I Became the Billionaire's Fake Lover to Get My Revenge
Chapter 96: A Nightmare

Chapter 96: A Nightmare

Anna’s nightmares always began the same way—and they were always about the same thing.

She had been twelve at the time. Her father was away on yet another business trip, and the Hydes had graciously offered to let her stay with them so she wouldn’t be alone in her family’s empty house.

That night, Anna had trouble falling asleep. She tossed and turned beneath the heavy blankets, staring up at the ceiling until the shadows began to play tricks on her eyes.

Finally, giving up on rest, she slipped out of bed and decided to pass the time with something warm to drink and a bit of secret entertainment.

She crept into the kitchen, lit only by the dim glow of a single lamp, and made herself a cup of honey tea. Clutched in her hand was a romance novel she’d quietly borrowed—more like stolen—from Mrs. Hyde’s private library when the woman wasn’t looking.

The book was terrible. Predictable, overdramatic, and downright cheesy—but Anna appreciated that. It was so silly it almost made her laugh, which helped chase away the unease that had settled in her chest. By the time she reached Chapter eleven, her yawns came one after another, and her heavy eyelids signaled it was finally time to give sleep another try.

Switching off the lights, she padded silently out of the kitchen and tiptoed toward the stairwell. But just as her bare feet touched the first step, she froze.

A sound—soft but strange—echoed from the upper floor.

Startled but curious, Anna slowly made her way up the staircase, her fingers brushing the banister for balance. As she reached the landing, she realized the noise was coming from Mr. Hyde’s study.

That surprised her. She distinctly remembered Robert’s father leaving earlier that evening for his usual poker night with friends. She hadn’t expected him to return so soon, let alone lock himself away in his office.

A chill crept down her spine.

Her body stiffened instinctively, her breath catching in her throat. The only way back to the guest room was by passing his study—and although she tried to reason with herself, she couldn’t ignore the feeling growing in her gut. If she was being honest, even the idea of walking past that closed door filled her with dread.

Mr. Hyde terrified her. There was something dark—something deeply sinister—lurking beneath his polished exterior that no one else seemed to notice. But Anna felt it. She saw it in the way he looked at her, with those cold, unrelenting eyes that seemed to strip away her defenses and leave her skin crawling.

He was especially disturbing when he was drunk—and Anna was certain that tonight, he was more than just tipsy.

She braced herself, mentally preparing to slip past his office unnoticed, heart pounding like a war drum in her chest. But just then, a sudden crash echoed from within his study, sharp and jarring, followed by muffled sounds—soft, strained noises that unmistakably belonged to a woman.

Anna’s breath caught in her throat. Her feet moved on their own, guiding her toward the barely open door. Her mind reeled. Why would there be a woman in Mr. Hyde’s study this late at night?

It wasn’t Colette’s voice, she was sure of that. And Susanne? No chance. Robert’s younger sister would never be up this late, let alone talking to her father alone behind closed doors.

Still scared, Anna couldn’t stop herself. Curiosity pushed her forward until she stood just beside the door, hidden in the shadows of the hallway. She peered through the narrow gap—what she saw made her stomach drop.

It wasn’t a woman in the room.

It was a girl.

And not just any girl. Anna recognized her instantly—Olivia, the head chef’s daughter. She was only a year older than Anna, barely thirteen or fourteen at most.

A wave of cold terror swept through Anna, freezing her blood and raising goosebumps across her skin.

Olivia was pinned against the heavy oak desk, her small body bent awkwardly under Mr. Hyde’s weight. She was squirming, trying to fight him off, her arms pushing weakly at his chest. Her mouth was covered by his hand, muffling her cries, while his other arm held her firmly in place, his thighs caging her in.

Anna’s heart thundered so violently she feared it would betray her presence. But she couldn’t move. Couldn’t breathe. All she could do was watch—paralyzed by a horror she could neither understand nor forget.

Tears welled up in Anna’s eyes, but no sound came from her throat. She wanted to scream, to cry out, to do something—but her voice was frozen, and her limbs felt paralyzed with fear.

Then, as if her body moved on instinct, her mind clicked into place. She spun on her heels and ran, the soles of her feet barely touching the floor as she raced toward Robert’s bedroom. If anyone would believe her, it had to be his mother—surely she would understand, surely someone would help.

But dreams don’t follow reason.

In the blink of an eye, the scene shifted. Suddenly, Anna was standing in Robert’s room again—only this time, years had passed. Her face was streaked with tears, her hair tangled and messy, her clothes rumpled. She looked like a girl who had just clawed her way out of a nightmare, only to be thrown into another.

She had told him everything. She had opened up to the boy she trusted most in the world—the one she loved—and yet, all she received in return was a gaze colder than ice.

"You’re lying," he said flatly, his words slicing into her like glass.

"Why?" she whispered, her voice cracking, lips trembling as her fingers clutched the wrinkled hem of her skirt. "Why would I lie about something like this?"

Robert’s frown deepened, his face hardening. "I know you like attention," he said sharply. "But to make something like this up? To lie about being raped? That’s sick, Anna. You’ve gone too far."

Her heart plummeted. A cold emptiness spread through her chest like poison. She couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. She had reached out for help and instead been left to drown alone in disbelief.

And then—like a cruel rewind—the nightmare shifted once more.

She was back in the hallway. Back to before she’d ever reached Robert. Trapped in that moment again.

"Anna!" That voice. That horrible, slurred voice—so much worse when it carried her name.

"Anna!" He was closer now. She could hear the clinking of the bottle in his hand, swinging recklessly with each step.

"Anna." His breath was hot and sour as he leaned in, his voice dripping with mock concern. "I think you’ve had too much. Want me to take you back to your room?"

"Anna!"His cold, clammy hand slid up her thigh, fingers digging cruelly into her soft skin."It won’t hurt if you don’t resist."

"Anna!"

"Anna!"

"Anna?"

Anna’s eyes flew open, her breath ragged and uneven. Disoriented, she found herself clutching William’s arm as though it were the only thing anchoring her to reality. He was holding her tightly against his chest, one arm wrapped protectively around her while the other gently stroked her hair.

"It’s alright," he whispered, his voice low and soothing. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. "It was just a bad dream. You’re safe now."

Anna gave a small nod, still reeling from the nightmare. The warmth of his embrace and the comforting scent of his skin grounded her, slowly pulling her back from the edge of panic. She drew in a few shaky breaths, her nails still digging into the muscle of his arm without realizing it.

"I’m sorry," she murmured, the words trembling on her lips, nearly catching in her throat. "It was... a nightmare. I didn’t mean to wake you."

"Why are you apologizing?" William asked, his brows knitting together in concern. "Who the hell gave you nightmares in the first place?"

Anna hesitated, swallowing hard. Just saying the name made her throat tighten.

"...Victor," she whispered at last, the word escaping her lips like a curse. "Victor Hyde. My ex-father-in-law."

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.