The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)

His body, traitorous as ever, gravitated toward Elisea, who lay sprawled on the bed. His unruly hands yearned to enfold her and shower her with affection.

The delicate sensation sent Jonas trembling with excitement, a tingling sensation as if struck by lightning. Reaching out, he pulled Elisea into his arms. A thought suddenly struck him - she was once his woman. Why couldn't he touch her?

Startled by his touch, Elisea's eyes flew open. Upon seeing Jonas' arms tightly wrapped around her, she slapped him without a second thought. "Jerk!"

Elisea tumbled across the bed, wrapping her revealed form with the thin, silk sheet, glaring at Jonas furiously. "You creep, did you pick the lock to get in?!" Jonas' cheek quickly bore the mark of her five fingers, and he shook his head honestly, pointing to the open window. "No, I climbed through the window." Elisea was both angry and amused, biting her lip before looking up and glaring fiercely at Jonas. "I can't believe you're such a perv - get out of here!"

Seeing the rage in Elisea's face shifting from red to pale, Jonas wanted to explain but then thought better of it. However, he swore to the heavens that when he climbed through the window, he had no intention of taking advantage of Elisea - he simply wanted to hold her as they slept.

Well, that was still taking advantage, especially over the fact that he had just seen her body.

Thus, Jonas' eyes filled with a mournful expression when he saw the fierce look on Elisea's face. His heart softened. "Ellie, let me explain. I just wanted to hold you while we slept. I was worried you wouldn't be comfortable sleeping in a strange place!"

This statement only infuriated Elisea even more. This idiot was only thinking of sleeping with her!

Fuming, Elisea glared at Jonas and pointed to the door, her voice sharp with reprimand, "Get out now!"

In the dead of night, Elisea's angry voice was particularly piercing, causing the thin sheet to fall from her grasp, revealing her perfect, tightly sculpted figure.

Bathed in the lamplight, Elisea's exquisite form shimmered seductively, giving Jonas an eyeful. He grinned devilishly.

"Out! Jerk!"

Elisea, used to being brash and blunt, didn't notice her sheet had fallen as she stomped her foot, demanding that he leave.

"Ellie, it's not like I haven't seen your body before." Jonas stepped forward, taking in her trembling, petite form. "Years ago, I touched every part of you, and I mean every part." Jonas couldn't bear to take his eyes off Elisea, wishing he could devour her whole.

"...Get out!" Elisea was beyond words with anger!

Under Elisea's fierce gaze, Jonas reluctantly made his way out. But then, he recklessly dashed back to pick up the fallen sheet and drape it over her. "Babe, you dropped your sheet. Don't catch a cold." With that, he hopped out like a rabbit, disappearing from view.

Only then did Elisea realize her sheet had fallen. Oh my god!

"Jonas! I'm going to kill you!" Elisea's thunderous roar echoed throughout the villa.

To avoid actually being done away with by an infuriated Elisea, Jonas prudently stayed away, instead soaking himself in the bathtub. He had no choice. The sight of Elisea's naked body had set his blood racing, and if he hadn't cooled down in the water, he might've just burst a blood vessel.

Meanwhile, Elisea locked her door in a mix of embarrassment and rage, then meticulously checked all the windows in her bedroom, ensuring they were all secured before comfortably settling back into bed. She was too exhausted to argue with the shameless Jonas. When dawn broke, she was definitely going to make him pay!

The next day.

When Elisea awoke and descended the stairs, she found the dining table in the living room laden with a feast of food, and Jonas was there, donning an apron and setting plates and cutlery. Elisea came down with a frosty expression, not hesitating to strike at the nape of Jonas' neck. She had promised herself the night before that this jerk would pay with his life for the humiliation she suffered! But before her hand could reach Jonas' neck, he dodged as if he had eyes in the back of his head, then turned around with a grin. "Awake? Breakfast's ready. Come and eat."

Elisea remained silent, her face dark as she aimed another blow at Jonas' abdomen. Jonas bent out of the way and firmly caught Elisea's incoming arm, pulling her close with eyes brimming with indulgence. "Alright, cut it out, or breakfast will get cold."

Elisea struggled to break free, but her efforts were futile against his strength. She realized the gap between them, stomping on his foot in frustration. "You perv!"

Suddenly, Jonas chuckled mischievously, his gaze sweeping over Elisea as he cleared his throat. "Can't let you kill me just yet. I need a few days to get my affairs in order. Ellie, give me three days. Then you can complete your mission and take me out."

"Do you think I'll believe that? Jonas, if you dare, stay still. I'll take your life right now!" Elisea glared at him, wanting nothing more than to flatten that infuriating face of his.

"Ellie, my word is my bond. But if you kill me, will you come back?" If he wasn't wrong, someone was using his life to threaten Elisea. So why not entrust his life to her and let her complete her mission? Perhaps then she could live freely.

"Once I've killed you, I'll disappear. Jonas, I have to kill you. Don't blame me!" Her eyes flickered coldly, but Jonas could discern a glint of tears hidden behind. She had indeed been threatened. "Alright, I promise you, three days, and then you can kill me!" He released her and got up, leaving the villa, leaving behind a table full of food and a stunned Elisea.

Jonas drove away from the villa and

headed straight to the CT Technologies office. As he turned on his computer, he saw an email from his assistant, Brendan He clicked open the email, his dark eyes quickly clouding over with a brooding, shadowy intensity. With each word he read, a towering inferno of anger

built within him. His face was etched

with the agony of heartache.

It turned out that for the past three years, Elisea had been coerced by Jarvis, the notorious leader of NH in Country C, and forced into becoming one of his top assassins!

Jarvis had held Elisea's mother hostage, and turned Elisea into a tool for murder. He even orchestrated a plot for Elisea to kill Jonas.

As Jonas absorbed the indignities Elisea had suffered, his fury knew no bounds. He cursed himself for not crushing Jarvis' den when he had the chance and for allowing the love of his life to endure such torment for all this time.

His heart bled with a sorrow so acute, it was as if his entire being was engulfed in a wrath so powerful that it threatened to tear the world asunder.