The Imposter Bride by Sallie Woods

Chapter 40

Magnus‘ phone buzzed; it was a message from Dr. Frankie. He glanced at it, revealing a wry smile.

[Congrats, Magnus, Mrs. Andersen is quite a catch,] the text read.

Natalia, meanwhile, was still basking in the good news, pushing the wheelchair in a state of

bliss. Linden followed behind them as they walked out.

As they reached the hospital entrance, Linden prepared to start the car, while Natalia stood with Magnus at the hospital’s entrance. Suddenly Magnus felt a gun aimed at him from behind the hospital shade, “BAM BAM!” With the sound of the gunshot, the bullet was already flying towards Magnus‘ head.

Natalia was standing directly in their path. Magnus instinctively grabbed her, sending the

wheelchair careening away.

The shadowy figure fired again, and Magnus‘ wheelchair veered towards the flower beds by

the entrance.

“Are you okay, darling?” Magnus checked Natalia for injuries, his heart pounding in his chest.

“Who’s trying to kill us?” Natalia stuttered, her heart ready to leap out of her chest.

Magnus did his best to comfort her, “Stay calm. Don’t move.”

Another burst of gunfire echoed through the air, bullets shattering the concrete of the flower beds. One grazed Magnus‘ arm, drawing blood.

Natalia screamed, “Magnus, you’re hurt!”

The gunfight raged on, with Linden now exchanging fire with their assailants. Magnus held Natalia close, “Stay in my arms. Don’t look up.”

Suddenly, she heard Magnus grunt in pain. Lifting her head, she saw a fresh stream of blood trickling down his

and had to protect her How was that possible?

the car, tossing Natalia inside “Stay inside. darling

She saw Magnus‘ wheelchair slide to the right. Then he pulled a gun from his waist “Boom boom!” A couple shots

the car

jumped into the car, bullets hitting the door as it

Chapter 40

chaos in

at him anxiously, “Sir, we

they would be walking

seeing the blood soaking through Magnus‘ shirt, began to cry. She took off her coat, pressing it against his wound. “There’s a bullet inside. We need to get

her, “It’s okay. Linden can take care of it. It’s too dangerous to go to

staining her coat as Magnus‘ blood seeped into

thet finally arrived at the

helped Magnus into a study, locking the door behind them. Natalia tried to follow, but Linden stopped her, “Ms. Natalia, I need to remove the

her clothes stained with Magnus‘ blood. She felt an intense pain in her chest, a feeling of helplessness she had never

condition. Dr. Frankie reassured

into a clean set of clothes and fetching a fresh shirt

study; she’d never been so helpless as she was now. Magnus had shielded her from being shot earlier in the gunfire, and if it hadn’t been for her, he wouldn’t have been shot as the wheelchair slid slowly with

it

ever cared about her like that.

what felt like an eternity, the study door finally

slight smile. He s okay, we got the bullet out. Nat,

nodded, entering the study Magnus laid on a small bed, his face pale but his eyes alert.

eyes again, “You’re not fine You’ve lost so

Magnus is a tough one He’ll be

over her. As she helped Magnus clean up, she realized that she truly