The Imposter Bride by Sallie Woods

Chapter 328

Natalia barely registered the chatter of the girl, too lost in her own thoughts. Excitement bubbled in her chest as she stared at the side profile of the artist her co–worker had shown her. It was Hector, her childhood friend Hector! And he was in Rome, of all places!

The square was not far from Natalia’s quaint little apartment, yet it felt like she had run a marathon to get there.

When she finally arrived, led by her co–worker, she spotted Hector from a distance among the street performers. He was as tall as she remembered him, but he seemed to have lost weight. His face held a look of melancholy as if he had shut out the world.

Indeed, it was Hector, the boy who had once filled her life with hope, who had grown up with her, now standing right before her.

Natalia halted, turning to her co–worker. “He’s an old friend of mine. I can’t believe we’re both in such a faraway place. It’s quite serendipitous.

Thank you for bringing me here.”

Although Natalia was a bit flustered, her co–worker could sense her joy. She smiled at Natalia, pleased with the good deed she had done. “It’s no big deal, really You don’t have to thank me. I should head back to work now. Don’t want to keep you from catching up with your friend.”

With a wave, her co–worker left, leaving Natalia to approach Hector.

At that moment, it felt as if everything around Natalia had gone silent. She moved closer, taking in the sight of Hector engrossed in his painting

How quickly time had flown. It’d been six years and Hector was no longer the bright, sunny boy she knew. His face was now marked with

and a hint

a nearly finished painting. Even from a distance, she could recognize it was her profile. A few people were gathered around, patiently waiting for the painting to be

so fast, and she and Hector had not seen each

life, was an indelible part of her

Standing a few steps away from him, sadness

she watched him sketch her likeness, his eyes

had almost forgotten about the bright and optimistic boy in her tumultuous life.

a permanent melancholy. A gentle

eyes as she watched. “Hector,

in the square, pouring all his longing for Natalia into his art. It was as if this was the only way to perfectly capture

his painting of a girl in a white dress, he heard a whimper nearby, followed

whispers

tall and thin, with somewhat pale skin, her petite face carrying tears, and her large eyes staring straight

must have been dreaming just now. What he saw must have been an illusion. Natalia, who had passed away five or six years

front of him, sobbing, with a face full of sorrow Hector knew that it must be Natalia’s spirit questioning him, asking why he didn’t protect her back then, why he left

devill

back then, watching as the weak Natalia was trapped by

inaction. “Natalia, I’m sorry, I caused all of this. If there’s a next life, I’m willing to repay the debt I owe for my cowardice, and stay by your side to atone for my

picked up his brush to continue adding color to the oil painting. He was painting a girl in the flower room, the backdrop a large patch of passionate lavender.

lavenders

added a butterfly to the lavender field when he heard sobbing beside him