The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek)

Evelyn's day had been long, and by the time she stepped out of the cab in front of her home, the weight of exhaustion settled deep in her bones.

She straightened her coat as she walked up the path, a quiet sigh escaping her lips. All she wanted was a calm evening with Samantha, maybe some tea, and to collapse on the couch for a while.

As she unlocked the door, the soft murmur of voices drifted toward her. One was unmistakably Samantha's bright chatter, and the other, to her surprise, was Derek's. She paused in the doorway, blinking as she took in the scene.

She turned around, and only then did she notice that she had missed his car, which was parked outside.

Derek was seated on the floor with Samantha, a school assignment spread out in front of them. He was helping her with a math problem, and his voice was patient as he explained something. Samantha's eyes sparkled as she nodded enthusiastically, clearly thrilled to have him there.

"Daddy, I got it!" Samantha beamed, scribbling an answer down on her worksheet.

Evelyn stood there, warmth spreading through her chest as she watched them. She hadn't expected to see Derek here tonight. She stepped inside quietly, but Samantha was quick to spot her.

"Mommy!" Samantha called out excitedly, jumping up to her feet.

"Daddy's helping me with my homework!"

Evelyn smiled, though still a little surprised. "I see that, sweetheart.

You're doing great." She looked up at Derek, her brow furrowing slightly. "When did you leave your office?"

Derek rose from the floor, stretching his arms as he regarded her with a soft smile. "A while ago. You look exhausted, baby. Come sit down for a bit." His voice was gentle and filled with concern.

Without thinking, Evelyn moved toward him and sank into the chair close to him, the tension in her shoulders easing. Derek wasted no time, going to stand behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders, massaging gently. Evelyn closed her eyes briefly, grateful for the moment of respite.

Samantha, who had been watching them with a wide grin, giggled.

"Daddy's giving Mommy a massage!" she announced gleefully.

Derek chuckled, leaning down to kiss the top of Evelyn's head.

"Baby, could you please get your mom a glass of water?"

"Sure!" Samantha bounced out of the room happily, leaving the two of them alone for a moment.

As soon as she was gone, Derek lowered his voice. "I was at Michael's place earlier. That was the reason I got off work early," He paused, his hands continuing to work the knots from her muscles. "I'm close to getting the final piece of evidence we need. I planted cameras and bugs. We just need this last bit of proof, and you'll be cleared."

Evelyns eyes flew open, her breath catching. "You went to Michael's house? You planted-" She stopped, her mind racing.

"Derek, are you sure that's a good idea?"

"I'm sure," he said confidently, his hands stilling as he met her gaze. "It's the last and most important piece of evidence we need to prove your innocence. Once we have it, there's no going back for them. You'll be free of this mess, and we can focus on us." Before she could respond, Samantha returned, proudly holding out a glass of water. "Here you go, Mommy!"

Evelyn smiled, taking the glass from her. "Thank you, sweetie."Exclusive content from NôvelDrama.Org.

Derek straightened up, looking between them. "So, was your day?"

Evelyn took a sip of the water, her mind still swirling with what Derek had just told her. She still had questions but could hardly ask them in front of Samantha. "I was busy working on an article for most of it. And then I tried to visit Rayna, but she wasn't at home or the bakery. Her phone is off. I'm very worried about her."

Derek nodded, placing a reassuring hand on her arm. "Don't worry.

Rayna will be fine."

"Have you heard from Ethan?" Evelyn asked, unable to keep the concern from her voice.

Derek shook his head. "No, I haven't. I tried to reach out, but his phone was off. But I wouldn't worry about him either. He knows how to take care of himself."

Evelyn nodded, though the anxiety still gnawed at her. She was about to say something more when Derek casually dropped another piece of information.

"My parents asked if they could come over on Sunday," he said as he sat down beside her.

Evelyn's eyes widened slightly. "Really? Well, that's funny because mine are coming over too."

Derek grinned. "Well, that's perfect then. We can make it a family affair. Samantha gets to have all her grandparents dote on her at the same time," He said, and Samantha giggled.

"Are you going somewhere?" Evelyn asked curiously when she caught him glancing at his watch.

"I'm expecting a delivery right about now," he replied with a small smile.

"A delivery? Here? What are you expecting?"

"You will see soon," he said with a cryptic grin, standing up. Just as he spoke, a car horn honked outside.

Derek's grin widened. "Come on," he said, taking her hand. "You'll want to see this."

Evelyn, still a little confused, followed him outside. The moment they stepped out the door, her eyes widened in shock.

Parked in front of the house were two brand-new cars.

"What- what is this?" Evelyn stammered, turning to Derek.

Derek smiled, watching her face light up with surprise. "One's for you, and the other is for Samantha."

Samantha, who had followed them outside, squealed in delight and ran toward the smaller car. "This is mine? Daddy, really?" she shouted, her joy infectious.

"Yes, princess. That one's yours," Derek said as the drivers of both cars stepped out of the cars and brought the keys to him.

"Here you go, babe," Derek said, handing the keys to Evelyn, who was still stunned.

She turned to Derek, her eyes brimming with emotion. "I- Derek, this is too much."

He pulled her into a tight embrace, his voice soft against her ear.

"Nothing is too much for you, Eve. You deserve it. No more cabs.

You can use your car now."

Evelyn pulled back, her eyes shining. "We have to go for a test drive," she said, smiling.

"But I can't drive. Is it for when I'm older?" Samantha asked, and both Evelyn and Derek laughed.

"No, princess. You will get a bigger car when you grow older. For now, you'll have a driver, or Maya can drive you," Derek said, and Evelyn's expression faltered. "Wait... Where's Maya? I haven't seen her since I got back," Evelyn realized.

Derek's smile faded slightly. "She's resting upstairs. She wasn't feeling well earlier."

Evelyn frowned, recalling that she had mentioned having cramps that morning. It must be serious if she's in need of rest. never agrees to take a break." Evelyn glanced back at the house, worry creeping into her voice.

will check on her."

"Will

She quickly made her way to Maya's room and knocked gently before entering. Maya was lying on her bed, her face pale.

"Maya, what's wrong?" Evelyn asked, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Just... cramps," Maya murmured, her voice strained. "They've been getting worse these past few months."

Evelyn's worry deepened. "Have you taken anything?"

"Yeah, some medicine. I just need to lie down for a bit. I'll be fine," Maya reassured her, though her discomfort was evident. Evelyn hesitated, her brow furrowing. "You've never mentioned them being this bad before."

Maya gave her a small, tired smile. "It's gotten worse recently, but I'm okay. I'll rest."

"Yeah, you should rest," Evelyn said, though she wasn't entirely convinced. "I'll make dinner soon. I'll bring some up to you, okay? And if this persists, you will have to visit the hospital tomorrow.

You should see a gynecologist and find out if there is an underlying reason for this," Evelyn said, and Maya gave her a weak nod.

After checking on Maya, Evelyn returned downstairs to find Derek and Samantha still admiring the cars. She approached Derek with a soft smile.

"So, are you spending the night?" she asked.

Derek looked down at her, his gaze warm. "Is that your way of asking me to?"

Evelyn nodded, feeling a sense of peace settle over her. "Maybe."

"Then I should," he said with a grin.

Before she could say more, her phone buzzed. She pulled it out and saw Rayna's name on the screen. Her heart leaped with relief, and she quickly walked away from Derek and Samantha as she answered.

"Rayna! I've been so worried! Why

didn't you call me back? For someone who wouldn't forgive me for running off without saying a word years ago, you sure do know how to pull a disappearing act yourself."

Rayna laughed softly, to her relief, "I'm sorry, Evie. I just needed to think." Her voice was light but apologetic.

Evelyn sighed, a mixture of relief and frustration bubbling up.

"Where were you? I even came by your place and the bakery! Don't shut me out like that again. I was so worried."

"I know, I know. I'm sorry. I left the house for a while. But I'm fine now. In fact, I've made up my mind."

Evelyn's heart lifted. "You have?"

"Yes. You are right. Ethan being ET,

is a sign that we are meant to be. I don't care what he thinks. I'm going after him. Whether he likes it or not, he's my soulmate. I'm not letting him go over some petty

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misunderstanding."

Evelyn couldn't help but laugh. "Now, that's the Rayna I know!"

"That's me, baby! On that note, are you up for shopping tomorrow?" Rayna asked, and Evelyn giggled.

"I'm up for anything as long as it's with you. Let's do it," Evelyn said, and Rayna screeched happily.

As she ended the call, she returned to Derek, who had been watching her curiously, "Ethan better buckle up, 'cause what Ray wants, Ray gets!" She said with a grin, and Derek chuckled.