I Became the Billionaire's Fake Lover to Get My Revenge
Chapter 16: Enough

Chapter 16: Enough

Anna’s breath hitched, her lips parting in shock. "Your... l-lover?"

The word barely made it past her lips, her voice faltering over the sheer absurdity of it. Her chest tightened, her fingers clenching the fabric of her sleeves as if grounding herself against the unexpected blow.

Her reaction only deepened the amusement in William’s expression. A slow, knowing grin tugged at the corners of his lips before he spoke again. "You heard me correctly. I need someone I trust to pose as my woman."

Someone he trusts...

The weight of those words settled over Anna like a heavy shroud. It makes sense. I have nowhere else to go, no one else to rely on. Putting my trust in him means he can do the same. But why did it have to be this? Why a fake relationship?

The question gnawed at her, and before she could second-guess herself, she voiced it aloud. "Why do you need a fake lover?"

William’s eyes flicked briefly to his assistant, who immediately averted his gaze, suddenly finding an unusual interest in the floral pattern on the curtains. The air in the room grew heavier, charged with strange tension.

With a sigh, William leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest. "As a man of a certain age," he began in a slightly frustrated tone, "I’m expected to follow certain conventions. Like getting married, for instance. Which, to be perfectly clear, is the last thing I want."

He paused for a brief moment, running a hand through his hair as if gathering the patience to explain further. When he spoke again, his voice carried a sharper edge. "Returning home has made me a prime target for every gold-digging, idle socialite looking for a wealthy husband. And I have neither the time nor the inclination to entertain their desperate attempts."

Anna tilted her head slightly, absorbing his words. "Your project. Right," she murmured.

Even as she said it, doubt curled in the back of her mind. Was that really the only reason he had returned?

"Yes, well... With my resources and your knowledge, we can accomplish quite a lot. And parading you around as my lover will add an extra layer of protection to your new identity," William stated, his voice smooth and assured, as if everything had already been set in motion.

Anna fell into a contemplative silence.

His proposition wasn’t as absurd as it initially sounded. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more it made sense. There would undoubtedly be hidden costs—nothing in life, especially something as grand as revenge, came for free. But she couldn’t think of a single reason to refuse.

Revenge was a long road, paved with pain and sacrifice, but she had already decided it was a road worth taking.

She owed it to the ghosts of her past. Her father. Her mother. Herself.

Even if it meant kneeling before William Stark, even if she had to sell her soul to reclaim everything that had been ripped from her, she would do it without hesitation. The fear coiling inside her was real, but beneath it, a strange exhilaration simmered—hot, electric, almost intoxicating.

"Alright," she finally said, her voice steady despite the storm raging inside her. Her fists clenched at her sides, the tension in her body making her pulse pound harder. "I accept your conditions, Mr. Stark."

William’s lips curved into a slow, satisfied grin, a glint of something unreadable flickering in his eyes. "A wise choice," he murmured. Then, leaning forward, he closed the space between them, his voice lowering to a near whisper. "But remember one thing, Anna."

The air between them tightened.

"From this moment on, you do exactly as I say. No hesitation, no mistakes. If you want to play this role perfectly, you will listen to me at all times. Understood?"

Anna’s throat tightened as if a heavy stone had lodged itself inside, making it hard to breathe. She wasn’t a stranger to having her life dictated by a man, but this time... this time, something felt different.

She had already died once. But now, she had the chance to be reborn, to shed her old self like a snake discarding its skin. And somehow, deep in her gut, she believed that William Stark would sculpt her new existence with precision, shaping her into someone unbreakable.

"I will," she nodded, her voice steadier than she expected. "I’ll do everything you ask. I promise."

Daniel let out a low chuckle, almost singing his next words under his breath. "Oh, she’s going to regret that..."

William shot his assistant a sharp look before rising from his chair and clamping a firm hand on Daniel’s shoulder. "This man here is my personal assistant, Daniel Reid. He’ll be handling things when I’m unavailable. I’ll leave his contact details at the nurse’s desk—any requests you have will go through him."

Daniel groaned dramatically, his frown deepening as he shot his boss a glare. "Great. I guess I’m the one who’s going to regret this deal instead."

William ignored him, turning his focus back to Anna. "That was a lot to take in," he admitted, his tone smoothing out slightly. "Let it sink in. You still need time to rest and recover while the doctor finalizes your treatment plan. In the meantime, I’ll take care of everything. And Daniel here will handle any necessary adjustments along the way."

Anna exhaled slowly, a wave of exhaustion crashing over her. It was a lot. More than she had even realized. And though she had already agreed to everything, the full weight of her decision hadn’t quite settled yet.

"Right," she murmured, her voice quieter now. A part of her still reeled from everything, but there was no turning back.

She just needed time to let it all sink in.

"Thank you, Mr. Stark," Anna added, inclining her head slightly in the direction of his voice. Her chapped lips curved into the faintest smile, and for the first time since he had walked into that hospital room, William felt a strange sense of relief.

She’ll be fine.

Adjusting the collar of his shirt, he cleared his throat. "Call me William," he corrected, his voice softer now. "Now rest. I’ll be in touch later."

As William and Daniel stepped out of the hospital, the afternoon sun hung high in the sky, casting a golden haze over the city. The air was thick and heavy, saturated with the lingering scent of rain.

"I forgot how stifling it gets after the rain here," Daniel muttered, shrugging off his jacket.

William rolled up the sleeves of his shirt, silently agreeing as they made their way to the car. Once inside, Daniel observed his boss from the corner of his eye. William leaned back against the seat, exhaling deeply, as if he had been holding his breath for far too long.

The silence stretched between them until Daniel could no longer suppress his curiosity. "Why are you really helping her? She said you two have only met once."

William clicked his tongue, his brows knitting together for a brief moment. "It’s true. We’ve only met once."

His gaze flickered toward the window, his expression strangely blank.

But once was enough.

Enough to remember her. Enough to never forget.

Enough to become obsessed with her.