The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

Elias looked at Evelyn in horror, a shiver running down his spine. So, Annabelle was still alive? But how?

Zevian also looked at his wife in confusion. There was no way Annabelle was still alive. They had already confirmed it many times. His lips slowly curled up in a subtle smirk, understanding what Evelyn was trying to do. A dangerous glint lit his eyes. She was distracting them to the dead end, making them run around false clues while they dug deeper into whatever mess Sophia had sprawled in this family.

Elias stared at his sister, his face paling, his hands twitching slightly as though he wanted to do something—anything—but felt his throat dry.

"What rubbish are you spouting?" He glowered, his frustration mixed with fear. She must be tricking him! He was sure but his next words made him highly doubt it.

Evelyn was silent for a few torturous seconds before she tilted her head slightly, her voice softening, deceptively gentle. "I heard the Igor family had taken back their daughter and replaced her body with someone else. I mean with money and power you know they could clearly afford plastic surgery over a dead body.... Make it look similar to Annabelle, right?"

When Elias paled further, Evelyn added, "Laila is still recovering from that fall. And the Igors are sparing no effort to find out who caused such damage to her body. But since you and your mother are innocent, there’s nothing to worry about, Eli."

The barest flicker of terror crossed Elias’s eyes. He swallowed hard, a subtle tremor in his voice. "You’re bluffing."

Evelyn let the moment hang, watching him shift uncomfortably. "Am I?" she asked with a light shrug. Well, Ronan Igor, my client and closet friend, seemed... furious, actually, when he attended the grand ’funeral’ you arranged for Annabelle. I tried to console him, but he looked like death himself that day, Eli."

Elias’s horror was apparent now. Sophia had mentioned how Evelyn had rushed to a stranger and asked absurd questions about Annabelle, but he hadn’t anticipated that to be actually true!

"Brace yourself, Eli," Evelyn continued, her gaze direct, unwavering. "You might see her again sooner than you expect."

And then Evelyn rose to leave, pausing just long enough for her final words to cut deep. "If I were you, I’d hurry up and finish her this time. Imagine how disappointed William would be if he learned his ’ real daughter’ was a fraud brought by your mother."

"Your place in this family would be gone in an instant."

Elias’s face drained of color, and Evelyn almost felt pity for him. "Better call your mother," she added with a faint smile. I’m sure she’ll have ideas."

With that, she turned and walked away, followed by Avery and Zevian.

As Evelyn stepped out, Avery hurried to catch up, looking at her with wide eyes full of awe. "Evelyn, what... what was *that*?" she whispered, barely able to contain her amazement.

Evelyn’s lips curved in a small smile, an unspoken pride in her eyes. "Just a little redirection. By the time Sophia realizes it was all a lie, we’ll have our lead."

Avery’s face softened with admiration, and without a second thought, she pulled Evelyn into a quick, warm hug. Evelyn laughed softly, hugging her friend back before they parted and headed to the entrance of Damien’s dungeon. Rita and John were already there, waiting to join them.

---

Damien’s Dungeon.

As they entered the meeting room, the three men inside were tense, impatience clear on their faces. They turned as Evelyn, Avery, Rita, and John walked in, and Lucius was the first to break the silence.

"What happened?" he asked, his voice low, tinged with a mix of curiosity and concern.

Avery released a soft sigh, and with a quick glance at Evelyn for approval, she relayed the entire encounter, detailing how Evelyn had masterfully woven a tale to lead Elias astray. When she finished, Damien crossed his arms, his lips curving in an approving smirk.

"Seems like you’ve become just as wicked as your husband," he remarked, giving Evelyn a look that held both amusement and admiration.

Evelyn laughed, sharing a knowing glance with Zevian, whose expression reflected pride and a touch of amusement.

Damien’s gaze turned serious as he addressed the group. "But that’s just a start. If we’re going to bring all of this to light, we need to dig deeper—find out what really happened to Gracia twenty years ago. That’s where the answers lie."

The others nodded, and a somber determination settled over them. Each of them knew that whatever darkness they uncovered would lead them closer to the truth. It wouldn’t be easy, but the pieces were falling into place.

They exchanged glances, each silently agreeing on the importance of the mission before them. Then, after a final nod, they dispersed, each headed for their respective homes.

By the time they arrived home, Evelyn felt the weight of the day’s tension start to fade, replaced by a sense of peace. Just as they walked in, a familiar voice called out with uncontainable excitement.

"Mommy!"

Kiana raced toward them, her little feet pattering against the floor, her arms reaching out for a hug. Evelyn knelt, scooping her daughter into her arms and holding her tightly. At that moment, every worry, every scheme, and every shadow seemed to melt away.

Evelyn chuckled as Kiana squeezed her harder. "Did you miss us, little bear?" she asked, her tone soft, her eyes warm.

"The dinner is ready, Ma’am." Agatha greeted them. Evelyn passed Kiana to her before the trio left to freshen up.

As they moved to the dining room, Kiana climbed onto her seat, already chattering away, lifting the elders’ mood. She smartly avoided speaking of the ugly Lily’s incident, aware her parents would worry for no reason. And more importantly, she had Yael by her side now who would save her from all the troubles.

"So you want me to play Cupid?" Avery laughed out loud as Kiana proposed her deal. Evelyn chuckled when her daughter nodded, her face serious. It reminded how she had played cupid between them, bringing her close to Zevian.

The dinner was a relaxed, heartwarming affair, filled with laughter and easy conversation. They enjoyed Kiana’s stories and plans of getting Lucius married to someone so Yael could get a cool Mommy too.

Evelyn watched as Zevian leaned in, listening attentively to Kiana, his eyes soft and unguarded. It was in these moments, surrounded by her family, that Evelyn felt truly at peace. The rest of the world fell away, leaving only the warmth and love of this precious, fleeting moment.

Once the dinner was over, Kiana returned to her parents’ bedroom after having a thorough deal with her aunt. Evelyn helped her get ready for sleeping, carrying the little girl to the bed. Kiana stretched, letting out a big yawn as she rubbed her eyes.

"No stories tonight. Let’s go to bed," Evelyn said, pulling Kiana closer.

Kiana’s expression changed, as though remembering something very important. Her eyes lit up with determination, and she grabbed her pillow, clutching it to her chest.

"Actually... goodnight, Mommy! Goodnight, Daddy!" She kissed Evelyn on the cheek before standing up, ready to leave the room entirely.

Evelyn exchanged a confused glance with Zevian before calling out gently, "Kiana, where are you going?"

With a very serious expression, Kiana crossed her arms, her gaze determined. "Aunt Avery said I need to sleep in my room tonight. She said it’ll help you get me a baby brother faster."

A faint blush crept up Evelyn’s cheeks, and she shot a slightly embarrassed look at Zevian, who only grinned, clearly finding the situation amusing.

Kiana continued, a slight frown on her face as she tried to remember Avery’s exact words. "I asked her why, but she said it was something about... science. And I said forget it. Science is too much for me."

Stifling a laugh, Evelyn gave Zevian an amused glance, grateful that Kiana’s general lack of enthusiasm for studies had spared them from further questions.

"Goodnight, sweet girl," Evelyn said warmly, watching as Kiana trotted off down the hallway toward Avery’s room, where she was sure to get her beloved bedtime stories and also cupid tasks.

When she disappeared down the hall, Evelyn turned to Zevian, and the expression in his eyes shifted, softening yet intense. He pulled closer, causing her breath to hitch. His gaze locked onto hers, his hand reaching out to gently brush a strand of hair away from her face.

"Well," he murmured, his voice low, teasing. "It seems our daughter has some very specific plans for us."

Evelyn’s heartbeat quickened, her cheeks flushing as she met his gaze. The familiar spark danced in his eyes, filled with both amusement and something deeper, something that made her pulse race.

He leaned in, his lips brushing softly against her ear as he whispered, "I think it’s time we fulfill our daughter’s wish, Eva."