The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)
Chapter 468

Staring at the pile of belongings at the doorstep, Gabby felt her icy heart thaw for the first time. She had been disillusioned with the world, never expecting to replace such camaraderie in the most desolate of places.

Wiping a tear from her eye, Gabby choked up with gratitude towards the housemaids gathered outside. "Thank you, thank you all so much."

The maids didn't respond; instead, they scattered as if they had seen something-or someone they didn't want to mess with.

Gabby followed their gaze and saw a young boy, around eleven or twelve, approaching. He had an air of confidence and walked up to her with his chin slightly raised, "I hear Grandpa got me a new plaything?" Confused by the boy's words, Gabby was speechless, unsure of how to respond.

The boy's temper flared when she didn't answer. "I'm talking about that little girl who came with you. Where did you hide her?"

Gabby's eyes blazed with anger. Anna, her dear daughter whom she had raised with such care, was nobody's plaything! As she was about to set the boy straight, Anna appeared beside her with a beaming smile. "Hey there, are you here to play with me?"

The boy was momentarily taken aback by Anna's angelic face but quickly regained his composure. "Yeah, come on."

He walked off without looking back, and Anna was about to follow when Gabby grabbed her. "Sweetheart, you're too young to go off with strangers," she said worriedly.

Anna stood on tiptoe, kissed Gabby's cheek, and whispered, "Don't worry, Mommy; you told me never to show what I'm really capable of, remember? I'll be okay."

With that, Anna skipped away, every bit the innocent child, yet also astoundingly precocious for her mere two years. Gabby stood rooted to the spot, realizing for the first time that Anna might just be the wiser one of the two.

In Hawaii, Magnus was shocked to learn that Lucius was still alive. He immediately began investigating Lucius' dealings in Dubai.

Paul was dispatched to Dubai to dig into Lucius' affairs. Though Lucius was now a prisoner, he had many allies. With Magnus' resources, Paul was able to uncover the extent of Lucius' activities. The revelations were so startling Paul was at a loss for words, but his loyalty never wavered. He called Magnus to disclose a significant secret.

"Mr. Magnus, it's true that Mr. Lucius is incarcerated in Dubai. But there's something even more astonishing you need to brace yourself for." Paul chose his words carefully, still habitually referring to Lucius with respect.

Magnus' heart raced, sensing the news would involve his stolen daughter. "Paul, are you about to tell me you've found my little princess?"

Paul nodded, then realizing Magnus couldn't see him, added gravely, "Yes, Mr. Magnus. I've uncovered that Lucius has a wife named Gabby in Dubai, and they have a daughter. I've obtained photos of Gabby's daily life and confirmed she's the same one who abducted our little girl years ago. Their daughter, Anna, has deep, ocean-blue eyes just like Ms. Clarkson."

The news hit Magnus like a sledgehammer, sending him reeling back into his chair. His blood seemed to freeze, and his breath was stolen away.

Anna! His daughter, undoubtedly! Only his and Natalia's daughter could possess such captivating blue eyes!

But the realization that Lucius was behind the separation from his newborn daughter and the theft from his company left him seething. "Paul," Magnus' voice was heavy with the weight of the news, and he asked Paul for confirmation, "Is all this information reliable? Is Lucius' wife really the one who took our princess?" Despite knowing Paul's meticulous nature, Magnus needed to hear it again to steady his shock

"Mr. Magnus, I've paid a steep price for this information, and I stand by its accuracy. If there's any discrepancy, I'll bear the full responsibility," Paul assured him.

"I trust your investigation, Paul," Magnus affirmed, then murmured to himself in disbelief, "I just can't believe Lucius orchestrated all this. I should have realized sooner, instead of wasting all this time!" Magnus slammed down the phone with a mix of fury and dread churning in his gut. Without a moment's hesitation, he grabbed his keys and stormed out to his car, gunning it toward the airport. There was no time to waste; he had to confront Lucius and replace out where his daughter was.

"Lucius, this time, you've crossed the line. I'm settling all scores, old and new!" Magnus vowed under his breath, his hands clenching the steering wheel with a white-knuckle grip. He boarded the next helicopte out, zooming off to the glitzy, sun-drenched city of Dubai.

Dubai's endless blue sky welcomed Magnus as he disembarked from the aircraft, the familiar pull of the city tugging at his senses. He'd been here before, several times, each visit etching memories into his mind, but he never imagined that this opulent metropolis had been his beloved daughter's home for the past year.

Paul was already at the airport, eyes scanning the crowd until they landed on Magnus. With a brisk nod, he approached and handed over a dossier on Lucius. Magnus snatched the papers without missing a beat and continued on his mission.

Arriving at Lucius' once-lavish villa, Magnus was met with the cold reality of police tape and legal notices plastered across the gates-the property had been seized. Undeterred, he drove to Lucius' office, only to replace the same fate had befallen the corporate headquarters.