The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus) novel Chapter 296

At this thought, a wave of guilt washed over Magnus. He sniffled, suppressing the sour feeling in his nose, and said in a low voice, "Honey, if this happens again, chain me up. It's the only way to ensure I don't hurt you, especially you. You know I'd rather die than cause you even a smidge of pain."

Natalia nodded in tears. "Yes, I know, I know everything. All I hope now is for you to get better soon, Magnus. Jonas and I can't live without you. We need you."

With a tearful smile, Magnus said, "Honey, do I look like a mess right now? I'm sorry you had to see me at my worst. I promised I'd bring you a lifetime of happiness, but now, I fear I won't be able to."

"Don't say that!" Natalia covered Magnus' mouth with her hand. "You mustn't talk like that. You can get through this, I know you can. The Magnus I know isn't easily defeated. Remember when you brought me back from England? You were so assertive. This little addiction is nothing; you'll pull through."

Magnus weakly grasped Natalia's hand and shook his head dejectedly. "Honey, I'm afraid I can't keep my promise. I've lost my soul this time around and turned into a complete monster. Promise me you'll chain me up next time. It's the only way to prevent me from hurting you. If I end up hurting you while I'm out of control, I'll never forgive myself!"

Tears streamed down Natalia's face as she lay on Magnus, sobbing into his chest. "I won't chain you up! Magnus, you have to fight this! Don't surrender. Dr. Frankie and James have brought in one of the top addiction specialists from the States. He can save you, I know he can!"

With trembling hands, Magnus reached out and caressed Natalia's hair as she also trembled. "Okay, honey, I'm not scared. I'm the strongest, remember? You just have to promise me that no matter what happens, you'll protect yourself first, okay? That's the only way I won't feel guilty if I hurt you while I'm out of control."

Natalia's tears soaked Magnus' chest. "I promise," she said between sobs. "But you have to promise me too, you can't lose hope. You have to beat this addiction. You have to get better soon!"

Magnus' heart ached like never before. Two tears rolled down his cheeks. He wasn't sure if he could beat this addiction, because every time it kicked in, he wished he were dead. This was a promise he just couldn't make, not with Natalia, his beloved, in such pain.

The one in agony, leaning on his chest, was his beloved wife, while he could only watch her cry helplessly. For the first time in his life, Magnus was filled with so much regret that he wished to end his life immediately.

While Natalia sang softly to Magnus, Dr. Frankie, and James went to the lab to analyze Magnus' blood samples. The toxicologist they'd brought back from the States was a man with gray hair and years of experience. He worked tirelessly through the night until he'd finally created an antidote.

He handed the antidote over to Dr. Frankie, his most promising student. "This is the best I could do, but like you, I can't guarantee it will work."

James was dumbstruck. "Dr. Frankie, are you joking? You said your mentor was the best toxicologist in the world, and he's not sure if the antidote will work?"

Dr. Frankie nodded. "Yes, my mentor is one of the best, but that doesn't mean he's the best at mixing antidotes."

Magnus felt a throbbing pain throughout his body, immobilizing him. He blinked at Dr. Frankie to signal his willingness to cooperate. "Cut the chit-chat, doc. Just hurry up with the treatment."

Magnus’ guilt towards this man was profound, as the scars on Dr. Frankie’s face were his doing. He turned his head away, refusing to meet his gaze.

"Roger that!" Dr. Frankie bent down to search for an appropriate vein, skillfully pushing the antidote into Magnus' bloodstream with a syringe. He then looked at him anxiously. "How do you feel? Any changes?"

Magnus weakly shook his head. "Nothing. I couldn’t even feel the prick of the needle when you injected it."

Dr. Frankie pondered for a moment. "The antidote just went in. It may take a while to take effect. Let's wait and see."

Magnus agreed with Dr. Frankie’s assessment, his gaze drifting to James. "James, I want you to chain me up later. I don't want to hurt my wife the next time I lose control."