The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

Seeing Evelyn pause midway, Benjamin turned to her and asked in Italian, "What’s wrong?" Even Margaret noticed her staring at their daughter-in-law’s photo as if it troubled her. The elder woman glanced at Ronan, wondering if Evelyn knew about it, but when he shook his head, she sighed in relief.

"Oh, nothing. I just realized I forgot my bag in the car," Evelyn lied, forcing a smile. Turning to Rita, she asked, "Can you get it for me, Rita?"

Rita frowned in confusion, as Evelyn had asked to leave it in the car since she was carrying it for the site. It would have been cumbersome for Rita to carry it around in the house. Still, Rita nodded with a bright smile and quickly hurried out to fetch the bag.

"We tried to get your favorites," Margaret said as they settled at the table. Their lifestyles and cuisines were quite different, but the main chef had managed to prepare something to Evelyn’s taste so she wouldn’t miss home on the first day.

Evelyn smiled in response. "Oh, that’s so sweet of you. Thank you, Mrs. Igor," she replied, taking a seat next to her.

Benjamin sat at the head of the table, while Ronan took a seat beside him. The elder couple had only one son, who had died before Ronan even learned to walk, and his mother had passed away a decade ago. So it was just the three of them in the family, with extended relatives visiting only on special occasions.

Evelyn glanced at Ronan, wondering if it was right to ask him. But she decided to hold back her curiosity for now since the elder couple hadn’t mentioned Annabelle at all.

The breakfast soon began, with maids serving various dishes to their main guest. Benjamin’s joy was visible in his eyes as Evelyn enjoyed the meal, delighted to host her again. While Margaret looked lost in her thoughts, she joined the conversation from time to time.

"Does he treat you well?" Benjamin asked, shifting from a professional to a personal note. He had been curious as to why Evelyn suddenly married that son of the Reigns out of the blue. Though his grandson seemed to know, he hadn’t shared much, leaving him on edge.

Evelyn set down her juice glass and nodded with a smile. Zevian treated her like no one else could, and even if someone tried, she was sure they couldn’t match him. He’d set the standard so high that anyone else would fall short.

Margaret, also curious about her married life, joined in. "But why did you choose him to marry?" she asked, leaning forward. When Evelyn blinked in confusion, the older woman added, "Sorry if I’m being rude. We’re just curious, especially since it turned out so well."

Evelyn didn’t mind sharing her love story at all. With a bright smile, she replied, "We were in a relationship a few years ago. Due to personal reasons, we broke up, but I think we were destined to meet again."

Margaret smiled at her confession. It was clear from Evelyn’s eyes that she loved her husband, and Margaret was glad the young woman had finally found someone to rely on.

"But I heard he has a daughter," Benjamin commented, leaning in with curiosity.

"Our daughter was the one who brought us back together," Evelyn replied with a smile. The way she emphasized "our" made the older couple realize she had fully embraced the child. Her next words brought smiles to their faces, "She’s sweet but can be a bit of a devil sometimes. I’m glad she chose me as her mommy."

"I have some work to handle. I’ll visit you in the evening," Ronan cut into the family talk, shifting focus back to what his grandparents needed to discuss. "They’ll accompany you to the old mansion. Once your team arrives, you can start working according to their guidance."

Evelyn nodded, excitement bubbling within her. She had once visited the magnificent mansion and had dreamed of renovating it someday. Now that her dream was coming true, she could hardly contain her excitement.

Once they finished breakfast, Ronan escorted his grandparents out along with Evelyn. They left in separate cars, and as they drove out of the large gates, Ronan sighed. The main reason he and his grandmother had convinced Benjamin to invite Grace to renovate the mansion was Annabelle. He felt guilty about using Grace, but they needed to confirm the suspicions that could bring turmoil to their already troubled family.

---

The day passed quickly for Evelyn, who spent it entirely at the Igors’ old mansion. Her team arrived in the afternoon, perfectly timed to discuss the significant changes they had planned for the mansion with the elder couple.

Once most of the matters were settled, Benjamin and Margaret left as the sun slowly began to set. They trusted Grace completely and assured her they’d be satisfied with whatever changes she envisioned for the mansion. But Evelyn waited for Ronan to arrive and approve the final decisions.

"Are the cars arranged for them?" Evelyn asked Rita, who nodded in response.

There were five staff members from AWE and five more from a local but well-regarded design firm in the city. Ronan had sent them, and although the team of ten was sufficient, Evelyn hoped to add more staff so they could complete the work quickly.

"I’ll see you guys tomorrow," she said to the local staff in Italian. Turning to her own team, she continued, "You can head to the villa to rest. Rita will stay with me here."

The staff nodded gratefully and got into the cars. The flight had been long, and they needed to catch up on sleep. Evelyn smiled and waved at her staff before going back inside the mansion.

The maids brought in tea, and the head butler informed Evelyn that Ronan was already on his way.

"Can’t we get his approval tomorrow, ma’am?" Rita asked, sipping her tea.

"There’s something else I want to discuss," Evelyn replied, and Rita, knowing her boundaries, didn’t question further.

After a few minutes, Ronan entered with Carson following close behind. Rita excused herself to wait outside as the two men settled on the couch, sensing that her ma’am wanted a private discussion.

"I need you to approve this," Evelyn said, passing the tablet to Ronan. He glanced at it briefly and handed it to Carson, allowing him to handle the specifics.

Evelyn looked at Ronan, debating whether to bring it up now. Sensing her hesitation, Ronan sighed and decided to reveal it himself, "Annabelle is my stepsister."