The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek) novel Chapter 154

Chapter 154
Evelyn stood frozen in the parking lot, her legs trembling beneath her. Sandra's light, mocking words echoed in her head, but all Evelyn could hear was that cold, calculating voice from the night before-suggesting they get rid of her.
How was she supposed to act normal around someone who harbored such hatred? She mused as she glanced toward the entrance of the building, wanting nothing more than to flee, but her body refused to move.
Her eyes stung as tears welled up, blurring her vision. A lump formed in her throat, and before she could stop herself, she turned on her heel and headed back to her car.
Evelyn slid into the driver's seat, her hands shaking as she fumbled to close the door. Once she was safely inside, she broke down. Hot, silent tears streamed down her cheeks, and her chest heaved with the effort of suppressing her sobs. She gripped the steering wheel, knuckles turning white, her whole body trembling.
How could Sandra despise her so much?
Somehow, hearing those words directly from Sandra hurt much more than the act of betrayal itself.
She had believed that Sandra did all that because she was in love with Michael and they were a greedy pair who wanted to reap where they did not sow at any cost, but she didn't imagine that all their time together had been a lie.
Her phone buzzed in her lap, but she ignored it for a moment, too overwhelmed to do anything. After several seconds, she wiped her face, blinking back the tears as she picked up the phone. It was Rayna. Without thinking, she tapped the call button.
"Hey, girl! Guess what l'm up to!" Rayna's cheerful voice filled her ear, but Evelyn couldn't respond.

Evelyn sniffed, trying to hold back another wave of tears, but it was no use. The moment Rayna heard the silence, her tone shifted immediately. "Evelyn? What's wrong? Why are you crying?"
Evelyn let out a shaky breath, her voice cracking. "It's Sandra...

"Sandra?" Rayna's voice sharpened with concern. "What happened? Did she say or do something?"

"She... she hates me, Rayna. I thought it was just sibling rivalry or something, but it's worse than that." Evelyn could barely get the words out, her chest tightening with every breath.

"Okay. Calm down and tell me exactly what happened. Take a deep breath first," Rayna said, and Evelyn did as she asked.

Rayna listened quietly as Evelyn told her all about her exchange with Sandra that morning, and then she frowned.
"I'm missing something. Why did you choose to ask her that this morning? Did something trigger your question?" Rayna asked, wondering why Evelyn had asked Sandra why she hated her.
"She told Michael they should... kill me."

There was a moment of stunned silence on the other end of the line before Rayna's voice returned, now filled with shock. "What?
Are you serious? She actually said that?"
"I heard it. I listened to a recording of her saying it. She's planning to get rid of me. Can you believe it, Ray?"

Rayna sucked in a sharp breath. "Evelyn, this is becoming really serious. Have you gone to the police?"
Evelyn wiped her tear-streaked face, shaking her head even though Rayna couldn't see her. "How can I go to the police? The recording was gotten from bugging Michael's house. It's illegal evidence."
Rayna was quiet for a moment, then her voice softened. "What did Derek say?"

"He promised to take care of it," Evelyn whispered. "But I'm scared, Rayna. I'm so terrified. What if something happens to me? To Samantha? They know about her now. I don't know what they'll do if they find out she is Derek's."
Rayna's voice was serious now.

"Evelyn, it's normal to be worried.
I'd be terrified, too. Sandra's always given me the vibe that she's in some sort of competition with you, but I never thought it was this deep. She's clearly dangerous, and this isn't something you can ignore."
"I don't even feel safe driving my car anymore," Evelyn admitted, her voice barely above a whisper. "What if she tampers with it?

Cuts the brakes or something?"
Rayna let out a nervous laugh, trying to lighten the mood. Well, first of all, what car are we talking about?"
Evelyn paused for a moment, realizing she hadn't told Rayna about the car yesterday. "Derek bought me a new car. One for me and one for Samantha. We were checking it out when you called yesterday."

Rayna screeched with excitement on the other end. "Girl! Why didn't you tell me sooner? We need to celebrate this! Forget about Sandra for a second- this is a big deal!"

Despite everything, a small smile tugged at the corners of Evelyn's mouth. "I know, I just... it's hard to enjoy anything right now. I keep thinking about what Sandra might do. What if she tries to tamper with the car? I barely slept after listening to the recording last night. Each time I closed my eyes, all I could see was Sandra with a knife."

Rayna's tone sobered again. "Look, if you're really that worried, maybe leave the car at home for now and take a cab to work. But honestly, if Sandra's desperate enough to hurt you, she'll find a way, car or no car."

Evelyn sighed, exhaustion washing over her. "I'm so tired, Rayna. I don't want any harm to come to me or Samantha. Maybe I should just... leave. Get out of town. Take Samantha and go somewhere safe."

Rayna's voice turned firm. "No. You're not running away. I reject every spirit of cowardice speaking through you right now, Evelyn."
Evelyn couldn't help but laugh, even through her tears. "I'm serious, Rayna. I'm scared."

"I know you are, and it's okay to be scared," Rayna said gently. "But you can't let that fear control you. You need to trust Derek. He's already handling it, and you said they have eyes on Sandra and Michael. You're not alone in this. If you need my help in any way, all you have to do is let me know."

Before Evelyn could respond, her phone buzzed with an incoming call. She glanced at the screen and sighed when she saw the call was from Derek. "Rayna, can I call you back? Derek's calling."
"Really, bitch? You're going to hang up on me so you can talk to a man?" Rayan joked, and Evelyn laughed weakly.

"It might be important. I'll call you back. I promise."
Rayna chuckled. "Of course. Go talk to your man. You can call me back much later, okay?"

Evelyn smiled. "I will. Thanks."
As Rayna hung up, Evelyn quickly switched over to Derek's call.
"Hey," she said, her voice soft.

"Are you at the office now?" Derek's voice was calm, but there was a hint of concern.

He had seen how worried she was when they both were getting ready for work that morning, and he knew she hadn't slept well since she had woken up several times with a startled gasp.
"No... I'm still in my car."

There was a pause on the other end before Derek spoke again.

"You okay? Finding it hard to face her?"
Evelyn hesitated. "I... I ran into her in the parking lot already. She was acting all friendly, like nothing was wrong, and it just... it shook me. I couldn't stop thinking about what she said last night. I confronted her."

"You told her about the recording?" Derek asked, alarmed.

"No, not that," Evelyn said, and then she went on to tell him about the conversation. As she spoke, she broke down in tears again.

Derek's voice hardened. "I told you not to worry about Sandra. I will handle her. I promise."

"What if she tampers with my car?" Evelyn asked, her anxiety creeping back in. "What if she tries to..."

"I'm not taking any chances," Derek interrupted firmly. "I'm getting you a driver. He'll double as your bodyguard, and I'll do the same for Samantha.