The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek) novel Chapter 178

Chapter 178
They hurried out, tension prickling every nerve as they drove through the quiet streets. Evelyn sat stiffly beside Derek, her thoughts racing with a mixture of fury and dread. She had known Sandra was dangerous, but this... this was monstrous.
How could she hurt even her own mother? What manner of greed could push her to such an extent?
The moment they reached the hospital, Evelyn turned to Derek. "I want you to stop me at the entrance before you go find a place to park," she said, her voice ringing with impatience. Derek gave her a nod.
From the look on her face, he could tell that she wouldn't mind jumping out of the car if she had to. "Try not to do anything rash"" he said as he reached for her hand and squeezed it.
The moment he stopped in front of the hospital, Evelyn threw open the door and went inside.
When the nurses saw her, they approached her, thinking she was there for treatment because of her makeup and the stains on her clothes, but she quickly shook her head and impatiently explained why she was there.
Once they pointed her in the direction of the emergency ward, she bolted there.
As she approached, she spotted her father pacing near the waiting room entrance, looking worn and defeated in his pajamas, and there, crumpled on the floor, was Sandra, sobbing, her face
streaked with tears and her hair looking disheveled.
Without a second thought, Evelyn marched over to Sandra, her anger boiling over as she slapped her hard across the face, the sharp crack echoing down the hall.
"You evil bitch!" she hissed, her eyes blazing. "How could you?
How could you be so heartless as to hurt her?" Evelyn roared angrily, unable to stop herself, as she grabbed Sandra's hair and pulled her up.
Eric immediately approached them, trying to calm Evelyn, but Evelyn refused to be held down. Sandra sobbed harder, her hands trembling as she held them up defensively. "I didn't mean to! ! swear, I never wanted to hurt her. It was an accident," Sandra cried, still too distraught to register the fact that Evelyn was the one standing in front of her.
Evelyn's eyes flashed with disgust as she let go of her. "Why should anyone believe a word you say? You lie and scheme without a second thought. It was one thing to come after me or to manipulate others, but hurting Mom? You crossed a line, Sandra, and I swear, I'm not going to let you get away with it."
Sandra's face, which was twisted in anguish, suddenly turned resentful when Evelyn referred to Claire as her mom. "Who do you think you are to say that? Why are you acting like she's your mother, Evelyn? You-" Her words faltered as she stared more closely at Evelyn's face, noticing the makeup on her face for the first time and remembering that Evelyn wasn't supposed to be there.
"Why... why do you look like that?" she asked, suspicion dawning in her eyes.
Evelyn glared at her, but before she could answer, Derek stepped into the corridor with two of the detectives behind him.
Sandra's expression brightened momentarily at the sight of him as if grasping for a lifeline in the sea of hostility around her. She took a shaky step toward him.
"Derek, thank God you're here! You have to help me," she pleaded, reaching out, but he sidestepped her touch, his expression cold and unyielding.
"I'm not here for you, Sandra," he said firmly, his gaze steely.
Sandra's face fell, confusion and desperation flashing in her eyes.
"W-what do you mean?"
Evelyn let out a hollow, humorless laugh. "Oh, poor Sandra, still clinging to her lies. Derek knows everything. He knows all about your little scheme with Michael."
Sandra's eyes widened in shock, her face going pale. She turned to Derek, shaking her head. "Derek, don't listen to Evelyn. She is trying to twist things. I haven't done anything wrong! No, please, don't believe her. I love you. You know me... I would never-"
"No, Sandra, Evelyn didn't twist anything. I know everything," he said, and she shook her head desperately as tears dropped from her eyes.
"No. It's not true. Whatever you're thinking is not true. You love me..."
"No, I don't. The person I love and have always loved is Evelyn," Derek said, but Sandra shook her head, refusing to believe that.
"At the reunion you said..."
"I was referring to Evelyn. She is the only reason I've endured your company for so long. And just so you know, I'm the father of her child. The one you tried using to shame her," he said, and Sandra staggered back in disbelief.
"YOU DEMON!" Rayna, who had spotted Derek walk into the hospital while at the coffee vending machine in front of it and had followed him to see what was happening, rushed at Sandra, but before she could get to her, the detectives held her back while she fought and yelled to be let go so she could deal with Sandra.
Sandra, who was still shaken and reeling from what Derek had said, felt the last blood drain from her face when she saw Rayna and she wondered if Rayna had wanted to attack her because she knew she was behind the accident earlier.
"I understand how you feel, Ray. But please calm down. We will handle this once and for all," Evelyn promised.
Eric looked at Sandra, his voice weary yet resolute. "Sandra, I can't begin to express how disappointed I am. I was holding out hope that you'd change, but seeing what you did to your mom..." He broke off, the words too painful to finish.
Sandra's face crumpled, and she took a step back, her breath coming in panicked gasps. "Dad, I swear, I didn't mean to hurt her.
We were fighting over my phone, and then she fell, Sandra cried, looking at her father and hoping that he would believe her.
She needed at least one person on her side in the face of so many accusers. She knew her mother would have saved her. Thinking about what her mother had said before the struggle over her
phone, Sandra collapsed on the floor as it dawned on her that her mother had known about everything and had been trying to warn her.
Evelyn's eyes narrowed as she watched Sandra break into a sob that wracked her whole body. "Cut the act, Sandra. It's over. I was willing to tolerate you for a few more weeks, but after tonight, that's done. You're going to pay for what you did - not just for trying to kill me, but for attempting to hurt Rayna with your car and for hurting Mom."
Hearing Evelyn, her head snapped up and she shook her head slowly, her face pale and eyes wide with alarm. "You're... mistaken.
I... I didn't do anything. I didn't do anything. I was robbed, and my car was stolen..."
Evelyn scoffed, folding her arms across her chest. "Tell it to the police," Evelyn said, jerking her head to the detectives, who Sandra had not realized were policemen because they were dressed in casual clothes.
At that moment, the detectives stepped forward, their expressions hard and determined. Realizing the severity of the situation, Sandra stumbled backward, pressing herself behind Eric in a final, desperate attempt for protection. "Dad, please, you have to help me! I didn't do anything wrong! I didn't do anything!" She cried desperately.
Rayna stepped forward, her gaze piercing. "You didn't do anything wrong?" She shook her head, the contempt clear in her voice. "You ordered a hit on Evelyn and Michael and you attempted to run me over. Don't pretend to be innocent now."
Sandra's face contorted with terror as the detectives moved
closer. "Rayna... how do you know about Michael?" she whispered, her voice barely audible as her heart beat faster than it had ever beaten her whole life.
Evelyn's eyes narrowed. "That should be the least of your worries right now. You have done enough harm already, and the best place for someone like you is behind bars," Evelyn said, and before Sandra could protest further, the detectives moved to take her by the arms.
"I just want to see Mom before they take me away! Please, not now. Dad, please help me. Evie, please!" Her cries echoed through the corridor, desperate and wild, as she screamed to be allowed to see her mother one last time.
But no one listened. Her pleas fell on deaf ears as they led her away, her struggles fading as she disappeared down the hall.