The Billionaire's Rental Wife Is A Hot Shot
Chapter 161: Bunny?

Chapter 161: Bunny?

Evelyn didn’t care about her revenge anymore. She just couldn’t understand how her mother ended up in such a state and why William had never realized her death might have been faked?!

"W-what happened to her?" Evelyn asked, her voice breaking with pain. When Damien and Ronan exchanged glances, unsure if sharing this now would help, she pleaded, "Please! I deserve to know everything."

At Zevian’s nod, Damien let out a sigh. Gracia’s past was brutal, and for someone who dealt with death every day, even Damien felt it was cruel. Ronan agreed to it, hesitant to share the details. They both had become friends during this process, sharing same sympathy for Gracia.

Without each other’s help and a full day of brainstorming, they would never have found Gracia. Heck! They wouldn’t even have discovered her death was fake if not for the anonymous reports they’d received from an unknown source. It was still a mystery who had sent them and why, but out of all times, they chose now to help. Still, it had greatly helped them locate Gracia in just a few days.

"Damien!" Evelyn called, pulling him out of his thoughts. She looked at Ronan hopefully, who sighed, nodded, and slowly began to recount Gracia’s story.

"That day," Ronan started, recalling the time Evelyn was six and kidnapped from her school. "Your kidnapping was a tactic, a way to actually get to her. Gracia was only shot in non-fatal areas. Later, a dead body shot in all the critical places, with the same number of bullets, was switched in her place."

"Birthmarks and even the tattoo your mom had on her wrist—they mimicked them on the double and presented her body to your family," Damien continued, pausing for a second before adding, "They shot multiple times her in the face, leaving no room for doubt."

Evelyn remembered how her mother’s face was completely covered during the funeral. She’d tried to uncover it, but her grandmother had stopped her, saying Gracia wouldn’t want her daughter to remember her that way. The memory clenched Evelyn’s heart, and a fury rose in her at whoever had orchestrated it.

"Later, your mother was transferred somewhere we have no clue. She was kept there for nearly a decade, which we believe is the root cause of her current condition."

"You mean..." Evelyn trailed off, staring tearfully at Ronan. His words hinted at something her heart hated to imagine, but Damien spilled the truth.

"She was tortured, driven to madness, made to forget everything—even herself. Once they succeeded, Gracia was transferred here. Records say she’s been here for over five years, but we think it’s longer. They’re likely altering dates to prevent the government from feeling suspicious."

Evelyn couldn’t process any of it, her heart already crushed. Zevian wrapped his arm around her shoulders, rubbing them gently as she trembled in pain. He looked at Damien, who nodded in understanding and cut to the chase.

"Someone’s very powerful monitoring her closely. We weren’t allowed to visit any of the patients there, and even the general doctor who treats the other patients isn’t permitted to see her."

"In fact," Ronan continued, "the entire asylum seems designed just for her. The other patients are likely there only to make it look like a regular institution. Someone very powerful is controlling this, but we can bring her out."

"But before that..." Damien trailed off. When Evelyn looked at him, he added, "We first need to see if she reacts differently to you. If she does, we’ll proceed with our plan, wage a war, and bring her out immediately. But if not, we’ll send you back tomorrow since you’re still a suspect in Annabelle’s death."

Evelyn nodded in understanding. It all felt like a fantasy, but she held onto hope that maybe, just maybe, her mom could recognize her bunny. Hopefully...

"We’ll bring her back later once she’s in a state to hear you out," Ronan said, committed to honesty. "And we don’t know how many weeks or even months our team will need to treat her."

"But by your brother’s 18th birthday, we’ll have her back," Damien added, knowing it would be a perfect surprise for Sophia.

"B-but that’s two months from now," Evelyn murmured, wanting Gracia sooner if possible. She understood their reasoning, but her heart wasn’t ready to leave her again after years of thinking she was gone. She wanted to hold her close, to be with her every day.

"You’ll be cleared of Annabelle’s case by then," Zevian murmured, caressing her back. "We’ll have more time to be with her." Evelyn nodded in agreement.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at the two mafia bosses and asked, "What should I do?" They were all running out of time, especially with the court hearing around the corner, and she didn’t want to put Theodore in danger because of her.

"Get ready for tomorrow. You’ll be going in as a nurse," Damien instructed. "Our team will help you slip into her room, and you’re free to do whatever you want inside."

"Rita will go with you if you need support," Ronan broke in. He wanted to go himself but had things to handle on the outside. Plus, Damien’s team was more experienced in missions like this—it was like playing video games for them.

Evelyn nodded with a small smile, grateful for their help. She bit the inside of her cheek, fighting back tears. As much as she was excited to see Gracia, to hug her and cry about how much she’d missed her, she was terrified of what might happen if her mother didn’t recognize her. The thought stung badly.

"You’ll do fine; don’t worry," Zevian assured, pulling her into a tight hug. Evelyn rested her head on his chest and nodded, hoping for the best.

---

The morning rose earlier than everyone in the mansion had anticipated. Kiana, who had slept through the journey, was up early, her happiness slightly easing the tension.

"Just give her a big hug! She’ll know it’s you right away," Kiana instructed, sitting right beside Evelyn.

"It’s not as easy as you make it sound, little girl," Ronan replied with a sad smile.

"Well, you don’t know anything about the mother-daughter bond, Mister," Kiana shot back, sticking her tongue out at him. "I can tell who my mommy is just by her touch. And Mommy can easily do it too, right, Mommy?" She turned to Evelyn.

Evelyn nodded, pressing her lips into a thin smile. It would be great if it was as easy as Kiana made it sound. Gracia didn’t seem capable of recognizing anyone, but the hope wouldn’t die within Evelyn. After all, a mother’s love could never be underestimated.

"Ma’am, I’m ready!" Rita walked out dressed in a nurse’s outfit. John, standing nearby, couldn’t contain his laughter, finding the outfit hilariously oversized for her. Even Kiana giggled, running to hug Rita.

"You look cute, sis, but Mommy’s still cuter," the little girl praised, bringing a smile to Evelyn’s face.

"Alright! If you’re set, let’s go!" Ronan said, getting up from the couch. "Your husband and Damien are waiting for us at the location."

"Let me give you a quick huggie," Kiana rushed over to them, and Evelyn gladly squatted, needing it the most right now.

"All you need to do is this," Kiana hugged her tightly and then whispered, "I missed you so much, Mommy." Breaking the hug, she asked, "Understood?"

Evelyn nodded, kissed her forehead, and left the house. Kiana and John waved as the car drove away.

As they arrived, the asylum loomed ahead, a grim, foreboding structure that seemed to absorb any light around it. The air was thick with a sense of despair, and distant cries echoed faintly, adding to the eerie atmosphere. The walls, once white, were stained with age and neglect, and flickering lights cast long, unsettling shadows.

Zevian and Damien greeted Evelyn and Rita at the entrance, their expressions serious. "We don’t have much time," Damien said in a low voice. "Stick with the team and follow their lead."

Evelyn nodded, her heart pounding. The disguised check-up team moved efficiently, guiding her and Rita through the dim corridors. The smell of antiseptic mixed with something more sinister, churning Evelyn’s stomach.

Damien’s men, now dressed as doctors, led Evelyn to Gracia’s cell. The janitor, a nervous woman holding keys, was waiting. She glanced at the CCTV camera, which had been disabled for a few precious minutes. "Make it quick," she whispered to Rita in Spanish before pushing them into the cell and locking the door.

Inside, Gracia stood by a small window, her back to them. At the sound of their arrival, she turned, her eyes wild and unrecognizing. Suddenly, she lunged at them, her screams echoing off the walls. Rita stepped forward, shielding Evelyn as Gracia’s screams turned into a torrent of curses in an unknown language.

Evelyn’s heart ached at the sight of her mother. Tears streamed down her face as she stepped forward, voice trembling. "Mom, it’s me," she whispered. But Gracia continued to struggle, trying to break free from Rita.

Evelyn’s heart ached at the sight of her mother in such a state. Tears streamed down her face as she stepped forward, her voice trembling. "Mom, it’s me," she whispered. But Gracia struggled, trying to break free from Rita.

"Let me handle this," Evelyn said to Rita, her voice firm despite the tears. Rita with a worried look stepped away, and Evelyn held Gracia, wrapping her arms tightly around her.

"Mom, please," she cried, her voice breaking. "It’s me, Evelyn."

Suddenly, Gracia stopped struggling. Her hands fell to her sides, and she looked at Evelyn in horror. "Bunny?" she whispered, her voice soft and uncertain.

Evelyn’s breath caught in her throat, and she broke free of the hug. Even Rita’s mouth dropped in shock. Did Gracia just recognize her?