The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek)

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Before heading to his office, Derek found himself driving toward his parents' home. Because he had been very busy at the office the previous day, he had been unable to visit his father and tell him about Samantha.

Now, he wanted to do that before going to work since he knew he had another busy day ahead of him.

As much as he would have loved to tell his mother about Samantha, he knew he couldn't do that. At least not yet. She didn't like Evelyn enough yet to want to accept anything that came from Evelyn, and she might just extend her anger at Evelyn to Samantha.

That was something he didn't want since he wouldn't forgive her for it if she tried it.

He still felt a bit anxious over the lingering tension with his mother. He wasn't sure what to expect when he arrived, but he knew he couldn't keep the news of his daughter from his father any longer.

As he pulled into the driveway, the mansion loomed before him, reminding him of the legacy his family held. Derek parked and took a deep breath before stepping out of the car. The air was cool, a slight breeze rustling the leaves of the oak trees lining the property.

With determined steps, he approached the front door.

The door swung open before he could knock, and his mother stepped outside in her gardening clothes with the butler beside her.

Seeing him, her expression was a mask of cold indifference. She glanced at him briefly before turning away, her lack of a greeting stinging more than he cared to admit. The tension between them was evident, but Derek forced himself to remain calm, determined not to let her icy behavior affect him.This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.

"Good morning, Mom," Derek greeted her pleasantly.

She didn't respond. Instead she headed in the direction of the garden without a word.

Derek watched her retreating figure for a moment, the silence between them thick with unresolved issues.

But he pushed it aside, focusing on why he was here. If she was going to be this way, then he was going to let her be. Without another glance at her, he made his way toward the study where he knew his father would be.

Expecting him to stop her or try to beg her, his mother turned when she didn't hear him following her, and she scowled when she realized he had ignored her, too.

It was all Evelyn's fault that wretched golddigger, she reasoned.

Inside the house, the heavy door to the study was slightly ajar, and Derek knocked lightly before pushing it open. His father, who was seated behind his massive mahogany desk, looked up from the papers on his desk, surprise flickering across his features as he saw Derek.

"Good morning, Dad. Do you have a moment?"

"Derek, this is unexpected," he said, leaning back in his chair. "Is there a problem?"

Derek closed the door behind him, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips and his eyes gleaming with excitement as he approached the desk. "No problem, Dad. Actually, I've got some good news." His father's eyes softened as he noticed the eager look on Derek's face. "Good news, you say?" he asked, a smile spreading across his face. "Well, you look like you're about to burst with it. Go on, then. What is it?"

Derek couldn't help the grin that spread across his face as he reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "First, I wanted to let you know that I've made some progress concerning our last conversation. I've managed to hack into Michael's SIM card and have people monitoring his calls and texts."

His father nodded, impressed. "That's fast work, Derek. I didn't expect you to move so quickly."

Derek shrugged, still smiling. "I acted fast because something new came up... or rather, someone new. I discovered something." He paused for dramatic effect, then pulled up the picture of Samantha on his phone.

"Someone new? What's that?" His father asked when he handed his phone to him.

His father took the phone, his brow furrowing in confusion as he studied the image. "Who is this pretty little girl?" he asked, looking up at Derek with curiosity. Derek's grin widened. "That's Samantha. Your granddaughter."

His father's eyes widened in shock, his mouth dropping open slightly as he looked between the photo and Derek. "My granddaughter?" he repeated, incredulous. "Are you pulling my leg, Derek?" Derek chuckled, shaking his head. "No, Dad. I'm serious. I found out about her two days ago. I wanted to tell you sooner, but I've been swamped at work and didn't want to share the news over the phone." His father stared at him in disbelief for a moment before a wide smile broke out on his face. "Samantha...

Evelyn's the mother, isn't she?"

Derek nodded, his excitement bubbling over as he explained. "Yes, Evelyn is the mother. She found out she was pregnant after she left the country, so she stayed back to have the child. She couldn't tell me earlier because of her past with Michael. And she was even more skeptical to do so because of my relationship with him."

His father's smile faltered slightly as he asked the following question. "Are you sure the child is yours?"

Derek nodded confidently. "I'm certain. Evelyn is even open to the idea of a paternity test if it makes you feel better."

His father laughed, the sound rich and full of joy. "A granddaughter!" he exclaimed, shaking his head in amazement. "You know, I've always wanted a daughter, and now I have a granddaughter. This is wonderful news, Derek!"

Derek couldn't help but boast a little as he continued.

"Do you know what the best part is? We've got a strong bond, Dad. I'd already been interacting with Samantha long before knowing she was Evelyn's daughter. I met her at the hotel the first day they got into the country, and we've been good friends since then," Derek said, and his father chuckled.

"You seem really happy about being a father," his father said, and Derek laughed.

"I am, Dad. I'm even more happy about being Samantha's father. She's brilliant, and she's an amazing girl," Derek said proudly.

His father beamed, his pride evident. "I'm not interested in hearing all those details from you right now, Derek. I want to see this child with my own eyes and know her for myself."

Derek laughed, nodding. "We'll have to arrange that.

I'm sure she'd love to meet you. After meeting Evelyn's parents last night, she asked me about my parents."

"I thought Michael said Evelyn's parents do not talk to her, " his father asked, and Derek shook his head.

"Her stepmom has been by her side this whole time. It was her father who cut her off. But they resolved things last night," Derek said and then told his father everything.

"You didn't tell them about hacking Michael's phone, did you?" He asked, and Derek shook his head.

"I didn't. Evelyn and I agreed not to say anything to them. The fewer people that know about it, the better," Derek said, and his father nodded with approval.

Before they could continue their conversation, the door to the study creaked open, and Derek's mother walked in. Both men stopped talking, their expressions guarded as they turned to face her. She glanced between them, suspicion in her eyes.

"What were you two discussing?" she asked, her tone sharp. "And why did you stop when I walked in? Were you talking about me?"

"Do you think a busy man like Derek will come here so early in the morning to talk about you? We were discussing business," Derek's father replied smoothly, not missing a beat.

She raised an eyebrow, clearly not believing him. She moved closer to the desk and noticed Derek's phone lying on it. Before she could pick it up, Derek quickly snatched it back, rising to his feet.

"I need to get back to the office, Dad. I'll let you know when I arrange the meeting with the investor," Derek said, slipping the phone into his pocket.

His father chuckled at his reference to Samantha as an investor, "Please make it soon. I'm looking forward to this business relationship," he said, and Derek nodded.

As he headed for the door, his mother called out to him. "Are you leaving without saying goodbye to me?"

Derek turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "I thought we were not in talking terms. You ignored me when I greeted you earlier, so I don't see any reason to say anything else to you now."

Her eyes narrowed, and her voice was laced with bitterness as she spoke. "You've lost all love and respect for me because of Evelyn, haven't you?"

Derek's jaw clenched as he responded. "I'm sure Michael and Sandra are giving you all the love and respect you want, considering you no longer listen to me. So why don't you keep getting it from them and leave me alone?"

With that, he turned to his father, giving him a respectful nod. "I'll be in touch, Dad."

His father nodded, smiling warmly at him. "I look forward to it, son."

Derek walked out of the study without another word, leaving his mother fuming in his wake. He could hear her muttering under her breath as he made his way out of the house, but he didn't look back. He had more important things to focus on now-like introducing his father to the granddaughter he never knew he had.

"Are you really going to let him disrespect me this way in front of you?" His mother asked his father angrily.

"Disrespect? I didn't witness any disrespect. If he did, I would have addressed it. Derek isn't a kid, and it doesn't make any sense for you to treat him like one. Plus, I like seeing him this way. That's the kind of man I want him to be," he said firmly and chuckled when his wife glared at him before storming out.

He had a granddaughter; he mused with a chuckle as he rose to pour himself a celebratory drink.

Samantha Stone. Not bad at all.