I Became the Billionaire's Fake Lover to Get My Revenge-Chapter 17: Patience

I know he’s a busy man, and we agreed that I should focus on recovering and preparing for my upcoming treatments... but it’s been days since I last spoke to him. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

Anna frowned, absentmindedly biting down on the edge of her dessert fork—only to flinch as a sharp jolt of pain shot through her teeth.

It had been nearly a week since William had proposed their partnership in her quest for revenge, yet in all that time, she hadn’t seen him once. Instead, only his assistant, Daniel Reid, had been visiting her daily.

Not that it was a bad arrangement. In fact, Daniel had proven himself to be diligent and dependable, overseeing her treatments and procedures while also ensuring she was as comfortable as possible. He had a way of handling things with quiet efficiency, and Anna had noticed his attentiveness.

He seems like a good man, she thought, spearing a piece of peeled apple with her fork before bringing it to her lips. As she chewed, she listened to the soft rustling of Daniel arranging freshly bought flowers nearby. He always tries to lift my mood with lighthearted conversation... and he never forgets the little things that make my stay here easier.

Lost in thought, she hadn’t realized her head had unconsciously turned in Daniel’s direction. Though the bandages had been removed, a soft cotton mask still covered her eyes, ensuring a smooth healing process before her upcoming surgery.

Daniel hesitated mid-movement, his eyes lingering on her face as if searching for a reaction. Finding none, he eventually plucked a small box of candy from the bedside table and stepped closer.

"Is something bothering you, Mrs. Hyde?"

Anna’s fingers tensed around her fruit plate, a chill creeping up her spine at the sound of that name. Mrs. Hyde.

Her grip nearly faltered, but she caught herself, lowering her hands to her lap.

"I’m sorry," she said carefully, her voice quieter now. Lowering her head slightly, she continued, "I don’t want to be called that anymore. Please... just call me Anna."

"Right," Daniel cleared his throat, masking his mild embarrassment with a brief cough. "So... Anna. Gosh, I feel weird calling people by their first names."

He chuckled awkwardly, and Anna offered him a small, knowing smile. "It’s all I am now, anyway. I’m no longer Anna Hyde... or Anna Adler."

Daniel studied her for a moment before settling into the chair beside her bed, placing the box of candy near her arm. "Is that what’s been bothering you lately?"

Anna shook her head. "Not really... It’s just that Mr. Stark hasn’t come to see me since that day. I know he’s just returned, and he must be incredibly busy, but I can’t help feeling..." She hesitated, then exhaled softly. "Abandoned. And I guess... I’m nervous. What if he changes his mind about—well, you know, our plan?"

Daniel’s eyebrows lifted slightly, surprise flickering across his face. It was rare—almost unheard of—for anyone to question William Stark’s intentions.

"You don’t have to worry, Mrs.—I mean, Anna," he corrected himself quickly. "Mr. Stark isn’t the kind of man who abandons people, nor does he go back on his word. Once he makes an offer or a deal, that’s it—he follows through to the very end. If anything, loyalty is the one thing he values above all else. And believe me, he’s the most loyal person I’ve ever met."

Anna felt a small wave of relief wash over her. Knowing William was a man of his word reassured her—but it also came with a weight of responsibility.

That means I can’t slip up. Not even once. Not that I ever intended to betray him in the first place... but still, the pressure is suffocating.

"Somehow, I get the feeling my words didn’t reassure you enough," Daniel noted, plucking a flower-shaped chocolate from the box as his sharp eyes lingered on Anna, studying her reaction.

She hesitated, twirling the dessert fork between her fingers.

"I don’t know," she admitted, her voice turning uncharacteristically soft. "I can never quite relax around him. It’s like he carries this immense power—this invisible weight that bends everything and everyone to his will. Compared to that, I feel like nothing more than a speck of dust. And now... now that my life is in his hands, that feeling is even stronger."

Daniel sighed, wiping his fingers with a napkin. "I get why you feel that way. It’s a lot of pressure, and I won’t lie—it can be overwhelming. But I can assure you, Mr. Stark isn’t someone who abuses his power. He doesn’t exploit people just because they have no one else to turn to."

He leaned back in his chair, thoughtful. "In fact, he’s surprisingly easy to deal with once you get to know him. If he feels comfortable around you, you’ll be amazed at how warm and open he can actually be."

"Oh?" Anna’s brows lifted in surprise. "Is that what your relationship with him is like too?"

Daniel sighed again, his expression one of exaggerated misery. "Yeah, any day now."

For the first time in days, Anna laughed—an unguarded, genuine sound that even caught her off guard.

Daniel chuckled as well, not just because of his own joke, but because he was relieved to see her mood lifting, even if it came at the expense of his own so-called cruel fate.

But as he watched her, a nagging thought tugged at the back of his mind.

This is strange... She doesn’t seem to know much about him at all. But William told me he used to love her. How can two people be so out of sync when it comes to something like that?

His tongue itched to ask—to throw out the very question he hadn’t yet dared to ask William.

How did the two of them meet? And what exactly happened between them back then?

"...Mr. Reid?"

Daniel jolted slightly as Anna’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. Judging by her tone, she must have repeated his name several times already.

"Yes?"

"So, what are our next steps?"

"I see patience isn’t one of your virtues, Mrs. Anna Hyde."