The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

"Al... Alive?" Evelyn sucked in a sharp breath, her heart racing wildly. Tears formed in the corners of her eyes, the thought of seeing her again overwhelming her mind. What if they mistook someone else for her? Fear flooded her chest, but Damien could never be wrong.

"Ronan and Damien are already there. He asked if you wanted to fly?" Zevian asked, understanding Damien’s concerns. It seemed like there was more to what he had told them, something that might hurt Evelyn even worse, and the subtle warning scared them. Just when she was finally smiling amidst the mess, here was another of fate’s cruel twists, ready to snatch it away.

"Ye-yes!" Evelyn replied in a shaky voice.

Zevian nodded and looked over at John, who had already returned, alerted by Damien’s men about this new mission. Rita, too, looked worried for Evelyn, unsure of how well she was coping with it.

Kiana looked at her parents and then at her two bodyguards. She couldn’t understand what was happening; all she knew was her real grandmother was dead, and Uncle Eli’s mom was somehow behind it. She recalled how she and Evelyn had fooled Sophia into believing Gracia was alive during that dinner. Oh yeah! The little girl’s eyes widened in realization—it was after William had been discharged from the hospital.

"I will come with you too," the little girl declared, excited to see her real grandmother and to tell her how sad her husband, William, looked without her. She would even use her charms to get her back and give her mommy a happy family.

"No, baby!" Evelyn shook her head. They didn’t know what danger awaited in the face of the truth, and she couldn’t put Kiana’s life at risk.

"Damien asked to bring her with us," Zevian stated with a small sigh. Evelyn looked at him in shock, confusion filling her eyes, while Kiana started happily dancing, excited to see her real grandmother.

Meeting Evelyn’s gaze, Zevian continued, "He also mentioned that we should prepare ourselves to see the worst. And we might have to stay for more than a week or two."

"W-why? Is she... Is she sick?" Evelyn wondered, a tear trickling down her face. Or worse, in danger? Her heart thudded at the thought.

"No idea," Zevian replied honestly. Damien had warned them to fly over only after preparing Evelyn mentally. And from the way he had phrased it, Zevian knew the situation was bad. They needed to be strong and brace themselves for the worst.

"Let’s hurry, then!" Evelyn pressed, wiping away her tears. As long as Gracia was alive, she would give her everything to keep her safe and bring her back to their lives. It felt like, after living through a dark night, she had finally found the lost sunlight, and no matter what, she couldn’t lose it again.

Zevian nodded, and picking up Kiana, they rushed out of the park, followed by John and Rita. The park manager was puzzled to see them leave after just one ride. Did he rent the entire amusement park for just one ride? Rich people really thought differently, he mused before turning to his team to declare a holiday.

---

[At the airport]

"I am so sorry, I can’t come with you." Avery hugged Evelyn tightly, guilty that she wasn’t able to accompany her on such an emotional journey. Zevian was with her, and even the little bear, too, so she need not worry much.

"It’s fine. They might be suspicious if we all left," Evelyn replied, breaking into a small smile.

"Remember, you have to return by Wednesday. We have a court hearing," Theodore, who had come with Avery, warned them again. He had been taking all kinds of risks—dangers that could potentially get him out of his party—but it was worth it as long as Evelyn got her life put together. Sophia had been enjoying herself for too many years, and they needed to leash her down.

Evelyn nodded and hugged him, grateful he had helped secure permission for her to fly out of the country. Damien had submitted proof of Gracia through Theodore, pressing on her condition, which might only improve if Evelyn met her personally. Seeing Gracia alive was already shocking news to the government; they had approved Evelyn’s travel immediately, making sure it was top-secret, with only two higher officials aware of it.

"Call me once you reach there," Lucius said to Zevian, his worries finally easing as they were able to see some light in this one heck of a mess. If they could bring back Gracia safely and successfully, that would be the endgame for Sophia.

Kiana, who was in Zevian’s arms, lightly tugged her mother’s sleeve, urging them to fly soon. "Let’s go, Mommy!" she said, excitement clear in her voice.

Exchanging one final goodbye with Theodore and Avery, the trio left for Xather, a faraway country. Rita had followed them too, since she could speak Spanish, while John stayed behind to work with Damien’s team.

"How should I wish in Spanish?" Kiana, who had sat with Rita, asked, lightening the mood inside the jet. "I want to make grandma happy-happy~"

Rita, with a smile, taught a few words to the little girl. Evelyn smiled as Kiana cutely tried to mimic Rita’s accent, but her heart couldn’t stop thrumming in her chest.

Zevian pulled her closer in a hug, caressing her head gently. "She will be fine, don’t worry," he assured her, and Evelyn nodded, heaving a sigh.

Not just Damien, but even Ronan was in Xather, closely monitoring Gracia, but it still wasn’t enough to calm her nerves. Her mind was a whirlwind of emotions—fear, anticipation, and above all, an overwhelming sense of joy. But Evelyn wouldn’t be able to believe it until she saw it herself—until she saw her mother again.

By the time they landed in Antimosa, a city usually dubbed as Xather’s mafia hub, Kiana was sound asleep in Evelyn’s arms. The flight was two days long with a layover in the middle, and Evelyn hadn’t been able to sleep a wink.

Zevian carefully picked up Kiana from Evelyn’s arms. The little girl groaned before hugging her daddy tightly, still in a deep slumber. While Rita quickly hurried down to meet the team sent by Damien, Zevian offered his other hand to his wife. Evelyn took a deep breath, opened her eyes, and held onto Zevian’s hand tightly before walking out of the jet.

The night was thick with tension, hinting at the storm that might occur in the next few days. It was funny how the atmosphere mirrored her emotions perfectly, the heavy wind making Kiana shiver slightly.

"Boss and his friend are waiting for you at the mansion," the head bouncer told Rita, detailing the orders given by Damien.

"Alright. Take us there," Rita replied in Spanish before walking to the couple. She informed Zevian, and they all left for the house.

Damien and Ronan were patiently waiting in the hall of the large mansion. It seemed they had bought one, realizing their stay would be longer than anticipated, and Evelyn was glad. Kiana would be safe here with high security around them all the time, unlike in hotels or penthouses.

"Is she asleep?" Damien asked as they entered the house. Zevian nodded and carefully placed Kiana on the couch. The little girl mumbled something in her sleep before adjusting on the couch, a maid quickly tending to her.

"Where is she?" Evelyn asked in anticipation. She looked around the house, hoping they had brought her here, but their tense expressions worried her. "Is she fine?" she asked, dread filling her heart.

Damien heaved a small sigh and looked at his new assistant here in Antimosa. Esteban Gracis, who handled Damien’s base in Xather, stepped forward at his master’s order. Zevian shared a glance with Damien before accepting the tablet from his hand.

"She’s in an asylum," Damien warned, steeling Evelyn for the worst.

Zevian slowly played the video, and Evelyn leaned closer, tears already forming in the corners of her eyes. The CCTV footage of a jail room started to play, and out of nowhere, a woman came close to the camera.

"Boo~"

The woman laughed out loud like a maniac, before making faces at the camera. Her face was smeared with dirt, obscuring her features and making her look almost unrecognizable. Her hair, cut into a jagged bob, hung limply around her face, adding to her disheveled appearance. Her teeth, stained and dirty, peeked out as she moved closer to the camera, her eyes wild and unblinking. She wore a tattered patient dress, its once-white fabric now a grimy gray, clinging to her frail frame.

"Solem siyam sipa soya! Hohohoo!" the woman started murmuring, before jumping down from the bed. She started to dance around, flinging her hands and legs before stopping by the door to curse at the janitor.

The sight was far worse than the couple had braced themselves for. Evelyn’s heart clenched tightly, tears welling up in her eyes as she took in the scene. "Mom..." she broke down, tears trickling down her cheeks.

The woman came close to the camera again, singing a song in a language no one could understand. Then she went back to the door, kicked it, struggled to open it before flicking her middle finger at the janitor.

No... This can’t be Gracia! She tried to deny it, but every small thing she could recognize within her mom kept appearing in her head. That once beautiful face her little self would cup and peck whenever she felt like, those captivating dark brown eyes that could take away all her sadness had now lost their charm.

"Our doctors examined her and gave us no hope." Ronan started, moving to the more pressing mater. "It will be impossible to prove Sophia wrong even if we took her back. She doesn’t remember a thing nor has control of herself."