The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot
Chapter 154: Blood Runs Thicker -1

Chapter 154: Blood Runs Thicker -1

Meanwhile, in the AWE company’s meeting room, tension hung as heavy as the silence. The sleek, glassy surface of the boardroom table reflected the furrowed brows and piercing gazes of shareholders and clients, each one visibly displeased. Just a few weeks ago, these same people had been full of praise for Evelyn, showering her with compliments and promises of future deals. Now, one scandal had been enough to shatter their trust completely.

One shareholder stood, voice edged with disdain, turning to Avery with an impatient glare. "Miss Avery, if you value the company, you need to cut ties with Grace. Keep her here, and AWE’s future is finished."

Several others nodded, murmuring agreement, their disdain simmering into open hostility.

Avery hissed in frustration, her knuckles turning white as she gripped the edge of the table. She was one heartbeat away from unleashing a tirade, ready to defend her best friend against the whole room if necessary, but a gentle hand landed on hers. Evelyn’s calm gaze met hers, a silent plea to hold back.

Taking a deep breath, Avery clamped her mouth shut, though every muscle in her body screamed for release. Evelyn rose slowly from her seat, the room falling into a tense silence as she moved to address the crowd.

"I understand your frustration," Evelyn began, her tone firm but touched with an edge of calm regret. "And I apologize for the strain my personal matters may have placed on this company. But let me be clear—" her voice hardened, "I will not apologize for baseless accusations regarding Annabelle’s death."

Murmurs of disbelief and suspicion rippled across the room, and one of the clients shot to his feet. "Baseless? The maid is dead! You can deny it all you want, but there’s no evidence to clear your name. You might as well admit it now if you’re responsible."

Avery surged forward, fists clenched, unable to contain herself any longer. "If you’re so eager to believe gossip, then maybe AWE doesn’t need you!"

Voices clashed, echoing in a chaotic swell as arguments broke out across the room. Evelyn sighed, raising her voice to cut through the noise.

"Enough!" Her words sliced through the air, chilling and sharp, freezing the room in an instant. "Sit down, all of you."

Her cold command struck like ice water, and one by one, the shareholders dropped back into their seats, stunned into silence. Evelyn turned to Bella, who stepped forward with a document in hand—a letter.

"Before any more assumptions are made, let me share this with you," Evelyn said, her gaze piercing. "It hasn’t been released officially, but given you’re all here to judge me, it seems only fair you see it first."

She held up the letter, the one Damien and Ronan had painstakingly faked as the dead maid’s confession, ensuring every detail would point away from Evelyn. The room stilled further as the letter rolled out on the screen.

"This is from Brienna, the maid accused in Annabelle’s murder investigation. She confessed her guilt, and I hope it clears any lingering doubts about my involvement." Evelyn said, her gaze steely as she scanned the room.

"I... I and Annabelle got into an argument, and in my anger, I accidentally pushed her off the terrace," she read, her voice laced with a feigned tremor. The audience collectively leaned forward, eyes widening as they absorbed every word. "I tried to hold onto her as she slipped, which is why you’ll find my fingerprints on her.

In a desperate attempt to lessen my punishment, I brought Ms. Evelyn Wright into this mess. I thought since she’d had scandals and a known grudge against Annabelle, everyone would believe she was behind it. And... you all did.

’I understand my sins now, and I have accepted my fate of life imprisonment. Mom and Dad, I’m sorry for being a disappointment to you, for blaming you for being poor. Maybe, now, you’ll have the peace you deserve.’"

Gasps filled the room, a silence followed as the screen went blank.

Evelyn stood up and addressed them again, "It proves that Brienna acted alone out of jealousy and resentment. Her vendetta against wealthy families and their daughters has unfortunately cost my sister her life, and my name—my family’s name—a reputation." She paused, pulling out an emotional card. "I ask that you all respect my family’s loss and allow me the grace to grieve, without having to defend myself at every turn."

"We are committed to ensuring AWE not only recovers but thrives in the coming months," Evelyn added, her voice resolute. "The losses you’ve experienced will be not only remedied but surpassed." She could feel the tension ease slightly, her words creating a reluctant ripple of approval.

Most of the shareholders nodded in slow agreement, their anger dissolving into a more hopeful expectation.

After the Meeting

As the crowd filtered out, Avery slumped back into her seat, running a hand over her face. "I don’t know how Zevian manages the entire Reign empire," she muttered, eyes wide with residual disbelief. "Handling just this small crisis has me ready to walk out."

Evelyn offered her a wry smile. Right on cue, her phone vibrated, displaying his name. She answered with a relieved smile. "Hello."

"Eva, the maid woke up." Zevian gave the good news. "Come to Damien’s dungeon immediately."

Excitement and tension jolted through Evelyn. "We’re on our way."

She nodded at Avery, who was already gathering her things. "The maid’s awake. Damien and the others are at the dungeon. Let’s go."

Avery’s eyebrows shot up, and her energy suddenly renewed. "Finally. Time to see what’s going on behind this whole mess."

-—

In the Dungeon

The echo of their footsteps was swallowed by the thick, chilling walls of the Reign family dungeon. John was already waiting by the entrance, and with a respectful nod, he escorted them deeper into the heart of the underground chambers. Every flickering torch cast long, ominous shadows, heightening the sense of foreboding that filled the space.

They reached a small, dimly lit cell where Damien, Ronan, Lucius, and Zevian were already gathered, their faces obscured by the darkened air of the dungeon. Brianna was bound to a chair, her skin pale, her eyes hollow with exhaustion. She looked up as Evelyn and Avery entered, her face twisting with a mixture of fear and desperation.

"Please..." Brienna’s voice was a whisper, her gaze pleading. "Please let me go."

Evelyn took a step forward, her expression hardening. The raw grief and anger she’d tried to contain surged to the surface. She moved closer, and without hesitation, delivered a sharp slap across Brienna’s face, the sound echoing off the stone walls.

"You betrayed my family," Evelyn seethed, her voice trembling with emotion. "Annabelle was pregnant, Brienna. How could you take her life? How could you take both their lives?"

A tear slipped down Brienna’s cheek, her gaze dropping to the floor as shame shadowed her face. Evelyn took a shaky breath, forcing herself to calm down. "We know was someone behind this. Tell us who, and maybe... maybe you’ll have a chance to live."

Damien stepped forward, his voice deceptively calm. "We can help you start fresh, a new identity, a new life. We’ll even bring your parents somewhere safe. But only if you tell us the truth, here and now."

The light of hope flickered in Brienna’s eyes, but doubt quickly clouded her gaze as she looked around the room, assessing the cold resolve of the men surrounding her. "If I tell you... you’ll kill me anyway. What’s the point?" Her voice was barely audible.

Damien glanced over his shoulder, and Carson and Rita stepped into the room, carrying a passport bearing Brienna’s new identity. Damien tossed it onto her lap. "This is real. All you have to do is talk."

The sight of her face on the passport, a promise of escape, sent Brienna’s defenses crumbling. She took a long, shuddering breath, her eyes darting between each of them, lingering on Evelyn.

"Alright. I’ll tell you... everything."

Evelyn’s heart pounded with a mix of dread and anticipation as the others leaned in, each of them ready to hear the truth.

"It was Elias Wright," Brienna finally confessed, her voice breaking. "He’s the one who dragged me into this. He promised me protection and... told me to use Evelyn’s name if anything went wrong."

A shocked silence enveloped the room, disbelief flashing across every face. Avery, her jaw clenched, spat, "This witch is lying. I don’t believe a word of it!"

Rita grabbed Brianna by her hair, jerking her head up as she looked into her eyes. "Tell the truth!"

Brienna’s expression crumpled. "I’m not lying. Elias was behind it all. He... he knew Annabelle’s secret. He knew everything and used me to cover his tracks."

Before anyone could process the shocking revelation, Damien’s assistant burst into the room, breathless and clutching a tablet. "Sir, you all need to see this. Now."

Evelyn took the tablet, her pulse quickening as the others crowded around to watch. On the screen, a press conference played out. There, seated beside a devastated-looking Vincent, was none other than Elias Wright himself.

Avery’s face contorted with shock. "What is he doing with them?"

In the video, Elias adjusted the microphone, his eyes shifting to the camera with a sad gleam. "My poor sister didn’t deserve any of this. I pray the court doesn’t fall under pressure for power and serves true justice, punishing the real culprit."

Gasps filled the room as Avery’s fists tightened at her sides. "He’s indirectly targeting Evelyn. Why is he pushing her into the flames like this?"

Evelyn’s chest tightened, her heart aching at Elias’ words. What the heck was wrong with him?

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