The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus) novel Chapter 338

James was kicking himself. If he'd known he was going to be stuck in this predicament, he would have never agreed to accompany Magnus to Rome.

"I've had a long flight, and I'm tired. I'll rest for a while. We can discuss it at the dinner party later," Magnus declared before heading to the bathroom. After freshening up, he lay on the spacious bed, feigning sleep.

In truth, it wasn't physical fatigue that plagued him, but a mental weariness. He'd hoped that coming here would lead him to Natalia, but instead, he'd found an impostor. The setback had left him feeling drained and downcast.

Magnus lay listlessly on the bed, slowly closing his eyes, his thoughts turning to his wife. “If you're out there, send me a signal. I miss you so much.”

Days and nights filled with longing had taken their toll. He yearned to feel her presence, to touch her soul once more.

While Magnus was lost in his melancholy, James was brimming with energy. Seeing Magnus asleep, he left the room and headed to the hotel's bar for a drink.

As Magnus drifted off into sleep, a dream began to take shape. The sky was a brilliant blue, dotted with fluffy white clouds. Beneath his feet was a well-manicured lawn, vibrant and green. Magnus strolled aimlessly across the grass, spotting a tall tree in the distance. Beneath it sat a familiar figure.

Recognizing the figure in a white dress, Magnus felt his heart race. He approached her quietly, fearing any sudden movement would startle her. As he got closer, he could see her more clearly.

Magnus halted, gazing at the woman he had longed for and missed. He wrapped his arms around her delicate waist, whispering affectionately, "My darling, I've finally found you. You have no idea how much I've missed you."

The woman looked up, and it was Natalia, reciprocating Magnus' intense gaze. She leaned into him, whispering, "Yes, I've missed you too."

Hearing Natalia's words of longing, Magnus' pent-up yearning turned into an overwhelming passion. He gazed deeply into her eyes, leaned in, and was about to kiss her tempting lips when a pungent smell hit him. It was a foul, fishy smell, like decaying seafood. It was so repulsive that Magnus was jolted out of his dream.

He opened his eyes to find the blue sky, the clouds, the tree, and Natalia all gone. It had all been a dream.

To his surprise, Diana stood in front of him in a deep V-neck dress, and his hand held hers. Caught off guard, Magnus dropped Diana's hand like it was hot, asking, "Huh? What are you doing here?"

Diana looked disappointed. She had come to invite Magnus to the dinner party. After knocking for a while and receiving no answer, she pushed the door open and entered.

Then Diana saw Magnus lying on the bed sleeping. His handsome face was breath-taking even when he’s asleep, and she couldn't help but walk over. She didn't wake Magnus up, but observed him quietly.

What she didn't expect was that Magnus in his sleep suddenly grabbed her hand and affectionately called her his daling. This title made Diana flattered, she didn't know how to react, indescribable joy filled her.

Diana snapped back to reality, replying bashfully, "Mr. Andersen, I was here to invite you and Mr. James to a dinner party we arranged for you. I knocked for a while but got no response, so I entered. I saw you sleeping and didn't want to disturb you."

"Hmm," Magnus said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he sat up. "So, you stood by my bed and waited for me to wake up? Miss Diana, didn't your parents teach you not to approach a sleeping man?"

Magnus had been thrilled by his dream of Natalia, and waking up to see Diana instead dampened his mood. His displeasure was evident in his tone and expression.

Flustered and blushing, Diana was mortified that Magnus would think less of her. In her anxiousness, she quickly tried to explain, "I... I'm not usually like this, Mr. Andersen. I just wanted, wanted..."

"Let's leave it at that, shall we?" Magnus interjected, trying to defuse the situation. "Could you please step out for a moment? I'll tidy up and be right with you." He politely ushered Diana towards the door.

Noticing a frown flicker across Magnus' face, Diana wisely decided to step outside. Just as she was leaving, James strolled in, looking completely taken aback at the sight of Diana. He couldn't figure out what was going on.

"Miss Diana?" James looked at her, clearly puzzled, as she stood in the doorway. He managed to stammer out a hello.