The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot

Avery, determined to cover for her annoying cousin's attempt to blow off their plans, kept telling the workers they were good friends, helping Evelyn for the big day. But the way Zevian's eyes followed Evelyn as she stood on the small dais, his icy demeanor softening instantly to one of admiration, left the workers suspicious. 

"Wow! This looks perfect," Avery mused, admiring the gown Evelyn wore—the very one Zevian had pointed out earlier. "You have good taste," she praised Zevian, sitting beside her. His puppy-like smile and twinkling eyes made her shake her head. Only her best friend could evoke such reactions from this iceberg.

Evelyn couldn't help but smile at her reflection in the mirror. The off-shoulder gown fit her perfectly. She stole a glance in Zevian's direction, appreciating his suggestion with a small smile. 

"Now that the gown is finalized, why don't we go have lunch, Mr. Reign?" Vincent's voice interrupted her thoughts. Evelyn scoffed, shaking her head at his blatant attempt to get Zevian's attention. It gave her a strange satisfaction, recalling the months she had spent yearning for his attention and love while he was busy caring for poor Annabelle. Karma was indeed a twisted thing. 

"We have no interest in having lunch with you, Mr. Blake," Avery retorted, glaring at Annabelle beside him. "Especially not with someone who has taken everything from my best friend. So, stop trying to lick my cousin's boots and get out of here."

Vincent's smile faded, his jaw clenched as the staff stifled their laughs. He had never liked Evelyn's so-called best friend and now even more so, not just for disrespecting him but also Annabelle. He shot a glare at Evelyn, hoping she would at least take her sister's side. But all he got was a blank stare.

"Let's go, Anna," Vincent said, grabbing Annabelle's hand. She winced in pain while trying to get up. Concern overtook Vincent's anger, and without a second thought, he lifted Annabelle in his arms and walked out, surprising everyone.

Avery watched them leave, shaking her head. "I pity Blake's future," she muttered. "Elder Edmund built his company with sweat and tears, and if it falls into his gullible grandson's hands, bankruptcy is inevitable." 

"Can you get me a first aid kit?" Evelyn asked a staff member as she took off the gown. The lady nodded and exited the room.

As Evelyn emerged from the changing room, Avery linked arms with her, beaming. "You looked smoking hot, babe!" she exclaimed, making Evelyn chuckle at her friend's effusive praise.

"Miss, here you go," the staff member interrupted, handing the first aid kit to Evelyn. She accepted it with a thank you and then passed it to Avery, eyeing Zevian, who was sitting on the couch, engrossed in his phone.

Avery blinked in confusion before understanding Evelyn's intention. She had been so excited about seeing Evelyn in a wedding gown that she had almost forgotten her cousin was hurt.

An idea struck Avery, and she shoved the kit back into Evelyn's hands. "You should treat him! I'll go settle the bill." Seeing Evelyn's face pale, she quickly added, "He got hurt while saving you, Evy. It only makes sense for you to help him out." 

Despite her fears of Zevian hurting Evelyn again, Avery knew no one could treat her better than him. Though they were only getting tied in a contract, she felt Zevian deserved a chance to grovel and win her heart again, understanding why he had betrayed Evelyn in the past. 

"Go!" Avery gently pushed Evelyn toward Zevian's couch. With a smile, she quickly went to the manager and asked for a tour of the boutique, admiring its interior. The manager eagerly agreed, thrilled to host the CEO of the city's top interior design company. The other staff followed, leaving the room exclusively for the couple. 

Hesitation was written all over Evelyn's face as she stood staring at her departing friend's back. Her gaze shifted to Zevian, who had moved to the French window to take a call. Taking a deep breath, she approached him, her heart pounding with each step. 

Stopping a foot away from him, Evelyn cleared her throat, but since Zevian was wearing his AirPods, he didn't hear the soft murmur.

"Zev—" She hesitated, shaking her head at the inappropriateness of using his first name after nearly six years of silence. "Mr. Reign, you should treat your burns."

"Mr. Reign?"

Frustration mingled with her anxiety as she failed yet again. With no other option, Evelyn tentatively raised her hand and tugged at his coat sleeve.

Zevian turned around, his frown melting into surprise at the sight of her. His creased brows relaxed as his eyes traveled to her hand holding his sleeve. A subtle smile unknowingly spread across his face, finding her flustered expression cute. 

"You should treat yourself," she mumbled, quickly releasing her and moving the box forward. From the way her heart was beating, she was certain this wouldn't end up well. 

Zevian glanced past her to see Avery and the staff leaving the room. Assuming Avery's hand in this, he refused to let her cupid efforts go to waste. 

"But I don't think I'll be able to reach it," he innocently murmured, forcing her to look up and meet his eyes. When he seemed genuinely concerned, Evelyn sighed and gestured for him to sit on the couch. 

Zevian moved to the couch and sat down, watching her with a mix of amusement and tenderness. Evelyn stood in front of him, her fingers trembling slightly as she placed down the first aid box and opened it.

Taking out the ointment for treating burns, she turned to him and her eyes widened at the sight of him taking off his shirt. Zevian's well-defined torso came into view, each muscle sculpted to perfection, making her gulp reflexively. From his Adam's apple down to his toned chest and defined abs, each feature stood out beneath his skin. Ah, it was impossible not to appreciate such a sexy sight!

Zevian then turned around to reveal a rather mesmerizing back, broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist. Her eyes then fell on the red marks below his neck, and that's when Evelyn realized she had been almost drooling at him. Heat crept through her cheeks, turning them the reddest shade of red.

Damn it! She was here to help, not admire his Greek-god-like physique! And this was exactly what she feared—falling for the thirst traps he always set for her, just like in the past. 

Zevian smirked, fully aware of her weakness and successfully exploiting it. But as her fingers touched his bare skin, he found himself falling into his own trap.

As Evelyn applied the ointment, he cursed inwardly, the coolness contrasting sharply with the heat radiating from his skin. A slight shiver ran down his spine as she massaged it in, her touch delicate yet firm.

Luckily, his burns were minor, and Evelyn decided to finish quickly and escape. But when he winced, she worriedly leaned closer and blew gently on the sore spots, her warm breath almost causing him to suck in a breath.

Each touch stirred unspoken emotions, and he gritted his teeth. Zevian decided to distract himself by breaking the silence that heightened the tension between them.

"Did you like the gown?" Zevian asked, trying to lighten the atmosphere.

Evelyn nodded hesitantly, her voice soft as she replied, "Yep, it's beautiful."

Her small smile lit up the large mirror in front of them, and Zevian couldn't resist teasing her. "Nah, not more than you," he said softly, his words causing her heart to skip a beat.