The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

Evelyn declined the call, putting the phone on silent. She was angry, hurt, and, most importantly, disappointed in him. Whatever the reason, Elias should have never allowed his mom to toy with Annabelle’s life. The fact that he was a part of it made it even more unbearable.

"Pick it," Gracia suggested, her heart thudding painfully in her chest. Sophia had left so many open wounds on her—both physical and emotional—that anyone related to her only reopened those scars, dragging back all the memories and pain.

Evelyn glanced at her mother worriedly, noticing how she seemed on the verge of breaking down. Gently, she held her hand, offering silent support. Gracia heaved a shaky breath and forced out a smile, trying to assure her daughter she was fine. But when the phone rang again, Evelyn groaned in frustration and put the call on speaker.

"What do you want?" Evelyn questioned, her voice colder than Elias was used to hearing all these years.

There was a long silence on the other end before Elias finally spoke. "Since everything is resolved now, you shouldn’t try anything funny." He sounded as rude and dismissive as he had when Evelyn confronted him for answers that day.

"Are you threatening me to keep quiet?" Evelyn scoffed loudly, her tone dripping with mockery. "You all killed Annabelle, Elias. You have no right to act this mighty!"

"We didn’t kill her, Evelyn," Elias retorted, deliberately using her full name to provoke her. Gritting his teeth, he added, "It was the maid who pushed her. Both we and you are innocent in this matter. Hasn’t the court already declared its judgment?!"

Evelyn ran a hand through her hair, her rage boiling over. For God’s sake, they had murdered an innocent girl and didn’t even feel guilty about it. But then again, what could she expect from Sophia’s son?

Gracia moved closer and patted her shoulder, silently asking her to stay calm. No matter how much they tried to provoke her, Evelyn knew keeping her composure was the only way to take control of the situation.

"Repeating lies over and over won’t change the truth, dear stepbrother," Evelyn said, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Her voice turned sharp. "And I don’t care about you anymore. Annabelle wasn’t my friend, nor did she ever treat me kindly enough for me to seek justice for her. So, stop dragging me into this mess!"

Evelyn’s tone was cutting, and Elias clenched his fists, massaging his temple in frustration. But her next words made him freeze, a shiver running down his spine.

"But that won’t be the case for Ronan Igor. He won’t rest until his sister finds peace. So, go tell your mother and her secret lover to gather all the power in the world—they’ll need it to face him."

The mention of Maverick made Elias tremble, shame prickling his skin. He tried to comfort himself with the thought that as long as Evelyn didn’t discover their secret and she didn’t care about him anymore, everything would remain under control.

"Don’t worry about us. We know how to protect ourselves," Elias replied sharply.

"Good for you," Evelyn snapped almost immediately before ending the call. Muttering a string of curses, she leaned into Gracia’s comforting embrace.

"Don’t waste your energy on them. They’re not worth it," Gracia murmured, rubbing her back soothingly. Evelyn sighed, letting her mother’s magic wash away the frustration consuming her.

On the other side, Elias stared at his phone, his emotions barely contained. Tears welled up in his eyes, and he murmured, "I’m sorry, sis." He clutched his hair, fighting the overwhelming guilt of playing the role his mother wanted him to—a wicked brother who seemed indifferent to his sister’s suffering.

Glancing at the burner phone beside him, Elias felt a wave of disgust at himself. Everything he did was for Evelyn, to put an end to this tangled family drama. He was prepared to accept that fate even if it meant his life would be ruined, even if it meant being thrown into the streets.

Wrapping the phone in a plastic bag, he headed downstairs. William was seated on the couch, his expression somber, like it had been since Annabelle’s death.

"Are you going out?" William asked, noticing Elias’s casual attire. When Elias nodded, William continued, "Can you go talk to her?"

Elias read the pain and guilt in his father’s voice, raw and unfiltered. William was talking about Evelyn, and Elias couldn’t bring himself to help. His mother was out playing the saint, doing charity work in Annabelle’s name, and Elias wondered if this was the right moment to tell his father that Annabelle had never been his daughter. William didn’t deserve this pain—or the growing distance from Evelyn.

"She must hate you too for not believing her," William said with a sigh, his voice tinged with regret. He wanted to apologize, admit his mistakes, and seek forgiveness, even if he didn’t deserve it.

"You never trusted her, Dad. If you had—just once—maybe she would’ve considered forgiving you," Elias replied curtly. If this foolish man hadn’t been so blindly loyal to Sophia and hadn’t treated Evelyn like she didn’t exist, things might have been different now.

William sighed heavily, burying his face in his hands. Elias was right. He had acted like Evelyn didn’t matter all these years, and now, wanting her to care about him was absurd.

"I’ll leave now. I have a meeting to attend this afternoon," Elias stated. At William’s nod, he walked out of the house.

———

Meanwhile, in the Reign mansion, Evelyn anxiously paced in her room. Avery had accidentally agreed to give Gracia AWE’s tour today and she was excited about it, getting ready to leave the house. But was it r good idea? She couldn’t stop worrying about her safety.

[It’s fine. My team will follow you guys. Also, Rita will accompany another bouncer in your car.] Lucius replied to her text, making her sigh in relief. Quickly messaging Zevian that they would be leaving, she went to get ready too.

Rita was already in the hall, having a chat with Rosalind. As Evelyn walked down with Gracia, she grinned happily.

"Ma’am!" Turning to Gracia, she bowed her head, "Elder Madam!"

Evelyn and Gracia smiled at the younger woman. While Evelyn had opted for a casual loose shirt paired with a pair of blue tight jeans, with her collar button open, Gracia was dressed in a suit, a disguise they needed to use until Elias’s birthday.

"Let’s go. I have already arranged the car," Rita murmured, excitement brimming in her voice. She had also wanted to visit her star’s company.

"Stay safe." Rosalind hugged Evelyn before smiling at Gracia. She walked out, bidding them off as the car drove out of the mansion. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The ride was longer, almost three hours considering the traffic and also its location in the heart of the city. Gracia admired the changes Vespera had gone through, reminiscing about her old times and the streets she had walked at her young age.

"Wow. The buildings are huge here." Even Rita admired the city, her first visit in ages.

"There are a lot of good restaurants around here." Evelyn briefed the two women, becoming their guide. "Should I book one for lunch?" she wondered and Rita nodded gingerly.

"Alright, time to call my boss!" Evelyn joked, dialing Avery’s number. Both the women laughed out loud at her cheeky smile.

After a few more minutes drive, they finally reached AWE. The white building itself was a marvel, a three-story architectural masterpiece standing proudly among the other towering buildings. The structure featured a triangular base that gradually morphed into a more rounded form as it rose, creating a striking silhouette against the cityscape.

As they walked inside, Rita’s eyes widened in awe at the beautiful interiors. The lobby was expansive, featuring a grand wooden staircase that spiraled gracefully upwards. In the center stood a magnificent tree, its branches adorned with tiny, twinkling lights, creating a mesmerizing centerpiece. Water sprinklers gently misted around the tree, adding a touch of enchantment. The air was filled with the subtle scent of jasmine, making the place feel both welcoming and extraordinary.

"Ma’am!" The woman at the desk rushed at the sight of Grace, her eyes falling on the man beside her. She recalled the earlier announcement and immediately greeted Gracia, "Welcome, Mr. Igor. We are pleased to have you."

Gracia smiled back, adjusting her mask. The suit was made to be a little loose, giving her the vibe of a young boy.

Just then, Avery rushed out of the lift. She ran toward them, followed by her assistant.

"Au-" When Evelyn squinted her eyes, she quickly corrected herself, "I mean Rodrick! It’s good to finally see you."

Gracia nodded and smiled at her. Everyone was already informed that he was a shy boy and found it extra cute.

"Let’s go." Evelyn placed a hand on Gracia’s back. And just as they were about to walk out, they heard some call, Evelyn.

"Sis!"

Evelyn gritted her teeth at the voice. If it were a few months ago, she would have been delighted to hear but it wasn’t the same case anymore.

Turning around, she saw Elias running toward them, putting on the sweet brother facade people knew about him.

"Why the fuck is he here?" Avery cursed under her breath.

Elias rushed over to them, but the smile on his face faltered at the sight of a man beside Evelyn. "What..." He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out in shock.

Walking closer, he roughly grabbed Evelyn’s hand, causing everyone to frown. Pulling her closer, he worriedly asked, "Why the heck did you bring him out?"