I Became the Billionaire's Fake Lover to Get My Revenge
Chapter 82: Unannounced

Chapter 82: Unannounced

Everything feels like it’s spiraling out of control, Anna sighed to herself as she lazily combed her soft blonde hair. First Gabriel, now William... I don’t even know what’s happening anymore. Maybe it’s better if I just stay away from men altogether. Smile at Will when I see him, play my part when I have to. That was the original agreement, wasn’t it?

She looked at her reflection in the mirror, frowning at the dark shadows under her eyes.

I’m slipping back into the old me—exhausted, drained. I didn’t sleep a wink last night, haunted by William’s outburst. Somewhere along the line, we must have blurred the lines between us. I leaned too much on his warmth, let myself take comfort in his promises to help me forget. Maybe... maybe it’s time to stop all that.

A knock echoed on her bedroom door, followed by the butler’s polite voice."Miss Dumas?"

"Yes, come in," Anna called back, clearing her throat as she set the brush down on her vanity.

The butler stepped in with a hesitant expression, his fingers fidgeting with the sleeves of his neatly pressed jacket.

"My apologies for the interruption," he said, "but there’s a young woman waiting downstairs. She claims to be a friend of yours and said you invited her for brunch. Her name is Marienne Rochester."

Marienne?

Anna froze, her grip tightening around the edge of her vanity. Her breath caught for a moment.What the hell is she doing here? I definitely didn’t invite her—especially not today.

"Miss?" the butler asked gently, raising a brow at her silence. "Shall I tell her you’re not in?"

"No," she shook her head, flipping her hair backward and rising to her feet. "It’s okay. Please tell her that I will be down in about ten minutes. Will you get us some coffee in the meantime?"

"Of course," the butler nodded and disappeared behind the closed door while Anna turned to face the mirror once again, her frown deepening.

I can’t catch a break, huh?

***

"Chloe!" Marienne shot to her feet as Anna descended the staircase. "You’re quite the sleepyhead—I didn’t expect you to still be in bed!"

That’s why we all have cell phones, Anna thought dryly, forcing a pleasant smile as she approached. So that we could find out if the person is still asleep or even out.

"I’m sorry, Marienne," she said, settling onto the couch beside her. "Did I forget something? Did we agree to meet today and it slipped my mind?"

"Oh no, not at all!" Marienne shook her head with a bright smile, gesturing toward a pale pink pastry box resting on the coffee table beside two freshly poured cups of coffee, still steaming slightly. "I came to express my gratitude."

"Gratitude?" Anna arched a brow, surprised. "For what?"

With a pleased little hum, Marienne flipped open the lid of the box, revealing an exquisite array of éclairs, each one more decadent than the last. They were glazed in white, milk, and dark chocolate, adorned with chopped nuts, delicate chocolate curls, sugared berries, edible flowers, and shimmering confectionery beads that sparkled in the morning light.

"My future mother-in-law was so thrilled with the gifts I gave her, she bought me these éclairs as a thank-you!" Marienne beamed, catching Anna’s curious gaze lingering on the pastries. "And of course, I had to share them with you—you were the one who helped me choose the perfect ones!"

"Oh, how thoughtful of you," Anna replied, her lips twitching into a polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes.

How annoying, Anna thought, a frown threatening to crease between her brows. Even after I went through all that trouble to help Colette choose the perfect gifts for her friends in the past, she never once said thank you.

"You don’t look very pleased," Marienne observed carefully, her eyes scanning Anna’s face. "Are you allergic to sugar? Or nuts, maybe?"

"No," Anna replied with a quick shake of her head, trying to collect herself. "It’s just—"

"In that case," Marienne cut in, glancing around the room as though searching for someone, "why don’t we ask Mr. Stark to join us? I think this is the perfect opportunity for us all to get to know each other better. The timing couldn’t be more ideal!"

Anna’s frown deepened, the irritation now clearly visible on her face. Her jaw tightened, and her fingers curled into fists on her lap, nails pressing into her skin.

Not only had Marienne barged into her home without so much as a warning, pretending this was just a friendly drop-in, but now she was casually suggesting they summon William—as if she had any right to involve him.

Her audacity is beyond belief. Anna struggled to maintain her composure, her smile stiffening. I was too kind to her. And just like before, she’s mistaking kindness for permission—acting as if she’s entitled to more of it.

"I’m sorry, Marienne," she said with forced sweetness, though her words were laced with a subtle edge. "But I don’t think it’s appropriate to impose like this. William is a very busy man, and I have quite a few things on my plate as well. But that’s not even the main issue here."

She paused, letting the silence linger for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly as she took in Marienne’s bewildered expression.

"It’s incredibly inappropriate to invite yourself into someone’s home without prior notice and expect to be welcomed as though it were planned. I came down to greet you because it was the courteous thing to do—but I’m afraid I have to decline your suggestion to spend time together."

"Oh..." Marienne’s gaze dropped to the floor, her expression dimming with disappointment. It was one of those rare moments when she was so directly and unapologetically turned away, and clearly, this wasn’t the reception she’d anticipated upon arriving at the Stark mansion.

"I’m sorry," she murmured after a pause, her voice quieter, her eyes flitting between Anna and the pink box of eclairs. "I only wanted to be friendly since you were so kind to me before. I suppose I overstepped."

She rose from the couch and picked up her purse, then turned back to Anna with eyes that shimmered with unshed tears. "I came by taxi, so I’ll need to wait a little until another one can pick me up. Would it be alright if I used your bathroom while I wait?"

"Of course," Anna replied with a polite smile, gesturing toward the maid who had just entered the living room to clear the coffee cups. "Natalie, please show Miss Rochester to the guest bathroom."