The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek) novel Chapter 225

Chapter 225

Four months later, Evelyn was seated in a grand hall as she watched Samantha and Ella walk down the aisle ahead of Rayna, decorating her path with flowers.

The grand hall was a vision of elegance, its high ceilings adorned with cascading floral arrangements and chandeliers that sparkled like a thousand stars. Rows of elegantly dressed guests filled the space, their murmurs of excitement creating a melody that mingled with the soft strains of the string quartet playing in the corner.

Seated at the same table with Evelyn were her parents, Derek's parents, and Liam, whose gaze was fixed on Maya, who stood poised in front of the hall as Rayna's maid of honor, dressed in a peach-colored gown flowing gracefully around her.

Evelyn sighed softly as she placed her hands on her well-rounded belly. She was nearly nine months pregnant, and her bump was impossible to miss beneath the flowing dress she wore. She was due any day now, and her glowing face was tinged with weariness.

All morning, she had been having a mild case of running stomach, and even now, she felt like going to the toilet.

She was glad that she had turned down Rayna's request to be maid of honor; otherwise, how could she have managed it?

Rayna had wanted Evelyn to be her maid of honor despite her pregnancy, but Evelyn had been unable to work up the energy for it.

The last thing she wanted was to keep dozing off in front of the guests or, worse, to keep going to the ladies' room to empty her bladder every couple of minutes.

Evelyn smiled as her gaze met Derek, who stood tall and handsome behind Ethan at the front of the hall as his best man.

Ethan stood tall and proud in a sharp black tuxedo, his face a mixture of nerves and joy. Beside him, Derek adjusted his tie, a teasing grin on his lips as he whispered something that made Ethan chuckle, easing the tension.

Evelyn rose along with everyone, and every head turned as Rayna appeared, arm in arm with her father. She was radiant in her lace wedding gown, the fabric hugging her frame before flowing out into a delicate train. Her veil framed her glowing face, and her eyes were fixed on Ethan as though no one else existed in the room.

For most of the ceremony, Liam's gaze didn't leave Maya, whose eyes shone with happiness as she stood behind Rayna, holding Rayna's bouquet during the ceremony.

The ceremony was heartfelt and moving. Vows were exchanged, promises made, and Derek, dapper in his tailored suit, grinned at Ethan as he handed over the rings. He stood tall as Ethan's best man, a role he performed with pride and an occasional teasing comment.

When the officiant declared them husband and wife, Ethan kissed Rayna with a passion that made the crowd cheer and clap loudly.

As the newlyweds descended the aisle, Evelyn dabbed her eyes with a tissue. "That was beautiful," she whispered to her mom, who smiled in agreement.

The reception began shortly after, with the hall now filled with music, laughter, and the clinking of glasses.

As the party progressed, Liam watched with concern as Evelyn shifted uncomfortably in her chair. He had noticed her discomfort all morning, and he didn't miss that she was becoming increasingly restless.

"You doing okay?" Liam asked concern etched on his face.

Evelyn offered him a tight smile, though her discomfort was clear.

"I'm fine," she said. "Just can't wait to be free from this."

Liam chuckled softly. "Well, you let me know if anything changes.

We will get you to the hospital in no time."

Derek's Mom chimed in with warm encouragement, and Claire gave her a reassuring squeeze on the hand.

Evelyn smiled, "I don't think it's going to be anytime soon," she said confidently and turned to Samantha.

"Mommy, I'm thirsty," Samantha said, and just as Evelyn reached into her handbag for Samantha's water bottle, a sharp gasp escaped her lips, and her hand flew to her stomach.

"Mommy?" Samantha called with wide eyes.

"I think-" Evelyn stopped, her face pale as her water broke in a sudden rush.

Warmth pooled beneath her, and she froze, her hand flying to her mother's arm.

"My water just broke," she said, her voice tinged with both shock and panic.

Liam shot to his feet, his years as an OB/GYN instantly taking over. "It's time, he said firmly. "We need to get her to the hospital."

Liam's head whipped around, his expression transforming from calm to laser-focused in an instant. "Alright, Evelyn, stay calm," he said, standing and moving to her side. "We need to get you to the hospital

Chaos erupted around the table as Evelyn's parents and Derek's parents jumped into action. Derek, who had just started a toast at the head table, paused mid-sentence as he noticed the commotion. His eyes found Evelyn's, and in an instant, he passed the microphone to Maya and hurried across the room.

"What's going on?" he asked, his gaze fixed on labor.

"My water broke"" Evelyn said as she reached out to Derek to hold her, and immediately, he helped her to her feet.

"What's happening?" Rayna whispered to Maya, her eyes filled with worry as she started to rise.

Maya gently took Rayna's arm. "No, you stay. They can handle it.

It's your wedding day. Enjoy the party," she said firmly.

"But-" Rayna hesitated, looking between Maya and Ethan.

Ethan gave her a soft smile, "It's okay, babe. If you want to leave, we can, Ethan said, watching with a torn expression as Derek carried Evelyn out with their parents behind them while Liam hurried ahead to get the car.

Rayna looked hesitant but then nodded. "Okay. We will stay for now and go after the first dance. Let's wrap things up here quickly, and then we can go."

Outside, Evelyn's contractions were coming fast now, each one gripping her with a ferocity that made her cry out.

"It seems you've been having contractions all day. The contraction interval is so close now," Liam observed as he got behind the wheels of his car while Derek and Evelyn got into the backseat and Claire got into the front seat.

Evelyn's Dad joined Derek's parents in their car with Samantha since Eric was too anxious to drive.

Evelyn clutched Derek's hand tightly; her face contorted with pain as contractions hit her like waves. "It's happening so fast," she panted, her voice trembling. "Derek, it hurts so much"" she whimpered.

"You're doing great, sweetheart. We'll get you there soon," Derek assured her, though his own nerves were evident in the way his free hand tapped restlessly against his leg.

Sitting in the driver's seat, Liam glanced back in the rearview mirror. "We're five minutes out. Just keep breathing, Evelyn."

"Forget breathing!" Evelyn snapped, her voice sharp with pain. "I feel like it's coming now!"

Another contraction hit, and Evelyn's head fell back against the seat. "I can feel the baby coming," she gasped, her voice rising in panic.

Derek's eyes widened, and he looked at Liam. "Can she hold on?"

Liam hesitated. "If she's crowning, we'll have to pull over."

Evelyn let out a low cry as another contraction gripped her. "I'm telling you, it's coming now!"