I Became the Billionaire's Fake Lover to Get My Revenge
Chapter 36: A Sacrifice

"Well," William began, settling back with his hands resting behind him for support.

"When you asked me for that one last gift, one of my assistants went to the Hyde residence. He bribed a maid to retrieve the leather folder from the storage room. However, when he returned to my office, he handed me two similar folders. The maid didn’t know which one I wanted, so she brought out both. Naturally, my man took both of them."

"Then you must have seen... I understand now," Anna murmured, lowering her gaze. The urge to dig the nail of her left thumb into the skin of her right one resurfaced, but she forced herself to resist.

When William had asked her for one final gift before her departure, Anna’s mind had been torn between two precious options: her mother’s set of pearls, or the paintings she and her late father had left behind.

The pearls were undeniably expensive, but the paintings... those could never be replaced by anything else in the entire world.

"My father was a talented artist as well," she finally said, her voice soft and laced with nostalgia, each word carrying a gentle memory of the past.

"He never pursued it seriously, though. It was more of a hobby for him. He had an extraordinary sense of color and shape, so drawing came naturally to him. It was as if he were born with a brush in his hand."

"When I first exhibited signs of the same talent, he asked me if I liked drawing. I did. So from that day on, my father and I shared countless hours of drawing together. I would watch him for hours, desperately trying to learn everything I could simply by observing. And before I knew it, I had become so skilled that it was my father who had to learn from me."

She chuckled softly, the sweet memories emerging from the depths of her heart and spilling onto the tip of her tongue. William mirrored her emotions, offering a warm, genuine smile in return.

It was the first time Anna had shared something so deeply personal, and he couldn’t help but marvel at how beautiful she looked when she spoke in that way.

Despite the new, sculpted features, the layers of makeup, and the carefully crafted demeanor, he could still see the Anna Adler he had once fallen in love with. And she was just as captivating as ever.

"The paintings in the second folder," William began carefully, his voice soft, as if he were treading lightly on fragile ground, "were very similar to yours in style, but they were signed with Susanne’s name."

"Yes," Anna replied with a quiet nod, her gaze distant as she recalled the past. "It all started when we were both applying to the same university department. Susanne stole one of my paintings, forged her signature on it, and submitted it to an art contest. Our styles were too similar, so, naturally, the contest supervisor found it odd and called both of us into his office to explain."

She paused for a moment, her breath catching as the memory resurfaced. "When I entered his office, I saw her mother, Colette, standing beside Susanne. I knew exactly what that meant. They made me withdraw my painting and ’confess’ that I had stolen Susanne’s instead."

Anna’s voice softened with the sting of long-held hurt. "My father was preoccupied with his business at the time, so I didn’t want to trouble him. I simply told him I’d decided to change my major because I felt too pressured to compete with other artists. He understood, as always."

"Susanne was one of the winners and got accepted in your place," William concluded, his voice quiet but filled with growing anger. His brows furrowed, the intensity of his frustration clear in the way he clenched his jaw. "And then you were forced to create more pieces in her name because she already had a reputation."

Anna nodded, the weight of her past settling over her like a heavy shroud. "Colette threatened to sabotage my studies if I refused. So, I kept painting for a couple of years, until Susanne eventually got tired and switched majors too. The second folder contains those pieces."

She sighed, the sound filled with the ghosts of old wounds. Shaking her head, she tried to push away the memories, as if they were shadows she could simply banish. "So, you think Susanne will do the same thing again this time?"

The memory of their encounter at the Art Corner flickered in her mind—the moment she met Susanne after Violet had taken her out following her recovery from surgery. "Do you think she’ll steal someone else’s painting and submit it under her boyfriend’s name?"

William leaned forward, his posture shifting as he inched closer to Anna. His voice dropped to a low, almost conspiratorial whisper. "Not someone else’s," he said, a plotting grin curling on his lips. "Yours."

Anna’s eyes widened in disbelief. "What? Was any of my old paintings left behind at the mansion?"

He chuckled softly, clearly amused by her genuine surprise. "No. But if your ex-sister-in-law is still as foolish and cunning as she used to be, the bait we set for her will definitely work."

Then, William gave Anna a strange look, one that instantly made her realize what he was plotting.

"Oh..." she murmured, the realization dawning on her. "Now I get it. You want me to sacrifice one of my paintings for this."

"Madame Garrel told me you’ve been drawing almost every day since your vision cleared," William said, rising to his feet and standing directly in front of Anna. His presence was commanding, forcing her to lift her chin to meet his intense gaze. "Find a piece you think might sell well and give it to Violet tomorrow."

A shiver ran down Anna’s spine, the weight of William’s dark eyes making her feel slightly restless. "Alright... I think I have a piece in mind. I’ll do it."

"Great," William replied, a pleased smile spreading across his face. He turned away, his attention shifting to the stack of shopping bags the butler had left behind. "Now, how about we pick your outfit for the auction?"

Anna’s brows shot up in surprise. "Now?"

"Now," William repeated, his voice almost a murmur, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Would you like me to help you undress first?"