The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

The next day, Kiana’s cries filled the entire house. She clung tightly to her Mommy, refusing to let go. The maids tried to coax her, but she listened to no one—not even Zevian, who was scolded for being useless and sent away.

"Baby, let’s have breakfast. We’ll talk about it later," Evelyn tried to gently release Kiana from her arms, but the girl only held on tighter, hugging her waist.

Avery, who was sitting in front of them, rolled her eyes. Evelyn had called her over to help convince Kiana last night, so she had rushed over early in the morning. But the girl seemed even more stubborn than her father. "She’s going there for work, Kiana. Not for a party, so stop it already," she said, her voice tinged with annoyance.

"Then take me with you!" Kiana grumbled, looking up at her Mommy. She sniffled softly, tears rolling down her cheeks again.

Though she enjoyed skipping school for three days in a row, it wasn’t as fun knowing Evelyn would be gone for more than two days. The fact that she would be sent to live at the Reign mansion with her grandparents while her Mommy was away—since Avery would be too busy to take care of her—made it even more depressing.

"It’s already settled, Kiana. If she doesn’t go, they’ll punish her," Avery tried another approach to convince Kiana. When the little girl looked up in confusion, she continued, "They’re bad guys and won’t like it if someone doesn’t keep their promises."

But it only backfired, and Kiana started crying louder. "Why did you make a deal with bad guys?" she scolded her aunt, knowing she was her Mommy’s boss and made all the decisions at the company.

"You’re useless! Daddy’s useless! Everyone is useless!" Kiana cried out, feeling surrounded by a bunch of fools. How could they let her Mommy walk right into the wolf’s den?!

Evelyn shot a glare at Avery as Kiana clung to her even tighter. Avery rubbed the back of her neck, regretting her choice of words. Zevian would probably kill her once Evelyn left, considering how many times she had unintentionally worsened situations with Kiana. Now, it would be even harder to handle the little girl after scaring her.

"They’re not bad guys, sweetheart," Evelyn said softly, gently patting Kiana’s head. "They like Mommy’s work a lot and requested me to decorate their old home. There’s a sweet grandma whose birthday is coming up, and her husband wants to surprise her with the gift."

Kiana paused her crying, sniffling as she looked up at Evelyn to see if she was telling the truth. When Evelyn smiled, Kiana slowly loosened her grip and asked, "So... they’re like your fans?"

"Yes, exactly! They’re Mommy’s biggest fans," Avery chimed in with a grin. It wasn’t entirely false; the Igor family adored Evelyn as if they had some deep connection with her in a past life.

Kiana’s shoulders sagged at Avery’s confirmation. She lowered her head, deep in thought. She was still upset about her Mommy leaving, but she understood the duties of a superstar. Superstars had to look after their fans, even if it meant traveling for long days away from their families.

"Alright... but take me with you!" Kiana demanded, returning to her original plan. If her Mommy had to go, she would tag along. "I’ll attend classes online! I’ll study hard and won’t disturb you while you work," she added, trying every trick to convince her.

But Evelyn shook her head. "Nope. You’re staying at the Reign Mansion," she declared. Kiana’s tendency to avoid schoolwork was one of the reasons Evelyn didn’t let her stay with Zevian alone. That little devil could easily trick him, and Jonathan seemed like the only person capable of keeping her in line.

"Then let me stay here!" Kiana grumbled, tears spilling from her eyes again. As much as she loved her Grandma Rosie, she hated her annoying jailer of a husband equally. "What about Grandpa William?" she asked, but Evelyn shook her head once more.

"They all just want to pamper you," Evelyn replied, making Kiana huff in frustration.

Avery smiled as the girl finally stopped crying, though she understood Kiana’s feelings. She would miss Evelyn too, but this would be the last request they received from the Igor family. The company had other talented designers personally trained by Evelyn who could handle future projects.

---

The day passed quickly, much faster than Kiana or Zevian had hoped. He finished his important meetings and rushed home just before lunch, but time seemed to fly by faster than usual. By the time they arrived at the Reign mansion, it was already past five in the evening, and Evelyn had to leave soon.

"They’re here!" Rosalind exclaimed as the trio entered the mansion. She had been impatiently awaiting their arrival. Though she wasn’t thrilled about Evelyn’s long trip, she was equally excited to take care of Kiana.

"My munchkin!" she cried, picking up Kiana, who ran straight to her arms.

But Kiana suddenly started crying again, causing both Rosalind and Natalie to worry. They looked over at Evelyn and Zevian, who were seated on the couch, clearly used to this scene by now.

"Can you ask Mommy not to go?" Kiana asked with a pout.

"Aww~" Rosalind melted at her granddaughter’s request and hugged her even tighter. She gently patted Kiana’s head and turned to smile at Evelyn.

"She’s going for important work, Kiana," Jonathan, who had settled into a nearby chair, chimed in. When the little girl glared at him, he added, "You should be proud of her. She’s so talented, admired by people all around the world."

Evelyn glanced at Zevian, who smiled at his father’s words. It seemed like he was indirectly expressing his pride, a rare thing for the usually stoic man.

"I didn’t ask you!" Kiana grumbled at her grandfather, making him scoff. The others chuckled at their bickering, and Evelyn felt even more reluctant to leave them for so long. A year ago, she would’ve eagerly left the city for a project like Ronan’s. But now, this family made it hard for her, showering her with love, making her feel like she truly belonged, so different from how she felt in the Wright Mansion.

The conversation flowed easily after that. Rosalind and Natalie coaxed Kiana with promises of fun activities, while Jonathan chatted with Evelyn. He seemed particularly pleased after learning that Evelyn was actually Grace, and his admiration for her had only grown when Avery mentioned that Benjamin Igor personally requested her to design his mansion. That stingy man never let anyone near his precious home, but Grace had somehow managed to break through those boundaries.

Natalie glanced at Evelyn, realizing the moment had come. Clearing her throat, she asked, "Can I have a chat with you, Evelyn? Privately."

Her request left everyone confused, even Zevian frowned in puzzlement. What could she possibly want to discuss in secret?