The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

Annabelle retched violently, though she hadn’t eaten since this morning. Her body had been rebelling against her these past few days, a reaction to the stress of constantly being under Sophia’s watch. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she cursed under her breath.

"Damn that woman," she grumbled, splashing cold water on her face, the chill helping to ground her spinning thoughts. She stared at her pale reflection, her lips trembling despite herself.

"Anna, are you okay?" William’s voice cut through the silence, and Annabelle sighed, gripping the sink. The old man had become insufferably attached to her, his concern more suffocating than sweet.

With a deep breath, Annabelle adjusted her tone to a sweet, placid whisper. "I’m fine, Papa." She dabbed at her face with a towel, smoothing her features into a delicate mask before stepping out.

Vincent stood by the door, worry creasing his brow. William had settled on the bed, but rushed to her side the moment she appeared. His hand landed on her shoulder, gentle, but heavy.

"Come rest," William urged, guiding her to the bed. "We’ve called the doctor. She’ll be here soon."

Annabelle opened her mouth to respond, but suddenly, the world around her began to spin. Her vision blurred, the colors smearing together. A wave of dizziness crashed over her, and her legs gave way beneath her.

"Anna!" Vincent shouted, catching her just before she collapsed completely. His arms tightened around her, panic flashing across his face as her eyes fluttered shut. William’s breath hitched as his precious daughter slumped against them.

"Let me lay her down," Vincent insisted, his voice steady but tense. He lifted Annabelle into his arms and gently placed her on the bed.

William hovered anxiously by her side, brushing a few loose strands of hair away from her forehead as Vincent stepped back, pulling out his phone to call the doctor again. "Get here as fast as you can," he urged sharply, his eyes never leaving Annabelle’s face.

Sophia entered with a cold, tense expression, her gaze snapping to Annabelle’s limp form on the bed. "What happened?" she demanded, hurrying to William’s side.

"She fainted," William murmured, his voice breaking as he continued to fuss over her. Vincent sat down beside Annabelle, his heart heavy with guilt.

"I told you!" Elias chimed in from the doorway, his chirpy tone wildly out of place. His wide-eyed excitement cut through the thick tension. "She’s totally pregnant!"

"Shut your mouth!" Sophia snapped, glaring at her stupid son who scowled at her.

Moving closer to Annabelle, she held her hand, regaining her poise. Her voice softened to a teary murmur, "Poor girl... She’s been under so much stress these last few weeks. No wonder her body’s shutting down."

"I bet she’s pregnant," Elias whispered again, barely audible now, his excitement muted. His parents were too preoccupied with holding their collapsing empire together to notice, but he had kept a sharp eye on her.

The doctor arrived minutes later, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the room. She quickly moved to Annabelle’s side, checking her pulse and other vitals.

Annabelle groaned softly as she came to, blinking against the harsh light in the room. Her head pounded, and her limbs felt heavy. A frown tugged at her lips seeing everyone surrounding her as if she was dead and Sophia’s glare conveyed she would die any minute.

"The symptoms do suggest early pregnancy," the doctor announced after a few moments, her calm declaration cutting through the air like a knife.

Annabelle’s blood ran cold. "N-no," she stammered, struggling to sit up, her fragile mask of sweetness began to crumble. "It’s just stress! It can’t be anything else!"

The doctor smiled softly, unphased by Annabelle’s protest. "Let’s not jump to conclusions. We’ll run a quick test to confirm." She handed a pregnancy test kit to the nurse, who guided a dazed Annabelle towards the bathroom, offering her quiet instructions.

Inside the bathroom, Annabelle’s hands shook violently as she clutched the test. The minutes dragged on like hours. Finally, she forced herself to look at the results. Two faint pink lines stared back at her, the delicate shrieking the life out of her body.

"No... No..." Annabelle whispered, horror creeping into her voice as she squeezed the test in her hands. She had only intended for a fake pregnancy, not a real one!

"Honey? What’s taking so long?" Sophia’s voice called from the other side of the door, each word laced with suspicion and impatience. She knocked louder, more insistent as if she could sense Annabelle’s world falling apart inside that small room. "Are you alright?"

Annabelle swallowed hard, this woman would kill her! With shaky hands, she stepped out of the bathroom, hiding the test behind her back as if that could undo the reality it had brought.

The doctor stepped forward, her eyes curious. Annabelle hesitated, but she had no choice. Reluctantly, she handed over the test. The doctor examined it, then smiled gently. "Congratulations, Ms. Wright," she said, her tone light but firm. "You’re pregnant. We’ll schedule a scan soon to confirm."

"What?" Both Felicia and Sophia burst out, their voices shrill with disbelief.

Elias clapped his hands together in glee, unable to resist, "Told you all!" But he instantly shut his mouth when his mother glared at him.

Vincent stood frozen, his shock slowly giving way to a warm, joyous smile. He moved toward Annabelle, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. "Thank you, Anna," he whispered into her ear, his voice full of tenderness and hope. "Thank you so much."

Annabelle stood stiff in his arms, her mind screaming in protest. She wanted to push him away, to shout at him that this wasn’t supposed to happen. Karma was sure a bigger bitch than her! It was paying back for all her sins.

Sophia’s lips tightened, her eyes narrowing in distrust. "Let’s get the scan done immediately," she said, her agitation barely concealed. "These tests can be wrong."

Vincent nodded eagerly, and William was quick to follow, beaming with joy while Sophia trailed behind, her gaze never leaving Annabelle’s back, as if waiting for her to slip and die.

Edmund, watching silently from the corner, sighed and tapped his cane on the floor. He had seen enough of the unfolding drama for one day. "This is far from over," he muttered under his breath, turning to leave with Felicia at his side.

As they all left for the clinic, Elias stayed behind, pulling out his phone. Evelyn had texted him earlier, asking for something strange. "Why does she need those old photos?" he mumbled to himself, but quickly shrugged it off. With the house empty, it wouldn’t be hard to dig through their storage and find what his sister needed.

———

The day ended on a somber note for most, save for Vincent and William, who were elated. Evelyn glanced at the text from Elias, her thoughts drifting to the old photograph. Her gaze fell on the image of the woman beside her grandmother, her mind running wild with assumptions.

"Mommy!" Kiana’s voice brought Evelyn out of her reverie. She set aside her phone and scooped up her daughter with a smile.

Avery, sitting nearby, watched the scene with a soft smile. She knew this little charmer could brighten Evelyn’s gloomy mood.

"Aunt Avy said you were sad," Kiana said, her tiny hands cupping Evelyn’s face. "Are you missing your mommy?"

Evelyn’s eyes widened. Yes, she missed her mother dearly. There were so many things she wished she could ask her, questions William had never answered or would.

"Don’t miss her too much," Kiana said seriously, her voice soft but sincere. "Whenever you miss her, just tell me! I’ll be your mommy!"

Evelyn chuckled, touched by her daughter’s earnest offer.

"I’m serious, Mommy. Since you can be my mommy, I can be yours too. Right, Aunty Avy?" Kiana turned to Avery, who nodded with a warm smile.

Kiana’s playful tone returned as she pinched Evelyn’s cheeks. "Aww, my baby is sad! What can I do to make her happy?" She tapped her chin thoughtfully. "Will a kiss work?"

Evelyn laughed, her mood lifting as Kiana mimicked her. "Yes, Mommy! A kiss will work like magic!" 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

Kiana leaned forward, planting a soft kiss on Evelyn’s forehead. "Don’t worry, baby! I’ve taken away all your sadness with this kiss. You’ll feel better soon."

"Oh, I already do!" Evelyn replied, hugging Kiana tightly. She tried to mimic her daughter’s usual enthusiasm. "My mommy is the best!"

Avery smiled, shaking her head as she watched the duo. Their lighthearted interaction was a welcome distraction from the morning’s drama. However, their joy was interrupted when Damien and Zevian burst into the house.

Evelyn quickly stood, holding Kiana close, as Avery tensed, awaiting the next upheaval. Zevian approached them with quick strides, pulling out his phone to show the photo shared by Damien’s assistant.

"We found Mariam," Zevian announced, his voice carrying a note of triumph.

"Already?" Avery asked, surprised, a hint of a smile forming on her lips. Damien shrugged, clearly proud of his efficiency.

"Let’s meet her tomorrow," Evelyn suggested, her heart racing with anticipation.