The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

Sophia felt the ground slipping away beneath her at his words, at the way he addressed Evelyn. No... This was worse than a nightmare.

"Why should I?" she snapped, frustration barely hidden in her voice. The people around them seemed to be laughing internally, their expressions mocking her failure. The cracks in her sweet facade began to show, revealing her raw, vile thoughts.

William had never acted this way before, siding with Evelyn instead of believing in her carefully constructed lies. For years, she had framed Evelyn, slowly turning her into a useless, arrogant brat in his eyes. Yet, all her efforts now seemed to be going down the drain. Tonight, it felt like the stage was set for her downfall. She couldn’t afford to lose now, not when they were only a few months away from her son becoming the CEO of Wright Constructions.

"Apologize, Mom. You were rude to her." Even Elias sided with his father, clearly pleased that William wasn’t defending her.

Sophia looked at her son, speechless and skeptical of his sudden behavior. Though he had often defended Evelyn in the past, this time felt different. His expression was grim, filled with disgust as if he knew more than he should. A knot of dread tightened in her stomach, her face paling. After all, no mother liked being hated by her own son.

"Do it quickly." Annabelle’s voice snapped her out of her thoughts. Sophia glared at her, warning her to be quiet, but her sweet daughter continued with a scowl, "People would be more impressed if you didn’t just stand there like a statue of shame."

Sophia gritted her teeth, her fists clenched in anger. She turned to face Evelyn. The calmness in Evelyn’s eyes reminded her so much of Gracia—not just her expression, but her entire appearance tonight, poised like a boss. It took her back to the time when she had been Gracia’s assistant, bowing and following her every command.

Feeling the crowd’s gaze on her, eagerly awaiting the climax of the drama, Sophia reluctantly took a step forward. Folding her hands in front of her, she murmured, "I’m sorry, Evy. My emotions got the better of me. I didn’t mean to sound rude."

’This will be the first and the last time, Evelyn,’ she vowed silently, her fingernails digging into her palms.

Avery smirked in satisfaction, her eyes gleaming as she watched Sophia squirm. Glancing at her assistant not far away, she nodded in satisfaction when he confirmed the moment had been captured. This wasn’t enough to pay Sophia back for all that Evelyn had endured, but the future held a day when Sophia would kneel and beg. And Avery couldn’t wait for that day.

Unable to handle the murmurs and snickers around her, Sophia turned and headed for the exit. Staying any longer would only wreck her facade. She could deal with William later, she thought as she rushed out of the hotel, calling for their chauffeur.

"We’ve arranged some fun activities for everyone. Please follow this way," the AWE staff announced, dispersing the crowd. They had been waiting for this moment, and now that Evelyn had received her apology, it felt like all their efforts in organizing the party had paid off.

Zevian patted Evelyn’s back gently, urging her to talk to William. He knew Sophia was the least of her concerns tonight and hoped that Evelyn and her father would finally bridge the gap between them.

"I never meant to disrespect her," Evelyn began, looking up at William. She didn’t have the courage to get closer, but holding Zevian’s hand gave her the strength to face him.

William sighed in response. He closed his eyes, suppressing the tears that had threatened to fall the moment Evelyn walked onto the stage as Grace. His emotions were in turmoil, but now wasn’t the right time to talk. Not today.

"We’ll discuss this later. Go meet your guests; they’re waiting to talk to you," he said, glancing at the group behind them, whom the staff were trying to calm. His avoidance was clear in the way he refused to meet Evelyn’s gaze.

As much as she wanted to refuse and explain herself, Evelyn could sense the battle inside him. Though she had prepared herself for this confrontation, it was terrifying now that the moment had arrived.

Slowly, she nodded. "Have dinner before you leave," she murmured, unsure of what else to say.

William felt his heart clench at her words, misunderstanding them as a sign that she didn’t want to see him again. He hummed a response and walked away, followed by Annabelle and Vincent.

Elias moved closer and pulled his sister into a tight embrace. "Things will work out, don’t worry," he assured her, patting her head. Evelyn sighed, hoping for the same, and hugged him back.

"Don’t leave him alone, even if he insists," she said, breaking the hug. "His heart... this might not be good for him."

Elias nodded. Sharing a glance with Zevian, silently asking him to take care of Evelyn, he quickly followed after their father.

Rosalind and Penelope, who had been observing the scene from a distance with their husbands, rushed to Evelyn’s side. Zevian stepped back, knowing they would be better at comforting her.

"I’m so proud of you, Evy," Penelope whispered, pulling her into a hug.

"And what about me?" Avery interjected, crossing her arms with a playful frown.

"What did you even do that’s worth praising?" Penelope teased, throwing a light banter that brought a smile to Evelyn’s face. "All you did was torment your employees."

"Such accusations!" Avery gasped dramatically. "Tell her, Evy. I never tortured them!"

"Oh, you did," Evelyn replied, joining in the teasing.

"We can vouch for that!" several staff members chimed in, lightening the mood even more. The banter worked—Evelyn’s worries faded, and when Rosalind joined in, showering her with praise, she momentarily forgot about the earlier incident.

"She even brought some membership cards, thinking you were her age!" Avery added, describing how excited Rosalind had been to meet Grace. Evelyn broke into laughter, apologizing for the confusion and spending a few more moments with her family.

Before long, Evelyn and Avery were surrounded by guests, each eager to toast to their success and offer congratulations. Many attendees had come intending to become clients, specifically wanting Grace to renovate their properties. The AWE staff were overjoyed with the overwhelming response, confident that their bosses would soon make it onto Forbes and other top magazines by next year.

While Evelyn was busy mingling, Annabelle stood in the fountain garden, feeling an unsettling presence. It felt like someone had been watching her for some time, following her but in the shadows. She scanned the area, her eyes flicking over the crowd, but couldn’t pinpoint who it was. A dark, looming feeling hung over her, putting her on edge.

"Where did he go?" she muttered, searching for Vincent. Even though she had refused his company, he had stubbornly followed her, desperate to find someone who could rescue the Blakes from their looming downfall.

A few women approached, attempting to gossip, but Annabelle quickly excused herself with a polite smile. She had no interest in becoming part of any drama, nor did she intend to give them the "tea" they were so eager to spill about her and Vincent’s relationship.

"And now they’re missing too," she groaned, realizing that Elias and William, who had settled at a table earlier, had also disappeared.

Distracted by her search for any of the three men, Annabelle didn’t notice the loose stones scattered on the grass. Her foot caught on one, and she let out a scream as she lost her balance. Just before she hit the ground, a strong arm caught her, pulling her gently upright.

Annabelle sighed in relief, her breath shaky as she opened her eyes. "Thank you—" Her words faltered when she met Ronan’s intense, mystic gaze. His arm remained firmly around her waist, and she could feel her heart racing.

Quickly, she pulled away, standing on her own feet again. Her hand instinctively went to her belly, a soft sigh of relief escaping her lips. "Thanks for saving me," she said, bowing her head slightly, pretending to meet Ronan for the first time.

"Don’t you remember me?" Ronan asked, his voice low, laced with hope, a desperation to hear her say yes.

Annabelle hesitated, furrowing her brow. Of course, she remembered him, with such a striking face and the dangerous aura that he wore like a halo, he was hard to forget. They had crossed paths months ago, back when she had been trailing Evelyn. But she forced a surprised expression onto her face. "Oh, you’re Evelyn’s client! Yes, I remember now."

Disappointment clouded Ronan’s features, his eyes failing to hide the sadness. No, that wasn’t the meeting he was referring. But he had all the time in the world to remind her of their first ever meeting, of their past piece by piece.

"You should be more careful," Ronan murmured, his gaze shifting to the damp ground beneath them. He noticed Annabelle clutching her head, swaying slightly, and instinctively wrapped an arm around her again. "Are you okay?" he asked, steadying her.

"Yes," Annabelle replied, feeling the dizziness slowly subside. "These pregnancy symptoms are getting worse," she muttered, frustration creeping into her tone as nausea hit her once more.

Ronan’s expression darkened at her words, his face hardening as he absorbed what she had just said. Was she seeing someone? No, she was pregnant?! Without warning, he grabbed her arm, pulling her closer. Annabelle gasped.

"What are—"

"Which bastard dared to touch you?" Ronan growled, his voice low and dangerous. The accusing words left Annabelle stunned, and so was Vincent who now stood behind them.