Billionaire’s

velyn words seemed to suck the air out of the room. For a moment, Derek just stared at her, his expression unreadable, as if trying to process what she had just said. The silence stretched between them, thick with tension.

Finally, Evelyn spoke again after gathering her thoughts, “Earlier, you asked me why I waited six years to return. It was because I found out I was pregnant

“You found out you were pregnant!” His voice was a low rasp,

Evelyn nodded, her throat tight. “Yes. I found out I was pregnant. So, I didn’t want to return, considering how I left things,” Evelyn said, watching him and waiting for his reartion.

he processed what she had just said. “Is this what you were going to tell me earlier?” He asked, and when she

Derek was silent for a moment as be nodded, he sighed.

It made sense that she had been resisting his advances this whole time because she had a child for Michael and probably didn’t know how to tell

him about it.

He could also guess that she had kept it away from him because she didn’t ward Michael to know about his child, and she probably feared that he would tell Michael if she told him. And she was telling him now because she believed she could trust him

I’m sorry, I know I should have told.”

At the same time. Derek spoke. “That is why you’ve been turning me down this whole time, asn’t it?” He asked in a tone that suggested that he had figured out everything and he understood.

Evelyn stared at him in confusion, wondering what he was talking about, “What are you talking about?”

“I mean Michael’s child. I would have been more understanding if you had told me from the start. And I can assure you that I don’t care that you have a child for him. It doesn’t change how I feel about you.”

“Samantha is not Michael’s daughter.” Evelyn cur in immediately.

“But you said.

“Yes. She is mine, but she is not Michael’s,” she said and then paused to let her words sink in.

Derek frowned, “If the child is not for Michael, then whose trailed off, when he remembered that when she had told him earlier about what happened between her and Michael, she had told him that Michael was her first love and he, Derek, was the only other guy she had been with after

Michael.

No way. There was no way Ex daughter

Evelyn could have a child for him, Derek mused, not wanting to consider the possibility that Samantha was his

How was that possible! It did not make sense that she had his child, yet they’d been seeing each other for the past three weeks, and not once did she mention it. It did not make sense that she had his child yet had been resisting all his advances

As much at he didn’t want to believe it, he could tell from the way she stared at him that that was precisely what she was trying to say.

Not wanting to make any assumptions, be held her gaze. “Is Samantha mine! Even as he asked, his heart raced.

Evelyn swallowed as she nodded, “Yes.”

Derek staggered backward as if the ground had been ripped out from under him. He sank into the couch, his face pale and his hands trembling slightly as he tried to wrap his mind around the reality Evelyn had just revealed.

“You have got to be kidding me he

e muttered under his breath.

“I’m sorry, Derek. I know this may come as a su Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

surprise..

“No kidding!” He said as he rose to face her, “What exactly are you trying to tell me. Evelyn? You expect me to believe di Samantha is my daughter, yet you deliberately kept her away from me this whole! Wait, did you leave the hotel and change to a different hotel because you didn’t want me to find out about her? My own daughter? He asked angrily.

Evelyn swallowed hard, ferling the sting of her own guilt clawing at her chest. Im sorry.”

Derek asked agat, bu

“Net No. I don’t want you in be sorry. Inred an explanation. A good one, damn it! Derek snapped. “Why didn’t you tell me De voire hunter now. I had a right to know about in this whole time

“I was going in” Evelyn shaped her voice barely audible.

When When Evelyn” He asked, standing in front of her and staring her down.

“When I came back into the country, a part of my plan was to see if I could find you and maybe check if you’d be interested in co–parenting. But then I saw you and realized you were Michael’s cousin. What was I supposed to do? How was I supposed to tell you that our reckless encounter, which was proposed by me, resulted in pregnancy!” She asked defensively.

“And so the best thing to do was to keep it to yourself?” He asked in disbelief

“Not I was going to tell you. After all, the mess has been resolved. I didn’t want to bring my child into this. I thought I’d tell you about it after I’ve cleared my name.”

“Your child” You thought you’d tell me after you cleared your name?” Derek echoed, incredulous. “Can you hear just how selfish that sounds?” Derek asked, staring at her like he didn’t know her.

I was going

tell you everything earlier at the hotel before your Mom came in. I was only trying to do what I thought was best for us all. What the could I have done?” She asked feeling frustrated and annoyed.

“Are you being serious” Derek asked when he heard the annoyance in her tone, “What about simple honesty, Evelyn? I’ve been honest and straight with you from the beginning. Not once have I lied or kept secrets from you! That is the same thing I expected from you. Plain honesty! Do you have any idea what this means?”

Reminding herself that she had no right to feel annoyed when she was the one who had messed up. Evelyn took a deep breath and blinked back. the tears threatening to spill.

I’m sorry. Derek. I know I should have told you about her sooner, but I wasn’t in the right space of mind to handle it. I was scared. And I wanted to proiect Sam and myself. I don’t care if you call that selfish or stupid, but I did what I believed was right for us,” Evelyn said, her tears finally slipping

free.

Derek turned his back to her and rested his forehead on the wall. “Thave a daughter. Sam is my daughter,” he said as if saying the words aloud would make them more believable.

“You’re telling me that we have a daughter! You and me?” He asked, turning to look ar Evelyn again.

Evelyn hit her lip and nodded. “We can have a DNA test to confirm it,”

Derek stood there for several moments, staring at the floor, his mind reeling. He didn’t know what to say or how to react. The anger he had felt moments ago was now tangled with shock, disbelief, and something far more profound–a deep ache that he had missed our on the first six years of his child’s life.

“Why didn’t you tell me sooner, Eve?” he asked his voice hoarse. “I would have been there for you, Evelyn. For both of you.”

“I know” she said, wiping at her eyes. “I know that now. But back then, I couldn’t see it. I thought I was doing the right thing, hiding her away from the mess of my past I didn’t want her to be dragged into any of this mess. I thought I was protecting her,”

Derek shook his head, disbelief exched into his features. “You should’ve trusted me. You should have let me protect you both instead of making that

choice for us

Evelyn walked toward him, her hands trembling as she reached out but stopped short of touching him. “You’re right. I made the wrong choice, and I’m so sorry for that. I can’t take back what I did, but I’m here now, telling you everything,” she said, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“It’s okay,” he said, palling her close and embracing her.

Evelyn wrapped her arms around them as she broke into a sob, relieved that she had finally told him the truth and she didn’t have to worry about It anymore.

“It’s fine. As much as I don’t like it. I understand. And now you don’t have to worry anymore. I’m going to protect you and Sam now,” he murmured as he rested his chin on the top of her head and parted her back

After she had cried for some time. Derek pulled back and looked into her face and then he brushed away her tears with his thumb, “Does anyone the know about ber*”

“Just my Moen and Raya. I plan on telling my Dad tomorrow,” she said, and he sighed.

“And they know I’m her lather“”

“Only Rayna knows She ctually convinced me to tell you,” Evelyn confessed

“I see. And Sam! Have you said anything to her?”

Evelyn shook her lead. No. I haven’t told her anything yet. I wanted to wait until I told you

you first,” Evelyn said, and Derek nodded.

“I need in tre her. Evelyn. I need to know my daughter. I want you both in my life,” he said, and she smiled.

“I was hoping you would,” Evelyn said, her voice soft and vulnerable.

“And about tomorrow, can I be there when you talk to your parents?” he asked when he remembered how her father had treated her at the party.

“You want to?” She asked, taken aback by his request.

“Yes.”

“Why?” She ac

“Why?” She asked, and he shook his head.

“Let’s talk about that later. For now, I want you to introduce me to our daughter.”