The Imposter Bride by Sallie Woods

Chapter 201

Natalia’s hand trembled as she read the letter. The paper slipped from her grasp, her heart pounded like a drum, and her blood was roaring in her ears. What on earth did the woman who had given birth to her intend to do?

A terrible thought flashed across her mind, making her heart jump with dread. Lena wouldn’t do something foolish, would she? The woman who had abandoned her all those years ago had been fine up until now. Now that Natalia had grown up and returned, Lena surely wouldn’t do something drastic, would she?

But the dreadful thought kept spreading, making Natalia’s heart pound harder. She couldn’t care less about her past problems. Letting the letter fall to the ground, she quickly followed the path Lena had taken. Outside the castle, a broad road stretched out. The direction Lena had taken was not the one leading to her home.

Natalia followed her intuition, and her heart was pounding with fear. She wouldn’t… She

couldn’t…

Although Natalia walked for what felt like forever, she couldn’t find Lena. Pain shot through her feet, and she collapsed in despair, with tears streaming down her face. Natalia didn’t know why she was crying. Was it because of her abandonment, or the thought that Lena might have done something terrible?

A car horn beeped, and Natalia looked up to see Callum rolling down his car window. “Buttercup,” he called. “Rita told me you ran out of the castle?”

Without waiting for the car to stop, he stepped out. Callum’s face was filled with concern. “Have you been crying? What happened? Are your feet hurting?”

letter she had received. She had only guessed that Lena might have done something drastic. But what if she was

Lena because of this letter?” Callum asked, taking

you

didn’t find you there. I found this letter on the ground. I opened it

spoke, Callum helped Natalia to her feet. “Let’s go look for Lena.

Callum had read her letter “But Cal, where should

saw her heading this way, but

anywhere.”

by car,” he assured her. After helping

out about her origins, but now that she knew, he didn’t want

concern. “Lena, you’ve held on for so many years. Please

was pale. She was afraid that things would turn out as she

Lena was indeed planning to end her life. Natalia’s heart sank, and she let

think.” His words rang hollow even to his

a shrill voice rang out, “You shameless

the right to

Alice, a woman she had met once before, marching

them.