A Loveless Marriage

Chapter 7

Natalia’s POV

Life is beautiful with love, and it becomes even better when that love becomes a permanent part of your life. When I first met Magnus, I thought I had found my true love. He brought me a glimpse of heaven, even though it was short-lived. But it was incredibly beautiful.

After we got married, I believed that life would be perfect. However, Magnus turned my life into a living hell. Amidst this hell, there was one person who became my strength, and that person is my daughter, Xenia. It's still hard to believe that I am a mother to such a beautiful girl.

I've heard people say countless times that she is not my biological daughter and that I'm faking my love for her. But I never cared about their opinions. All that matters to me is my family—Magnus and Xenia.

I may find it in my heart to forgive Magnus and even consider leaving him, but Xenia, she is my everything. My love for her gave me the strength to stand up against Magnus. Otherwise, I would have never had the courage to do so.

I stood up for the sake of taking care of my daughter, and I will always continue to do so.

Until yesterday, I never fully grasped how crucial Xenia is in my life, but now I understand. I am not going to leave here, regardless of whether Magnus likes it or not.

With these thoughts, I fell asleep and woke up the next morning with a determination to give my all for my girl. I quickly took a shower since I slept late and realized it was almost time for breakfast. After getting ready, I went to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.

Meanwhile, Magnus and Xenia were still asleep in the room. When I finished cooking, I headed back to the room.

Just as I was about to call for Xenia, I noticed that she was awake and playing with her father's hair. I kissed her on her cheeks and placed some pillows to create a barrier so she wouldn't fall off the bed.

I sat in front of the dressing table and started combing my hair. While doing that, I noticed Magnus rubbing his eyes.

"Good morning, Magnus," I said, and I heard him respond immediately, "Good morning, princess."

"Princess?" I murmured to myself, blushing. I continued doing my makeup, applying lipstick, when I heard him again, "You look so beautiful, princess."

Hearing his words, I looked at myself blushing in the mirror and replied, "Thank you."

With that, I started applying eyeliner, and I heard him panicking, "Princess, don't do that."

I stopped and wondered why I couldn't use eyeliner. He spoke again, "You might hurt yourself."

"How can eyeliner hurt me?" I said, turning to him, only to notice him holding Xenia's hand and saying, "Princess, you might fall. Come here."

"Fall?" I looked at Xenia, who was near the edge of the bed, smiling. I rushed over and sat beside her before she could move.

"Magnus," I tried to speak, and then I realized how worried he was for Xenia. Suddenly, the realization hit me, and I thought, "Oh, he was talking to Xenia, and I misunderstood."

"Never mind. At least he's back to normal," I concluded and smiled, taking Xenia in my arms.

"Princess, are you hungry?" I asked her, and she kissed me with her wet tongue.

"Yes, princess is hungry, and I'm going to feed her," I said. Suddenly, Magnus was standing in front of me. Looking at him, I suggested, "Why don't you take a bath first?"

Finally, he looked at me, and I continued, "I'm preparing your breakfast."

"Natalia?" he said, and I waited for him to continue. "Thank you so much."

"It's okay, Magnus," I replied, and after thinking for a moment, I asked, "But can I tell you something?"

"No," he replied and turned, saying, "I'm not in the mood for a lecture early in the morning. Save it for later."

With that, he left for a shower, and I turned to my little doll, saying, "Let's go, baby. Mommy has prepared your favorite food for you."

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Magnus’s POV

As I stepped into the shower, my mind was flooded with thoughts. The information my informant had shared about his impending arrival lingered in my thoughts. I knew this was my only chance, and I had to find a way to track him down this time.

Despite racking my brain, I couldn't come up with a solution. I emerged from the bathroom, a towel wrapped around my waist. I continued getting ready when a text message arrived, revealing the venue details.

Glancing at my phone, I spoke with determination, "I have to do something before it's too late."

I returned to the dressing table, putting on my favorite Rolex watch, and reminded myself, "He will be at the party today, and I must give it my all."

Lost in deep thought, I muttered, "Natalia could help me, but I don't know how to involve her."

"I don't want to make it clear to him," I said, picking up my cell phone and gazing at Sophia's picture on the wallpaper.

"Think, Magnus. Think of something," I urged myself, sitting on the edge of the bed and devising a plan. However, no matter how hard I tried, I eventually succumbed to my sole option, muttering, "I'm sorry, Natalia, but I have to do it."

With that decision weighing on my mind, I made my way to breakfast.

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Third Person's POV

Magnus sat on the chair, cradling Xenia in his arms while feeding her. Natalia stood nearby, serving the food to Magnus. Once she finished, she leaned forward and extended her arms, saying, "Xenia, come to mommy, baby. Let your daddy eat."

Natalia took Xenia into her arms, gently mashing fruits and kissing her cheeks, saying, "Mommy will feed you."

The three of them had breakfast in relative silence, with Natalia playfully interacting with Xenia in her arms. Suddenly, Natalia felt Magnus's presence close to her. She turned to find him standing near, his attention still focused on Xenia. She overheard him saying, "Hey Princess, your daddy is going to work now. Don't tire out Mommy. We have plans for tonight."

Looking at their smiling daughter, he added, "We are going to a party tonight. Your dress will be delivered to you shortly. I will pick you up at 7 in the evening."

Without glancing at Natalia, he bid farewell, saying, "Bye, Princess."

Natalia was taken aback by his words. As she watched him walk away, a sense of worry crept into her thoughts. She pondered, "What is going on in your mind, Magnus? I hope you're not planning something sinister."