The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

Kiana stirred from her deep sleep, feeling someone gently unbuckling her seatbelt and lifting her from her seat. Her eyes fluttered open and she rubbed them with tiny fists a yawn escaping her lips.

"Are we home?" she asked, hugging her Mommy’s neck who picked her up.

Evelyn smiled tenderly as she lifted Kiana from the booster seat, cradling her in her arms. "We’ve come to Reign Mansion, sweetheart," she replied softly.

The sleepiness instantly vanished from Kiana’s face, replaced by a bright, excited glow. "Oh, that’s great!" she squealed, her tiredness forgotten in the blink of an eye. Her thoughts immediately raced to her grandparents, having missed seeing them since last week, especially her grandpa Johnathan, despite how he had put her through "tutor hell" after her report card scam.

"We should have gotten them fishes too," Kiana grumbled, her lips forming a small pout. If she knew they were coming here, she would have caught more fish with her uncle John.

Evelyn smiled at her words and gently pushed back a strand of hair from Kiana’s face. "Maybe next time," she said, adjusting Kiana in her arms who nodded in response.

With Zevian beside her, they made their way toward the entrance of the grand Reign Mansion. The cool night breeze swept over them, and the couple held their nerves, unlike Kiana who was excited to be here.

Inside, the grand hall of the mansion was illuminated with a soft, golden light. Rosalind and Jonathan sat on the plush sofa, their postures stiff, and expressions filled with tension. The moment they saw the trio enter, their eyes softened, especially seeing them enter as one sweet family.

As soon as they stepped through the door, Kiana wriggled free from Evelyn’s arms, her tiny feet hitting the floor as she rushed toward her grandma.

"Grandma Rose!" Kiana squealed, her little legs making their way to the couch where Rosalind sat.

Rosalind’s face broke into a small, warm smile, her arms immediately opening to envelop Kiana in a tight hug. "My little sunshine," she whispered, pulling her onto the couch between herself and Jonathan.

Jonathan’s stern expression momentarily softened as he looked down at his granddaughter. Kiana looked at him feeling his stare, and stuck out her tongue, causing Rosalind to chuckle out loud. "You look quite happy for someone who’s been missing my tutor sessions," Jonathan teased, arching an eyebrow at her.

Kiana nodded without hesitation. "Yes! I don’t like them," she admitted with absolute bluntness, earning a scoff from Jonathan.

"You’ve learned that straightforwardness from your mommy, haven’t you?" Jonathan commented dryly, casting a glance in Evelyn’s direction. She greeted him with a polite nod and a soft smile before settling beside Zevian on the adjacent couch.

The heavy atmosphere, once tense with the weight of heavy thoughts and Natalie’s sudden wish to see them together, began to lighten as Kiana started her excited chatter about their camping trip. Her animated retelling brought smiles to the faces of the elder Reigns, momentarily making them forget their earlier concerns. Her stories, filled with wild exaggerations and vivid descriptions of nature, made everyone chuckle as she narrated how they caught a shoe instead of a fish.

But that brief happiness was cut short when the front door opened, and Natalie stepped inside with Emily by her side. Their expressions were seemingly exhausted, a tinge of sadness visible in their eyes indicating what they might have gone through in the hospital.

Kiana’s eyes caught them the moment they entered, and without a second thought, she slid off the couch and ran over to her cousin. "Sis Emy!" she called, her voice bright and cheerful.

Emily smiled softly, though it was clear she was trying to hold herself together. She bent down, accepting Kiana’s hug, and gently patted her back. Evelyn couldn’t help but notice how she was surprisingly gentle toward Kiana, unlike her usual arrogant attitude toward everyone else.

"I heard you went to see Uncle Dom," Kiana murmured innocently, completely unaware of the tension her words brought into the room.

The room seemed to freeze at Kiana’s question, Rosalind and Evelyn both worried sensing how Emily’s smile faltered, her eyes welling up with unshed tears.

"How is he? Did he talk to you?" Kiana continued, her voice soft and curious.

Emily, unable to hold back any longer, broke into quiet sobs. Her hands trembled as she brought them up to her face, hiding her tears, but the heartbreak in her voice was unmistakable. "He... he doesn’t remember me," she whispered, her words echoing her pain.

The room fell into a heavy silence, everyone feeling bad for the young girl. Dominic had woken up with only memories of Aracemia and his first surgery, putting them in a tough spot.

Kiana, seeing the effect her innocent question had caused, immediately wrapped her small arms around Emily once more, hugging her cousin tightly. "He will be fine soon," Kiana whispered, patting Emily’s back just as Evelyn would do to comfort her.

Evelyn’s chest tightened at the sight, her heart aching for both Emily and Kiana. Rosalind’s eyes filled with gratitude as she watched her granddaughter show such tenderness, knowing full well that it was Evelyn’s influence that had softened her once grumpy Kiana so much.

"Go wash up, dear. I’ll arrange for dinner," Rosalind suggested gently, her voice breaking the stillness.

Natalie nodded silently, taking Emily’s hand and leading her upstairs. Zevian and Jonathan both sighed in unison, their weariness evident in their expression. It felt like Natalie had gone back to her usual kind self again, something they both loved and hated at the same time.

Evelyn placed a reassuring hand over Zevian’s, offering him a comforting smile, silently promising that she would be there for whatever difficult conversation they would be put through in a couple of minutes. Rosalind also tried to calm her husband, gently patting his arm quite aware he would not tolerate it if Natalie decided to go with Dominic again.

---

Minutes later, everyone gathered at the grand, round dining table. The heavy wooden furniture was polished to a shine, reflecting the golden candlelight that flickered throughout the room. Kiana sat comfortably between her parents, swinging her feet beneath the table, while the elder Reigns sat beside each other, their postures still slightly tense.

The quiet clink of silverware and the soft shuffle of the maids serving dinner filled the room. The conversation was sparse, the tension from earlier not completely dissolved as they all waited for Natalie. And she joined them shortly after with Emily beside her, both now dressed in more comfortable clothes—Natalie in a soft cardigan, while Emily wore her pink pajamas, her eyes still slightly red from crying earlier.

Kiana offered Emily a small, encouraging smile as they sat opposite her, and for a moment, the weight of the conversation seemed to lift. But everyone else was bracing themselves for whatever Natalie had to say.

The silence stretched for a few more moments as everyone began eating, though no one seemed to have much of an appetite. Then, finally, Natalie cleared her throat, her voice trembling slightly as she began to speak.

"This will be our last dinner together," she said quietly, her voice cutting through the tension like a knife.

The shock spread through the room, everything coming to an unsettling halt. Everyone froze, their eyes turning toward her in disbelief. Even Emily stared at her mother, wide-eyed.

Natalie’s fingers twisted together nervously, but she continued, her voice a little stronger now. "I’m planning to move with Dominic and Fredrick next week. We... I think it’s for the best."

The words hit like a bombshell for Jonathan. His hands clenched into tight fists, his knuckles turning white, but before he could speak, Rosalind reached over, placing a calming hand over his. He didn’t speak, but his jaw tightened visibly.

"I’ll stay with them until Dominic recovers," Natalie added, trying to maintain her composure. "We can’t... we can’t process the divorce until then. It’s just not right."

Emily came out of her shock, tears streaming down her cheeks again. "Thank you, Mommy," she whispered, before wrapping her arms around her mother.

But before Jonathan could voice his objections, a new voice interrupted him.

"No, you cannot."

The deep, commanding voice caused everyone to turn toward the entrance of the dining room. Standing there, tall and imposing, was Damien, his dark eyes glancing at everyone before fixing on Natalie.

"Damien?" Evelyn frowned, not hiding the surprise in her voice. Rosalind’s expression darkened as well, clearly not expecting him at this late hour.

Damien ignored them, his gaze fixed on Natalie. "You can’t leave," he said firmly, stepping closer to the dining table.

Emily wiped her tears away and glared at him. With a mix of confusion and anger, she grumbled, "Who are you to say that? Why can’t she go?"

In response, Damien reached into his jacket and pulled out a document, his expression unreadable as he showed them. "Because she’s my wife now."