The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus) novel Chapter 9

She flicked on the light and walked in, towel in hand. Approaching the bedside table, she gazed at the immaculate 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, black trousers, and suits. This man was cold and eccentric, 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 accompanying 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-hearted 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 relay 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 you come 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't come back, I'm going to come 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 uncontrollably. 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.]