The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)
Chapter 567

Down in the dining room on the ground floor, Lauren had already prepared a table full of delicious food.

Anna took a deep breath as she looked at the spread before her. "Mmm, smells heavenly!"

"Come on, you little foodie, dig in before it gets cold," Johanson said kindly, pulling out a chair for Anna. After she sat down, he took the seat next to her and began to serve her some food.

In no time, Anna's plate was piled high like a little mountain. Anna looked at her plate with a mix of amusement and exasperation in her eyes. "Johanson, I could have served myself, you know. How am I supposed to finish all this?"

"Take your time. You're too skinny as it is. You need the nourishment," Johanson remarked, glancing at Anna's slender wrist with a hint of concern. "Look at you, not an ounce of fat on you. People might think you're being starved at home."

Anna resigned herself to the task at hand and began to eat. "Alright, with the way you're feeding me, I'll turn into a little piglet in no time."

Johanson laughed. "Even if you become a piglet, you will be the most beautiful piglet around!"

Anna couldn't help but smile, shaking her head lightly before focusing on the feast in front of her.

After a pleasant meal, Johanson asked Lauren to bring over a fruit platter. He noticed a bit of food on the corner of Anna's mouth and leaned over to wipe it off for her.

Anna felt a bit embarrassed and looked at Johanson seriously. "Next time, I can do it myself, Johanson."

"It's no big deal. I used to do this for you all the time. Nothing to be embarrassed about," Johanson replied nonchalantly.

"But I'm grown up now," Anna's cheeks flushed slightly. "I'm too old for you to be wiping my mouth for me."

Johanson chuckled, pretending to be wounded. "Alright, alright, I'll remember that next time. You are all grown up and don't like being looked after anymore!"

Thinking that Johanson was actually upset, Anna quickly tried to explain, "That's not what I meant, Johanson..."

She didn't get to finish her sentence before Johanson burst out laughing. "I'm just teasing you, silly girl. Now, eat some fruit. I'm looking forward to hearing you practice piano later."

Relieved that Johanson wasn't really angry, Anna quickly ate some fruit and went upstairs to practice piano.

As twilight deepened, Anna played beautiful piano pieces while Johanson listened intently. The melodious notes floated through the moonlit room, echoing far and wide.

He watched Anna's slender figure, her long hair cascading down her back. Yes, she had grown up. Fifteen years old now, soon to become a young lady. She was as beautiful as a pure angel, a beacon of goodness in this world, flourishing under his care.

This was the girl he had raised with all his heart, as precious to him as life itself. In the future, he would be there for her, always.

Meanwhile, in the United States...

Major General Jonas of the U.S. Army was exceptionally busy these days. He received orders from his superiors to gather a team of elite Marines and assist the local law enforcement in pursuing a notorious serial killer.

The criminal, wrapped in explosives, had taken a young girl hostage in a shopping mall and demanded $300,000 in cash and a plane to make his escape.

The authorities couldn't give in to such demands, so they tasked Jonas with capturing or eliminating the killer, ensuring the hostage's safety above all else. After rapidly assembling his team, Jonas arrived at the evacuated mall.

The killer held the girl by the neck with one hand, brandishing a machete with the other. He shouted threats to kill the girl and blow them all up if his demands weren't met. The young girl, pale with fear and too shaken to cry, had tears welling in her eyes.

Jonas, seeing the girl no older than four or five, thought of his own sister, who had gone missing years ago. She would be a young woman by now.

Noticing the yellow pustules on the criminal's hand, Jonas raised his arms to show he was unarmed and slowly approached, pleading, "I'm her brother. Please, don't hurt my little sister. Let's resolve your issue together."

The killer paused, eyeing Jonas warily, and shouted, "Stop! Take one more step, and I'll snap this brat's neck and set off the explosives! Are you a cop?!"

"Please, don't be rash. I'm not a cop. I beg you, don't hurt my sister. She's just a child, innocent. Take me as your hostage instead. I have a terminal illness; I don't have long to live. But she's got her whole life ahead of her. Please, don't cut it short!"

Moved by Jonas' sincere plea, the killer briefly wavered, but quickly tightened his grip on the girl, roaring, "Stay back, or I'll kill her!"

Faced with the girl's fading complexion, Jonas fought the urge to act rashly, continuing his plea for her life, hoping to save her from harm and resolve the crisis without further violence.

"Are you sick too?" The killer's grip loosened slightly, his gaze still fierce. "I got screwed over, man. Got handed a raw deal with HIV. It eats me up inside, you know? Why the hell do others get to have the sweet life while I'm stuck wrestling this beast? It's not fair, man, it's just not fair! I want to lash out and make 'em pay. I want to drag everyone down with me!"

As he spoke, the venom returned to his eyes. "Come on, join me. Let's take 'em all out! We'll send them all straight to hell with us!"

"Alright, just... can you let go of my sister first? She's the only one in this world I give a damn about. As long as she's safe, I'm game for whatever you want!" Jonas continued to play the part of the devoted brother.