The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek)



Evelyn organized her desk as the final hours of the workday slipped away. The office was quiet, with most of the staff having already left for the weekend.Content property of NôvelDra/ma.Org.

She should have been done and left the office already, but because she had been too distracted all day since she got Derek's text that morning informing her of his date with Sandra, she had been unable to focus and so had finished late.

And even now as she prepared to leave, she found herself wondering how the date was going and if Derek was going to fall for Sandra's charms.

As the clock struck six, her phone buzzed on the desk, pulling her out of her reverie. She glanced at the screen and saw Rayna's name flashing. With a resigned sigh, she picked up the phone.

"Hey, Ray," Evelyn greeted, trying to muster some enthusiasm.

"Evelyn! Are you ready for tonight?" Rayna's voice was full of energy, her excitement obvious.

Evelyn hesitated, the idea of a night out at the club feeling more daunting than exciting. She wasn't in the mood for loud music, crowds, or the kind of attention Rayna was likely hoping for. But a promise was a promise, and she wasn't going to back out now. "Yeah, but I'm just about to leave the office now," Evelyn said, forcing a smile she knew Rayna couldn't see.

"No worries. We don't have to get there too early! So, I was thinking we should meet up at one of our places and get ready together. You know, just like old times," Rayna suggested, her tone bright and nostalgic.

Evelyn's eyes flicked toward the framed photo of Samantha on her desk. The last thing she wanted was for Rayna to come over and start asking questions she wasn't ready to answer. She quickly thought of a compromise.

"How about we meet at your place instead?" Evelyn suggested. "We can get ready there, and then we can take your car since I don't have one."

Rayna didn't miss a beat. "Cool! I will text you my address. You can come over whenever you're ready."

Evelyn breathed a quiet sigh of relief. "Thanks, Ray. I'll see you in about two hours."

After ending the call, Evelyn gathered her things and left the office. The streets were busy with people heading home or out for the night, and Evelyn felt a pang of longing for the simplicity of a quiet evening at home with Samantha cuddled up and watching Barbie or whatever cartons Samantha chose.

Unfortunately, tonight wasn't about her preferred routine; it was about honoring a promise to a friend.

Thankfully, she had asked Maya to take Samantha to the amusement park during the day, and knowing Samantha, she would have worn out herself, so putting her to sleep would be easy.

On getting home, Evelyn freshened up quickly and after having dinner with Samantha, she prepared her for bed.

As Evelyn sat with Samantha, reading her a bedtime story. Samantha's eyes grew heavy, and she snuggled into Evelyn's side.

"Mommy, can we go and see Rek?" Samantha asked, making Evelyn smile.

"I thought you'd forgotten all about him," Evelyn said, amused.

"No. I miss him. I dreamt that Rek was playing with me at the park," Samantha said, and Evelyn patted her hair.

"Well, I don't think he would still be at the Hotel. But don't worry. I'm sure if you're meant to see him, you will see him again," Evelyn said confidently.

"Mommy, will we always be together?" Samantha asked sleepily.

Evelyn kissed her forehead, her heart aching with love. "Always, my darling. Always."

As Samantha drifted off to sleep, Evelyn stayed by her side, watching her little girl breathe softly.

After making sure that she was sleeping soundly, Evelyn got dressed and left for Rayna's.

When she arrived at Rayna's apartment, she took a deep breath before knocking on the door, a sense of unease tugging at her as she adjusted her dress.

Rayna answered the door almost immediately, her face lighting up with a broad smile when she saw Evelyn. "There you are! Come on in!"

Evelyn stepped inside, taking in Rayna's stylishly decorated apartment. It was warm and welcoming, with a lively energy that reflected Rayna's personality perfectly.

She felt a pang of nostalgia as she remembered the countless nights they had spent together in places just like this, getting ready for nights out with nothing but fun on their minds, but then again, Sandra had been present on every one of those nights. Thinking back now, she remembered how Michael had taken Sandra to the dancefloor on every one of their outings, and like a fool she had watched them, laughing happily that her sister and boyfriend got along so well. What a fool she had been.

But that was years ago, Evelyn reminded herself. Life had changed since then, and so had she. She was no longer that fool.

Shaking off her thoughts, she turned to Rayna with a smile. "Your place is lovely."

"Thanks. You were taking so long, so I decided to get ready while I waited," Rayna said, explaining why she was dressed.

"Great. I'm glad I dressed from home too. We can leave now," Evelyn said and watched as Rayna's eyes traveled over her outfit- a simple, knee-length dress in a soft blue that Evelyn had thought was suitable for the evening. But the way Rayna's lips twisted into a playful smirk told her that her friend didn't agree.

"Are you sure you're dressed for the club? Because I was about to ask where your bag is," Rayna said, and Evelyn's cheeks flushed slightly.

"What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Evie," Rayna began, placing a hand on her hip. "There is no way I'm letting you go to the club dressed like you're heading to a board meeting."

"I don't wear this to a board meeting." Evelyn said defensively.

Rayna raised an eyebrow, her expression incredulous. "What happened to you, Evelyn? You used to be so much fun, so daring. Now you're all... demure. Mind you, I'm saying demure only because it's the most polite I know. I'd rather say boring and stiff." "Thanks," Evelyn said dryly.

"For real, Evie, what happened?" Rayna asked with concern.

"Life happened, Rayna. I don't have time to play dress-up anymore," Evelyn replied a hint of defensiveness in her tone.

Rayna's gaze softened, but she wasn't about to let Evelyn off the hook. "Well, I won't be letting you leave here dressed this way. We won't be catching any masculine attention with you dressed like that."

"I don't care about masculine attention, so you shouldn't care about what I'm wearing. Let's focus on you. You can have all the attention," Evelyn said, crossing her arms.

Rayna shook her head, laughing softly. "I won't be getting any attention because people are going to take one look at you-my friend- and think I'm like that too. So, you see? I care about what you're wearing. We need to up your game, just for tonight." Before Evelyn could protest, Rayna had already moved to her bedroom, motioning for Evelyn to follow. With a sigh, Evelyn trailed after her, feeling a mix of reluctance and resignation.

Rayna opened the doors to her closet, revealing a treasure trove of clothes that ranged from stylish to downright daring.

"Why does a baker have such stylish clothes?" Evelyn asked, and Rayna grinned.

"So that whenever she steps out, she's always in style," Rayna said with a grin. "Remember how we used to play dress-up back in the day?" Rayna said, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "This is just like that, except now we actually get to go out and show off." Evelyn couldn't help but smile at the memory of their younger days when the world had seemed so much simpler. The idea of dressing up like they used to felt like trying to step into a time capsule.

"I'm not sure anything in there is my style anymore," Evelyn said, eyeing the racks of dresses with some apprehension.

Rayna wasn't having any of it. "Nonsense! You're going to pick something sexy, and you're going to love it."

After much prodding, and with no small amount of reluctance, Evelyn finally selected a dress- one far more revealing than anything she had worn in years.

It was a deep red, with a plunging neckline and a hemline that brushed just above her knees. She held it up in front of her, turning to Rayna with a look of uncertainty.

"What do you think about this?" Evelyn asked, her voice a mix of doubt and amusement.

Rayna grinned. "You're going to look amazing."

Once Evelyn had slipped into the dress, Rayna stepped back to admire her handiwork.

"Now that's more like it," Rayna said with satisfaction, a spark of pride in her eyes. "You look stunning, Evelyn. Just like the Evelyn of the past."

Evelyn gave a half-hearted smile, smoothing the fabric of the dress over her hips. "I hope I don't regret this."

"You won't," Rayna assured her, already pulling out makeup and hair tools. "Now sit down. Let me work my magic."

Evelyn sat at the small vanity as Rayna began applying makeup with practiced hands. She watched herself in the mirror, seeing the transformation take place as Rayna skillfully highlighted her features and styled her hair into soft, tousled waves. When Rayna was finished, she stepped back with a satisfied nod. "There you go. Ready to take on the night."

Evelyn barely recognized herself. The woman staring back at her from the mirror looked like a stranger. She felt a pang of apprehension, wondering if this was really who she wanted to be tonight.

But before she could second-guess herself, Rayna was already grabbing her purse and keys. "Come on, let's go before you change your mind like I can sense you're about to."

With one last glance in the mirror, Evelyn stood up, feeling the unfamiliar sensation of the dress hugging her curves. She followed Rayna out of the apartment, trying to push aside the nervous flutter in her stomach.

As they stepped out into the night, Evelyn couldn't help but wonder what the evening had in store for her. She was stepping out of her comfort zone, leaving behind the safe shell of her everyday life.

As Rayna linked arms with her and led her toward the car, Evelyn felt a small flicker of excitement beneath her apprehension.

Maybe tonight would be a chance to reconnect with the part of herself she had almost forgotten. The part that was adventurous, daring, and ready for anything. And maybe, just maybe, she wouldn't regret it after all.