The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek)

Michael's mind was in turmoil as he drove down to the Stone Mansion for dinner. The towering trees lining the route to the house provided no comfort as he replayed everything that had happened at Evelyn's. That was the only thought that had been in his head all day- Evelyn's betrayal. His grip tightened on the steering wheel as Evelyn's face popped into his mind once more. The bitch had been cheating on him?

The thought that she had cheated on him six years ago stung his pride, bruising his ego all over again. He couldn't believe that she dared to betray him like that and then act like he was the devil.

Did what they had mean nothing to her? He could understand his relationship with Sandra, but how could Evelyn cheat like their time together had meant nothing? Hadn't she loved him? Had she been messing with him? Worse, she had a daughter for the man she had cheated with. A child that could have been his. That thought sent a fresh wave of rage through him, but he pushed it down as the Stone Mansion came into view.

He had been pleasantly surprised when his uncle called him the previous day and asked him to come over for dinner because it had been a while since they last saw him, and he missed him.

But after what had transpired with Evelyn, his whole day was ruined, and he doubted that he could enjoy his meal. He knew he was a bit late, but he was sure they would understand after he told them what happened.

Pulling up to the mansion he saw Derek's car parked in the driveway as he got out of the car. Still fuming, he straightened his jacket as he made his way to the front door.

As soon as he entered the mansion, he was greeted by the familiar warmth of the home. He was about to make his way to the dining room when he spotted Sandra, sitting on one of the grand sofas, chatting with his aunt. His stomach dropped. She had not told him anything about coming here for dinner, so what was she doing here? He did not seen her car parked outside either.

Seeing her now, his thoughts drifted back to what Evelyn had said earlier.

Evelyn's explanation made more sense to him than what Sandra had told him, and it explained why Sandra had asked that they not make a big deal out of the pictures that Evelyn took of them.

He couldn't believe that the bitch had been trying to set him up with Evelyn. Just what was Sandra up to? Did she want Derek for herself, and so she tried to discard him now that she thought she was about to achieve her goal? The more he thought about it, the angrier he became that the two women he had trusted had betrayed him.

"Michael, I was beginning to wonder if you wouldn't make it," Derek's Mom said with a smile when she saw him, gesturing for him to join them.

Sandra glanced up, her eyes meeting his. They had not seen nor spoken to each other since she visited his apartment the previous evening. For a moment, neither of them spoke, but they could feel the tension between them.

"I'm sorry, I'm late," Michael said, shifting his gaze to his aunt.

Sandra smiled, though it didn't reach her eyes. "Hello, Mike. I didn't expect to meet you here."

"I could say the same for you. This is my home, and I can visit here whenever I want," he said, his voice colder than he intended for his aunt to hear.

"Derek thought it would be nice for me to join his parents for dinner. I didn't think you were invited."

Ignoring Sandra, Michael turned to his aunt, "I saw Derek's car parked outside. Is he in the study with uncle?"Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

"Yes. You know how those two always lock themselves in there to talk about business the slightest chance they get. I'm glad I get to have a daughter-in-law soon. Now that you're here, why don't you go get them and meet us at the dining table, Mrs Stone suggested, and Michael gave her a nod before walking away.

As Michael made his way to the study to get Derek and his father, his thoughts continued to swirl. He needed to keep an eye on Sandra. Something about her wasn't right anymore, and maybe it was time to pull the plug on their mission.

He couldn't trust her enough to let her marry Derek anymore, not after what he had just learned she planned to do to him.

Michael knocked on the door when he got to the study, and the moment he stepped inside, both Derek and his father turned to him with happy smiles on their faces.

After exchanging pleasantries, they made their way to the dining room to join Mrs Stone and Sandra.

Once they were seated at the long, elegant dining table, Sandra presented the gift to Mr. Stone: a tie and cufflinks she had carefully chosen. Mr. Stone accepted them with a gracious smile, thanking her.

As they began eating, the conversation shifted to lighter topics, but Michael didn't say much as he ate, and then Derek raised a brow.

"You seem to be in a foul mood, Mike. What's wrong?" Derek asked, knowing that Michael was going to talk about Evelyn.

Derek's Mom nodded. "I noticed, too. Did something happen, dear?" Mrs Stone asked with concern.

"Can you believe that Evelyn not only cheated on me, but she had a child for that bastard, too. I guess she called off the wedding because she found out she was pregnant. This whole time she made me feel like it was my fault and I did something wrong," he said, unable to hold back any longer.

Sandra raised a brow at the mention of Evelyn's child. After thinking about it after their confrontation the previous day, she had been hoping that the child would be Michael's so she could use it against him. Now, she was disappointed that the child didn't seem to be his. Mrs. Stone looked shocked. "What? A daughter?" she asked, her eyes wide with surprise.

"Yes" Michael said, his tone even. "If I didn't see the kid and the jerk myself, I never would have believed it. I saw them all together."

"You saw him? Wow. Even though she is my sister, Evelyn is unbelievable. I can't believe she has been trying to get Derek when she has a man and a child in her life," Sandra said with a worried frown.

"Isn't she your sister? Didn't you know about the child?" Mr Stone asked Sandra curiously.

"I only found out about it yesterday. That was when I told Michael because I thought the girl was his considering her age," Sandra said, and Derek smirked.

So, it was Sandra who told Michael about Samantha, and that was the reason he went to see Evelyn. Interesting. But how did Sandra find out about Samantha, Derek mused.

Mrs Stone paused, her brow furrowed in thought. "Why would you think that the child is Michael's? How old is she?" She asked curiously.

"From what I heard, she will be six soon," Sandra said, and Derek exchanged a look with his father, knowing that his mother was slowly putting the pieces together.

"Six?" She asked, thinking that Samantha was around that age too,

"What's the name of the child?" she asked again.

"Samantha." Sandra answered.

Mrs. Stone's face paled as the pieces clicked together in her mind.

There was no way it was a coincidence.

The child Derek had brought home- the little girl- was Evelyn's daughter. And if Samantha was almost six, that meant... that meant Derek was the father.

Apart from the fact that she remembered Derek saying he was the one who had been with her the night before the canceled wedding, she still couldn't shake off the striking resemblance between the kid and Derek's younger self.

Evelyn was the mother of that little girl? She mused as she looked at Derek, who was seated across the table from her. Derek met her gaze with a slightly raised eye brow, as though asking her what she planned to do with the information she now had. Derek's mother looked away from Derek and back to Michael, "So, the man you met at her house, are you sure he is the father of the child? The one she cheated with?" She asked Michael. "Yes. Definitely," Michael said, and Derek resisted the urge to snort.