The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)
Chapter 574

The city that never sleeps glittered in its nocturnal splendor, with kaleidoscopic neon lights flickering into the wee hours before reluctantly dimming.

Outside Jonas' room, a figure loomed-an elderly cleaning lady with a weathered face and fragile frame. She glanced around furtively, then swiftly used a card to unlock the sealed door and slipped inside in utter silence.

This "cleaning lady" was none other than Elisea, adorned with a masterful disguise, having stealthily shadowed Jonas throughout the entire day.

Driven by a mission that she was determined to accomplish swiftly, Elisea had meticulously mapped Jonas' movements, biding her time until he was thoroughly inebriated from an evening of indulgence. Only then did she follow him back to the hotel.

Tonight, she was adamant, and success was the only option. She had to seize the opportunity to complete her task and vanish from the scene.

Inside the room, all was quiet save for the faint sound of Jonas' light snoring.

Elisea had learned her lesson from a previous encounter with Jonas, and now approached with caution. She lingered at the doorway, listening intently until she was certain that Jonas was indeed sound asleep She tiptoed towards the bed, gazing at Jonas sprawled out, a silent, mocking smile crossing her face. "Don't blame me, Jonas," she thought. "I hope you'll be the last one I ever have to dispatch. Maybe in your next life, you'll choose to be someone ordinary and avoid making so many enemies."

Elisea paid a silent two-second tribute to the life she was about to extinguish, then drew her silenced pistol from her waistband and, without a moment's hesitation, aimed and fired at the bed.

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The muted sound of the silenced gun barely disturbed the air, and just as Elisea's lips began to curl into a smile of victory, she realized the bed was empty. Stunned, she spun around, searching for Jonas, only to replace herself suddenly enveloped in a searing embrace.

As an assassin, Elisea was unaccustomed to being so thoroughly outmaneuvered. She instinctively threw an elbow back at her assailant.

But Jonas, ever the strategist, had anticipated her move. Not only did he deftly counter it, but he also secured her arm tightly against him.

The potent scent of his cologne wafted into Elisea's nostrils, triggering an uncomfortable sensation throughout her body. Her heart pounded erratically, signaling the onset of an inexplicable turmoil. Elisea attributed the feeling to her unfamiliarity with such proximity, and with a flicker of ferocity in her eyes, she attempted a backward kick aimed squarely at Jonas' penis.

Her foot had barely lifted when it was caught by a vice-like grip, Jonas' warmth compelling her to instinctively struggle. "Bastard, let go!" she spat.

Jonas' hand trailed up from her ankle, and he exhaled a contented sigh, "Sweetheart, you're not getting away this time."

His breath tickled her ear, leaving Elisea momentarily dazed as her heart raced uncontrollably as if something momentous was about to occur. Seizing the moment of her distraction, Jonas swiftly flipped her around, pinning her beneath him on the plush bed, his body radiating heat.

Gazing into her eyes, which bore into his soul, Jonas uttered with deep affection, "Ellie."

The sound of her name snapped Elisea back to reality, though she was at a loss as to how this man she was meant to assassinate had seen through her disguise. Now was not the time for such musings. Elisea thrashed fiercely, humiliated by being pressed beneath Jonas. After years of flawless missions, she had never experienced such a failure, to be so thoroughly dominated by her intended victim!

No matter how she struggled, Jonas easily countered every move, leaving her helplessly ensnared.

And Jonas, on top of her, was infuriating-tracing the contours of her face with his calloused thumb before pressing it against her lips, igniting a fire within her. Her brain reeled at the contact, and his fingers were scorching, tinged with a hint of tobacco. Her scalp tingled.

Feeling utterly violated by Jonas' actions, Elisea mustered all her strength to break free from his enigmatic gaze, her pride stinging as tears welled up, unbidden. She cursed herself for her weakness; an assassin should never be reduced to such a state. Yet, unable to control her emotions, tears spilled from her eyes, cascading down her cheeks in silent defiance.

Jonas tenderly wiped away her tears, each touch softening something deep within him. He had traced her likeness from photographs countless times, yet it was never enough. He had once thought he could settle for any woman, but seeing her again, he knew he could never compromise. Without her, his life would be unbearably empty...

"Ellie, don't cry," he murmured, his voice a hoarse whisper that sent a fresh torrent of tears down her cheeks.

Elisea fought furiously but remained trapped within his grasp.

With every irritated and helpless expression that crossed her flushed face, Jonas felt a surge of tenderness and protectiveness.

He hadn't expected her to cry, and loosening his hold, he cradled her tear-streaked face, following the path of her tears with kisses that landed on her longed-for lips. Her taste was as intoxicating as he remembered, ensnaring him, rendering him helpless to resist.

As their lips melded together, Jonas' blood rushed with excitement. He savored her soft lips, tracing the flavor imprinted in his very bones, but it wasn't enough. His entire being clamored for more, ever more. He greedily pried open her mouth, sweeping through her sweet depths with a dominance softened by the fear of hurting her.

Elisea's eyes shimmered with unshed tears, wishing she could snap Jonas' neck on the spot. Yet, no matter how she struggled, she couldn't break free from his hold. As her strength waned and she succumbed to his kiss, she felt the ultimate humiliation.

With their lips locked in a fierce dance, Jonas felt the blood coursing through his veins, his desire for her unrelenting. He deepened the kiss, exploring every inch of her mouth, immersing himself in the taste that haunted his very essence, still craving more.

The moment his lips crashed against hers with a fierce urgency, Elise's heart began to pound wildly in her chest. For some inexplicable reason, this sensation felt hauntingly familiar, so familiar that tears involuntarily started spilling from her eyes, streaming unchecked down her cheeks.

Elise despised this vulnerability. As an assassin, she was meant to be cold and merciless, and it infuriated her to replace herself so out of control!

What kind of sorcery had this detestable man cast upon her?

His kiss was like a tempest, wild and unrelenting, sweeping through her mind and leaving her dizzy. She was powerless against his onslaught, her senses wholly commandeered, much like a tiny vessel caught in the throes of a vast and merciless ocean.