The Imposter Bride by Sallie Woods

Chapter 280
With Rita by her side, Lexi began to explore the confines of Callum’s castle.
Since her confinement, this was the first time she had the chance to wander around, and she was amazed by the grandeur of the
castle
Nestled between perfect natural scenery, surrounded by vibrant greenery and rugged mountains, it felt like being in an
impeccable world
Passing through corridors filled with delicate antiques, extravagant halls, and enchanting gardens, Lex followed Rita to the
farthest end of the castle. Ahead was a large iron gate, beyond which lay a dense forest
“What’s beyond there? Lexi asked
Rita glanced at the forest, leading Lexi further along as she spoke, ‘Miss Lexi, that’s the castle’s backyard, a massive forest. It’s
easy to get lost in there, so Mr. Callum has surrounded it with this fence”
Lexi took another look at the gate before following Rita on the tour. She would have been genuinely obsessed with this castle if it
weren’t for her captivity, but now, all she could think about was how to escape.
Rita continued to lead the way, oblivious to Lexi’s thoughts, and began explaining the different sights within the castle, ‘Miss Lexi,
this is the fountain, built during the Midde
Ages
“Excuse me,” Lexi interrupted, looking a bit sheepish. “I think I need to use the restroom.”
Rita stopped “Miss Lexi, the restroom is just around the corner, do you need me to accompany you?”
“No, no, I’m fine. I’ll go by myself” Lexi quickly walked in the direction Rita had pointed
Rita watched as Lex walked away, noticing that her demeanor had changed drastically since her arrival. Indeed, there was
nothing in life that one couldn’t get used to
Rita waited patiently, but when Lexi didn’t return after a long time, she started to panic. She was worried that Lexi might have lost
her way and hurried towards the restroom, softly calling out, “Miss Lexi? Miss Lexi?”

When Rita got close to the restroom, she was shocked to find Lexi climbing over the iron gate. She rushed towards Lexi in a
panic. “Ms. Lexi, what are you doing?”
Lex had made up her mind to escape and wasn’t going to miss this golden opportunity She kept climbing until she reached the
top, and just as Rita got closer, she jumped to the other side of the gate, clapping her hands, “Rita, thank you for taking care of
me. But I crave freedom and don’t want to be trapped in this golden cage I’m leaving goodbye!
“Ms Lex, no! The forest is too dense, you’ll get lost. And there are wolves in the woods. Please, don’t be foolish. Come back!”
Rita stomped her foot in frustration, calling out to Lexi, hoping she would return.
But with freedom so close, there was no way Lexi was going to let Rita talk her out of it. She shook her head with a smile “Even if
I get lost in this forest, I have to try Rita, you’ve never lost your freedom, so you wouldn’t understand how it feels to be a caged
bird. See you! Or rather, goodbye!”
With that, Lexi walked towards the forest without looking back.
Freedom, at last, here I come
Watching Lexis figure gradually disappear into the forest, Rita deeply regretted bringing her here. “Oh no! Ms. Lexi didn’t listen to
me. I must report this to the master immediately!” Rita murmured anxiously running towards the main castle.
Callum was pouring himself a glass of red wine when Rita told him that Lexi had climbed over the gate and gone into the forest.
He was furious and smashed the wine glass on the ground, yelling. “You let her escape? You fool! Send someone to find her
immediately!”
Scared, Rita nodded her head. “Yes, Mr. Callum, right away”
While the castle was in chaos. Lexi was enjoying her stroll in the forest. She walked on the thick fallen leaves, creating a
pleasant rustling sound. An occasional bird would hop around on branches, and sometimes a curious squirrel would peek out
from behind a tree
Lexi felt exhilarated even wondering if she had accidentally stepped into a fairy tale. She had never seen such breathtaking
beauty in the modern world. She wandered aimlessly in the forest, starting with fascination, then fatigue, and finally, terror,
because, she had lost her way
She had passed this leaning tree more than once

As darkness fell, the forest fell silent. All she could hear was the rustling sound of her own footsteps on the leaves. Suddenly, an
animal howled in the distance, adding a touch of horror to the dark night
Was that a wolf?
Lexi covered her mouth in terror, fearing that the next second, a wolf with glowing green eyes would chase her
She stumbled through the dense forest, her steps weak and unsure. She didn’t know when she could escape this terrifying
forest. Perhaps, she shouldn’t have run out of the
castle
‘Boom, rumble, rumble”
A few heavy thunderclaps echoed, followed by a heavy downpour it was the rainy season, but encountering such a night wasn’t
exactly pleasant
In just a short while, Lexi was completely drenched. The cold wind blew past, making her shiver
The cold rain kept hitting Lexi’s head and body making her unable to see the path ahead Her foot slipped, and she tumbled down
a slope crashing into a large tree and losing consciousness
Inside the castle, Callum was berating his servants who were assigned to look for Lea in the forest. “You didn’t find her? What
are you lot, good for nothing? All of you, and you can’t even find one person, you bunch of dots!”
His subordinates were taking the scolding with their heads bowed, barely daring to breathe for fear that Callum would kick them
out of the castle.