I Became the Billionaire's Fake Lover to Get My Revenge
Chapter 98: Safe Journey

Chapter 98: Safe Journey

"Nice going, Mary," Sebastian muttered as he lit another cigarette, the flame briefly illuminating the sharp angles of his face. His dark eyes narrowed coldly at the woman standing before him.

"Not only did you fail to get the money out of him, but you also managed to ruin your reputation. What do you think is going to happen to you now?"

Marienne clenched her fists tightly at her sides, her shoulders trembling with frustration and helpless rage.

"I didn’t know he was recording!" she shouted, her chest rising as she struggled to breathe through the storm inside her. "When I checked his phone, it was just the lock screen—there was nothing there!"

"I’m done listening to your excuses," he snapped, exhaling a thick cloud of bitter smoke directly into her face. Marienne recoiled, coughing as the acrid air clawed its way into her lungs, burning her throat.

Sebastian stood up from the cracked leather chair in his dimly lit office, the air heavy with the stench of tobacco and hard liquor. He paced around her like a predator circling its prey, then stopped behind her, placing both hands on her shoulders. His grip tightened, digging into her skin with deliberate cruelty.

"I’m getting tired of throwing money at you and getting absolutely nothing in return."

Marienne winced, the pain from his grip shooting down her arms, but her anger burned hotter than her fear. "You were the one who took half of my inheritance and wasted it on drugs! If you had invested it like I told you—"

"Invest?" Sebastian scoffed, his voice laced with mockery as he dug his fingers in deeper. "You mean in your little lover’s business? No, Mary. That would only mean more money for you in the long run, and I’m not interested in helping you profit off money that was mine to begin with. I’m not letting you pay me back with the cash I handed you."

"You’re a scumbag!" Marienne shouted, her voice raw with fury as she finally wrenched herself free from his grasp.

She sprang up from the chair, eyes blazing as she faced him. "I can’t believe we used to be friends back at the orphanage! Look at you now—all you’ve done is drain me dry, like I’m some bottomless well of cash!"

Sebastian let out a low, derisive scoff, the sound merging with another puff of gray smoke that curled from his lips. He leaned in with a predator’s grin, catching her chin between his fingers. The smoldering cigarette between his teeth hovered dangerously close to her skin.

"I’m the reason you ever got out of that orphanage, Mary," he said, voice low and venomous. "I lied for you. I even killed for you. You were pampered by your rich relative because of me. Don’t forget—I still have the evidence that proves who you really are."

He paused, letting the threat hang heavy in the air before his smile widened, cruel and glinting. "Susanne was easy to get rid of. But me?" His eyes gleamed with menace. "Killing you would be as simple as snapping my fingers. But that would be too merciful. No, I’m not letting you off that easy. You’re going to pay for the life you stole."

Marienne’s heart pounded against her ribs, a storm of fear and fury swirling in her chest.

He was right—and that only made it worse. She had escaped the squalor and misery of her past because of him. And now, she was shackled to that very escape.

Still... sometimes, she wondered—was it really worth it?

No. It is worth it, she told herself, swallowing hard as her eyes locked with his glare again. Let him terrorize me until the day I die if it means I don’t go back to that life. I crawled out of hell once—I’ll do whatever it takes to stay out.

***

"Are you sure you don’t want to stay a little longer?" Anna asked as she watched the driver load the last suitcase into the trunk. "It feels like you’re leaving too soon."

Gabriel smiled, though there was a trace of bitterness behind it, something quietly apologetic. "Yeah, it hasn’t been that long since we got here, but I already feel like I’ve aged a decade. Prison changes people, I guess."

He chuckled, and Anna returned the laugh, playing along. "You spent five days in a police station holding cell—that hardly qualifies as a real prison experience."

"Once Grandma finds out, I’ll be locked up at home with nothing but textbooks and chores. That’ll be the real prison sentence. Just wait and see."

Anna laughed again and nodded. "You’re right—Madame Garrel is the strictest warden in all of France."

Gabriel sighed, stepping forward to wrap her in one last warm, friendly hug. "Are you sure you don’t want to take a step back and rest? You’ve already been through so much, and you’ve only confronted two people so far."

"No," Anna said firmly, shaking her head as she gently pulled away, meeting his eyes with quiet resolve. "But maybe we can meet again once everything is over. I’ve always dreamed of vacationing at Lake Como in Italy. When the time comes, we should all go together."

Gabriel made a face—half frown, half pout. "Grandma won’t let me out of her sight now, so her company is unavoidable. But William..." He trailed off, sighing. "No, he’d just ruin the mood."

"Don’t be so hard on him," Anna said with a soft smile, gently brushing a curl of his blond hair away from his forehead. "If anyone’s the biggest glum on Earth, it’s me—not him."

Gabriel sighed and slowly let go of her, his arms falling to his sides. "You’re giving him far more credit than he deserves. But anyway..."

He cast one last look over the Stark estate, breathing in deeply as if trying to memorize the scent of the place he was about to leave behind. "Don’t forget to call me whenever you feel like talking to a friend. Whatever you need—I’ll do my best to help, even from afar."

"Thank you, Gab," Anna replied, her smile gentle but sincere. "Have a safe trip."

"Yeah," Gabriel smiled back, though the sadness in his eyes betrayed him. "I hope your journey is a safe one, too."

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