The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

Evelyn stood frozen, her eyes wide as Dominic’s announcement reverberated through the room. She couldn’t believe it—yet another storm brewing on the horizon. It felt like every day of her life had become a roller coaster of drama, one conflict after another, each more devastating than the last.

Why can’t there be one peaceful day?

Avery, however, didn’t remain still. He grumbled under his breath before letting out a string of curses. "That bastard Dominic! How could he do this to Natalie? After everything she’s done for him!" His anger filled the air, matching the chaos of emotions swirling inside Evelyn.

But nothing compared to the fury radiating from Zevian. His expression darkened with more than just rage. His jaw clenched as he stared at the TV screen, his grip tightening around the remote until it trembled in his hand. In one swift, uncontrollable motion, he hurled the remote at the large, wall-mounted television. The device shattered with a loud crash, fragments flying across the antique-designed wall as the screen went black.

Evelyn flinched at the sudden outburst, her heart pounding against her chest. But what truly broke her was the quiet, fearful whimper that followed.

"Mommy..."

Kiana clung tightly to Evelyn’s shoulder, her small hands gripping her mother’s dress as tears welled up in her eyes. She was too young to understand the full extent of what was happening, but even she could tell her grandmother wanted to snatch her away. Just when she had finally found the happiness of having both a mommy and daddy who loved her dearly, it felt like her world was starting to crumble. The idea of leaving her happy family, her home—it moved the little girl to tears.

Evelyn swallowed hard, feeling utterly torn. She didn’t know who to calm first—her enraged husband, who was practically seething, or her distressed daughter, whose soft sobs were now breaking her heart.

"M-Mommy," Kiana whimpered again, her voice barely a whisper. "I don’t want to leave you and Daddy..."

Evelyn’s chest tightened at her words. She reached up to gently pat Kiana’s head, her hand smoothing down the soft curls. She leaned down to whisper soothingly, her voice trembling slightly. "Shh, baby... you won’t leave us. I promise." But even as she said it, she knew her words alone weren’t enough.

Evelyn nudged Zevian gently with her shoulder, glancing up at him with pleading eyes. Even though Evelyn had grown incredibly close to Kiana, there were still times when she felt inexperienced in playing the mother role. Zevian, however, had a way of grounding their daughter, of making her feel safe.

Zevian, his anger still barely under control, caught the look in Evelyn’s eyes. He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down, and turned toward Kiana, whose face was still buried in her mother’s shoulder. Slowly, his expression softened, the storm in his eyes clearing just enough to allow warmth to seep through. He stepped forward and scooped Kiana into his arms, holding her close as if shielding her from the world.

"Hey, sweetheart," he murmured softly, brushing a tear away from her cheek. "I would never let anyone take you away from us. Not ever. You don’t need to worry about anything. Daddy will make sure you’re always happy, okay?"

Kiana sniffled, her little arms wrapping around his neck as she held onto him tightly. "Promise?" she asked in a tiny voice, her eyes wide with vulnerability.

Zevian smiled, kissing the top of her head. "Promise."

Avery and Damien sighed seeing the little girl smile again. Once the tension was over, they all quickly rushed to the Reign Mansion except for Damien.

When they arrived at the Reign family home, the atmosphere inside was already dark and heavy, a thick tension hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break. The staff moved quietly, their faces downcast, as if they too could sense the unrest.

Natalie sat in the grand living room, her face pale and her usually sharp eyes dull with exhaustion. But what struck Evelyn most was the eerie silence surrounding her. Natalie was never this quiet. Even in the worst of times, she would break out or always have something to say. But now, she sat with her hands folded in her lap, staring blankly at nothing, as if the weight of the world had finally crushed her.

Zevian’s parents sat nearby, their faces lined with worry. They exchanged anxious glances as if unsure of how to help their daughter. And this was the first time Evelyn had ever seen the icy Jonathan Reign break into a tensed face.

Evelyn hesitated at the entrance, cradling Kiana in her arms. She watched as Zevian approached his sister without a word. He sat right beside her, his expression softening, and he slowly reached out to pull her into his arms.

Natalie didn’t resist. For a moment, she remained stiff in his embrace, but then she let go, her body collapsing into her brother’s chest as she broke down. Sobs racked her frame, the years of silent suffering escaping her in waves. Evelyn’s heart clenched painfully at the sight. She couldn’t help but think of her Elias—the bond they had shared. The way Zevian held Natalie, comforting her without saying anything, reminded her so much of those precious moments.

"Auntie Nat seems sad too." Little Kiana in her arms mumbled, and the duo looked worriedly at the siblings.

When Natalie’s tears finally subsided, Zevian gently helped her sit straight, brushing away the strands of hair sticking to her tear-streaked face. "What do we do now, Nat?" he asked quietly, his voice filled with both concern and determination.

Natalie didn’t respond immediately. She looked down at her hands, her expression distant. "I don’t know," she whispered hoarsely. "I’ve been asking myself that same question for the last eight years, Zev. You know it all too well..." She swallowed hard, her voice cracking. "Dominic and I... we never got along. But we stayed together for Lily’s sake. And now... I don’t know if I made the right decision."

Natalie had put her poor brother through so much just to preserve this marriage, and now seeing it crippling away even after fulfilling all the demands her in-laws and husband made, she felt even more guilty.

Zevian sighed deeply, running a hand through his messy hair. "I know it’s hard," he said gently. "But sacrificing your happiness isn’t going to help Lily in the long run. You should ask her opinion first."

Natalie blinked, her eyes flickering with uncertainty. "Emily..." she murmured, her gaze turning distant again. "She... She doesn’t want us to break up, that’s why you were even forced to marry Katherine. Maybe she will understand now..." She trailed off, the guilt eating away at her.

Six years ago, the reason she threatened Zevian putting her life at risk was because of her daughter. Her six-year-old daughter had cried out loud and hard having heard that her father would divorce her mother. She didn’t want her family to break apart, forcing Natalie to take extreme steps.

Zevian sighed and squeezed her hand reassuringly. "I know why Lily makes those choices. But staying in this miserable marriage isn’t the solution. Talk to her, Nat. See what she wants."

Natalie nodded slowly, the weight of her decision still heavy but slightly more manageable. As the evening dragged on, the chaos that had enveloped the Reign mansion began to feel a little less suffocating.

Later that night, back at their own house, Evelyn carefully laid Kiana on the soft bed. The little girl had fallen asleep, her small arms still clinging to Evelyn even in her dreams. Gently, Evelyn pried Kiana’s fingers off her dress and tucked her under the blanket, smiling softly at her peaceful face.

But her mind wasn’t at ease. Her thoughts drifted to Zevian, who hadn’t yet returned home. Worry gnawed at her. She wanted to talk to him—needed to talk to him, especially after everything that had happened today.

As if summoned by her thoughts, she heard the door click open. Zevian stepped inside, his tall frame leaning heavily against the door, his usually sharp appearance now disheveled. His hair was messy, as if he had run his hands through it several times in frustration. His tie was loosened and crooked, and his expression was one of pure exhaustion.

Evelyn stood up from the bed and crossed the room toward him. "I was just about to call you," she said softly, her voice laced with concern.

Zevian looked at her for a moment before letting out a long sigh. Without saying a word, he reached for her and pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly against him. Evelyn closed her eyes, feeling the tension in his body, the weight of his burdens. She wrapped her arms around him, gently patting his back as she tried to comfort him, something Zevian had been yearning since morning.

"We’ll win this together," Evelyn whispered firmly, her voice filled with determination. "No one is going to take Kiana from us. We’ll fight for her, Zevian. We won’t let Sabrina or anyone else break us apart."

For a moment, Zevian didn’t respond. His arms tightened around her, as if drawing strength from her words. But then he slowly pulled back, his gaze shifting to the bed where Kiana lay sleeping peacefully. His expression softened, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes.

"But..." he began, his voice low and hesitant.

Evelyn frowned, sensing the change in his demeanor. "What is it?" she asked quietly.

Zevian sighed, running a hand through his messy hair again. His eyes remained fixed on Kiana, his expression filled with a mixture of love and regret. "She’s not... she’s not my daughter, Eva."

Evelyn’s heart skipped a beat. She stared at him, trying to process his words. Kiana wasn’t his daughter?!