I Became the Billionaire's Fake Lover to Get My Revenge
Chapter 53: A Bored Man

Chapter 53: A Bored Man

Anna stood on the balcony of her room, cradling a fresh cup of coffee as her eyes wandered over the expansive garden below.

It had been nearly two weeks since their return, yet the surroundings still felt foreign to her.

Though Anna had grown up in a large house, and Hyde’s mansion had also been one of the more impressive properties in the city, it was only after moving into Mrs. Garrel’s home that she had begun to think she’d never again find herself in a house so grand.

Apparently, she had been wrong.

William’s mansion was nearly twice the size, and the vast land surrounding it made her feel as though she were living on an isolated island, cut off from the rest of the world. Yet, paradoxically, the sheer spaciousness of the place also made Anna feel profoundly lonely, even somewhat adrift.

The more she wandered its endless halls and explored the countless rooms, the more she found herself wondering how truly lost William must feel in this empty place—especially when neither she nor Gabriel were around.

Though, he’s hardly even here... Anna sighed, setting the cup back onto the table as she closed her eyes and leaned back in her chair.

It was true—despite being back in the country for some time now, William was almost always absent, buried in work at his new office.

The nature of that work troubled Anna. Or rather, it was the fact that she still had no clear idea of what, exactly, William was doing that bothered her most.

William left the country shortly after his mother passed away, and Anna tried to recall everything she could about that time.

It was also around then that Robert’s project won the competition and attracted several investors. She didn’t remember anything particularly notable from that period, but the rumors all pointed to one thing: the death of William’s mother had caused a bitter rift between him and his father, which was why William had been sent to his grandmother in Paris.

Anna was troubled by how little she actually knew about William Stark. He was incredibly wealthy, thanks to the family fortune he had inherited after his father’s death, but there was more to him than just living off that wealth and his successful investments.

He had been disinherited from his father’s company after the feud, never once attempting to reclaim it, yet his grandmother’s wine business still thrived—and it was now under his ownership.

He claimed he returned to establish a charity fund because it was his grandmother’s dying wish, but he also mentioned having something personal against Robert... Could whatever was keeping him so busy be tied to personal revenge?

Anna’s thoughts were interrupted by a soft knock on the door, followed by a cheerful voice.

"Chloe!" Gabriel practically burst into the room as soon as she gave him permission to enter, his lips spreading into a wide grin as he flopped onto her meticulously made-up bed. "Get ready, we’re going shopping today!"

Anna frowned slightly, her lips curving downward as she gave him a somewhat condescending look. "You’ll have to go alone. You know I’m not showing my face to anyone until the charity ball."

"But you need a dress for that!" Gabriel pouted, hopping off the bed and strolling over to the balcony. "This is going to be your debut in this country’s high society! You definitely need to look your best!"

"Don’t you think I look good already?" Anna teased playfully. When Gabriel’s face turned a deep shade of red, she laughed and shook her head, dismissing his bashfulness with a casual gesture. "I have plenty of dresses that I’ve never even worn since Mrs. Garrel bought them. I’ll manage."

"You’re no fun!" Gabriel sulked, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. "I can’t believe you’re not bored just sitting around all day."

"Well, I have you and Violet. Daniel visits often, and the maids are pretty fun to talk to as well."

Gabriel shook his head, letting out a long, exasperated sigh. "You sound like a princess locked in a tower. Except, it seems like you’ve already given up on being rescued by the prince!"

Anna couldn’t help but laugh at the ridiculous comparison. "You know," she lowered her voice, her eyes glinting mischievously as she leaned toward Gabriel as if she were about to share a grand secret. "I think this might be a test, too."

"A test?" Gabriel blinked in surprise. "What kind of test?"

Anna smirked. "To see if I’ll break down and start snooping around before the actual event. Or maybe William’s testing my loyalty, too. He left me here to my own devices because he wanted to see if I’d do something he didn’t plan. I don’t think he likes it when I do something he knows nothing about."

Gabriel stared at Anna, speechless, his expression a mixture of confusion and disbelief. He remained silent for several moments, until Anna could no longer hold it in and burst out laughing.

"God, you’re so gullible! And you’re saying I don’t have any fun in here!" she teased, her laughter ringing through the room.

She continued to laugh, and although Gabriel felt a twinge of hurt, the sound of her genuine amusement was so infectious that it wiped away any trace of discomfort almost immediately.

"Well, if torturing William is so much fun for you, then how about you take me as your partner to that event?" Gabriel suggested with a mischievous grin.

"Oh..." Anna hesitated, awkwardly pulling away. The idea of dancing at such an event hadn’t crossed her mind in that way. After all, she was publicly known as William’s girlfriend. If she made her debut and caused a scandal, William would definitely be displeased, to say the least.

"Relax," Gabriel snapped his fingers in front of her face, forcing a playful smile. "See? We both could have a bit of fun teasing each other."

Anna blushed slightly, silently conceding a small defeat. She watched as Gabriel moved toward the door, clearly preparing to leave.

"Wait," she called out suddenly, causing him to pause and look back at her. "Do you know... exactly what William is doing here?"

Gabriel scratched the back of his neck, his hesitation clear. He seemed to be carefully considering how to answer, as if what he was about to say was already on the tip of his tongue.

"What did he tell you he was doing here?"

Anna narrowed her eyes, her suspicion growing. "That does not answer my question."

Gabriel let out a long, resigned sigh.

"He’s setting up a massive charity foundation in honor of his grandmother. The guy has so much money that his descendants could live without a worry for the next two hundred years. Honestly, I don’t think there’s anything more to it, Chloe. He’s just a man with too much money and not enough to do. Let him have this little project to keep him occupied for a while. It’s... not pretty when he’s bored."

"What do you mean?" Anna asked, her curiosity piqued.

Gabriel sighed again, a touch of impatience creeping into his voice. He turned away, moving quickly as if eager to leave the conversation behind. "I don’t know. I’m so bored myself that I’m losing my mind."

Without another word, he walked out, slamming the door behind him with a loud thud, as if afraid Anna might stop him.

Anna stood frozen, staring blankly at the door, her mind swirling with unanswered questions and possibilities.

Maybe Gabriel was right—why should she care? Once their deal was over, William would return to France, or perhaps disappear to some other corner of the world.

And none of this—none of her—would matter to him anymore.

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