The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

"Who is he?" Vincent asked with a frown, his voice startling the duo who hadn’t noticed his approach. Annabelle had always been glued to his side, so seeing her being so familiar and intimate with another man stirred up an unpleasant feeling in him. If only he could understand how Evelyn had felt each time he got close to Annabelle when they were still engaged, he might have handled things differently now.

Annabelle quickly stepped away from Ronan and moved to Vincent’s side, her grip tight on his arm as she explained, "He’s one of Evelyn’s clients. We just happened to meet a few months ago, purely coincidental."

Vincent’s gaze narrowed as he looked Ronan up and down, his eyes lingering on the man’s dark, intense stare that made him flinch. The man seemed vaguely familiar as if he had crossed paths with him before, but his name remained elusive.

"Mr. Igor! What a surprise to see you here!" A guest approached them with eager steps, clearly thrilled at the chance to speak to the Italian prince, especially without his usual entourage. They didn’t want to miss this rare opportunity. "For you to travel all the way from Italy, Ms. Cartwell must be a close friend, indeed!"

Vincent’s eyes widened at the man’s words, realization striking him like lightning. The face that had been plastered across magazines and billboards suddenly clicked into place. How could he not have recognized it sooner? Mr. Igor was just as powerful as Zevian was in his own country. And to think that Annabelle had already met him once? It felt like Vincent had stumbled upon a golden opportunity.

"Forgive me for not recognizing you earlier, Mr. Igor," Vincent quickly joined the conversation, though Ronan’s disinterest was clear as the guest rambled on. "I’m Vincent Blake, CEO of Blake Corporations," he introduced himself, extending his hand with a bright smile.

Ronan raised an eyebrow, glancing from the extended hand to Annabelle, who was standing beside Vincent. His name sounded familiar, and in moments, Ronan realized who he was—Grace’s ex-fiancé, the one who had treated her just as poorly as the others when she was declared a fraud and cast aside.

After a pause, Ronan slowly pulled his hand from his pocket and shook Vincent’s hand, his grip so tight that Vincent’s smile wavered, his face paling as he struggled not to wince in pain.

"Hello. I’m a close friend of Grace’s," Ronan introduced himself with a serious tone, causing the man in front of him to squirm uncomfortably. While Vincent might be a useful tool in getting back at Laila, Ronan had no desire to befriend anyone who had wronged Evelyn. All her enemies were automatically his as well by default. Of course, except for Annabelle, who occupied a strange space in his mind.

Ronan had no shortage of methods for taking back what belonged to him, to his family. And he would eventually claim her one day. He smirked subtly, his eyes locking with Annabelle’s who hadn’t stopped looking at him.

Annabelle felt a shiver run down her spine at the intensity of Ronan’s stare. It was like being a bunny caught in the gaze of a hunting lion, waiting to be claimed as the next prey. The tension prickled her skin, and, taking a quick step forward, she grabbed onto Vincent’s arm. "Let’s go, Vin. I’m starting to feel a little dizzy."

"Alright, let’s leave." Vincent agreed without hesitation, though he cast a final glance in Ronan’s direction before guiding Annabelle out of the garden. As much as he wanted to mingle with investors tonight, Annabelle and the baby in her womb came first.

Inside the banquet hall, Evelyn felt her head growing heavy from all the business talk. Though the main reason she stayed under a hidden identity was the fear of running into William, these tiresome social events were another strong deterrent. Avery, who had studied business administration, could handle such matters with ease, but it was too much for Evelyn, who decided it was time for a break.

"Mommy!" Kiana’s cheerful voice broke through Evelyn’s thoughts as her daughter approached her seat. Taking the glass from her father’s hand, Kiana turned to her mother with a sweet smile. "Here, have some juice. It’ll give you more energy."

"Thank you, baby." Evelyn smiled warmly, accepting the glass and giving Kiana’s nose a gentle pinch before taking a sip of the orange juice.

Zevian sat down beside her, placing Kiana on his lap. The two of them watched Evelyn relax as she drank, their eyes filled with affection. A few of AWE’s staff stood at a respectful distance, ensuring that no one disturbed their boss, per Avery’s orders, as she handled the remaining guests.

"Do you want some more?" Kiana asked as Evelyn finished her drink.

"That’s enough, sweetie." Evelyn set the empty glass down.

"But you need more energy," Kiana insisted, her brow furrowing in concern. "Daddy said he has a surprise for you later, and we need to get you ready for it."

"Surprise?" Evelyn raised an eyebrow, amusement in her voice as she turned to Zevian. He was now glaring at their daughter, clearly annoyed that the surprise had been spoiled.

"Oopsie~" Kiana covered her mouth, realizing her mistake. She looked up at her father with wide eyes and pulled her ear in apology, too cute for Zevian to stay angry with her. Avery, on the other hand, had hurried over when her assistant rushed to report the little girl’s slip-up.

"You little devil!" Avery scolded dramatically, placing her hands on her hips. "You did that because we didn’t tell you about the surprise earlier, didn’t you?" she teased, wagging a finger at Kiana. The girl had overheard their conversation earlier and had been disappointed when they refused to share the details.

Kiana stuck her tongue out at her aunt, then hopped off Zevian’s lap to stand beside her mother. Holding onto Evelyn’s arm, she looked hopefully at her father. If they weren’t going to let her in on the secret, then they might as well reveal the surprise now!

"I should blame you for raising her into a little devil just like you," Avery grumbled at Zevian. Kiana was becoming more and more like a carbon copy of him, and Avery sometimes wondered if they really weren’t related by blood.

"What’s the surprise?!" Evelyn asked excitedly. Zevian had been talking about taking her out on a date, but it had been postponed for over a month due to their busy schedules. She wondered if it was finally happening.

"You’ll know when the time is right," Avery replied with a cheeky smile. She grabbed Zevian’s arm, pulling him to his feet. "Just a bit more patience. Now, let’s get out of here before you ruin it with just a kiss." With that, she dragged him out of sight, leaving the two curious women behind.

"Tch, Daddy would’ve spilled it," Kiana grumbled with a pout. If it weren’t for her aunt, they would’ve known by now.

Evelyn chuckled at her daughter’s words. It amused her how even Kiana was now aware that she was Zevian his weakness. The thought filled her with warmth and joy. The surprise must be a date! she thought, barely containing her excitement.

As the lavish dinner in the garden came to an end, the guests began settling in their seats, having been informed that the party wasn’t quite over. Avery, standing by the stage, could hardly contain her excitement as the staff finished playing the video once more for her approval.

"My cousin is going to win so many hearts tonight," Avery murmured, glancing at William’s table. Luckily, the old man had stayed, and she smiled at Elias, grateful for his help tonight. Thanks to him, they were able to put everything together seamlessly.

"Are you finally proposing to me?" Evelyn whispered to Zevian beside her. The way everyone was acting, even Rosalind seemed to be in on it, only made her more impatient.

Zevian chuckled softly. Leaning closer, he replied, "I’m saving that for an even bigger occasion."

His words surprised Evelyn. What could possibly be more special than this? But her thoughts were interrupted when Avery stepped onto the stage, microphone in hand.

"I hope you’re all enjoying the night," Avery began with a smile, appreciating that many had stayed. When the crowd responded with a collective hum, she continued, "We have one last surprise for you all. And let me tell you, this one’s even deadlier than the last. So hold on tight!" Her eyes met Evelyn’s, causing her to grow anxious.

Before Evelyn could ask anything, the lights dimmed, and a video began playing on the screen.

"Mama! Mama!" a young girl’s voice echoed. Evelyn gasped softly as her little six-year-old self appeared on the screen, running into her mother Gracia’s arms. Even William, seated in the corner, couldn’t hold back his emotions as Gracia lovingly embraced their child, their little bunny.

What prank were they pulling now?