The Imposter Bride (Natalia and Magnus)

Chapter 517

Jonas steadied his resolve and gazed up at the moon, now pristine against the velvety darkness. The stars sparkled like diamond dust in the sky. He was searching for the North Star, the guiding light Richard had taught him to use as a beacon when lost at sea.

Soon enough, Jonas found the brightest star piercing the night and, with it, his bearings. Having set his course, he paddled the small boat toward the southeast, the ocean around him a silent expanse chilled by the deep night. Yet Jonas felt no fear. His poise was far beyond his years as he calmly stroked through the water, his dark eyes glinting with brilliant determination.

In the States.

Aroaring Land Rover kicked up a cloud of dust as it approached, screeching to a halt on the beach. Richard stepped out and walked straight to Magnus' tent. "Magnus, any sign of Jonas?"

Magnus, his face stormy, shook his head and stared out at the sea, his brow deeply furrowed. Days had passed without a trace of Jonas.

After a while, Magnus finally spoke with a gravelly voice, "I've rarely regretted anything in my life, but now | do. | shouldn't have trusted you to take care of Jonas."

Richard's face blanched as if slapped. "I'm sorry, this is all my fault,” he said, full of remorse. Magnus didn't even glance at Richard. "What good is sorry? When will my son come back?"

Richard was riddled with guilt, regretting ever allowing Jonas to join the military ranks. He turned to Natalia, who was standing beside Magnus, and said, "Natalia, I'm so sorry. My negligence led to this, | apologize."

Natalia, too, stared blankly at the sea. After days of searching, her tears had dried up, leaving her unable to cry. Facing Richard's apology, she continued to gaze out at the water, not looking back at him.

"| don't need your apology," she said faintly. "I just pray that Jonas returns soon. We've combed every inch of this sea, and yet, there's no sign of him. Who can tell me when he will be back?"

Her words struck Richard hard. "Natalia, | promise you, | will bring Jonas back. He's my proudest protege, and | won't allow him to just vanish!" With that, Richard turned and strode back to the Land Rover, driving away from the beach without a backward glance.

Magnus and Natalia barely reacted to Richard's sudden appearance and departure. Their minds were consumed with thoughts of Jonas’ whereabouts.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

Richard drove at breakneck speed to the military base. He burst through the door, anger emanating from him like heat from a furnace, and without waiting for a greeting, he smashed the plaque hanging in the sheriff's office. The plaque shattered, its pieces clattering to the floor.

Startled by Richard's fury, the sheriff knew it was about Jonas' disappearance. "Mr. Richard, let's talk this out calmly. There’s no need for rage," he soothed.

Richard glared. "No time for talk! | didn't train my apprentice to be cannon fodder for your statistics! If you can't find him, I'll make sure this precinct goes down with him!"

Leaving the station in a huff, Richard bought some food and rented a speedboat, setting out to sea. Determined, he vowed to find Jonas, no matter the cost. Despite what others might've said, he refused to believe Jonas was dead. No one knew his apprentice better than he did. When faced with the threat of death, he believed Jonas would fight with all his tenacity.

Richard was convinced that Jonas was struggling to survive on some remote island, waiting for rescue. So, without telling a soul, he packed provisions and headed out to sea alone.

Since Magnus and James had already scoured the nearby waters to no avail, Richard aimed for distant islands, hoping for a breakthrough. He searched tirelessly from dawn to dusk, but to no avail. Yet he did not lose hope and resolved to keep searching. If he couldn't find Jonas, he would not return.

As night enveloped the sea, Richard found himself in unfamiliar waters. The moon glowed like a dim lantern overhead, the vast ocean around him was a dark, silent mystery, and the salty wind was biting at his skin.

The stillness weighed on him. His mind was heavy with concern for Jonas. Over the past ye S, sada | was Vorias' ‘ihStructor and the boy often A a the same stubborn pride as his father, Magnus, a strong bond had formed between them. Please read the original content at .

Recalling Jonas’ first grueling days of training, Richard allowed a proud smile to cross his lips before succumbing to exhaustion aboard the speedboat.

In the dead of night, a sudden squall stirred the sea, chilling to the bone and rudely awakenin chard én! SGM Re neck to gaze at the brooding storm clouds, keenly aware that the weather out on the open sea was a fickle mistress, capable of conjuring a gale with little warning. Please read the original content at .

The sea breeze gathered strength, escalating into a fierce wind that began to whip the once-calm waves into a frenzy, causing the speedboat to buck and sway precariously.

Torn between forging ahead and turning back to escape the brewing tempest's epicenter, Richard’s dilemma was abruptly interrupted by the thunderous roar of massive waves ahead.

He squinted into the distance, where a massive dark shape was rapidly approaching, its wake churning the water into a spectacle of terrifying beauty against the otherwise serene night.

A shiver of dread ran down Richard's spine as the thought struck him—could it be a afi ae tee leviathans of the deep, no amount of speedboat would be enough to save him from being capsized! Please read the original content at .