The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

"What timing!" Avery groaned from the stage and turned to her team, who rushed toward the entrance.

The bodyguards Zevian had specifically arranged for the event were quick to block the crowd from stepping inside. But the stubborn protesters continued their loud protests, their drama well-captured by the media and observed by the guests.

"Seems like she’ll be doomed tonight too," one of the female guests commented, barely stifling a snicker. She was one of many who loathed Evelyn, thinking her luck was unfair after being thrown out by her adopted family. Even though Reigns had released statements and proven multiple times that Zevian had always secretly loved Evelyn, many still believed she had seduced him by using poor Katherine’s child.

Reaching their family’s table, Avery took Evelyn’s hand and suggested worriedly, "Let’s get you out of here. They won’t stop, no matter how much we try to reason with them."

This wasn’t the first time these protesters—who claimed to be Gracia’s fans—had attacked Evelyn. They had appeared during many of Evelyn’s important moments, from throwing rotten eggs at her during high school graduation to harming her during college. Numerous incidents had taken place over the last two decades, and no one could figure out how these repeat offenders were always bailed out, even after attempted murders on Evelyn.

"No," Evelyn said, shaking her head. Taking a deep breath, she declared, "I want to address them."

In the past, Evelyn had always avoided confrontation, running away from them because she had no one by her side to support her if she decided to fight back. But now, with someone who wouldn’t let even a fly bother her, she felt her bravery surge. She glanced at Zevian, who nodded in support, his hand firmly holding hers. With him by her side, she could stand tall and face the world.

"But—" Avery began, but her father, Theodore, gently pulled her back. He shook his head, signaling her to let her best friend be bold this time. Penelope agreed with her husband, and with a sigh, Avery relented.

"Can you take her out of here?" Evelyn asked Rosalind, gesturing to Kiana, who was standing on her chair, curiously observing the commotion outside. Hearing her name, Kiana turned around and looked at her mother with a pout.

"But I want to fight the bad guys with you, Mommy," the little girl said innocently, her protective instincts warming everyone’s hearts. She had complete faith that her dad would save them if things got bad, just like a superhero, so there was nothing to worry about.

"Let Mommy and Daddy handle this, Kia," Rosalind replied, lifting the girl into her arms. She patted Evelyn on the back and, after nodding to Zevian, quickly walked toward the back door of the banquet hall.

"Take care," Jonathan murmured to his son before following his granddaughter. Several bodyguards formed a protective barrier around them, escorting them away from the mess.

"Call the cops," Theodore instructed his assistant, who swiftly made the call. He then turned to Evelyn and said, "Let’s go, Evy."

Not only did Evelyn have Zevian’s support, but Theodore, the most influential politician in the province, was also on her side. Ronan, observing all this, decided to sit back and enjoy the show. If things got out of hand, his team could just take out their guns and shoot every one of those troublemakers. "Be on standby," he ordered his men, who nodded and stood behind his chair.

The bodyguards carefully made a path toward the protesters, ensuring they stood close behind Evelyn, just in case someone tried anything reckless. It was odd that the top hotel in the city had allowed this gang to trespass so easily. Either someone had let them in on purpose, or the hotel management didn’t care about security. Whatever the case, someone would pay dearly for this chaos.

"There she is!" someone shouted, and several protesters rushed forward, only to be stopped by the line of bodyguards standing between them and Evelyn.

"Try something funny, and you’ll rot in jail for lifetime," Avery hissed, making the group flinch. As the daughter of politician Theodore Cartwell, with him standing right beside her, many of the protesters regretted showing up.

Then there was Zevian, whose formidable, dangerous aura only intensified as he stood protectively beside his wife. The protesters knew this wouldn’t end well, but they had been paid handsomely, as always, and figured they’d be bailed out like every other time.

"What do you want?" Evelyn asked, her voice loud and tinged with frustration. Seeing the same faces again, the ones who claimed to worship Gracia, she quickly realized they were sent by someone who still held affection for her—someone with a plan.

"Stop using our goddess’s name! You shameless snake have no right to use it," one woman spat venomously.

"And?" Evelyn asked calmly, crossing her arms. She had always been calm and composed when dealing with them, but this time, they didn’t see the fear they usually found in her eyes. It made many rethink their decision.

"And step down from AWE," another protester demanded, quickly revealing their real agenda. Their leader believed that if Evelyn continued to succeed at AWE, William’s decisions would waver, and they couldn’t afford that. Their entire plan relied on William’s hatred and coldness toward Evelyn, and they couldn’t let it falter.

Gasps erupted from the surrounding guests. Many murmured about how this demand would have a significant impact on the company. Gracia was currently the face of AWE, and without her, some clients might hesitate to even listen to the company’s presentations. A few guests looked delighted, hoping to witness Evelyn’s downfall again, especially since she had been soaring high on praise just minutes ago.

Avery wanted to intervene but waited, glancing at Zevian. He remained calm, allowing Evelyn to fight her own battle. If things went south, he would step in, but for now, she needed this chance to stand her ground.

Evelyn glanced at each of her accusers, their faces confirming who might be behind this attack. With a steady voice, she declared, "I won’t change my professional name, nor will I step down."

As the group erupted in loud disapproval, she silenced them with her next statement: "Hate me all you want. But if you dare to lay a hand on me, I will make sure you pay for it heavily this time." She glanced at Zevian beside her and added, "My husband has some good connections in the underworld, and even if the law forgives you, I doubt he will."

Avery snickered at her best friend’s bold comment. Though using mafia connections for blackmail wasn’t exactly ethical, these morons deserved it. If only Damien were here tonight—he’d handle this in his own way, she thought, missing his presence.

"We could always send you to Italy," Ronan’s voice called from behind, making the family turn. He stood next to Theodore, his sickening smile making the protesters flinch even more.

The group that had bullied Evelyn for years, enjoying watching her squirm, now faced a woman with powerful connections—connections that made her stronger than before. But they knew they would face consequences if they failed to complete their task.

"Escort them out," Zevian ordered his team, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

"Please, treat them kindly," Avery added, emphasizing the last word with a smile. Turning to Evelyn, she said, "Let’s go. We still have an inauguration to finish."

Evelyn nodded, and they all turned to leave, the bodyguards taking charge of the unruly group. The guests watched in awe at how all these influential men sided with Evelyn, walking behind her as if she were their leader. It felt like a scene from a movie, and many quickly made up their minds to befriend her.

But the protesters weren’t done yet. One of the girls managed to slip through the bodyguards, rushing toward Evelyn with rotten eggs hidden in her bag.

"Evelyn, you wretch!" the teenage girl shouted, storming toward her with the eggs ready to throw.

Everyone turned at the commotion, including Evelyn, frowning as the girl approached with fury on her face. The egg flew in their direction, but Zevian was quick to shield his wife, stepping in front of her. Yet, someone else was quicker, taking the egg as it splattered against his branded suit.

"Dad!" Elias gasped, not realizing when the old man had moved away from him.

The bodyguards immediately restrained the girl, but she kicked and screamed, spouting accusations at William. "She’s fooling all of you! Don’t believe her! She’s not worth being your adopted daughter."

"Who said she’s my adopted daughter?" William’s question left everyone stunned, including Evelyn. Zevian, standing behind the old man, squinted at him, turning to see his wife equally surprised by the statement.

"When did I ever say she’s my adopted daughter?" William asked again, calmly brushing off the egg shells from his suit. His cold stare made the girl tremble.

"Annabelle is your real daughter! This woman was swapped at birth by her mother, leaving your true daughter to suffer," the girl continued, though her voice now barely came out as a whisper.

William sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Looking up, he declared to everyone, "Yes, Annabelle is my daughter, but so is Evelyn. She’s still a Wright and always will be."

Evelyn’s chest tightened at his words, the first sign of affection she had heard from him in years. She almost couldn’t believe her ears, feeling as though it was all too good to be true, like a dream she would wake up from halfway, only to be disappointed. Zevian’s hand gently supported her back, steadying her from losing balance, and Evelyn gripped his hand tightly, trying to convince herself that this moment was real.

"That’s enough," William interrupted, raising his hand to silence the girl. "Get her out of my sight," he ordered, directing Zevian’s team to remove the protester.

As the girl was dragged away, the chaos of the event began to grow. Reporters, sensing a massive story, quickly gathered around, cameras flashing, and microphones were thrust forward as they shouted questions at William. This was the first time William Wright had ever publicly spoken about Evelyn since the birth-switch scandal rocked the Wright family. And they were desperate to capture every detail for their headlines.

"Mr. Wright, so you don’t hate Evelyn?"

"Do you still consider her your daughter? Will she receive an equal share of the property like your two other children?"

But William wasn’t going to ignore them like every time. He wanted to say many things, and it was something that would be another slap on Sophia’s face tonight.

Turning to Elias and then back at the reporters, William added with a calm yet warning tone, "Yes. And just like Elias, she still has every chance of becoming Wright Construction’s next CEO. So, be mindful of what you write about my daughter."