The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

Kiana impatiently waited for her parents to come downstairs. She kept glancing toward the stairs, her small face sad because she hadn’t had a chance to wish her Mommy good morning. Rosalind, who sat beside her, smiled and shook her head, while Theodore continued reading his newspaper, oblivious to her restless energy.

Just then, Avery walked into the dining room with Gracia, both heading toward the table as Gracia prepared to leave for her company. Gracia seemed excited, but Avery wore a forced smile, her mind racing with complications. She had tried to call Evelyn, hoping to wake her up, but the couple had clearly made it known that they wouldn’t be disturbed.

"Grandma!" Kiana beamed at Gracia. Despite Gracia’s strictness last night, Kiana still adored her, especially after the bedtime story she had told. Gracia’s fairy tales were so much better than her Mommy’s, and Kiana secretly wished that they could do it every night.

Gracia greeted Kiana with a warm hug as the little girl ran to her. Patting her head, she said, "Good morning, Princess."

"Good morning, Queen Mother!" Kiana cheekily replied, causing everyone to laugh. Gracia pinched her nose in mock disapproval as Kiana took her hand and guided her to the chair. "Come, let’s sit together."

Avery sat beside her aunt, smiling as Kiana helped Gracia settle in. She even handed Gracia a glass of juice, ordering the maid to serve her grandma some fresh juice.

"Since you’re weak, you should drink healthy juices like I do," Kiana said, as if she were the one taking care of Gracia instead of the other way around. "I know it doesn’t taste great, but I’ll be your drinking buddy." She raised her own glass. "Cheers?"

Gracia couldn’t help but laugh, clinking glasses with her granddaughter. "Cheers." Both of them took a sip of their fresh guava juice, enjoying the moment.

Rosalind smiled warmly at the heartwarming scene, and even Theodore cracked a small smile. Though Kiana could be a brat most of the time, her charm was undeniable. Meanwhile, Avery was relieved that Kiana was getting along with Gracia, despite the tension from last night.

"Where’s Zevian?" Theodore asked Rosalind. Glancing at his watch, he added, "Isn’t he getting late for work?"

Kiana’s wide, innocent eyes lit up at the mention of her Daddy. She put her glass down and licked her lips, eagerly adding, "Yes, I went to their room, but it was locked." Seeing Gracia’s curious gaze, Kiana quickly added, "But after a few knocks and no response, I didn’t disturb them."

Gracia smiled at her honesty. It seemed like Kiana was starting to understand things. She patted the little girl’s head. "Good job. You’re such a well-behaved kid." Kiana’s face bloomed into a shy smile at the praise.

"Evelyn must’ve drunk a little too much last night. They’re probably still asleep," Avery added with a scowl, remembering how Zevian had urgently called her in the middle of the night. She did not want to relive the trouble they’d gone through to bring Evelyn home. By the time they had arrived, it was already 4 AM, and she barely managed to get any sleep.

The elders nodded in understanding, but Kiana’s scowl caught Avery’s attention. She was clearly disappointed that Evelyn had had a party without her. Trying to hide her frustration, Kiana quickly put on a smile. She drank her juice, making Avery chuckle softly. It would take some time for Kiana to adjust to all the changes.

A few minutes later, Zevian came downstairs, adjusting the sleeves of his suit. A maid informed him that everyone was already gathered in the dining hall, so he walked over to join them.

"Oh, he’s here finally!" Avery sighed in relief. Rosalind and Gracia exchanged smiles as Kiana kept glancing at the stairs, still waiting for her Mommy.

"Where’s Mommy, Daddy?" Kiana asked eagerly, her eyes full of anticipation.

"She’s asleep," Zevian replied as he took a seat beside Avery.

"Why? Is she sick?" Kiana asked, concern furrowing her brows. Rosalind and Gracia also glanced at him, wondering if Evelyn’s night of drinking had taken a toll on her health.

Zevian scratched his brow and murmured, "No, she’s just tired." A smile tugged at his lips as he recalled how Evelyn had complained and blamed him for her condition before collapsing into bed after he helped her take a warm bath.

Avery shot him a cheeky smile and nudged him, but no one pressed further. Kiana, however, seemed genuinely disappointed. She quickly decided to finish her breakfast and hurry to her Mommy.

Once breakfast was over, Zevian left, already running late for his meetings. Kiana hurried to Evelyn’s room, Gracia following behind her. Avery tagged along too, wanting to tease Evelyn some more.

"Mommy?" Kiana called, peeking inside the room to find Evelyn lying under the thick quilt. At the sound of her voice, Evelyn turned, her face brightening as she smiled.

"Baby," she said softly, sitting up and opening her arms.

Kiana ran over and jumped into her arms, greeting her cheerfully, "Good morning, Mommy!" as she wrapped her arms around Evelyn’s neck.

"Good morning. You’re ready for school?" Evelyn asked as she adjusted her tie.

"Yes! Since Mommy was asleep, I got ready all by myself," Kiana said proudly.

"By yourself?" Avery raised an eyebrow, crossing her arms. This little troublemaker had woken her up, demanding help to get ready because her parents were impossible to reach.

"She helped me a little bit," Kiana grumbled, scowling. Evelyn chuckled and nodded, pulling her into another hug. Kiana began telling Evelyn about everything she’d done since waking up and how good she’d been to every one. Evelyn listened with a smile, happy to see Kiana slowly growing into more responsibilities.

Kiana paused mid-sentence, her gaze falling to something red on her Mommy’s neck. She lifted Evelyn’s shirt slightly and furrowed her brows, inspecting the mark.

"What happened, Mommy? Did a big, bad mosquito bite you?" she asked, recalling a similar mark she’d seen on her Daddy’s neck once.

Evelyn’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment. She gently moved Kiana’s hand away and covered the mark. Avery and Gracia exchanged amused glances, both trying to hide their smiles.

"Yes, darling. A big, very bad mosquito bit me," Avery replied, her lips twitching as she struggled to keep from laughing.

Evelyn shot her best friend a glare, her face turning even redder under the sunlight pouring in through the window. "Aren’t you late for work?" she grumbled, trying to divert attention.

"Yes, Boss! I’m leaving!" Avery responded with mock seriousness.

"Since you’re sick with a mosquito bite, I’ll give you a half-day leave. You can come in the afternoon," she teased, making Evelyn blush even harder.

"Come, Kiana," Avery said, turning to the little girl. "John’s already waiting downstairs. You’ll be late for school."

Kiana pouted but complied. Kissing her Mommy on the cheek, she smiled. "Rest well, Mommy. I’ll get you some repellents on the way back from school. You can fight off those baddies!"

Evelyn’s heart warmed, but she felt even more embarrassed by her daughter’s innocent words. She nodded, not knowing what else to say. Avery chuckled softly before picking up Kiana, wishing everyone goodbye as they left the room, leaving Gracia alone with her daughter.

"So, I can expect another grandchild soon?" Gracia teased, sitting beside Evelyn.

"Mom!" Evelyn groaned, her blush returning. She didn’t want another person joining Avery’s cult of teasing.

Gracia laughed, her eyes sparkling. Smiling, she took Evelyn’s hand. "I know this might sound like a mother from medieval times, but you should consider family planning, sweetheart. Becoming a mother is the most beautiful thing in this world, and I hope you don’t skip it."

Evelyn’s eyes widened slightly, surprised at how easily Gracia could read her thoughts. She hadn’t shared this with anyone—not even Zevian—and the topic made her feel uneasy.

Gracia smiled warmly. "I know you’re reconsidering it because of Kiana. You don’t want her to go through any more struggles, but trust me, it’s all about how you parent your kids."

"But I’m afraid she might feel insecure if we have another child," Evelyn murmured with a sigh. The secret about Kiana’s birth would eventually be revealed, and she feared it would cause friction within their family.

"That’s exactly what I’m trying to say, darling." Gracia gently tucked Evelyn’s hair behind her ear. "It will depend entirely on your parenting. And remember, I’m always here to help you out. So, push those worries aside."

A warmth spread through Evelyn’s chest at her mother’s comforting words. She moved closer, pulling Gracia into a tight hug.

Gracia smiled, patting Evelyn’s head. "And Kiana would be overjoyed to have a sibling. She’d be the happiest one."

"I’ll think about it," Evelyn said, snuggling closer.

"You’re still young, Bunny. You have plenty of time. Just don’t give up on it. You’ve sacrificed enough, and I don’t want to see you sacrifice more."

Evelyn broke the hug and smiled, nodding to reassure her. Gracia smiled, relieved, and they talked about other things, including breakfast and AWE. Their cozy moment was interrupted by a phone call.

"It must be your husband. Go pick it up." Gracia teased, leaving Evelyn’s hand.

Evelyn smiled cheekily and took her phone. But her expression tensed at the caller ID. Gracia blinked in confusion and asked, "Who is it?"

"It’s..." Evelyn decided to ignore the call but it rang again. With a sigh, she replied, "It’s Elias, Sophia’s son."

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A/N: Need extra Drama, check out my other book, Stolen By My Billionaire Brother-in-law! Tropes: Doting ML, hates everyone but her, and a strong FL who is all set for revenge!