The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus) novel Chapter 404

Time rewound, transporting us back a year...

That day, when Hector took a bullet meant for Jonas that was fired by the crazed Lucius, the world teetered on the brink of disaster. He tumbled towards the churning sea, only to be caught at the last second by Magnus' firm grip.

But Lucius, in his madness, wouldn't let them be. He kicked at their hands with a cruelty that was chilling and even contemplated dragging Magnus into the abyss with Hector.

With a desperate move, Hector released his grip on life, pulling Lucius down with him into the icy embrace of the ocean below.

As he fell, he heard Natalia's cries—desperate, filled with an anguish that clawed at his heart. Hector managed a smile as he plunged into the waves. If his departure from this world could cause Natalia such sorrow, if it could carve a memory of him into her heart, then perhaps his end was worth something. And then, the cold sea swallowed him, tossing him like a leaf in the wind, until consciousness slipped away.

When he awoke, he was surprised to find himself not dead but cast ashore on a beach littered with pebbles, carried far downstream to a secluded isle in the northern reaches of Europe, far from the Hawaiian turmoil where his fate had turned.

Clueless and spent, Hector had no idea who he was or where he had ended up. All he knew was that warmth was fading from his body, and as the last breath of heat left his chest, death seemed imminent.

The sun was a blinding presence above. Hector squinted skyward, feeling his eyelids grow heavy, closing slowly.

Goodbye...

Even though he didn’t know to whom he bid farewell, a boundless sadness filled him. He thought it was the end, but in the last second, before unconsciousness reclaimed him, he heard a voice exclaim, "Daddy, there's someone lying over there!"

The voice was so sweet and oddly familiar, like a melody buried deep within his soul, never to be forgotten. But he had no strength left to open his eyes or to see who spoke.

The island was a world unto itself, governed by a man named Jackson, who once ruled the seas with his illicit dealings. The island had been a gift for his beloved wife, a sanctuary they sought after their daughter was born and his wife fell ill, passing too soon.

To honor her memory, Jackson raised their daughter Helen on this island, nurturing her with the same fierce love he had for her mother. Helen grew to be the spitting image of her late mother, blossoming into a radiant beauty at nineteen.