The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)

Vivian gazed at the boy dressed in his princely attire, and a small smile touched her lips. "My dad's from overseas, of course, I've got different hair and eyes." Dismissing him, Vivian turned to walk away, only for the boy to try and trip her with a swift move of his foot. Vivian stumbled forward, barely catching herself from hitting the ground face-first. Her hands skidded along the edge of the flowerbed, skinning her palm slightly. She stood up, her eyes icy with fury. "Back off, or you'll regret messing with me!" But she simply turned and strode away, leaving the boy seething. It was the first time someone had told him to get lost, and with such audacity, at that. He followed her, his pride wounded. "Vivian, how dare you compete with me?" Without so much as a glance, Vivian continued on her way, which only enraged the boy further. He charged at her with a clenched fist. Hearing the commotion behind her, Vivian spun around and delivered a whirlwind kick just as the boy's fist was about to connect. He landed with a thud, crying out immediately. Vivian looked down at him coldly. "I've warned you. You are just asking for it!” Her demeanor was a dead ringer for her father, James. Dressed in her little white sundress, she looked like an angel descended from heaven. A year ago, her daddy had taught her self- defense moves, and to Vivian, the little prince was nothing but a nuisance. The prince's wail drew the attention of his parents, who rushed over in concern. "Oh, my precious, what happened?" They exclaimed, scooping him up in their arms. Pointing at Vivian, the prince sobbed. "She hit me!" Before Vivian could speak up, she found herself enveloped in a warm embrace. "Who said she hit you?" James' deep voice was calm yet firm. "Why did you strike the prince? He's royalty! If you hurt him, the Queen would never forgive you." The prince's mother scolded sharply. "And what would the Queen do exactly? Vivian is only three years old, and your six-year-old prince is blaming her for his clumsiness. What a pathetic prince,” James retorted coldly. The prince's parents, faced with James’ fierce gaze, left in a huff, cradling their son. "Sweetie, did he bully you?" James asked Vivian, inspecting her for any harm once the prince's family had left. She grinned up at him. "Daddy, I'm fine. He tried to hurt me, but | ended up kicking him over." Her eyes sparkled mischievously. James was overjoyed. "That's my girl! Anyone who dares to mess with my princess will have to answer to me." Vivian beamed, then suddenly remembered the scrape on her hand. "Daddy, I'm hurt," she whimpered, showing him the slight injury. Seeing the scrape, James’ heart melted with concern. "Let's go home, I'll put some ointment on it for you," he said as Vivian nestled into his embrace, playing the adorable card to the hilt. Angela, who had been called away from a social event by James, followed behind them, her eyes brimming with happiness. James himself hadn't anticipated how deeply he could feel, how a tender spot had grown in the recesses of his heart for his little girl. * In Hawaii, Magnus and Natalia were still living their sweet, syrupy life, inseparable as ever. Magnus jokingly called it their "baby- making project,” which was really just an excuse to spend every waking moment with Natalia, doing whatever he pleased. The chill was barely felt as winter approached in the coastal city. One day, Magnus had to travel back to Melfort to handle some business, leaving Natalia to her usual routine of work and then heading home. Hector had bought a townhouse not far from Natalia's three-story villa, watching over her daily commute to the office and her nurturing home life. He was content with being her silent guardian as long as she was happy. Three months had passed since the last of the serial murders, and the city had finally begun to find peace again. One evening, Natalia stayed late at the office to finish a design draft. By the time she stepped out, the sky was pitch-black. Afine, persistent drizzle fell, and a chill wind nipped at her face. Natalia wrapped her coat tighter around her and hurried home. Given the proximity of her home to the office, she didn't drive, but tonight she quickened her pace. As she rounded a corner, she tripped over a stone and tumbled down. She swiftly scrambled to her feet, berating herself for her clumsiness. She was thankful for the concealment offered by the darkness that kept her fall from view. The thought of how mortifying it would've been if anyone had witnessed her stumble crossed her mind. Before she could fully stand, a pair of black boots appeared before her, and then she was abruptly lifted into the air by a pair of strong arms. She gasped in shock, unfamiliar and metallic scents invading her senses. "Who are you? Let me go!" Natalia struggled frantically. But her captor remained silent, carrying her swiftly away from the safety of the lit streets.

Just as she was about to scream for help, a hand—reeked of blood—clamped over pyEmaDi®) She fel payseots IPiightheaded. Despite her best efforts to fight back, her strength waned, and the man carried her like the wind, away from the noisy boulevard. Please read the original content at . When they finally stopped, the man threw Natalia to the ground and let out a maniacal laugh. Terrified, Natalia looked up at him and scrambled to her feet. "Who are you?" "The serial killer you've heard about!" He boomed. His face was concealed behind a mask, leaving only his eyes visible. Natalia took a step back, and the memory of those brutal murders from months ago was rushing back. She tried to stand her ground, lifting her chin to face the towering figure in the darkness. “What do you want? You've killed so many innocent people. How can you continue this madness? Turn yourself in!” Her voice quivered despite her attempt to sound composed.This is property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

“Ha ha ha... Turn myself in? That doesn’t exist in my world. I'm her rid the world of feprtesiEwome like YONI dispensable. You all deserve to die!” He pointed at Natalia, his voice gruff and menacing. Please read the original content at . In the pitch darkness, Natalia couldn't make out the man’s expression, but she could feel a palpable sense of terror radiating from him. “Why? Why do you kill women?”

If Magnus knew she was engaging in a midnight ethical debate with a criminal, he'd be livid enQugt bh ig oy {eset Bit atalia’s only goal was to buy time, praying for someone, anyone, to come along. She tried her best to persuade the man not to take her life. Please read the original content at . "I once loved a woman so deeply,” the man began, his gaze fixed on Natalia's petite frame with a venomous glint, "and she left me for another man's wealth."