The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot-Chapter 23: Sizzling Chemistry

Sophia sensed the panic on Annabelle’s face, her teeth gritting in frustration. She seemed to have collected all the useless people on this earth as her team. Turning to Zevian, she intervened, "It’s just a petty fight between sisters, Mr. Reign. Let’s not spoil the party’s fun."

"You don’t need to worry about such petty things, Mrs. Wright. I’m sure it will be the highlight of this party," Rosalind said with a sneer. The crowd agreed, their eyes gleaming with anticipation for the unfolding drama.

"We have retrieved the video, Mr. Reign," the event manager announced as his staff worked on their laptop. They transferred the footage to a tablet and handed it to Zevian. He shook his head, having a better idea to make the revelation even more exciting.

"Play it on the main screen," he instructed. His words erupted the crowd into murmurs, and Annabelle’s tears instantly stopped. It seemed like Zevian was overconfident in Evelyn’s innocence, and many couldn’t wait to see him proven wrong.

Evelyn looked up at him in surprise, her eyes tearing up slightly. She had never expected such blind trust from anyone, especially not after her father’s constant doubts. A warmth spread through her chest, mixing with the adrenaline of the moment. If her father had shown half as much trust, she would have exposed Annabelle and the mastermind behind her downfall by now.

As the event manager nodded and quickly headed toward the stage, the room seemed to hold its breath. The lights dimmed slightly, and the guests moved closer, their eyes fixed on the screen. When Zevian had asked to place hidden cameras in every nook and cranny of the venue, they couldn’t understand why. He is really what people claim him to be, the manager thought with a smile while directing his team.

Annabelle’s heartbeat increased with every passing second, and Sophia’s tight grip on her hand only made it worse. Messing up would cost Annabelle this precious job, maybe even her life if it caused too much trouble for her stepmother. But the video safely backed up on her phone gave her a little air to breathe amidst the drowning mess.

"Is this the first pin we’ll prick this voodoo doll with?" Elias whispered in Evelyn’s ear, making her chuckle. She nodded, relishing Annabelle’s distress as much as Annabelle had relished tormenting her.

The staff quickly played the video on the big screen, and everyone gathered in front of the stage. A few guests took out their phones to capture the drama, especially Elaine, who went live on her social media. Avery shook her head and smiled at Elaine, appreciating her unintentional help in spreading the video.

In the first clip, it was clear that Annabelle had dragged Evelyn to the table. The conversation that followed made everyone scorn Evelyn’s seemingly arrogant attitude. But the next minute changed everything. Annabelle picked up the glass and poured the wine on herself.

"Oh my god! Did she pour wine on herself?" one woman mumbled, her hand over her mouth. "Why would she even do that?"

"Isn’t it clear?" her friend beside her scoffed, glaring at Annabelle. "She wanted to make Evelyn look bad."

The guests quickly changed their view of the incident, the evidence slapping them in the face. Every move of Annabelle was captured clearly, leaving no room for doubt. Their glares shifted from Evelyn to Annabelle, their expressions softening to guilt toward Evelyn.

"Seems like Annabelle liked the wine a little too much that she decided to bathe in it," Avery commented with a snicker, watching the Wright duo stare deadpanned at the screen. Her words made a few nearby guests chuckle while Sophia could only grit her teeth.

Pak! Another round of gasps filled the garden as Sophia’s hand flew across Annabelle’s cheek with a resounding smack, the sound echoing through the garden. Annabelle staggered back, her face a mixture of shock and pain.

"I sincerely apologize on her behalf," Sophia said, bowing deeply, making everyone believe she had no hand in this mess. Grabbing Annabelle’s arm, who was too stunned to speak, Sophia quickly walked toward the exit, hurt evident in her teary expression.

"I’m gonna enjoy the continuation at home," Elias mumbled, passing Kiana to Avery. Hugging his sister, he nodded to her before following his mother and his biological sister.

Evelyn shook her head and smiled, a sigh escaping her lips. She felt light for the first time in months, her heart usually sour and heavy, was now joyous. It was all thanks to her husband.

Feeling her gaze, Zevian looked at her and shrugged nonchalantly with a smug smile. A chuckle escaped Evelyn’s lips at his reaction. Moving closer, she patted his arm and commented, "Good job, honey." If not for his smart move of hidden cameras, she would have yet again been the villain in Annabelle’s show.

Avery smiled, sensing their mood had lightened, and decided it was the perfect time for her surprise game. Quickly passing Kiana to Natalie, she held the couple’s arms and said, "Let’s go break a leg on the stage!"

Evelyn and Zevian exchanged glances as Avery dragged them to the stage, a staff member passing the mic to her. Turning to the guests, Avery quickly intervened in the rumors, "Alright, everyone! Now that the drama is over, let’s have some real fun!"

The crowd cheered, the DJ in the corner ready to spin some tunes. Avery took a step forward, continuing, "Let’s start with a special dance by our just-married couple. Give them a big round of applause!"

Evelyn and Zevian’s smiles faded when a staff member brought a tray with two red blindfolds. Even the guests were surprised, clapping at Avery’s clever idea to test the couple’s chemistry.

"Come on, don’t look so worried. It’s nothing new for you guys," Avery said, passing the blindfolds to the couple. When Evelyn glared at her, she simply winked and left the stage for them. At Avery’s command, the DJ shifted the punk music to a slow, romantic jazz song, dimming all lights except the one on the stage.

"I’m glad I sent you those sneakers," Zevian commented, taking the blindfold from Evelyn’s hand. She chuckled in response. Stepping closer, he helped her wear it, fixing her hair properly. His gentle gesture made many women in the crowd go ’aww’, not expecting to see such a tender side of him.

Taking a step back, Zevian put on his blindfold and said, "Allow me to lead this time." His hand quickly found hers, pulling her closer and making Evelyn’s heart race. She hadn’t expected him to remember she had led the dance the last time they did this challenge six years ago. Little did she know he had treasured every moment they spent together deeply in his heart.

The music enveloped them, and they slowly moved to the rhythm, their bodies swaying in perfect harmony. Zevian’s hand on the small of her back guided her effortlessly, his touch both firm and gentle. Evelyn’s senses were heightened, every brush of his fingertips sending shivers down her spine, while Zevian felt his heart race again, glad to be able to relive this special moment.

Zevian’s hand trailed down Evelyn’s arms, making her feel weak. Reaching her hand, he held it before turning her around and spinning her gracefully, making the guests gasp in awe. Their movements were synchronized as if they had practiced this a thousand times, leaving everyone shocked by their sizzling chemistry.

As the song drew to a close, Evelyn, a little breathless, circled her arms around Zevian’s neck and rested her head on his shoulder, a movement she had done last time too. Zevian’s hand rested on her waist, and at that moment, nothing else mattered—not their fake marriage or past heartbreaks. They were lost in each other’s embrace and raw emotions, living every bit of it.

But their special moment was shattered when someone suddenly separated them, pushing Evelyn away and causing her to stumble. Zevian felt a hand yank off his blindfold before he was struck hard across the face.

Evelyn ripped off her blindfold, her eyes widening as she saw a woman standing between them. Before anyone could react, the woman’s hand lashed out again, slapping Zevian with a resounding smack, leaving everyone speechless.