡¯ll do when I get out is to kill that little bitch Natalia! Just you wait!¡± Seeing the hysterical Addison, Kyler was filled with disappointment Just as he was about to intervene, the police officer couldn¡¯t take it anymore and took Addison away ¡°Mr. Kyler, please don¡¯t obstruct our work.¡± Left with no other choice, Kyler watched as the police led Addison away Little did they know, Kendra walked into the room after they left, her face filled with resentment Magnus, Natalia, you will pay for what you owe me!¡± In the hospital. Magnus, holding the injured Natalia, ran frantically towards the emergency room While running, he yelled, ¡®Doctor? Where¡¯s the doctor? Please save her!¡± Magnus voice echoed like a lions roar, drawing all the doctors in the emergency room out. ¡°What¡¯s going on? What happened?¡± ¡°My wife¡¯s been stabbed in the shoulder, and she¡¯s bleeding. Please treat her immediately. She can¡¯t be harmed any further,¡® Magnus urged,ying Natalia on a hospital bed. After a quick examination, the doctors confirmed that Natalia had been stabbed in the shoulder, but the wound wasnt deep It could be bandaged and healed quickly As emergency room doctors, they saw countless critical patients every day However, they had never seen someone who had merely been injured in the shoulder screaming for help Even though the emergency room doctor was internally grumbling, he had to maintain a respectful demeanor since Magnus was his boss ¡°Mr. Andersen, Mrs. Andersen has only suffered minor external injuries After we stitch her up and apply some ointment, she¡¯ll be fine in no time¡± ¡°Minor injuries? She¡¯s lost so much blood, are you blind? Why hasn¡¯t she woken up? Magnus roared at the doctor The doctor, feeling a headacheing on, silently lowered his head After a moment, he said, ¡®Mr Andersen, Mrs Andersen is fine She¡¯s just a bit faint from the sight of her blood ¡°Well, what are you waiting for then? Treat her right away! If anything happens to her, you¡¯ll all be out of jobs! Magnus shouted His usual refined demeanor was nowhere to be seen The doctor was speechless, thinking to himself. ¡°Well, what can you do when he¡¯s the boss, you can¡¯t afford to offend him.¡± None of the doctors dared to say anything. After all, in Melfort, Magnus was infamous for his ruthlessness. He could make even the mayor leave town, let alone a mere doctor The doctors carried on with their work cleaning the wound, stitching it up, and applying ointment. Chapter Chapter 273 Chapter 273 After a hustle and bustle, the doctor, under Magnus incessant urging, finally managed to treat Natalia¡¯s injury without losing his cool. Wiping the sweat off his forehead from the tension, the doctor finally turned to Magnus. ¡°Mr. Andersen, your wife¡¯s wounds have been treated¡± Magnus womed expression finally eased a bit ¡®Good, let¡¯s get her to the VIP room for recovery, you guys must be on standby The doctor took a deep breath. ¡°Mr. Andersen, rest assured, your wife¡¯s injuries are superficial, she will recover soon. There¡¯s no life¨Cthreatening danger!¡± ¡°Of course, why else would Ie to you? My wife is blessed and will undoubtedly be fine Magnus¡® temper had be incredibly irritable due to Natalia¡¯s injury, and every word he spoke sounded rude Fully aware of Magnus temper, the doctors responsible for Natalia¡¯s treatment could only nod in agreement. ¡°Of course, we will take Mrs. Andersen to the best VIP room in the hospital¡± ¡°Right, be careful Magnus followed the doctors out of the room and headed towards the VIP room The medical staff ced Natalia onto the bed and promptly left. Knowing Magnus current mood was off, no one dared to stay and be the scapegoat The room waspletely quiet, as Magnus looked at Natalia, who was unconscious with a pale face, he was full of self¨Creproach, ¡°My love, I me myself for not protecting you! I¡¯m sorry.¡± But Natalia couldn¡¯t hear anything Magnus was saying at the moment. Her injuries were not severe, and the main reason she had fainted was, as the doctor had said, due to seeing blood. She had seen Jonas unconscious and then saw her shoulder stabbed by Addison. She was so shocked that she fainted However, Magnus did not fully believe the doctor¡¯s exnation. He anxiously watched Natalia, who refused to open her eyes, and he paced around the room restlessly The door of the VIP room creaked open, and Paul quietly walked in ¡®Sir, Jonas has been sent home. The family¡¯s private doctor has examined him, and he has not sustained any injuries. He just fainted, and will be fine after some sleep¡± Magnus nodded if anything happened to Jonas, he would make Addison pay for it! ¡°You take care of it. Make sure those people in prison take good care of Addison¡± Hearing Magnus threatening tone. Paul immediately understood his master¡¯s intention and left with a nod ¡°Yes¡± Just as Paul was about to leave, he turned back and said, ¡°Sir, Kyler is here. He wants to visit Ms. Natalia¡± ¡°What is he doing here? Tell him to get lost. I don¡¯t want to see him!¡± Magnus waved his hand irritably, telling Paul to kick Kyler out Paul, always loyal, immediately headed to the door to kick Kyler out of the hospital. ¡°Hold on!¡± Paul stopped at the sound of Magnus voice, ready to listen to his next instruction ¡°Also, tell Kyler that if he doesn¡¯t want his family name to be stripped from Melfort, he better stop bothering my wife! Even when he sees her on the street, he better take a detour¡± Magnus said coldly, as if the rkson family were toys he could break at will. He hadn¡¯t made the rkson family disappear because he thought of his wife. Even though Natalia had suffered a lot under the rkson¡¯s care, they still raised her Natalia had a kind heart, and if Magnus went too far, she wouldn¡¯t ept it Paul nodded, ¡°Yes¡± Soon, a frowning Paul kicked out Kyler, who had initially wanted to plead with Natalia, and then followed Magnus orders to make s sure Addison was well treated in prison. Meanwhile, in the hospital room, Magnus was still watching the unconscious Natalia. He slowly walked over and sat next to her, tenderly touching her red lips. ¡°Darling please get better soon!¡± Natalia was still in a deep sleep, but she felt like there was a persistent fly buzzing around her Annoyed, she reached out and swatted at it. ¡°So annoying, be quiet¡± Her hand was soft and pliable, and it hit Magnus right in the face, making him burst intoughter Magnus grabbed Natalia¡¯s hand,ughing uncontrobly. ¡°Thank God Darling, you are finally awake¡± Natalia slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Why am I here?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Before Magnus could answer her question, she tried to sit up from the bed, but as soon as she moved her shoulder, she felt a searing pain and couldn¡¯t help but gasp ¡°Ouch!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t move¡± Magnus quickly helped her. ¡°You have a wound on your shoulder, be careful, don¡¯t move around¡± That¡¯s when Natalia remembered, she had been stabbed in the shoulder by Addison, and she hurriedly asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Jonas? Is Jonas okay? Addison is insane. She actually kidnapped Jonas!¡± Natalia suddenly became emotional, and Magnus quickly patted her hand to calm her down. ¡°It¡¯s okay now Everything is okay Jonas is safe. Paul is by his side, and he wasn¡¯t injured. Your shoulder must be hurting a lot right now, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Yeah, as long as Jonas is okay Natalia nodded. Who wouldn¡¯t feel pain when stabbed in the shoulder? However, all of this was worth it, as long as little Jonas was fine ¡°And what about Addison? Tell Paul, he must watch Jonas closel Don¡¯t give Addison any chance to approach Jonas again. She¡¯s lost her mind,¡± Natalia said with concern, Magnus touched Natalia¡¯s hand, lost in the soft texture of her skin ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she has been sent to prison and wont be getting out anytime soon. Now, what we need to consider is how long we should keep her there.¡± The mere thought of Addison¡¯s unhinged demeanor sent chills down Natalia¡¯s spine ¡®She¡¯s lost her marbles, it¡¯s terrifying¡± she shuddered. ¡°If it¡¯s possible, she should be kept away longer to prevent her from hurting others ¡°Alright, dear,¡± Magnus nodded in agreement. ¡°Whatever you say goes. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to keep you content Natalia believed this was the best course of action, considering Addisons state of madness Her future actions would be unpredictable, and she couldn¡¯t be trusted However, a sudden pang of guilt washed over Natalia She wored how her father, Kyler, would react to this. ¡°But what about Dad? Won¡¯t this break his heart?¡± She asked ¡°Dad?¡± Magnus let out a sarcastic chuckle. ¡°Honey, are you sure he deserves to be called Dad? They¡¯re harming you! If it werent for your bravery. God knows what would have happened to you and Jonas¡± Natalia bowed her head, acknowledging the truth in Magnus¡® words. Addison¡¯s domineering nature had taken over their household Had Natalia not stood up to Addison, and refied solely on Kyler to stop Addison, it wasn¡¯t going to be enough to protect herself and Jonas. Chapter 274 Chapter 274 ¡°Fine then, I suppose retribution is a necessary part of any misdeed Natalia conceded to Magnus¡® viewpoint I hope that Addison has learned her lesson after this ordeal¡± ¡°Absolutely She should be prepared for the consequences if she dares to cross the Andersen family again. Whatever fate befalls her, she deserves it Magnus coldly retorted As he turned to look at Natalia, his gaze softened. ¡°Honey, are you hungry? Do you want to eat my 7¡± Natalia blushed. ¡°You¡¯re such a pervert.¡± Magnus paused, then chuckled His yful banter with his wife often led to such delightful misunderstandings Darling, I was just asking if you were hungry if you are. I could whip up some pasta for you. I saw a small kitchen here, with pasta You need soft foods because of your injury Magnus exined, teasing her ¡°But why are you blushing? Are you having some naughty thoughts about me?¡± Her blush deepened, making Magnus desire stir. He took her uninjured hand and ced it close to his groin Darling, were you thinking about you¡¯re so hot. You arouse me then condemn me What am I to do with you?¡± Feeling the warmth under her hand, Natalia realized his intentions She was awed at his audacity. She tried to withdraw her hand, but Magnus held it tighter Darling see, its all your fault. It¡¯s thinking about you.¡± ¡°Stop it!¡± Natalia protested. This is a hospital, and besides, my shoulder is injured Magnus chuckled Darling, what are you thinking about? I wasn¡¯t suggesting anything inappropriate. Are you thinking of doing something naughty to me? Natalia was rendered speechless by his audacity and his ability to twist her words. What could she say to this outrageous man who seemed so different from the intimidating CEO she had first met? Seeing Natalia¡¯s flushed face, Magnus couldn¡¯t resist giving her a quick kiss before releasing her ¡°Alright, I was just teasing Are you hungry? Let me prepare something for you What would you like?¡± Natalia breathed a sigh of relief, grateful that Magnus had finally let her be. But she was indeed hungry, so she quietly replied, ¡°How about seafood pasta?¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°No, you can¡¯t have seafood because of your injury. How about I have some chicken soup prepared and have that instead? Is that okay?¡± He suggested, waiting for Natalia¡¯s reaction Natalia nodded before realizing that Magnus was trying to catch her off guard. She looked up at tum, and sure enough, his eyes were full of amusement ¡°You¡¯re so annoying Magnusughed heartily at her flustered state ¡°Alright, alright. Till go prepare your food. Just be patient. I¡¯ll be back soon. With that, he left the room, leaving Natalia wishing she could hide under the covers In a castle in Ennd Lex, once defiant, now obediently ate her meals and followed a regr schedule. Her health quickly improved, herplexion was rosy, and she seemed vibrant. Callum watched her from unseen corners, never daring to confront her. For some reason, this young girl was constantly disrupting his peace of mind. Especially when they were close, he could hear his heart race, and there was an embarrassing physical reaction that he couldn¡¯t suppress. These were feelings he never experienced with Natalia. Was he attracted to Lexi¡¯s body? Or was it because she was his first woman? Callum was confused and didnt want to understand these feelings. He knew one thing for sure. Every day, it took a great deal of effort to push Lex out of his mind He must¡¯ve felt guilty for what he did to her. That must¡¯ve been it! Callum convinced himself. Late at night, a thunderstorm raged outside the castle. Thunder roared across the sky and the rain poured heavily The castle stood tall in the storm, looking somewhat terrifying Lexi curled up on her pink princess bed, covered in a nket, shivering She wasn¡¯t afraid, but being held captive in this unfamiliar castle made her feel tense. Any small noise reminded her of the horror movies she had watched. Footsteps echoed outside her door sounding eerie in the stormy night. Lex held her breath, hoping she was just hearing things The door creaked open, and the footsteps slowly approached Lexi¡¯s bed. Lexi was a shivering bundle of nerves, and her mind was inevitably filled with images of serial Just when she thought she was about to suffocate, she felt a chill as the nket wrapped around her was suddenly yanked away. ¡°Help! ¡°What are you afraid of?¡± Lexis terrified pleas and Callums puzzled queries intermingled, instantly turning the situation into an awkward one ¡°Ha Callum nced at Lex, her face pale and panicked, and couldn¡¯t help but chuckle quietly With certainty, he said, ¡°You¡¯re afraid.¡± That¡¯s when Lex realized she had made a fool of herself. She had mistaken Callum for a serial killer Well, she had been confined for too long and was now suffering from paranoia Chapter 275 Chapter 275 Lexi fumbled for words, acutely embarrassed by her previous hysterical cry for help that echoed in the room. That was a real face palm moment! Meanwhile, Callum had been choosing wine in his cer when he stumbled upon a long¨Ccherished bottle of red wine. He instantly thought of Lexi, believing the sweet, fruity wine would be to her liking. So he brought the bottle up to share Callum uncorked the bottle with an elegant twist, letting its rich, sweet aroma fill the room. ¡°Sweetheart, this is a special wine from my private collection perfect fordies. I thought I¡¯d bring it up to share with you,¡± he said, pouring the ruby liquid into a delicate wine ss, twirling it gently to aerate the wine befom handing it over to Lexi Lexi shook her head T I don¡¯t drink * Truth be told, Lexi could hold her liquor given it was sweet enough. But she didn¡¯t want to drink anything from Callum Why? Because thest time she drank, she ended up under him Seeing Lexis evasive gaze, Callum knew what she was thinking. He reassured her ¡°Darling, this wine won¡¯t get you drunk. And I promise, there¡¯s nothing poisonous in it.¡± Hearing his words, Lexi felt a surge of defiance. She wasn¡¯t going to let him think less of her. She grabbed the ss, threw her head back, and downed the wine. To her surprise, the wine was indeed delicious¨Cnch and sweet with a tantalizing fruitiness. Very refreshing! ¡°Mmm, this is really good wine!¡± Lex couldn¡¯t help but praise. Callum nodded approvingly and refilled her ss 1 told you it¡¯s good. But remember, fine wine is to be savored, not gulped down¡± He lifted his ss, guiding Lex¡¯s eyes to his fingers. ¡°Appreciating wine is a three¨Cstep process. Observing the color, smelling the aroma and tasting it gently & insually appealing wine isn¡¯t necessarily good, but a truly good wine always has a captivating color¡± Lex nodded She was vaguely aware of these things, but never really bothered to delve into them. Callum continued to swirl his wine ¡°Two¨Cthirds of a wine¡¯s value lies in its aroma. If the wine¡¯s aroma hasn¡¯t fully developed, gently swirl the ss to let it interact with the ait releasing its richness¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, Lexi raised her ss. ¡°I know all that.¡± Seeing her dismissive gesture, Callum chuckled and pointed to her fingers holding the ss. ¡°When holding a wine ss, your fingers shouldn¡¯t touch the bowl it not only maintains the aesthetics but also prevents your hand¡¯s warmth from affecting the wine Only then did Lexi realize she was holding the ss by its bowl. She shrugged ¡°So what? This is how I always hold a ss. Whats the big deal?¡± Callum saw through her nonchnce andughed. ¡°Appreciating wine is an elegant pastime, not downing shots. Sometimes, seemingly insignificant details can reveal a person¡¯s ss¡± ¡®So you¡¯re saying Ick ss? Lex puffed up her cheeks in indignation. ¡°I insist on holding my ss this way. Refill my ss! Callum shook his head in amusement. Tve never heard of anyone demanding a refill of wine like that. You really are something else!¡± ¡°So what? It¡¯s just wine Even the most expensive bottle is made to be drunk. I¡¯ll drink how I please. I can stand, sit, lie down wine bottle on the table, refilled her ss to the brim, and downed it in one gulp. whatever makes me happy!¡± Lexi grabbed the Watching Lex¡¯s childish antics, Callum found her amusing Indeed, no matter how expensive something was, it was meant for enjoyment. Why would he fuss over the rules? Whether you preferred to chug or sip wine, as long as you were happy, that was all that mattered! ¡°You¡¯re right I¡¯ve been too rigid Let s drin A short whileter Rita returned with a cart full of wine bottles Satisfied Callum dismissed her ¡°Good. You may leave now Once Rita left, Lexi and Callum were alone again ¡°This is boring Let¡¯s y Rock Paper, Scissors Lexi suggested already a little tipsy She stood up, swaying slightly, and demonstrated the game to Callum. ¡°Rock Paper, Scissors? Callum echoed puzzled N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Lexi decided it was time to enlighten Callum about the ancient game of Rock, Paper, Scissors She stood up, swaying a little, and gave him a demons ¡°Rock, scissors, paper Lexi began to sing and make yful fist bumping motions ¡°See this?¡± She exined, ¡°We start with these moves, and then fish with a round of rock paper scissors. i bet you know this one, right? Rock smashes scissors, the scissors cuts paper, and the paper covers the rack. Whoever loses, sings a song!¡± Callum watched her perform with a heartyugh, his interest piqued I¡¯ll give it a shot ¡°Goodd¡± Lex replied, giggling and slightly tipsy she felt k to that Callum, feeling jovial, disregarded his usual decorum, and filled his ss to the brim, imitating Lexi. ¡°Cheers¡± Lex, her cheeks flushed, raised her ss to clink with Callums. ¡°Cheers¡± Callum found the whole situation amusing. They clinked sses, drank, refilled, and clinked sses again Before they knew it, the bottle of wine Callum had brought was empty. Lexi, having forgotten about the storm outside, giggled tipsily. This wine is so good, too bad there¡¯s only one bottle ¡°You want more? Callum rang the bell in the room, summoning Rita ¡°May I help you?¡± She asked ¡°Go to my cer and bring the vintage Lafite Callummanded without even looking at her Rita nodded. ¡°Yes, sir How many bottles do you need? Callum waved his hand. ¡°The more, the better¡± a sense of joy in ying the role of a teacher Chapter 276 Chapter 276 Soon enough, Callum, with his exceptional memory, mastered the simple game of rock¨Cpaper¨C scissors, and startedpeting with Lexi. Then, Lexi found herself in an unfortunate predicament. Despite being the one who taught Callum the game, she always ended up losing to him. Even though she managed to avoid the penalty of singing a song with her unrivaled skill of ying the victim, Lexi¡¯s spirits soared higher after downing another bottle of red wine Holding the empty wine bottle, she began singing and dancing. ¡°We cry, weugh, we look up at the sky stars still shining bright. Because I just met you, leaving footprints so beautiful. Wind blows, flowers fall, tears like rain, because we don¡¯t want to part Lex¡¯s melodious voice echoed in the room, and her petite figure and beautiful voice cast a spell on Callum Callum thought he was looking at his Buttercup alia for a fleeting moment. He quickly shook off the thought, chuckling at his drunken imagination. How did he see Lexi as Natalia? They looked nothing alike! Outside, the wind and rain intensified, making the night even darker Inside, the room was littered with empty wine bottles. Lexi, drunk to the point of not knowing which way was up, wasughing foolishly, asionally singing a few lines of a song. There was no denying it, she had put on a one woman concert tonight ¡°It¡¯ste. I need to go You should get some rest, too. Callum said, standing up from the floor and turning to leave. He had drunk a fair amount of wine with Lex, but the alcohol wasn¡¯t enough to make him drunk, it just made him a bit tipsy However, he had barely taken two steps when he felt his legs being held tightly Lexi threw herself at Callum¡¯s legs, mumbling incoherently ¡°Don¡¯t leave. I¡¯m scared¡± Callum¡¯s handsome brows furrowed, looking down at Lexi, who was clinging to his legs. ¡°Scared? What are you scared of?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Lexi gave Callum a foolish grin, tightening her grip on his legs. ¡°I¡¯m scared of the witch, and the big¨C nosed monster, and the red¨Ceyed creature¡± She spoke so quickly that Callum couldn¡¯t quite catch what she was saying, but he knew that these were probably figments of her imagination from some horror story ¡°Alright, I won¡¯t leave I¡¯ll stay with you, okay? Callum crouched down, gently stroking Lexi¡¯s hair. ¡°Ill be here with you, and help you fight those monsters¡± ¡°Mm¨Chmm, fight them off! Especially their king!¡± Lexi climbed onto Callum¡¯s legs and rested her head on them ¡°The king¡± They have a king? Callum couldn¡¯t help but smile. She was really drunk Lexi prattled on,pletely unaware of who she was talking to ¡°Yes, they have a king, the most despicable, fierce, and brutal tyrant. He has a name too. Callum. If you cross him, he will lock you up in a big castle with a dragon guarding you, and never let you leave.¡± Callum was both amused and annoyed. So this is how she saw him when he wasn¡¯t around ¨C as the most despicable, fierce, and brutal tyrant? He must not have been fierce enough in real life for her to make up such stories. She needed to be punished! As soon as the thought came to Callum¡¯s mind, he flipped Lexi over and gave her a firm spank ¡°Let¡¯s see if you dare to bber next time.¡± Caught off guard by the spank, Lexi¡¯s temper red up instantly She red at Callum. ¡°You, you hit me?* ¡°Hehe, yeah What are you going to do about it?¡± Callum suddenly found it amusing to tease Lexi Lexi, in her drunken stupor, had no idea who was hitting her Acting on instinct, she bit down on the closest part of Callum¡¯s body. ¡°I¡¯ll bite you to death!¡± While biting Callum, she also hit him hard on the thigh. ¡°Hss¡± Callum sucked in a breath To be honest, Lexi¡¯s strength was nothing to him, but, the location where she bit him was¡­ And what was even worse was her little hand, which was not staying put! That¡¯s right! Lexi¡¯s drunken hit was not just a hit, but could be considered harassment. Callum quickly grabbed Lex, who was causing a ruckus on his thigh, and said hoarsely. ¡°Stop it!¡± ¡°Hmph! I won¡¯t You hit me first! I¡¯m going to bite here, here, and here,¡± Lexi said, lunging at Callum¡¯s sensitive parts,pletely oblivious to what she was doing. ¡°You little minx, you asked for this!¡± Callum¡¯s renowned self¨Ccontrol crumbled in an instant. He forcefully turned Lexi over, pinning her underneath him. He looked down at Lexi, who was now beneath him Her seductive looks made his blood boil. After a brief struggle, Lexs looked up at Callum with a dazed stare ¡°You think you¡¯re so great just because you¡¯re stronger? I won¡¯t back down!¡± With that, she lifted her head and bit down on Callum¡¯s nose Callum easily escaped Lexis attack, but for his own safety, he had to seal her bewitching, mischievous lips. Lexi felt her mouth being bitten and was absolutely lived What could she do when she was bitten? Lexi had the answer, bite back! When Callum forcibly silenced Lexi¡¯s mischievous mouth, the defiant Lexi summoned all her strength to bite Callum¡¯s lips ¡°Hss¡°A sigh escaped Callums lips. He threw all his restraint and guilt out the window, leaned down, and savored the intoxicating sweetness of Lexi He sealed her lips, deeply drawing in the taste of red wine and her unique fragrance, which filled all his senses Lex, too, gave as good as she got, fighting back with all her might. Gradually, the air filled with an underlying current of intimacy, and their struggle turned into a tender embrace Slowly, it grew stronger, until it turned into bubbles of pink, filling the entire room With resolute determination, Callum cradled the girl in his arms and strode towards the regal four poster bed Kisses, possession a potent conquest that eventually subarded into tranquility Outside the window, the gentle patter of rain serenaded the whispering breeze. Inside the room, they lay entwined, their passion burning hot and fierce, then gradually simmering into a tender afterglow Chapter 277 Chapter 277 Lexi awoke with a start as the first stream of morning sunlight filtered through the blinds. Her mind was a foggy mess, with zero recollection of the events from the previous night. The weather had been particrly nasty, with winds howling and main pelting against the windows Callum had kindly checked in on her, and they¡¯d shared a few drinks. Beyond that Lexi couldn¡¯t remember a thing Rubbing her throbbing temples, Lexi made a mental note to avoid alcohol in the future. She wondered if she had drunkenly beaten up Callum the night before While amusing herself with visions of battering Callum, Lexi attempted to sit up only to discover a heavy lethargy in her limbs. Worse still, she waspletely naked! Lexi¡¯s mind stalled, her gaze stiffly turned to the perfectly sculpted hody lying next to hers. Although he had his back to her, Lexi was already terrified. She twisted her head again and saw a smashed bottle of red wine and scattered clothing on the floor a scenario that let one¡¯s imagination run wild So, had she started it, or was it Callum? Before Lexi could untangle her thoughts, she heard a small noise from behind. Fearful of being discovered, she quickly closed her eyes, pretending to still be asleep. Callum opened his eyes, feeling an awkwardness settle upon seeing Lexi beside him. He quickly decided to sneak out while she was still asleep Hastily pulling on his jeans, he grabbed his shirt and fled the room like a fugitive As the sound of the door closing reached her ears, Lexi knew Callum was gone. She heaved a sigh of relief. It was better this way, avoiding an awkward confrontation. Besides, it was merely a one¨Cnight stand after a drunken night, night? They were adults, after all it wasn¡¯t their first rodeo! Lex reassured herself, but her heart felt heavy as if a giant rock was lodged therein. Before long, Rita arrived to tidy up the room. Lexi was trying to soothe her throbbing head by soaking in the bathtub, a cold shower seemed like the best remedy for her hangover. She and Callum had been quite inebriated the night before. Had they used protection? What if she got pregnant? ¡°Ms. rkson are you there?¡± Rita had finished tidying up the room but hadn¡¯t seen Lexi Worried, she knocked on the bathroom door. Lexi, wrapped in a bathrobe, opened the door. ¡°I need the morning after pill¡± Taken aback, Rita quickly understood what Lexi meant and nodded. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bring it to you shortly¡± After tidying up the room, Rita went straight to Callum. ¡°Sir, Ms. Lex needs the morning¨Cafter pill.¡± Callum frowned ¡°What?¡± Rita repeated, ¡°Ms. Lexi said she needs the morning after pill Infuriated. Callum pped the table. ¡°What the hell does she mean by that?¡± Rita couldn¡¯t answer that. She waited for his next instructions Callum, filled with anger and nowhere to vent, beckoned Rita toe closer, and whispered to her, ¡°Go and get After a while, Rita came back with a ss of water. She handed over the pill to Lexi. ¡°This is from our family doctor. It¡¯s very effective and won¡¯t harm your body.¡± Lexi¡¯s face turned beet red ¡°Thank you,¡± she muttered Rita blinked ¡°No need for thanks. Ms Lexi.¡± After swallowing the pill, Lexi gave Rita a grateful smile. ¡°Still, thank you¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need, really I¡¯ll be on my way then¡± Rita left Lex¡¯s room Seeing Rita¡¯s retreating figure, Lexi felt something odd about her expression today. But she dismissed the thought soon after Melfort Hospital Natalia had been in the hospital for a week and was feeling incredibly bored and frustrated ¡°I want to be discharged, now! Natalia grumbled, pounding the bed lightly and pouting at Magnus, who was peeling an apple for her, Magnus, patient as ever, kept peeling the apple without looking up ¡°No, you haven¡¯t recoveredpletely yet¡± Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Natalia¡¯s eyes twitched in imitation ¡°I¡¯ve just suffered some minor injuries, not a broken bone! I¡¯ll go mad if i stay here any longer Magnus didn¡¯t budge ¡°That¡¯s for the doctor to decide, understood?¡± Forced to eat the apple slice Magnus held up to her lips, Natalia huffed Tve been here for a week, I feel like I¡¯m falling apart Magnus pinched Natalia¡¯s cute little nose ¡°My dear. I also wish you could recover quickly. The nights without you are unbearably long¡± Natalia blushed, pulling her nose free from Magnus¡® grasp Just as she was about to retort, there was a knock on the door of the ward, ¡°Come in Magnus called over his shoulder The door to the hospital room swung open, and the attending physician strode in He said respectfully ¡®Mr Ander discharged at any time¡± ¡°Finally, I can leave the hospital. Im so happy!¡± Natalia¡¯s face lit up with joy Mrs Andersens injures have healed. She can be Magnus turned to the doctor, his expression serious. ¡°Are you sure my wife has fully recovered? There won¡¯t be anyplications?¡± The doctor was taken aback. In his twenty plus years of medical practice, he¡¯d never heard of a minor shoulder injury causing lingering effects. Chapter 278 Chapter 278 The attending physician was well aware of Magnus¡® status, and naturally, he didn¡¯t dare to express any frustration Instead, he nodded firmly and confidently ¡°Indeed, Mrs. Andersen has fully recovered after these few days of rest. She will not suffer any residual effects Only then did Magnus show satisfaction ¡°That¡¯s good. Is there anything I need to be particrly careful about when we return home? For example, her diet, habits, any special requirements?¡± The physician frowned in exasperation ¡®Mr. Andersen, Mrs. Andersen is now a perfectly healthy individual and no longer a patient. There¡¯s nothing special she needs to be mindful of ¡°Very well, you may go now¡± Magnus said, waving his hand at the doctor ¡°And thank you for taking care of my wife these past few days¡± The doctor was so shocked his jaw dropped. He was probably the first person to ever receive thanks from Magnus in all of Melfort Good heavens! He had to buy a lottery ticketter! The overwhelmed doctor, forgetting to respond with pleasantries, hurried out of the room Upon hearing that she could be discharged at any time, Natalia felt a surge of euphoria Ha, let¡¯s see how Magnus was going to keep her here now! Magnus, watching Natalia¡¯s enthusiastic reaction, smiled warmly ¡®My dear, it seems you got your wish¡± ¡°Of course Natalia replied, her spirits high ¡®Finally escaping this drab ce. Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go!¡± Magnus, full of affection, looked at Natalia. ¡°Why don¡¯t we grab lunch together? I hear there¡¯s a new sushi ce in town Natalia feigned hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ll have to think about it.¡± ¡°Come on, they say the sashimi is excellent. Will you apany me, my love? Magnus coaxed, wrapping his arm around Natalia and leading her out of the hospital Soon, they arrived at the busiest part of Melfort, where a new Japanese restaurant recently opened. As soon as they entered, the staff greeted them with enthusiastic smiles. ¡°Wee!¡± Magnus nodded eagerly, guiding Natalia toward the seafood tanks. It was lunchtime, yet the new sashimi ce was not crowded Maybe it was because it was newly opened Natalia tugged at Magnus sleeve whispering. ¡°This ce seems quiet. Maybe the food isn¡¯t that great. Should we try somewhere else?¡± Magnus chuckled, leaning in to whisper in Natalia¡¯s ear, ¡°My love, the reason it¡¯s quiet is because they only serve gold card customers.¡± Natalia looked around at the opulent decor of the restaurant, impressed despite herself. However, that was their business strategy, and she had no ce toment. Nataliaughed at her own thoughts and focused her attention on the various seafood in the tank. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Before them were severalrge, beautiful with tuna, oysters, sea urchins, lobsters, and other seafood she couldn¡¯t name Magnus gently asked Natalia. ¡°What would you like to eat?¡± Natalia wasn¡¯t a big fan of sashimi, especially the raw seafood. After a moment¡¯s thought, she said, ¡°Maybe just some shrimp. I¡¯d really prefer some soup. I¡¯m not particrly hungry Magnus nodded in agreement and gestured for a server ¡®We¡¯ll have the salmon sashimi and a shrimp bisque, please¡± After finishing their order, Magnus guided Natalia towards the VIP section. The striking couple attracted the attention of everyone in the mom. Some even discreetly took out their phones to snap pictures, thinking they had spotted celebrities Natalia was used to this. Whenever she was with Magnus, they were always the center of attention, which could be quite a headache Well people were going to look regardless. There was no point in trying to stop them. As Natalia sat in the chair Magnus had pulled out for her, she heard a friendly voice say ¡°Mr. Andersen? What a coincidence running into you here!! Natalia looked up to see a chic, short haired woman standing at their table, smiling at them Magnus was also surprised not expecting to run into a colleague here, ¡°Are you the new assistant that just got promoted?¡± The woman didn¡¯t seem to mind that Magnus couldn¡¯t remember her name. She extended her hand toward Natalia ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Belle, Mr. Andersens assistant. I¡¯m delighted to meet you You¡¯re just as radiant as the rumors say¡± Natalia couldn¡¯t afford to be too petty either, even though she couldn¡¯t help but find the smile on the girl named Belle¡¯s face a bit annoying it was as if that seeming enthusiastic smile was forced Natalia shook her head inwardly, realizing that she was probably being too sensitive. After all, she didn¡¯t even know this girl in front of her, so how could she make assumptions like that? Natalia reached out and shook Belle¡¯s hand ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Natalia. Belle¡¯s eyes lit up ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you, Mrs Andersen Magnus didn¡¯t have much of an opinion about Belle, other than what his former assistant had told him that Belle was incrediblypetent at her job. So, when his previous assistant had to resign for personal reasons, Belle seemed like the obvious choice to be promoted to the executive office In his eyes, Belle was different from the other secretaries in thepany Some of them would stutter and mmer in fear when they saw him, while others were overly eager to the point of being ufortable. However, Balle had always struck the right bnce showing a kind of tare poised leadership This was the main reason why he agreed to promote Belle, who had only been with the company for two months to a much higher position. ¡°Darling, this is Belle, my current executive assistant She¡¯s quite exceptional at her work Magnus casually introduced Belle, not bothering to say anything more, mainly because he didn¡¯t know much else about her Natalia couldn¡¯t help but admire Belle. She knew that it took a lot to impress someone as demanding as Magnus, and there were very few who could earn such des from him. Chapter 279 Chapter 279 It seemed that the bright¨Ceyed girl named Belle was indeed extraordinarily capable. ¡°I¡¯m pleased to meet you too. You have a lovely radiant and warm smile¡± Natalia admitted honestly expressing her first impression of Belle Belle, however, gave a small chuckle Mrs. Andersen, you must be teasing me My colleagues at work call me the Ice Queen behind my back. Once I get into work mode, I don¡¯t even recognize my own kin!¡± Natalia took another look at Belle The girl in front of her seemed like a very kind person Maybe her colleagues had mistaken her? Natalia didn¡¯t feel the need to indulge in pleasantnes with someone she had no connection with She simply smiled politely and did not continue the conversation Belle, having quickly risen from a novice to a CEO¡¯s assistant was indeed a force to be reckoned with Her ability to read the room and gauge peoples emotions could not be underestimated So when Natalia stopped talking Belle excused herself, ¡°Mr. and Mrs. Andersen, please continue your meal, I need to deal with some work matters She then gracefully walked towards the exit in her sleek high heels. ¡°She has such a bright smile¡± Natalia mused watching Belle¡¯s retreating figure Contrary to her Magnus didn¡¯t agree. Really? I didn¡¯t notice. Only my wife is the epitome of perfection in this world¡± ¡°tterer¡± Natalia couldn¡¯t help butugh. She yfully pinched Magnus¡® arm and quickly forgot about the incident The restaurant was impressively efficient, soon enough, the waiter served the dish that Magnus had ordered Seeing therge te of salmon sashimi, Natalia was somewhat taken aback. ¡°Will we be able to finish it?¡± Magnus, being considerate served a piece of the sulent salmon for Natalia ¡°Why do we have to finish it? We should just enjoy it ¡± Natalia gave Magnus a sideways nce. I know you¡¯re wealthy, the wealthiest in Melfort, but can you not be so wasteful? Do your folks know about your extravagant ways of living Magnus, with a piece of salmon mid¨Cair, was dumbfounded as he looked at Natalia. It was just a meal. Was there a need to make such a fuss about it? They looked at each other and burst intoughter, the atmosphere was rxing Unbeknownst to them, a pair of resentful eyes were watching from a hidden corner if looks could kill, they would have been riddled with holes already While the couple was enjoying their intimate lunch, Lexi, trapped in a castle, was utterly despondent Lex was tossing and turning on the bed, filled with regret Callum clearly imprisoned her. Why didn¡¯t she have the sense to avoid drinking with him and end up being taken advantage of again? No, wait! Lexi thought senously, her face burning with embarrassment. She was so drunk at that time, who knows, maybe in her intoxicated state, she was the one who forced herself on Callum? Ah! Lex screamed in her mind, feeling like she was going insane! Just as she was contemting banging her head against the wall to calm down, the door to her room was pushed open. Lex lifted the pillow from her head and peeked through the gap As Callums handsome face, which suddenly seemed more appealing, appeared, her brain just stopped working. She quickly pressed the pillow back onto her head, praying fervently. ¡°Don¡¯t look don¡¯t look ¡°Are you nning to suffocate yourself? Callum almost chuckled, watching with amusement as Lexi buried her head in the pillow I can¡¯t hear him I can¡¯t hear it. I am asleep, asleep¡± Lexi hypnotized herself, trying to ck out Callum¡¯s voice However Callum clearly had no intention of allowing her to do so. He strolled over to the bed, pulling off the pillow from Lexi¡¯s head. ¡°Silly girl, were you really nning to suffocate yourself? With the pillow gone. Lex had nowhere to hide. Her face was flushed red from the pillow, and her eyes were shifty as she stared at the pink bedspread ¡°Ah? 1, I just fell asleep I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about¡± Callum chuckled softly and was not nning to expose Lexis little tie Theard you haven¡¯t been eating well. Is it because the food from the lutchen isn¡¯t to your liking¡± Lex shook her head ¡°No. I just dont have an appetite. The food from the kitchen is delicious, really¡± ¡°Really? Callum narrowed his eyes. ¡°I thought the chefs were cking off I was about to fire them.¡± ¡°No, please dorit its just that I havent had much appetite recently, not the chefs fault! Lexi panicked. She couldn¡¯t let others be fired because of her ¡°That¡¯s good if they can¡¯t make food that makes you salivate. I would still fire them.¡± Hearing Callums domineering statement, Lexi was speechless. She instinctively looked up at him, only to find herself falling into his intense gaze, causing ber Why was he looking at her like this? Lex suddenly felt shy and stuttered. ¡®No. their food is delicious, it¡¯s just that I haven¡¯t been feeling well, really¡± Callum didn¡¯t respond. He didn¡¯t understand why he was so eager to see this petitedy Ever since that right, he would always see her smiles and frowns no matter what fe did And he couldn¡¯t forget that feeling of tion when he was inside her Could it be that he was starting to like this youngdy? The idea frightened Callum He took a few steps back, shaking his head vehemently Impossible, he had igred Buttercup for so many years, how could he be enfatuated with Property ? of N?velDrama.Org. someone else? Lexi watched Callum curiously not understanding why his expression had suddenly changed. ¡°Can I go out for a walk? You promised mest time¡± Lear gathered her courage and tentatively asked Callum contracted his gaze and quickly nodded Yes you can go out whenever you want Lex was taken aback. She hadn¡¯t expected Callum to agree to her request so easily. She was so thrilled that she momentarily lost her words ¡°The estate is vast, and you might get lost if you¡¯re alone il call for Rita She can apany you¡® Callum sad, before stepping out to fetch Rita. It wasn¡¯t long before Rita stepped in respectfully ¡°Ms Lexi, Mr. Callum mentioned you¡¯d like some fresh art Lexi nodded ¡°Yes, Id like to take a stroll 14.06 ¡°Very well Ms. Lex. Please follow ma Chapter 280 Chapter 280 With Rita by her side, Lexi began to explore the confines of Callum¡¯s castle. Since her confinement, this was the first time she had the chance to wander around, and she was amazed by the grandeur of the castle Nestled between perfect natural scenery, surrounded by vibrant greenery and rugged mountains, it felt like being in an impable world Passing through corridors filled with delicate antiques, extravagant halls, and enchanting gardens, Lex followed Rita to the farthest end of the castle. Ahead was arge iron gate, beyond whichy a dense forest ¡°What¡¯s beyond there? Lexi asked Rita nced at the forest, leading Lexi further along as she spoke, ¡®Miss Lexi, that¡¯s the castle¡¯s backyard, a massive forest. It¡¯s easy to get lost in there, so Mr. Callum has surrounded it with this fence¡± Lexi took another look at the gate before following Rita on the tour. She would have been genuinely obsessed with this castle if it weren¡¯t for her captivity, but now, all she could think about was how to escape. Rita continued to lead the way, oblivious to Lexi¡¯s thoughts, and began exining the different sights within the castle, ¡®Miss Lexi, this is the fountain, built during the Midde Ages ¡°Excuse me,¡± Lexi interrupted, looking a bit sheepish. ¡°I think I need to use the restroom.¡± Rita stopped ¡°Miss Lexi, the restroom is just around the corner, do you need me to apany you?¡± ¡°No, no, I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll go by myself¡± Lexi quickly walked in the direction Rita had pointed Rita watched as Lex walked away, noticing that her demeanor had changed drastically since her arrival. Indeed, there was nothing in life that one couldn¡¯t get used to Rita waited patiently, but when Lexi didn¡¯t return after a long time, she started to panic. She was worried that Lexi might have lost her way and hurried towards the restroom, softly calling out, ¡°Miss Lexi? Miss Lexi?¡± When Rita got close to the restroom, she was shocked to find Lexi climbing over the iron gate. She rushed towards Lexi in a panic. ¡°Ms. Lexi, what are you doing?¡± Lex had made up her mind to escape and wasn¡¯t going to miss this golden opportunity She kept climbing until she reached the top, and just as Rita got closer, she jumped to the other side of the gate, pping her hands, ¡°Rita, thank you for taking care of me. But I crave freedom and don¡¯t want to be trapped in this golden cage I¡¯m leaving goodbye! ¡°Ms Lex, no! The forest is too dense, you¡¯ll get lost. And there are wolves in the woods. Please, don¡¯t be foolish. Come back!¡± Rita stomped her foot in frustration, calling out to Lexi, hoping she would return. But with freedom so close, there was no way Lexi was going to let Rita talk her out of it. She shook her head with a smile ¡°Even if I get lost in this forest, I have to try Rita, you¡¯ve never lost your freedom, so you wouldn¡¯t understand how it feels to be a caged bird. See you! Or rather, goodbye!¡± With that, Lexi walked towards the forest without looking back. Freedom, atst, here Ie Watching Lexis figure gradually disappear into the forest, Rita deeply regretted bringing her here. ¡°Oh no! Ms. Lexi didn¡¯t listen to me. I must report this to the master immediately!¡± Rita murmured anxiously running towards the main castle. Callum was pouring himself a ss of red wine when Rita told him that Lexi had climbed over the gate and gone into the forest. He was furious and smashed the wine ss on the ground, yelling. ¡°You let her escape? You fool! Send someone to find her immediately!¡± Scared, Rita nodded her head. ¡°Yes, Mr. Callum, right away¡± While the castle was in chaos. Lexi was enjoying her stroll in the forest. She walked on the thick fallen leaves, creating a pleasant rustling sound. An asional bird would hop around on branches, and sometimes a curious squirrel would peek out from behind a tree Lexi felt exhrated even wondering if she had identally stepped into a fairy tale. She had never seen such breathtaking beauty in the modern world. She wandered aimlessly in the forest, starting with fascination, then fatigue, and finally, terror, because, she had lost her way She had passed this leaning tree more than once As darkness fell, the forest fell silent. All she could hear was the rustling sound of her own footsteps on the leaves. Suddenly, an animal howled in the distance, adding a touch of horror to the dark night Was that a wolf? Lexi covered her mouth in terror, fearing that the next second, a wolf with glowing green eyes would chase her She stumbled through the dense forest, her steps weak and unsure. She didn¡¯t know when she could escape this terrifying forest. Perhaps, she shouldn¡¯t have run out of the castle ¡®Boom, rumble, rumble¡± A few heavy thunderps echoed, followed by a heavy downpour it was the rainy season, but encountering such a night wasn¡¯t exactly pleasant In just a short while, Lexi waspletely drenched. The cold wind blew past, making her shiver The cold rain kept hitting Lexi¡¯s head and body making her unable to see the path ahead Her foot slipped, and she tumbled down a slope crashing into arge tree and losing consciousness Inside the castle, Callum was berating his servants who were assigned to look for Lea in the forest. ¡°You didn¡¯t find her? What are you lot, good for nothing? All of you, and you can¡¯t even find one person, you bunch of dots!¡± His subordinates were taking the scolding with their heads bowed, barely daring to breathe for fear that Callum would kick them out of the castle.Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 281 Chapter 281 Callums blood boiled with fury. He abruptly stood from his chair and stormed out of the mom ¡°I refuse to believe we can¡¯t find her He dered Outside, the wind was howling, and the rain wasshing down hard. The sky had turned a deep, dark ck. Even Callum couldn¡¯t exin the fear that was creeping over him What was he afraid of exactly? Was he afraid that Lexi had escaped? Or was he afraid she was in danger? At this moment those questions were irrelevant. The only thing that mattered was finding out Lexi¡¯s whereaboutN Callum led the search party instructing his men to spread out in a line and conduct a thorough carpet style omarch Dozens of shlights lit up the forest startling small animals that were hiding in the underbrush and causing them in scamper away in fear, as if hunters hade to capture them. it wasnt long after Lexi had been knocked unconscious that she was rudely awakened. The cold and sharp rain pped against her face, pulling her back to her senses became terrified when she realized something was dragging her along the ground She managed to lift her head and caught sight of a bear a grant grizzly! She was being dragged along by the scruff of her jeans by a hulking grey ck bear Lexi froze with fear She¡¯d fallen into the clutches of a gra She was ternfied but didn¡¯t dare make a move All she could do was stay as still as possible while desperately trying to remember what to do if you encountered a She remembered that grizzly bears didn¡¯t usually eat dead people Yes that was it! The bear must have thought she was dead so it wouldert eat her She was covered in mud and scratches and waspletely terrified. Lexi wished she could just pass out. But if she did she knew that she may never wake up As she was wracking her brains, she heard the distant sounds of footsteps and the faint yelling of orders, ¡°Be careful Watch your step! Don¡¯t miss an inch of ground Was that Callum? Lex was overjoyed and wanted to cry out, but she feared agitating the bear What if it decided to devour her? The bear seemed to have heard the human noises, too. It stopped dragging Lexi and sniffed around her face, seemingly checking if she was indeed dead Lex held her breath but the bears foul breath made her want to retch She was so scared she was about to pass out! Finally the bear seemed to confirm that Lex was indeed ¡°dead¡± and left her to hide. The bright lights seemed to scare the bear Even the fiercest wild animals feared humans, especially when they were outnumbered Lexiy quietly on the wet ground, listening to the fading sounds of the beat, until she could no longer hear it, but Callum and his men¡¯s footsteps were also getting further Lexi knew that this was her only chance to escape the bear. She had to seize the opportunity! instinctively, she stood up and ran in the direction of Callums voice. She stumbled and fell, and the heavy rain blurred her vision. Lex was fighting for her life She hadn¡¯t run far when she heard a roaring sound behind her Lexi didn¡¯t look back She knew the creature chasing her was the grizzly bear. It must have seen that she was alive. It had been hiding and watching her When it saw her suddenly run away, it was enraged and began to chase Lex ¡°Help! Callum Help¡± Lex shouted as she ran in the vast darkness of the night. Callum became her only hope The sound of the bear was getting closer, apanied by the sound of rustling leaves. Lex¡¯s survival instincts kicked in, and she ran for her life. She didn¡¯t dare as death was night on her heels. ¡°There¡¯s someone there!¡± ¡°Yes, someones shouting for help!¡± Over there! Excited voices filled the air Lex was ecstatic. As long as she could reach the people, she would be saved. She was getting closer closer Even through the heavy curtain of rain, Lex could see Callum standing not far from her. Then she saw him raising his hand pointing his gun at her and pulling the in A bullet whistled towards her and Lex¡¯s heart sank Of course, she had escaped from the castle, and Callum wanted to silence her, didn¡¯t he¡® ack off Lex gave a bitter smile, and she stopped running It would have been better to be taken by the bear, at least she wouldn¡¯t have experienced the pain of falling from hope to despair Tears streamed down her face Lex watched the bullet flying towards her, and closed her eyes, bracing for death. But the death she was expecting was knocked to the ground by something heavy Next, she heard people rushing over asking. ¡®Ms. Leas, are you okay?¡± Ms. Lexi, are you hurt?¡± Mr Callum is amazing, he killed the beal with one shot. It was a close call if he didn¡¯t act fast, that bear would have bitten your neck Lex pieced together what had happened from the disjointed voices. She felt like she had just walked a tightrope between life and death, and now she didn¡¯t have the strength to even move She managed to open her eyes and saw Callum standing in front of her. He bent down and lifted her hom the muddy ground. ¡°Let¡¯s go home, he said And then, Lexi felt herself being cradled in Lalluts arms. She was so weak she didn¡¯t even have the strength to lift a finger It¡¯s funny how people thought death was easy until they came face to face with it. That was when they realized just how precious Held in Callum¡¯s strong arms and feeling his powerful heartbeat. Lexi noticed that his face was eathly pale Could it be To confirm her suspicion Lee lifted her head trying to read his expression he was worried about Maybe her gaze was too direct because Callum caught her looking. He bowed his head, staring at the grubby Lexi in his arms, and said solemnly. but you¡¯ve got to promise me, Lexi, you won¡¯t pull stunts like this again if something like this happens again, I can¡¯t predict what i might doMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 282 Chapter 282 you freedom. Lexi gazed at Callum¡¯s stern face, a sense of trepidation crept into her heart. Was he warning her? Upon returning to the castle, Callum scooped Lexi into his arms and headed straight upstairs. Rita, their housekeeper, rushed over Thank heavens, Ms. Lexi is safe and sound!¡± Callum instructed Rita, ¡°Prepare a warm bath. We need to clean her up.¡± ¡°I can I can do it myself Lexi¡¯s protest was cut short by Callum¡¯s fierce gaze Rita quickly filled the tub and discreetly exited the room As the bathroom warmed, Callum gently undressed Lex, removing her mucky clothes ¡°Callum can do it myself. Lexi stuttered, hoping to dissuade Callum from bathing her Callum shot her a look ¡°Quiet! If you have enough energy to bathe yourself then you¡¯re not scared enough! Lexo shrunk back afraid he would punish her. She lowered her head, not daring to speak further Callum undressed Lex with the utmost care, treating her as if she were the most precious porcin that couldn¡¯t bear a scratch Lex felt her clothes being removed, and the cool air caused her to tremble slightly But that was nothing compared to the heat on her face. She wished she could disappear into the floorboards ¡°I can do it Before she could finish her sentence, Callum had lifted her into his arms and gently ced her in the tub Lex stopped resisting She stared at Callum¡¯s handsome face and quietly closed her eyes. If he wanted to bathe her, she¡¯d let him. After all, he had seen and touched her body before After the bath, Callum wrapped Lex in a towel and ced her on the bed. ¡°Sleep now Everything is okay, Callum said softly. Tears welled up in Lexi¡¯s eyes. No matter how she tried to escape, she always ended up in Callum¡¯s hands. He had saved her life once again She closed her eyes Melfort Natalia was incredibly busy, a perfect representation of the phrase ¡°burning the candle at both ends¡± It was all because of Magnus, that domineering maniac. Ever since he discovered that she had won a designpetition in Ennd, he had treated her as his personal designer He wanted her to design a new logo for hispany iming it was their ¡°love logo.¡± She was fed up with him! What made her most furious was that he insisted she design the logo in his office, iming it would help her better understand thepany¡¯s ethos Wasn¡¯t he just trying to keep her by his side all the time? The man was incredibly clingy ¡°What a load of crap Natalia thought to herself, itching to punch Magnus, who was constantly touching her ¡°Is this your so¨Ccalledpany ethos? A culture of sexual indulgence? Natalia asked, struggling to free her hand from Magnus grip Magnus just chuckled, unabashed ¡®My love, you¡¯re like the brightest star in the night sky, constantly drawing me in I¡¯m helpless¡°¡± Natalia knew she couldn¡¯t argue with him. She forcefully pushed away Magnus hand, which had strayed towards her chest, and walked over to the window. ¡°Magnus, remember, this is apany if your employees see you acting like this, how are you going to maintain your authority? She asked Magnus followed her, sticking to her like glue They wouldn¡¯tugh if they do, I¡¯ll fire them on the spot. He twirled a lock of her hair around his finger ¡°You have no idea how much i miss you when you¡¯re not around,¡± he said. ¡°You¡¯re intoxicating¡± ¡°Stop Natalia eximed feeling goosebumps all over her body Can you stop being so cheesy? Do you think I¡¯m cheesy? i dont feel it Magnus replied, pretending to be innocent. He was about to hug Natalia again when there was a knock on the door Natalia poked Magnus, hinting at him to maintain his image She then walked into a small partitioned room in Magnus office It¡¯s where Magnus rest. Natalia didn¡¯t want Magnus staff to know she was there, so before she came, she had agreed with Magnus that if someone came, she would retire to the small room to rest The room wasn¡¯t as big as the office, but it contained arge,vish bed Magnus certainly lived a luxurious life, Natalia thought Natalia decided to lie down and rest for a while She was exhausted from designing all day and soon drifted off to sleep On the other hand Magnus was stuck in his office, dealing with the intruder who had interrupted his intimate moment with Natalia Come in he said his voice icy The door to the office opened and Belle, dressed in a professional suit, walked in She handed Magnus a stack of documents These are the documents ytu, sped today, she said ¡°Put them on the table. Til look at themter. Magnus replied, hoping to get rid of Belle as soon as possible ¡°Sir, these documents are for projects that need to be implemented today i need your decisions as soon as possible,¡± Beile pressed. Magnus was impressed by Belle¡¯s professional demeanor. He nodded and said. Alright, wait a moment. Til review them now. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. He reached for his teacup hoping to quench his thight after the tinng interaction with Natalia However his cup was as empty as a ghost town. With a s picking up the stack of paperwork on his desk instead Immediately, Belle sprang into action ¡°Mr Magnus¡± she said, her voice chiming like a bell Shall i brew you some coffee? ¡®Sounds good. Belle ced the files on Magnus desk. Her heels clicked against the floor as she made her way to the Magnus began to skim through proposals and execution ns with the speed of a seasoned professional. He was just about to walked in, a scoffeeming cup of coffee in her hands Mr Magnus your coffee, she announced ¡°Thank you¡± Magnus said, his voice as smooth as the coffee he lifted to his lips for a p ¡°Are these ns feasible? Belle asked, standing by Magnus side, awaiting his judgment. put it down. Chapter 283 Chapter 283 | the documents when Bedie The coffee Belle made was just right. Magnus took a few sips, draining half the cup before he nodded approvingly Hmm. I trust your work abilities. These proposals are all quite impressive¡± Receiving Magnus praise, Belle gave a small smile. That¡¯s what I¡¯m supposed to do Thank you for the compliment. Mr. President ¡°Hmm. Magnus nodded nonchntly, handing over the signed documents to Belle who had been standing and waiting Take these Belle collected the papers but didn¡¯t leave Instead, she stood there quietly, her focused gaze lingering on Magnus ¡°What¡¯s the matter? Anything else? Magnus looked at Belle confused about why she hadn¡¯t left yet ¡°Mr. Magnus Ive been with thepany for almost three and a half months now and I¡¯m grateful that you saw potential in me and promoted me to be your assistant To express my gratitude may invite you to dinner tonight? Belle suddenly turned to Magnus with a smile Her already charming face was lit up with a brilliant smile Magnus was taken aback Your promotion was due to your strong work abilities Thepany paves the way for the strong There¡¯s no need for that just focus on your work Belle paused know you adore your wife dearly But as your employee. I genuinely just wanted to express my gratitude. As for work I definitely work hard Magnus expression grew stern, he had already gently rejected her but she wouldn¡¯t let it go. He despised clingy women Belle, I value your work abilities, and that¡¯s promoted you Don¡¯t disgrace yourself As you said I love my wife dearly, and I won¡¯t be having any dinner with you Tears welled up in Belle¡¯s eyes Mr. Magnus, I admire you simply can¡¯t control my feelings I just wanted to invite you for dinner She lowered her head looking quite pitiful, nothing like the cool andposed woman she usually was. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Just as Magnus was about to say something, he suddenly felt a strange heat coursing through his body. He lifted his bloodshot eyes, staring at the woman before him a sudden urge to tear her apart surged through him What was happening to him? Seeing his strange behavior Belle quickly approached him, gripping his arm, ¡°Mr. Magnus, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Her cool touch was a relief against his burning skin, but he pushed her away forcefully in a cold voice, he asked. ¡°Belle, did you put something in my coffee?¡± He had been fine just moments ago How could he have changed so suddenly? His eyes were filled with a bloodthirsty glint Belle lunged at Magnus like an octopus, holding onto his waist tightly. ¡°What¡¯s going on? I¡¯m here, are you feeling unwell? Take me I¡¯m all yours.¡± After hearing Belies words Magnus pushed her away in disgust. ¡°Belle, you¡¯ve got some nerve! He leaned against the desk, feeling as if his blood was beginning to boil ¡°Get out!¡± His blood¨Cred eyes were cold and ruthless: ¡°Mr Magnus if you don¡¯t take me something bad will happen! I won¡¯t tell anyone! Please! Belle once again held onto his arm, trying to unbutton his shirt Magnus felt as if millions of ants were crawling all over him. He pushed Belle away once again. ¡°Get out now! As Belle took in his handsome face she became more desperate Today was her only chance to have this man! She had to seize this opportunity! ¡°What¡¯s going on here¡± Natalia was awakened by the noise outside. She opened the door to find Magnus slumped over the desk ¡°Natalia Magnus looked at Natalia as if she was his savior Belle was taken aback when she saw the young woman emerge from the resting room. She hadn¡¯t expected Natalia to be resting there At that moment, she wished she could destroy everything and kill Natalia! She shot Natalia a fierce look, but it was fleeting ¡°Maam, Mr Magnus is feeling unwell it¡¯s good that you¡¯re here Please take him to the hospital quickly Having said that, she quickly left the presidents office As she fled the president¡¯s office resentment filled her heart Standing at the door, her eyes were filled with frustration and hatred. She had missed such a good opportunity Natalia had actually been in the presidents office Damn it Once Belle had left the office, Magnus gripped the edge of the table His body felt as if it was crawling with millions of insects ¡°Magnus, what¡¯s wrong? Natalia saw his state and started to panic She quickly reached for her phone call the doctor right away. You need hospital ¡°Natalia dont His blood¨Cred eyes made Natalia even more frightened Magnus grabbed her arm Quick help me get to the resting room. I¡¯ve been roofed When Natalia finallyprehended his words. Magnus burning body had already engulfed her They stumbled into the resting room Magnus buried his head in her neck. His touch against her skin and his breath inhaling her scent made his blood feel as i her head Natalia I cant hold on any longer Natalia was startled when she saw blood trickling from his nose ¡°Magnus how are you feeling? Should I c doctor? There¡¯s no time if it¡¯s not dealt with promptly, I burst Natalia He covered her lips kissing her fiercely He was shreds ¡°Ah¡ª¡± Natalia screamed. She had never seen Magnus like this befor it was about a crazed wolf, promptly tearing Nath dess lu Staring at Natalia hiding in the corner Magnus closed his eyes Natalia you need to me Otherwise. His burning hands grabbed her ankle, removing the obstacles on his body. Heid his body on top of hers Seeing his contorted, handsome face. Natalia felt a sharp pain in her heart What should she do? Magnus ferocious kisses were like a storm, leaving trai Natalia¡¯s body His body was on fire, covering her burning all her reason. She closed her eyes, enduring his madness, his plunder, has posse Each time he thrust into her, Natalia convulsed This went on all afternoon. He never stopped. As the sun set. Paul entered Magnus office after getting no response to his knocks. He instantly sensed something unu door and left in the resting room, and promptly closes At eight in the evening. Magnus finally released Natalia, who had already drifted off to sleep beneath him. His appetite oak sd Once the effects of the drug wore off, his mind became much clearer Looking at Natalia in his arma, looking sa fragile as a falling autumn leel, his heartache measure Im sorry, darling.¡± Gently he carried her into the bathroom and helped her clean up. He then immediately asked Paul to buy some ointment and clothes He had hurt Natalia, he was a damn fool! Entering the room, Paul noticed the storm brewing on Magnus handsome face for ¡°Find out who Belle is, and kick her out of thepany immediately I never want to see her step foot inside this corporation again?¡± ¡°Yes, sir Kicking her out of thepany was lenient, considering the revenues she had generated. Besides he didn¡¯t need to stoop so low as foc Chapter 284 Chapter 284 He applied ointment to Natalia¡¯s wounds, cradling her tenderly as he closed his eyes By the time Natalia woke up, it was the middle of the night. She was sore all over, and barely had the strength to lift her hand As she slowly opened her eyes and turned her head slightly, Natalia met Magnus gaze, filled with concern and tenderness ¡°Darling I¡¯m sorry, did I hurt you? His guilt welled up like a wave Natalia¡¯s sleepy blue eyes blinked slowly What do you think?¡± Magnus held Natalia closer Darling, I¡¯m sorry ¡°Forget it, what actually happened Natalia slowly sat up She hadn¡¯t forgotten that Magnus was drugged Magnus fell silent. He felt a sting of embarrassment Being drugged by a woman was mortifying! The thought of what could¡¯ve happened if Natalia wasn¡¯t there yesterday was too terrifying to contemte Noticing his expression and rage. Natalia gently said. ¡°How did you get drugged? Was it that girl, Belle?¡± Magnus was slightly taken aback ¡°How did you know it was her darling?¡± Nataha shook her head she wasn¡¯t sure why, but when she found out Magnus was drugged, her first suspicion fell on Belle Perhaps it was because of Belle¡¯s cold gas was so calm it seemed almost masked People with desires werent scary What was scary were those who hid their desires perfectly, as their greed was often too much to bear ¡°Magnus why do I feel like I¡¯ve seen Belle somewhere before? Natalia quietly voiced her doubts Indeed, although she knew it was her first time meeting Belle, for some reason, when she first saw Belle, she felt as if she had seen her somewhere before Her seemingi calm eyes seemed to hide many secrets Magnus shook his head. ¡°Belle is a newbie in Melfort, she¡¯s been studying for her PhD in the US. I think you might have mistaken her for someone else¡® Belle was a hard worker, her sales performance was outstanding in her first month, and it only increased from there. She climbed the corporatedder to the position of assistant due to her own abilities Magnus never thought such an ambitious woman would have other ill intentions, like getting into his bed ¡°Is that so?¡± Natalia didn¡¯t seem entirely convinced shaking her head ¡°Regardless of whether I¡¯ve met her before or not, I just don¡¯t trust her How do you to deal with Magnus nodded fully agreeing with Natalia¡¯s assessment. ¡°I will have her leave thepany. We don¡¯t need maniptive people like her¡± Magnus camed Natalia back to their mansion, where the household staff had prepared dinner. After she finished eating Magnus carried her up the stairs. The two fell asleep in each other¡¯s arms The following day Magnus went straight to the office, where Paul handed him all the information he had gathered on Belle. Magnus read through it. Everything seemed normal her resume her education, her circle of friends. Belle was as ordinary as could be Holding the thin file, Magnus looked displeased at Paul ¡°Is this all?¡± Paul looked down, slightly embarrassed ¡°Yes, this is all I could find Everything about her is normal. Belle is just an ordinary person. She had a tough childhood and has worked harder than most¡± A hard worker indeed, especially when it came to seducing Magnus. Magnus didn¡¯t feel like delving deeper, as he was going to have her leave soon anyway He just wanted to know if this girl had any other motives for getting close to him. ¡°Inform the HR department to let her go, Magnusmanded coldly ¡°Yes¡± Paul responded and left the office to inform the HR department Shortly after Paul returned to Magnus office ¡°Sir. Belle wants to see you¡± Magnus frowned, recalling Belle¡¯s talent, and he nodded Let her in¡± Belle walked in slowly standing by Magnus desk Paul quietly closed the door behind him and left the room. Therge office was suddenly filled with an awkward silence as only Magnus and Belle were left Magnus raised his icy gaze Do you have something to say?¡± Belies face paled she never expected to be fired She nced around nervously, quickly regaining her calm, and started to cry. ¡°Mr Andersen, please dont admired you so much, yesterday I couldn¡¯t control myself Please forgive me. I promise it will never happen again. ¡°This isn¡¯t a charity and I¡¯m no saint I thought you were talented but your intentions were vile Belle, take your severance and leave immediately. Let Magnus was determined to let Belle go, unaffected by her tears Belie hadn¡¯t expected Magnus to be so ruthless She quickly knelt on the ground sobbing and pleading ¡°Please, I swear I wont do it again. Please don¡¯t kick an elderly grandmother to take care of without this job, we ll be fomeless Please, transfer me to another department. i promise you¡¯ll never see me again. Hearing Belles solemn wow Magnus felt a pang of sympathy He wasn¡¯t usually this forgiving but ever since he got together with Natalia, he realized that i have a chance to correct ones mistakes He had heard about Belle¡¯s difficult childhood and how he worked harder than most. If he were to fire her, it might be dif still had an elderly grandmother to take care of jok) marechately Sha Therefore considering her talent and the fact that she may have made a mistake during that feelings for him but as long as she didn¡¯t appear in front of him again, there was no need to be so harsh N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. pve Belle another chance. She did hav ¡°Well, I¡¯ll give you a chance since you put it that way You can return to your previous role in the sales department. Just bring shame upon yourself Magnus said tersely Waving his hand damissively as though swatting away a fly he directed Thank you, Mr Andersen Belle replied, dabbing at her fear streake do anything that¡¯¨© you go as she rose from her seat I assure you, I wont make such fookah mistakes again Her heart began to flutter with excitement, but with Magnus still in the room, she managed to keep her emotions in di Belle hurried out, a dark glint in her eyes as she reached the elevator Her face revealed a fierce determination as she left his office Chapter 285 Chapter 285 14 Chapter News of Belle¡¯s demotion spread quickly throughout the corporate firm, but no one knew the reason for her return to the sales department. Behind closed doors, everyone was guessing it was because Belle was too stunningly beautiful and had stirred up jealousy in the legendary wife of the CEO Belle handled all the spection among coworkers with grace and confidence. Her unwavering demeanor only fueled their conjectures further, making it seem like the exceptional Belle was indeed the object of the CEO¡¯s wife¡¯s envy Facing her colleagues overt and covert probing. Belle simply smiled and remained silent. She set aside the work in her hands, standing before the floor to ceiling windows in the sales department, lost in thought as she watched everything happening downstairs The sales department and the CEOs office were just a floor apart. Belle found an excuse to get water and walked to the pantry on the upper floor Inside the pantry a secretary called Molly was busily preparing tea for the CEO ¡°What¡¯s up Molly You seem busy Belle greeted Molly cordially Molly paused, seeing it was Belle, and she chuckled. Oh, it¡¯s you. Belle Molly was aware of Belle¡¯s capabilities Who in thepany wouldn¡¯t envy Belle¡¯s constant rise in ranks? Molly didn¡¯t know why Belle got demoted this time. So, she still greeted Belle politely ¡°Indeed Belle nodded slightly ¡°Molly how¡¯s work these days? Adjusting well?¡± ¡°Quite ainight, Belle if you hadn¡¯t moved to the sales department, I wouldn¡¯t be so busy, haha Molly responded. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. In truth Molly had worked under Belle previously and had almost been fired due to some mistakes she had made It was Belle who had saved Molly¡¯s job, so she was always grateful to Belle Belle looked a bit downcast ¡°Molly, I have a personal favor to ask. Could you help?¡± Molly nodded immediately As long as I can do it, just tell me Actually, I owe you one. i wouldn¡¯t be here anymore if it wasn¡¯t for you.¡± it¡¯s a small thing, really small You can definitely do it! Belle said, her face twisting into a coy expression. This is my secret, you must promise, you¡¯ll keep it a secret, and you won¡¯tugh at mel ¡°Dont worry, I swear! I¡¯ll keep your secret Molly lifted her hand solemnly as if taking an oath ¡°Goode closer Belle summoned Molly to her side in a secretive manner and lowered her voice to say, ¡°Actually, I have a secret that I¡¯ve kept buried in my heart for a long time That is. I really like Mr. Andersen Previously, it was enough just to be near him and I didn¡¯t want to harbor any other thoughts towards him But Mrs. Andersen got angry as you know After that. I was transferred out of the CEO¡¯s office Molly¡¯s eyes widened in surprise She had never imagined that Belle had been secretly harboring feelings for the CEO But it made sense, with Mr. Andersen being so handsome, wealthy, and charming probably every woman would fall for him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry Belle I won¡¯t tell anyone about this Molly said senously, almost as if she was pounding her chest in assurance Belle hugged Molly lightly trust you. Molly Even though I left the CEOs office, I was always the one who prepared his tea before. Now that it¡¯s you, I¡¯m really worned he might not be used to it if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re not sure about, just ask me i promise to tell you everything I know Thank you, Belle Now that you mention it, Mr. Andersen did say today he no longer wants to drink coffee and prefers tea instead But I don¡¯t really know how to make tea Belle, can you teach me?¡± Seeing the expectation in Molly¡¯s eyes, Belleughed inwardly. She barely held back herughter and struggled to put on a surprised face. ¡°Oh my, how could I forget such an important thing? Mi Andersen has recently given up tea He used to drink the teal brought back from my hometown, he wouldn¡¯t touch any other tea ¡°So, what should I do. Belle? Do you still have that kind of tea? I will buy it from you Molly was anxious Her job was to take care of everything for Mr. Andersen. If she couldn¡¯t even make tea properly chances were she wouldn¡¯tst long in this job Belle deliberately paused for a moment, then pped her forehead ¡°What a coincidence, I think I still have a few packs in my bag I¡¯ll give them to you.¡± Saying this. Belle took a few packs of tea leaves from her bag that didn¡¯t have any packaging and handed them to Molly with a smile Molly this tea is hand-roasted by the elders in my hometown It¡¯s delicious and fragrant, Mr Andersenis favorite.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great Belle, you¡¯re truly my lifesaver! Thank you so much!¡± Molly carefully stored the tea leaves Belle gave her, and then asked gratefully. ¡°Belle, how much do these tea leaves cost? i can¡¯t just take them from you for free Belle knocked on Molly¡¯s forehead ¡®We are friends, aren¡¯t we? This is just ordinary tea from my hometown. It¡¯s not worth much. I¡¯ll bring you some more next time it will definitely help you get through your probation period¡± ¡°Thank you. Belle! Really, thank you! Molly was moved to tears She had truly met a great benefactor! Belle waved her hand ¡°Alright get back to work now I have to get busy, too Work hard during your probation penod. You will be a full¨Ctime employee soon. With that Belle walked out of the pantry in her high heels. However, Belle didn¡¯t return to her office area instead, she went to a ce where Molly couldn¡¯t see her hid quietly and secretly observed Molly¡¯s actions. Soon, Molly put the tea leaves Belle gave her into a pot of freshly boiled water ced it on a tray, and served it to Mr Andersen Watching Molly¡¯s departing figure, a cold smile appeared on Belle¡¯s lips. ¡°Drink up¡± she thought. ¡°drink plenty!¡± British Castle Ever since Lexi¡¯s failed escape attempt from the castle, nearly being dragged off by a ck beat Callum had stopped restricting Lear¡¯s freedom. Now Lex was not only allowed to leave the princess room where she had been confined for so long but was also permitted to roam any corner of the castle Basking in the warm morning glow. Lexi found herself sitting on the lush greenwn, feeling an unusual sense of contentment She took a deep breath, inhaling the scent of fresh grass mued in the air Ah the smell of freedom, how wonderful What Lexi didn¡¯t know was that as she sat on thewn, gazing into the azure sky. Callum was standing by the window of the castle¡¯s second floor looking down at her with tender eyes Chapter 286 Chapter 286 bright sumadaa Time stupni queth batutan. then fingers, what harking, they 1- Callum, artered the hunte The pasti Weil of rourna ¨C mah Mam Mysal Di sampe (sas) Thar the Truka hommaall wright! Take up bak Com han some True torna recently and though Callum, the man she saw at a nobre figure was baking pastries. 1 Howdyt {ex blinkadt a few times and sand These pastries may be exquisite but they s? hot mac Nubat the mention of Melton food. Txactly One of the reasons i kom. Melfort shenia? probabis triake another trip to Melfort and while I¡¯m there Paval, has senten, ¡®W bul) are understood. Callum wanted to go to Melfortrge Witt: that thought Lima) forget all about her previous ns and asked sterrey Callum, awhat reunded Pease don¡¯t interfere with their lives okay you want exactly¡® Kla alum night in the heart. His good mood vanished, and he angrily swept the pastries off the table. He grabbed | ketom Foac. Why di you have to bring up Natalia? Why? was riding with that bastard. Magnus Dit be a nerve is that why you he k? during the far mani pus ineed together. Why Lant you understand that allum was furious. He fell like strai jing Lex in bront of him. He krabe all these things, bu Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. LEA MAI Equili, stubDGIT, Loving someone who doesn 1. kone you baci Stop bothering Natalia and pursue your own ide. You¡¯re outstanding tim No Dont say d: They re nut He mulch echoed those of Nla been; the alitual crazed Callum. Lex fel a Then th Face the mail; hta has her the tum if you keep rily tha mand was dominutes by saping anything fying tu bereak fine fun ter the matted to see if she would still side with Magis suto clearly few. the hardkor hum Calla kand ah Lallum warded was tu hugh the The texturn of her ups. the motily basheegi batangat he wai Chapter 287 Chapter 287 Holy jiwokEL Callum was hit with a sudden revtion, but his body seemed to react on its own, sweeping Lexi off her feet and carrying her towards therge, luxurious king¨Csize bed. He craved her, his desire refusing to be ignored for even a moment longer Lexi resisted struggling against him. She wasn¡¯t some object for his pleasure, she wouldn¡¯t bel But her efforts were nothing more than child¡¯s y to Callum, like a yful tickle that barely registered. As they fell onto the expansive bed Lexi red at Callum ¡°You better let me go right now, you dishonorable brute Callum deftly removed their clothing and whispered in Lex¡¯s ear, No, I¡¯m not a brute Didn¡¯t you tell me to start a new life? So save me, because god, I don¡¯t know why, but Im hellishly obsessed with you Lex was taken aback. She never expected Callum to develop such feelings for her Exposed and vulnerable, Lex shook her head in embarrassment No, no, no, you¡¯re just using me as a recement for Natalia You can¡¯t do this Callum forcefully parted Lex¡¯s legs and leaned over her, murmuring to her. That¡¯s not it These days, I keep thinking about you involuntarily. Whether I¡¯m happy or upset, always want to share it with you. Since you said I¡¯m beyond redemption, why don¡¯t you save me, give me a chance to start over to break free from my infatuation with Buttercup Lex wanted to push Callum away, but his words acted like a spell, making her feel dizzy Callum had already had his way by the time she regained her senses. ¡°Sweetheart please give me the chance to start anew and break free from my obsession with Natalia, Callum pleaded, almost like a prayer, as he pressed into her Lex pulled the thin nket over her face, hating herself for somewhat enjoying the sensation. She was the one beyond redemption Their tryst continued under Callum¡¯s relentless pursuit. Lexi resented him in her heart, but her body yearned for him. Closing her eyes, she soon sumbed to Callum¡¯s N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. advances The orgasm passed, leaving Lexpletely exhausted. Shey limp on the bed, not wanting to meet Callum¡¯s gaze Suddenly, Callum, who was about to get up, scooped Lexi into his arms Startled. Lexi quickly wrapped her arms around his neck afraid of being dropped, ¡°What are you doing?¡± it¡¯s not veryfortable here. Let¡¯s change the venue Callum gave her a suggestive smile, carrying Lexi towards the bathroom Entering the bathroom, Callum gently ced Lexi in the filled bathtub before joining her Feeling weak, Lexi could barely lift her fingers. She was unsure whether it was due to the warm water, but her stomach started to churn. She leaned against the side of the tub and retched ¡°Are you okay? Do you feel unwell somewhere? Callum asked with concern Lex shook her head ¡°No, I¡¯m just feeling a bit queasy Although Lexi imed she was fine, Callum couldn¡¯t help but worry. He stepped out of the tub, draped a bathrobe around himself, and rang for Rita ¡®Get the doctor Ms Lexi isnt feeling well Rita rushed off and soon returned with the private doctor of the castle By this time Callum had helped Lex get dressed He didn¡¯t want any other man to see his woman. The doctor carefully inquired about Lex¡¯s diettely, and, after a thorough examination, handed her a pregnancy test stick ¡°Ms Lexi, if I¡¯m not mistaken, there¡¯s a good chance you might be pregnant. I need you to take this test in the bathroom Lexi was stunned impossible How could she be pregnant? Impossible! ¡°No no, no, doctor. I¡¯m just feeling a bit queasy I can¡¯t be pregnant,¡± Lexi immediately denied the possibility. Meanwhile, Callum¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Are you doubting my ability or your own? If you¡¯re too tired, I don¡¯t mind assisting you with the test.¡± Imagine if she really carried Callum¡¯s child That would be wonderful. He was 35 and single. His family had been dissatisfied with him for a while. Compared to Lexi¡¯s denial, Callum was full of confidence His family had always had excellent genes. He was almost certain he was right Reluctantly, Lexi went to the bathroom, followed the doctor¡¯s instructions, and used the test stick. Her heart was pounding as she watched the test strip slowly turn red: She was praying silently, hoping that the doctor was wrong. However, before she could see the result, Callum couldn¡¯t wait any longer and barged in ¡°What does it say?¡± Lexi jumped ¡°Why did you just barge in without knocking?¡± Callum just shrugged ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? Have I not seen every part of you?¡± Knowing Lex¡¯s stubborn personality, he figured that if she didn¡¯t want to be pregnant but found out she was, she would definitely try to hide it. ¡°Let¡¯s let the doctor see it Callum reached out hisrge hand towards Lex Hesitant. Lexi didn¡¯t want to hand over the test ¡°What if the doctor made a mistake? What if this test isn¡¯t urate? ¡°Why worry about what ifs? Let¡¯s just go see the doctor, then we¡¯ll know for sure Callum said, wrapping his arm around Lexi¡¯s shoulder and leading her out of the bathroom The doctor took the pregnancy test and dered, ¡°Congrattions. Ms Lexi You¡¯re pregnant His words hit Lexi like a ton of bricks it couldn¡¯t be true. She couldn¡¯t be pregnant! ¡°No, you must be mistaken. This test is faulty¡± Lexi instinctively denied the doctor¡¯s diagnosis ¡°Ms. Lex, you may question my medical expertise, but you cannot doubt the reliability of this advanced technology This pregnancy test is absolutely foolproof, it¡¯s so precise it can detect conception the moment it happens,¡± the doctor arrogantly dered, striding out of the room with sure¨Cfooted steps Chapter 288 Chapter 288 Rita, standing nearby was beaming with excitement. She cheered for Callum ¡°Congrattions, Mr Callum, we¡¯re going to have a little duke in our castle soon, this is such fantastic news!¡± Callum was over the moon. He had only been specting before, but now Lexi¡¯s pregnancy had be a reality, and he was thrilled beyond words ¡°Rita, everyone gets triple their sry this month Callum, struggling to suppress his rising joy, ordered Rita to give everyone a range ¡°Yes, boss¡± Rita left cheerfully to share the good news with everyone Soon only Lexi and Callum were left in the room ¡°Sweetie, you¡¯re amazing you must have the baby Callum said without any doubt his heart filled with excitement. ¡°Ha finally I¡¯m going to have my own child. My son won¡¯t be infenor to Magnus son!¡± Lex was still in shock from her unexpected pregnancy She hesitantly touched her fat belly finding if hard to believe that a tiny life was growing inside Hearing Callums words, Lex¡¯s heart sank From the beginning, she was just a substitute for Natalia even this unexpected child would bepared to Natalia¡¯s son in the future Wasn¡¯t this just sad¡± Lex looked out the window with a deste look in her eyes. This ce was nothing more than a gilded cage that held her captive. When could she truly leave and escape this beautiful prison Meanwhile in Melfort, the rtionship between Magnus and Natalia was growing stronger each day Magnus was out early and backte every day while Natalia spent her time working on her design sketches Her exceptional design talent had earned her des from all over the country Invitations were flying into Andersen Corporation like snowkes In his spare time Magnus was eager to fulfill his promise to Jonas and get Natalia pregnant with their second child as soon as possible Sometimes he would attend meetings and socialize to avoid Natalia¡¯s constantints about him neglecting his duties as a CEO and pestering her all the time The new assistant was a girl with sses, named something like Kitty or Poppy She was timid and cautious but made particrly fragrant tea Gradually. Magnus found himself liking the tra feeling iplete without a cup each day One day as soon as he got to the office, he couldn¡¯t wait to drink the tea that the assistant had brewed But after drinking, he felt that something was off ¡°What¡¯s wrong with today¡¯s tea? It¡¯s tasteless Magnus frowned, looking at Molly, who had just delivered the tea Molly was startled she didn¡¯t expect Magnus taste buds to be so sharp She had just run out of the tea bags Belle had given her a while ago and had used ordinary tea bagi Yet Magnus had instantly noticed the difference ¡°Mr Andersen, I go make you another cup. Molly said timidly, quickly taking the tea cup and leaving Magnus nodded ¡°Be attentive, the previous tea was very fragrant and refreshing. Keep it up¡± ¡°Yes yes I¡¯ll keep it up!¡± Molly left the CEO¡¯s office nervously and headed to the sales department. She had to ask Belle for some more tea bags for the sake of her future When she arrived at the sales department, she saw Belle sitting leisurely at herputer sipping her tea. Molly walked up to Belle cheerfully ¡°Belle¡± Belle turned around at the sound of her name She saw Moily standing in front of her and gave her a friendly smile ¡°What¡¯s up, darling?¡± Seeing the people in the sales department turning their heads. Molly pulled Belle¡¯s arm and walked towards the pantry ¡°Belle I have something to ask you in the pantry, Molly exined her request somewhat bashfully, ¡°Belle, can i buy some more of the tea you gave mest time? The boss said he really likes it¡® Belle is wered her head riding her smug smile, then looked up, feigning confusion ¡°Tea? What tea? Darling, are you still dreaming? Molly was stunned ¡°Belle it¡¯s the special tea you said was from your hometown You gave it to me to brew it for the boss Have you forgotten? Thinking that Belle didn¡¯t want to give it to her for free she sincerely said, ¡°Belle, i took your teast time, I¡¯m sorry i pay for it this time, can you help me get some Belle casually yed with her nails, looking utterly confused ¡°Molly, what are you talking about? I never gave you any tea. You¡¯ve dragged me here to say a bunch of nonsense what are you trying to do?¡± N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Mally was dumbfounded, she could never have imagined that Belle would deny knowing about this ¡°Belle how could you do this? You clearly saidst time that the boss loves the tea from your hometown, so i brewed it for him. Now that i want to buy some mom, why an¨¢li you pretending it never happened?¡± ¡°Molly, you gotta be careful of what you say Who knows what kind of tea you gave to the boss? If something goes wrong it¡¯ll be med on me, and that¡¯s ter said walking out of the pantry ¡°Don¡¯te to me with these nonsensical things anymore I¡¯m busy and don¡¯t have time to chat with you¡± A cold sweat broke out on Molly¡¯s back res she had used the tea Belle gave her without thinking What if Belle had maliciously added something to the tea would she derly it now and totally disregard what happened before? The more Molly thought about it, the more scared she became She didn¡¯t know what to do, so she quickly asked Paul for leaw and left thepany Back in the office, Magnus was bing increasingly restless, as it a fire was burning in his chest, making him want tosh out. He paced restlessly around the office. desperately craving a pot of the tea Molly brewed But even after waiting for a long time. there was still no sign of Molly This assistant was simply irresponsible How could it have taken so long to brew a pot of tea? After pacing back and forth in his office for what seemed like the tenth time. Magnus pressed the inte button for his secretary to my office I¡¯m sorry sir but Molly said she¡¯s not feeling well. She esk. ¡°Where¡¯s Molly? ¡°Fine, then have someone bring me a pot of tea Make sure it¡¯s the kind Molly always brews for me Magnus hung up the inte, frustration vident in his tone Molly was usually so reliable she had promised to brew hin a fresh pot of tea Shouldn¡¯t she have taken care of that before taking offr Not long after, an office aide arrived with the requested tea. ¡°Sir, here¡¯s your lea¡± Chapter 289 Chapter 289 Parched like a desert traveler. Magnus hastily sipped the freshly brewed tea, only to spit it out instantaneously. He demanded in a stern voice, ¡°What happened to this tea? Are you sure this is the same stuff Molly usually makes?¡± The startled assistant nodded nervously. ¡°Yes sir This is the only tea in Molly¡¯s cab, the Arabica, it is ¡°No! That¡¯s not the tastel Go find Molly now immediately, right now! Magnus roared his mind filled with thoughts of the tea Molly usually brewed for him. ¡°Alright, alright The assistant was relieved He would rather run till he broke a leg to find Molly than bear the brunt of Magnus fury ¡°Such irresponsibility! She promised and didn¡¯t keep her word, instead, she took off without notice That Molly, when shees back, I¡¯ll give her a piece of my mind?¡± Magnus fumed, pacing the room as his anger red Meanwhile Belle had been keeping an eye on the CEO¡¯s office since Molly¡¯s departure When she saw Magnus dismissed the server who brewed the tea she knew her n had worked N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Watch out Natalia and Magnus 111 make your lives a living hell! Magnus was waiting anxiously in his office, feeling an inner rage burning. He vented his anger by smashing everything in his office but still felt unsatisfied ¡°Argh!¡± Magnus shouted as he felt his limbs start to numb. He copsed on the floor rolling around. He felt as though his body was crawling with insects, an unbearable mixture of itchiness and numbness His bones ached as if a blunt knife was scraping inside him, a torture worse than death by a thousand cuts ¡°Ah Paul was supposed to pick up Magnus that day. As he pushed open the office door, he found Magnus rolling on the floor in distress Startled, he rushed to Magnus side bending down to help him, ¡°Sit, what happened?¡± Magnus was already delinous His eyes were bloodshot, and he stared at Paul, who was trying to help him, with a hideous face. Without hesitation, he swung his fist at Paul Paul was caught off guard and was punched squarely by Magnus, falling to the ground with blood seeping from his nose Looking at the frantic Magnus. Paul realized the severity of the situation. He ignored the bleeding from his nose, and bent down again, trying to help Magnus up from the ground But Magnus how was not the calm and wise Magnus he knew He was like a madman and did not recognize Paul His mind was filled with thoughts of destruction. His inner rage was burning ferociously, demanding the annihtion of everything in sight! As Paul bleeding from his forehead, bent down to help Magnus up, he was met with more ferocious punches Paul braced himself against the forceful punches and managed to help Magnus up ¡°Sir, what¡¯s happening? It¡¯s me, Paul!¡± However, Paul¡¯s words fell on deaf ears Magnus, who had just been helped up, was holding a bronze horse statue that he had knocked over, and without a second thought, he smashed it towards Paul¡¯s head ¡°Thump!¡± Although Paul dodged. Magnus inevitably hit his forehead No matter how fough a person was, they couldn¡¯t win against a bronze artifact Blood began to stream down Paul¡¯s forehead He shook his head to clear the dizziness and managed to steady himself But as soon as Paul had steadied himself, Magnus swung the bronze horse at him again. ¡°Get me teal Now Dr I¡¯ll kill you¡± Magnus raved like a demon escaped from hell. Paul dodged Magnus¡± attack, horrified Magnus¡® behavior was eerily simr to that of a drug addict. ¡°Get me teal Now Magnus swung the bronze horse at Paul Paul knew talking was useless at this point. He quickly left the office and dialed 911. The ambnce arrived promptly Medics managed to sedate Magnus and transported him to the Andersen family¡¯s private hospital via the CEO¡¯s elevator After all this was done, Paul, with his face smeared with blood finally called Natalia, ¡°Mm, something¡¯s wrong with Mr. Magnus. I hope you cane to the hospital immediately¡± Upon receiving Paul¡¯s call, Natalia was taken aback. She knew Paul was very reliable. He wouldn¡¯t bother her unless he encountered something he couldn¡¯t handle. Now he was telling her that Magnus was in the hospital, what had happened? On the way to the hospital, Natalia was restless, worrying about Magnus Was hell? He was perfectly fine when he left in the morning Soon, she arrived at the hospital Paul greeted her as soon as she walked in. ¡®Ma¡¯am, you¡¯re finally here Thank goodness ¡°What¡¯s wrong? What happened to Magnus? What happened? Natalia was shocked to see Paul¡¯s blood¨Cstreaked face ¡°What happened to you? Where¡¯s Magnus? She looked around anxiously but didn¡¯t see Magnus ¡°Majam, don¡¯t panic. He just had a sedative He¡¯s sleeping now Look Saying this. Paul led Natalia to the window of Magnus ward. Through the hospital¡¯s transparent ss window Natalia was astonished to see Magnus bound to the hospital bed. His face was pale and haggard as if he had been seriously ill ¡°Paul, why is Magnus tied up? What happened to him?¡± Natalia couldn¡¯t understand Magnus was fine when he jeft in the morning, but now he looked like a completely different person Paul sighed, ¡°Maam, the boss seems to be suffering from withdrawal symptoms ¡± ¡°Addiction? Natalia stumbled back, shaking her head in disbelief Impossible! No way it couldn¡¯t be Magnus was not that kind of man. He was so exceptional, so distinguished, he would never have anything to do with drugst ¡°Madam, I understand your disbelief. L too find it hard to believe, Paul responded pointing to his bandaged towhead. ¡°I went to pick up the young master and unluckily ran into him in the throes of withdrawal. He began twitching uncontrobly, and then started tosh out. Ha hat me here with a brass statue if I hadn¡¯t dodged in time, I believe he wouldn¡¯t have hesitated to kill me on the spot Natalia was too shocked to speak No the Magnus that Paul described was not the Magnus she knew The Magnus she knew might have been a bit arrogant and stubborn, but he was certainly not a bloodthirsty madman How could he possibly be on drugs¡± Chapter 290 Chapter 290 ¡°No, it can¡¯t be Paul, are you sure? How could Magnus ever do such a thing?¡± He couldn¡¯t be using drugs! Paul wanted to say more, but the hospital director walked over with a grim face handing a test report to Natalia ¡°Mrs Andersen, this is Mr. Andersen¡¯s blood test report His blood contains arge amount of drugs The director¡¯s words struck Natata like lightning her hands trembling as she took the report She refused to believe it. Oh God Magnus could not possibly be using drugs. This must have been a misdiagnosis) ? ¡°Madam, what should we do now Should we inform Mr Morgan?¡± Paul asked Natalia ¡°No!¡± Natalia immediately stopped Paul She walked slowly into the room looking at Magnus hands tied to the bed, and felt a sharp pain in her heart Dont tell him Morgan, like everyone else would never ept that the CFD of Andersen Corporation was a drug addict ¡°I¡¯ll call James now, tell Dr. Frankie toe to Melfort as soon as possible. We need to keep this under wraps We can¡¯t let any news leak out ¡°Natalia, despite being in shock, quickly made a decision No matter what, she could not let the news of Magnus drug use leak out! After saying this Natalia dialed James number asking him toe over as soon as possible Three hourster, James and Dr Frankie arrived by helicopter in Melfort They quickly rushed over, along with Carter After a brief discussion Dr. Frankie decided to first determine the type of drug in Magnus system and then see if an antidote could be formted Dr Frankie and his medical team immediately started their work Meanwhile James stayed with Natalia, standing by the bed and watching over Magnus ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t worry too much. I believe Magnus will pull through¡± Jamesforted Natalia, feeling helpless himself Natalia sighed softly ¡°I know He¡¯s so outstanding he can¡¯t be using drugs. Someone must be scheming against him behind his back.¡± James thought for a moment, ¡°Could it be Lucius?¡± ¡°No.¡± Natalia shook her head confidently ¡°Lucius wouldn¡¯t dare to do this. He wouldn¡¯t torture him in this way The person who poisoned him must hate Magnus to the bone¡± ¡°Alright I send someone to investigate who¡¯s behind this, James said, instructing his men to probe into the cause of Magnus poisoning Natalia nodded ¡°Yeah it¡¯s best to start with thepany. These days, Magnus spends most of his time either at home with me and the kids or at the office¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. As she said this, a face shed through Natalia¡¯s mind Belle. For some reason, she had never had a good impression of Belle Even though she was sure she had met Belle only once she felt a distinct dislike from the look in Belle¡¯s eves. That dislike was cold and suffocating as if she was seeing an arch¨Cenemy. ¡°James, I want your men to pay special attention to a girl named Belle¡± Natalia reminded James, unable to put her worries to rest. ¡°Belle¡± James was taken aback, ¡°Who is she? ¡°Belle used to be Magnus assistant and had a history of drugging him I suspect that she¡¯s behind this as well,¡± Natalia¡¯s suspicion towards Belle grew stronger But why would Belle want to poison Magnus? Magnus had mentioned once that Belle had a crush on him and drugged him out of her infatuation Could it be that love had turned to hate? Natalia couldn¡¯t figure it out and decided to stop pondering over it. She believed that as long as James¡® men conducted a thorough investigation, they would uncover the truth She trusted their capabilities inside the special care unit, Magnus slowly opened his eyes. Natalia, who had been watching intensely from the ss window, was overjoyed and rushed into the room, but tears started streaming down her face when she reached Magnus¡® bed Magnus was shouting at her. ¡°Who are you? Get me some tea! I need teal Give it to me! Now!¡± Natalia was scared by his crazed voice, she stepped back, tears flowing ¡°It¡¯s me, Natalia. Look carefully, I¡¯m your wife¡± ¡°Wife¡± Magnus bloodshot eyes paused for a moment, a hint of rity shed in his eyes But soon, he fell back into madness ¡°Get out! I need tea, only teal Give me tea?¡± James grabbed Natalia¡¯s arm ¡°Magnus, do you recognize me?¡± Magnus threw a punch at James ¡°Get out¡± His eyes were burning red He jumped off the bed and grabbed James by the throat James tried to pry his hand free, but it was as firm as iron Watching James eyes roll back, Natalia rushed over, crying out loud, ¡°Magnus, let go! Let go! He¡¯s Jai At that moment. Carter walked in and saw everything. He quickly moved over and struck a blow at the back of Magnus neck Magnus slowly loosened his grip and fell bac Carter caught him andid him back on the bed Natalias voice was hoarse from crying She held onto Magnus hand lightly, crying her heart out ¡°He¡¯s not in his right mind right now He doesn¡¯t know who you are.¡± Carter said pulling the almost suffocated James out of the mom ¡°Can we just watch him like this? Natalia was also pulled out of the room She leaned against the ss window and ched uncontrobly. ¡°Why has he suddenly be like this?¡± ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t take it too hard, Dr Frankie will for him¡± James gasped, trying tofort Natalia. His heart was As they talked. Dr Frankie approached them, d in his white coal Kunding from his near penence with Magnus. ¡°Dr Frankie, have you developed an antidote yet?¡± Natalia asked, hope shing in her eyes it had been two days, and she was desperate for a positive answer Dr Frankie looked at Natalia, his expression grave ¡°We¡¯ve only identified the poison. The antidote we haven¡¯t managed to create it yet Natalias hope quickly turned into disappointment What poison did Magnus get hit with she blurted out without thinking ¡°What kind of poison can turn a man into this? James chimed in curiosity mingling with his concern Handing over theb report to James, Dr Frankie exined. Our overnight research indicates that it is a new kind of poison, called Sky Scorcher It¡¯s hard toe by on the ck market, and once it takes effect, it bes more potent with each passing moment First, it blues ones consciousness Gradually, the entire body begins to decay until death ensues Chapter 291 Chapter 291 His words left everyone in the room shocked and speechless. Death from a body riddled with sores! Upon hearing this, Natalia¡¯s vision blurred, and she nearly copsed James threw the medical report onto the floor, grabbing Dr Frankie by the shoulders and shaking him violently ¡°Since you know what it is, make an antidote quickly! No matter what, you must produce an antidotel¡± Dr Frankie hesitated for a moment. This poison is very potent I¡¯m not entirely confident. I can only try my best to concoct a cure But, I can¡¯t guarantee it will work ¡°Well, what are you waiting for? Get to it James impatiently urged Dr Frankie ¡°You didn¡¯t earn your title as a miracle doctor for nothing Can this really stump you?¡± ¡°James, many things are not as simple as they seem. Dr. Frankie sighed and headed towards the pathologyb Watching Dr. Frankies retreating figure, Natalia¡¯s heart clenched with worry She looked at James anxiously ¡°Is this poison really that hard to cure? Even Dr. Frankie is helpless James, too, was uncertain. He believed in Dr. Frankie¡¯s ability to concoct an antidote, and he had to Looking at Natalia¡¯s tear filled eyes, James consoled her, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Natalia Dr Frankie is remarkable, he¡¯ll surelye up with a solution soon All Natalia could do now was wait She anxiously looked through the ss window at Magnus, who was unconscious on the bed. Carter had already re¨Ctied him ant it ufortable for him to be tied up like this? Can we loosen him a bit? At least it will make him less ufortable She had never seen Magnus like this before Her heart ached James shook his head, pointing to Paul, who had been standing quietly nearby ¡°Did you see the bandage on Paul¡¯s head, Natalia? Did you see how he nearly strangled me earlier? He¡¯s not in his night mind right now and he doesn¡¯t care who you are. If you get too close, he¡¯ll try to kill you Natalia looked at Paul and apologized, Paul, are you okay? You should go get checked by a doctor¡± Paul shook his head I¡¯m fine, mm I owe my life to Mr. Magnus. As long as he is safe, I wouldn¡¯t hesitate to die for him.¡± Upon hearing Paul¡¯s loyal words, Natalia was touched Magnus was truly blessed to have such a devoted subordinate. ¡°Paul, you¡¯re injured Go and rest. I¡¯ll be here and call you if anything happens.¡± Natalia softly persuaded Paul to take a break Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. However Paul insisted he was fine and refused to leave Natalia had no choice but to let him stay. She sighed deeply, gently taking Magnus hand. The sight of his bruised and battered body made her heart feel like it was shattering Back in the day, Magnus was untamed and proud. When had he ever looked this pitiful? But now, he looked like a drug addict, and it was heart¨Cwrenching to see. ¡°Magnus, what happened to you? How did you get poisoned? You have to hang in there!¡± ¡°Natalia, you¡¯ve been here for two days and two nights. Go rest, Paul and I will take care of things here, James quietly urged her to rest. ¡°Don¡¯t copse before Mr. Magnus recovers.¡± Natalia was grateful for James¡® kindness. She forced a smile ¡°Thank you, I¡¯m fine, really Instead of worrying at home, it¡¯s better for me to watch over him. This way find some peace ¡°Ainght then, I¡¯ll go check on Dr. Frankie. This is going to be a long process, so we need to be prepared James said as he headed toward theb Theb wasn¡¯t far from Magnus room. This was a private hospital for Magnus, so although small, it was equipped with thetest and most advanced medical James was familiar with the ce and quickly reached theb. He could see Dr Frankie and his team working on the antidote through the ss door He entered the trying to tread lightly. He walked up to Dr Frankie and asked quietly. ¡°Any progress?¡± Dr. Frankie, who was engrossed in his work, jumped at the sound of James¡® voice, nearly dropping the test tube he was holding ¡°Can¡¯t you make some noise when you walk¡± Dr. Frankie red at James ¡°Next time, don¡¯t sneak up on me like that it could give someone a heart attack James refrained from arguing with Dr. Frankie. They were in a crisis, and their main focus was on creating an antidote for Magnus ¡°Fine, I be more careful next time James straightened his face ¡°Have you made any progress with the antidote? Why is it taking so long?¡± Dr Frankie sighed deeply. This isn¡¯t as simple as treating a cold or fever, it¡¯s a lethal poison! It could take weeks I¡¯ve thought of a potential antidote, but I¡¯m not sure if it, will work ¡°What are you waiting for then? Go give it to Magnus He¡¯s barely recognizable anymore! James was impatient, quickly jumping to conclusions Dr. Frankie halted, shrugging off James¡® unrelenting pressure. ¡°Can you chill a bit? I¡¯ve got a potential antidote in mind, but I can¡¯t guarantee it li neutralize | ¡°We¡¯ve got to try something don¡¯t we? Look at Natalia She¡¯s practically cried herself dry How are we supposed to go on like this? James said, ncing at the mynad of bottles and vials in theb ¡°Even though this situation is being kept under wraps, won¡¯t the Andersen Corporation¡¯s shareholders start suspecting something when they don¡¯t see Magnus around? And it¡¯ll kill Grandpa if he finds out!¡± Dr Franke sighed. Guess we¡¯re grasping at straws here? The two men headed to the special care ward where Magnus was held They found Natalia sitting by the bed, watching Magnus, who was bound and immobile As James stepped in, heforted her Hang in there. Natalia Magnus will pull through¡± Natalia was surprised at how quickly James had returned Standing up, she said, ¡®Magnus lips look parched. He must be thirsty i want to give him some water.¡± Chapter 292 Chapter 292 After saying this, Natalia raised the disposable paper cup in her hand that she had filled with the water she had just fetched. James wasn¡¯t sure how to dissuade Natalia, but since she wanted to give Mr. Magnus some water, he decided to let her James walked over to Magnus, reaching out to help him untie the bindings on his body, allowing him to drink the water Natalia had brought in. ¡°Magnus¡± James untied the ropes while softly calling out to Magnus Magnus had just been knocked unconscious by Carter and was startled awake by the sound. His eyes were a fiery red as he red at James and growled in a harsh, grating voice ¡°Teal Give me tea!¡± Tears flowed down Natalias cheeks as she approached Magnus with the paper cup. The tea is here, right here¡± Overjoyed. Magnus eyed the cup in Natalia¡¯s hand and snatched it ¡°Give it to me, now! Noticing the desire in Magnus eyes. Natalia knew that he was deeply addicted. She carefully stepped forward, bringing the paper cup to Magnus¡® lips. However, before she could lift the cup. Magnus had already leaned down and began to desperately suck the water from the cup Tea, give me teal¡± Magnus roar made Natalia shudder, and she almost dropped the paper cup she was holding. The droplets sshed from the cup to Magnus¡® mouth. Eagerly, he licked his lips and then bellowed uncontrobly. This isn¡¯t tea! You lied to me! This isn¡¯t tea at all! Give me teal Now!¡± His roar echoed like thunder, causing the whole room to tremble! Tears welled up in Natalia¡¯s eyes as she strived to bring the cup to Magnus¡® lips. ¡°Magnus, this is the tea you wanted. Please, just take a sip Your lips are cracked from thirst Could you please drink some? However Magnus was deaf to Natalia¡¯s pleas. All he could think about was a cup of his beloved tea. He red at Natalia, yelling. ¡°Get lost! This isn¡¯t the tea I wanted! | only want my usual tea Get it for me! Now! ¡°This is your usual tea Just taste it, really, once you taste it, you¡¯ll know Natalia patiently coaxed Magnus, her voice soft Though Magnus was delinous, he was moved by Natalia¡¯s gentle tone and sorrowful eyes. Suddenly, he reached out and grabbed Natalia¡¯s hand ¡°is that you, my dear?¡± Tears rolled down Natalia¡¯s cheeks. It¡¯s me, Magnus It¡¯s Natalia. Look at me. I know you¡¯re in pan, but hang in there. You¡¯ll feel better soon. Magnus temper seemed to soften at the sound of her gentle voice in a hoarse voice, he asked, ¡°My dear, can you make me some tea?¡± ¡°Of course I¡¯ll make it right away¡± Natalia replied, tears streaming down her face She fetched some fine tea leaves and made some tea ¡®Magnus, drink up. This is your favorite tea ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes, really Taste it, and you¡¯ll know Natalia nodded repeatedly, hoping Magnus would drink the tea. Magnus eyed Natalia suspiciously, ring at her as if she were an enemy. Suddenly, his eyes turned vicious, and he snarled, ¡°Give me another sip. If this isn¡¯t tea, you¡¯re dead!¡± Natalia lifted the cup to Magnus lips, carefully feeding him the tea. Magnus took a sip and spat out the tea in a fit of rage. He then bit Natalia¡¯s hand, shouting, ¡°You liar! I¡¯l kill you! This isn¡¯t the tea | wanted¡°¡± His sudden action caught James and Dr Frankie off guard. By the time they reacted, Magnus had already bitten down hard on Natalia¡¯s hand. ¡°Duch Magnus, let go, it hurts, Natalia cried out in pain, pleading for Magnus to let go But Magnus held onto Natalia¡¯s hand, not loosening his grip at all His eyes were fixed on Natalia as he growled, ¡°I want tea!¡± ¡°Alright, we¡¯ll get you tea Just let her go first James tried to reason with Magnus, noticing the blood slowly dripping from Natalia¡¯s bitten hand ¡°Tea first Magnus grumbled again, still not letting go of Natalia¡¯s hand. ¡°This isn¡¯t working Dr Frankie, hurry! James knew they couldn¡¯t dy any longer and signaled Dr Frankie to quickly administer the antidote. Dr Frankie immediately fetched a syringe ¡°But I¡¯m not sure James shot Dr Frankie a stern look ¡°What¡¯s there to be sure about? Can¡¯t you see Natalia¡¯s hand is almost getting bitten off? Hurry up! If anything happens, it¡¯s on me if he dies. I¡¯ll join him in the grave! And if he finds out he hurt Natalia while out of his senses, you¡¯ll be the first one he kills!¡± With this. Dr. Frankie gathered some courage, took a deep breath, and walked over to Magnus injecting the freshly mixed antidote into his exposed vein. The pain caused Magnus to release Natalia¡¯s hand He then turned to Dr. Frankie, his bloody hips curling into a snarl ¡°What are you injecting me with? Are you trying to poison me?¡± Dr. Frankie¡¯s hand shook, but he quicklyposed himself and continued to administer the antidote As Dr Frankie kept silent and still injecting him, Magnus began to curse. ¡°Get away from me! Don¡¯t use that needle on me Get me teal¡± However, Dr Frankie remained undeterred by Magnus howls, methodically administering the antidote In the midst of this chaos. Natalia finally managed to wrench her right hand from Magnus mouth Looking at the mangled flesh of her hand, the ache in Natalia¡¯s heart surpassed the pain in her hand Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. She knew that Magnus was enduring immense pain at this moment, and she couldn¡¯t share any of it If her blood could soothe him, she was ready to let him bite! ¡°Goodness, Natalia, you should get to the doctor right away it might get infected James eximed, his heart filled with pity as he looked at Natalia¡¯s mangled hand ¡°I can¡¯t believe he bit you! Why did he bite so hard?¡± Natalia just shook her head. Tm fine This minor injury is nothingpared to the pain Magnus is going through She then returned her worned gaze to Dr Frankie, who was still administering the antidote into Magnus bloodstream. ¡°Dr. Frankie, will the antidote work?¡± Dr Frankie had already pushed all the antidote into Magnus veins Hearing Natalia¡¯s question, he gave a shaky shake of his head. ¡°Honestly, I¡¯m not entirely confident,¡± admitted. ¡°This poison is just too polent Chapter 293 Chapter 293 As Dr Frankie¡¯s voice trailed off, it seemed that the medication had begun to work Magnus, previously wild¨Ceyed, started to calm down Natalia watched Magnus tense expression slowly rx, and she felt a weight lift from her heart Thank goodness, it looks like the drug is working¡± Yet Dr. Frankie, standing nearby, looked grave As a doctor, he¡¯d already noticed the slight tremors in Magnus¡® hands and feet. This isn¡¯t the reaction we should be seeing Hold him down I need to administer the antidote¡¯s slow¨Crelease serum,¡± he said, before rushing off toward theb James and Natalia were confused it seemed like Magnus was calming down, so how could the antidote be wrong? However, they soon understood. Magnus, who had been lying peacefully on the bed, suddenly began to convulse. His face turned a frightening shade of red, and veins bulged on his neck as he thrashed on the bed ¡°Let me go! Ahh-! Let me go! He cried in pain or in a bid to free himself, it was unclear Startled by his reaction, Natalia rushed to his side ¡°Magnus, what¡¯s wrong? Where does it hurt? Please, hold on!¡± Seeing Magnus in such agony was like a knife to her heart. ¡°God,¡± she silently prayed, ¡°take some of his suffering and give it to me. Please don¡¯t torment him like this¡± Her heart ached unbearably Magnus hardly registered Natalia¡¯s words His head felt like it was about to explode from the pain, and he longed to lose consciousness. Tears streamed down his face, apanied by a miserable trickle of snot. He roared weakly. ¡°Let me go! Let me die¡± Natalias face was wet with tears. She gripped Magnus hand tightly ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t do this. I¡¯m your wife, and I will be with you no matter what Tell me, where does it hurt?¡± Magnus stared at Natalia Natalia please Let me die I can¡¯t stand it!¡± ¡°My heart, my head my whole body, it¡¯s on fire! Let me diel Magnus barely recognized that the gentle voice belonged to his wife. N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Natalia shook with sobs. Disregarding the blood on her hands, she flung herself onto Magnus, hugging him tightly. ¡°Magnus, you can¡¯t die. What will happen to me, to Jonas. if you leave us? Please, Magnus hold on Dr Frankie is working on the antidote. You¡¯ll be okay soon. Please Feeling like he was being torched alive. Magnus found some relief in Natalia¡¯s familiar voice. It cut through his haze of pain like a lifeline Instinctively, he tried to move closer to Natalia He was so strong that his bed slid slightly on the floor Let me go, Natalia, please save me. I¡¯d rather die than endure this pain Please Seeing Magnus in such a pitiful state, Natalia felt like she was falling apart. She wished she could take his pain away, but all she could do was watch him suffer This feeling was like a dull knife slowly slicing through her flesh. She held Magnus¡® hand tightly. Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m here. Dr. Frankie will be here soon with the antidote just hold on a bit longer Magnus couldn¡¯t hear Natalia¡¯s words, all he heard was a deafening roar in his ears. He felt her hand in his, like ast lifeline, and he clung to it, squeezing it so hard that he could¡¯ve broken it. The pain shot through Natalia¡¯s fingers, but she bit her lip and bore it silently, knowing that Magnus was in agony. If holding her hand eased his pain, he could squeeze as hard as he needed James watched the scene filled with rage. ¡°What¡¯s taking Dr. Frankie so long? Where¡¯s the slow¨C release serum? If he doesn¡¯t hurry, someone¡¯s going to die Natalia also looked towards the door, hoping to see Dr. Frankie. Finally, just as Natalia and James were losing hope, Dr. Frankie ran in with the freshly prepared slow¨Crelease serum He had been unsure about the antidote, so he had prepared a serum that could neutralize it in advance. ¡°Quick! Hold down his arm!¡± Dr. Frankie ordered as he rushed in with a syringe, signaling James to restrain Magnus James nodded and quickly held down Magnus arm, helping Dr. Frankie administer the slow¨Crelease serum. As the serum was slowly injected, Magnus, who had been struggling for a while, gradually lost his strength. After a while, the serum took effect, and Magnus fell into a deep sleep Only then did Natalia pull her hand from Magnus grip. Her hand was misshapen from his tight grip, smeared with blood Natalia, your hand James noticed Natalia¡¯s hand and was surprised at her determination. She had endured such pain without a peep. Natalia nced at her hand, quickly hiding it behind her back ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m fine.¡± She turned her attention to Dr Frankie, who was still busy. ¡°Dr Frankie, did the antidote work at all?¡± Dr. Frankie let out a sigh of exasperation, shaking his head in defeat it¡¯s unclear at the moment I need to draw a blood sample from Mr. Magnus and concoct a new antidote But I¡¯m not confident James stared nkly out the window. This wasn¡¯t working Chase and Carter had gone to investigate the source of Magnus poisoning, but there had been no word from them yet ¡°Dr. Frankie, only the one who poisoned him would have the antidote. We need to speed up the process of finding out how Magnus was poisoned James suggested James words struck a chord with Natalia. How had she forgotten about that? I think the person who poisoned Magnus must be one of his secretaries or assistants. He mentioned he wanted tea, and that tea could very well be the source of the poison!¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than Paul strode into the room Ms Natalia, Beile left thepany two days ago Molly, who was in charge of serving Mr. Magnus his daily cup of tea, confessed that the tea had been given to her by Belle. He has been drinking that tea for nearly a month. Molly has been detained. Carter and Chase are doing everything they can to track down Belle¡® Pauls words left Natalia feeling utterly drained She slumped against the wall. All along, she had known that there was more to Belle than met the eye. She had been suspicious ever since thest time Magnus had been poisoned Chapter 294 Chapter 294 was all her doing! But what was her grudge against Magnus that she would resort to poisoning him? ¡°Paul, get Chase and his team to find Belle. She¡¯s the only one who knows the source of Magnus illness, and probably the only one with the antidote Natalia instructed Paul Paul nodded and left the room ¡°That Belle When I get my hands on her I¡¯ll tear her apart and feed her to the dogs! The evil woman tried to poison Magnus! James fumed, his anger palpable. Natalia turned to Dr. Frankie ¡°Please, Dr Frankie, continue researching a cure Any medicine that can alleviate Magnus¡® pain, however slightly, would be beneficial.¡± Dr Frankie nodded solemnly Dont worry, ma am. I will do everything in my power to find a cure ¡°Thank you, Doctor Natalia bowed respectfully Please, take care of him Dr. Frankie nodded and left for the pathologyb James looked at Magnus lying on the bed and followed Dr Frankie, leaving Natalia alone ¡°Go home Natalia Take a shower, change, and check on Jonas You¡¯ve been away from home for days, James said, feeling pity for Natalia Natalia nodded and left the hospital. As she pushed open the door of their vi, she saw Jonas sitting on the couch ¡®Mommy, where have you and Daddy been? | missed you Natalia hugged Jonas tightly, holding back her tears Jonas, Daddy is sick. Mommy has to take care of him. Can you be a good boy and let the housekeeper take care of you for a few days?¡± ¡°Okay, Mommy Take care of Daddy I remember how sad he was when i was sick. I don¡¯t want him to be sad Natalia¡¯s heart clenched at Jonas words After a quick shower, she asked May to prepare some soup for Magnus As she entered the hospital, holding the warm soup, she saw several doctors rushing towards Magnus room Her heart sank Something must have happened to Magnus. ¡°Magnus Natalia cried out as she pushed open the door to his room Despite the doctors attempts to restrain him, Magnus was thrashing around on the floor, his screams piercing the silence ¡°Please, be gentlel Don¡¯t hurt him¡± Natalia pleaded He used to be such a prideful man. When had he be like this? Before, he could single¨Chandedly fight a dozen terrorists without batting an eyelid. Now, he became something like this ¡°Ah! Ah! Let me go! Let go!¡± Magnus drug addiction was acting up again. His eyes were bulging and he was screaming at the top of his lungs, looking particrly terrifying The doctors, mindful of Natalias just issued orders, didn¡¯t dare to restrain Magnus too forcefully in their panic, they were even pushed aside by Magnus Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Ah- Let me go. I want to go! I want teal Give it to me now! Magnus, who had managed to break through the encirclement, was in tears. He attacked ferociously, knockin down the bar doctors The other doctors gathered again. They exchanged mutual nces and gradually decreased the encirclement Magnus, standing inside the circle, watched as a group of doctors in white coats approached him. He swung his fist in agitation,nding punches on the doctors heads ¡°Ouch- ¡°Ah- All the doctors were screaming and holding their heads in pain. Natalia, who was standing on the side, couldn¡¯t bear to watch any longer She shouted at Magnus, ¡°Magnus, stop it! Don¡¯t hit the doctors!¡± But he didn¡¯t hear her. He was starting to strangle one of the doctors to the point of passing out. James and Dr Frankie rushed in and immediately rescued the doctor Still violent, Magnus kept on attacking Dr Frankie shouted, ¡°Get the rope Several people immediately brought over some cloth strips used to restrain patients. James, heartbroken, began to tie up Magnus. Seeing the ropes around him. Magnus eyes turned blood¨Cred ¡°Ah With a loud roar the entire room started to tremble The cloth strips on his arm snapped instantly. He punched Dr. Frankie, who fell to the ground, nose bleeding. Just then, James somehow produced a chain andssoed Magnus from behind. As Magnus prepared to attack again, he was forcefully restrained. Unable to break free from the chains, Magnus roared like a wounded wolf Natalia could no longer bear it With tears, she walked up to Magnus, gently wiping away the sweat on his forehead and the blood from theer of his mouth ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t be afraid I will stay with you, and help you through this detox Please, work with me in his frenzy, Magnus heare Natalia¡¯s familiar voice He paused His gaze softened as he looked at Natalia His consciousness ebbed and flowed sometimes lucid, sometimes muddled. He heard Natalia¡¯s voice and recognized the tear¨Cstained woman before him as the love of his life Shaking his head and sobbing he whispered is that you, my dear? I can¡¯t stand it Please save mel i can¡¯t bear this feeling. It¡¯s like ants gnawing at my bones. Please, my love, would you end my suffering? I beg you!¡± Natalia nearly fainted at his plea. Her heart was numbing with pain. She cradled his face, wiping the sweat and blood from his skin. ¡°Magnus,¡± she said. ¡°If I could take your pain and bear it myself, I would do so without a second thought I would willingly draw all your agony onto me face this together? You will get better, Magnus I love you!¡± it could ease your suffering. I would do anything! But can we Natalia then grasped Magnus¡® chained hand Looking into his tortured eyes and pained expression, she began to sing softly, ¡°I would give you my world willingly. I¡¯m heartbroken, but I pray you hear my blessing I would trade my life for your sternal happiness I cherish even the pain and loneliness. From this day to the evesting tomorrow, my love will never change Chapter 295 Chapter 295 Natalias dulcet voice filled the small hospital room, captivating everyone present. James, a sturdy man of steel, found himself shedding tears as he watched the scene unfold Natalia¡¯s voice had elicited tears from everyone in the room. Against all odds. Magnus, a man known for his vtile temperament, began to calm down. His frantic struggles ceased, and his cries of pain subsided. He simply watched his beloved Natalia, serenading him with her enchanting voice. Natalia His demeanor slowly turned peaceful. The terrifying madness that once consumed him was no longer evident. Those present, witnessing the miraculous unfolding, wiped away their tears and let out a relieved chuckle They never anticipated Natalia¡¯s melodic voice could subdue the raging Magnus, a feat even a group of strong men failed to aplish. ¡°My heart holds an image of your face, etched with longing. The gentle words you spoke, I can¡¯t forget I would trade my life for your eternal happiness I cherish both the pain and solitude From today until forever, my love for you will not change Her melodious voice still echoed in the room Natalia seemed tireless, singing endlessly for Magnus. She would sing as long as it could ease his suffering James helped the doctorsy a now calm Magnus back onto the bed Once Magnus settled, he whispered to the doctors, ¡°Let¡¯s leave them be We shouldn¡¯t disturb them Soon, everyone, including Dr Frankie exited the room, leaving Magnus and Natalia alone James nced back nervously I hope Natalia will be okay alone with him. What if Magnus has another episode?¡± Dr. Frankie massured him. ¡®It¡¯ll be fine. These fits are intermittent it¡¯ll be a while before the next one. Besides, did you not see? Even in his deranged state, Magnus still recognizes Natalia¡¯s voice His willpower is terrifying¡± Reassured James led Dr Frankie away, hoping for a sessful antidote this time around Meanwhile in the room, Natalia held Magnus hand tightly, never once stopping her soothing melody. She knew that even though Magnus could hardly recognize anyone when his addiction was acting up he still recognized her voice if her voice could ease his pain even slightly, then she wouldn¡¯t mind singing till her throat is hoarse As her enchanting voice filled the room, dusk gradually descended outside Slowly, Magnus closed his eyes, falling into a peaceful sleep. Natalia, her voice raspy from hours of singing, finally allowed herself a moment of rest She watched Magnus sleep peacefully and knew this was the only time he was free from pain. Natalia gently traced Magnus¡® features with her fingertips, studying his smooth forehead, sharp nose, luscious lips, and lightly stubbled chin ¡°Magnus, please, get better In the middle of the night. Magnus awoke. He tried to sit up, only to find himself drained of all strength. His head felt heavy as lead Though he¡¯d been in a dazed state for days, he remembered everything clearly once he regained his senses. Ever since he drank that tea, he had turned into a terrifying creature. The tea surely had something wrong. Now, he was trapped in this less version of himself, sometimes lucid, sometimes insane. In his fits of madness, he didn¡¯t recognize anyone My wife Magnus eyes narrowed in pain, looking at Natalia who was finally sleeping at his side. Throughout his days of madness, she had been tending to him tirelessly. taking his hits, carrying his abusive words God! What had he done these past days?! How could he treat his wife whom he adored so dearly in such a manner? The sight of Natalia¡¯s hand, bitten and torn apart by himself stabbed at his being. He slowly reached his hand out, he remembered his wife had unchained him. Was she not afraid of him during his fits? It felt like his body was about to fall apart, but he had to hold Natalia¡¯s hand, even if it cost him his life! After what seemed like an eternity, Magnus managed to hold Natalia¡¯s hand. With every ounce of energy left, he lifted her hand slightly to see the bandaged wound left by his teeth. The sight of it felt like a knife twisting in his heart, causing him to gasp ¡°My wife. I¡¯m sorry All of it was my fault, Magnus sobbed softly filled with quilt for his deeds wishing to kill himself whomitted such acts His sobbing woke Natalia Startled, she lifted her head and noticed Magnus had already awoken. Their gaze met, and Natalia saw the guilt, anxiety, remorse, and empathy in Magnus eyes Without uttering a single word, she knew that Magnus was back to his senses With much difficulty, she tried to show him a smile, even if it looked worse than if she was crying. She tried tofort Magnus, ¡°Magnus, are you awake? The sound of Natalia¡¯s hoarse voice left Magnus in disbelief, ¡°My wife, what happened to your voice? How could it be so hoarse? Nataliaughed a little, wanting to tell him it was because she had been singing all night. But all her words stopped at the tip of her tongue, ending up ¡°It¡¯s nothing Maybe, I caught a cold¡± heartfelt sigh N?velDrama.Org is the owner. Magnus frowned, knowing Natalia was lying Once he heard the luby in his memories, he knew it came from his loving wife, filled with all her affections for him, sung to full the agitated, madness¨Cdriven him into tranquility only way to Maghum especially Chapter 296 Chapter 296 uppressing the sour feeling in his nose and said in a low voice. ¡°Honey, if this happens again, chain me now I¡¯d rather die than cause you even a smidge of pain rything All i ho now is for you to get better soon, Magnus Jonas and I can¡¯t live without you. We need you muie Magnus s?d Honey do ? loc tatto ike a mess right now? I¡¯m sorry you had to see me at my worst I promised I¡¯d bring you a lifetime of happiness, but ¡°Don¡¯t say that: Natalia covered Magnus mouth with her hand ¡°You mustn¡¯t talk like that. You can get through this, I know you can. The Magnus I know isn¡¯t easily defeated. Remember when you brought me back from Ennd? You were so assertive This little addiction is nothing you¡¯ll pull through¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Magnus weakly grasped Natalia¡¯s hand and shook his head dejectedly Honey I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t keep my promise I¡¯ve lost my soul this time around and turned into aplete monster. Promise me you¡¯ll chain me up next time it¡¯s the only way to prevent me from hurting you if I end up hurting you while I¡¯m out of control, I¡¯ll never forgive myself Tears streamed down Natalia t ce as they on Magnus sobbing into his chest won¡¯t chain you up! Magnus, you have to fight this! Don¡¯t surrender Dr Frankie and james have brought in one of the top addiction specialists from the States. He can save you. I know he can¡® With trembling hands. Magnus reached out and caressed Natalia¡¯s hair as she also trembled. ¡°Okay, honey, I¡¯m not scared I¡¯m the strongest, remember? You just have to promise me that no matter what happens, you¡¯ll protect yourself first, okay? That¡¯s the only way I won¡¯t feel guilty if I hurt you while I¡¯m out of control¡± Natalia i tears, soaked Magnus chest Tpromise, she said between sobs. ¡°But you have to promise me too. you can¡¯t lose hope. You have to beat this addiction. You have to get better soon! Magnus heart ached like never before Two tears rolled down his cheeks. He wasn¡¯t sum if he could beat this addiction, because every time it kicked in, he wished he were dead. This was a promise he just couldn¡¯t make not with Natalia, his beloved, in such pain The one in agony learing on her chest was his beloved wife, while he could only watch her cry helplessly. For the first time in his life. Magnus was filled with so much regret that he wished to and his life immediately While Natalia sang softly to Magnus Dr. Frankie, and James went to theb to analyze Magnus blood samples. The toxicologist they¡¯d brought back from the States was a man with gray hair and years of experience. He worked tirelessly through the right until he finally created an antidote He handed The antidote over to Dr Frankie his most promising student This is the best I could do but like you I can¡¯t guarantee it will work ¡± James was dumbstruck. ¡°Dr Frankie, at you joking? You said your mentor was the best toxicologist in the world and he is not sure if the antidote will work?¡± Dr. Franke nodded Yes my mentor is one of the best, but that doesnt mean he¡¯s the best at meang antidotes ker The pod His mentor chimed in. That¡¯s night I¡¯m just a toxicologist, not a miracle Magnus was given is known as the king of poisons because it can be mixed in hundreds of ways. Change one little thing, and the antidote changes too All we can do now is try this antidote and hope it works. James let go of Dr Frankies cor apologizing for his rashness I¡¯m just womed about Magnus, he sad Tknow Dr Frankie said brushing himself off ¡°We all want Magnus to get better Let¡¯s go see if the antidote works When they arrived at the hospital room they saw Natalia and Magnus in each other¡¯s arms, both crying. Their hearts ached at the sight. This couple, who had already been through so much seemed destined for more hardships Natalia was introduced to Dr. Frankies mentor, the toxicologist they¡¯d brought back from the States Overjoyed, she thanked the man profusely foring all the way to Japan to help Magnus The toxicologist nodded politely ¡®It¡¯s my pleasure. Mis Andersen. Now let¡¯s see if this antidote works With that he signaled for Dr. Frankie to administer the antidote Even if it didn¡¯t cure Magnus, it wouldn¡¯t harm him either Dr. Frankie approached Magnus, who was lucid and calm. ¡°Mr. Andersen, he said respectfully. Tim going to give you the antidote now Don¡¯t be afraid You¡¯ll be better soon Magnus felt a throbbing pain throughout his body, immobilizing him. He blinked at Dr. Frankie to signal his willingness to cooperate ¡°Cut the chit¨Cchat, doc Just hurry up with the treatment Magnus quilt towards this man was profound as the scars on Dr. Frankie¡¯s face were his doing. He turned his head away, refusing to meet his gaze ¡°Roger that Dr Frankie bent down to search for an appropriate vein, ulffully pushing the antidote into Magnus bloodstream with a syringe. He then looked at him anmously ¡°How do you feel? Any changes? Magnus weakly shook his head. ¡°Nothing I couldn¡¯t even prick of the needle when you injected it Dr Frankie pondered for a moment. The antidote just went in it may take a while to take effect. Let¡¯s wait and see Magnus agreed with Dr. Frankie¡¯s assessment, his gaze drifting to James James. I want you to chain me upter I don¡¯t want to hurt my wife the next time I lose control Chapter 297 Chapter 297 James gave a nod ¡°Alright as you wish. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure Natalia is safe. After all, none of us have escaped your fist!¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Chain me up so I won¡¯t hurt anyone. Magnus said in a voice heavy with fatigue, before closing his eyes and sinking into sleep. Watching Magnus drift off to sleep, Natalia¡¯s eyes lit up. Excited, she turned to Dr. Frankie¡¯s mentor ¡°He¡¯s asleep, does that mean the medication is working?¡± James joined in. Indeed, look at him, he¡¯s sleeping so peacefully it¡¯s a testament to how effective the medication is!¡± Dr ies spirit lifted as he began to circle Magnus Theoretically, the medication in the vial does seem to have taken effect, but¡­¡± ¡°But what Natalia asked her anxiety rising as she kept her eyes fixed on Magnus, looking for any signs of difort Dr Frankie shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure it¡¯s hard to tell. This poison is rare, so it¡¯s unlikely to be cured quickly. We need to observe him for a while longer¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll stay and watch over him. Natalia softly promised She wouldn¡¯t leave until Magnus was better. Seeing Natalia¡¯s determination, James advised. Natalia, you¡¯ve been by Magnus¡® side for so long without rest. Why don¡¯t you take a break and regain your strength? We¡¯re all here¡± Natalia shook her head ¡°Compared to Magnus, who¡¯s suffering from the poison, what¡¯s a little tiredness to me? As long as he gets better. I would dly suffer in his ce¡± Facing Natalia¡¯s resolve James didn¡¯t attempt to dissuade her further. He leaned against the wall, waiting patiently for Magnus potential reactions Dr. Frankie and his mentor also waited patiently After all, the antidote they had concocted based on the blood sample was not guaranteed to be 100%, effective It could even cause unforeseen consequences The room was eerily silent, as the four of them anxiously watched over Magnus and silently prayed for his recovery Suddenly, a horrifying scream broke the silence Magnus eyes snapped open his mouth wide as he let out a terrifying yell. His head shook violently, his limbs twitching uncontrobly ¡°My God, Magnus, what¡¯s wrong? Natalia rushed to his side, gripping his hand tightly ¡°Magnus, are you in pain? If you¡¯re in pain, squeeze my hand. You¡¯ll be okay!¡± James also rushed over ¡°Magnus? Magnus? What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Sedative, give him a sedative Dr. Frankie¡¯s mentor shouted Dr. Frankie quickly grabbed the prepared sedative and injected it into Magnus¡® arm. After the sedative was administered, Magnus frantic state slowly calmed down. Hey there, eyes half¨C closed, breathing weakly Watching Magnus in this state, Natalia¡¯s heart ached ¡°Why is this happening? Why?¡± Seeing Magnus in such a pitiful state, Natalia felt helpless. ¡°Dr. Frankie, is this a good or bad sign?¡± Natalia asked. Dr Frankie and his mentor began conducting various tests on Magnus. Dr. Frankie held Magnus¡® head, while his mentor lifted his eyelids. ¡°His eyes are bloodshot. It seems the antidote isn¡¯t working. The next time the poison strikes, we can¡¯t rely on sedatives. It could cause his blood vessels to burst!¡± ¡°What should we do then? Dr. Frankie asked, looking to his mentor for guidance His mentor shook his head, sighing heavily ¡°Unfortunately, we don¡¯t have a solution right now. We¡¯ll have to create a new antidote ¡± James watching the helpless duo, felt his anger rise ¡®Are you twopetent or not? If you¡¯re not, say sol You¡¯re toying with Magnus life¡± Dr. Frankie couldn¡¯t meet James¡® gaze. The severity of the poison was beyond his capabilities. His mentor, however, was angered by James outburst ¡°James, as I¡¯ve mentioned before, this is a newly synthesized poison. Depending on the mixture, it can have different effects. No research institution has found a cure yet. We are sorry if you think we¡¯re wasting our time With that, he turned to leave if that¡¯s the case, we¡¯ll take our leave. You¡¯ll have to find someone else¡® James was left speechless. He knew he was out of line, but seeing Magnus in his current state, he couldn¡¯t help butsh out As the mentor was about to leave, James wanted to stop him but couldn¡¯t swallow his pride. He turned to Natalia ¡°Natalia, what do you think Natalia knew that if she allowed Dr. Frankie and his team to leave now, they¡¯d lose any chance of alleviating Magnus suffering. She approached Dr. Frankie, her voice brimming with regret ¡°I apologize for the way James spoke to you. He was out of line Please stay if you can¡¯t help us, then we really don¡¯t know who we can turn to for Magnus treatment. Dr Frankie remained silent, understanding that in such situations, the patient¡¯s family could be harsh with their words. His threat to depart was merely a result of frustration. Now that the patients wife was pleading so earnestly, he responded, ¡°I apologize for my harsh words, too. I shouldn¡¯t have behaved that way. But regarding Mr. Andersen¡¯s condition, I can¡¯t promise to cure him The poison is too potent Unless you can find the person who administered the poison and obtain the antidote. Mr. Andersen wili inevitably suffer through many trials¡± *1 understand, I do¡± Natalia nodded repeatedly ¡°We¡¯ve already dispatched people to find Belle, but we¡¯ve yet to discover her whereabouts Please, you must stay and help develop an antidote for Magnus Without you, we¡¯re left utterly helpless¡± ¡°Alright, Mrs Andersen, I apologize for my earlier behavior, I will do my utmost to assist But you must als Chapter 298 Chapter 298 may have the antidote¡± ¡°Alright. Dr Frankie let¡¯s get going. We¡¯re in for a long night, Dr. Frankie¡¯s mentor said, briskly striding out of the pathologyb. He needed to start formting a new antidote urgently Dr Frankie quickly followed him ¡°Right behind you¡± The two men exited Magnus room Left alone inside the room were Natalia and James Noticing the downtrodden look on Natalia¡¯s face, James felt obligated tofort her ¡°Natalia, don¡¯t worry Magnus will pull through this. But we must find Belle This woman is unimaginably wicked¡± With a heavy sigh, Natalia voiced her concerns, ¡®We¡¯re at a disadvantage, Belle has the upper hand. She must have nned this well in advance. If she¡¯s decided to hide, it wont be easy finding her¡± By now, if she could be found, Marissa and her team would have done it already. The fact that they hadn¡¯t meant that Belle was hiding out of sight. ¡°Natalia, stay here and look after Magnus I refuse to believe that Belle is invincible! Every person leaves traces Even if she¡¯s hiding in a rat hole or a sewer, I will find her!¡± James dered, before hurrying out of the room. Tll be back soon. I can¡¯t believe Chase and his team can¡¯t find one woman!¡± Watching James hurried departure. Natalia couldn¡¯t help but feel deste. It was true, why was Belle so hard to find? Days had passed, and not a trace of her was found. Sighing. Natalia walked over to Magnus, wanting to help wipe the sweat off his forehead She fetched water from the bathroom and used a towel to carefully clean Magnus. As she was meticulously wiping him down, she noticed a small patch of yellowing decaying skin behind his ear Shocked, Natalia rubbed her eyes and looked again. Sure enough, a yellowish fluid was seeping from the decaying patch behind Magnus ear. Remembering Dr Frankie¡¯s previous warning about the poison causing decaying skin, Natalia quickly checked Magnus¡® arms, chest, and legs for simr symptoms. Thankfully, she found none However, when she checked his back, she found the same yellow, decaying patches. Overwhelmed by panic and despair, Natalia ran out of the room to theb, tears streaming down her face Upon seeing Natalia, Dr Frankie, who was holding a test tube, turned and asked, ¡®Mrs. Andersen, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Dr. Frankie. Magnus, his skin it¡¯s decaying it¡¯s turning yellow. Could the poison be causing worse symptoms?¡± Natalia managed to choke out through her tears. Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. Hearing this, Dr Frankie quickly set down his test tube and headed for the door Just as he reached Natalia, she fainted ¡°Mrs. Andersen¡® Mrs Andersen! Dr. Frankie managed to catch her before she fell, calling her name in a panic. But Natalia remained unconscious, leaving Dr. Frankie in a state of frantic indecision. He knew that if anything happened to Natalia, an awakened Magnus would never forgive him Dr Frankie¡¯s mentor ambled over, shot Natalia a nce, and then spoke to Dr. Frankie in a deep, stern voice, ¡°As a physician, I can¡¯t believe you¡¯ve lost even the most basic judgment Shes fine She fainted because she¡¯s overworked and overly anxious. A good night¡¯s sleep will set her right.¡± A flush of embarrassment colored Dr. Frankie¡¯s cheeks. Natalia¡¯s fainting had been so abrupt that he¡¯d momentarily forgotten he was a doctor himself Professor, could you please keep an eye on her? I need to go check on Magnus condition¡± ¡°Go ahead Ah, it¡¯s such a shame to see these two lovebirds suffer the professor sighed, shaking his head in pity at Magnus and Natalia¡¯s predicament. When Natalia woke up, daylight was streaming in through the windows. She rose wearily from the lounge chair in the pathologyb, her eyes still slightly unfocused. She immediately asked. ¡°How¡¯s Magnus? You guys need to Natalia¡¯s words were cut off as Dr. Frankie, who had been dozing off after a night of work, sprang up at her words He finally let out a sigh of relief ¡°Mrs Andersen, I examined himst night. What Mr. Magnus is experiencing is an inevitable pathological reaction. I¡¯ve instructed the nurse to administer medication¡± Natalia finally rxed ¡°That¡¯s a relief. But, will those yellow lesions continue to worsen? What will happen to Magnus if they do? And, wasn¡¯t I taking care of Magnus, in his room? How did I end up here?¡± Chapter 299 Chapter 299 Frankie patiently exined. ¡°Ma¡¯am, you fainted when you came calling for us yesterday, so we decided to let you rest here. I don¡¯t want to lie to you. The symptoms of decay you see are due to the toxins in Mr. Andersen¡¯s body. If we can¡¯t find an antidote in time, the decay will deepen, and even spread from the outside in and endanger Magnus organs ¡± Dr Frankie¡¯s words struck Natalia like a bolt out of the blue, leaving her weak. She knew that when Magnus¡® poison acted up, he would go crazy, but she never imagined that the towns would gradually eat away at his health. ¡°No Natalia backed away, shaking her head. ¡°This can¡¯t be happening! I won¡¯t ept it She pulled out her cell phone and dialed James with trembling fingers ¡°I need to call James and ask him if he¡¯s found that woman named Belle¡® The phone was answered quickly, and James weary voice came through ¡°Hello, Natalia? Is there another update on Magnus? Natalia wanted to tell James about Magnus condition but swallowed her words. She knew that telling him wouldn¡¯t help, it would only make him more anxious. So Natalia steadied her voice, asking as calmly as she could, ¡°Nothing major, I just wanted to ask, have you found Belle yet? At the other end, James cursed when he heard Belle¡¯s name ¡°That damn woman, is she a mouse? My men in Europe can¡¯t find a single trace of her She¡¯s driving me nuts!¡± Natalia¡¯s heart sank, and she hurriedly hung up after offering James some weak words offort. Still no sign of Belle Natalia clenched her hand around her phone until her knuckles turned white. Her mind was filled with unshakeable anger. She despised that woman, Belle If she ever met her, she¡¯d p her without hesitation and demand to know why she¡¯dmitted such a heinous act. ¡°It¡¯s bad it¡¯s really bad! Mr. Magnus poison is acting up again,¡± a nurse rushed in, her voice filled with panic. ¡®He¡¯s broken the straps on the bed!¡± Out of pity Natalia reced the chains that had been binding Magnus with straps. Now, the straps were useless in restraining him. ¡°What?¡± Dr Frankie turned pale and rushed towards the sickroom. Natalia followed behind her steps unsteady. Her world was falling apart! When they arrived at the sick room, they found Magnus showing uncharacteristic strength. He had shattered the straps on the bed and even knocked the entire bed over. He was kicking it furiously and cursing. ¡°You bastards¡® Let me out! Give me the teal Let me out!¡± Natalia didn¡¯t hesitate She tried to enter the room, but Dr. Frankie blocked her ¡°Ma¡¯am, you can¡¯t go in there now¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Natalia looked at Dr Frankie in confusion. ¡°Magnus is in danger right now. If we let him carry on like this, he¡¯ll hurt himself.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true, but he¡¯s in a frenzy right now. If you rush in, he might hurt you!¡± Dr. Frankie tried to dissuade her Natalia insisted on opening the door ¡°I¡¯m not afraid¡® I know that no matter what he bes, he will never hurt me!¡± ¡°Ma¡¯am¡® How can you be so reckless? If you get hurt, who¡¯s going to care for Mr. Andersen? You need to take care of yourself for his sake! Dr. Frankie desperately tried to shake Natalia out of her resolve Natalia shook her head, a resolute smile on her face. ¡®Dr. Frankie, don¡¯t worry I won¡¯t get hurt. Nobody understands Magnus better than me Even if he could harm the entire world, he would never hurt me. And look at him now, he must be in pain. How could I stand by and leave him alone in this empty room? i need to be with him, and you can¡¯t stop me Dr. Frankie was speechless at Natalia¡¯s determination. He suddenly understood why Magnus loved her so much she was just as stubborn as he was beyond all hope of salvation Natalia pushed open the door and slowly walked in. Magnus was in the room, furiously destroying everything that restrained him. He heard the sound of the lock and turned his bloodshot eyes on Natalia. ¡°Give me the tea or Til kill you! Natalia showed no fear She stepped over the clutter on the floor and approached the agitated Magnus. ¡°Magnus, don¡¯t hurt yourself like this. Destroying these things will only tire you out I know you¡¯re in a lot of difort right now, so I¡¯m here to keep youpany. I can¡¯t ease your pain, but if hitting something will help, then take it out on me With that, Natalia closed her eyes and waited for the punch she knew wasing. She was betting that even in his madness, Magnus would never harm her Now beyond reasoning Magnus rushed at Natalia and shoved her against the wall. He clenched his teeth and wrapped his hands around Natalia¡¯s slender neck ¡°Give me the tea, or I¡¯ll snap your neck! People outside the door gasped in horror Dr. Frankie immediately pushed through the door and rushed in, shouting at Magnus, ¡°Mr Magnus, stop night there! Open your ev¨¦s and see clearly, she¡¯s the woman you love the most, are you really going to choke her to death?¡± However, at this point. Magnus mind was buzzing as if it was about to explode,pletely deaf to Dr. Frankie¡¯s ches. His hands were relentlessly tightening Natalia stood in front of Magnus with her face pale, her gaze showing her unbelievable resolve. She believed that Magnus would never harm her even if it meant destroying the whole world N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. With his eyes bloodshot from rage, Magnus met Natalia¡¯s gaze, emitting a fierce light. Hisrge hand landed on Natalia¡¯s neck and began to tremble violently. Dr. Frankie was so frightened that he didn¡¯t dare blink, fearing that a little more force from Magnus would hurt Natalia. But the next moment, Magnus, who was still in a frenzy, suddenly lost all his strength, and copsed like a ragdoll, knocking Natalia down with him This sudden turn of events caught everyone off guard Natalia, ignoring the pain of being knocked down, voiced her concern anxiously ¡°Magnus, what¡¯s wrong? Are you okay? Are you hurt? Chapter 300 Chapter 300 Dr. Frankie and a few doctors rushed over to assist Magnus, who had fallen unconscious with his eyes tightly shut Natalia clumsily rose from the floor, her mind consumed by Magnus condition. Her voice trembled as she questioned Dr Frankie, ¡°Has Magnus has he fainted again?¡± After settling Magnus on the hospital bed and conducting a brief examination, Dr Frankie shook his head and said, ¡°Ma¡¯am, Mr. Andersen just had a fit because of withdrawal symptoms. Now that he has passed out, he doesn¡¯t have the strength to fight it anymore You know, after this long struggle, his body is already on the verge of copse¡± Touching Magnus disheveled hair, Natalia¡¯s heart ached terribly. The once vibrant Magnus now looked so helpless, all because of that damned drug faced tea ¡°Ma¡¯am, I think it would be better to restrain Mr. Andersen This way when his addiction res up again, he won¡¯t harm himself or others. Dr. Frankie whispered Reluctantly Natalia nodded ¡°Alright, be careful with him Dont let him get hurt Dr. Frankie signaled and the other doctors brought in the chains they had prepared earlier Unable to bear the sight of the shiny cold chains, Natalia turned away her gaze falling on the setting sun outside the window How much longer would this ordealst? She felt like she was about to break Meanwhile chaos erupted at Andersen Corporation due to Magnus prolonged absence, which unsettled the major shareholders Whenever they tried to contact Magnus, they were met with a stammering Natalia, which only increased their suspicions For their own interests, the shareholders to approach Lucius Lucius, who had been lying low for fear of Magnus discovering his misdeeds, saw an opportunity when the shareholders came to him. After assuring them of hismitment to resolving the issue and indulging them with somevish entertainment, Lucius began his investigation. Soon, his subordinates reported that Magnus¡® absence was due to a serious illness. However, the nature of the illness was unknown due to tight information contel To uncover the truth about Magnus condition, Luctus decided to visit Morgan. As he entered Morgan¡¯s mansion, Lucius was met with a cold snort. ¡°What brings you here? | dont want to see you By now, Morgan knew about Lucius past misdeeds and was disgusted by him, even considering kicking him out. Desperate Lucius feigned tears ¡°Grandpa, I know I was wrong But I¡¯vee to see you about something important. It¡¯s about Magnus he¡¯s sick.¡± Morgan, who was enjoying tea in the courtyard, was so shocked that he dropped his cup. ¡°What? Magnus is sick? What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± ¡°Yes, Grandpa. He¡¯s currently in our private hospital. If you don¡¯t believe me, you cane and see for yourself,¡± Lucius said with a smile hidden underneath his feigned concem Hastily Morgan headed towards the hospital, ¡°Let¡¯s go! With a satisfied grin, Lucius followed Morgan, hoping that Magnus would never recover from his illness. When Morgan and Lucius arrived at the Andersen family s private hospital, Natalia was unaware of any of this Morgan stormed into the hospital and demanded, ¡°Where is everyone? Show yourselves!¡± Just as Dr Frankie was securing Magnus, he heard Morgan¡¯s familiar voice and groaned inwardly. He ran out, intending to stop Morgan, only to see him Magnus room ¡°Quickly get Natalia We can¡¯t let Morgan know about Magnus drug problem, he whispered to a doctor before hurrying to intercept Morgan Dr. Frankie hurriedly walked towards Morgan, Mr Morgan, why are you here?¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hmph Morgan mmed his cane on the ground, ¡°If I hadn¡¯te, how long were you nning to keep this secret from me? Speak up, where is Magnus?¡± ¡°Well, uh, that Dr Frankie stammered, deliberately lengthening his words to stall for time secretly praying that Natalia would hurry over Morgan, growing impatient with Dr Frankie¡¯s stalling demanded. ¡°Enough with the games, where is Magnus?¡± Just then, Natalias voice came from behind Dr Frankie. ¡®Grandpa? Why are you here?¡± Morgan, already displeased with Natalia, was now convinced that she was deliberately hiding Magnus¡® condition. His fury was beyond words. The sound of his cane echoed through the room as he fixed a bitter re on Natalia ¡°What Should I not be here? Should I wait until show.up? Where have you hidden Magnus? Why didn¡¯t you tell me he was sick? ove killed my grandson bellone i is treating ite a shadows. The deacio Natalia felt the sting of his words, especially given the audience. She knew who was behind this Lucius who followed Morgan surely kick Magnus when he was down if he knew about his current condition Regardless, she had to prevent them from seeng Majua in his current uti ¡°Grandpa¡± she began, attempting to concoct a believable lie Magnus isn¡¯t here it¡¯s me Lam the one who is sick and Her words fell t Morgan, weathered by age and life, wasn¡¯t fooled Through her swollen, teary eyes he saw things werent i His disappointment in Natalia grew and he pushed her aside Move out of my way! If you dont let me see Magrua, then 100 faid hum find him in this small hospital¡± Chapter 301 Chapter 301 ¡°Absolutely Grandpa we must search thoroughly. We can¡¯t afford to dy Magnus¡® condition any longer Lucius chimed in, fanning the mes. ¡°Natalia, that woman, doesn¡¯t want us to see Magnus. I¡¯m sure she¡¯s up to no good¡± Natalia quivered with fury at Lucius words, cing a hand in front of his face. Lucius, I think you know perfectly well who¡¯s the one harboring ill intentions here!¡± ¡°Get out of my way! Lucius,tled by the truth of her words shoved Natalia aside and supported Morgan as they moved forward He had a hunch about which room Magnus was in the same room Dr Frankie had just exited! Natalia, pushed back with force by Lucius, stumbled and fell Dr Frankie quickly helped her up ¡°Are you alright, Madam?¡± Natalia shook her head Tm fine Seems like today¡¯s event can¡¯t be kept a secret much longer While they were talking. Lucrus had already led Morgan to the door of the room that Dr. Frankie had just left Through the transparent window, Lucius was the first to see Magnus, with a grey pallor, bound to the hospital bed with iron chains. Overjoyed, he could barely contain his excitement as he called out to Morgan, ¡°Grandpa, look, Magnus is right here!¡± Morgan, recognizing the joy in Lucius voice, furrowed his brows in displeasure. But when he followed Lucius pointing finger and saw Magnus, he froze in his tracks In the hospital room a frail Magnusy with a pale face and eyes tightly shut, his body bound securely with iron chains. Morgan could hardly believe his eyes. He turned his fierce gaze on Natalia, as if he wanted to tear her apart ¡°What did you do to my boy? Why did you chain him up like this? Why? Lucius standing nearby, was also puzzled. How could the usually defiant Magnus allow himself to be confined in such a grim state? Unless Natalia hurried over to exin, ¡°Grandpa, this is all a misunderstanding. Magnus, he Morgan was furious, swinging his cane at Natalia. ¡°You, full of lies! Even now, you refuse to tell the truth! Fine! I¡¯ll ask him myself Morgan pushed the door open and entered the room Lucius quickly followed, not wanting to miss any information. The smell of disinfectant filled the room. Morgan. heartbroken, approached the bed and touched Magnus¡® bony, emaciated hand. ¡°Magnus? Wake up, tell Grandpa what¡¯s wrong¡± However Magnusy motionless and silent Lucius, on the other hand, had a suspicion. Could it be that Magnus was on drugs? Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. With this thought in mind, Lucius stealthily moved to the other side, and in a position where others couldn¡¯t see, he pinched Magnus hard His grip was strong, and he managed to jolt Magnus awake Seeing Magnus slowly open his eyes, Morgan thought he had woken up. He quickly leaned over and asked with concem, ¡°Magnus, what¡¯s wrong? ¡°Ahh Ahh! Ahh! Magnus screamed, shaking his head frantically. ¡°Get me my fix! Now!¡± Morgan, who had hypothesized countless possibilities in his mind, was taken aback by this revtion. He took two steps back in shock. This was clearly the behavior of an addict in withdrawall He felt dizzy, his vision blurred, and he copsed backward ¡°Morgan Morgan Dr Frankie quickly rushed to Morgan, who had passed out on the floor. Pandemonium ensued ¡®Oh my God, Morgan has passed out!¡± ¡°What should we do? What should we do?¡± Magnus screams and the hubbub of the room mingled into chaotic noise. ¡°Quick get Morgan to the ER: Dr. Frankie ordered the staff, trying to revive Morgan with CPR, but to no avail. He turned to the other doctors. ¡°Prepare the oper Morgan needs immediate attention!¡± The room was in a frenzy Even Lucius was taken aback. He had merely wanted to probe Magnus¡® condition, not expecting Morgan to faint from the shock. This was be than he could have hoped for a gift from the heavens¡® Natalia was also stunned. She never expected Morgan to suddenly appear at the hospital, let alone faint from the shock of seeing Magnus in such a state But now that it had happened, she had to step up and handle the situation, hoping that nothing serious would befall Morgan While everyone was busy tending to Morgan, Lucius had quietly slipped away Now was his chance for aeback, and he wasn¡¯t about to let it slip away! On his way Lucius drove like a man possessed. Before he had even reached thepany, he had already texted all the shareholders of the Andersen Corporati an important meeting Lucius was over the moon as he parked at thepany and took the executive elevator to the top¨C floor boardroom The boardroom was filled with Andersen Corporation¡¯s shareholders They had received Lucius message that something of utmost importance inpeded businessmen, there was nothing more important than this, so they had all rushed over Standing in the elevator, Lucius stared at his reflection in the polished mirror a usage of shrewd competence ¨C and he smirked ¡°Magnus, just you wait Soon. I¡¯ll have you removed from thepany¡± ¡°Ding¡± The elevator chimed its arrival at the top floor Brimming with satisf sights on the grand conference room ahead and began his approach shared ks on, Lucius strutted out, dusting off his jac I aleeves with air of seit inyuurtance. He bet ha I then pahence, and the cryptic mestage bun haotic symphony of voices before The room was buzzing with the restless chatter of shareholders Magnus prolonge into a frenzy of spection Lucius reveled in themotion, it was the exact reaction he had hoped for. He stood outside the door wavering the delic pushing the door open and making his entrance. As soon as he appeared the shareholders fell silent, their eyes collectively shifting to lock onto Lucius ¡°Good evening everyone, he began, struggling to keep a triumphant grin off his face. ¡°I¡¯ve called you all here to stam some rather distressing news Ha feigned a sorrowfal tone. ¡°Your CEO, Magnum, is currently battling a severe drug addicti¨®n¡± Chapter 302 Chapter 302 As soon as his words fell, a bombshell exploded within the confines of the conference room, leaving the shareholders in utter shock, and sparking an immediate uproar ¡°How could this happen? Why would he touch that stuff? ¡°Exactly once you¡¯re hooked on the hard stuff, you¡¯re a goner¡± ¡°This is terrifying What¡¯s going to happen to thepany?¡± ¡°This is a disaster How could something like this happen?¡± Lucius watched the scene unfold before him with satisfaction, his heart brimming with triumph. He raised his hand, silencing the room. ¡°Everyone, calm down. Given these circumstances, I must step up as your deputy CEO We cannot allow our corporation to fall into the hands of a drug addict. That would be signing our own death warrant!¡± Lucius words resonated with the shareholders. After all, their priority was their profits. Whether it was Magnus or Lucius who held the CEO¡¯s position was irrelevant to them. They were content as long as they couldfortably collect their annual dividends. Therefore, the first shareholder to fullyprehend this stood up ¡°Absolutely, we cannot hand over our enterprise to such a person. We cannot stand idle and watch our empire crumble! I propose we revoke the position of CEO from Magnus and appoint Lucius as CEO. Once someone took the lead, those who were previously hesitant would slowly follow suit Soon after this shareholder¡¯s proposal, the rest, eager not to be left behind, responded in kind, ¡°I agree, we should revoke Magnus¡® position and appoint Lucius instead.¡± ¡°I agree!¡± ¡°I approve! ¡°I consent, too! In no time, Lucius was unanimously appointed as the new CEO of Andersen Corporation. He promptly reced all the department heads with his loyal followers, then sat back, smugly demanding that the cleaning staff throw out all of Magnus¡± belongings and rece them with his preferred office equipment. News of Magnus drug addiction spread like wildfire within thepany Sensing a juicy story, the local tabloid journalists wasted no time in printing this shocking news The headline From Diamond Studded CEO to Down¨Cand¨COut Drug Addict.] was sshed across the front page, sending shockwaves through the streets of Melfort The news quickly sent Andersen Corporation¡¯s stock plummeting as panicked shareholders rushed to sell their shares. Meanwhile, back at the private hospital, Dr. Frankie was tending to Morgan,pletely unaware of the chaos unfolding outside After administering an IV to Morgan and seeing the steady rhythm of his heartbeat on the monitor, Dr. Frankie breathed a sigh of relief. He wiped the sweat from his brow and instructed the attending nurse. ¡®Morgan was indeed on death¡¯s door. It¡¯s truly a miracle he survived. Remember, no more shock or excitement like this, it could be fatal.¡± Afterying these instructions, Dr. Frankie exited the room, leaving the nurses to prepare the necessary medications He approached Natalia, who was leaning against the wall. ¡°He¡¯s out of danger now¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear I didn¡¯t expect things to turn out like this ¡°Natalia sighed deeply With Morgan and Magnus in adjacent hospital rooms, it was a heartbreaking sight. Dr Frankie, feeling helpless, suddenly realized that Lucius, who had apanied Morgan, was missing ¡°Wait, where¡¯s Lucius?¡± Natalia shook her head ¡°Who knows? He¡¯s always up to no good¡± Her words proved to be prophetic, as James called just then. Natalia answered the call, and James frantic voice filled the line ¡°Natalia, that bastard Lucius has crossed the line! He¡¯s publicly announced that Mr. Magnus is a serious drug abuser, not only has he stolen the CEO position, but he¡¯s caused a massive sell¨Coff of Andersen Corporation¡¯s stocks, causing the stock price to plummet. I really want to punch his lights out!¡± Natalia gasped, she hadn¡¯t expected so much to have urred in such a short time. She didn¡¯t want James to actually confront Lucius and exacerbate the situation, and hastily advised him, ¡°James, don¡¯t worry about Lucius right now. The most important thing now is to find Belle. Let¡¯s wait for Magnus to wake up, then tackle this. I¡¯m sure when he¡¯s awake, he¡¯ll sort everything out¡± As long as he was awake, her world would be at peace, and so would everyone else¡¯s. He was a king a god who controlled everything, and she believed in him. She believed he would survive! James agreed with Natalias words. ¡°Yes, you¡¯re night, Natalia. You always think things through. I¡¯ll continue looking for Belle. She¡¯s even more despicable than Lucus After hanging up, Natalia turned to Dr. Frankie, whispering ¡°We can¡¯t let Morgan find out about this. It might trigger a rpse.¡± Dr. Frankie nodded in agreement ¡°Of course, ma am. I¡¯ll ensure the news does not reach him¡± But it was already toote While they were discussing outside his room, Morgan had awakened. His phoney on the bedside table, several of thepany¡¯s shareholders had alreach called | picked up his phone. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Mr. Morgan, how do you exin your grandson¡¯s drug addiction? Thepany is in turmoil, stocks are plummeting and Lucius has seized control. Who responsibility for this? Before the stockholder could even finish his sentence, Morgan had already fainted and the phone in his hand crashed onto the floor ¡°Beep¨Cbeep beep- The shrill rm of the heart monitor cut through the air, causing Dr. Frankie and Natalia to spin around in rm. They were met with the sight of Morgan, clutching ha chest, writhing in pain on the hospital bed Dr Frankie hurried into the room, performing CPR on Morgan while peppering him with questions. ¡°M: Morgan, what¡¯s wrong? Where does it hurt? But the fine on the heart monitor was slowly ttening out and the piercing rm sounded a ceaseless warning Nurses and interns began to gather, assisting Dr Frankie in trying to save Morgan. ¡°Epinephine ¡°Cet the defibritor ready¡± Natalia watched anmously from the sidelices. Even though Morgan wasn¡¯t particrly fond of her she didnt wish for anything bad to happen to the old man, especially when Magnus was in such a state! After all, he was Magnus¡® grandfather How would Magnus cope when he woke upN?velDrama.Org is the owner. The chaos in the emergency room continued the seconds ticking by The line on the heart monitor remained unresponsive Iving there as sis death Chapter 303 Chapter 303 Dr Franke and his team of resident doctors fought desperately to save Morgan, but in the end, they couldn¡¯t bring him back. With a heavy heart, he lowered his eyes and broke the news to Natalia, Im sorry Natalia Morgan suffered a heart attack. He didn¡¯t make it. We need to make the necessary arrangements.¡± Natalia staggered back in disbelief as the resident doctors covered Morgan¡¯s body with a pristine white sheet. She¡¯d just been arguing with Morgan, who was huffing and puffing waving his walking cane at her. And now, he was gone. Tears brimmed in Natalia¡¯s eyes. Life was so fragile And Magnus, confined by his chains, knew nothing of this He didn¡¯t know that his beloved grandfather had left him, and he was still unconscious in his bed. His condition was deteriorating rapidly. She feared No! It couldn¡¯t bel Natalia pushed the terrifying thought out of her mind as soon as it surfaced. She was just shaken by Morgan¡¯s death. She couldn¡¯t let herself think like that! Magnus would be fine. He had to bel ¡°Maam, how should we handle Morgan¡¯s affairs? Dr. Frankie gently reminded the distraught Natalia that, as the former CEO of Andersen Corporation, Morgan¡¯s death would certainly send shockwaves through Melfort Finally, Natalia snapped back to reality and told Dr. Frankie, ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do with Magnus in this condition. Call Lucius and ask Anthony and Lillian toe back from Europe ¡°Alright.¡± Dr. Frankie nodded and dialed Lucius¡® number. It seemed like the only option now. When Lucius received Dr. Frankie¡¯s call, he was lounging in his new office chair, with soothing music ying in the background. He didn¡¯t see Morgan¡¯s sudden deathing Although Morgan had always favored Magnus, the news of his death still brought tears to his eyes. But he quicklyposed himself With Morgan gone and Magnus incapacitated, the Andersen Corporation was finally his! As he thought about it, Lucius couldn¡¯t help butugh. Everything was falling into ce! But he still had to maintain appearances. He quickly notified his parents in Europe and arranged for Morgan¡¯s body to be brought back from the private hospital. He gave Morgan a grand but discreet funeral By the time Anthony and Lillian arrived, Morgan had already been buried. They berated Magnus, ming him for Morgan¡¯s death, and they ridiculed Natalia. She endured their scorn, not for her own sake, but for Magnus. How could parents be so cruel, ming their own son for his dire condition? With Morgan¡¯s death, the stock prices of Andersen Corporation plummeted. The residents of Melfort, who had once hadplete faith in the Corporation, began to panic and sell their stocks. Lucius turned a blind eye to all this. He believed it was just a temporary reaction to the change in leadership. Given some time, he was confident he could turn things around. Meanwhile. Natalia was restless in the private hospital. She hadn¡¯t left the hospital in a long time because Magnus ulcers were getting worse, even reaching a necrotic State Natalia cleaned Magnus wounds daily, not minding the foul smell. She wished she could take his pain away. Magnus¡® addiction was getting worse. He couldn¡¯t even keep down water and was surviving solely on intravenous nutrition. He was skin and bones, a far cry from his handsome self One day, while Natalia was carefully cleaning Magnus¡® wounds, he woke up. Seeing Natalia, who had be a shadow of her former self, Magnus felt a stabbing pain in his heart. With great effort, he whispered, ¡®Natalia, leave me. Don¡¯t watch me die like this.¡± Natalia¡¯s hand froze, and the basin in her hand ttered to the floor. She never expected Magnus to wake up, let alone say such things! Why was he talking about death? She wouldn¡¯t let him die! Natalia clenched her fist and bit her lip hard to stop herself from crying. ¡°How could you say that? Magnus, you won¡¯t die. You can¡¯t die! What about me and our child? You promised to grow old with me You promised to give Jonas a little sister! How could you break your promises?!¡± Magnus listened to Natalias usations, tears rolling down his cheeks. He gathered his strength and continued, ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m sorry. It seems I wont be able to keep my promises in this life I know my body is failing I¡¯m nearing my end. But I don¡¯t want you to remember me like this I want to be the dashing Magnus in your heart, not this decaying version of me Natalia, promise me, leave me. Let me die in peace, with some dignity left.¡± Natalia sobbed, her heart aching like never before Magnus words were like a krafe, stabbing her heart with each word He was talking about his death so calmly? How could he give up on himself?! No! She wouldn¡¯t allow it! Not on her watch! ¡°Magnus, listen to me, no matter what you turn into, you can¡¯t leave me. You can¡¯t abandon me and Jonas! Magnus, as long as I haven¡¯t given up on you you absolutely cannot give up on yourself! I¡¯m going to find Dr Frankie right now and he¡¯ll figure out how to heal you. You can¡¯t lose hope You can¡¯t despair!¡± With tears streaming down her face, Natalia spun on her heel and sprinted towards the pathologyb. She needed to find Di Frankie she needed him to save Magnus Stumbling and staggering Natalia arrived at the pathologyb where Dr. Frankie was deep in discussion with his mentor poning over what seemed like the umpteenth antidote form for the toxin coursing through Magnus veins They had failed countless times already yet they hadn¡¯t found the correct antidote As Magnus condition deteriorated, the pressure on them grew exponentially ¡°Dr. Frankie, have you found the antidote yet? I beg you, take my life if you have to. Take my blood if it would help! All I ask is for him to survive!¡± Natalia sobbed uncontrobly, dreading the sight of Dr Frankie shaking his head in defeat. ChapterMaterial ? of N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 304 Chapter 304 Dr. Frankie sighed heavily ¡°Madam, we¡¯ve tried countless times, but this poison is just too relentless. We¡¯ve been unable to sessfully concoct the antidote, and I¡¯m truly sorry But we won¡¯t give up!¡± Natalia staggered back in despair. ¡°Is there truly no other way?¡± Dr Frankie shook his head ¡°Madam, there are over a hundred ways to create this poison, and we¡¯ve tried dozens of mixtures, but as you know, we¡¯ve failed each time. Unless the person who poisoned him has a change of heart, I¡¯m afraid that with such a conservative method of detoxification, I worry about Mr. Magnus¡® ability to hold on¡± Natalia was shattered by Dr. Frankie¡¯s words. She stumbled out of the pathologyb, muttering. ¡°No, it can¡¯t be You¡¯re all lying to me! Watching Natalias heartbreaking sobs. Dr Frankie reached out tofort her, but he knew any words offort would be futile Perhaps a good cry would alleviate some of her stress. He decided to let her be and returned to theb to continue working on the antidote Natalis found a quiet corner in the hospital garden and sobbed. She¡¯d alwaysforted herself and believed Magnus would get better, but today, even he¡¯d spoken words of despair Was it possible that he would never recover? No! She shook her head vigorously to rid herself of that terrifying thought. The idea was too horrifying to ept. After two days of this, Magnus condition worsened, and Natalia was on the brink of copse. Just as Natalia was sinking into despair, her phone rang. The number was unfamiliar. She steeled herself and answered, ¡°Hello, who is this?¡± ¡°Haha! Natalia, how have you been these days? Enjoying yourself? The arrogantughter on the other end of the line made Natalia¡¯s blood run cold. Even before the caller introduced herself, Natalia knew it was Belle, the one who¡¯d poisoned Magnus. Natalia took a deep breath and gripped her phone tightly ¡°Belle, did you poison Magnus? How could you be so cruel?¡± ¡°Cruel? Natalia, I never thought you¡¯d be this sharp after only five years. Belle¡¯s voice was filled with smug satisfaction. ¡°But you¡¯re still not much of a match for me Yes, ¨ª poisoned Magnus isn¡¯t it hrious how I¡¯ve got both of you dancing in the palm of my hand?¡± Natalia¡¯s blood ran cold as she listened to Belle¡¯s revoltingughter. She knew nothing about Belle, but Belle seemed to know everything about her N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Who are you? Why do you know about our past? Why did you poison Magnus?¡± The questions tumbled out before Natalia could stop them. She instantly regretted it. Belle had set this trap for them, and why would she tell Natalia the truth? As expected. Belle¡¯sughter only grew louder. ¡°Natalia, I justplimented your intelligence. Why are you still as naive as before? Such a disappointment.¡± Natalia regained herposure. She steadied her voice and asked, ¡°What do you want? If you have the antidote, give it to us now. I won¡¯t hold you ountable for poisoning Magnus¡± ¡°Fine, that¡¯s more like it! Natalia, how about meeting me face to face? I have the antidote. If you bring anyone else or notify the police, I¡¯ll destroy it forever. Then your beloved Magnus can only die a miserable death I bet he¡¯s already covered in festering sores, isn¡¯t he? Does it disgust you to see him like this?¡± Natalia didn¡¯t rise to Belle¡¯s bait. She knew Belle was deliberately trying to provoke her, and the angrier Natalia became, the happier Belle would be ¡°Belle, Magnus is in this condition because of you. How can you be so heartless and cruel? Natalia¡¯s words were filled with anger and frustration. Belle¡¯sughter grew louder ¡°Yes, I did poison him. What can you do about it?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do anything to you, Belle, but remember this¨Cthe mills of God grind slow, but they grind exceedingly fine. No matter what evil deeds you¡¯ve done, you¡¯ll face your day of reckoning Natalia said, her voice shaking with suppressed fury ¡°Enough! I didn¡¯t call to listen to your nonsense!¡± Belle snapped. ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m at the hill behind the hospital right now. Are you gonna meet me? I¡¯ll say it again¨Cif I find out you¡¯ve brought someone or notified the police, you may as well start nning Magnus funeral.¡± Natalia was taken aback by Belle¡¯s audacity. She was hiding so close to the hospital, and yet James and Chase hadn¡¯t been able to find her ¡°Fine, Natalia said, her voice resolute ¡®I¡¯m on my way Wait for me¡± After saying her piece Natalia hung up the phone and hurried towards the hill behind the hospital. She didn¡¯t tell anyone about this, not willing to risk it Magnus health couldn¡¯t wart, he urgently needed an antidote for the poison coursing through his veins Even if Belle demanded her life in return, Natalia wouldn¡¯t mind All she wanted was the antidote for Magnus. The hill wasn¡¯t far from the hospital, so Natalia practically jogged there. But once she reached the rendezvous point, there was no sign of Belle. Natalia repeatedly tried calling Belle but was met with the infuriating beep of a busy line each time Was Belle ying her? Natalia wondered, scrutinizing her surroundings anxiously, almost wishing she could shout Belle out from her hiding ce. As dusk fell, there was still no sign of Belle Disappointed, Natalia hung her head low and began trudging down the hill. She was such a fool. How could she have trusted Belle so easily? Maybe Belle was simply toying with Natalia Belle was letting Natalia know the antidote existed, but it was not easily avable Not long after Natalia started walking away, a voice emerged from the bushes nearby. ¡°Hold it right there!¡± It was Belle Chapter 305 Chapter 305 Belle emerged from the shrubs where she had been hiding for a long time, nodding at Natalia. ¡°Not bad, you kept your word and didn¡¯t bring anyone with you¡± Natalia shook her head surprised at Belle¡¯s cunningness. She had been watching from the sidelines to see if Natalia would bring anyone to capture her Belle had been hiding for a long time, her aura radiating an intense malice Like a rat, she had been hiding in the most dangerous ces, avoiding the pursuit of Chase and James But Belle knew that she was safe as long as she had the antidote that would save Magnus Natalia had a hard time hiding her disdain for Belle Belle, why did you poison Magnus? How could anyone be as cruel as you?¡± ¡°Tm cruel?¡± Belleughed, hugging her arms. ¡°You¡¯re right, Natalia I¡¯m cruel, and not just cruel, I¡¯m filthy! Do you know who I am, Natalia? Do you know how much I wanted to strangle you when I saw you and Magnus together?¡± Belle¡¯s words left Natalia confused. When had she offended Belle¡± ¡°Belle, who are you?¡± ¡°Who am 17 Belleughed again. I¡¯m Isabe, Natalia You¡¯ve been living a peaceful life for too long, you¡¯ve even forgotten about me. You never saw me as your opponent, did you?¡± Belle looked resentfully at Natalia, wishing she could w that enchanting face of hers. ¡°Natalia, how am I inferior to you? Tell me! Why did Magnus treat me like dirt just because you appeared? You disappeared for five years, but do you know where I was? Do you know what kind of life I¡¯ve been living? Huh?! You don¡¯t know. You don¡¯t know anything! You¡¯re protected by Magnus so thoroughly from even the slightest harm!¡± Natalia was taken aback. She never expected Belle to be the long¨Cmissing Isabe. ¡°Why you? Isabe! She wanted tough, but she couldn¡¯t. ¡°You loved Magnus, didn¡¯t you? Why destroy him? Why poison him?¡± Even though Isabe was cruel, she had always loved Magnus Natalia knew this ¡°Hal¡± Isabeughed maniacally. Even you know I loved him, but he despised me! Do you know what, he once told me that he finds my love disgusting? He med your disappearance on me forced me to cut ties with my family, and made me a beggar! Do you know what I went through?¡± Isabe¡¯s words shocked Natalia. She had no idea that Isabe had been through so much ¡°Even if you¡¯ve had hardships, you shouldn¡¯t have poisoned Magnus. Your heart is beyond evil!¡± Isabe stared at Natalia through blurry eyes. ¡°You want to know what I¡¯ve been through? Fine. I¡¯ll tell you? She looked into the distance, her eyes filled with despair. ¡°Five years ago, my so¨Ccalled father, was threatened by Magnus, pped me, and cut off all ties. He loved hispany more than me I couldn¡¯t ept it, so I ran to the river. But then, I was knocked unconscious by a stranger.¡± Natalia was horrified Isabe¡¯s father had indeed severed ties with her for hispany, and she had been attacked by a stranger ¡°Who was that man? Why did he knock you out?¡± Natalia asked, her innate kindness shining through. ¡°He was a disgusting man, a farmer in Mexico, who held me captive. He used me as a tool, locked me in a dark basement without clothes, without sunlight, Isabe exined, her voice full of hatred ¡°Natalia, have you ever lived like that? Like an insignificant ant that could be crushed at any moment?¡± Natalia was speechless She had never experienced such a life. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t know, because Magnus protected you. You wouldn¡¯t understand the lengths people would go to survive. I lived like that for a year¡± Isabe¡¯s face twisted in pain ¡°Eventually, I earned his trust. He even began to believe that I had fallen in love with him and allowed me some freedom on his farm. Day in, day out, I was always prowling every inch of the ranch, constantly racking my brain trying to figure out how to kill that nauseating scoundrel Finally, my chance came Isabe¡¯s eyes gleamed with murderous intent. That day, he came home utterly drunk from the pub, incessantly demanding more booze. I obliged him and fixed him a drink that would be hisst N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. At this point, Isabe started to chuckle ¡°Natalia, have you ever killed someone? Haha, I bet you haven¡¯t. What a waste! Let me tell you, when that poisoned whiskey came spurting out of that beast¡¯s mouth, mixed with the stench of fresh blood, it was a sight to behold Watching him squirm and beg on the floor, that moment was bliss for me! After enduring so much, I finally took my revenge with my own hands! Hahaha, Natalia, there¡¯s no such thing as a savior in this world. One must save oneself! Chapter 306 Chapter 306 The words of Isabe sent chills down Natalia¡¯s spine. It was clear that Isabe had spiraled into a dreadful abyss of her own making Natalia regretted her brash decision to confront Isabe alone, she should have brought James along But death held no fear if it meant getting the antidote Isabe, lost in her reminiscences, didn¡¯t notice Natalia¡¯s pale face. She threw her head back and laughed, a sound filled with arrogance and triumph I watched him convulse on the ground until he stopped breathing Then, I took all his money and escaped that farm that held me captive for a year. I traveled to Europe and had a stic Surgery My face bears a sorrowful story I wanted to discard my past and start afresh, to live a life that¡¯s truly mine! Natalia shivered The most terrifying thing in the world was the human heart, it was capable of shifting me onto others despite knowing one¡¯s faults Do you know how I spent these years Natalia? Isabe sneered at Natalia, answering her own question before Natalia could respond got a new face a clean te, and studied business management I wanted to begin a new life, to repay the humiliation I suffered at your hands a thousandfold if not for you. I would still be the radiant heiress of the Simmons Group, not a ything for others lust! This is all your doing! All your fault! ¡°Really Isabe? Why do you always me others and never reflect on yourself? Don¡¯t you bear any responsibility for the things that have happened to you?¡± Natalia retorted, feeling that Isabe had lost her sanity ¡°Me? What did i do wrong? Everything that¡¯s happened is thanks to you! I forced myself to study and quietly returned to Melfort. With my impressive resume, easily secured a position at Andersen Corporation Thank heavens, they must have seen my burning desire for revenge and blessed me with a smooth journey I quickly rose to the position of executive assistant, Isabe said her gaze filled with hatred as she looked at Natalia. ¡°But when I saw Magnus, whom I hadn¡¯t seen for years, the love I had kept for him exploded. His handsome and rebellious face attracted me and kept me awake at night. Every day, I yearned for his tender care.¡± Natalia frowned, shaking her head internally. Isabe was beyond redemption. ¡°Why are you frowning? What right do you have to frown at me? if not for Magnus¡® protection, you¡¯re nothing You¡¯re not even worth being my servant Isabe spat harshly her hands clenching tightly as she envisioned ripping Natalia apart ¡°So, you drugged him? To make him have sex with you? Natalia asked disdainfully Even though she knew Isabe would admit it, she couldn¡¯t help but feel nauseous. N?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°That¡¯s right. It was me Isabe admitted openly, without a trace of shame. ¡°Why should a man as outstanding as Magnus only have eyes for you? What do you have that i don¡¯t? I dream of sleeping with him, and even if it kills me, I¡¯d die happy! What about you? Can you say the same?¡°. Natalia shook her head. ¡°Isabe, you¡¯re beyond redemption Natalia¡¯s words infuriated isabe who was already jealous of her Isabe¡¯s voice turned shrill, ¡°Shut up! Beyond redemption? It¡¯s all your fault, you damned woman fit wasn¡¯t for you, he would have sumbed to my drug and desired me! You must have bewitched him, and made him indifferent to other women because even when i he angrily drove me away! You heartless witch!¡± ¡°Isabe can¡¯t you see it clearly? Magnus and I are truly in love, not like what you¡¯re saying! True rue love surpasses everything it can shatter any scheme. No matter manipte it your effort will be useless. Stop it, Isabe, Natalia pleaded once more isabeughed hysterically ¡°Ha, true love? Where is true love in this world? Natalia, you¡¯re just lucky that Magnus is devoted to you. But so what? Since he doesn¡¯t have me in his heart, whatever I can¡¯t have no one else can have! I¡¯d rather destroy him than let anyone else have him!¡± ¡°So, you poisoned him? Natalia asked usingly ¡°That¡¯s right! If i can¡¯t have him, I¡¯d rather destroy him! Especially someone as proud as Magnus, who not only rejected me but humiliated me in public. There¡¯s no way i swallow my anger When Magnus moved me from the President¡¯s office to the sales department, I was utterly embarrassed. So, I used Molly to add the expensive porsi bought from the ck market into his tea. Hehe, Natalia, without the formtion method, there¡¯s no way to create an antidote for these poisons! I guess Magnus has been struggling like a zombie these past few days, hasn¡¯t he? Hahaha! After heating Isabe¡¯s words. Natalia looked at her with pity. ¡°Isabe, you¡¯re really insane Magnus at least had some affection for you in the past. Did you really go through with it?¡± ¡°Yes I did He had some affection for me, but Isabe clenched her teeth, ¡°From the moment Magnus chose you over me, I was already insanel inferior to you? Why should I always be second to you? Tell me, tell me!¡± Natalia slowly shook her head ¡°True your new face is indeed quite pleasing. But so what? Even with the face of an angel, it can¡¯t change your been corrupted and twisted by jealousy Isabe, wake up stop it Before you make a big mistake, turn back¡± Turn back? Natalia the reason I took this path is entirely because of you! its all your fault! Why should you alone have the best man in the world? Why win everyor ffection? Why? I hate you! I wish you would drop dead right now!¡± isabes eyes zed with fury, wishing she could carve countless holes into Nazar Isabe dont be so stubbom. Please hand over Magnus antidote What good does torturing him do for you? Natalia tried to reason with isab, topig i the light Hearing Natalias words, Isabeughed until she was nearly in tears. Ha ha ha, Natalia, are you a fool? Why do you think I¡¯ve been and get my revenge on you! To give you back all the humiliation I¡¯ve suffered! Do you want the antidote? Here it is,e and Chapter Chapter 307 Chapter 307 As she spoke, Isabe deftly unsped a thin silver chain from around her neck. Hanging from it was a tiny ss vial about the size of a thumb, filled with a deep green liquid This must have been the antidote Upon seeing the coveted antidote, Natalia was overjoyed. She impulsively moved towards Isabe, reaching out to grab the vial, but Isabe skillfully sidestepped her. Isabe held the antidote high, a cold smirk stered on her face. ¡°Natalia, you want this antidote, don¡¯t you? No problem Leave Magnus, and I¡¯ll make sure he takes it¡± Natalia was taken aback ¡°But even if I leave, Magnus will never ept you again.¡± ¡°Thats not your concern anymore I live to torment you two I want to break you apart, watch you drift apart, never to meet again¡± Isabe¡¯s voice dripped with malice, her eyes gleaming with anticipation ¡°Only when you¡¯re gone will Magnus see how good I am! So, you must leave him. Go somewhere he¡¯ll never find you!¡± ¡°Isabe, you¡¯re seriously deluded if you think you can break us up like that. True love can¡¯t be broken by time or distance You¡¯re so naive Natalia was baffled by Isabe¡¯s twisted logic it was madness ¡°Narve? Ha Isabe scoffed dismissively ¡°You think it¡¯s as simple as you leaving? Natalia, you have to swear, swear to never return to Magnus¡® side, then I¡¯ll give you half of the antidote. The other half I¡¯ll give to him after you¡¯ve left¡± ¡°No. I can¡¯t do that Natalia tly refused How could she leave Magnus? if she just left like that, how heartbroken would he be? ¡°Can¡¯t do it? Natalia, isn¡¯t Magnus already starting to deteriorate? Let me tell you, if you let this poison spread, it will get worse until it seeps into his marrow. By then, even if you have the antidote, it¡¯ll be useless Isabe pocketed the antidote, crossed her arms, and stared at Natalia with certainty, convinced she would agree Natalia paled instantly She knew Magnus condition was critical, and the antidote was needed urgently. There was no more time to waste. ¡°Fine, I agree¡± Natalia sighed heavily, finally giving in to Isabe¡¯s demands. ¡°Hmm, I knew you¡¯d have to agree I want you to swear, that if you don¡¯t leave Magnus, Jonas would meet a terrible end¡± Isabe¡¯s eyes gleamed blood¨Cred Natalia was shocked She was being asked to swear on Jonas by this wicked woman! Natalia stared hard at the woman in front of her, her heart aching as if hit by a tidal wave. ¡°Fine! I promise, if I don¡¯t leave Magnus, Jonas would meet a terrible end!¡± Her teeth gritted, she spat out the words, tears streaming down her face. Isabe smirked triumphantly, handing over the vial around her neck to Natalia. ¡°Here, this is half the antidote. Give it to Magnus, and it will stop his physical decay. But he needs the other half of the antidote for a full recovery. And that other half, I will give him only after you¡¯re gone.¡± Natalia took the antidote, treasuring it like a precious gem. She held the half¨Cfilled vial tightly, her body shaking uncontrobly. ¡°Natalia, I trust you¡¯ll keep your word. But you better move quickly, because Magnus¡® condition can¡¯t afford any more dys With that, Isabe turned and left. Watching Isabe¡¯s receding figure, Natalia finally came back to her senses. Her feet felt as if they weighed a ton, but the thought of saving Magnus spurred her on Magnus condition was dire, any further dy was not an option Natalia held back her tears and quickly headed towards the private hospital nearby The hospital was in chaos Dr. Frankie and his mentor had been tirelessly working in the pathologyb for days, but they had yet toe up with an effective antidote. Natalia walked into theb, handing Isabe¡¯s antidote to Dr Frankie. ¡°Dr. Frankie, can you check if this could help Magnus?¡° Dr Frankie looked puzzled as he took the green liquid ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s an antidote I bought at a high price Please test it to see if it can help Magnus. I¡¯m afraid it might worsen his condition if it¡¯s ineffective Natalia voiced her concerns. After all, Isabe was known for her deceitful tricks, who knew if this was a genuine antidote? Natalia¡¯s resourcefulness took Dr. Frankie aback ¡®An expensive antidote? That¡¯s great, Natalia, I¡¯ll test it right away. Please wait a while, and we should have the results soon ¡°Alright, thank you¡± Natalia hid her anxiety as best as she could. ¡°I¡¯ll go check on Magnus. Please let me know as soon as you have the results.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Mrs. Natalia, its my job. I¡¯ve been wracking my brains these past few days and couldn¡¯t find an antidote for Mr. Magnus. I feel guilty I¡¯ll let you know as soon as we have the results With that, Dr. Frankie got to work, carefully collecting a sample of the antidote and heading to test it. Natalia left theb and headed towards the room where Magnus was Inside the room, Magnus was barely conscious, chained to the bed. His face was weary, his eyebrows furrowed in difort Natalia pulled up a chair next to him, her heart aching as she watched his skeletal face Overwhelmed by sadness and regret, tears fell from her eyes Her fingers reached out tenderly tracing the features of Magnus face Starting from his forehead, sliding down his brows, across his nose, over his thin lips, and slowly continuing downward ¡°Magnus, do you know how much it pains me to leave you? She whispered. ¡°But I have no other choice Isabe has lost her mind, and I can¡¯t stand by and watch her destroy you. I would willingly give my life in an instant if it meant your recovery, but the thought of parting with you is unbearable Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Isabe, that maniac has seen straight through me She knows that forcing me to leave you is more torturous than death itself ¡°Magnus, it hurts so much to leave If this antidote is real, please forgive me I just want you to live Tears spilled from Natalia¡¯s eyes as her fingers traced circles on Magnus body She could no longer hold back her sonow ¡°Ma¡¯am, ma am! It¡¯s amazing, the antidote you we procured is genuine! I¡¯ve tested it and it¡¯s indeed capable of halting the spread of the poison¡®¡® Dr Frankie burst in, his excitement echoing throughout the room Chapter Chapter 308 Chapter 308 ¡°Really? That¡¯s wonderful Natalia wiped her tears, turning to the excited Dr. Frankie. ¡°If it¡¯s confirmed to work, let¡¯s administer it to Magnus immediately His body is deteriorating, we can¡¯t dy any longer¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll do it right away¡± Dr. Frankie moved toward Magnus but stopped abruptly ¡®Madam, Mr Andersen can¡¯t eat anything right now. Should we inject it?¡± Natalia remembered Isabe mentioning it needed to be ingested, so she stopped Dr. Frankie from injecting it ¡®Give it to me. I¡¯ll feed him.¡¯ Dr. Frankie handed Natalia the antidote, reminding her. ¡°Madam, be careful not to swallow it ¡°I understand Natalia took the small vial of antidote, poured it into her mouth, and without any hesitation, she moved closer to Magnus, and their lips met Magnus¡® lips were icy cold, devoid of any warmth Natalia carefully used her tongue to part his teeth and delivered the antidote into his mouth. The process was slow as Magnus was practically half¨Cdead, to the point that even his basic swallowing reflex was almost non¨Cexistent. The antidote remained in his mouth, but he simply couldn¡¯t swallow it Natalia¡¯s eyshes brushed against Magnus eyshes, and her head stubbornly lowered, determined to feed him the antidote. ¡°Magnus, you must swallow this. It¡¯s the only cure!¡± But Magnus was lying in bed, showing no response and lying still as if he was in a vegetative state. ¡°Please, Magnus, swallow the antidote!¡± Desperation filled Natalia, and tears rolled down her cheeks,nding on Magnus¡® eyelids. Magnus eyshes fluttered, and his eyes slowly opened. Seeing Natalia, he instinctively tried to smile. Natalia seized the opportunity and sessfully fed him the antidote As Magnus slowly swallowed the antidote, Natalia tried to move away but found herself entwined in his weak embrace. Magnus was too weak to lift his arm, but his eyes were filled with an enthusiasm that melted Natalia¡¯s heart. Thinking about their impending separation, Natalia closed her eyes, returning Magnus¡® kiss passionately ¡°Magnus, you must get better You must!¡± ¡°Magnus, remember my taste, my affection, my reluctance to let go!¡± Natalia kissed Magnus sorrowfully, while Magnus, whether due to the antidote or Natalia¡¯s kiss, gradually gained some strength. His eyes were bing clearer On the side. Dr. Frankie awkwardly left the room, deciding not to intrude on the couple¡¯s intimate moment. ¡°Darling, is that you? I¡¯m so lucky to wake up to the most beautiful face in the world, and a kiss from the woman I love the most. I¡¯m so happy¡± Magnus voice was hoarse. his gaze fixed on Natalia, unwilling to look away. Natalia hid her sorrow behind a faint smile ¡°Silly if this best treatment for you, then your expectations are too low.¡± Magnus chuckled, ¡°Darling, I didn¡¯t think it through You¡¯re right, I¡¯ve set my expectations too low. How could I forget about Jonas? Once I recover, I¡¯ll take you both around the world to every breathtaking corner of it¡± Really? That¡¯s wonderful, I can¡¯t wart. But you have to get better soon, okay?¡± ¡°Yes, I promise you, darling fil take you and our child around the world and try rafting, bungee jumping, skydiving, and many more things we haven¡¯t yet experienced.¡± Magnus seemed surprisingly energetic, his eyes sparkling. Natalia held back her tears, smiling at Magnus. ¡°Yes, I want to do all those things too. Life should be about trying different things and making it exciting¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Darling you¡¯ve put up with a lot because of me I suddenly feel full of energy Once I recover, let¡¯s do all the things we want to do, okay?¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes sparkled like stars ¡°Yes, I promise you I wait for you You have to get better soon, my love. I love you!¡± Magnus jolted, it was the first time his wife had called him ¡°my love¡± and confessed her love. He felt the blood in his veins spring back to life. He didn¡¯t want to die, he couldn¡¯t die. He wanted to live forever ¡°Darling, say that again he didn¡¯t trust his ears. He thought it might have been an illusion ¡°My love I love you! Natalias tears fell, and she kissed him. Magnus raised his trail arm, holding her head, deepening the kiss. The kiss seemed tost an eternity, as Magnus greedily kissed Natalia, who had carved herseal mo life if he could he wanted to kiss her like that forever, until the end of time Finally they broke the kiss. Their eyes met, and they shared an intimate smile, full of love Only Natalia knew the bitterness in her heart ¡°Magnus, if you knew this was thest time we¡¯d be together, how heartbroken would ¨C do this Magnus do you know how much it hurts me to let you go?¡± As Natalia was silently contemting Magnus patted his bed, pleading softly ¡°Darling can you lie here with me? Stay with me for a bit? As soon as he finished speaking he quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea I should not. I¡¯m covered with woes, ¨ª MUS¨ª SM cant pass this on to you your and foul an Before Magnus could say anything else, Natalia carefully nestled against his chest listening intently to his heartbeat, whispering gents, ¡°Magnus, the bed is too small. Wie can¡¯t both fit. May I justy here beside you? ¡°But darling, my body is all rotten I must stink I cant let you suffer from that smell Magnus hesitated fearful that Natalia would be inconvenienced ¡°No, Magnus, no matter how much you change you are always the most handsome man in my heart. We are husband and wie I will never despose you¡± Natalia gently held Magnus thin hand pressing it against her hips to kiss hightly Magnus no matter what happens in the future, proinisa me juu i stay strong and keep living ¡°My love, rest assured. I will definitely stay strong I have the wife I love most, and the son I cant bear to leave How could possibly tene Chapter 309 Chapter 309 couldn¡¯t help but chuckle self¨Cdeprecatingly. ¡°Last time Jonas visited, he whispered something to me. He told me I had to hang in there, otherwise, people would spend my money bully you, and hurt him Although his voice was barely audible, I could see the tears he was trying to hide Since then, I¡¯ve been fighting to stay alive. I can¡¯t stand the thought of you being hurt or being with someone else! The mere thought of his wife with another man after his death made him wish he could take Natalie with him ¡°Yes, we must stay strong. We must keep fighting. Natalia murmured, pouring all her sorrow into those words ¡°Natalia, you¡¯ve been taking care of me these past few days, and I can see that you¡¯ve lost weight But I¡¯m too selfish to let you leave my side. Am I too possessive? Magnus asked, as he reached out and gently touched Natalia¡¯s pointed chin Natalia shook her head ¡°No, I¡¯ve been wanting to lose some weight anyway Besides, you¡¯re the boss if you¡¯re not going to be bossy, who will?¡± ¡°Ah, I forgot about that I am the boss. The only night thing I¡¯ve done in my life is to have you. Natalia If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would choose the same path. Magnus said, his eyes heavy with fatigue Natalia, I¡¯m feeling tired again I need some sleep What a useless man I¡¯ve be Stay with me, will you?¡± Natalia held Magnus frail hand and whispered. ¡®Of course But only she knew how fleeting that promise would be ¡°Natalia, can you give me a goodnight kiss Magnus asked, his voice barely above a whisper Natalia bent down and nted a soft kiss on his forehead ¡°Sleep now You¡¯ll feel better when you wake up.¡± ¡°Mhmm, Magnus responded faintly slowly closing his eyes. His strength had already reached its limit, and the sweet, intoxicating kiss had taken whatever was left of it The long conversation with Natalia had drained himpletely, and he soon fell into a deep sleep After a while, Magnus breathing became steady, and he was lost in a peaceful slumber Natalia, however, was left with a heavy heart. Her world was crumbling around her as she faced the imminent separation Her eyes were filled with unshed tears. As she stared at the sleeping Magnus, Natalia managed a bitter smile. She was reluctant to leave him, but she knew she had to Magnus this time. I¡¯m not leaving you at will I have been forced to. I must have done something terrible in my past life to deserve this. To be separated from you time and time again ¡°Magnus, you must take care of yourself when I¡¯m gone Your life is a gift I¡¯m leaving you with. You better not waste it!¡± With a pale face and heavy heart, Natalia knew it was time to say goodbye. She held Magnus¡® hand, studied his face, and vowed to keep this memory alive Magnus, my love, take care ¡°We chied, weughed, we looked up at the sky with a few stars still shining bright. We sang the song of time. Only then did we understand why we held each other so tight | was lucky to meet you, leaving beautiful memones behind. The wind blew, flowers fell, and tears fell like rain because we didn¡¯t want to part I was lucky enough to meet you, leaving a promise of ten years if we meet again, I believe I will remember you In the middle of the night, Natalia finally stood up, bending down to nt another kiss on Magnus forehead. ¡°Magnus, we¡¯re parting ways now Take care!¡± Material ? of N?velDrama.Org. With these words in her heart, Natalia left the hospital room without looking back She needed to leave immediately so that Isabe would send the antidote As Natalia hurriedly walked out of the hospital, she bumped into James He looked at Natalia, his expression confused ¡®Natalia, where are you going? Natalias eyes briefly flickered with panic She wanted to tell James everything, but she knew that if she pushed Isabe too hard, she might destroy the antidote in a fit of rage Then, no one could save Magnus With this thought in mind. Natalia knew she had to stay calm and leave quietly. She forced a smile. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m just going to fetch some things. ¡°Do you need a lift? James kindly offered. Natalia shook her head ¡°No, you should stay with Magnus. I¡¯ll be fine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good Natalia, I¡¯m going to check on Magnus now Dr Frankie just called to tell me that you¡¯ve found the antidote Natalia, you¡¯re amazing!¡± es praised sincerely Natalia gave a faint smile Am I? Maybe ¡°What did you say, Natalia? Can you repeat that? I didn¡¯t quite catch it¡± James hadn¡¯t heard what Natalia had said, so he asked again. Natalia shook her head it¡¯s nothing You should go in. I¡¯m going to fetch some things.¡± ¡°Alright then, I¡¯ll go in then. I¡¯ve been so busy looking for that witch Belle, haven¡¯t seen Mr. Magnus for days I wonder how he¡¯s doing. Natalia, be careful on the Hurry back After saying these words, James strode into the hospital Watching James walk away. Natalia silently prayed. ¡°James, please take care of Magnus. I¡¯m counting on you¡± In the early hours of the morning, Natalia¡¯s solitary figure left Melfort, headed for the harbor As the morning sunzily rose, itsnguid rays marked the start of a new day. Dr Frankie woke up early that day, hurrying to Magnus room Yesterday, somehow. Natalia managed to get her hands on an antidote that miraculously halted the rapid deterioration of Magnus condition. Prankie tossed and turned all night, and then it hit him this wasn¡¯t just any potion, it was the real deal! And the only person who could have given Natalia this antidote had to be t vanished Belle In retrospect, he regretted letting James leave so early. He should have figured it out and informed him Dr Frankie wasn¡¯t convinced that Belle, with all her cunning and schemes had done this out of the goodness of her heart. He needed to talk to Natalia, to find out what this sly Belle was really up to However, upon reaching the hospital room, he was taken aback to find a woman he didn¡¯t recognize standing there Dr Frankie paused, feeling a twinge of familiarity After a moment of thought, he rea yet remained nowhere to be found? What was she doing here? And where was Nata wasn¡¯t this Belle, the woman whose face James had been stered all Chapter 310 Chapter 310 town, baffled by the whole situation, didn¡¯t have time to ponder He dashed in, grabbing Belle¡¯s arm ¡°Belle, you¡¯ve got some nerve showing up here!¡± Standing in Magnus hospital room was none other than Belle, whose real name was Isabe. She had come to deliver the antidote. She had been hiding outside the hospital the previous night waiting until she was sure that Natalia, that dimwit, had finally left. Natalia had sworn on Jonas life, the son she was so smitten with. So, with confidence Belle had strutted into the hospital isabe knew Natalia wouldn¡¯t dare spill the beans about their deal, she was confident she wouldn¡¯t. So when Dr. Frankie confronted her, she defiantly shook off his hand. ¡°What¡¯s your problem? I¡¯m here to bring Magnus his antidote Back off!¡± Dr Frankie was taken aback by Belles audacity ¡°You ve been poisoning Mr. Magnus, and yet you have the nerve to strut around here What¡¯s going on?¡± Isabe gave him a dismissive nce, brandishing the antidote in her hand ¡°I came to give Magnus his antidote. I love him, and I want him What¡¯s wrong with that? I¡¯m sure Natalia has given him the first dose because his condition hasn¡¯t worsened But for him to fully recover, he needs this second dose ¡°Hand it over demanded Dr Frankie reaching out to snatch the antidote ¡°This woman¡± he thought. Til tear her apart once I have the antidote in my hands!¡± Isabe pulled back Thave a condition!¡± ¡°What condition¡± Dr Frankie asked coldly, refusing to believe that Belle would make things easy Isabe snapped her fingers, looking triumphant ¡°You stop hunting me down, and promise not to hold me ountable. Then, I¡¯ll hand you the antidote¡± ¡°Deal! I won¡¯t hold you ountable Give me the antidote Dr. Frankie extended his hand towards Isabe, thinking to himself, ¡°I can only speak for myself When Mr Magnus wakes up, it¡¯s between him and you¡± Isabe was ted that Dr. Frankie had agreed to her conditions so quickly Great, I trust your promise. Here¡¯s the second dose of the antidote. But it¡¯s not for oral use You need to mix it with 0.9% saline solution, then inject it into the muscle¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Dr Frankie finally understood where he and his mentor had been going wrong. They had been tirelessly trying to formte an antidote but had never thought of this method What a clever trick! ¡°So thats it No wonder my mentor and I couldn¡¯t develop the right antidote, Dr Frankie mumbled to himself When he looked up. Belle had already disappeared Dr. Frankie was somewhat annoyed, having let Belle slip away while he was deep in thought. But he quickly forgot about it and decided to inject Magnus with the antidote He didn¡¯t hesitate to go to the pathologyb to test the antidote for any harmful side effects first. The results came back quickly Magnus toxins were quickly neutralized upon contact with the antidote it was definitely the antidote Dr Frankie followed Belle¡¯s instructions, mixing the antidote with 0.9% saline solution, and preparing to inject it into Magnus muscle Just then, a booming voice filled the room Dr Frankie is Mr. Magnus doing any better than yesterday?¡± Turning around. Dr. Frankie was relieved to see James ¡°Finally, you¡¯re here. Let me tell you, Belle, the one you¡¯ve been hunting for days, showed up James eyes widened in surprise ¡°What? Where?¡± Dr Frankie pointed at the door ¡°She was here at the hospital, but she disappeared while I was away You could probably still catch her if you send your men after her id promise her not to pursue her in exchange for the antidote, but I only speak for myself Whether you chase her or not has nothing to do with me, hehe!¡± ¡°What? Belle, that wicked woman, had the guts to show up here?¡± James couldn¡¯t believe that Belle, whom he couldn¡¯t find even after digging three feet into the ground, was at the hospital Dr. Frankie nodded affirmatively and handed the recently prepared antidote to James. ¡°This is the antidote she brought. After I wento to test it in the pathologyb, she disappeared without a trace,¡± he said Damn it! I¡¯ve been hunting for her for so long, and now she just runs away again. This is so frustrating James cursed, storming out of the room to find Belle Dr Frankie headed to Magnus room with the antidote Magnus had been in a daze, sleeping. Dr. Frankie slowly injected the antidote into his body, standing by and carefully observing his reaction Not long after James came running back, swearing, Damn, that wicked woman got away again. This is so damn frustrating¡± James voice echoed through the hallway But when he stepped into the room, he lowered his voice and asked Dr. Frankie. Belle is full of tricks How could she just hand you the antidote so easily? Are you sure it¡¯s the real deal?¡± Dr Frankie nodded Tve tested it myself. It¡¯s undoubtedly the antidote That s weird Why would she be so kind? I wouldn¡¯t believe it if i were dead!¡± James eximed, then turned to Dr Frankie with a puzzled look ¡°By the way, where s havent seen her Dr Frankie shook his head Thaven¡¯t seen her either Maybe she went home to take care of the little guy?¡± ¡°Right, ever since Mr Magnus has been hospitalized, she¡¯s been stuck by his side like glue, not even having the time to care for their son Nor can¡¯t live without her James said, then urged Dr Frankie anxiously. Please check on him Didn¡¯t you say it¡¯s the real ant and whi Magnus Why hasn¡¯t there been amy reaction vet Dr. Frankie nodded and walked towards the bedside, just in time to see Magnus slowly open his eyes Without needing to check, Dr. Frankie knew the moment he saw Magnus eyes that the poison in his body was slowly dissipating Magnus eyes were so clear and bright. they were no longer clouded as they once were ¡°Dr Frankie¡°¡± Magnus felt a bit dizzy, but still asked subconsciously. ¡°Where¡¯s my wife?¡± ¡°Mr. Magnus, I haven¡¯t seen her either. She¡¯s probably gone to take care of your son, Dr Frankie respectfully replied ¡°How are you feeling? is there any difort, ar anything that makes you feel unwell?¡± Chapter 311 Chapter 311 Magnus slowly shook his head. ¡°No. Im just a bit parched. Dr. Frankie was delighted to hear this, as it was the first time Magnus had asked for water during his stay here ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll get you some water right now¡± With that, Dr. Frankie walked towards the water dispenser in the room, preparing water at the perfect temperature for Magnus Now that Magnus regained consciousness, James felt a wave of relief wash over him. He strode over and asked quietly. Mr Magnus, are you feeling better?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m alright. It feels like I¡¯ve just awoken from a dream My head is still a bit foggy but not as heavy as before Magnus replied, pointing to his body ¡°There¡¯s still an itching sensation all over my body it¡¯s a bit ufortable ¡°Dr Frankie. Dr Frankie,e here! Mr. Magnus says he¡¯s still feeling ufortable James anxiously rushed over to Dr. Frankie and dragged him over Caught off guard by James Dr Frankie nearly spilled the water he had just fetched Easy, take it slow James hastily took the water from Dr. Frankie and pushed him towards Magnus Hurry, he¡¯s not feeling well Dr Frankie was also somewhat nervous After all. Belle provided the antidote, and although he had tested it, he wasn¡¯t sure if it would trigger any side effects ¡°Mr Magnus, where do you feel ufortable? You must tell me in detail I can¡¯t be sure if these are indeed the antidotes¡± Before Dr. Frankie could finish his sentence, James grumbled, ¡°What? You re not even sure, and you gave it to Magnus? Have you lost your mind? ¡°What else could I do? You¡¯re well aware of Mr. Magnus condition if we dyed further, the virus would have continued to eat away at him like a nasty termite. If we werent at our wit¡¯s end, do you think I would have used the antidote Belle provided?¡± Dr. Frankie passionately defended himself. As a doctor, the most intolerable thing is to be threatened by disease My mentor and I have experienced countless failures, and we have to admit that the poison used by Belle is too despicable! Not being able to develop an antidote is our greatest sorrow James knew this was the case He onlyined a bit, but he hadn¡¯t expected Dr. Frankie would say so much. It seemed that Dr. Frankie had been under a lot of pressure these days just like him ¡°Dr Frankie, you know I didn¡¯t mean it that way¡± James said apologetically, ¡°The most important thing now is to heal Mr. Magnus as soon as possible. As for that vicious woman, Belle. I hope I don¡¯t catch her Otherwise, I will teach her a lesson that there are some people in this world who should not be messed with!¡± While Dr Frankie and James were arguing. Magnus gradually regained his strength. He raised his hand to signal them to stop arguing. I¡¯m fine, just a bit itchy and sore Nothing else Despite their little argument. Dr Frankie and James never stopped caring for Magnus ¡°Mr Magnus, your body hasn¡¯t shown any adverse reactions This proves that the medicine is definitely the antidote. The itchiness and soreness are due to the extent of your previous poisoning I¡¯ll prepare some medicine for you to speed up your recovery James added ¡°Magnus a lot has happened while you were ill. Once you¡¯re fully recovered, I¡¯ll fill you in. Or you could ask Natalia. She¡¯s been by your side all this time, barely eating or sleeping she¡¯s lost quite a bit of weight At the mention of Belle Magnus felt an ominous feeling James, go fetch my wife I wish to see her He missed Natalia dearly. He remembered her kiss and herforting words. She had promised to travel the world with him and their son Jonas He wanted to tell her he was fine and ready to fulfill that promise Jamesughed. ¡°No problem, I¡¯ll be on my way Dr. Frankie, I¡¯m leaving Mr. Magnus in your hands. If you can¡¯t get him back to his old self soon, you¡¯ll have to answer to my fists. He joked raising his fists at Dr Frankie. He then headed to Jonas vi to fetch Natalia. Dr Frankie now certain Belle¡¯s antidote worked, felt a huge weight lift from his shoulders. He began formting a recovery n for Magnus, aiming to get him back on his feet in no time Magnus was eager to cooperate with Dr. Frankie. He remembered Natalia¡¯s gentle care and encouraging words. He remembered her singing to him during his delinum. He remembered promising to recover quickly, promising to take Natalia and little Jonas on a worldwide tour, promising to let Natalia do anything she wanted During those unbearable days when it felt like he was being fried alive in hell¡¯s kitchen, Natalia had been by his side every step of the way Now that he had finally to rid himself of that soul¨Csucking poison, his only job was to recover and fulfill any promise he had ever made to Natalia Dr Frankie had been bustling about in the hospital room for half the day, and Magnus had been following his directions without question. Just then, James, who pick up Natalia, rushed in Magnus, something¡¯s wrong¡± Magnus raised an eyebrow ¡°What is it? N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Look, Magnus I went to pick up Nat, but when I got there, May told me that she hade home, grabbed a small bag, and left again in tears. She thought Natalia was crying because you were ill and in the hospital, so she didn¡¯t ask, afraid it would upset her more. I immediately went to find Jonas, and he said Natalia told him to and take care of himself Mr Magnus what Before James could finish, Magnus was already struggling to get up from the bed in horror, What? She said that to Jonas¡± ¡°Yes, Jonas also said that Natalia told him to listen to his father and be a man Magnus, the more I listened, the more it felt wrong, so I panicked that he was sweating profusely Chapter 312 Chapter 312 TIS WAS NO to on his hospital bed, determination etched on his face. ¡°I must go back immediately, I need to find her and talk things out. I need to know why she had those things Dr. Franke and James rushed to his side Dr Frankie tried to dissuade him, ¡°Mr. Magnus, you¡¯ve just detoxed. Even a superhero couldn¡¯t bounce back that quickly. Le back nes and I handle this Your wife is kind¨Chearted. She¡¯ll be alright¡± Listen to Dr. Frankie Magnus We¡¯re here for you. I¡¯ll go find her right now. Perhaps Jonas was just kidding around, and she¡¯s out shopping for groceries, James hastily added trying to keep Magnus calm But Magnus shook his head resolutely Something¡¯s wrong. She was with me all night, and her eyes were full of emotions i didn¡¯t understand i get it now, she must be hiding something As he spoke something seemed to click in Magnus mind. He turned to Dr. Frankie. Did you say Belle was here? Yes Mr Magnus When I arrived this morning, I found Belle standing in this room I don¡¯t know how she found it. She handed me the antidote and disappeared when I was busy confirming its authenticity Dr Frankie said regretfully ¡°I was too careless I should have detained her Magnus heart skipped a beat Belle, who had gone to great lengths to poison him, was now bringing him the antidote Something was off ¡°Help me up I have to go home right now No dys Magnus asserted Dr Frankie looked troubled ¡°Mr. Magnus, you just detoxed and haven¡¯t fully recovered. You can¡¯t push yourself like this.¡± ¡°Indeed you¡¯ve been through a lot these past days. You need proper rest. If there¡¯s anything you need, we can do it for you, James added, trying to dissuade him But Magnus always decisive and quick in action, frowned at their suggestions. ¡°No Belle¡¯s sudden appearance here must have something to do with my wife. I can¡¯t rest until i find her. Besides its been a while since Ist saw Jonas¡± Magnus was so determined. Dr. Frankie and James had no choice but toply. They fetched a wheelchair, helped Magnus into it, and drove him to his home Throughout the ride. Magnus brows were furrowed His face was pale, a result of the poisoning. He was filled with unease He was anxious about Natalia. She had taken care of him relentlessly, never leaving his side. Now she was suddenly missing, and Belle had unexpectedly brought him the antidote. It was clear to Magnus that Natalia must have agreed to some sort of condition Belle had set Although he didn¡¯t know what that condition was, Magnus mind was in chaos. He feared nothing, not even death or pain. The only thing he feared was losing Natalia! N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Drive faster Magnus urged, feeling the car was moving too slowly. James, who was driving was left speechless. He was driving a top¨Cof¨Cthe¨Cline Ferrari, already hitting a speed of 280 kilometers per hour, and Magnus still thought it was slow But understanding Magnus urgency, James floored the elerator The sleek Ferrari shot towards Magnus¡® home like a bullet. Soon, they arrived at the mansion James and Dr Frankie helped Magnus out of the car and into the house. Sitting in his wheelchair, Magnus looked at the white flowers hanging on the door of his house and his face darkened. ¡°Why are these depressing things hanging on my door? Dr Frankie and James exchanged nces, not knowing how to break the news of Morgan¡¯s death to Magnus. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking? Magnus voice turned colder ¡°Tell me, why are these flowers hanging on my door?!¡± Despite his cold exterior, Magnus heart was filled with dread An awful suspicion had formed in his mind, one he prayed would note true Caught in an awkward position, James and Dr Frankie didn¡¯t know what to say Just then, May emerged from the house, her face stained with tears. Seeing Magnus, she rushed towards him Mr Magnus, you¡¯re back? Thank heavens, you¡¯re safe¡± Magnus looked at the tearful May and asked directly. ¡°May, why are these flowers on my door?¡± May¡¯s smile faltered Mr Magnus, don¡¯t you know? Mr. Morgan has passed away Initially, Morgan¡¯s death wasn¡¯t announced at the Andersen Family Estate. Lucius wanted to hold the funeral at Magnus mansion as he med Magnus for Morgan¡¯s death May¡¯s words hit Magnus like a ton of bricks. He¡¯d had a terrible suspicion, but he¡¯d hoped against all hope it wouldn¡¯te true. Little did he know, his worst fears were indeed reality Magnus froze for a moment, his body beginning to tremble He swallowed the intense pain gnawing at his insides, his voice turning hoarse. It was me The damned person is me He clung tightly to the armrests of his wheelchair, lifting his head in agony ¡°Was Grandpa at peace when he passed?¡± With that, Magnus turned to Dr Frankie, who was standing beside him Dr Frankie, you¡¯re the private physician of our family I need you to tell me the truth. Was my grandfather at peace when he passed? What was the cause of his death? Dr. Frankie hesitated, letting out a long sigh Mr. Magnus, that day your brother Lucius brought Morgan to the hospital to see you Morgan saw you in the throes of a drug¨Cinduced frenzy, chained and raving it gave him a heart attack ¡°I knew it was because of me Magnus whispered, guilt flooding his features as he bowed his head. He could vaguely recall his wild antics while drugs No wonder his grandfather had suffered a heart attack, Magnus had truly let Morgan down influence of na passing Chapter 313 Chapter 313 that Magnus was ming himself for Morgan¡¯s death. He quickly attempted to rify his thoughts, ¡°No, Mr. Magnus, you misunderstood. not because of you Really that be? He saw me in this state. It¡¯s no wonder he is gone Magnus said looking up at Dr Frankie in disbelief Frankie took a deep breath and exined. ¡°Here¡¯s what happened Morgan had a heart attack, but we managed to resuscitate him. But then Lucius distorted the truth bout your addiction and spread rumors that you had be a junkie. He seized control of thepany during this turmoil. His actions led to a drop in thepany¡¯s ock, causing shareholders to confront Morgan. The stress of it all caused Morgan¡¯s heart condition to re up again. This time, we couldn¡¯t save him.¡± Magnus closed his eyes His thin, strong hand clenched into a fist. His heart felt like it had been ripped out. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Grandfather! It¡¯s all my fault! I¡¯m the reason you¡¯re gone Magnus opened his eyes, a bloody red hue staining his pupils ¡°Lucius, well done. I¡¯ve taken note of all your malicious actions Just wait for the day of reckoning!¡± In this world, Magnus¡® grandfather was the one who loved him most. He had raised Magnus with great difficulty, only to pass away in such a tragic manner. Magnus remembered all of this, and said coldly. ¡°Push me in May hurried over and began to push Magnus towards the house Jonas is ying the piano right now He should be finishing soon.¡± As they approached the house, they could hear the mncholic notes of a piano piece, filled with longing Magnus face darkened, and he steered his wheelchair towards Jonas Jonas, dressed in a casual suit, sat upright at the grand piano His small hands were ying the sorrowful but smooth melody ¡°Jonas? Magnus called out softly after thest note had been yed. Jonas turned his head, saw Magnus, and jumped off the leather stool, running towards his father ¡°Daddy? Are you all better now? That¡¯s great!¡± As Jonas rushed towards him like a cheerful bird, a smile in his blue eyes. Magnus¡® heavy heart lightened slightly. He reached out and tousled Jonas¡® fluffy hair, asking softly, ¡°Have you been a good boy while I was away?¡± Yeah I have been very good and obedient I miss you every day Mommy said you were sick and I shouldn¡¯t visit you too much. But I did sneak in one time and talked to you a lot, Jonas said his small face turning unhappy Magnus knew that Jonas had indeed visited him once when he was unconscious. He had heard all the words Jonas had said. Jonas told Magnus to get well soon, saying that if Magnus died someone else would spend his money, live in his house, bully Natalia, and hit Jonas Magnus had heard all of it! He had thought at the time, what a heartless little rascalN?velDrama.Org is the owner. ¡°Daddy Mommy said she s going to a ce very far away, and it will take many years before she can come back Daddy, do you know where that is?¡± Jonas suddenly asked a question interrupting Magnus thoughts cThe adults exchanged nces, finally realizing that Natalia had quietly left Magnus quickly asked Jonas. ¡°When did mommy tell you she was going to a very far away ce?¡± ¡°Justst night, mommy hugged me and kissed me for a long time. Her eyes were all red. She said she had very important things to do and told me to listen to May and take care of you: Jonas said, tears welling up in his eyes But Daddy, I don¡¯t want her to go to a faraway ce. If I miss her. I won¡¯t be able to see her I will be very sad Jonas words made Magnus mind buzz. He immediately instructed James and Dr Frankie, Investigate all of Melfort¡¯s entry and exit points immediately. You must stop my wife * There were no flightsst night There would only be one leaving at dawn Was it toote? ¡°Nat, why are you leaving again?¡± ¡°Understood James and Dr Frankie realized the severity of the situation and hurriedly left to carry out Magnus instructions ¡°Daddy, where has Mommy gone? What important thing is more important than me?¡± Jonas looked up at Magnus, his mood low and confused Magnus hugged him and let him sit on hisp. assuring him earnestly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, no matter where Mommy has gone, I will definitely find her promise you.¡± ¡°Yeah, you¡¯re the best. Daddy You will definitely find Mommy Last time it took you a long time to find her Will it take a long time this time, Daddy?¡± Jonas bright blue eyes almost brought tears to Magnus eyes. He held the little boy in his arms tightly. ¡°It won¡¯t take long this time, my dear I will find Mommy soon,¡± Magnus promised softly Jonas obediently sat in Magnusp, his tense face finally rxing a bit. But even though Magnus was calming Jonas with suchposure, his heart was shattered It took all his strength to suppress the grief in his heart and not let it show i front of Jonas mAfter all, Jonas was still young and didn¡¯t understand the pain of separation. If he thought his mother had just gone to do some work far away. best to let him believe that But Magnus didn¡¯t know if James and Dr Frankie could sessfully keep his wife in Melfort They had dyed for so long before figuring out what was happening, and they might have been toote His wife might have already quietly left ¡°No, Natalia, how could you be so heartless?¡± Magnus swallowed all his bitterness, his mind filled with countless thoughts. He had guessed that it was only Belle¡¯s threat of his life that could have silentlypelled his wife to leave him But with Natalia gone, what was the point of living? ¡°My love, how could you be so blind? Without you, my world is devoid of light How can i endure another day without you? Ain I not just a walking corpse without you?¡± Magnus gazed at the sunset, trying to vent all the sorrow inside him But the mom he tried the more sorrowful he became. His eyes were teary he wanted to let it all out ¡°Daddy, what¡¯s wrong? Jonas sensed Magnus low spirits His tiny hands reached up to touch Magnus chin, trying to cheer him up ¡°Daddy, Mommy used to say, we need in keep moving forward in life, don¡¯t think about anything else If we keep going all the unhappy things will be left behind¡± Chapter 314 Chapter 314 Jonas hopped off from Magnusp and began pacing around the room with determination Daddy,¡± he said, ¡°Mommy told me that if you keep moving forward, all your bad feelings behind¡± Magnus watched his tiny son with a warmth spreading across his heart. He forced a small smile on his face, suppressing his overwhelming sorrow ¡°Jonas, let¡¯s go somewhere,¡± he proposed paused, tilting his head curiously at Magnus Where to?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll see when we get there First, we need to buy some flowers Magnus then instructed May to purchase some fresh flowers for a visit to his fathers grave May was efficient as always, and quickly aplished the task at hand She sent Magnus off in the car providing the driver with the location of the family burial ground before joining them in the backseat As the car made its way to the Andersen family gravesite, Magnus felt his strength slowly returning. When they arrived, he decided he no longer needed the wheelchair With James and Dr Frankie absent, he got up, holding the daisies May had bought, and walked into the cemetery Upon reaching his grandfather¡¯s tombstone Magnus carefully ced the flowers and bowed Jonas followed suit, copying his father¡¯s actions. After three bows. Magnus lifted his head to look at Morgan¡¯s picture on the tombstone Overwhelmed with grief, Magnus burst into tears. Who said men didn¡¯t cry? They just hadn¡¯t been hurt enough. His cries were heartrending, filled with sorrow for not being able to see Morgan onest time and fear of potentially losing Natalia Jonas quietly knelt beside Magnus, watching his father cry. He nced at Morgan¡¯s picture on the tombstone, his eyes welling up with tears. For the first time in many years. Jonas saw his father cry ¡°Father, don¡¯t be sad Jonas said softly, reaching over tofort Magnus If Great¨Cgrandpa knew how sad you were, he would be upset too.¡± After a good cry, Magnus felt much better. He looked down at Jonas, his face full of concern, and patted his head. ¡°Good boy, Jonas. I¡¯m just sad because I didn¡¯t get to say goodbye to my grandpa That¡¯s why I¡¯m crying¡± Hearing Jonas soft voice, Magnus felt a renewed strength ¡°Alright, I¡¯m done crying Let¡¯s go Magnus stood up, carrying Jonas back to the car. There was no time for sorrow now, there were many things that needed his attention. Back in the car. Magnus gave a sternmand. ¡°Back to the officeTM N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. As the car left the cemetery Magnus closed his eyes ¡®Rest in peace, Grandpa,¡± he thought to himself. His thoughts turned to Lucius, who had been given numerous chances but never seemed to learn This time, there was no room for forgiveness Upon arriving at the office, Magnus stepped out of the car and strode into the busy lobby. The high¨Cend office was bustling with employees, all busy with their morning tasks However as Magnus entered, they all stopped in their tracks, staring in disbelief They had all heard the rumors from Lucius about Magnus¡® drug addiction, but the way Magnus looked like now, he looked nothing like an addict ¡°Good morning Mr Andersen ¡°Hello Mr Andersen Without hesitation, the employees greeted Magnus In their minds, the charismatic Magnus had always been the true CEO of Andersen Corporation. ¡°Mm Magnus responded with a nomittal hum, stepping into the CEO¡¯s private elevator Meanwhile, in the spacious conference room, Lucius was angrily mming recent reports onto the table, berating the executives and shareholders, ¡°Are you all mad? The stock prices have been plummeting! I¡¯ve given you ample time, but you¡¯ve done nothing to save the situation. What on earth are you doing?¡± The conference room was filled with long¨Ctime shareholders of Andersen Corporation. None of them had ever been yelled at by Magnus, let alone Morgan. Now, being scolded by Lucius, they were far from pleased ¡°The stock price drop is clearly due to the recent scandals involving Andersen Corporation, which have nothing to do with us ¡°Exactly it was Lucius disregard for thepany¡¯s image and the public reporting of Magnus drug scandal that caused this. And with Morgan¡¯s death, the instability in Andersen Corporation is obviously making investors uneasy!¡± ¡°As the new president, he couldn¡¯t save the situation, and even pushes the responsibility to us I¡¯ve had enough! ¡°That¡¯s right Although Magnus was a bit arrogant during his tenure, he handled everything in an orderly manner How could such a situation ur under his All at once, the conference room erupted into heated discussions The major shareholders were extremely dissatisfied with Lucius recent performance and regretted their decision to let him take over Andersen Corporation Lucius, already seething with frustration, mmed his fist onto his desk in a fit of fury ¡°Enough¡± He roared, his voice echoing menacingly in gripe in my face, I can only imagine what you¡¯re saying behind my back if you¡¯re not happy, there¡¯s the door!¡± You sit here and The shareholders, in a huff, rose to their feet Fine, we¡¯re done One spat out You really think Andersen Corporation is still the same powerhouse at once wi plummeting stocks and decreasing market value day by day, we need to pull our investments and cash out before you run uspletely! ¡°Yeah¡± Another chimed in ¡°You¡¯re nothing but aplete waste of space and you have the audacity to me us You¡¯re impulsive, reckless, and shortsighted. There¡¯s no way we¡¯re putting our money in the hands of someone like you!¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go! A third shareholder dered, his voice filled with disdain ¡°We¡¯ll offload our shares I¡¯ll be damned if I take this kind of abuse¡± Chapter 315 Chapter 315 Shareholders were standing and making their way towards the exit. Their stakes in thepany might not have been massive, but if they started selling off, it would cause aplete panic amongst the small¨Ctime investors. Once the capital chain broke, it would be the end of Andersen Corporation. Lucius had only wanted to vent a little, he hadn¡¯t expected the shareholders to actually start leaving In a fit of panic, he flipped the table in front of him. ¡°You greedy bastards, instead of helping thepany, you¡¯re kicking it while it¡¯s down Despicable!¡± The table hit the floor with a deafening crash The shareholders looked at Lucius with disdain. They thought he was beyond saving. ¡°Lucius, instead of reflecting on your own mistakes, you¡¯re ming everyone else It¡¯s pathetic!¡± ¡°The reason Andersen Corporation is in this state is all because of yourck of foresight, and you have the audacity to me others? You¡¯re a failure as a CEO¡® ¡°Hmph! Why waste words on this man? If we don¡¯t liquidate our assets soon, he¡¯ll devalue them all. Let¡¯s go!¡± The shareholders dered and headed for the door Shaking with rage. Lucius punched the shareholder, who had been the most outspoken. ¡°Did I say you could leave? You useless bunch!¡± The shareholder hadn¡¯t expected the punch and fell to the floor The conference room descended into chaos as the other shareholders started arguing, some even started fighting back. With the advantage of numbers, they soon had Lucius pinned to the floor. Just then the door to the conference room swung open, and in walked Magnus, looking as sharp as ever. Hismanding presence instantly subdued the room. The shareholders hadn¡¯t expected Magnus to show up, especially not looking so hale and hearty They turned to look at him Magnus surveyed the room, his disdain for the shareholders clear. ¡°This is apany, not a boxing ring. If you want to fight, take it outside Seeing Magnus standing there so confidently, the shareholders suddenly felt embarrassed. They approached him. ¡°Mr. Andersen, what brings you here?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°We heard you were ill. Are you feeling better now?¡± ¡°We need you back, Mr Andersen. Thepany¡¯s stock has been tanking. If this continues, we¡¯re all doomed.¡± Mr. Andersen, now that you¡¯re well, please take control again We need you to save thepany!¡± There were no real friends when it came to business. These shareholders had lost all faith in Andersen Corporation but weren¡¯t about to let their investments sink Now that Magnus was here, they turned to him for help,pletely forgetting about Lucius. Lucius was a mess, his face swollen and bloody Lucius stumbled to his feet, ring at Magnus with pure hatred. He had no idea why Magnus hade to thepany Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be on death¡¯s door from poisoning? How was he looking so well so soon? ¡°Magnus, what are you doing here? I¡¯m the CEO of thispany, and you¡¯re not wee here Get out!¡± Lucius marched towards Magnus Before he could say anything else, Magnus¡® fist connected with his face. Lucius nose broke with a crack, and blood gushed out. He wiped the blood from his nose, furious ¡°Magnus, you bastard, how dare you hit me?! Security, get him out of here!¡± No one responded to Lucius¡® cries. He looked around. ¡°Where is everyone? I¡¯m the CEO and I order you to get Magnus out of here!¡± Magnus looked at Lucius, contempt clear in his eyes ¡°Lucius, you spread rumors and ndered me while I was sick, causing thepany¡¯s stock. to plummet That, I can forgive But you killed our grandfather, so this punch was for him, you ungrateful brat it was clear from Magnus¡® gaunt figure that he had been through a lot Magnus continued. Also, the police will be here soon to take you away As CEO of thispany. I hereby strip you of all your positions and reserve the right to press charges Enjoy the rest of your life in prison!¡± ¡°No Magnus, you¡¯re the one who got high and lost your mind I had to clean up your mess! You killed Grandpal And now you¡¯re trying! me? You¡¯re more cunning than I thought I swear I¡¯ll make you pay Lucius threw a punch at Magnus Magnus easily caught Lucius punch and pushed him aside ¡°Enough of your nonsense Security take him away. Take ham to the police?¡± At Magnusmand, the security guards who had been standing by the door rushed forward and estrused i ucius ¡°You can¡¯t do this! I¡¯m the CEO of Andersen Corporation, not Magnus! Let me go, or i¡¯ll have you all fired¡® Lucius struggled against the security guards No one paid any attention to Lucius They all looked at him with ¡°Magnus, you¡¯ll pay for this I swear, I¡¯ll make you regret this!¡± Lucius was still bellowing when Magnus waved his hand, a clear signal for the security guards to escort him away. Ye is forbidden from setting foot in thepany ever again, Magnus dered ¡°Understood, Mr. Andersen, the guards responded, pulling Lucius out of the office. The elevator doors slid open at that moment, revealing several police officers. They were here to address the situation Magnus had reported. After confirming that the quands had apprehended Ludus, they took over his custody The leading officer approached Magnus, saying respectfully. ¡°Mr Andersen, we will ensure that Lucius case is handled impartially. You have our word ¡± Magnus responded with a polite nod, watching as the police led Lucius away. He then returned to the boardroom. Standing on the tform, he looked down at the shareholders, their faces a picture of unease I¡¯ve been away in Britain, recovering from an he began calmly. ¡°During my absence, I was surprised to leam that Lucus had been spreading rumors within thepany, causing significant damage and even contributing to the death of our grandfather For that, I owe all of you an apology Now, I am back and want to make one thing clear if you are willing to stick with thepany through thick and thin, stay If not, we won¡¯t force you. Andersen Corporation has stood strong for many years and will not be easily broken by crisis¡ü Chapter 316 Chapter 316 When Magnus finished speaking, he arrogantly surveyed the room. No matter the asion, he was always the reigning king, powerful and in control Lucius had initially stirred up the shareholders to withdraw their shares. Now, seeing Magnus return to his usual health, showing no signs of fatigue, they were confident that the rumors of Magnus being poisoned were a fabrication by Lucius. With this in mind, how could they possibly abandon Andersen Corporation, their golden goose? They all voiced their support ¡°Mr. Andersen, with you at the helm, what have we to fear? We choose to stay, to rise or fall with the company!¡± ¡°That¡¯s right, Mr. Andersen, no matter what difficulties thepany faces, we will stand by you, as we always have¡± ¡°Yes, we believe thepany will soon turn around under your leadership. We have absolute confidence in you.¡± The shareholders made their stance clear. Only a fool would pull out when Magnus was stepping up. Even a failingpany could be turned around with Magnus at the helm. Magnus watched the proceedings with a cold eye. The business world was a battlefield, where sentiments and obligations were worthless. If you were capable, you were a predator as strong as a tiger. If you were not, you were just a prey! This was why Lucius was ousted despite seizing the position of CEO Magnus briefly calmed the shareholders and quickly formted a n to handle the crisis,unching an aggressive PR campaign. The king had returned! This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Would he bleed Melfort dry? Everyone was watching Magnus. Under Magnus¡® series of measures, Andersen Corporation¡¯s stock price skyrocketed within two days and had even surpassed its previous peak. Magnus had been expecting this. He possessed extraordinary business acumen and determination, and no crisis was a problem for him. What was troubling him now was Natalia¡¯s disappearance once again. It had been five days James and Dr. Frankie had turned Melfort upside down and checked all flight routes, but they hadn¡¯t been able to find Natalia. She seemed to have vanished into thin air, moving further away from Magnus¡± world. Magnus heart was heavy again. He sat destely in his spacious office, leaning back in his leather chair, deep in thought. He summoned James. ¡°Since we can¡¯t find Natalia, I think it¡¯s time we settle the score. Let¡¯s deal with Simmons Group in the next few days¡± ¡°Yes, we can¡¯t let that cunning woman off the hook, Mr. Magnus. If not for your sharp eyes, spotting her suspicious behavior in the surveince footage, we wouldn¡¯t have guessed that Belle was Isabe after stic surgery. James said wistfully. Ever since stabilizing thepany¡¯s stock price, Magnus had been repeatedly watching the video footage from his hospital room. He couldn¡¯t understand when he had offended Belle. Even if it was out of love turned to hate, she wouldn¡¯t go to such extreme lengths! After reying the video a dozen times, Magnus noticed that when Belle approached him, her figure was strikingly simr to Isabe¡¯s from years ago. He had always thought Belle was just an employee and had never paid much attention to her. Now, on closer inspection, he saw the resemnce. Isabe had disappeared without a trace years ago Magnus immediately ordered James to investigate, and soon, the truth was out Belle was indeed Isabe from years ago. The once sweet young girl Magnus cared about had turned so ruthless. He never saw iting As for those who dared to challenge him, Magnus style was always to retaliate twofold. ¡°Isabe, don¡¯t think you¡¯re safe just because you changed your face. It¡¯s time you paid the price!¡± Following Magnus orders, James not only suppressed the Simmons Group but also cunningly cut off their funding. Overnight, Simmons Group went from being a leading enterprise in Melfort to apany on the verge of bankruptcy Michael, the head of Simmons Group, couldn¡¯t fathom why Magnus¡® first act after his return was to target hispany. He desperately sought audience with Magnus. ¡°Mr Andersen, the Simmons Group has never wronged you, and we haven¡¯t done anything detrimental to Andersen Corporation during your absence Why are you so determined to destroy us? I beg you, please spare us¡± Magnus remained unmoved by Michaels pleas He handed Michael a stack of photos. ¡°See for yourself. This is why Confused. Michael picked up the photos. They showed a young woman he didn¡¯t recognize. ¡°Mr. Andersen, who is this?¡± ¡°Keep flipping.¡± Magnus didn¡¯t even raise his eyes, indicating for Michael to continue As Michael flipped through the stack, he was shocked to find the post surgery photos of his daughter, Isabe ¡°Mi Andersen, this.¡± ¡°The child you raised, she¡¯s a real piece of work, isn¡¯t she? She disappeared for five years, only to resurface after extensive stic surgery to poison me, leading to the downfall of my family! And you think I¡¯m just going to let her walk away, and let the Simmons Corporation off the hook?¡± Magnus coldly announced the death sentence of the Simmons Corporation ¡°I know that none of this is on you, but she¡¯s hiding out somewhere Where else am I supposed to vent my anger? Sorry, but you happen to be her father, and the only way to make here out of hiding is to bankrupt the Simmons Corporation!¡± Michael¡¯s face turned a pasty white, and he fell to his knees. ¡°Mr. Andersen, please give us a chance. Show some mercy. I¡¯ve long since cu with that ungrateful daughter of mine. I had no idea she was capable of such a thing.¡± Magnus didn¡¯t spare Michael a nce. He picked up his phone and dialed the front desk. ¡°Send security up here, please escort Mr. Simmons out.¡± Michael became desperate, he crawled forward, pleading repeatedly, ¡°Mr. Andersen, please, spare the Simmons Corporation just this once! It¡¯s all that ungrateful girl¡¯s fault. If I see her, I promise, I¡¯ll bring her to you and make her apologize!¡± Magnus gave Michael a cold look. ¡°Mr. Simmons, that¡¯s your business. For the sake of peace, it would be best if you didn¡¯t cause a scene in my office.¡± ¡°Mr. Andersen, please, have mercy!¡± Michael¡¯s face was streaked with tears. His life¡¯s work was about to crumble to dust. His heart ached with every beat. Chapter 317 Chapter 317 Just then, hurried footsteps echoed from the entrance, and the security guards sauntered over, yanking Michael by the arm as they escorted him out ¡°Mr. Andersen, please show mercy! Forgive us, please!¡± Michael¡¯s voice gradually faded into the distance until it was no longer audible. The CEO¡¯s office was once again quiet. Magnus stood in front of therge floor¨Cto¨Cceiling windows, silently observing the world outside. James broke the silence Magnus, what¡¯s our next move?¡± ¡°Wait Isabe will show up soon¡± Sure enough, just as Michael was forced out of Andersen Corporation, Isabe found herself in Magnus office the very next day. Magnus had deliberately pressured the Simmons Group, hoping to corner Isabe. But as he gazed at the venomous woman standing in front of him, he felt a bitter taste of irony. He had allowed this woman to wreak havoc on his life. Facing the fully¨Crecovered and imposing Magnus, a hint of despair shed in Isabe¡¯s eyes. She had known all along that he would find out about her true identity once he woke up. It¡¯s just because she wasn¡¯t ruthless enough. If she had been, how could she have given Natalia the antidote to revive him? She still loved him after all. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my mercy, you wouldn¡¯t be alive right now! And instead of being grateful, you are tormenting my parents. You are heartless!¡± Isabe yelled defiantly, her eyes set on Magnus icy ones. ¡°Mercy¡± Magnus scoffed ¡°Isabe, you¡¯ve always had a knack for twisting the truth. Did you save me? Tell me, who poisoned me in the first ce?¡± Faced with Magnus usations, Isabe faltered, but quickly regained herposure. ¡°Yes, I poisoned you. But only because you refused to ept my love. After all these years, you¡¯ve only repaid me with cruelty. You forced my father and me to cut ties, leaving me penniless. And now, even though I¡¯ve returned, you still don¡¯t love me. Magnus, I wonder if you have a heart at all! I acted impulsively by poisoning you. But didn¡¯t give you the antidote in the end? And you, you¡¯re relentless and relentless, pushing our Simmons Group to bankruptcy but still not willing to let it go. i may be in the wrong, but I don¡¯t want my parents to end up on the streets Magnus why are you so ruthless! You and I are the same kind of people! Magnus fury zed in his eyes, and he practically spat fire at Isabe. ¡°You dare use me of heartlessness? If it wasn¡¯t for my wife, who agreed to your demands behind my back, would you have given me the antidote?¡± Isabe shrank back, pleading, ¡°Magnus, you know I¡¯ve always loved you I was willing to do anything for you, even the most outrageous things As long as it was for you, I was willing to do it!¡± ¡°Enough¡± Magnus snapped. ¡°Isabe, don¡¯t you dare utter the word love¡® in front of me again You¡¯ve defiled it. All you¡¯ve ever loved is my power and wealth. If I were a beggar on the street today, you wouldn¡¯t even spare me a nce!¡± ¡°Stop! Enough!¡± Isabe retorted ¡°What¡¯s wrong with wanting a high¨Cquality life? Does true love mean having to beg on the streets? Yes, I love luxury and mour, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t love you!¡± Magnus mmed his fist onto his desk, making a loud bang ¡°Isabe, your soul is so corrupted by money, it¡¯s revolting! You¡¯ve always prioritized money above all else. But to me, my wife is the most important. Without her, I¡¯d rather be dead!¡± Seeing Isabe¡¯s terrified expression, Magnus knew he had hit a nerve. ¡°Isabe, I gave you a chance once. Five years ago, when you and Kendra caused the premature birth of my child and my wife¡¯s tragic fall into the sea. I sold Kendra to an underground casino to live a life of disgrace But all I did to you was sever the ties between you and your father, i thought your disappearance was out of guilt, but I was wrong. Your soul was never pure Everything you¡¯ve done is disgusting!¡± Magnus tossed a file in front of Isabe ¡°Look at this You were held captive on a farm, and your disgusting videos were recorded and sold to cruel viewers. You managed to escape from the man who held you captive. There must be some secrets hidden in this story, and it¡¯s time to unearth them¡± ¡°No, please don¡¯t!¡± Isabe was truly scared now. If Magnus dug up her past, her crimes would be exposed. She regretted provoking him. He was a man to be feared N?velDrama.Org content rights. As he watched her terrified face, Magnus knew he was right. There were shocking secrets hidden in Isabe¡¯s escape, and he intended to uncover them ¡°Magnus, no, Mr. Andersen, I am deeply sorry for the mistakes I¡¯ve made in the past. Here¡¯s a deal if you could spare my father and our Simmons Group, I swear, I will never show up in front of you again, nor will I ever disturb you Truly, I swear¡± Isabe¡¯s desperate plea, however, did not soften Magnus heart. His gaze was cold and stern when he looked at isabe standing in front of him. ¡°Then tell me, what deal did you make with my wife that made you give me the antidote?¡± Upon hearing his words, Isabe saw a glimmer of hope and immediately responded, ¡°I made her swear to leave you forever, and to never return to you. She sweared on her son If she breaks her promise, her son will suffer greatly!¡± Magnus staggered back upon hearing her words A storm of emotions raged in his heart. So Isabe had made Natalia swear on Jonas¡® Mile. No wonder Natalia left him so thoroughly and disappeared from his world Chapter 318 Chapter 318 She was nevering back! Magnus heart ached as if someone had mercilessly extracted a part of it, causing him such pain that he felt dizzy. Meanwhile, Isabe, who stood nearby, was paralyzed by fear. She was filled with regret, chastising herself for her reckless decisions. How could she have forgotten that Magnus, the domineering man standing before her, who seemed like an angel, could be as merciless as a demon? Magnus suppressed his fury, his bloodthirsty gaze fixed on Isabe. His voice was cold as winter¡¯s chill. ¡°Isabe, you dared make my wife swear such a vile oath! You could¡¯ve lived a peaceful life but decided to cross me. Well, you brought this on yourself!¡± Turning to James, Magnus said, ¡°Take her away. I reckon Perth at the back of Sapphire ind will be thrilled to have a new meal.¡± Isabe was so terrified she fell to the floor. She had assumed that if she said some sweet words to Magnus, he would spare her and her family as he had in the past. However, she hadn¡¯t expected such a horrifying oue ¡°No! Magnus, you can¡¯t do this to me! Please, spare me I swear I¡¯ll never appear before you again. Please, have mercy!¡± Isabe crawled on her knees, clutching at Magnus pant leg, begging for mercy Magnus shook Isabe off in disgust, his gaze as cold as ice. ¡°Isabe, it¡¯s toote for regrets. If it wasn¡¯t for your malicious intentions, would my wife and I be separated? You¡¯re the cause of all this. Even a thousand cuts wouldn¡¯t be enough to quench my hatred for you!¡± Isabe was thrown aside,nding clumsily on the ground. She quickly crawled back towards Magnus, only to be hoisted up by James He looked at the sobbing, disheveled Isabe with disgust. ¡°You¡¯re rotten to the core. I fear even Perth would be poisoned by you Who would want to deal with you if it wasn¡¯t for your own foolishness?¡± James immobilized Isabe All she could do was wail and beg Magnus, ¡°Please, Magnus. I¡¯ve loved you for so many years. Spare me! I didn¡¯t hurt Natalia, I just wanted her to leave you. I swear I won¡¯t do it again!¡± Hearing Isabe¡¯s pleas, Magnus felt only disgust. ¡°James, get her out of my sight. I don¡¯t want to hear another word from her.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The thought of Isabe using an antidote to force his wife away, and having Natalia swear an oath on Jonas¡® life filled him with such rage he wished he could tear Isabe apart. Isabe trembled in fear. ¡°Magnus¡­¡± But before she could finish, James hit her on the back of her neck, knocking her out. He then tossed the unconscious Isabe on the ground. summoned four of his men, and had them carry her off to Sapphire Ind. The grand office was once again calm. Magnus stared out of the window, and a sense of longing flooded his heart. ¡°Where are you, my love?¡± ¡°If you¡¯ve sworn not to return to me, then I¡¯lle to you. Everything will be okay¡± Days earlier, at the Melfort harbor, a small figure embarked on an old cargo ship. It was Natalia, whom James and Dr. Frankie had been searching for, for a long time. After being forced by Isabe to leave Magnus, Natalia went home, held her son Jonas for a while, and then decided to leave Melfort. To prevent Magnus from finding her after his recovery, she didn¡¯t leave Melfort by regr means but secretly bought a ticket on a cargo ship. The cargo ship sailed once every three days. During those three days, Natalia hid in a dark, damp cargo hold, spending her time missing Magnus and Jonas After embarking from the cargo ship, Natalia looked back at the distant Melfort with affection, murmuring. ¡°Magnus, take care of Jonas. You need to keep living.¡± Natalia never imagined that she would leave Melfort in such a way, especially in the most heartbreaking way, Isabe was really ruthless. She knew that Natalia couldn¡¯t bear to leave Magnus and Jonas But it was better than losing Magnus. She gave a bitter smile and walked towards the bustling harbor She was in low spirits and identally bumped into someone ¡°Sorry, sorry!¡± Natalia apologized, but froze when she saw who she had bumped into ¡°Lexi? is that you?¡± Yes, it was Lexi When Natalia was spending sleepless nights worrying about Magnus, Lexi, who was far away in Ennd, also looked womed. Lexi was indeed pregnant. The morning sickness was getting worse, and she couldn¡¯t even sleep well She didn¡¯t know how others coped with early pregnancy, but she felt as if she were losing half her life Rita was always at her side, ready to rush over at any minute if Lexi feir slightly ufortable This princess like treatment didn¡¯t improve Lexi¡¯s mood. Late at night she often touched her belly, which still hadn¡¯t bulged, yet miraculously carried a new life This feeling was mysterious and beyondprehension Lexi¡¯s heart was filled with mixed feelings, happiness, loss, and, mostly bitterness. This child was the product of Callum¡¯s drunken night She didn¡¯t know if the baby growing inside her was healthy, or how Callum would treat him in the future Would he only use him as a tool for showing off,paring him to Natalia¡¯s son? Every time she thought about her situation, a suffocating sadness would well up inside Lexi. She was inexplicably trapped, stripped of her freedom like a bird in a cage. But there was no way she was going to let the tiny life growing inside her suffer the same fate. No matter what, she had to get them both out of this opulent hellhole! Ever since bing a mother¨Cto¨Cbe, Lexi felt an ever¨Cincreasing desire to escape from this castle She h this prison! had to ¡°Ms. Lexi, these are kiwis flown in from New Zend ue washed them for you would you like some¡± dira haid out a frut tter tiles with freshly washed kiwis she¡¯d prepared for Lez Lexi shook her head, not feeling particrly hungry. Im not really in the most jum legis dan Bara Rita ced the tter on the table voicing her concerns 146 (py, know youre suffering from myynning artesana yourself properly, you will be weaker, and the hitta duka might soffa pi wat Chapter 319 Chapter 319 ¡°Really Upon hearing Rita¡¯s words, Lexi subconsciously ced her hand on her belly, murmuring to herself, ¡°Baby, you don¡¯t like it here either, do you? Don¡¯t worry I will get us out of here.¡± ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll eat¡± Lexi made up her mind. She had to find a way to escape. Meanwhile, Callum was on high alert around her, so she had to pretend to cooperate first, and when they let their guard down, that would be her chance to escape. Rita had no idea about Lexi¡¯s thoughts. She was surprised that Lexi, who had initially refused to eat, suddenly wanted to eat. She quickly brought over the tray. ¡°That¡¯s right, Ms. Lexi, a pregnant woman needs to take in more nutrients. You have to take care of yourself Picking up a grape, Lexi tossed it into her mouth and managed a small smile ¡°Is that so? Or is it more about taking care of your future little duke?¡± Rita¡¯s intentions were exposed, yet she didn¡¯t feel there was anything to hide. Instead, she nodded fervently ¡°Yes, Ms. Lexi I believe all mothers in the world have the same mindset, to protect and nurture their little ones You¡¯re such an extraordinary woman, so you¡¯re no different.¡± Lexi didn¡¯t respond, she only smiled lightly, and continued to eat the grapes. Even though she didn¡¯t have the appetite, she needed to build her strength. Eating was no longer about hunger, but about storing energy. Seeing Lexi slowly eating the kiwis she had prepared, Rita felt overjoyed Ms. Lexi had been here for so long, and this was the first time Rita had seen Lexi voluntarily eat something Bing a mother seemed to make a woman a hundred times more resilient ¡°I¡¯ll leave you to it then, Ms. Lexi. If you need anything, just ring the bell for me. Rita tactfully left the room, leaving Lexi alone, slowly eating her kiwis N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. The kiwis were sweet, as sweet as honey, but to Lexi, they were tasteless. At that moment, all Lexi could think about was how to n her escape She didn¡¯t want to spend another second in this suffocating prison. Lexi¡¯s hand returned to her belly. ¡°Baby, just hold on. I will get us out of here soon.¡± In the middle of the night, Lexi was groaning in pain on the bed. Soon after, Rita, who was in charge of taking care of her, rushed over ¡°Ms. Lexi, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I my stomach it hurts so much.¡± Lexi managed to say, clutching her stomach. Rita was stumped. ¡°What do we do? Mr. Callum and the doctor have gone to visit the sick Earl and haven¡¯t returned. What should we do?¡± Lexi seemed to not hear her, continuing to clutch her stomach. It hurts my stomach hurts. I can¡¯t stand it¡­¡± Seeing Lexi in such pain, Rita didn¡¯t dare to dy. She quickly called two maids to help get Lexi in the car, and they rushed to the hospital. On the way, Rita called Callum to tell him about Lexis stomach pain. He said he would return as soon as possible, but it would take more than three hours as the Earl¡¯s house was far away He instructed Rita to take good care of Lexi Following Callum¡¯s instructions, Rita carefully took Lexi to the hospital, worried sick. However, Lexi, being wheeled into the emergency room, was growing anxious. She knew that Callum and the doctor had left the castle, so she had used the opportunity to lie about her stomach pain. She also heard Callum say he would be back in three hours, so she had to seize the opportunity to leave, or she would lose her chance! Even though Lexi was in a hurry, she was still pushed into the emergency room by an even more anxious Rita. After a thorough examination by the doctor, nothing seemed amiss. ¡°Doctor, what¡¯s wrong with Ms. Lexi?¡± Rita was waiting to report back to Callum. The doctor pondered for a moment, ¡°Well, it seems there¡¯s nothing seriously wrong with the patient. It¡¯s probably due to excessive stress and being in the early stages of pregnancy, which may cause asional pain. This kind of pain can¡¯t be relieved by medication. You need to show more concern for the patient and ensure she stays in a good mood¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s good¡± Rita finally felt relieved. She had to report this to the Duke immediately. With that thought in mind, she looked at Lexi sleeping soundly in the hospital bed and took her phone outside to update Callum Just as Rita stepped out, Lexi, who was pretending to sleep, quietly opened her eyes She stealthily slid out of bed and when she saw through the ss that Rita was getting further away, she silently cracked the door open and bolted out The hospital was big, and Lexi was unfamiliar with it. She smartly took cover in a room to avoid being chased by Rita, who might retum, Upon entering, her eyes brightened it was clearly a doctor¡¯s lounge, with no one inside A few white coats were hanging on the wall, along with surgical caps Overjoyed, Lexi quickly donned one of the white coats and left the hospital hurriedly disappearing into the night In order to escape Callum¡¯s territory, she asked many people for directions and finally arrived at a ce where shady boats were operated She took out a golden goblet she had stolen from Callum¡¯s castle and managed to exchange it for a ticket to Melfort Throughout the journey, Lexi, who had no money, could only rely on the salted fish in the boat¡¯s cargo hold to fill her stomach Fortunately, there was some fresh water in the cabin, which helped her get by After two days of travel, Lexi finally disembarked. She thought she had reached Melfort, but to her surprise, she had been brought to Fareham, a bustling port city. Thrown off the boat, she realized she wasn¡¯t in Melfort and was disheartened Unexpectedly, she ran into Natalia After so many days, the two miraculously bumped into each other at the port. Truly, fate was a strange thing Upon seeing Natalia, Lexi¡¯s bottled¨Cup fear finally found a vent. She rushed to Natalia, held her tight, and broke down into a mess of tears. ¡°Oh, Natalia,¡® she sobbed, ¡°It¡¯s so good to see you. I¡¯ve missed you so much.¡± Natalia was taken aback. She never dreamt she¡¯d stumble upon Lexi in such a condition, especially a four¨Cmonth pregnant Lexi. Good heavens, what on earth had happened to Lexi, who had vanished without a trace? ¡°Lexi, honey, stop crying and tell me what¡¯s happened,¡± Natalia gently stroked Lexi¡¯s back, coaxing her towards a quieter corner. ¡°I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere. What on earth is going on?¡° Chapter 320 Chapter 320 Lexi was gasping for breath through her tears as she followed Natalia away from the bustling harbor walkway, settling down in a crowded spot. ¡°Okay. Lexi, stop crying and tell me what¡¯s going on. Why do you look so distressed?¡± Natalia asked, her voice filled with worry. ¡°Natalia, can I get something to eat first? Lexi asked hesitantly. She was pregnant and couldn¡¯t handle being hungry. But she didn¡¯t have a penny in her pocket. Callum held all her identification documents. ¡°Sure, what do you want to eat? I¡¯ll take you somewhere.¡± Natalia responded, helping Lexi up and leading her to a cafe by the harbor. They found a private booth and ordered some food. After Lexi had gobbled down her meal, Natalia softly asked, ¡°Lexi, what¡¯s going on? I¡¯ve been looking for you for a while but haven¡¯t heard from you. I even visited your parents, but they said you hadn¡¯t returned from overseas.¡± Lexi swallowed herst bite, finally feeling full. As Natalia asked about her situation, tears welled up in her eyes. ¡°Natalia, I was held captive. It¡¯s N?velDrama.Org content rights. true¡± ¡°What?¡± Natalia could hardly believe her ears. ¡°Where were you held captive? Who did this to you?¡± Lexi shook her head. Despite the constraints Callum put on her, she didn¡¯t want to expose him. She sighed deeply, ¡°Natalia, I was out in Ennd, just wandering around, and suddenly someone took me captive. I don¡¯t know who it was. Then, after a lot of struggle, I managed to escape.¡± Natalia was heartbroken, unable to fathom the horrors Lexi had endured. ¡°Lexi, this is horrifying! It¡¯s all my fault. If I hadn¡¯t been arguing with Magnus then, none of this would¡¯ve happened¡± Natalia nced at Lexi¡¯s swelling belly, asking cautiously, ¡°What will you do about the baby?¡± Tears poured down Lexi¡¯s face as she shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Natalia. I don¡¯t want this child. It¡¯s not a product of love. But, but I Lexi couldn¡¯t finish her sentence, but Natalia understood her feelings. ¡°You can¡¯t bear to give it up, can you? I get it. I¡¯m a mother, too. Lexi, I¡¯m so sorry You wouldn¡¯t have had to go through this if it wasn¡¯t for me.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not your fault, Natalia. I wasn¡¯t careful,¡± Lexi consoled Natalia, urging her not to overthink. Natalia was distraught and asked Lexi. ¡°What are you nning to do now?¡± Lexi shook her head. ¡°I¡¯m not sure, Natalia. That person has all of my IDs. And I don¡¯t have the courage to go home. How can I let my parents see me like this, in such a mess? Natalia, I don¡¯t know what I should do.¡± Natalia bowed her head, equally unsure of what to do. After a moment of silence, she looked up and suggested, ¡°Maybe, we cany low here? Wait until the baby is born and then decide what to do?¡± Lexi looked at her, puzzled. ¡°Lay low? Natalia, why would you need to hide? Did you have a fight with Magnus?¡± Natalia gave a bitter smile, shaking her head. ¡°No, it¡¯s not a fight, Lexi Magnus and I have split up, for good.¡± ¡°What?¡± Lexi was even more confused. ¡°Natalia, even though I wasn¡¯t there, I saw how much Magnus cared about you. How could he let you go? Was there a misunderstanding?¡± ¡°If only it was a misunderstanding, Lexi. I used to nitpick about Magnus ws, but now that I¡¯ve left him, I miss all his good qualities,¡± Natalia said. feeling a sting at the tip of her nose. ¡°Lexi, you can¡¯t be too picky. It¡¯s only after you lose something that you realize its worth.¡± Lexi held Natalia¡¯s hand. ¡°Be strong, Natalia What exactly happened? Can you tell me?¡± Natalia nodded, recounting how Isabe, disguised as Belle, drugged Magnus and threatened her to leave After hearing Natalia¡¯s story, Lexi was furious ¡°How could Isabe be so shameless? Natalia, did you just let her threaten you like that? ignore her Let¡¯s go back to Melfort now! If Magnus knew you left, he¡¯d be devastated¡± ¡°No. Natalia sighed deeply, her voice filled with bitterness and sorrow ¡°Isabe has loved Magnus for many years. The more she loves him, the more she hates me. If I go back, she¡¯ll hurt Magnus again! And I¡¯ve made a solemn promise that if I return to Magnus, my son won¡¯t have a good life! Lexi, I can¡¯t break my oath ¡°Natalia! How can you be so foolish? What kind of a promise is that? It¡¯s meaningless! And why should she decide whether you leave or not? Natalia, can¡¯t you be a little less naive? Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s go back to Magnus. I¡¯m sure he can handle this.¡± Lexi¡¯s voice rose in anger as she stood up and grabbed Natalia¡¯s wrist, trying to pull her up Natalia pulled away from Lexi ¡°Alright, you¡¯re pregnant now, you need to take care of yourself. I¡¯ve made a promise and won¡¯t change my mind easily. Ever since Magnus met me, he¡¯s had bad luck. I think it¡¯s because my luck is so bad, it¡¯s affected him too.¡± Lexi was genuinely vexed with Natalia She couldn¡¯t for the life of her understand what was going through Natalia¡¯s head. Yet, after many years of being best friends, Lexi knew all too well how stubborn Natalia could be ¡°Natalia, can you please listen to me? I think you¡¯re really ¡°Lexi¡¯s words were abruptly cut off as the door to their booth was pushed open Lexi and Natalia both turned towards the door, only to be shocked by the sight of Callum strolling in. ¡°Cal, how on earth did you end up here?¡± Natalia¡¯s jaw dropped in surprise. This was too much of a coincidence, wasn¡¯t it? Meanwhile, Lexi was so stunned that she didn¡¯t know how to react. She wished the floor would open up and swallow her whole! This damn man, how did he know she had sought refuge here? Callum nced at Lexi before turning to Natalia, enveloping her in a warm hug. ¡°Nata, long time no see I came specifically someone.¡± ¡°Pursue?¡± Natalia paused, her gaze flicking over to Lexi, who was seated opposite her. ¡°Oh my gosh, Cal, don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re here to find Lexi.¡± Chapter 321 Chapter 321 Callum was always straight to the point, never one to hide or deny the truth. He nodded at Natalia Indeed Natalia, I¡¯m here for thisss. She feigned a stomachache and vanished from my mansion, making me search high and low for her Today I finally found her Natalia was taken aback by the day¡¯s events. She could not fathom that Callum was the one who had imprisoned Lexi, a fact that was hard to swallow ¡°Cal Lexi told me she was held captive Was it you who imprisoned h?r?¡± A hint of embarrassment surfaced on Callum¡¯s face, but he nodded unabashedly ¡°Yes, I was the one who did it ¡°Why? Cal, why would you do such a thing? Lex is one of my best friends in this world. Why would you do such a thing to her? Natalia found t hard to believe that the ever¨Ccharming Cal could do such a thing Callum looked at Natalia, speaking with sincerity. ¡°Buttercup, it all started the night you Lexi for you hegedly and Hearing Callum¡¯s words, a chill ran down Natalia¡¯s spine. The night she rejected him? Was it the night the reconciled with Magnije? She thought back to the note she had found in her room which she assumed had been left by L?n ¡°So was the er my mom actually artten by pro Callum nodded. ¡°Yes, fearing she would tell you and incur your disdain | kidnapped her and stashed her away e ¡°Cal I¡¯m disappointed in you¡± Natalia whispered the disappointment clear on her face. She hugged the silent Levi, tealing heartbroken sorry I didn¡¯t know what happened to you If I had known the trip to France would have such senous consequences, / moulde? have muted your stay with me I¡¯m so sorry¡± Lexi shook her head silently. It was all a series of unfortunate events, and Natalia wasn¡¯t to me Callum watched the girls hug each other then said. ¡°Buttercup after I imprisoned Lex. I didn¡¯t harm h?r || restricted h?r Seedom Bur time, became attracted to her personality and realized what a wonderful girl she is it wasn¡¯t until she escaped from my mann couldn¡¯t live without her I think I¡¯m in love with her¡± ¡°Really? is it because you fell in love with me? Or because you¡¯re unwilling to let go of the child in my womb? Lew scoffed Call citizen entitled to my rights and equality not a ything for your amusement! Keep your cheap love I don¡¯t need Callum paled at Lexis words and quickly moved closer to her ¡°You¡¯re right, it¡¯s all my fault I¡¯ve been too overbearing. But you please don¡¯t get upset, it¡¯s not good for your health N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Hearing these words, even Natalia was stunned Yes. Cal was always gentle and charming, but she had never seen hum spe before ¡°Stay away from me I never want to see you again! I want to go home I want to see my parents Lexi chad, her tears falling freety ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯ll do as you say I just ask that you don¡¯t get upset, alright? Callumforted her, looking child Lex cried harder, wiping away her tears ¡°No, I had already escaped from you How did you find me Leave i dont Lexi had never nned to tell Natalia that she was carrying Callums child because she hadn¡¯t yet figured out wh not only barged in but had shamelessly spilled everything to Natalia making her feel utterly humidated he was cating is ¡°Okay okay (1) go i wait outside until you calm down ainght¡± Callum said soothing Lex as he headed for the dour ¡°Stop Lex called out through her sabs Callum immediately halted and turned around ¡°What is 4 Lev Lex asked. How did you find me? Calum revealed a set of white teeth in a grin, pointing at the harpin Lex was wearing ¡®it¡¯s ample, really i had someone No matter where you go a satellite can pinpoint your location. For some reason, the signar has been pour the past l?se deyis you urately. When the signal finally came back today. I rushed over inchediately Lex removed the harpin, ng it closely. On the maide of the crystal harpe was a big ck dot, premutabi? someone instali You¡¯re despicable for installing a tracker in my happen without my knowledge Lee was dry the bergan as Cake ffortlessly grinning shamelessly. Lil course the ¡°Get the cold ¡°Ainight Callum nodded repeatedly outing out of the room wit Once Callum had left Hat finali, had e shument aim with keel De agrainstem and al Lexi darted her gaze downmara to escape? Nat gave a soft, gentleugh ¡°Vaxi, look at see the affection in your eyes when you were looking at Chapter 322 Chapter 322 With a subconscious shake of her head, Lexi gave a reluctant nod at Natalia, her best friend, standing in front of her. ¡°Yes, Natalia,¡± she smiled wryly. ¡°I know I can¡¯t hide from you. Do you think I¡¯m a masochist? He hurt me, but why do I still have some affection for him?¡± ¡°Lexi, did Cal really hurt you? Apart from the time he took advantage of you when he was drunk, did he hurt you in any other way?¡± Lexi thought for a moment and shook her head ¡°No, he¡¯s always been a gentleman, except for restricting my freedom and not letting me go out, he¡¯s always been quite respectful of me.¡± ¡°There you go, Lexi. Everyone makes mistakes I¡¯m not involved, so I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on between you and Cal. But I can see the love in both your eyes when you look at each other Trust me, Lexi When you can¡¯t see your own heart, don¡¯t run away, and don¡¯t be confused. Be brave and face it. Listen to your heart, and tell yourself what you really want. Natalia said, holding Lexi¡¯s hand. ¡°Whatever decision you make, don¡¯t betray your own heart. As your best friend, I sincerely wish you happiness forever¡± Lexi looked even more confused at Natalia¡¯s words. She hesitated for a while before saying, ¡°Natalia, are you sure what you saw in Callum¡¯s eyes was affection for me, not the way one looks at a pet?¡± Natalia couldn¡¯t help butugh ¡°Lexi, do you think I, as your best friend for many years, would lie to you about this? You¡¯re a beautiful woman. How could you be a pet? And during the five years I lost my memory. I lived in Cal¡¯s castle and never saw him so humble in front of anyone ¡± ¡°Really?¡± Lexi was still skeptical. She always felt she was just a stand¨Cin for Callum to forget Natalia. ¡°It¡¯s true.¡± Natalia assured ¡°Lexi, do you have any other doubts? Is it about me?¡± Lexi didn¡¯t expect Natalia to see through her dilemma. She felt a bit embarrassed but thought there was no point in hiding it from Natalia, so she admitted, ¡°Yes, Natalia, I¡¯m afraid of being your substitute I don¡¯t want to be anyone¡¯s substitute. I am me, not a recement for anyone ¡°Lexi, how could you possibly be a substitute?¡± Natalia looked at Lexi with a pleasant expression. ¡°Cal has never been good at lying. He is always straightforward. He likes what he likes, and dislikes what he dislikes. His feelings for me are just a promise from childhood. For many years, I have been ming myself for causing trouble for Cal and have been hoping that he can find his own happiness. And today, when I saw the look in Cal¡¯s eyes, Lexi, I knew, his happiness had arrived, and that person is you. Only you can make his eyes light up Lexi was flustered by Natalia¡¯s words. She sighed deeply, ¡°Natalia, I need time to think about my rtionship with Callum. Right now, I don¡¯t want to think about anything, I just want to go home and see my parents. They would be heartbroken if they knew what I¡¯ve been through!¡± Natalia looked at Lexis slightly bulging belly, not sure whether to persuade her to give up this idea. Probably no parents would want their daughter to go abroad ande back pregnant, right? Lexi followed Natalia¡¯s gaze, understood her hesitation, and also felt troubled. ¡°But, in my current state, how can I bravely go home to face my parents?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Callum opened the door a crack and poked his head in. Apparently, he had not left, but had been eavesdropping outside the door on Natalia and Lexi¡¯s conversation. ¡°Cal, how could you eavesdrop on our conversation?¡± Natalia also thought Callum¡¯s eavesdropping was somewhat disgraceful and couldn¡¯t help but question him Callum simply walked in, with a clear and upright expression. ¡°I didn¡¯t eavesdrop, you were talking too loud, and I passively heard it. Besides, I was afraid Lexi would sneak away with our baby again. Kill me for being the bad guy!¡± Lexi felt her face burning, knowing that her reluctant words about Callum had all been overheard. She looked at Callum, both shy and embarrassed. ¡°I¡¯m talking to Natalia, please leave!¡± Callum didn¡¯t back down, but took two steps towards Lexi, staring at her with a burning gaze. ¡°No, I won¡¯t leave Life is so short, and when you fall in love, you fall in love. Why hesitate and be indecisive?¡± Lexi blushed under his gaze, lowering her head and avoiding eye contact with Callum. She thought Callum would take the hint and leave, but she was wrong. The always rebellious Callum was not one to back down! ¡°Lexi, I admit that I initially hurt you by treating you as Buttercup, but then I waspletely attracted by you. Your every word and action, like a ma, fatally attracted me. These past few days after you sneaked away. I couldn¡¯t eat or sleep well, fearing that something might happen to you I think there¡¯s something I need to let you know You¡¯re a thief, who has unknowingly stolen my heart!¡± Callum¡¯s words made Lexi¡¯s face even redder. She wished there was a crack in the floor for her to hide in, but Callum was still bombarding her with his love words ¡°Lexi, I¡¯ve finally figured out my feelings for Buttercup. All along. I¡¯ve considered her an irreceable part of my childhood, wanting to keep her by my side. But I¡¯ve ignored the fact that this feeling is not love I know I¡¯ve made an unforgivable mistake towards you before Now I sincerely ask you to give me a chance to make up for it. I let time prove that I really fell for you and not treat you as a substitute for anyone. Please, give me a chance, okay?¡± Callum suddenly knelt on one knee, waiting for Lexis response ¡°You get up first,¡± Lexi stuttered, her mind spinning in circles. Callum stubbornly shook his head. ¡°No, Lexi, I won¡¯t stand until you grant my request. Will you let me? I¡¯d be more than happy to apany you back home to meet your folks They¡¯ve got a wealth of experience, and they could give their opinion on whether my feelings for you are genuine. what do you say?¡± Chapter 323 Chapter 323 Lexi hesitated, unable to suppress her longing for her parents. How could they possibly understand her situation? And should she really bring Callum back with her? With a pleading look, Lexi turned to Natalia sitting beside her With an encouraging nod from her friend, she finally turned to Callum, who had been kneeling on one knee the entire time. ¡°Alright, I give you this chance. But this doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ve epted your feelings. If you¡¯re truly sincere, wait until the day I wholeheartedly ept you¡± ¡°That¡¯s great! Lexi, you¡¯re finally giving me a chance to prove myself, this is amazing!¡± Callum eximed, jumping up from the floor He quickly pulled Lexi into his arms and nted a passionate kiss on her lips Lexi tried to push him away, but despite all her efforts, she couldn¡¯t budge him Callum kissed Lexi passionately, careful not to touch her belly. cradling her head gently. His heavy breaths brushed against her face, causing a blush to creep up her cheeks After a while, Callum reluctantly released Lexi ¡°Baby, do you know how much I¡¯ve worried and missed you these past few days? Next time. you¡¯re mad at me, just let me know directly, okay? You have to take care of yourself ¡°You¡¯re so shameless, Natalia is still here Lexi lightly punched Callum and nced over at Natalia, only to find that she had disappeared Natalia was nowhere to be seen, and the door to the room was closed. She must have left during their passionate kiss ¡°Natalia? Natalia? Lexi stepped out of the room and looked around the now empty caf¨¦ Natalia was nowhere to be found ¡°Lexi I think Buttercup didn¡¯t want to disturb us, so she left Why don¡¯t you give her a call? Callum suggested somewhat regretfully, not noticing Natalia¡¯s departure Lexi stomped her foot in annoyance and gave Callum a shove. ¡°You don¡¯t understand! She snuck out of Melfort. You have no idea what¡¯s going on Now Natalia is gone. You have to find her!¡± ¡°What do you mean she snuck out of Melfort? Why?¡± Callum asked, confused. ¡°Ugh Lexi was in a hurry, ring at Callum, ¡°Oh my goodness! I just ran into Natalia I was originally persuading her to go back to Magnus. But while we were having a heartfelt conversation, you suddenly appeared and said a bunch of weird things Natalia must have stealthy left as she didn¡¯t want to return to Melfort with me This is all your fault! ¡°No. Lexi calm down and tell me, what exactly happened to Buttercup?¡± Callum regretted his earlier negligence. He hadn¡¯t noticed any difference in Natalia Now that he thought about it carefully, it seemed that from the moment he saw Natalia, he hadn¡¯t seen her smile. On her be a faint, inconsble sorrow there seemed to Lex exined the situation in a rush Callum listened to Lexi¡¯s exnation, his anger surging ¡°That¡¯s outrageous! Where is this, isabe) going to deal with her ¡°I don¡¯t know The most important thing now is to find Natalia. You have no idea how stubborn she can be Once she sets her mind on something, nothing can change it?¡± Callum couldn¡¯t find any trace of Natalia despite sending people to search for her Anxious, Lexi urged Callum to inform Magnus about seeing Natalia as soon as possible. She knew that the only person who could help Natalia was Magnus So Callum and Lex set off towards Melfort Magnus had been in a state of despair Despite having resolved the issues at hispany, he couldn¡¯t find joy in his loss of his grandfather and the absence of his wife His heart ached, and he was in constant pain When he returned to his vi Jonas would always ask about Natalia Now, Magnus hardly went home anymore, disappointment in Jonas eyes Learing against a leather sofa in his office. Magnus tried to catch a few moments of sleep. James entered the room hands Magnus eat something Magnus shook his head without opening his eyes Just leave it there I¡¯m not hungry 1 tenta, due to the James sighed and left the breakfast on the table Magnus you can¡¯t go on like this if you don¡¯t take care of yourself, you¡¯l cpse before you find Natalia You just recovered, and you need to take care of your health¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry I¡¯m fine. Magnus repliedtlessly James hesitated then advised Magnus, no one is invincible. You¡¯re seriously who will look for Natalia? Magnus slowly opened his eyes and straightened up ¡°Youre Just as James was pleased that he had managed to convince Magnus the office door was pushed open. A handsom who had just returned to Melfort, walked in Magnus hadn¡¯t expected to see Callum at his office. He stood dumbfounded. break the clence He recognized Lex, who was trading behind Callum, as his wife¡¯s best friend. But Callum, known for his frankness, strode inside Within a few steps, he was by gious side yarsking ham fram ha teather armscher beforendin a decisive punch The force of the punch was enough to make Magnus stumble. He staggered backward a fair few steps before regaining his footing The unexpected turn of events left not just Magnus but also James and Lexi in shock. They all were taken aback by Callum¡¯s audacity to start a fight on the spot.N?velDrama.Org content rights. Chapter 324 Chapter 324 Magnus felt a wetness at his nose. He wiped it with his hand, seeing blood smeared on his palm. It was then he realized that Callum had injured him. He looked up with an irritable re, snapping at Callum, ¡°What the hell is wrong with you, Callum?¡± James also rushed over, ready to defend his friend. He squared off with Callum, saying, ¡°If you¡¯re itching for a fight, Callum, I¡¯m game! But you¡¯re asking for trouble,ing here to our turf¡® Callum was seething with anger Ignoring James, he pushed James away with a forceful hand, swinging his fist at Magnus again ¡°Magnus, I can¡¯t believe I let Natalia go with you! Look at how you¡¯ve treated her. You¡¯re a total screw¨Cup! You¡¯ve got her on the run again. If you want a fight. Magnus, then let¡¯s do it. Don¡¯t hide behind yourpdog!¡± James was taken aback at being referred to as a dog. His anger red up, and he stomped his foot, a de popping out from the sole of his shoe The de gleamed menacingly as James swung his leg, aiming for Callum¡¯s back Callum heard the whoosh of the de, ducked just in time, and shot James a re. ¡°A sneak attack? You¡¯re a real piece of work!¡± ¡°At least I don¡¯t resort to name¨Ccalling¡± James retorted, his eyes shing as he aimed another kick at Callum On the other hand, Magnus had been feeling downtely, needing a way to vent his frustrations if Callum was looking for a fight, he would get a fight! Magnus didn¡¯t bother about keeping up appearances or coordinating with James. He just swung his fists at Callum, hoping to drive away his feelings of despair Despite Callum¡¯s strength, he was outnumbered He had to deal with Magnus¡® punches while avoiding the de on James¡® shoe Before long, he looked rather disheveled. Lexi, watching from the sidelines, was horrified. She had asked Callum toe and talk to Magnus about Natalia, not to start a fight. And now Callum was in a precarious situation, facing off against Magnus and James alone Worried for Callum, Lexi blurted out, ¡°Magnus, we didn¡¯te here to fight! I¡¯ve seen Natalia!¡± This caused Magnus to freeze in his tracks. He turned to look at Lexi. ¡°Where is she?¡± Seizing the opportunity. Callumnded a solid punch on Magnus, causing him to stagger back. But he didn¡¯t get away scot¨Cfree James de came whizzing towards his back Callum ducked, but the de still grazed his shoulder, leaving a shallow cut from which blood began to seep N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Lexi had had enough She screamed, ¡°Can you all just stop fighting? We came here to talk, not cause trouble! Can¡¯t we just sit down and discuss things calmly?¡± As she spoke. Lexi rushed towards Callum and wrapped her arms around his waist. ¡°Just stop it! No more fighting!¡± Callum stopped and looked down at a worried Lexi A smile formed on his face as he said. ¡°Lexi, are you worried about me? I¡¯m touched.¡± James saw Lexi holding onto Callum and withdrew his raised foot. He grumbled and rubbed his arm. Callum¡¯s sweet talk had given him goosebumps God, he couldn¡¯t stand that guy and their over¨Cthe¨Ctop affection It was clear that James had a double standard He didn¡¯t like Callum, so everything about him annoyed James. Yet, he forgot how nauseatingly Sweet Magnus and Natalia were when they were together, making all the single folks envious. In the meantime, Magnus stood watching Callum and Lexi interact. He didn¡¯t know when they had gotten close, but he was d. With Callum having a new girlfriend, he wouldn¡¯t bother Natalia anymore. ¡°Lexi, what did you say earlier? You ve seen my wife? Where? Magnus asked Lexi eagerly, not bothered with Callum Lexi ced herself between Magnus and Callum, afraid that they might start arguing again. Then she answered Magnus question, rain into Natalia yesterday at the port in Fareham ¡°Fareham? That¡¯s impossible! I¡¯ve checked all the airports, bus stations, and ports in Melfort and there¡¯s no record of Natalia buying a tick James interjected, unable toprehend why he hadn¡¯t found this information Had he been careless? Lexi turned to a confused James ¡°Of course not, that¡¯s because she didn¡¯t buy a ticket Natalia said she was afraid we¡¯d find out where she was so she stowed away on a freighter She¡¯s been hiding in the bottom of the ship since leaving Melfort Magnus felt his heart shatter He couldn¡¯t imagine his wife hiding alone in the filthy bowels of a freighter. He had seen freighters before, their oly decks stacked with cargo. The lower levels must have been stuffy, hot, and reeking She had gone to such lengths to leave, to hide from him Natalia ¡°She¡¯s been sleeping at the bottom of the cargo hold all this time? Magnus voice trembled here to tell me where she is, right?¡± heartache ¡°And where is she now Lexi shook her head regretfully Im sorry We had a bit of a disagreement, and by the time we turned around Natalia had disappeared again Callum searched the entire Fareham but couldn¡¯t find her I think she was deliberately hiding ??? ¡°Nothing? And yet you two have the gall to nd here running your mouths? Absolutely unbelievable? ames sneered, itching to throw punch at Callum if they hadn¡¯t found Natalia, what right did they have to strut around here ming Magnus Callum caught the sarcasm in James voice and red back ¡°What about you? Didn¡¯t youe up empty handed as Without waiting for James to respond, Callum turned his attention to Magnus Magnus, you promised to give Buttercup a time of happiness when you took her away But look at her now, constantly on the run, trying every trick in the book to avoid Welfort is this your idea of happiness?¡± Chapter 325 Chapter 325 Like a dagger, Callum¡¯s words ruthlessly stabbed Magnus¡® heart, causing him unbearable pain with each jab Magnus lifted his head, his eyes filled with guilt and regret. ¡°Yes, I am the one to me for all this. I was too careless and let such a foolish thing happen to me. No matter the cost, I will find her!¡± He vowed to bring Natalia back to him. He knew she couldn¡¯t return to him, but he could go to her. ¡°Darling, I will find you, even if I have to search to the ends of the earth. Jonas and I can¡¯t go on without you!¡± He clutched his chest, allowing the pain to radiate throughout his body. Lexi reached out and gave Callum a pinch, scolding him in a low voice, ¡°If you can help the couple with their trouble, just do it If not, then just shut up. Why are you making such snide remarks?!¡± Callum touched his nose in embarrassment. ¡°Lexi, I was just sticking up for Natalia, that¡¯s all After being reprimanded, Callum fell silent, hanging his head low like a hen¨Cpecked husband Seeing Callum quiet down, Lexi turned her attention to the disheartened Magnus ¡°Magnus, I¡¯m truly sorry to hear about you and Natalia | didn¡¯t expect that after all the twists and turns, you two would still end up apart. Go find her. She needs you We¡¯ll also keep an eye out for Natalia, and I¡¯ll let you know as soon as we hear something Go now, don¡¯t let her wander alone for too long¡± After finishing, Lexi dragged Callum out of Magnus office In the elevator, Callum was not pleased with Lexi¡¯s actions. He frowned in discontent. ¡°Lexi, why didn¡¯t you let me give that jerk Magnus a good beating? Is it because you think I¡¯m still in love with Buttercup? Lexi, I admit I still care about her, but I swear, it¡¯s purely tonic Please don¡¯t overthink.¡± As he spoke, he stole nces at Lexi, afraid that she would misconstrue his feelings for Natalia. Lexi adjusted her hair in the elevator mirror before looking at Callum. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s overthinking I only agreed to try dating you for a while. That doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m tied to you forever. There are so many handsome men in the world. If one doesn¡¯t work out, there will always be another¡± Upon hearing this, Callum¡¯s eyes widened in panic. He quickly wrapped his arms around Lexi ¡°No! Lexi, how can you do this to me? You have no choice but to be with me for the rest of your life. There can¡¯t be a next one, never ever!¡± The mere thought of Lexi being with another guy hurt Callum¡¯s heart. He was determined not to let her out of his sight again. Callum¡¯s sudden embrace took Lexi aback She was thankful that they were alone in the elevator But thinking of the security cameras, she knew the guard watching the footage would be having a good laugh. ¡°Callum, can you act a bit more mature? This is Melfort. Can you show me some respect? Lexi comined, stomping on Callum¡¯s foot with her heel in anger Callum winced in pain and finally let go of Lexi, grinning sheepishly as he defended himself, ¡°Lexi, what can I do? I can¡¯t control myself when I¡¯m with you! Do you know how worried I was when you left?¡± He was scared when she was almost eaten by a bear, but his heart was broken into pieces when she ran away He couldn¡¯t imagine his life without her Lexi shot Callum a nce, her heart secretly filled with sweetness. This guy always said romantic things at the most inappropriate times and ces The elevator soon reached the ground floor. Lexi stepped out and looked at Callum ¡°Let¡¯s go ¡°Okay¡± Callum agreed absently, then asked. ¡°Um, where are we going?¡± Lexi gave Callum another look, her cheeks flushing a rosy pink ¡°Where else could we be going? We¡¯re going to see my parents, of course N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡®Great¡® Let¡¯s go see them Callum eximed enthusiastically, causing the lobby staff to turn and stare Embarrassed by all the attention. Lexi walked briskly towards the exit ¡°Hmph. I¡¯m not talking to you anymore!¡± ¡°Lexi wait for me wait for me Callum shouted after her a triumphant grin on his face in the office building above. Magnus silently watched Callum and Lexis antics on the surve while this British guy is on our turf should we teach him a lesson?¡± Magnus shook his head indifferently. He¡¯s found someone else. He won¡¯t being after my wife anymore. Why should bother with them be James, you need to keep searching for my wife and check the ports for any sign of her. She¡¯s been hurt too I can¡¯t stand to see her hurt anymore ¡°Magnus, how can you say such things? It¡¯s all Belle¡¯s fault if not for her you and Nat might have had another ch¨¢o b? his words the moment they left his mouth. Why did he have to bring up such a serisike As expected the office fell into a heavy silence following James words Magnus stared out into the distance, his tonging for his wife stretching on endlessly Darling where are you? Are you doing well? Can you hear my thoughts calling out to you?¡± No matter what he had to find his wife Three dayster Magnus had made all the necessary arrangements and set off from the Fareham harbor, following could have taken But time and again, disappointment was all he found Magnus found himself alone in Ennd, hoping against hope t might return to the McKinney homestead After all, it her home However, Rowell imed not to have seen Natalia Magnus stood cobblestone streets of Ennd, iscking ¡°Darling, if you¡¯re out there, could you give me a sign?¡± Ha mutteraid to himself. ¡°ned you, and Jonas misers you terbay Chapter 326 Chapter 326 Magnus had journeyed far and wide, seeking Natalia¡¯s whereabouts. He tirelessly searched city after city, gazing at the neon streetlights at night, hoping to spot a familiar silhouette. However, no matter how fervently he yearned, there was no trace of Natalia. Returning to Melfort, he opened the door of the vi and was greeted by the wide¨Ceyed gaze of little Jonas. The boy plunged into his arms, murmuring. ¡°Daddy, if you can¡¯t find Mommy, please can take a break. She must be watching us from a corner somewhere, quietly. Don¡¯t be sad, Daddy You still have me.¡± This is property ? of N?velDrama.Org. Tears welled up in Magnus¡® eyes. He could no longer hold back his sorrow, and the father and son embraced, consumed by their shared pain. At night, Magnus would clutch Natalia¡¯s nightgown as he slept. Her scent was no longer there, but it was the only way he could fall asleep. Each time Magnus looked into Jonas deep blue eyes, he was reminded of his wife. He pleaded to the heavens, ¡°God, please don¡¯t be so cruel. Let me find her I can¡¯t live without her!¡± A yearter, in the eternal city of Rome. Rome, one of the cradles of world culture, was nestled in the heart of Italy. With its ancient city to the north and its modern metropolis to the south, Rome was a city that had risen from the ashes time and again, boasting breathtaking architecture and artistic masterpieces On the square in front of the Leonardo da Vinci International Airport, pigeons ambled leisurely. At the same time, a weary¨Clooking street musician sat on a bench, lost in his music and indifferent to the world around him. These artists made a living by painting and ying music for tourists. Some were unsung talents, some were drifters, and others simply enjoyed the lifestyle. For varying reasons, they led simr lives of wandering. Among them, the most popr was a man. Unlike his fellow street artists, he was tall and slim, and always well¨Cgroomed. But his face bore a permanent look of mncholy. This man was none other than the long¨Clost Hector Cood. Ever since Natalia had supposedly died in a car crash six years ago, Hector had been in a state of despair. At that time, he was studying at Harvard University in the United States. His grief was so overwhelming that he made a mistake during an experiment, causing a violent explosion in theb. Consequently, the university asked him to leave, hoping he would recover emotionally before resuming his studies. However, after losing Natalia, Hector was a mere shell of his former self. His life felt meaningless. He packed his bags and embarked on a nomadic journey Hector aimlessly roamed in foreignnds. Every time he arrived at an unfamiliar sight, he would pull out the photo of Natalia he had hidden away. allowing her to see the scenery around him, then an endless regret would well up in his heart. He deeply regretted his cowardice. If he had been braver back then, and taken Natalia away from Magnus in time, how could she have possibly drowned at sea? Or, if he had made his strong attitude clear from the start, stop her from serving as a damn substitute bride and bing Magnus wife, how could she have passed away so prematurely?! And so, Hector vented his desperately needing to be saved soul in the boundless foreign forget his love for Natalia nds. But no matter where he went, he still couldn¡¯t He couldn¡¯t ept it, that the purest and kindest girl with the sweetest, most innocent smile, had permanently left him! His wanderings led him to Rome, where the picturesque scenerypelled him to stay. Here, he picked up his long¨Cforgotten paintbrush, channeling his thoughts and emotions into vibrant hues of pastel and purple. His paintings stirred amotion among the Romans, causing a scramble for his works. They were enamored with Hector¡¯s art, especially the sweet smiling woman featured in every piece. The woman was none other than Natalia, the object of Hector¡¯s constant thoughts and longing What he didn¡¯t know was that when God closed a door, he opened a window But the timing wasn¡¯t right yet A year ago, Natalia had taken an oath on her beloved son Jonas because of Belle¡¯s coercion and ended up in Italy She lived under a pseudonym, enjoying the scenery and historical sites. The rich history permeating the air helped Natalia momentarily forget her heartache She found a job as a fashion designer at Stitches Fashion Thepany was on the verge of bankruptcy due to outdated clothing designs. However, Natalia¡¯s innovative designspletely transformed thepany¡¯s outdated philosophy Under her guidance, Stitches Fashion gradually made its way onto the international stage from being an unknown small business Natalia had a busy year. Her longing for Magnus and little Jonas was channeled into her design work. Her fullmitment was rewarded with steady progress in Stitches Fashion Every stride thepany made bore the mark of Natalia¡¯s tireless efforts The owner of Stitches Fashion was extremely grateful to Natalia for saving thepany¡¯s fate. He had offered her shares in the firm on several asions, only to be gently turned down every time. Chapter 327 Chapter 327 Even Natalia had a peculiar request that left her bosses puzzled. She wanted her identity concealed within thepany. All her design achievements were credited to her boss¡® sister, Diana. Whenever there was an award ceremony, Diana was the one who went up to receive the des. Natalia, however, was content with her quiet corner, focusing on her designs without the need for public recognition. In her free time, Natalia would often be absorbed in her sketches, asionally keeping tabs on Andersen Corporation back home in Melfort, through the power of the inte. She knew that after her departure, Magnus had indeed recovered, regaining his position and reviving the corporation, making it one of the most prominent conglomerates worldwide She was happy for Magnus and his achievements, knowing it was easy for him. Every time she saw his face on a video or a webpage, her eyes would well up with tears of longing. Although she knew Magnus was searching for her relentlessly, she was bound by a harsh vow she had made under duress from Belle just to get the antidote. Even though she missed them terribly, she dared not return. She felt like a mouse, hiding in the shadows, afraid that Magnus would discover her whereabouts. Night after night, her longing for them gnawed at her soul, causing her heartrending pain. She dared not risk it, fearing the vows she had made, and the possibility that they mighte true if she was not careful. Even if her yearning was overwhelming, she absolutely could not go back to Magnus. She was content to hide in her corner of the world. watching over the man she loved, and the child she adored One day, Natalia was sketching new fashion designs in her garde beautiful flowers, reminiscent of her home with Magnus in France. She had painstakingly created her little haven, filled with lush greenery and A gentle breeze carried the scent of spring, and Natalia was lost in her thoughts amidst this delightful atmosphere. Knock, knock, knock Someone was at the garden gate. Natalia put down her pencil and went to answer it. It was the young girl who delivered her designs from thepany. ¡°Thank you for delivering these sketches all the time,¡± Natalia said, offering her a cup of coffee. The girl chuckled. ¡°Ms. Natalia, this job is far from tiring. In fact, it¡¯s a pleasant break from work, and I get to enjoy this amazing coffee. It¡¯s a perfect gig!¡± Nataliaughed along and offered to give the young girl some coffee beans, ¡°These are from my hometown, and they have the unique vor of home.¡± Natalia¡¯s eyes zed over as she said this, and a wave of nostalgia washed over her. Noticing Natalia¡¯s mncholy, the girl quickly changed the subject. ¡°By the way, Ms. Natalia, I passed by the square on my way here and saw a handsome street artist. His sketches resemble you. Would you like to go and see?¡± Natalia chuckled, ¡°I doubt it. I hardly know anyone here¡± But the girl was determined. Even if Natalia didn¡¯t believe her, she would secretly take a picture of the artist tomorrow. After a little more chit¨Cchat, Natalia saw the girl off. She liked this girl who brought her sketches every day, but the notion of someone sketching her on the streets was a bit exaggerated. She was hiding in Rome to avoid being found by Magnus. There was no way someone would be looking for her here With these thoughts, Natalia shrugged off the girl¡¯s words and went back to her sketches. The next morning, the girl was back. This time, she had a mission. ¡°Ms. Natalia, take a look at these pictures I took. Tell me if the sketches resemble you¡® Natalia, seeing the girls persistence, decided to take a look. As she looked at the pictures, she froze. The photos were of a tall, lean man, painting with great concentration. He seemed to be painting his beloved, holding a brush as if it were a blooming red rose He was murmuring as if whispering sweet nothings to his love ¡°Ms Natalia?¡± The girl nudged Natalia, who seemed to have zoned out ¡°Look at the sketch he made Doesn¡¯t it look like you? Natalia¡¯s eyes were moist. She moved to the second picture This was a realistic oil painting The woman in the painting wa golden sunflowers, and her bright smile made her look as if she was about to step out of the canvas. ¡°How about it, Ms Natalia? Isn¡¯t this sketch just like you?¡± The girl asked, bringing Natalia back to reality Natalia realized she was crying. Not bothering to hide her emotional state, she asked the girl, ¡°Where did you see this man? Take me there quick!¡± Natalia¡¯s reaction took the girl aback, but seeing her response, she knew she had hit the nail on the head. The handsome artist did indeed know Natalia! ¡°Alright then, he¡¯s found at the corner of the square. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s still there Let me take you¡± Before the girl could finish her sentence, Natalia had already pulled her out of her quaint little house, so hurriedly that they didn¡¯t even close the door. Natalia kept urging her along the way, ¡°Hurry, we need to go faster. He might leave any moment.¡± Chapter N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Natalia, this artist has been living here for a while. I see him every time I pass by. At first, I would just nce at his unfinished paintings, but one day. I saw people going crazy over his finished works. That¡¯s when I noticed that the person in his paintings looked exactly like you I immediately guessed that the artist must know you, and it looks like I was right! This is so exciting!¡± Chapter 328 Chapter 328 Natalia barely registered the chatter of the girl, too lost in her own thoughts. Excitement bubbled in her chest as she stared at the side profile of the artist her co¨Cworker had shown her. It was Hector, her childhood friend Hector! And he was in Rome, of all ces! The square was not far from Natalia¡¯s quaint little apartment, yet it felt like she had run a marathon to get there. When she finally arrived, led by her co¨Cworker, she spotted Hector from a distance among the street performers. He was as tall as she remembered him, but he seemed to have lost weight. His face held a look of mncholy as if he had shut out the world. Indeed, it was Hector, the boy who had once filled her life with hope, who had grown up with her, now standing right before her. Natalia halted, turning to her co¨Cworker. ¡°He¡¯s an old friend of mine. I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re both in such a faraway ce. It¡¯s quite serendipitous. Thank you for bringing me here.¡± Although Natalia was a bit flustered, her co¨Cworker could sense her joy. She smiled at Natalia, pleased with the good deed she had done. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, really You don¡¯t have to thank me. I should head back to work now. Don¡¯t want to keep you from catching up with your friend.¡± With a wave, her co¨Cworker left, leaving Natalia to approach Hector. At that moment, it felt as if everything around Natalia had gone silent. She moved closer, taking in the sight of Hector engrossed in his painting How quickly time had flown. It¡¯d been six years and Hector was no longer the bright, sunny boy she knew. His face was now marked with resilience, and a hint of world¨Cweariness. On his easel was a nearly finished painting. Even from a distance, she could recognize it was her profile. A few people were gathered around, patiently waiting for the painting to bepleted to make their bid. A pang of sorrow hit Natalia. How was it that time had passed so fast, and she and Hector had not seen each other in six years? She had been through hardships, and Hector was no longer the spirited boy she knew. That boy, full of sunshine and life, was an indelible part of her life. ¡°Hector, what happened to you in these years?¡± Standing a few steps away from him, sadness enveloped Natalia. She moved slowly towards Hector, her heart aching as she watched him sketch her likeness, his eyes filled with sadness. After not seeing Hector for five or six years, she had almost forgotten about the bright and optimistic boy in her tumultuous life. Hector now looked much tougher, his jawline shadowed with stubble, his lips tightly drawn, and his brows furrowing a permanent mncholy. A gentle breeze swept by, lifting Hector¡¯s jacket, and making him look deste and lonely. Tears welled and fell from Natalia¡¯s eyes as she watched. ¡°Hector, it¡¯s been a long time¡± Every day. Hector would paint at this spot in the square, pouring all his longing for Natalia into his art. It was as if this was the only way to perfectly capture every smile and frown of Natalia. Just as he was adding a butterfly to thevender field in his painting of a girl in a white dress, he heard a whimper nearby, followed by hushed whispers The girl was tall and thin, with somewhat pale skin, her petite face carrying tears, and herrge eyes staring straight at him. Hector slowly turned his head back. He must have been dreaming just now. What he saw must have been an illusion. Natalia, who had passed away five or six years ago, couldn¡¯t be standing there. He must have been dreaming! In recent years, Hector would often experience such hallucinations, often seeing Natalia standing in front of him, sobbing, with a face full of sorrow Hector knew that it must be Natalia¡¯s spirit questioning him, asking why he didn¡¯t protect her back then, why he left her with Magnus, that devill Yes, he was so cowardly back then, watching as the weak Natalia was trapped by Magnus, crying every day Every single day, he was filled with regret, deeply resenting his inaction. ¡°Natalia, I¡¯m sorry, I caused all of this. If there¡¯s a next life, I¡¯m willing to repay the debt I owe for my cowardice, and stay by your side to atone for my sins!¡± Hector collected his scattered thoughts, rubbed his furrowed brows, and picked up his brush to continue adding color to the oil painting. He was painting a girl in the flower room, the backdrop arge patch of passionatevender. Natalia in white dress was dancing lightly among the He picked up his brush and just added a butterfly to thevender field when he heard sobbing beside him continuing, and even heard others whispering ¡°What¡¯s wrong with that girl? Why is she crying so hard?¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯s moved by the beauty of the painting?¡± Look at her, doesn¡¯t she look like the girl in the painting?¡± ¡°Could they be long lost lovers?¡± The murmuring brought Hector back to reality. It wasn¡¯t a hallucination. Not only could he see Natalia, but others could see her, too! His heart pounded as he turned slowly to face Natalia, who stood a few steps behind him. His eyes were wide with anxiety, afraid that if he blinked, Natalia would disappear. With a choked voice, he managed to utter, ¡°Natalia, is that really you?¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Natalia nodded, her tears turning into a joyous smile. ¡°Hector, it¡¯s me. I¡¯m Natalia.¡± Hector set aside his paintbrush, gradually making his way towards Natalia. Even though mere steps separated them, it felt like a lifetime had passed He gazed at Natalia in disbelief, words of excitement stumbling out of his mouth ¡°Natalia, is it really you? Am I dreaming? You¡¯re actually standing before me!¡± With tear¨Cfilled eyes, Natalia nodded at Hector. ¡°It¡¯s me, Hector. I didn¡¯t die. After I fell overboard, I was rescued. All these yearster, I can¡¯t believe I found you here. Hector, have you been well?¡± Hector reached out, touching Natalia¡¯s face. It was warm, and wet with tears. Yes, it was truly Natalia. She said she didn¡¯t die! Chapter 329 Chapter 329 His deep, dark eyes were glistening with unshed tears. She was still alive! ¡°Is that really you, Natalia? I¡¯ve been looking for you everywhere. I thought you were gone forever¡± Hector grasped her hand tightly. ¡°All these years, I¡¯ve been consumed by a profound regret and guilt whenever I thought of you. I despised myself, wishing I could just throw myself into the ocean. If I hadn¡¯t been so cowardly back then, if I had had the courage to whisk you away from that monster, you would never have fallen from that cliff!¡± ¡°All that is in the past now, Hector.¡± Natalia¡¯s tears fell as she smiled at him, opening her palm. ¡°Look at me, I¡¯m fine, aren¡¯t I? I¡¯ve been doing well these past few years How about you?¡± Looking at the woman who had been twining around his heart, Hector could no longer suppress his longing, he stepped forward and embraced Natalia tightly. ¡°I¡¯m not fine. I¡¯m not fine at all! Every time I thought of you plunging into the icy, dark water, I was so depressed. The regret and guilt were tearing me apart! But thank god you¡¯re back, Natalia. Thank you foring back. Thank god for letting us meet again, I feel so blessed¡°¡± Natalia was held tightly in Hector¡¯s arms. His tears dropping onto her shoulder moved her to tears. Some emotions could transcend life and death, surpassing time. The bystanders confirmed their guess and started cheering. ¡°See, I told you they¡¯re a couple who just reunited after a long separation.¡± ¡°Indeed, a great match!¡± ¡°Kiss! Kiss!¡± The crowd¡¯s cheering got louder and louder, causing both Hector and Natalia to blush. Hector let go of Natalia and quickly packed up his canvas, turning to the crowd. ¡°Yes, this is the woman I¡¯ve been longing for, and now she¡¯s finally here with me. Thank you all for yourpliment!¡± Natalia, afraid of any misunderstanding, quickly exined, ¡°No, it¡¯s not what you think¡­¡± But before she could finish, the crowd interrupted, ¡°Don¡¯t be shy, girl. Love is the most beautiful thing in the world, just admit it!¡± ¡°Yes, you two are both excellent. I wish you a loving andsting rtionship!¡± ¡°Right, have lots of kids, stay in love!¡± ¡°Live happily and blissfully!¡± In a moment, the buzzing square turned into a sea of blessings. Hector felt like he was still in a dream; he held onto Natalia¡¯s hand tightly, grinning widely, pulling the slightly embarrassed Natalia away from the blessing crowd. This time, he would never let go of her hand again. The girl he had cherished since childhood was finally back by his side. Oh god, could there be anything more exciting? Hector and Natalia quickly left the square. They walked along the winding stream in silence, their hearts filled with the joy of their reunion. ¡°Natalia.¡± ¡°Hector¡± They both spoke at the same time then shared a knowing smile. ¡°You first¡± ¡°You first¡± Their continued understanding made them burst intoughter. The sun was gently spilling golden rays onto the scene, illuminating this warm moment Both of them studied each other¡¯s long¨Cunseen yet familiar faces, having so much to say but not knowing where to begin. Fate was a curious thing. They were just teenagers in love yet forced apart because Natalia had to marry someone else. After all these years, they met again in this vast foreignnd. Natalia softly asked, ¡°Hector, what have you been doing these past few years? Why were you painting in the square?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Hectorughed heartily, showing his dazzling teeth His mncholy and sadness from the past were swept away, and he was suddenly cheerful again. His sunny smile took Natalia back to six years ago ¡°Of course, I¡¯ve been doing great! Eating, drinking, sleeping, traveling and living life to the fullest. I¡¯ve visited so many countries and really enjoyed myself How about you?¡± Natalia knew Hector wasn¡¯t telling her the truth. When he asked about her, she also told a little white lie Im doing well too I heard Rome is beautiful, so I moved here¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Hector looked at Natalia gently. ¡°Natalia, you¡¯ve never been good at lying Your eyes are telling me that you¡¯ve not been doing well ¡°Really? You¡¯re overthinking¡± Natalia was a bit flustered and quickly changed the subject ¡°Hector, where do you live? Are you nning to settle in Rome for a long time?¡± Hector pointed to a house not far from the river ¡°I rented a small room there, and I only stay there when it rains. Usually, I¡¯m at the square because there are a lot of people. Only a bustling ce can keep me from thinking¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you want to think?¡± Natalia was confused. Hector chuckled helplessly. ¡°Because I always thought you drowned in the sea. Every time I close my eyes, I see your using eyes, ming me for not rescuing you in time. Natalia, I can¡¯t bear your gaze, even in my dreams.¡± Hearing Hector¡¯s words, Natalia felt a twinge in her heart. She knew how Hector felt about her, but she hadn¡¯t expected that her presumed death would haunt him for so long. In a moment, Natalia¡¯s eyes welled up, and her voice choked. ¡°Hector, I¡­ I¡¯m sorry. I never med you¡­¡± Hector gave her a charming smile. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Haha, I was just kidding. Actually, I¡¯m broke, so I have to sleep in the square. Isn¡¯t it pathetic? You must take me in!¡± Natalia was speechless. Hector wasn¡¯t as wealthy as Magnus, but he was still rich. How could he possibly be broke? She thought he had been punishing himself for so long because of her. Natalia felt a lump in her throat. Some emotions were destined to be unrequited ¡°Hector, I know how you feel about me, but I¡¯m sorry, my heart has been lost to Magnus, I¡¯m sorry. In her heart, Natalia apologized to Hector She knew how stubborn Hector could be and feared that saying it aloud would risk losing their friendship altogether. After being apart for so long, she didn¡¯t want their reunion to end on a sour note. So, she continued along Hector¡¯s stream of thought, ¡°Sure, the ce I¡¯m renting has some extra space. You¡¯re wee to be my roommate.¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. Hector¡¯s jaw dropped in surprise, ¡°Really? Natalia, do you actually mean to let me live with you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tter yourself. It¡¯s just a roommate situation. You¡¯ll need to pay rent,¡± Natalia said with a grin. Overjoyed, Hector scooped her up in a hug. ¡°This is amazing! I can¡¯t believe I¡¯ll get to live with you. I¡¯m so lucky! ¡°Hey, put me down, I¡¯m getting dizzy. You¡¯re acting like a little kid again¡­ Just moments ago, he had been so mncholic, and now he was brimming with happiness. Chapter 330 Chapter 330 And so, Hector hurriedly packed his few belongings and moved in with Natalia, embarking on their co¨C habiting journey. They would jog together every morning, then return home to paint, exchanging insights. After that, they would cook and eat together Hector, being the mindful one, took care of Natalia meticulously Every day, he felt as if he was living in a dream. This was the kind of life he had always yearned for, practically perfect. The only imperfection was that Natalia saw him merely as a good friend, with no hint of romantic affection in her eyes. As time flew by. Hector started to crave more. He was no longer satisfied with being just good pals with Natalia. He wanted more. He wanted Natalia to be his lovet to continue the captivating romance they had during their adolescence One evening. Hector secretly prepared avish dinner behind Natalia¡¯s back When night fell, he called her out of her room Natalia, pushed along by Hector, found herself in their small garden filled with flowers and nts. To her surprise, a small table had been set up there. Not only was the tableden with a feast, but it also held a beautiful candlestick. N?velDrama.Org content rights. Upon seeing this, Natalia turned to Hector with a smile. ¡°Hector, are you inviting me to a candlelit dinner?¡± Hector, ever the gentleman, pulled out a chair for Natalia. ¡°Sit, my beautiful queen.¡± Natalia blushed at thepliment and gave a shy chuckle before taking a seat. Hector poured a ss of red wine for Natalia and raised his ss in a toast. ¡°To our reunion, cheers!¡± Natalia reciprocated the gesture, her red lips lightly touching the ss. ¡°Cheers!¡± As Hector and Natalia had a few drinks, the night sky deepened, with stars twinkling like winking eyes. Natalia¡¯s cheeks were flushed, a hint of tipsiness showing Suddenly, Hector rose from his seat and produced a dazzling red rose seemingly out of nowhere. He knelt on one knee before Natalia. ¡°Natalia, I love you. Will you marry me?¡± Natalia was taken aback by Hector¡¯s proposal. She thought they were just having a casual drink. She never expected Hector to propose. The proposal was so sudden that Natalia didn¡¯t know how to react. She was rooted to the spot. However, Hector remained kneeling, passionately saying, ¡°Natalia, you know, I¡¯ve loved you for a very long time. I know you love me, too, but fate separated us. You left me for someone else. I was too timid back then, not knowing how to fight for my happiness, and I let you go! When I heard you had fallen into the sea, there were countless times I felt like jumping in after you. I regret letting you go for the rest of my life Now, you¡¯re like an angel who¡¯s descended from heaven. I know you¡¯ve suffered over these years, but let¡¯s not talk about the past. This is my chance to start anew! Natalia, will you marry me?¡± Natalia looked at Hector kneeling on the ground, her heart filled with unease. She had thought Hector would cherish their time together and not bring up their buried feelings, but it seemed she couldn¡¯t escape it. Taking a deep breath, Natalia slowly shook her head ¡°Hector, I¡¯m sorry I thought our rtionship was pure tonic affection. But now I realize i was wrong Maybe I was too presumptuous, and I never asked about your feelings. I¡­ I¡¯m really sorry.¡± The light in Hector¡¯s eyes dimmed instantly. He remained kneeling, his silhouette elongated by the moonlight. Natalia couldn¡¯t bear to see Hector in such a state. ¡°Hector, I¡¯m sorry. I can¡¯t give you marriage or love. My heart is lost, iplete. You deserve a better woman. If you don¡¯t mind, I can offer you friendship, the purest friendly affection That¡¯s all I can offer Hector, you can forget about the past, and stop ming yourself. I¡¯m sorry¡± Hector stared intently at Natalia as if trying to imprint her image in his mind. After a long pause, he slowly retracted his numb arm and stood up His voice was steady Natalia, I won¡¯t give up. I¡¯ll wait. I¡¯ll wait until you change your mind or until youe back to me Natalia bit her lip. feeling awkward She didn¡¯t know how tofort Hector, so she just lowered her head in silence Hector forced augh, intending to leave quietly but not wanting Natalia to overthink. He put on a brave face Natalia, don¡¯t worry about me! have thick skin No matter how many times I¡¯m knocked down, I¡¯ll be fine Really I can wait, maybe one day you¡¯ll change your mand Natalia felt her eyes welling up She looked at Hector, who was feigning cheerfulness Hector, I ¡°Enough¡± Hector cut her off ¡°Who am 12 Hector, the indestructible roach. If not this time, then next time 11 be the ever resilient qum.¡± He mad exaggerated faces, full of seif mockery Natalia couldn¡¯t help butugh at his antics. Although she still felt a bit awkward it was much better than before. She looked at Hector seriously ¡°Hector, I really wish to remain as your closest kin forever Really ¡°Alright, I ept your kinship. But you can¡¯t stop me from pining for you my kin. Hey, you better be careful. One day, if itun into the big bad wat you¡¯ll be in trouble! Hector made a face pretending to be a big bad wolf Natalia¡¯s mood lifted She hugged her shoulders and pretended to be scared. ¡®Oh my, what a terrifying big bad wolf ¡± Just like that, the initially tense atmosphere gradually became lively again, thanks to Hector¡¯s exaggerated bodynguage. After a bit of teasing they each retreated to their separate rooms for the night Shutting the door, separating themselves from the outside world, they were finally able to drop their pretenses. There was no longer a need to put on a brave face or pretend to be happy for the sake of the other¡¯s feelings Hector flung himself onto the bed, a sense of defeat gnawing at his insides. Although he had anticipated today¡¯s failed proposal, the reality of it still required a heart of steel to face. He¡¯d found her and had no intention of ever letting her go. He was willing even if it meant being just a family member to her. ¡°Natalia, I won¡¯t give up,¡± he vowed silently. ¡°I will wait till you truly ept me. No matter how long it takes, I can wait.¡± Whispering the pledge that had long been imprinted in his heart, Hector felt a surge of renewed strength. With a sense of satisfaction, he finally closed his eyes In a room nearby, Natalia stared nkly at the night view outside her window. Her heart was consumed by thoughts of Magnus, who was far away in a differentnd. Chapter 331 Chapter 331 It had been nearly a year since she left Melfort, and aside from asional news of Magnus in the local papers or TV, Natalia had no idea how he and their son, Jonas, were faring On nights like these, she wondered if he missed her as much as the missed him The evening had been a little awkward for Natalia with Hector proposing out of the blue. Thankfully, Hector was quick to lighten the mood with a joke, saving her from the embarrassment. She knew she needed to be more careful with her actions to avoid leading him on. After all. Hector was an important part of her life and she didn¡¯t want to hurt him With these thoughts in her mind, the eventually drifted off to sleep Meanwhile, back in Melfort, Magnus was neck deep in work. He kept himself busy to distract him from the pain of Natalia¡¯s sheanna A year had passed, and there was still no sign of Natalia. He and Jonas spent the seasons longing for her He rarely went home preferring the solitude of his office. Every corner of their house was filled with her memories, and the sight of them was too painful to bear ¡°Magnus, take a break. With all these files, aren¡¯t you tired?¡± James hade to Boston to visit Magnus and report on his search for Natalia de always, there was no news James was concerned seeing Magnus buried in paperwork all the time. He really wanted Magnus to rx a bit Magnus didn¡¯t even look up from his files. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter I¡¯m used to it. Any news?¡± James shook his head ¡°Nothing We¡¯ve searched all over France and Ennd. There¡¯s no sign of Natalia anywhere¡± ¡°Keep looking Expand the search area¡± Magnus voice was steady as if he¡¯d grown numb to the reality of not finding Natalia James sighed quietly, worried about Magnus. A year had passed, and there was still no sign of Natalia How could she have disappeared entirely? ¡°Why are you still standing there?¡± Magnus nced up from his files to see James still standing in the same spot. He urged him to continue search for Natalia James hesitated, then plucked up the courage to voice his fears, ¡°Magnus, we¡¯ve been looking for a year now. We¡¯ve covered over a dozen countries, but there¡¯s still no sign of Natalia. Do you think¡­?¡± ¡°Think what?¡± Magnus sharp gaze met James¡® eyes ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± James took a deep breath ¡°Magnus, do you think something bad might¡¯ve happened to Natalia?¡± ¡°No way!¡± Magnus eyes filled with pain. ¡°She survived a fall from a bridge into the sea six years ago. She can handle anything!¡± Magnus looked out the window at the snowy sunset. He knew Natalia was somewhere out there, watching over him and Jonas. He put i over his chest, waiting for the familiar pain to pass Every time he thought of Natalia, his heart throbbed. James noticed the paleness of Magnus¡® face ¡°Magnus, are you okay? Should I get a doctor?¡± Magnus took a deep breath as the pain in his chest eased, shaking his head. No need I know Natalia¡¯s okay. We just haven¡¯t found her James sighed. ¡°Alright. I understand how desperate you are to find Natalia. But you need to take care of yourself too You¡¯re overworking yourself your body won¡¯t hold up under the strain You haven¡¯t fully recovered from the poisoning ¡± Tim fine. I¡¯m used to it. This isn¡¯t going to break me ¡°Magnus turned back to his files. After a while. Magnus suddenly stood up, staring at a design sketch in his files James was puzzled ¡°Magnus, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Magnus waved him over ¡°Come here, look at this design sketch¡± N?velDrama.Org copyrighted ? content. James walked over peering at the fashion sketch. There was nothing unusual about it ¡°Magnus it¡¯s just a fashion design what¡¯s about Magnus was excited, pointing to a magnolia flower on the cor of the dress Here James, do you see the magic owe? James nodded. ¡°Yeah I see it. What about it?¡± ¡°Itu Natalia! This sketch must be Nat¡¯s work. I¡¯ve se the designs from thispany Theed to see if of the deargna designs she loves while magns and votades one i etost altes works, der al a magno?a un them ¡°khagnum waved ho hand directing James to beach, the James felt a surge of hope and rushed put to gather all of thepany a seagra. A diligent secretary quickly pulled together at the fies and ced them on Magnus dem Magnategar ( hopefur as he searched for agns of Natalie a louch Magnus busty flipped through the documents. ¨¤ cumpany at though the designs, suriway 1) Baby was koking to make a wash a the tabuan powie, and they had the sights set on Andersen Corporation the industry than They brought forth the treat drange proposes to myea har ptica, hapkg to secure an investment from the Andersen Corporation Magnus meticulously reviewed each of the design sketches, his heart pounding &???????????? ????? ?????????? ???? ??????????????????? ??????? enthusiasm James take a bok here, here and here. Do you nee it? The magroda motif on at of these sketches, in her siphoture. Theora ne mistake These must be her work James followed Magnus pointing finger, and sure enough, there they were. Whether it was a trendy overcoat or a pair of sleek trousers, a flowing gown, or a crop top, every single design incorporated the white magnolia motif. ¡°You¡¯re right, Magnus. It seems your hunch is right on the money These designs might indeed be the handiwork of Natalia.¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!