The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek)

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"Try to rest your head," Derek said to Evelyn as he drove them home.

The drive home was quiet, Evelyn resting her head against the window as the city lights blurred by, her body finally giving in to the exhaustion that weighed on her.

She shut her eyes to sleep, but all she could think about was Sandra. She couldn't help but wonder if there could have been a better way to handle the situation without letting things escalate to the point that people got hurt.

She didn't know when they reached the house until Derek opened her door. Then she opened her eyes and climbed out of the car-only for Derek to sweep her up in his arms.

She gasped, laughing softly in surprise. "What are you doing? I can walk, you know."

Derek grinned, carrying her toward the door. "I know you can. But I don't want you to tonight," he said as he carried her inside.

He carried her up the stairs to their bedroom, setting her gently on the edge of the bed before kneeling in front of her.

He looked up, eyes warm and steady, as he reached for her hands.

"Eve... I don't think I've told you enough, but I am incredibly grateful to have you and Samantha in my life. I'm glad Sandra's finally out of the picture, and I'm over the moon that we're going to be parents again and I get the chance to be with you every step of the way. I promise that you won't ever have to be alone or feel alone. I will try all within my power to be by you through every pleasure and discomfort that this phase will bring. I will keep you company on nights that you can't sleep and do all I can to make you happy."

Evelyn felt her heart swell, a soft smile spreading across her face as she listened to him. He continued, "I wanted to propose to you in a couple of weeks after we take care of Sandra; I'm glad weve been able to do that now. Since I don't want to wait for that long anymore. I want us to get married soon- before the baby bump is too obvious so you can wear whatever wedding dress you want."

She laughed, shaking her head. "I don't mind if the bump shows in the dress. What I care about is having my Mom there and Ethan too. We can wait just until they're both okay."

Derek smiled, a look of pure affection in his eyes. "I'm good with whatever you want. Now, let's get you ready for bed, he said as he kissed her flat abdomen before straightening up.

He moved to the bathroom, ran a warm bath for her, and returned to help her undress. The weight of the night melted away under his careful hands as he carried her into the bathroom and gently set her in the tub.

As she sank into the warm water, Evelyn closed her eyes, feeling, perhaps for the first time in a long time, that things might just be all right.

While she soaked in the tub, Derek undressed and joined her inside, and they sat in a way that Evelyn had her back to him so that he could massage her neck and shoulders.

After their bath, Derek toweled her dry and took her back into the bedroom. He made her lie on the bed and gave her a full-body massage.

Derek smiled when she slept off halfway into the message, and then he lay down beside her for a moment to just look at her and admire her serene beauty.

He took his phone and took a couple of pictures of her face as she slept, and then, after adjusting the blanket around her, he stepped

out of the room to give the detectives a call.

Away from there, the officers led Sandra out of the police van and into the station. She was calm and lost in thought as she processed all that had happened at the hospital, and she shook her head, unable to make sense of what Derek had said or believe it.

Evelyn's child couldn't be Derek's. It didn't make sense. It wasn't possible. How could she have a child for Derek when he returned to the country a day before her wedding?

No. It didn't make sense that she had been to the reunion with Derek, and he had deliberately worn a color that matched Evelyn's and sat down beside her. They had all made a fool of her.

Derek loved her. That she was sure of; she still remembered how he had looked at her during their first date. He couldn't possibly have done that just because of Evelyn.

No, Sandra thought as tears streamed down her face. It didn't make sense that after all she had done all these years, this was the end for her.

"That is so unfair," she muttered to herself.

"Did you say something?" The officer beside her asked, and she looked at him with empty eyes but didn't respond.

All her plotting, all her scheming, and there was nothing to show for it. Just like her mother said, she had ended up like her criminal father, while Evelyn would not only take over the family magazine but would also end up with Derek as his wife. "Arhhhhh!" She screamed, pulling at her hair tearfully and startling everyone.

Michael, who was seated a few feet away, still being booked,

glanced in her direction and watched as she sobbed and pulled her hair.

He felt a surge of satisfaction watching Sandra unravel, but curiosity held his anger at bay. Something had clearly happened tonight, something serious enough to shake Sandra, and he wondered what it was.

Michael's frown deepened. The sight of Sandra's tears unsettled him- Sandra, who was always so smug, was now a frantic mess.

He had planned to launch himself at her the moment she walked into the station and make her pay for betraying him, but now his body felt rooted to his seat as he watched her from across the room as she was booked.

As they were rounded up together to be photographed and for their medical screening, Sandra met his gaze, and something about her slumped figure and empty eyes gave him pause.

He wanted revenge, yes. Every fiber in his body wanted to charge in and unleash all the anger he'd held onto since he listened to the recording of her giving the hitman instructions to take him out, but a battle raged inside him- something about Sandra's fragile state made him hesitate.

He leaned against the wall, watching Sandra, caught between the drive for revenge and an unfamiliar wave of restraint.

Michael decided then that maybe she was already being punished, and he didn't have to do anything to her. She wasn't worth it. She was a mistake he had made, and there was no need to make any more mistakes for her sake.

He would do his time however long it took since, thankfully, it would only be for embezzlement, and hopefully, his family would forgive and accept him upon his return.