The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)

"Why? Why are you so good to me? Who are you, really?" Elisea stared at Jonas in disbelief. Did this guy have a screw loose? At first, he had brought her home and treated her to gourmet meals and luxury, and now he was offering himself up on a silver platter for her to complete her mission.

She couldn't understand any of it. If it was because Jonas fancied her looks-it seemed unlikely. Girls like her were a dime a dozen. How could he possibly be interested in her? There had to be some sort of scheme at play!

Jonas gazed into her deep, dark eyes, clear as crystal waters. He leaned down and lightly touched her shining forehead with his lips, sending a shiver of something inexplicable through Elisea's body... "I'm Jonas, the one person in this world who cares about you the most, darling," he said, his voice a deep and resonant whisper in her ear.

Elisea's defenses melted away in an instant. She had never heard such heartfelt words before. Perhaps the hellish last three years had stripped away her vulnerability, but now, she found herself nestling comfortably in his embrace, a sense of familiarity washing over her as she closed her eyes in peace.

Jonas carried Elisea to the car parked on the sandy shore, feeling as if he held the entire world in his arms - a feeling of unparalleled contentment. He carefully placed Elisea in the passenger seat and buckled her in before driving them back to the beachfront villa.

Elisea sat quietly beside him, torn about whether to go on like this. She was here to kill him, after all. How had she fallen for his tender trap? No, she couldn't waver. Her mother was still in the clutches of some villain, and she had to stay firm in her resolve to eliminate Jonas!

Her gaze turned icy once more as she turned to Jonas. "I don't care about why you're being nice to me, but I'm sorry, I still have to kill you."

Jonas drove steadily, his handsome face betraying no emotion. He simply nodded. "Hmm."

"What do you mean?" Elisea was dying to crack open his skull and see what the heck he was thinking.

"What else? It's the only way for you to complete your mission, isn't it?" Jonas said as they arrived back at the villa. He helped Elisea out of the car like a true gentleman. "As it stands, aside from letting you kill me, there doesn't seem to be any other way for you to accomplish your goal."

Elisea stepped out of the car, her gaze frosty. "Jonas, I've never known anyone to let an assassin kill them to complete a mission. I don't care about your schemes, but Jonas, I must kill you."

Jonas faced her without a trace of turmoil, took her hand, and walked with her toward the villa. "Yeah, I'm letting you kill me to complete your task, but the catch is you gotta stick around to do it, right?" Elisea didn't respond. She walked into the villa and headed straight for the upstairs bedroom, slamming the door behind her with a resounding bang. Her heart began to race uncontrollably. She had always been cold and ruthless, yet why did she feel so weak around Jonas? Maybe she really needed Landon to take Jonas out for her.

Jonas was left on the other side of the door and touched his nose reflexively. If his reaction hadn't been quick, he could have ended up with a broken nose. "Ellie, you seem to have forgotten dinner," he called through the thick door.

"I've already eaten," Elisea rejected without hesitation. Her mind was made up; come hell or high water, she would not let that wolf in sheep's clothing through her door tonight.

Undeterred, Jonas tried another angle. "Well, at least open the door and let me grab a blanket. It's getting a bit chilly tonight."

Elisea laughed silently to herself.

What a terrible excuse! In this weather, a light blanket would suffice; nobody needed a full comforter, Besides, in a villa as lavish as this, she didn't believe for a second that Jonas only had one blanket at his disposal. So, with a cold snort, she jeered through the door, "Ha, Jonas, you better drop those silly seduction games. No matter what you say tonight, there's no way I'm letting you in!"

With that, Elisea collapsed onto her bed, listening intently for any sound from outside. After a moment of silence, she heard retreating footsteps - Jonas must have given up and skulked away. Elisea smirked. Served him right!

Relieved that she wouldn't have to worry about Jonas barging in, she finally settled in for a peaceful night's sleep. After a quick rinse in the bathroom, she didn't bother with pajamas and dove straight under the thin blanket, reveling in the sensation of her skin against the silky fabric.

Perhaps worn out from the day's thoughts, Elisea soon drifted off to sleep.

As the moon began its descent, the blissfully unaware Elisea didn't notice her bedroom window easing open and a shadow slipping inside.

That shadow was none other than Jonas - thwarted at the door and certain she'd resolved not to let him in. He had cleverly retreated, biding his time until he guessed Elisea would be asleep, then he quietly scaled up to the second-floor balcony and made his way into her bedroom.

A soft nightlight illuminated Elisea's room, casting a warm glow over her less-than-ladylike sleeping position. She lay sprawled out, completely at ease, oblivious to the new presence in her room.

As Jonas approached the bed, he

was greeted by an enticing scene. A mix of black, pink, and red swirled together instantly flooding Jonas mind with blood. He swallowed dryly, unable to believe the feast for the eyes before him - the gentle contours of Elisea's body were

setting him ablaze.

For three years, he had searched for her, haunted by memories of their time together. Back then, he had pursued her nightly, but her growing belly had always cut their passion short.

In all this time, women had thrown themselves at him, yet he remained unmoved. As for Madeline, she had always been like a sister to him, and not even a kiss was exchanged.

Suddenly, he felt a warmth on his

nose. Touching it, he saw the

—

l.ne

startling red on his fingers he was bleeding from the nose, overcome by the sight before him. Jonas couldn't believe it, shaking his Kead in disbelief. He was no longer the green kid, untouched by the storms of passion, yet today, he felt utterly flustered just by witnessing her embarrassing moment.

The desires that had been simmering within him for the past three years suddenly erupted, beyond his control. He could feel the blood in his veins roaring, a parched thirst pulsating through him, craving to possess her.

Jonas turned away, but he couldn't help but walk over to the bedside. He closed his eyes, yet the heat within him was still too intense to ignore.