The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek)

By the time Evelyn and Derek brought her parents home from the hospital, it was evening already.

Derek pushed the door open with his shoulder, balancing Claire's suitcase in one hand and holding the doorframe with the other.

Evelyn followed close behind, her arm linked with her mother's.

Eric shuffled in last with his duffel bag in hand.

Claire let out a soft sigh of relief as she stepped inside, her fingers lightly brushing over the back of the couch. "It's good to be out of the hospital finally," she murmured, her voice warm but tinged with exhaustion. Maya appeared from the kitchen, her smile wide and welcoming.

"Welcome!" she greeted, stepping forward to help. Her eyes flickered to the suitcase in Derek's hand. "Let me take that upstairs for you."

Derek shook his head with a small smile. "Thanks, but I've got it."

Reluctantly, she stepped back, allowing Derek to carry the bag upstairs on his own. As he left, she disappeared into the kitchen, promising to bring refreshments.

"Is it just me? Why does Maya seem restless?" Claire asked as she eased herself onto the couch, leaning back against the cushions.

Her face was still pale, but there was a spark of liveliness in her eyes that hadn't been there days ago.

Evelyn smiled, "habit. I guess she doesn't know how to stay still."

"The house feels so quiet without Samantha," Eric remarked, glancing around as if expecting the little girl to come running into the room. His tone was light, but there was a hint of wistfulness beneath his words. "She will be back tomorrow," Evelyn reassured him, sitting beside her mother and giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "She's been asking about Mom non-stop."

"I can't wait to see her. And I hope you will also bring her over to spend weekends with us when we return to the house," Claire asked hopefully.

"Sure, I will, Evelyn promised, and Claire smiled, the kind of soft, maternal smile that made Evelyn's chest tighten with warmth.

Maya returned moments later, carrying a tray with glasses of fresh watermelon juice and a plate of cookies. She set it down carefully on the coffee table before taking a seat across from them. "How are you feeling now?" Maya asked, her voice kind and genuine.

"Apart from the occasional headache, much better." Claire picked up a glass of watermelon juice and took a small sip. "Thank you for helping Evelyn take care of things around the house."

Maya's cheeks flushed, and she looked down, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "It's nothing, really. I'm happy to help."

Eric, who had been quietly observing, reached for his own glass.

"We're grateful, Maya."

"If everyone had a nanny like you, life would be easier for working mothers," Claire said with an easy smile.

The comment hung in the air, seemingly harmless, but Evelyn felt her pulse quicken. She glanced at Derek, who had just returned to the room and was taking his seat across from her. He met her gaze, and with a slight nod, she urged him on. Derek leaned forward in his seat. "Actually"" Derek began, his voice serious, "there's something we need to talk to you about."

Claire and Eric exchanged a curious look, their attention shifting to Derek. Claire set her glass down, her brows knitting together in concern. "What is it, Derek?"

Derek looked toward Maya, and she gave him a small smile. He took a deep breath and said, "We recently discovered that Maya is my sister. My biological sister."

For a moment, the room was silent. Claire's eyes widened in shock as she turned to look at Maya. Eric blinked, his face a mixture of confusion and disbelief. "Your sister?" Claire repeated, leaning forward slightly. "How is that possible?"

"I never knew you had a sister," Eric said, looking from Derek to Maya and then to Evelyn for confirmation.

Evelyn and Derek took turns explaining everything-how Michael had first told Derek about his sister, how Derek had begun remembering fragments of his childhood, the nightmare that had

revealed buried memories of the accident, and the findings that had led them to Maya. They explained the necklace and everything that pieced it all together.

Claire listened intently, her frown deepening with each detail.

When they finished, she turned to Maya, her gaze searching.

"Where were you raised?"

"Cavenspot," Maya replied softly, her hands folded in her lap.

'That's where I grew up."

Claire's lips parted as if she were about to speak, but then she stopped herself. She shook her head slowly, her expression troubled. "Cavenspot..." she murmured, almost to herself. "That can't be a coincidence." "What do you mean?" Eric asked, his voice cautious.

Claire shook her head again as if trying to dispel a nagging thought. "It's just... it all sounds familiar, but it doesn't make sense. It's probably nothing."

"Or maybe it's something. What do you know?" Derek asked curiously.

"Can I see the picture you talked about?" She asked instead, and Maya nodded as she took off the necklace and passed it to her.

The moment Claire saw the pictures in the locket, she froze. Her breath hitched, and her hand trembled as she traced the edges of the locket. Her eyes were wide, the color draining from her face. "How can this be?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. She

held the locket tighter, staring at the tiny photographs as if they were ghosts from her past. "I know these people."

The room fell into a stunned silence. Derek leaned forward, his voice urgent. "You knew them? How? Who were they to you?"

Claire's gaze flickered to Derek and then to Maya. She opened her mouth and closed it again as though the words were too heavy to say. Finally, she took a deep breath, her voice trembling as she began to speak.

"It was twenty-eight years ago," she said. "Back then, I was married to someone... someone terrible. A man named Victor Harding." Her lips twisted at the name, and her shoulders sagged under an invisible weight. Derek frowned, "Is that Sandra's father? The one you mentioned the last time who was arrested for murder and has been in jail."

Claire nodded, "Victor was a dangerous man. Ruthless. He didn't care who he hurt to get what he wanted."

Evelyn's hand flew to her mouth, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I've never heard about him."

"There is a reason I never mentioned him," Claire admitted, her voice low. "I ran from that life. From him. But before I did, I... I witnessed something horrible."

Eric, who had been sitting silently, reached out to gently squeeze her hand. "Take your time, he said softly, knowing that this wasn't easy for her.

Claire paused, her fingers still clutching the locket. The weight of her words seemed to drag the room into a deeper silence.

"The people in this picture-your

parents... they were kind, decent

people. I didn't know them well, but I knew enough to see they were good. Your mother, her name was Elena She ran the major arts and

Joy!.ne

bookstore in the neighboring town from Cavenspot. Your father was a journalist. His name was Carter Reed. Victor wanted to shut them up. Your father had found... evidence. Something incriminating about Victor and his dealings. He was trying to do the right thing, trying to bring him down."

"What was the evidence about?" Evelyn asked, and her mother sighed.

Her voice broke, and she pressed her lips together tightly before answering. "Victor used to work as a construction contractor at Stone Corp..." "Stone Corp?" Derek asked with a deep frown, his heart racing at this revelation.

Claire nodded, "I was hoping I'd never have to bring this up before your parents," she said, looking down.NôvelDrama.Org copyrighted © content.

"What did his working as a contractor at Stone Corp have to do with our father?" Maya asked, unable to understand how it was all related.

"There was an accident at one of the construction sites. One of the buildings under construction collapsed, and several workers were injured, and some died. There were rumors that the little Stone boy was at the site and got hurt too, but it was never confirmed," she said, and Derek rose from his seat, unable to sit

still anymore.

Evelyn glanced at him, not knowing what to say or do since she was shocked by the revelation herself.

Before Claire could continue, Derek's phone buzzed in his pocket.

He glanced at the screen and saw the investigator's name flashing. "Excuse me," he said quickly, stepping aside to take the call.

The investigator's voice was brisk and direct. "I looked into the major accident in the outskirts of the Cavenspot area from the night you described."

Derek's grip tightened on the phone. "And?"

"The description you gave fits the case of a couple identified as Elena and Carter Reed. They were found deceased at the scene.

The authorities believed there were kids in the car, but they weren't there when they arrived. They suspected that the perpetrator might have taken the kids at the scene. There were traces of blood on the back seat but no sign of their body. When the perpetrator was finally apprehended, he denied taking or hurting the kids. The case went cold after that."

Derek felt a cold shiver run down his spine. "Do you have anything else?"

"I sent you the full report, including witness statements and photographs. I think you'll want to see them."

Derek nodded, though the investigator couldn't see him. "Thank you. I'll take a look."

As he hung up, his mind swirled with the details he'd just heard, and he tried to compare them with all he knew already.

The pieces were starting to fit together, but the picture they formed was far more horrifying than he'd imagined. Re-entering the living room, he saw the others still seated, their expressions a mix of curiosity and tension. "Derek?" Evelyn asked softly; concern etched on her face.

He swallowed hard, glancing at Maya, who looked back at him with quiet apprehension. "That was the investigator. He said the names of the people in the accident were Elena and Carter Reed," he said before looking at Claire.

"You were telling us what happened with the construction site," he reminded her as he sat down.

She sighed deeply. "Your father,

being a journalist, decided to look deeper into it since the issue of collapsed buildings was becoming a norm in the region. He traced them all to Victor and gathered evidence that Victor was using substandard. materials, and he was the one

supplying most of the material net

himself under a fake name. He produced inferior materials and sold them to the companies that gave him contracts. Victor found out that your father knew, and he sent men to threaten your father to make him stay silent. But your father refused. He was brave, but he

underestimated Victor. Slowly, your father began to expose Victor's wrongdoings, and this made most of the companies terminate their contracts with Victor. Some went as far as suing him," Claire looked away, tears glistening in her eyes.

Derek's hands clenched into fists. "What happened?"

"Victor became furious. He blamed your father for everything. He decided to punish him," Claire said, her voice cracking as she shut her eyes.

Maya's voice trembled as she spoke for the first time since Claire began her story. "You... you knew all he was doing? And you didn't say or do anything?"

Claire's head snapped up, guilt etched deep in her features. "I didn't know. I had no idea he did all those illegal things until your father exposed him. I wanted to leave, but I couldn't. I was pregnant and trapped. Victor controlled everything- my life, my money, even my freedom. He almost killed me when I questioned him. I was terrified, so I stayed silent."

Derek stood abruptly, pacing the room. "You're telling me our parents were murdered by your ex-husband? And you just-what-let it go because you were terrified?"

Claire flinched, but she didn't shy away from his anger. "No," she said firmly. "I didn't let it go. It took some time, but I gathered enough courage to leave Victor. It took me a while to gather the needed evidence against him to prove all he did, and after I submitted the evidence to the authorities, I fled with Sandra, changed my name, and never looked back. I didn't know you and Maya survived."

Derek paused when another memory came to him, "I don't remember much, but I remember being scared. I remember someone coming to our house late at night. And... the fire." His voice cracked on the last word.

Claire nodded, her face pale. "Yes. He sent his thugs to your parent's house that night. I overheard him on the phone giving the

orders. They were supposed to...

eliminate your father and destroy every evidence he had gathered. They set the bookstore on fire, along with you house. Your parents were trying to run away when they were killed. I was horrified but too afraid to come forward even when Victor continued his life like nothing had happened. I stayed silent, and I hated myself for it every day. I've always carried the guilt."

Maya wiped a tear from her cheek, her voice trembling, "Do you know if he is still alive?"

Claire shook her head. "I don't know. Last I heard, he was still in prison. He could be dead by now."

The room fell into silence once more. None of them spoke, but the questions in their eyes were unmistakable: What now?