The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

"This bitch and her nonsense!" Avery muttered under her breath, stepping forward to shield Evelyn. But before she could speak, Evelyn replied to her sweet dear sister.

"Alright, I will see my schedule and inform you."

Her words surprised even Zevian, and as he glanced at her, she eyed the pen in Annabelle’s shirt pocket. He also noticed the people around them, pretending to be strangers but their faces were not new to identify him. If she rejected her again, she would sure be trending on the media again, dragging all cameras on her which she couldn’t afford until Ronan was out of this country.

"Thank you so much, Evy!" Annabelle exclaimed, sincerely happy this time. Hugging her once again, she smiled brightly before her eyes fell on Ronan again.

"Who is this gentleman? I haven’t seen him around," Annabelle asked, a little suspicious since Evelyn was also wearing a suit today. She had been trying to track her location ever since this morning, and luckily just when she thought she lost her in the boutique, she had noticed their car and followed them to here.

Avery, sensing the tension escalating, decided to step in. "He is one of my clients and Zevian’s friend from Qubarc," she replied smoothly, quickly covering up for Evelyn’s presence with them. Her tone was light, but there was a slight edge to it, as if she was trying to diffuse a ticking time bomb. Zevian didn’t appreciate the way she worded it, and neither did Ranon, but they both kept their expressions neutral, though the atmosphere had undeniably thickened.

"Oh!" Annabelle exclaimed, her lips curving into a beaming smile, her eyes glinting with interest. She extended her hand towards Ranon, her confidence returning full force. "I am Annabelle Wright, Evelyn’s sister." Her voice was sugary sweet, each word dripping with charm.

Ranon’s eyes flicked down to her hand before he shook it, noting the little dimples on her cheeks that appeared when she smiled. There was something oddly familiar about those dimples, a fleeting memory he couldn’t quite place. He shook her hand, his grip firm but polite, and his eyes shifted back to Evelyn. "Oh, the one swapped at birth with you?" His tone was casual, but the words carried weight.

Evelyn nodded curtly, her smile not quite reaching her eyes. She grabbed Zevian’s arm, a silent plea for them to leave before Annabelle got wind of her hidden secret. The reason she had been keeping a low profile for the first two years of her career was simple—to avoid any scandals that could arise from her family’s past.

Zevian noticed the change in her demeanor and immediately took charge. "Let’s go," he said, his voice firm as he took Evelyn’s hand into his and held it securely. The warmth of his hand against hers was reassuring, and she felt a sense of relief wash over her as they turned to leave.

Avery quickly agreed, sensing that it was best to make a swift exit before things got more complicated. She shot Annabelle a look that clearly said, "You’ve done enough damage for one day," and they started to walk away from her. Annabelle, not one to be easily dismissed, took a step forward as if to follow them, but before she could catch up, Zevian had already steered Evelyn towards the door.

Just as Evelyn was about to get into the car, a hand reached out, gently but firmly stopping her. She turned to see Ranon standing there, his expression unreadable. "Are you free this evening?" he asked, his tone casual, but there was a sharpness to his gaze. "I’d like to discuss the edits for the designs."

Evelyn hesitated, her mind racing. She nodded, her agreement coming out more as a reflex than a conscious decision. But beside her, Zevian stiffened, sensing the subtle trap in Ranon’s request. He knew this cunning man was using work as an excuse to spend more time with his wife.

"How about you come to our house, Ranon?" Zevian suggested smoothly, his tone deceptively light. "Evelyn had been intending to host you after the work stuff was done, but this feels like the perfect opportunity." He flashed a charming smile, but there was an underlying challenge in his eyes that didn’t go unnoticed by Ranon.

Evelyn blinked in confusion, having never even thought of taking Ranon to their house. She glanced at Zevian, wondering what he was playing at. His hand still firmly held hers, his grip a silent message that he wasn’t backing down.

Avery, who had been observing the exchange, turned around, trying to stop herself from snorting at the clear display of jealousy. Zevian’s possessiveness was palpable, and she had to admit, it was amusing to see him so riled up.

"No, thanks," Ranon curtly rejected the offer, his voice cool and detached. "Avery had already suggested a good cafe, and we’ll be discussing it over there."

Avery blinked, taken aback. She had never made such a suggestion, and she could feel Zevian’s piercing glare boring into her. She quickly realized that Ranon was using her as a shield, and she had no choice but to go along with it. "I’ll be joining them too, don’t worry," she said quickly, hoping to calm Zevian down.

Zevian’s eyes narrowed, clearly not pleased with the situation. But before he could say anything, Evelyn squeezed his hand, offering him a small, reassuring smile. "It’s fine," she whispered, trying to console him as they got into the car. "We’ll only be discussing business."

Zevian didn’t respond immediately, his jaw tight as he stared straight ahead. But as they drove away, his expression softened slightly, and he turned to look at her. "You know he’s using work as an excuse to spend time with you, right?" he said, his voice low but tinged with concern.

Evelyn smiled, a playful glint in her eyes. "Someone seems jealous," she teased, nudging him lightly with her shoulder.

Zevian’s lips curved into a half-smile, but there was still a serious undertone to his expression. "Jealous? Why would I be?"

Evelyn chuckled and patted his shoulder. "There’s no need to worry," she murmured, her voice soft. "Though I would love to tease you, I do not have any feelings for me nor does he."

Zevian scoffed inwardly, realizing she was oblivious to Ronan’s liking toward her. He would spy on them personally this time! He decided in his mind.

———

[A few hours later]

Ranon had chosen a rather beautiful spot for their meeting, a secluded venue under the stars. The area was dimly lit, with soft lights casting a warm glow on the surroundings. The tables were set up with elegant tea settings, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves of the nearby trees.

Evelyn couldn’t deny that the setting was romantic, and that only made her more wary of Ranon’s intentions. She took a seat, and Ranon joined her, his eyes studying her intently.

They started with small talk, but it wasn’t long before Evelyn steered the conversation toward business. "So, about the edits you mentioned," she began, but Ranon quickly cut her off.

"I didn’t invite you here to talk about work," he said, his tone firm but not unkind. "I wanted to spend some time with you, without your husband hovering around like a protective bug."

Evelyn stiffened at his words, immediately going on the defensive. "Zevian is just worried you might have romantic feelings for me," she said, trying to keep her tone neutral.

Ranon’s eyes darkened slightly, and he leaned in closer, his gaze never leaving hers. "That’s because I do," he admitted, his voice low and serious.

Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat, her mind racing. She hadn’t expected him to be so blunt, and she found herself at a loss for words. Ranon’s confession hung in the air, heavy and charged with emotion.

He took a deep breath, his expression softening as he continued. "Do you remember how we met in my office?" he asked, his voice taking on a nostalgic tone. "I thought it was accidental, but later I realized that you and Avery had tricked me into stumbling upon your designs, sure that I would like them and pick them."

Evelyn nodded slowly, memories of that day flooding back. It was all Avery’s plan to make her accidentally meet him during one of his meetings, something she was still embarrassed about.

Ranon smiled faintly, a mix of admiration and regret in his eyes. "And I continued working with you, even knowing that you guys set me up," he admitted. "Because I started taking an interest in you, Grace. You were different—straightforward, talented, and determined. I admired that about you."

Evelyn knew where this conversation was heading, and she wasn’t sure she was ready to face it. "Ranon, I’m married," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "Whatever feelings you might have—"

"I know about your marriage contract! I clearly know you were forced to marry out of convenience, Grace."