The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus) novel Chapter 360

James acted swiftly to dissolve the partnership with Stitches Fashion and swiftly filed a lawsuit against them for maliciously deceiving Andersen Corporation and causing significant financial loss. In the process, he also brought the main culprits, William and Diana, to court.

The court found Stitches Fashion guilty of fraud and ruled that Andersen Corporation would solely own the Mangolia brand. No company or individual was allowed to infringe upon it. It also imposed hefty fines and sentences of two years of hard labor on William and Diana.

For Magnus, these verdicts were of no interest. His heart ached as he framed all the sketches Natalia had drawn and stored them on his desk. Even though he no longer had the courage to look at those drafts, the tear stains on them were a constant reminder of his ruthlessness.

In an attempt to find Natalia, Magnus conducted a carpet search throughout Rome, only to find a small courtyard where she had spent a year.

One day, he dismissed everyone, even James, and visited the small courtyard alone. The yard was deserted, but Natalia's easel and the plants she had cultivated were still there, growing wildly and blooming brightly.

Magnus strolled through the yard, taking in the scene as if Natalia was still there. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. He could almost see Natalia sitting in front of the easel, adding colors to the drafts with a sense of sorrow and helplessness. The drops of water falling on the ground were the tears from her eyes, full of pain and helplessness.

Magnus' eyes moistened as he walked from the yard into the house. The lingering scent of magnolia hit him as he opened the door. The delicate fragrance was heartwarming. Magnus could not help but wrap his arms around himself as if he were holding Natalia.

Yet, after a long silence, Magnus had to return to reality. The emptiness of the house reminded him that Natalia had already gone far away.

He toured the rooms of the house—one by one—where Natalia used to live. Her kitchen, her bedroom, even her bathroom... The empty rooms were filled with Natalia's presence, but he could no longer hear her cheerful laughter.

Magnus lay quietly on Natalia's bed, whispering, "Nat, if you want to punish me, you've done enough. I'm already scarred. Please, don't be so cruel. Come back, please. How am I supposed to live without you?"

Magnus stayed in the courtyard where Natalia used to live for three days and nights, not eating or drinking, heartbroken. By the time James found him, he was emaciated.

James was furious and pitied Magnus at the same time. "Magnus, look at you! A small setback has made you lose the will to live! Shouldn't you gather your strength and continue to search for Natalia? Jonas is waiting for you to take care of him. You...!"

Overwhelmed with anger, James reached out to shake Magnus, who was lying on the bed, only to discover that he was burning hot, "Damn it, he's got a fever! My God, if I hadn't come looking for you, were you planning on just burning up and dying?! How could you be so irresponsible!"

Angry as he was, James couldn't just stand by and let Magnus fall ill. He carried Magnus—tall and frail—out of Natalia's courtyard, put him in his car, and drove away from the place that had broken Magnus' spirit.

While Magnus was wasting away due to Natalia's departure, Natalia was battling for her life. Every day, she relied on an oxygen machine to breathe, and intravenous fluids nourished her body.

The sterile room was a scene of utter defeat. The only sounds were the monotonous beeping of the monitor and Hector's relentless whispers.

"Natalia, I know you can hear me. How are you feeling today? Are you feeling a bit better? Please, get well soon.

After a great deal of thinking, Natalia found her mind blank and could only hang her head in defeat. She couldn't remember anything.

One day, as usual, she stood in the fog and saw a shadow flash by in front of her. Without a second thought, she bolted after the shadow. She'd been trapped in this forsaken place for too long. At last, a glimmer of hope appeared, and she was determined to uncover the truth.

Natalia sprinted after the fleeting figure with all her might. She was panting and gasping by the time she finally caught up, only to discover it was a child.

A little boy, incredibly adorable, with soft hair and light-blue eyes, beaming a joyous smile at her.

"Who are you? Who am I? Where are we?"

Natalia couldn't help but fire off these questions at the little boy. He simply shook his head, stepped closer to Natalia, and gently placed his little hand in hers, whispering, "Mama."

This single word hit Natalia like a bolt of lightning. Suddenly, a flood of memories surged into her mind, her tumultuous past playing out before her eyes.

Shipwrecked, giving birth, detoxing, escaping...