"Why would you help me? And how?" Anna asked, her voice almost trembling with uncertainty. She was still struggling to grasp the full weight of the situation, as if the world had shifted beneath her feet, leaving her standing on unsteady ground.
"Let's start with how." William's tone was matter-of-fact as he gestured for Daniel to take a seat.
"The acid that splashed onto your face will leave deep scarring—scars that won't fade on their own. The only way to remove them is through plastic surgery. I'll cover the costs, and while you're at it, you can use this opportunity to alter your appearance. You can't reenter the world as Anna Hyde. That identity is dead. From now on, you'll be someone else, and a new face is the first step."
Anna didn't react immediately. She had known, ever since William told her what the doctor had said, that her skin would be permanently damaged. But the idea of changing her face entirely—of looking in the mirror and seeing a stranger—sent a ripple of fear through her.
She had never been insecure about her appearance. Even Marienne, one of the most beautiful women Anna had ever known, used to tell her how lucky she was to have such naturally striking features.
It wasn't that she feared looking worse after surgery—she trusted modern medicine. But it was the thought of letting go of who she was, even in a purely physical sense, that unsettled her.
Before she could dwell on it any further, William's voice cut through her thoughts again. "Don't waste time on useless thoughts." It was almost as if he could read her mind. "I know it's a daunting process, but Anna Hyde is dead. You can't be her anymore."
A heavy silence settled between them before Anna finally spoke, her voice firm, resolute.
"Alright. A new face it is. What else?"
"Your eye and hair color will be easy to change—we'll use colored contact lenses and dye your hair. Since it's short now, I suggest growing it out."
Anna gave a curt nod. "Fine. What else?"
Her sudden shift in attitude made William's lips twitch into a faint smile of approval. "I don't mean to be rude, but your body looks rather frail. You lived with Robert for years, so trust me when I say a man can recognize his woman's body instantly."
Anna's lips pressed into a thin line, her expression darkening with sadness. Perhaps a man who truly loved his wife—who paid attention to every little detail about her—would notice such things. But she doubted that her now ex-husband had ever spared her more than a passing glance of real attention, even when they were physically close.
"I can start working out... maybe get a tan. But it'll take time."
William smirked. "Of course it will. Your return won't be immediate, anyway. You'll need time to recover after both surgeries, and there are plenty of other matters to handle in the meantime."
A flicker of unease crossed Anna's face. "What other matters?"
"Your new identity, of course," William explained smoothly. "We'll have to secure new identification for you, along with a complete backstory—who you are, where you came from, everything. And it won't just be on paper. You'll need to change how you carry yourself—your posture, your speech, your voice, your entire presence. You can't just be Anna Hyde with a new face. You have to become someone else entirely. Someone no one would ever mistake for her."
"Yeah… it does sound like a lot," she murmured quietly.
A new person. A new woman. Could she really become someone else?
Robert and his family buried me so easily because they never cared about me to begin with. But I do. I care about myself. So… can I bury Anna Hyde just as easily?
The thought sent a shiver down her spine.
William sighed, crossing his arms over his chest. "Your silence is unnerving. I'll only help you if you truly want my help."
Anna's fingers curled into fists. "Which brings us to the 'why' part of my confusion. Why would you help me? We're not exactly friends. In fact, we've only met once before, and I don't recall you owing me any favors."
Even if this man was offering her a way out, a second chance, she couldn't ignore the nagging caution gnawing at the back of her mind. He was a famous man, a powerful man, and there was literally nothing they had in common.
Trust had already cost her everything. She wouldn't make the same mistake again.
William grinned, leaning back in his chair with an air of amusement. "You're right. I don't owe you anything. But I need your help just as much as you need mine, so perhaps it was fate that brought us together under such… unusual circumstances."
Anna narrowed her eyes. "You need my help? What could I possibly do for you in my current state?"
William shrugged. "In your current state—nothing. But once you're back in the game? Quite a lot."
He paused, tapping his fingers against his chin as he searched for the right words.
"You asked me why I came back... There were many reasons. One of them is strictly business-related," William said in a calm voice. "I'm launching a high-profile philanthropic project in honor of my late grandmother's will. But after spending over ten years abroad, I've lost most of my connections here. You, on the other hand, know a lot of people. That's where you come in."
If not for the bandages covering her face, Anna's eyebrows would have shot up to her hairline. "Let me save you the trouble of disappointment, Mr. Stark," she replied coolly. "I don't have any friends in high society anymore. I'm useless to you in that regard."
William scoffed. "I don't need your friendships, Anna," he shot back. "I need your knowledge of people. Don't take me for a fool. I know you spent the last eight years overseeing charity projects and building your husband's reputation behind the curtains. Even if you weren't social, you still paid attention. You know who holds real power, who controls the money, who's willing to play dirty. That's what I need."
Anna hesitated, suspicion flickering in her eyes. "That still doesn't seem valuable enough for you to go to such lengths to help me."
William's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "Smart, just as I remember," he murmured, so quietly that neither Anna nor Daniel caught it. Then, he looked back at her again and spoke with deliberate weight. "You're right. There's something else I need from you."
"I'm listening," she said warily.
His next words sent a chill down her spine.
"I need you to pretend to be my lover."
"Excuse me…?"