The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek)

Chapter

203

The drive to the house was silent as all three of them processed the discovery.

As Derek drove, his mind raced with thoughts of how to tell Maya about their parent's murder and how to go about finding out what happened to their parents.

Maya, on the other hand, was thinking about how to break the news to Liam. She wondered if she should tell him over the phone or in person. She wanted to see the shock on his face, Maya thought with a small smile.

Evelyn also was filled with thoughts of her own. She was amazed by how fate had brought them all together.

It was amazing how she ended up with Michael's cousin on her way from his place after being betrayed by him and how she also ended up taking in Derek's sister.

Evelyn paused when something occurred to her, and she turned in her seat to look at Maya, who was in the back seat, "Did you have another reason for going to Husla? Why were you going to Husla when you could have both met here in Ludus?" Evelyn asked, and Derek looked at Maya through the rearview mirror.

"I thought my brother was most likely in Husla, and I didn't want to make him travel such a long distance to find me," Maya explained with a small smile. "I'm glad we were all saved from this unnecessary trip; otherwise, it would have been very awkward after wandering around Husla aimlessly," she said, and Derek nodded.

"We almost made a pointless trip. I'm glad we found out before we got there," he said, thinking about what a waste of time it would've been to arrive at Husla with Maya only to realize it was her all along.

"It's all thanks to Evelyn for suggesting I fly with you," Maya said, and Derek nodded while Evelyn smiled happily.

"I'm glad I could be of service," she said with a proud smile.

"By the way, Maya, were you the one communicating directly with the orphanage home?" Derek asked, meeting her gaze through the rearview mirror.

Maya shook her head. "No. A friend was helping me" she said, hoping they wouldn't probe further. Not wanting to give them a chance to ask her any question, she changed the subject, "When I was told you didn't want to reveal your identity, I figured you were someone important. I never would have imagined it was you," Maya said with a sigh, still overwhelmed by the revelation.

Evelyn looked at Maya again. "Why didn't you tell me about your reason for traveling?" she asked, partially disappointed that Maya had kept something of that magnitude from her instead of asking her to help.

Maya looked away briefly before meeting Evelyn's gaze again, "I didn't tell you about it because I wasn't sure how the meeting would go. I didn't want to get my hopes up and tell you about it only to find out my brother doesn't want to have anything to do with me." Evelyn's expression softened. "Why would you ever think something like that?"

Maya shrugged, "It sounded like he was someone important."

"And you don't think you are?" Derek asked softly.

"I just didn't want to have high expectations," she said, and Evelyn sighed.

"I hope you start having high expectations now, Maya," Derek said, and Maya nodded, her heart swelling with gratitude.

"Thank you. Both of you," Maya said, feeling very grateful and happy about the twist in her life right now.

Once they got to the house, they unpacked their bags from the car, and as they all went to their bedrooms, they agreed to meet again in thirty minutes for dinner.

The moment Derek and Evelyn walked into their bedroom, Evelyn looked at Derek skeptically, "Do you need me here? Or do you need a moment alone? I could excuse you," She offered, knowing that Derek would need a moment to himself to think and put himself together.

Derek turned to her with a soft smile. Although he had been thinking of being alone, now that she asked, he realized he didn't want her to leave him.

"I want to be alone, but I also want you here," he admitted, and she smiled.

"What do you want me to do?" She asked, and he held out his arms.

"Hug me. Hold me"" he said, and she nodded as she stepped forward and embraced him.

Derek buried his face in the crook of her neck, and he finally let the tears he had been holding back for hours flow freely now in the sanctuary of their bedroom.

His body shook as he sobbed silently, heartbroken by all that Maya had told him she had endured over the years while he lived in affluence.

He was broken by the thought that all these years he had partially held a grudge against his parents for making him adopt their dead son's identity, without realizing that they had done it out of love and concern for his wellbeing regardless of how it affected them. Evelyn held back her tears as she patted his back, muttering words of comfort to him and assuring him that everything was going to be okay now.

After crying for some time, Derek remembered that they had to go have dinner with Maya, so he did his best to pull himself together.

After he had composed himself, he pulled back to look at Evelyn.

"Thank you," he murmured, and she smiled as she brushed the tears from his face.

"There is nothing to thank me for. I'm grateful that you let me stay with you," she said softly.

"I didn't tell her about the murder," he said, and Evelyn nodded.

"I know. That wasn't exactly the time to tell her all of it. How are

you feeling? Do you think we should go get Samantha, or should we wait until tomorrow?" Evelyn asked since it was almost 8 p.m.

already.

"She is probably in bed already. We can get her tomorrow. I'm exhausted and having a headache," he said, and Evelyn nodded as she raised herself on her toes and kissed his forehead.

"Let's quickly freshen up for dinner, and then you can get some rest, Evelyn suggested, and Derek nodded.

For tonight, he was going to enjoy having his sister with him, and tomorrow, he would tell her exactly what he believed happened to their parents and maybe together they could figure out a way to find out why their parents had been murdered.

Away from there in Maya's bedroom, the moment she walked inside and shut the door behind her, she dialed Liam's line.

"Maya?" Liam called in surprise as he received the call, wondering how she was able to talk to him when she was on the plane to Husla. Maya smiled, "Yeah. It's me."

"What sort of plane did you travel on to have arrived already?" He asked, and Maya giggled.

"I'm back in Ludus""" she said, and Liam raised a brow.

"You are? Why? Did the plane break down in the air?" He asked, and she laughed, wondering if Liam was always this funny or if she was just in a good mood and was finding everything he was saying funny. "There was no need to continue the trip. I found him. My brother," she said, her heart fluttering as she said the words out loud to him.

"You found him? What are you talking about? Last I checked, I'm the one communicating with the orphanage, not you," Liam said, and Maya smiled.

"Can we meet tomorrow? I'll tell you all about it when I see you tomorrow. I want to tell you in person," she suggested.

"We can see tomorrow, but I don't

think I can wait until tomorrow to

hear whatever it is you have to say. I don't mind hearing about it over the phone. Don't tell me you told Evelyn and that guy about it, and they helped you find him?" Liam asked, not liking the thought that Derek might have beaten him to it and helped Maya find her brother.

Maya giggled, "Well, something like that. I'll tell you about it tomorrow," she said, and Liam scowled.

"How about I drive over there?" he suggested.

Maya glanced at the clock and bit her lip, "It's almost 8 p.m." she pointed out.

"I'm the one coming over, not you. You can either tell me over the phone or let me come and hear it from you in person. Do you know how hurtful it is to my ego that first he stole Evelyn from me, and.

he's trying to prove that he's &

reliable than I am by beating me in helping you find your brother?" Liam asked, and Maya giggled.

"It's not a contest. And I doubt he would have been able to help me figure it out had you not started the process with the orphanage," she said, and Liam snorted.

"It is a contest. And for all you know, he found the wrong person.

How can you be so sure he found the right person? You haven't met your brother yet, have you?" Liam asked, and Maya giggled.

"I've met my brother," she said, and he paused.

"I'm coming over. I'll call you when I get close to the house, and you can come out to talk to me," he said. Not wanting her to argue or discourage him, he quickly hung up the call.

Maya laughed softly as she dropped her phone on the bed and quickly went in to freshen up.

By the time she got downstairs for dinner, Derek and Evelyn were both seated already. Despite the sumptuous dinner that was served on the table, neither Derek nor Maya had the appetite to eat.

They both picked at their food in silence, each feeling full and too exhausted to eat. Evelyn, on the other hand, ate with zest until she noticed that they were both not eating.

"I guess I'm the only hungry person here," she observed, and Derek looked up, startled out of his thoughts.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to kill the mood." He pushed his plate away slightly, folding his hands on the table. "I'm just... processing everything."

Evelyn reached over, placing a gentle hand on his. "You don't have to apologize, Derek. I understand."

Maya nodded. "Yeah, it's a lot to take in. It still feels unreal." She smiled shyly, trying to lighten the mood.

Derek's lips curved into a faint smile. "It feels unreal for me, too," he admitted, "but in a good way."

Evelyn took a sip of her water, her gaze shifting between them. "It's going to take time. But you both have found each other, and that's what matters."

Maya nodded, her smile growing. Derek cleared his throat, breaking the moment. "You should try to eat something, even if it's just a little. It's been a long day, and you will need our strength for tomorrow." Evelyn grinned playfully. "You sound like a big brother already."

Derek and Maya laughed. "Well, I guess I'll have to practice. I've got a sister to look after now."

Before Maya could say anything, her phone buzzed with a phone call from Liam, and her heart skipped a beat as she wondered how she was going to tell them she was going outside to meet with someone. She cleared her throat. "Uhm, do you mind if I step outside for a while? I need to talk to my friend, the one who was helping me," Maya explained awkwardly.

"Oh, that's nice. Why not invite your friend inside?" Evelyn asked

with a wide smile, eager to see Maya's friend.

Maya smiled shyly, "I don't think he would want to come in right now. Maybe some other time," she said, and Evelyn exchanged a look with Derek, who nodded. "Alright. We will talk tomorrow," he said, resisting the urge to ask her to be careful.

Maya nodded as she pushed away from the table and quickly walked away to go meet Liam.