The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus) novel Chapter 398

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

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

Callum's gaze was firmly fixed on Lexi. His appetite for food was utterly forgotten. He shook his head slowly, responding more to Lexi than to Natalia. "Why don't I hold Mason for a bit? You go ahead and eat."

His offer only made Lexi clutch their son tighter, her eyes wary. "Don't even think about swiping my boy. He's mine, I'm telling you."

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

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

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

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

Magnus, who had followed them to the table, began to clink his fork against his plate with an exaggerated flair. "My, the breakfast is particularly scrumptious today, isn't it?"

Natalia rolled her eyes at him. She couldn't tell what was so special about today's fare.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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