The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

"So, she’s been showing us fake report cards all this time?" Jonathan murmured, his brow furrowing as he compared the originals—monthly grades dipping below D—with the fake ones showcasing all A+’s.

"Yes, Mr. Reign," Evelyn confirmed, nodding. She pulled out her phone, showing Damien’s texts. "Yael blackmailed one of his teammates into following his orders. Kiana somehow found out and blackmailed Yael into forging her grades too. Both of them fooled us for nearly an entire year."

Rosalind stared at the reports, then at her granddaughter standing beside Agatha, hands folded innocently behind her back. "Seriously, Kiana?" She groaned, dumbfounded by the girl’s tricks. "If only you’d used this cleverness for your schoolwork, maybe you’d have passed."

"How could Zevian not notice?" Jonathan grumbled, feeling his son had been blind. Sure, Zevian had been drowning in work ever since returning to Vespera, but that didn’t excuse missing something so obvious. Although, they had all been duped by their little trickster.

"What’s more amusing is that she blames it all on him," Evelyn sighed. Seeing the puzzled looks from the elder Reigns, she explained, "She claims to be pressurized to live up to her genius father’s legacy, so to relieve it she decided to watch her fairy tales and forget studies."

Jonathan let out a sharp scoff, feeling personally attacked. "Hah! A genius, just like me and your dad! So proud of you, sweetheart" he had praised her, not too long ago, even gifting her a private theater to watch her favorite shows. Now, he regretted spoiling her so much.

"I’ll be personally tutoring you from today," Jonathan declared, his words causing Kiana to finally lift her head. Her eyes widened in shock, but no one was about to save her.

"Since Zevian handles most of the work, I’ve got plenty of free time," Jonathan said, a mischievous glint in his eye. "It would be my honor to take you under my wing, Kiana."

"No! No!" Kiana cried, darting to her grandmother. "I’ll be good, Grandma! I’ll study hard and make everyone proud, I swear!" She clasped her hands together, tears brimming in her eyes. If anyone could save her, it was John’s beautiful Rose.

Rosalind shook her head with a sigh. "No, Kiana. He’s right." Though Kiana was still in kindergarten, it was better to start tutoring their pampered princess now, unlike Zevian and Natalie, who were forced into it during middle school by her father-in-law.

Kiana’s hopes dimmed as she glanced at her mother, but Evelyn wore the same stern expression as her grandfather.

"Go change. We start today," Jonathan said, sealing her fate.

Kiana scowled, staring at the floor, mentally cursing Yael. This was all his fault! She hoped Uncle Damien would give him a much worse punishment than the one she was facing.

"Agatha," Evelyn called softly, gesturing for her to take Kiana upstairs.

Agatha stepped forward swiftly. "Come, Miss Kiana."

Before giving in, Kiana ran to Evelyn and tugged her hand. "But Mommy! You promised to take me to Grandpa William today. Did you forget?"

Evelyn smiled at her daughter, patting her cheek. "We’ll visit him on the weekend, sweetheart. Don’t worry, Grandpa won’t mind."

Kiana’s shoulders drooped, and she let go of her mother’s hand, knowing she was defeated and doomed. Agatha with a smile guided her upstairs.

Once the room settled, Rosalind sighed. "We should’ve paid more attention to Kiana."

"Why don’t you stay for lunch?" She suggested, turning to Evelyn with a smile. She had noticed how much better things were ever since Evelyn returned to his son’s life, and she couldn’t be more grateful.

Evelyn shook her head apologetically. "I’ve already made plans with Avy and Nat. We need to finish some... conversations."

"Good, Nat could use some company," Rosalind replied, understanding her intentions. Though they weren’t close, Natalie needed someone as strong as Evelyn as her friend and she hoped they would bond quickly.

Evelyn stood and shared a quick hug with Rosalind. Turning to Jonathan, she bowed slightly. "Thank you, Mr. Reign. I’ll pick Kiana up later."

Jonathan grunted in acknowledgment, but before they could leave, he added, "Stop calling me Mr. Reign."

Evelyn blinked, startled, as she turned to face him. Rosalind looked equally surprised by her husband’s words.

"We’re family now," Jonathan said, his tone softer but firm. "You should treat me like one."

Evelyn was taken aback and shook her head, thinking he had again misunderstood her and was angry. "It’s just... you told me when we got married..." she mumbled, recalling how Jonathan had strictly warned her about their contract marriage.

Rosalind’s heart swelled with happiness, seeing Jonathan finally accept Evelyn as family. Though it was late, she knew it was because of Evelyn’s unwavering support for Zevian, things they couldn’t do as parents for him and free him from a curse.

Sensing the awkward silence, she asked with a grin, "So, what should she call you, honey?"

"What else? Father-in-law." Jonathan growled under his breath.

Rosalind clicked her tongue, shaking her head. "Too old-fashioned."

Jonathan grumbled for a moment before shrugging. "Dad’s fine."

Evelyn struggled to find her voice. Her relationship with her own father had always been complicated, and Jonathan could see the hesitation in her eyes. He had heard of how William Wright had been mistreating his daughter all these years because of his wife’s death.

"John is fine," he declared, sensing her discomfort. He glanced at Rosalind, who nodded approvingly.

Evelyn smiled softly, a warmth blooming in her chest. She took a deep breath. "I’ll see you later then... John."

For a fleeting moment, a small smile crossed Jonathan’s face before his poker face returned. Rosalind chuckled, catching his brief show of emotion before she walked Evelyn to the door.

"Have Zevian pick Kiana up. You need to rest," Rosalind suggested, eyeing Evelyn’s wound.

Evelyn nodded and left the mansion. As she sat in the car, Jonathan’s words replayed in her mind, and a warm smile tugged at her lips. She couldn’t wait to share it with Zevian!

———

The day passed quickly, leaving Evelyn alone in the house. Avery had gone with Natalie back to the mansion, understanding the poor soul needed someone by her side. Evelyn hoped Emily wouldn’t trouble her too much, sensing that Natalie was struggling internally, torn between her choices.

Evelyn checked the clock that was ticking past midnight and grumbled, "What’s taking him so long?" With Zevian caught up in work, Rosalind had suggested that Kiana stay with them for the night, leaving Evelyn alone in their room. The empty space around her felt heavier with each passing minute.

Just as she sighed and sank onto the couch, the door clicked open. Zevian walked in, his exhaustion clear on his face. The moment their eyes met, Evelyn’s face lit up with a bright smile, her relief palpable.

Zevian’s tired expression softened instantly, the weight of his day washing away at the mere sight of her. He smiled slightly, though weariness clung to him like a shadow.

"You look exhausted," Evelyn murmured with a gentle pout as he made his way toward her. "Go freshen up! I’ll make some tea so you can sleep better."

She turned to head to the kitchen, but before she could take a step, Zevian grabbed her wrist. In one swift motion, he pulled her onto his lap, settling on the couch. His arms circled around her waist, his face nestling into the nook of her neck.

Evelyn’s surprise softened feeling his tense muscles and she wrapped her arms around him, patting his back lightly. His quiet sigh brushed against her skin, sending a pleasant shiver down her spine. It felt good for both of them. Coming home to her, and finally seeing him after a long day, was all they needed.

For a moment, they stayed like that—wrapped in each other’s warmth, the world outside forgotten. But slowly, Zevian loosened his embrace, though his hands still rested firmly on her waist. "How was your day?" he asked, brushing a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

A silly smile danced on Evelyn’s lips. "Guess what?" Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Your dad—Mr. Reign, no, I mean John—asked me to call him by his first name."

Zevian raised an eyebrow, amused. "Really? Took him long enough," he murmured with a smile. He should’ve done that a while ago, after everything she done for their family.

Evelyn’s excitement bubbled over. "I never imagined the Jonathan Reign would ask me to address him casually! It felt... surreal."

Zevian hummed in response, her happiness lifting his spirits. Though exhaustion weighed heavy on him, hearing her talk like this was a balm and he could do it all night.

"And you know what else?" Evelyn’s tone turned teasing as she flicked his forehead gently. "You are so stupid, Zevian! Your daughter’s been showing fake report cards, and you signed them without even checking!"

Zevian sighed, already having had a brief discussion about it with Damien earlier. They’d both fallen for Yael’s tricks, and now Evelyn was surely fired up about it.

"Alright, Mrs. Reign, you can scold me tomorrow. I’m too tired for lectures tonight." He rubbed his forehead, wincing slightly.

But Evelyn wasn’t ready to drop it yet. "No, wait, there’s one more thing."

Zevian frowned in confusion at her expression. Before Evelyn could continue, his phone buzzed loudly on the table, cutting through the air like a blade. Zevian grabbed it, his brows knitting together. "It’s Natalie."

"Put it on speaker," Evelyn urged, concern clear in her voice.

He did, and Natalie’s trembling voice echoed through the room, sharp with panic. "Zev... Come to the hospital! It’s Dom... He’s—he’s serious."