The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus) novel Chapter 560

As the final bell rang, Anna emerged from the classroom amidst a flurry of chatter from her classmates. Through their gossip, she discovered the prodigious young speaker, Jonas, had left the school a couple of days ago.

In the quiet of her own thoughts, Anna pictured Jonas as the model older brother, no doubt showering his little sister with affection.

Taking a deep breath, she felt the ache in her chest subside. With that, she let the thought of Jonas drift to the back of her mind and headed off to her next class. Life, after all, is a journey filled with beautiful surprises, though some may be the regrets of chance encounters.

*

Jonas had departed Canada, soaring through the skies on a plane bound for Hawaii. It had been quite some time since he last saw his mom, Natalia, and he was eager for their reunion.

After a lengthy flight, the plane touched down at the Hawaiian airport. A weary Jonas stepped off the plane, grabbed his luggage, and hailed a cab to the beachfront villa that was their new home.

It was a sunny Hawaiian morning, and Natalia was idly painting by the seashore, oblivious to Jonas' arrival.

Jonas approached silently, standing behind her, watching as she added final touches to her painting. The canvas depicted the deep blue of the ocean meeting the sky at the horizon. A soft sandy beach stretched into the distance, where a small figure with a cute pink sunhat scampered barefoot towards the water's edge.

Jonas knew that this painting was his mom's way of missing her long-lost daughter. And for some inexplicable reason, as he watched, the image of Grace, the girl he met in Canada, superimposed itself over the painting, as if she could leap off the canvas at any moment.

Shaking his head, he dismissed the thought as a jet-lagged illusion.

Natalia finally finished the painting, turned to stretch her neck, and spotted Jonas. "Jonas?" She gasped. Her mouth was agape for a moment before pulling him into a tight embrace. "My goodness, my boy, how did you just appear out of nowhere?"

"Just wanted to surprise you," Jonas replied, hugging her back. "I've missed you, Mom."

Their warm reunion was soon interrupted by Magnus, who had just finished work and was surprised not only to find Natalia painting but also their son home without warning. "Kid, why didn't you give us a heads-up?" Magnus chided affectionately as he wrapped an arm around Natalia, a playful reminder that even his son couldn't monopolize his wife's attention.

Jonas caught the gesture, feigning annoyance at the friendly rivalry. "I wanted to make sure someone was taking good care of Mom while I was away."

Magnus chuckled. "I take very good care of my wife, thank you very much." He turned to Natalia, saying softly, "Let's head back; it's too windy out here."

Before Magnus could lead her away, Jonas grabbed Natalia's hand and led her towards the house. "Mom, let's hurry. I can't wait to taste your home-cooked meal."

"Cheeky brat, we have a housekeeper for that! Don't trouble your mother," Magnus called out, his voice trailing off with laughter as he stayed behind to gather the abandoned easel.

As Magnus looked at the painting, his expression softened with sadness. It was clear Natalia had been thinking of their daughter. Watching Jonas and Natalia walking ahead, Magnus felt a hopeful longing that their daughter would return someday, completing their warm family.

*

Two days later, Jonas had to leave the comforts of home to continue his studies back in the States. He said his reluctant goodbyes to Natalia and Magnus and boarded a flight alone, his thoughts a mix of family love and academic duty.

In the airport lounge, while waiting to board, Jonas passed a gift shop and spotted a plush purple bear with a sparkling crown in the window. He asked the clerk to wrap it up and tucked it into his backpack. The bear was a gift for Madeline, the darling daughter of his mentor, Berlin. She was treated like a princess in her father's doting eyes.

Berlin, a reserved Frenchman, had been especially kind to Jonas during his studies in the States, treating him with a father-like affection. Berlin often invited Jonas to his home, where his little girl enjoyed Jonas' playful company.