Ch. 181..190

Chapter 181

Evelyn woke to the soft press of Derek's lips trailing along her shoulder, moving up to brush against her cheek. A smile tugged at her lips even before she opened her eyes, warmth spreading through her as she felt his closeness. "Good morning, beautiful"" Derek murmured, his voice caressing her, "I didn't want to wake you... but you looked too beautiful, and I couldn't resist kissing you." Evelyn's eyes fluttered open, her smile widening as she looked up at him. "Mmm, good morning," she greeted with a yawn.

"You slept well, yeah?" Derek asked as he watched her stretch languidly under the sheets.

"I think I slept better than I have in weeks. I'd say that massage of yours did wonders."

Derek chuckled softly, his hand moving to rest on her belly. "Glad to hear it. But you know, I think this little one deserves a 'good morning, too." He leaned down, pressing a kiss to her stomach, lingering there as if hoping for a response from the life growing inside her. Evelyn laughed, the sound soft and warm. "I doubt the baby can hear you yet."

"Don't care," he replied with a playful glint in his eye. "I'll talk to our little one every day if I want. They'll know my voice before they even open their eyes.'

"

She watched him, heart swelling with a mixture of joy and awe at his devotion. "Do you have a preference, boy or girl?" she asked, a hint of curiosity dancing in her eyes.

Derek shook his head, looking at her with unwavering warmth. "All I care about is that it's ours. Boy or girl, they'll have the best parents to love them." He glanced back up at her with a smile that held unspoken promises. Evelyn reached for his hand, lacing her fingers with his. "There's no doubt about that." After a pause, she asked, "Have you heard anything from the hospital?"

His face softened with concern. "Yes, actually. Your father called.

Your mother made it out of surgery, but she's still unconscious."

Evelyn sighed, a hint of worry shadowing her expression. "I just hope she wakes up soon." She hesitated, then asked, "And Ethan?"

Derek shook his head. "No word from Rayna yet. If we haven't heard, it likely means he's still resting."

Evelyn nodded slowly, the morning light casting a gentle glow across her face. "I'll make breakfast for Dad and Rayna, then take it to the hospital. It's the least I can do."

Derek's

brow

furrowed. "You don't need to exhaust yourself. We could easily order something for them, you know."

"I want to, D. It's something I can give them while I can't be there with them in person," she replied, her voice determined yet gentle.

With a resigned sigh, Derek smiled and shook his head. "You're relentless. Fine, but I'm making the breakfast. All you have to do is

sit back and tell me what to do."

Evelyn raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing at her lips. "Can you cook?"

"I know my way around the kitchen," he replied confidently. "It's been a while, but I'll whip something up for you." He leaned in, his face close to hers. "And maybe I'll even impress you."

She laughed, her eyes sparkling. "I'd like to see that."

Suddenly, a wave of nausea surged through her, catching her off guard. She quickly sat up, pressing a hand to her mouth. Derek's expression shifted to concern as he followed her to the bathroom, his hand at her back as she knelt over the toilet.

"Are you okay?" he asked, holding her hair back as she retched.

She nodded, wiping her mouth once she was finished. "I guess the morning sickness has started. It was hell the last time."

"Is there something that can be done? Derek asked as he flushed the toilet for her, his eyes scanning her face. "Maybe you need to see a doctor?"

Evelyn shook her head, giving him a reassuring smile. "It's just the morning sickness. It comes and goes. I'm fine, D. This is normal."

She suddenly noticed they were still undressed from the night before, and a blush crept up her cheeks. "Since we are already here, we might as well shower."

Derek grinned. "Is that your way of saying you want to shower with me?"

Evelyn giggled, "Not at all. But you're welcome to join if you want to," she said, and he chuckled.

"We both know I want to," he said, and they showered together, sharing tender moments under the warm water.

As they both walked out of the bedroom after they were done freshening up, Evelyn looked down the hall. "Why don't you go ahead? I'll check on Maya and see how she's feeling."

Derek nodded, watching her with quiet admiration. "I'll get started on making breakfast."

She made her way to Maya's room, knocking softly on the door.

When there was no response, she pushed it open, her gaze shifting toward the faint sound of muffled crying coming from the bathroom. Her heart tightened.

"Maya?" she called gently, approaching the bathroom door. "Are you okay?" She asked as she knocked on the door.

The sound of crying abruptly stopped, and she heard the tap being turned on. A few seconds later, the door opened, and Maya appeared, her eyes red-rimmed, though she forced a smile. "Yes, I'm fine, Evelyn." Evelyn reached out, taking Maya's hand and guiding her to sit on the edge of the bed. "No, you're not. Why were you crying? Did something happen?" she asked softly, her eyes full of concern.

Maya shook her head, averting her gaze. "I'm okay, really."

"Then were those tears of joy? I doubt that. Maya," Evelyn said firmly, her tone gentle but insistent, "I know you like to keep things

to yourself, but you're part of this family. I want to know what's bothering you. Is it the stomach ache? What did the doctor say?"

After a long pause, Maya sighed, her shoulders slumping as if the weight of her secret was finally too much to bear. "He said I have an ovarian cyst," she said, unable to hide it from Evelyn. Evelyn's eyes widened, and without a second thought, she pulled Maya into a warm, comforting embrace. "Oh, Maya. I'm so sorry.

Everything will be okay, I promise."

Maya's voice trembled. "I'm so scared. What if I'm unable to have kids? What if they have to take out my ovaries?"

"I'm sure they won't. We will do all we can to make sure you're fine," Evelyn promised.

Maya looked at Evelyn as though she was hesitating to say something, and Evelyn raised a brow, "Is there something else?"

"I've been thinking since yesterday. I could barely sleep. This made me realize just how fragile life is. I could easily have been diagnosed with cancer or something terminal. As much as I love being here with you, looking after Samantha... this isn't all I want for myself. I want to have my own family and achieve other things, too. I don't think I want to keep doing this all my life."

Evelyn's heart ached as she listened, but she understood. She nodded slowly, a mixture of sadness and support in her eyes. "I completely understand, Maya. As much as I love having you with me, you deserve to live for yourself, to explore, to do what makes you happy. If that means quitting your job, I'll support you in any way I can. I'm thankful enough that you agreed to move with us when I decided to relocate." Surprised by Evelyn's easy acceptance, Maya looked at her, her brow furrowing. "You're not mad?"

"Why should I be when you've been here for me and Samantha when we needed you the most? You're family to us, Maya. I'd hate to see you go, but if that's what you need, I will help however I can.

I'll cover the cost of your treatment, and if you want to stay here, you're welcome to, even if you decide not to work as Samantha's nanny anymore. And if you choose to return to Husla, I'll arrange for it, too."

Maya's eyes filled with tears, and she managed a shaky smile.

"Thank you, Evelyn. I don't even know what to say."

Evelyn pulled her into another embrace, holding her tightly. "You don't have to say anything. Just think about what you want, and let me know. I'll be here, whatever you decide."

"I have no one to return to in Husla. I will remain here and think about what to do. You and Sam are the only family I have," Maya said, and Evelyn nodded.

"I'm happy to hear you think of us as family too. Let me know when you decide on what you want to do then," Evelyn said, happy to know Maya would remain with them even if not as Samantha's

nanny.

As she left Maya's room, Evelyn's heart felt light. She was proud to support Maya in making choices for herself. Taking a deep breath, she went downstairs to find Derek, feeling a renewed sense of gratitude for the family she was surrounded by.

 

Chapter 182

As Evelyn entered the kitchen, the scent of warm toast filled the air, and she spotted Derek breaking eggs into a bowl, focused as he whisked them. He looked up and smiled as she approached. "Come, sit," he said, holding out the kitchen island stool for her. "I can do it myself," she replied with a slight chuckle, but Derek shook his head.

"You don't have to when I'm here," he said with a gentle smile, guiding her onto the stool.

Once she settled, she wrinkled her nose as she gazed at the egg, "I don't want eggs. I don't think I can send the smell," she said, and Derek nodded. "Noted. I guess we won't be eating eggs for a while then. I will just make this for your dad and Rayna," he said, and she raised a brow.

"You can eat them.."

"Nope. I won't eat anything you can't it. It's called solidarity. If carrying our baby makes you unable to eat it, then I shouldn't too," he said, and she grinned. "Aww. That's so sweet. I can't wait to see how long this solidarity will last," she said, and he chuckled.

"I guess you don't know yet how much you or this pregnancy means to me. You'll find out soon enough," he promised as he set aside the bowl of egg and tried to find something else for them to eat with the toasts.

"So, how's Maya doing?" He asked, and Evelyn sighed, glancing at the counter as she thought back on their conversation. "She's... dealing with a lot. We talked, and she opened up a bit.

She's got some health concerns and... she wants to quit."

"Quit?" Derek asked with a slight frown.

"Yeah. You didn't expect her to work as Samantha's nanny forever, did you?" Evelyn asked, and Derek shook his head.

"Not exactly. I guess not. It's just... you know, I just sort of got used to her. I always saw her with Sam and at some point I thought she was Samantha's mom even though I also thought she looked too young to be the Mom..." "Too young?" Evelyn cut in with a laugh, "Don't be fooled by her petite frame. Maya is twenty nine. She's older than me."

"She is?" Derek asked, surprised, "Well, I just can't imagine not having her around. That's what I'm trying to say. She is always so calm and keeps to herself. And she smiles a lot," he said, and Evelyn smiled.

"She has grown on you, hasn't she?" Evelyn asked, and Derek shrugged.

"I can't deny that. So, what's her plan? Does she want to go back to her family?" Derek asked, and Evelyn paused, collecting her thoughts.

"No, she doesn't. Her mother passed when she was young, and

she grew up with an abusive stepfather. She became Samantha's nanny to save up for school and to get away from him. I asked her to stay here if she wants to. She is family to me."

Derek's expression softened with compassion. "That's sad.

Sounds like she's been through so much. No one should have to face that alone." After a thoughtful pause, he added, "Well, if it helps, I'd be more than happy to support her with her school. She doesn't need to worry about saving up anymore." Evelyn's eyes widened in surprise, and a warm smile broke across her face. "You'd do that?"

Derek nodded firmly. "You said it yourself. She's family now.

Besides, everyone deserves a chance."

They both turned to the door when they heard Maya's gasp, and they exchanged a look.

"Did you want something, Maya?" Evelyn asked gently as she rose to meet her.

Maya looked down as tears fell from her eyes, "I... came to fix breakfast. I don't understand how you both can be so kind to me," She paused, struggling to find the right words. "I never really had anyone who truly cared about me this way until I met you. I guess that was why I stayed this long. I... I'm not used to it." Evelyn placed a reassuring hand on Maya's shoulder. "Well, get used to it because you have us now. You're not alone anymore."

Maya offered a small, grateful smile. "Thank you, Evelyn. I really don't know what I'd do without you. Thank you, Derek."

"Anytime, Maya. And remember, you're part of this family now," Evelyn said warmly. "Now, how about you take it easy today? You can take the day off. We have things covered here. I'll bring breakfast to you when we are done." "And if you need anything, just let us know," Derek added as he neatly diced some fruits.

Maya nodded, wiping away the last traces of her tears as Evelyn gave her a final squeeze on the shoulder before letting her go.

After Maya left, Evelyn reached out to give Derek's hand a grateful squeeze. "You really are a kind man, Derek. I'm so lucky to have you," she said, and he chuckled.

"I'm the one who is lucky to have you. I am almost tempted to reward Michael and Sandra for breaking your heart so I could find you," he said and she giggled as she hit his arm playfully.

"How can you joke about something like that?" She asked, and he grinned.

"You're laughing, aren't you?" He asked, and she sighed.

"You know, I just realized I never properly thanked you for that day.

I mean the first day we met..."

"For the sex?" Derek teased with a chuckle, and she glared at him, but color rose in her cheeks.

Derek laughed, brushing off her thanks. "If anyone should be grateful, it's me. After all, you helped me by crashing into my car and letting me meet the love of my life."

They shared a laugh, and Evelyn shook her head, amused. "Alright, you win. Let's hurry up with breakfast. We need to get to the hospital in time to serve them breakfast." Just then, her phone rang. She glanced at the screen and saw Sarah's name flashing.

"Hello?" Evelyn answered.

"Hi, Evelyn. I just called to let you know I'm taking Samantha and Ella to the hospital to visit my brother-in-law. Just wanted to make sure it's alright," Sarah explained. "That's perfect, Sarah. I was just about to head to the hospital too.

I'll meet you there and take Samantha home afterward," Evelyn replied, a smile in her voice.

Once she hung up, she looked at Derek, who was now placing a plate of toast and a small bowl of diced fruits with a glass of orange juice in front of her. "All set. Breakfast is served."

As they began eating, she glanced at him thoughtfully. "D, do you think there's enough evidence to prosecute Sandra? I mean apart from what she did to my mother and Ethan, can she still be punished for attempting to murder me? We don't have any hard proof of her plotting to kill me or Michael."

Derek's expression grew serious. "Actually, we do have enough. I made an agreement with the hitman. He's willing to confess to his crime and present the recordings of their conversations, claiming them as his own records. In exchange, I'll ensure his mother and daughter are cared for." Evelyn let out a relieved sigh. "Well, that's... a huge relief."

Derek nodded. "We're going to make sure justice is served."

As Evelyn took a sip of her orange juice, Derek picked up his phone. "That reminds me, I should inform my parents of the arrest."

Evelyn continued her breakfast as Derek dialed his father's number. When his father answered, Derek placed the call on speaker as he shared the news, explaining the events from the previous night in detail.

Evelyn could hear the surprise and shock in his father's voice, and moments later, his mother joined in, reacting with the same disbelief and relief that Sandra had been locked up.

"It's so sad how that poor woman could have a daughter like that.

I'm

grateful this will no s will no longer cloud my birthday," his mother said finally.

"Yeah. We will stop by to see them. We will just meet you both at the hospital," his father added before they hung up the call.

finished her breakfast, and as she took breakfast up to Maya, Derek prepared and packed the breakfast for her dad and Rayna.

Evelyn finis

A short while later, they headed out. When they arrived at the hospital, they first visited Claire's room. Her father looked up as they entered, his face lighting up at the sight of Evelyn. "How are you, Dad?" she asked, moving closer.

"I'm holding up. I should be the one asking you how you're doing," he replied, giving her a warm smile.

Evelyn handed him one of the food packs. "Here, We brought breakfast. Specially prepared by Derek. How's Mom doing?"

Her father sighed, glancing at Claire's still figure in the bed. "The doctors said she's stable, and she's supposed to wake up soon.

But... for some reason, she hasn't."

Evelyn's expression softened. "Maybe... subconsciously, she doesn't want to face everything Sandra's done."

Her father nodded, looking resigned. "Maybe."

"Thanks for taking good care of her, Derek," Eric said, turning to Derek.

"It's my life's duty," he said, and Evelyn rolled her eyes, but smiled warmly at him.

As they spoke, Derek's parents entered, carrying a basket of fresh fruit. They greeted Evelyn's father and expressed their sympathy for all that had happened.

"Dad, you should eat" Evelyn urged her father as she opened the food container, but as soon as she caught the scent of eggs and bacon, Evelyn felt a wave of nausea hit her. "Excuse me," she murmured, dashing into the bathroom with Derek close behind.

As she retched, Derek held her hair back, gently rubbing her back until the wave passed.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his face etched with concern.

Evelyn managed a weak smile. "It's the smell. I really can't stand it."

When they returned, Evelyn's father chuckled softly as he covered the container. "You're just like your mother. She was the same way when she was pregnant."

Derek's parents exchanged surprised glances, and Derek's mother gasped, her eyes lighting up. "Evelyn, are you pregnant?"

Evelyn's cheeks turned pink, but she nodded shyly. Derek's grin spread wide as he confirmed, "Yes, she is. We found out yesterday."

Derek's mother wrapped Evelyn in a warm hug, beaming. "Oh, this is wonderful! We'll have to plan the wedding right away."

Evelyn laughed. "We'll wait until my mother wakes up. She should be a part of it."

Derek's mother nodded, her smile softening. "Of course. Let's hope she wakes soon."

Derek's father placed a comforting hand on Evelyn's shoulder. "You have made me so happy, Evelyn. Anything you want, Evelyn, just say the word. Consider it a blank cheque." Evelyn grinned, feeling the warmth of their love around her. "Thank you. I'll have to give it some thought."

She was happy knowing that unlike her first pregnancy, she was surrounded by so much love and she didn't have to do any of it alone.

 

Chapter 183

Rayna's head rested beside Ethan's arm, her cheek nestled on the hospital bed as she slept soundly. Her hand was draped over his, her grip loose but warm, as if even in her sleep, she didn't want to let him go.

Ethan blinked slowly, his surroundings blurring into focus. The white walls and faint hum of machines told him where he was, but his gaze settled quickly on Rayna, her peaceful face so close to his that he could almost feel her breath.

He felt a surge of relief seeing her there, safe and unharmed. But as relief faded, he winced, remembering how he'd landed here. He felt embarrassed that hed gotten hurt like this- it wasn't exactly the cool, suave impression he'd hoped to make, especially when he'd been trying to protect her. He stayed as still as possible, not wanting to disturb her, and let his thoughts drift back to the moment hed lunged to save her. He could still see it- the car barreling toward her, the realization hitting him that he couldn't leave things as they were. He'd planned to sail out that night, to bury himself in the vastness of the sea and forget his troubles. But instead, hed ended up at her bakery, unable to ignore the feeling that leaving meant losing her.

He hadn't acted his best around her, he knew that. He'd been rough, cold, and distant. But, as he looked at her now, he couldn't deny it any longer- he loved her. Whether she was Rayna or the crazy lady he had met at the club, she was still the Golden Sun he had fallen for. Slowly, he raised his hand, aching to touch her, to reassure himself

she was real and not a dream. But just as he reached out, Rayna stirred, lifting her head slightly. Ethan dropped his hand back, closing his eyes to feign unconsciousness as she sat up and looked at him.

She sighed softly when and wrapped her hand around his. "How long do you plan to stay unconscious? I need you to wake up and tell me what you were thinking when you did that," she said, her voice was low, half-scolding but filled with concern. "You're an idiot, you know that? Jumping in to save someone you don't even like... what were you thinking risking your life that way?" she murmured, brushing her thumb gently over his knuckles. She continued, "Now what am I supposed to Listening to her, Ethan felt a a pang of of guilt,

He was about to

to do with you, huh? You messed up your hand. Just what do you expect me to do? How do I face you knowing I'm the reason you're lying down here?" but he bit back a smile.

to open his eyes, to say something reassuring, when a sudden, loud sound broke the quiet- a fart.

Ethan froze, his eyes shut tighter, resisting the urge to react since he didn't want to embarrass her. It was just the both of them in the room, and if he wasn't the one who did that, which he knew he wasn't, then it was Rayna.

Rayna let out a little groan, rubbing her stomach. "Oh, gosh. That stinks," she muttered to herself, clearly unaware of Ethan's consciousness. "I really need to use the restroom," she said as the odor filled the room, and rose to go use the toilet. held his breath, a silent laugh bubbling inside him despite the pain. He waited until he heard the restroom door close behind

Ethan

then cracked his eyes open, glancing around to ensure she was truly gone before letting out a soft chuckle. The absurdity of the moment brought a genuine smile to his face, and he chuckled quietly, wondering how she would have reacted if he had opened his eyes at When he heard familiar voices at the door and saw the room door being opened, he shut his eyes quickly, hoping to escape detection as Derek, Evelyn, and Derek's parents walked into the room.

at moment.

"Why is he alone? Where is Ray?" Evelyn wondered, wanting to take out her phone to give Ray a call, but before she could do that, Rayna stepped out of the restroom, her face flushed as she joined them. "Hey! You're here," she greeted pleasantly.

"Mom, Dad,"

Derek said, nodding toward Rayna. "This is Rayna-Evelyn's best friend. Rayna, my parents," Derek said, and they exchanged pleasantries. Evelyn gave Rayna a warm look. "How are you holding up, Ray?"

Rayna glanced over at Ethan, worry flickering in her eyes. "I'm not going to lie, I'm ridden with guilt. I just want him to wake up... I want him to feel better. It's bad enough that he hates me, he's going to hate me even more when he wakes up and sees what happened because he tried to s save me."

"I doubt that. Don't be too hard on yourself," Derek said, while Ethan quietly listened to the conversations.

"Don't worry, okay? Everything will be okay," Evelyn said with a gentle smile.

"How is your mom?" Rayna asked curiously, and Evelyn shook her head.

"She hasn't regained consciousness yet," Evelyn said sadly and Rayna sighed.

"I hope Sandra burns in hell. That girl is a devil, Rayna hissed and they all agreed.

"Has the doctor come to check on him this morning? Any reason why he is still unconscious?" Derek asked, moving close to Ethan.

"The doctor came by earlier... said he's stable and hopefully he will be awake soon," Rayna said and Derek nodded.

"Here" Derek said and handed her a food pack. "We brought breakfast for you, "he said, and Rayna accepted the food, nodding her thanks.

As they talked, Melvin and vin and Sarah arrived with little Ella and Samantha, who immediately ran to embrace her parents and grandparents.

After the introductions sand We'd love to spend some time with I

Derek's mom then turned to Evelyn with a request. "Could we take Samantha with us today?

pleash her," she

said, and both Derek and Evelyn exchanged a glance, both nodding. "But Samantha doesn't t have extra clothes with her," Evelyn pointed out. "Oh, don't worry about that," Derek's mom replied with a wave. "We'll set her up at home and pick up a few more things for her." "Will I get dolls too?" She asked, and they all I laughed. "Don't you have more than

"I don't have any from grandmough dolls already?"

Stone,"

"Evelyn asked exasperated.

Stone," she said, and they all laughed once again.

"You will definitely get as many dolls as you want," Derek's mom promised, "Now let's go."

Samantha bounced excitedly, hugging her mom and dad and waving Ella goodbye before leaving with her grandparents, a sparkle in her eyes.

Derek and

Evelyn escorted them out, and watched them go, waving until they were out of sight. Derek then turned to Evelyn, "Is it just me, or did it look like Ethan's awake but playing possum?" he whispered, a smirk forming.

Evelyn laughed, "I'm p "I'm pretty sure it's just you. Why would Ethan do something like that seeing how worried Rayna is?"

Back in Ethan's room, Melvin took a closer look at Ethan, studying him curiously and wondering why he looked like he was awake and hearing all that was being discussed.

Sarah turned to Rayna. "We brought breakfast for you both. Make sure you eat something. You look like you could use it."

Rayna gave a sheepish nod. "Thanks. But I'm not sure I can keep anything down yet. I'm having a bit of an upset stomach."

"Maybe you should head home to freshen up and rest," Sarah

suggested gently. "We can keep stay with Ethan."

Rayna hesitated, her eyes lingering on Ethan's face. "But I want to be here when he wakes up."

Sarah smiled knowingly. "Well, if he wakes up and sees you looking this rough, he might faint again. Are you sure you don't want to go home for a bit?" she asked as she sat on the only available seat in the room while Ella moved around the room her eyes glowing with Rayna scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly. "I don't give a horseshit what he sees or thinks about me. I've decided I deserve better and I've moved on. I'm only here because he was ridiculous enough to get hurt saving me."

Melvin whose gaze was still fixed on Ethan, spotted a slight scow! on his supposedly unconscious face. He let out a small chuckle.

It was obvious Ethan didn't like what Rayna had just said. Wanting to provoke him some more, he glanced at Rayna, "I see you've moved on then?"

Rayna nodded confidently. "Yes, as soon as he's better, I'm signing up for all the dating apps."

"Too bad. Ethan's stubbornness has cost him more than just a few bruises," Sarah murmured.

Melvin grinned as he noticed Ethan's faint frown deepening. "Well, we'll make sure he knows he's been left in the dust. You do deserve better than a jerk like Ethan. Go ahead and maybe take a little break, and we'll be here with him. I'll call you when he decides to wake Rayna glanced at Ethan one last time, her resolve softening just a little. "I'll try to freshen up quickly and come back," Rayna said, and Melvin gestured to Sarah and Ella to see her off.

up.'

Once he was alone with Ethan, he chuckled as he leaned in closer to Ethan, who still lay motionless. "How long are you planning on keeping up the act?" Melvin teased. "She's gone. You can open your eyes now." Slowly, Ethan cracked one eye open, looking sheepish. "How'd you know I was awake?" He asked weakly.

Melvin chuckled. "You weren't exactly subtle. I saw that scowl when she mentioned moving on."

Ethan scowled. "She's so mean. How can she say that when I'm in this state?" He muttered.

a known glance

Melvin exchanged a

Ethan glared at him, "You're

with

him. "You didn't exactly treat her well, did you? And it looks like she's serious about moving on. You lost her. What a shame."

not helping." tried to

What did you do the last time I

I to help?" Melvin asked dryly.

"Why are you pretending to be unconscious anyway?"

Ethan sighed, "I guess I don't even know how to face her. How did I end up here, tangled in this mess?"

Melvin raised a brow. "You tell me. Why did you jump in like that?"

Ethan hesitated, glancing down at his bandaged arm. "I didn't want her to get hurt. I just... I realized I loved her, and I couldn't stand the thought of

of seeing her hurt or losing her."

Melvin laughed. "Well, if you really love her, you'd better figure out a way to tell her. Before she actually goes through with this

'moving on plan."

Ethan nodded, a wry smile forming on his lips. "Yeah. I have to come up with a plan. For now, though... I'm starving. And I need some water."

With a chuckle, Melvin opened the food pack they had brought with them and handed it over. Ethan dug in gratefully with his good arm, savoring each bite.

His enjoyment was cut short as the door swung open, and Rayna, who had returned to get her phone which she realized she left behind stepped back in with Evelyn, Derek, Sarah and Ella.

Ethan froze with his spoonful of oatmeal midair as Rayna paused, her eyes widening as she spotted him, very much awake and eating.

"Uh-oh!" Derek exclaimed with a chuckle, giving Evelyn an I-told-you-so look.

 

Chapter 184

"How long have you been awake?" Rayna asked, her eyes narrowed suspiciously after the door clicked shut behind the others who had conveniently come up with various excuses to leave them alone. "I, uh... woke up when everyone came in," Ethan lied, unable to meet her gaze. There was no way he was admitting he'd been awake long enough to witness her... less-than-graceful moment earlier.

He didn't think there was any reason to embarrass her or himself by telling her he had woken up long enough to hear her fart or perceive it.

"Really?" She folded her arms, unconvinced but hoping that was the truth since she didn't want to imagine he had been awake before she went to the restroom. He nodded slowly. "Really."

She stared I at him for a

"I was...

a beat, clearly weighing his honesty. Finally, she exhaled. "Why did you pretend to be still unconscious?" embarrassed, he he admitted, his voice softer. "I didn't exactly plan to end up here. It's not the most heroic look."

Rayna's lips parted in disbelief. "Heroic?" Rayna dropped her hands and glared at him. "It was stupid. What were you even thinking?"

"Maybe I wasn't thinking much. What was I supposed to do?" he shot back, his frustration surfacing. "I saw the car coming straight for you. I couldn't just-stand there." "You could've done anything but throw yourself into harm's way like that. You could've shouted at me to move!" She exclaimed.

"You

"You saw the car and didn't move, Rayna"" he countered, his voice firm but not angry. "At that moment, all I could think about was saving you. That's it. Nothing else mattered." could have died," she pointed out with a frown.

You could

"That would be much better than watching you die," he said with a shrug, trying not to wince as he adjusted his broken arm.

Her heart skipped a beat at his words, but she refused to let it show. "You'd rather die than watch someone you despise die?"

"I don't despise you, Rayna" he said softly, causing butterflies to flutter in her belly at his use of her name, and before he could say more, she shook her head.

She didn't want to feel this way about him again. "Well, thanks for saving me even though you didn't have to. Since you are awake now, I will head out," she said, and Ethan frowned. "Wait. Don't I go."

Rayna's brow furrowed. "Why not?"

"We should talk, he said, and she shook her head.

"There's nothing left to say. And if you're awake and feeling chatty,

you clearly don't need me hovering over you. I'll be going home to freshen up and get some rest."

There's plenty

to say," he argued, sitting up a little straighter despite the pain that shot through his body.

"If you woke up when Derek and the others came in, then I'm sure you heard everything I said to Melvin," she said, and he nodded.

"Yeah. I

"Good. And that's

Pretty mu, you didn't. And now I don't want to...

I insist that there is nothing else to say.

When I wanted to I

"I'm sorry for everything. I know I took things a bit too far," he cut in.

She shook her head. "It's too late for apologies, Ethan. Do you think if any of those women you went on dates with had been what you wanted, you'd be saying this now? I don't think so." Her Her words stung more than he'd expected. "That's not fair," Ethan said with a frown.

"Maybe not, but we both know it's the truth." Her voice cracked, betraying her emotions.

it's not. I don't even remember a word that any of them said

"No, it's not.

'cause I was thinking about you the whole time I was with them," he said, and Rayna shook her head. "You told me to move on, and I am. So, just... focus on getting better. I'm done," she said as she moved closer to the bed to grab her phone, but Ethan reached out with his uninjured hand, his fingers brushing hers. "Rayna, wait."

Her eyes widened in alarm as she stopped him. "Are you crazy? Do you want to hurt yourself more?" She carefully pushed his hand back onto the bed, glaring at him.

"I'm already hurt," he said dryly. "What's a little more pain?"

"Don't be ridiculous," she hissed, pulling her hand free gently.

"I just want us to talk," " he insisted.

"I don't want to talk to you," she snapped, stepping back.

Ethan stared at her, his expression resolute. "Well, I do," he said stubbornly. "And the least you can do is stick around and help me until I recover. I'm in this bed because of you, remember?" Rayna's jaw jaw dropped in disbelief. "Excuse me?"

"I'm j

just saying, I got t hurt because of you," Ethan pressed, his voice steady.

"I didn't ask you to help me," she reminded him angrily.

"That doesn't change the fact that I'm here because of you. I can't bother Melvin and Sarah- not with her condition. That leaves you.

You're stuck with me until my arm is healed."

"I will hire a nurse to assist you," "she said flatly.

"I don't want a nurse. I want you," he said stubbornly. You could

move into my place or take me to yours. Whichever is easier," he said, and she scowled.

"You're unbelievable," she muttered, clenching her fists. "Why are you doing this? Why were you there last night in the first place when you were supposed to return to work?"

"Last night was supposed to be our first date," he reminded her.

Despite the flutter in her belly, she shot him a glare that could have melted steel. "I don't have the time for this. And I'm not staying under the same roof with someone as insufferable as you," she said, and Ethan nodded. "I deserve that "Yes, you do.

0. And just so you know, I know that cereal was yours and not for Sarah," she said, and Ethan groaned.

"How about we start over? You messed up; I messed up. Let's forgive each other and start afresh," he suggested, his eyes softening.

Rayna exhaled slowly, her resolve crumbling slightly. "I'm going home to freshen up and rest," she said, heading for the door. Before she could leave, Ethan called out, "Can you at least feed me first?" He asked with a pitiful expression.

She turned, glaring. "You were doing fine before I got here."

"It's harder than it looks," he a

Rayna stared at him, her admitted, giving her a pitiful look. "I just didn't want Melvin feeding me, but everything hurts."

hands curling into fists. "You're impossible."

Ethan smiled. "I've been told."

a hesitated, her irritation warring with her sense of responsibility. He did get hurt saving her, she reminded herself grudgingly. Finally, she sighed and sat down. "Fine."

Rayna hesitate

I knew I could count on you," he said, trying not to sound too triumphant.

ן ו"י

As she began feeding him, her stomach let out a loud, traitorous growl, and she froze. Her cheeks flushed as Ethan raised an eyebrow.

"You need to use the restroom again, don't you?" He asked when he noticed the beads of sweat that coated her brows despite the coolness of the room.

"I'm fine. I don't need to she lied, her voice stiff.

You sure? The

I said I'm fine," she snapped as she glared at him.

He chuckled softly. "Rayna, I heard you say you had an upset stomach earlier. You should go to the restroom if you need to.

There's nothing to be embarrassed about.

Her face turned a deeper shade of red. "Do you want to eat or talk?

so I can

Finish up so

leave,"

she snapped.

Ethan bit back a laugh as she fed him, her movements jerky and

rushed. The room was quiet for a

a while, save for the clink of the spoon against the bowl, until the door swung open, and Melvin poked his head in. "Well, well," Melvin teased, grinning when he saw Rayna feeding Ethan. "Looks like no murder's been committed. Ethan's still alive. You must be an angel, Ray," Melvin said as he walked in.

"I'm beginning to think so, too," Rayna said as she rose from her seat.

"So, have you forgiven him yet? Or are you still planning to move on?" Melvin asked as he watched Rayna set the bowl down. "Melvin," Ethan warned, glaring at him.

Melvin chuckled, shaking his head. "I like some drama."

"You are still here, right? I am leaving," Rayna said, and Melvin nodded.

"You're coming back, right? Don't forget our arrangement," Ethan said, a small smile playing on his lips as he watched her go, but Rayna didn't say another word to him as she strode out. As she stepped out into the hallway, she sighed inwardly, wondering if she should forgive him easily and give him a chance... or make him sweat a little more.

 

Chapter 185

Evelyn sat beside Claire's bed, holding her hand as she stared at her unconscious face, wondering when she was going to wake up.

She had convinced her father to go home to freshen up and change his clothes, while Derek had offered to drop him off on his way to the station to see how things were going with Sandra and Michael. Derek intended to pull every string he had to make sure they were prosecuted as soon as possible so that they wouldn't have to worry about them again.

"When are you going to wake up, Mom? I need you. Sam needs you, too. I couldn't bring her in here to see you this way," Evelyn said softly.

"Please wake up soon. I know you're worried about Sandra. I'm sure you went into her room because you were very worried. I would do the same if it were Samantha. I'm sorry Sandra hurt you. Your heart must be so broken," Evelyn said as she rubbed her mother's hand.

As she sat there, her thoughts drifted to all that had happened.

She thought about how everything had turned out and how unbelievably happy she was, even though she was still hoping for Claire to regain consciousness.

What she had considered a reckless mistake six years ago turned out to be the best decision of her life. Derek.

She smiled as her thoughts drifted to him, and she sighed softly.

She wondered what she could possibly do for a man who already had everything.

Thinking about him, she sat up when she remembered what he had said about being adopted and not remembering anything about his life before he ended up at the orphanage.

She had not thought of it all this while, but now that she knew he was the man with whom she was going to share the rest of her life, she had to give more thought to his life, and all that concerned him.

She remembered that he had said his parents told him that the orphanage home told them his biological parents had died in an accident. Why couldn't he remember anything before then? She mused.

Perhaps she could get him to look into it and find out if he had any relatives. Maybe siblings? Even if his parents were late, she didn't think that was enough reason to forget about them. It wasn't their fault that they died in an accident and left him. She thought about Samantha and how sad it would be if something happened to her and Samantha completely forgot about her.

While she was still lost in her thoughts, a knock sounded on the door, and she turned when Rayna walked in with a grin. "What are you smiling about?" Evelyn asked with a smile as she eyed Rayna, who had returned after freshening up.

"I'll tell you. But first, how's she doing?" Rayna asked as her gaze shifted to Claire.

"Still the same. No change yet," Evelyn said, and Rayna sighed.

"She doesn't deserve this," Rayna said, and Evelyn nodded as she rose for Rayna to sit down.

"You sit down. I sat down for so long last night that I only want to stand or lie on my stomach. I'm scared the size of my butt will reduce if I sit again," she joked, and Evelyn laughed.

"Why did you leave Ethan alone? Is someone there with him?" Evelyn asked, and Rayna nodded.

"Yeah. Melvin and Sarah are still with him. He should miss me a little," she said, and Evelyn raised a brow.

"Miss you? I thought we agreed that Ethan doesn't deserve you, and you moved on and were going to register on dating apps?" Evelyn asked dryly, and Rayna giggled.

"Yeah, right. Like it's that easy to find good men on dating apps, and I haven't this whole time. I have multiple accounts already.

Besides, it's not that easy to walk away from one's soulmate. And Ethan is mine. The idiot jumped in front of a moving car to save me, Evie! How many men on those dating apps would do that?" she asked, and even though Evelyn wanted to agree, she held back, wanting to see how determined Rayna was. "You're a very confused and unstable person. I thought you were mad and feeling guilty that he did that?" Evelyn asked, fighting her amusement.

"That's because I was scared that he wasn't going to wake up.

Now that he's up and can talk, I'm more focused on the romantic aspect of it. He could have died, Evie. He saved me, and I'm going

to marry him," Rayna said with a grin.

"Oh, God!" Evelyn moaned, "I'm tired of you already," she said, and Rayna giggled.

"Don't be. And don't worry, he doesn't know I'm touched. I'm playing hard to get, trust me. He's going to beg me on his knees to marry him. He doesn't just know I'm married to him and pregnant with his kids already," Rayna said with a grin, and this time Evelyn laughed. "But Ethan doesn't deserve you and..." "I don't deserve him too. So, we are two undeserving soulmates," Rayna cut in, and Evelyn laughed softly.

"I know I've said it multiple times before, but I'm going to say it again. Rayna, you're very crazy," Evelyn said, and Rayna laughed.

"Yup. I know," she said with a grin.

"You weren't mad that he was pretending to be unconscious?" Evelyn asked, and Rayna rolled her eyes.

"I was actually too relieved to see he was conscious to be mad that he pretended to be unconscious. Besides, his reason for pretending was sort of cute. He was feeling too embarrassed to face me, Rayna said with a grin.

"Yeah, he should be. After treating you the way he did, he should be ashamed of himself, Evelyn said, and Rayna eyed her with mock disapproval.

"Don't talk about my man like that," Rayna scolded, and Evelyn

paused for a moment before bursting into a loud laugh, and she quickly covered her mouth with her hand, worried that she might disturb Claire. "Laugh that way, and your mom might just wake up with a heart attack," Rayna said, and Evelyn giggled.

"You're such an idiot, Ray. Fighting me over a man that isn't even your man yet when I'm defending you as a best friend should," she said with a shake of her head.

"But he is my man. You're the only one I'm telling this, okay? You can't tell Derek that I'm not mad, okay? I want to see Ethan put in the effort to win my heart. He has won it already, no doubt, but I'd like to see what he would do to win me. So, he insisted that I have to take care of him in his state, and of course, I planned on doing that. He said I should decide which is more convenient, between moving in with him or bringing him to my place. So, I'm going to move in with him," Rayna said, and Evelyn smiled. "Well, I'm happy for you, Ray. As long as you're happy, I'm happy.

I'm glad he is coming around to see that you were right and you are meant for each other," Evelyn said, and Rayna smiled.

"These men can be sometimes slow to catch up on feelings.

Thank goodness for men like Derek, who know what they want and go for it with all their might," Rayna said with a wink.

Evelyn sighed at the mention of Derek and remembered what she had been thinking about before Rayna stepped in.

"I need your opinion on something," Evelyn said, and Rayna raised a brow.

"The name of the baby?" She asked me with a grin, and Evelyn laughed.

"No, not that. And before you ask, I told Derek about it. My dad and his parents are aware, too," Evelyn said, and Rayna nodded with approval.

"Well done. I love it when good news spreads just as fast as bad news. So, what do you need my opinion on? At this rate, I think I should be charging you for my wise counsel," Rayna joked, and Evelyn laughed. "Remember that scandal about Derek?"

"The one Michael and Sandra released and made it seem like it was your doing?" Rayna asked, and Evelyn rolled her eyes.

"Was there another scandal I don't know about?" She asked, and Rayna grinned.

"Just wanted to be sure. Yup. I remember. Why?" Rayna asked, but Evelyn hesitated for a moment.

"Well, I'm thinking about getting him to find his biological family.."

"I don't think his adoptive parents would like that, Evie. That's a shaky ground you're stepping on. I mean, they kept his whole adoption issue hush. What makes you think they would want him to reconnect with his biological family?" Rayna asked, and Evelyn sighed.

"Derek is an adult. He doesn't exactly need their permission to find his biological roots. Also, finding them doesn't mean he's going to stop being Derek Stone. He needs to know his true background and who he really is. He doesn't like being Derek Stone much. I just want

to do something nice for him. Besides, the last thing I want is for Sammy to grow up and end up getting married to a cousin she doesn't know about. These things happen," Evelyn said, and Rayna sighed.

"Well, you do have a point. But if you're going to do something like this, I suggest you don't tell Derek about it. Don't get his hopes up.

Just secretly look into it. If you find something good, tell him. If you don't, bury it and forget you ever looked into it. That way, everyone is happy," Rayna advised, and Evelyn nodded.

"I can do that, Evelyn said thoughtfully.

She had the means and the connections based on her job and she could pull it off easily. All she had to do was get the name of the orphanage home from Derek, and she would take it up from there.

 

Chapter 186

Derek sat in the station's visitor area and waited to see Michael.

The detectives had told him that Michael had pleaded that he stop over to see him when he came around.

He didn't owe Michael a visit, and he didn't owe him forgiveness.

But here he was, waiting in this cold, impersonal room.

As he sat there waiting for Michael to be brought to him, Derek thought about Ethan. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly as he recalled how they had caught Ethan eating after he had been pretending to be unconscious.

Ethan had looked like a guilty child caught red-handed, and the memory briefly lifted Derek's mood. He couldn't believe how silly Ethan was. A quiet chuckle escaped him, but the lightness faded as quickly as it came.

The sound of shuffling feet snapped Derek out of his thoughts. He looked up, and his amusement vanished entirely. Michael was being led in, dressed in the dull, gray uniform of an inmate. His movements were slow and hesitant, and he carried the weight of his actions like a visible burden. Derek's jaw tightened as their eyes locked. He held Michael's gaze until he sat across from him.

"I was told you wanted to see me" Derek began, his voice cold and flat. "Why?"

There was no greeting, no attempt at civility. Derek didn't see the point. The betrayal ran too deep. His fists clenched under the table, hidden from view, as he remembered everything Michael had done- not just to Evelyn, but to him. The lies. The schemes. The sheer audacity of trying to destroy his life. He no longer cared about Michael and he was never going to forgive him.

Despite his claim that he had done it all on Sandra's instruction, Derek believed that a huge part of the idea to dupe him was Michaels, and for that, he couldn't forgive Michael.

Michael swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously.

"Derek, I'm sorry for everything.."

"Sorry?" Derek leaned forward slightly, his voice dripping with disdain. "Sorry because you were caught? Or because the whole family is mad at you?" Derek cut in, not wanting to hear him out.

"No." Michael shook his head, his hands fidgeting on the table.

"Not because I was caught. I'm glad I was caught. I'm actually sort of relieved that everything ended now. Things were beginning to get out of hand with Sandra. I didn't want to harm anyone," Michael rushed to assure him.

"Harm anyone?" Derek's laugh was bitter, sharp. "What was your plan, Mike? That you'd impregnate Sandra, have me marry her and raise your kids as my own, then let them grow to inherit everything? Or were you planning to get rid of me altogether? Let me guess, you'd marry her yourself after I was conveniently out of the picture and claim everything along with your kids?" Michael looked down, his lips pressed tightly together. He didn't deny it, and that silence spoke louder than any confession.

"I don't know what I was thinking..." Michael began, but Derek cut him off.

"You do know," Derek growled, his voice low and dangerous. "Don't insult me by pretending otherwise. I know very well that you do, so please don't give me that excuse."

Michael exhaled shakily. "The woman I loved wanted you, Derek.

Not me. She saw you as the prize- your position, your money. It twisted something inside me. I started seeing you as the obstacle, the competition. I was jealous. Greedy. I became someone I'm ashamed of. I was wrong, Derek. I'm not going to make any excuses. I was a fool. But right now, I'm also heartbroken. My heart is shattered, and I can't bear being cut off by everyone." Derek sat back, his face expressionless. He let Michael's words hang in the air but didn't respond. Finally, Michael looked up, his eyes red-rimmed and pleading.

"Please, Derek. Forgive me."

"Forgive you?" Derek's tone was calm, but the edge was unmistakable. "Forgiveness isn't going to keep you from going to prison. You committed a crime, Mike. You're going to do the time."

Michael nodded, his shoulders slumping further. "I know that. And I will. I don't expect anything else," Michael said, and there was a pause before he added hesitantly, "There is also another reason I wanted to see you."

The look on Michael's face made him pause, and his brow furrowed. "What is it?"

Michael shifted uncomfortably in his seat for a moment as though what he was about to say was something he'd rather keep to himself.

"It's about your adoption," Michael said, and Derek's eyes

narrowed, his anger flaring again.

"What about it?" He asked, angry that Michael was bringing that up.

"I... I looked into it" Michael admitted, his voice barely above a whisper. "I was trying to find something incriminating about your biological family. Something I could use to..." He trailed off, unable to meet Derek's glare Derek's eyes widened slightly, shocked by the length Michael had been going to bring him down, and his fists tightened until his knuckles turned white. "You bastard," he hissed, his voice trembling with suppressed rage. Derek rose, ready to leave because he feared he might hit Michael if he remained there for a moment longer.

"I found something," Michael said quickly, sensing Derek's breaking point. "Something I think you need to know."

Derek froze, torn between his instinct to leave and his curiosity. On the one hand, he didn't want to care about his biological family-and he didn't want to know anything about them since it would only bring pain and unnecessary hurt to everyone. On the other hand, he wanted to know what Michael found and why it was important enough that Michael would risk provoking him to tell him that. "What is it?" Derek asked, his voice low and guarded.

Michael took a deep breath. "You have a sister."

The words hit Derek like a punch to the gut. He stared at Michael,

unblinking, as if waiting for him to take it back.

"What?" Derek finally managed, his voice barely audible as he involuntarily sank back into his seat.

"You have a sister" Michael repeated. "She was a baby when your parents died. The woman who took you to the orphanage... she took your sister with her. If you go to my apartment, you'll find a flash drive in one of my drawers in my bedroom. It has everything the private investigator uncovered." Derek's mind raced, a whirlwind of disbelief and questions. He didn't remember having a sister. "Are you making this up? Because if you are, I'm going to kill you myself before you get the chance to stand before any judge," Derek threatened in a cold voice.

Michael shook his head. "I'm not," Michael said quickly. "You'll see for yourself when you get to my place," he said, and Derek sat still for a moment, processing what he had just heard.

He had a sister? How was it possible that he had a sister, and he didn't remember that? Derek mused. He stood abruptly, his chair scraping loudly against the floor, but Michael stopped him again before he could walk away.

"Tell Evelyn I'm sorry. I had no right to be mad that she cheated on me..."

Derek shook his head in disgust, "Evelyn didn't cheat on you" Derek said, his voice firm.

"She has a child with another man..."

"That child is mine. I told you about the lady who hit my car on my

way to your house when I just arrived for your wedding, remember?" Derek asked coldly, and Michael nodded.

"Yes. You said she spent the night..."

"That lady was Evelyn. She saw you in bed with Sandra, and that was why she was upset and got into that accident. I just didn't know it was her at the time," Derek said, and Michael's eyes widened as he realized what had happened. Derek had been on his way to his place after he had returned to the country but had gotten into an accident, so he had been unable to make it. They had agreed to meet the next day instead. Evelyn didn't cheat on you. She is nothing like you and Sandra. And I'm going to marry her," Derek said, and without waiting for a response, he walked away.

 

Chapter 187

Alone in the silent house, Maya thought about what Evelyn and Derek had said about her being a part of their family. She sighed softly, feeling grateful for the love they were showing her.

One of the reasons she had initially wanted to hide it from Evelyn was because a part of her had been scared that Evelyn might fire her if she found out she was ill and would not be able to look after Samantha for some time. She couldn't help but marvel at how total strangers were being so good and helping her, whereas her stepfather, who had practically raised her, treated her like she was nothing.

She sighed when her phone buzzed and raised a brow, wondering who could be calling her when she saw it was an unknown contact.

Although she wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone, she picked it up, "Hello?" She asked cautiously.

"Hello, Maya. It's Liam. Dr Liam,' he said, and she smiled when she heard his voice.

"I could tell it was you from your voice even before you spoke""" she said, and Liam paused.

"Really?" He asked, amused, since he didn't expect her to know his voice.

They hardly talked, and the longest he had spoken to her was during her last visit to the hospital. Other than that, they only

exchanged pleasantries and goodbyes, and that was it.

"Yes. I guess you took my number from my file. And in case you called to find out if I told Evelyn about you, you don't have to worry.

I didn't," Maya said, and Liam raised a brow.

"That's not why I called," he said, and her mouth rounded in a silent

o. "I wanted to find out how you were doing," Liam went on before she could speak.

Maya paused, wondering if this was a routine call to his patient or if he was asking her because she was Evelyn's nanny.

"Are you there?" Liam asked when she didn't say anything.

"Yes. I'm trying to figure out if you want a medical response or a normal response," she said, and Liam chuckled.

"I'm not sure what you mean by medical or normal response. You were pretty upset when you left my office, and I just wanted to find out if you were feeling better now," Liam said, since she had told him she didn't plan to tell Evelyn and she had also mentioned that, like him, she didn't have friends, he figured she might need to talk to someone.

Maya smiled. "I guess I'm fine. I'm sorry I left that way after agreeing to have lunch with you," she said apologetically.

"You do not owe me any apology. Your reaction was pretty normal, Liam assured her.

"Thank you for understanding," Maya said quietly.

The silence between them was awkward and stretched on for a

while. She wasn't sure what she could say to him because their conversation was sort of unusual.

"So, how is work? And how are you enjoying Ludus?" She asked, not knowing what else to say.

"Work is fine. And I'm not so sure I'm enjoying Ludus. I'm not at work right now. I'm just bored out of my mind at home unpacking my stuff, and I don't even know where to go if I wanted to," he admitted.

"You know it would be better if you told Evelyn you're here, right? I mean, you will have a place to hang out. You could even become friends with Samantha's Dad. He is a nice person," Maya advised, and Liam winced, feeling oddly betrayed that Maya approved of Derek, too. "I'm sure he's nice," Liam murmured since he could tell that Derek was nice, but he just couldn't imagine being friends with Evelyn's man.

"I'm home alone. If you want, we can hang out. That way, you don't have to be bored," Maya offered.

Liam grinned, "I was hoping you'd say that," he said, happy to have company, and she laughed.

"I will text you my address, and you can come over, or you can just tell me anywhere you'd be comfortable, and we will meet there," Liam suggested since he knew not every lady would be comfortable visiting a single man. "You said you were unpacking. I will come to give you a hand. And maybe if we finish early enough, we can find somewhere to eat," Maya said, and Liam smiled.

"I will text you the address right now," he said before hanging up.

A short while later, she arrived at his place, and Liam opened the door with a wide smile, "Maya! Welcome to my place," he said as he held the door open.

"Thank you" Maya said as she walked into the spacious apartment.

Life was full of surprises. She never would have imagined that she would visit Liam this way.

"Please sit down and make yourself comfortable. What can I get you?" Liam asked, and Maya shook her head.

"Nothing. Let's get started so we can finish early," she suggested as she set her sling bag on the couch.

"You just got here. You're my visitor," Liam pointed out, "we should sit down first," he said, and she nodded and then sat down.

"Your place is nice," Maya said as she looked around the place, which was filled with open boxes.

"Thanks. So, what can I get you now?" He asked again.

"I don't want anything right now. Maybe before I leave. If you don't mind me asking, why don't you want to tell Evelyn that you're here?

Did you both fight?" She asked, and Liam sighed.

"It's embarrassing," he said, unable to say it, and Maya looked at him for a moment.

"You moved down here because you like her but found out about Derek?" She guessed, and his eyes widened slightly.

"How did you know that? Did she tell you anything?" Liam asked, and Maya laughed softly.

"Not exactly. It's just a logical deduction. You both seemed okay when you came over to the house, but then I came out to see Derek, and you were gone. Next, I see you in your office, and you don't want Evelyn to know you're in Ludus," Maya explained, and Liam smiled.

"You're very sharp. Well, that was exactly what happened. I just told her how I felt after so long, and then he showed up, and I felt like an idiot, especially after making the move down here," he explained, and instead of the sympathy he expected, Maya pressed her lips together to stop her laughter from bubbling over.

"Are you laughing at me?" Liam asked, and Maya's laughter spilled over and she threw back her head and laughed loudly.

Watching her laugh, Liam joined in her laughter, amused by the way she laughed without inhibition.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry" she said, wiping her eyes as she continued to laugh, "It's just so funny. You made such a gallant move; I can imagine how proud you must have felt doing this. But you have such poor timing."

Liam smiled, "Yeah. The timing sucked. And maybe I should have asked instead of assuming," he said with a sigh.

"Yeah. You should have asked. But maybe this was how it was meant to be. I mean, you being here in Ludus. I believe everything

happens for a reason. You never can tell what awaits you here," she said, and he shrugged.

"Maybe. Who knows? Maybe I'm here because of you to be your doctor," he said, and she grinned.

"Maybe. By the way, I told Evelyn about it," she said, and Liam raised a brow.

"You changed your mind about not telling her?" Liam asked, and Maya nodded.

"Yeah. I guess I was worried for nothing. I didn't want to tell her

'cause I was scared she might fire me if she finds out I'm sick and might need surgery, so I wanted to quit instead," Maya explained.

"Why would you think that? Evelyn thinks of you as her family, and she would never fire you or treat you that way," Liam said, and Maya smiled.

"Yeah. I guess you re right. I forgot for a moment that not everyone is out to use people," Maya said softly. "Life has taught me to always expect the worst from people. I'd rather be pleasantly shocked when they do something good than be horrified and devastated when they disappoint me," she said, and Liam nodded thoughtfully. "Hmm. That's deep. I'm glad you told her. So, what did she say?" Liam asked, and Maya told him what Evelyn and Derek had said.

"I hate that he's such a nice guy," Liam groaned, and Maya laughed.

"He's a very nice guy. You know, he became friends with Samantha

even without knowing she was his daughter," Maya said, and Liam raised a brow.

"How so?" He asked, and she told him all about how she and Samantha had met Derek the first day they arrived in Ludus and how Evelyn didn't know Rek was Derek until much later.

"... so, I guess I'm telling you this so you can find closure in the fact that those two are meant to be. I should I say those three?" Maya said, and Liam sighed.

"Thanks for telling me," he said, and she nodded.

"So, when are you going to tell her you're here?" Maya asked, and Liam shrugged.

"When I can bear to see her with him and not feel jealous," he said, and she nodded.

"That's fair."

"So, what do you want to study in school?" He asked, and she shrugged.

"Psychology," she said, and he raised a brow.

"Huh? That's unexpected," he said, and she smiled.

"I like to study people. What makes them think and behave the way they do," she said with a shrug.

"You're more interesting than I thought," Liam said, and Maya laughed.

"Thanks."

"So, what about your family? Are they okay with your being so far away from home?" He asked, and she sighed.

"I don't have any family," she said with a thoughtful look in her eyes.

Her stepfather didn't count as family. And before her mother died, she had told her the truth that she was not her birth mother. She had also told her that she had an older brother who she left at an orphanage home. Maya wasn't sure what she was supposed to do with the information or how she was going to find a brother she had been too young to know or remember.

That didn't exactly count as family since she didn't know him, and she doubted he knew about her existence, either.

 

Chapter 188

Ethan woke up from a long nap and smiled when he saw Rayna seated beside him, busy with her phone.

"You're back," he said, and she looked at him.

"You're awake. I was almost beginning to wonder if you were pretending to be unconscious again," she said, and he smiled.

"I guess Melvin and the others left already?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Yeah. Ella was getting cranky, and Sarah also needed to rest," she explained.

"I understand. What about you? How do you feel now? Your stomach?" He asked, and she glared at him, her cheeks flushing a little at the embarrassing question. "I told you I was fine""" she said, and he smiled.

"Okay. Seeing as you're not sweating so much anymore, I guess your stomach isn't under any pressure," he said, and she scowled.

"It seems you're pretty determined to annoy me and make things awkward," she observed, and he chuckled.

"No. I just want to make things normal. Golden Sun tells me everything, remember?" he said softly.

"Well, I'm Rayna, not Golden Sun," she said, and he shook his head.

"Can't you forgive me and put it behind you? I mean, I could have died from this accident, right? No, don't say anything smart, just listen," he said before she could speak. "I'm just saying life is short. I know I messed up. Everyone says I'm unforgiving, and maybe that's true..."

"Maybe? Not, maybe. You're very unforgiving. Yes, I was wrong to have accused you falsely and say all that I said at the club. But I apologized, she said, and Ethan sighed. "Yes, you did. I'm just very sensitive when it comes to the issue of sexual harassment," he said, and she sighed.

"Melvin told me. I'm sorry," Rayna said, and he nodded slowly.

"I've forgiven you. So, will you forgive me too?" He asked, and she shook her head.

"No. Not so easily..."

"If you'll forgive me next week or next month, why not just do it now? We don't know if we have a year, ten years, or a lifetime to be together. Why waste any of it? When that car ran me down, and I lay there bleeding, unable to move or speak, all I kept asking myself was if that was my last moment and if I had wasted what little time I could have had with you being mad," Ethan said, and Rayna sighed.

He had a point, but she would have preferred to make him sweat,

"Well, I forgive you. But that doesn't mean I'm going to have anything to do with you. If you really think I'm the one for you now, you're going to have to prove it..."

"What other way could I prove it than I've done by getting in front of that car to protect the woman I love from getting hurt?" He asked, and her heart skipped a beat. "You went on dates with other women. You wanted to exhaust your options," Rayna insisted, still mad about that.

"They weren't options. I was trying to convince myself that what

we had wasn't so special. I didn't want to believe that I found something special with someone I was so mad at," he admitted.

"I want you, Rayna-body, mind, and soul. Your mind is my favorite place," he said, and her heart fluttered.

"How am I supposed to play hard to get if you're using such lines?"

She groaned, and Ethan chuckled as he reached for her hand.

"Maybe you're not supposed to play hard to get. That's not what got us here, you know? We both know what we want, and that's why we got along pretty well, he said as he raised her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

"But I already told Evelyn I was going to play hard to get and make you sweat. Can we just pretend whenever any one of them is around? I'll be too embarrassed for them to know I got back with you so easily after saying I've moved on," Rayna said, and Ethan laughed.

"Okay. If that's what you want, I will play along," he said, quickly letting go of her hand when they heard the door opening.

"You're insufferable, you know?" Rayna asked with a scowl, putting up the act as Derek and Evelyn walked in.

"Rayna, that's no way to talk to a man who is lying on a hospital bed because he tried to save you," Evelyn scolded, and Rayna raised a brow, surprised at Evelyn for defending Ethan after all she had said earlier. "Hello, Ethan! Thanks for saving Rayna's life. I'm sorry she has such a shitty and ungrateful attitude," Evelyn said with a sweet smile, surprising Rayna even more.

"It's fine. I understand that she's still mad at me," Ethan said softly.

"How are you doing, hero?" Derek asked with a teasing grin as he approached the bed.

"Evie, let's talk outside," Rayna said, jerking her head to the door as she rose for Derek to sit down.

Evelyn followed Rayna outside, and the moment they shut the door behind them, Rayna scowled at her, "What was that about? I thought you supported the idea of playing hard to get?" She asked, and Evelyn rolled her eyes.

"You seem to have forgotten that you told me Ethan was your man and scolded me for talking about him so harshly. Besides, he's also Derek's best friend. I'd rather take his side publicly right now than yours. I know you're both going to make up. I don't want to be the bad guy when that happens," Evelyn said, and Rayna scowled. "Whatever," she muttered, and Evelyn grinned.

"If that's all, can we return inside? My baby and I need to stay close to my man," Evelyn said, and Rayna snorted but smiled as they both returned inside.

In the room, Derek was making fun of Ethan for his failed attempt to be a superhero.

As the ladies joined them, Derek rose so that Evelyn could sit since that was the only available seat in the room.

They all chatted for a while, talking about Michael and Sandra and how they were glad that the two of them would get what they deserved now.

"Isn't it funny that I'm not involved with either of them, yet I'm the one who ended up getting hurt?" Ethan said, and Derek laughed.

"Maybe that's why you should have been more actively involved,"

Derek said with a shrug.

"Well, you wouldn't have gotten hurt if you hadn't been involved with me." Rayna pointed out.

"That's true. You got hurt because of Rayna"" Evelyn said, and Rayna scowled at her.

"I just said that. You didn't have to repeat it, she muttered, and Evelyn grinned at her.

After some time, Derek sighed and looked at Ethan, "I will come to see you tomorrow. For now, I need to take my babies home," he said, and Ethan raised a brow.

"Is Samantha here too?" He asked, wondering why Derek was saying babies instead of baby.

"No, she's not. But her younger one is in here," Derek said with a grin as he placed a hand on Evelyn's abdomen, and Ethan's eyes widened.

"Another one?" He asked, and they all laughed, "You both waste no time, do you?" He asked, and Evelyn blushed.

"No, we don't"" Derek said with a wide smile, "So, you're going to have to work hard to catch up," he said as he took Evelyn's hand and helped her up.

"Well, congratulations to you both. I'm happy for you," Ethan said with a happy smile, and Evelyn smiled at him.

"Thank you," she said, and as Ethan and Rayna watched them leave, Ethan turned to Rayna.

"We did well, didn't we?" Ethan asked, and Rayna nodded.

"I guess," she said with a small smile as he took her hand again.

"You heard Derek, right? We have to work hard to catch up," he said with a wink, and she giggled.

"You should focus on getting well first instead of trying to catch up with anything," she said, thinking about everything they had discussed and planned over the phone before realizing their identities.

"So, I was thinking about something," Ethan said, and Rayna raised a brow.

"About what?"

"I still want to get married soon, as I told you from the start. So, how about we bring our dates in here since I can't go out? We could have nice dinner dates and movie dates right here. And when I'm discharged, we can continue it at the house until I'm strong enough to take you out on proper dates, and then we can get married. Does that work for you?" He asked, and she nodded. "I think it's perfect," she said with a nod.

 

Chapter 189

As Derek drove the car home, Evelyn turned in her seat to look at him, "Are you okay?" She asked curiously. "Huh?" He asked as he turned to spare her a glance.

"You have been sort of distant, or should I say distracted, since you came back earlier? It's like you're thinking about something. What's wrong?" She asked, and he sighed.

"It's just something Michael said," he said, and Evelyn frowned.

"What could Michael have said to make you so worried?" She asked, wondering if it was something about her.

As if sensing her thoughts, Derek reached out and took her hand,

"It's not about you," he assured her, but that didn't relax her.

"Then what is it about?" She pressed, wanting to know exactly what it was since Michael was involved.

"Why don't I tell you about it when we get home?" Derek suggested, and Evelyn nodded.

"Alright. Let's do that" she said and relaxed in her seat. It didn't take long before she dozed off.

As Derek drove in silence, he thought about the flash drive he had found at Michael's place. He couldn't help wondering what he would find inside when he eventually accessed it.

What was he going to do if it was confirmed that he had a sister?

Find her? How were his parents going to feel about that?

Especially his mother, whom he knew was very sensitive to issues regarding his adoption.

But if indeed he had a sister, he couldn't just ignore it and pretend that he didn't, right? It would be nice to know that he had someone who shared the same blood with him.

But would his sister want to see him? Or would she rather be left alone to her life as she knew it to be? Derek sighed deeply.

He had never once considered the possibility that he had family somewhere, and now that Michael had brought it up, he couldn't just shake off the feeling that he had disappointed someone, especially considering the fact that Michael had said she was his younger sister.

What kind of elder brother forgot his own sister? Regardless of the trauma, how could he have forgotten that he had a baby sister? He could only hope that she was alive and living well wherever she was. It would hurt him to know he had been living in comfort all these years while his younger sister was not.

The moment they arrived at their estate and he parked the car in front of the house, Evelyn woke up. She smiled at him, "I can't believe I dozed off, she said, and he smiled.

"You have been stressed a lot lately. You need to rest every chance you get," Derek said as he got out of the car and went to get her door.

As he opened the door, Evelyn looked at him and cupped his face in her hands, "I'm not sure what that bastard, Michael, told you, but I don't like the worry lines I see here. For all you know he lied," she said, tracing the crease on his forehead.

Derek smiled involuntarily, "You don't even know what he said yet.

What if he said you're the most beautiful woman in the world?"

Derek asked, and Evelyn laughed.

"That would be one of the few truths in his mouth," she said, and when Derek chuckled, she smiled, "But I doubt that would make you frown this way. If anything, it would make you raise your shoulders like a peacock, she said, and he laughed again.

"I know you're trying to make me laugh. Thank you. Let's go in now, and I'll tell you what he said, Derek said. Evelyn let him help her out of the car, and together, they made their way inside.

As they walked into the house, Evelyn looked around, "I don't think Maya is home," she said, and Derek smiled.

"How would you know? She might be sleeping," Derek said, and she glanced upstairs.

"I'm not sure. I'll check in on her to see if she's in and okay," Evelyn said, and Derek nodded.

"I will be in the bedroom," he said, and together they climbed the stairs, and while Evelyn went to check on Maya, Derek went into their bedroom.

The moment Derek walked into the room, he took out the flash drive from his jacket, took it off, and picked up his laptop.

He sat on the edge of the bed, his heart racing as he connected the flash drive to the laptop. It didn't take too long before it all came up on the screen.

As he looked at it, Evelyn walked into the bedroom. "I told you.

Maya isn't in," she said, and when he didn't respond and she saw him busy on his laptop, she assumed he was busy with something work related and proceeded to take off her clothes, not wanting to distract him.

She turned when she caught his reflection in the mirror and saw his face buried in his hands. "What's wrong? Did something happen?" she asked, drawing closer to him in her undies, her expression concerned.

Derek didn't say a word. He didn't know what to say now that he had confirmed what Michael had said.

How could he tell her that all these years, he had not even remembered that he had a younger sister? How could he tell her that he had failed as an older brother, and it took someone like Michael to remind him of his own blood? His sister.

"Whatever it is, everything will be fine," Evelyn said as she stood in front of him and hugged him to herself, his head resting on her flat abdomen.

Derek wrapped his arms around her and stayed in that position for a while as he thought about what to do now with this information.

He knew that whatever he did, he had to inform and involve his parents so that their feelings wouldn't get hurt if they found out what he was up to.

After a while, Derek pulled back and looked up into her face,

"Thank you," he murmured softly as he pulled her down so that she could sit beside him on the bed.

"What is the matter?" She asked softly, searching his eyes.

Derek turned the laptop so that she could see, and Evelyn's brows pulled together when she saw it was some sort of report on him.

"Where did you get this?" She asked, looking up at him.

"Michael's place. He told me about it. He had someone investigate my biological family," he explained.

Evelyn's heart skipped a beat, and she swallowed. "Why?" She asked, since she could understand her reason for wanting to look into his biological family but not Michael's.

She sighed after Derek explained his conversation with Michael, and then she looked back at the screen again.

She contemplated for a moment whether or not to tell him that she had also been planning to help him find his biological family.

"You are not happy about this?" She asked, watching him closely.

"How can I be happy to know that I have a younger sister I didn't even remember all these years?" He asked, and she nodded thoughtfully.

"I guess it never occurred to you that you might have siblings" she said softly, taking his hand.

"You shouldn't blame yourself for forgetting about her. You were only a kid, and God alone knows what kind of trauma you experienced to have completely lost your memory. And if I'm being honest, I was going to look into it too," she said, and Derek's brows pulled together. "You were? Why?" He asked, confused.

"For several reasons. First, because I'd like to know your name.

Not Derek Stone. Your given name at birth. You told me how you didn't like being Derek Stone," she explained softly.

"I don't mind that now. As long as I have you and Samantha and the other kids to come, I'm okay," he said, and she smiled.

"I know that. I'm just explaining my reasons, okay? Also, I think your biological parents deserve to be remembered by you. You were about Samantha's age or a little older when you were adopted, right? Can you imagine Samantha forgetting everything about us?" She asked, and Derek frowned, not liking the thought of it.

"I guess you have a point. I never thought of it that way," he admitted softly.

"I think you should remember them for your sake and theirs. And find your sister, too. As a parent, I wouldn't want my kids to be separated because I'm no more," Evelyn said softly, and Derek sighed. "What if life has been tough on her, and she has been struggling while I've been living this way?" He asked, and she smiled.

"Then she will be happy you found her now. And it's even possible she's living well wherever she is, too. However, she might be living now is not your fault, so don't blame yourself..."

"How can I not? I should have looked into it," Derek said, but Evelyn shook her head. "Let's not go down that path, love. Let's focus on the way forward," Evelyn said softly.

"I'll discuss this with my Dad. I don't want to hurt their feelings," he said, and Evelyn nodded.

"Sure. Let me know if you need my help, and I'll be happy to do it," she said, and he smiled.

"I'd rather you don't stress yourself..."

"A phone call is hardly any stress, Derek. I know people who can get it done really quickly," she said, and he held her gaze for a moment.

"I'm glad you didn't do this without my knowledge," he said, and she raised a brow.

"Would you have been mad?" She asked, and he shrugged.

"Maybe not me. I will always do my best to understand you. But my Mom, on the other hand, is very sensitive, and I don't want anything that would cause any sort of friction between you two.

So, I want you to stay out of this, okay? You can give me the contacts you have, and I will make the calls myself," he said, and she nodded.

"Alright. Sure. That works, too"" she said, and Derek kissed her palm.

"Now, Mr. Stone, we need to reschedule the date of our interview..."

"You will have to discuss with my secretary, Ms Quinn," he cut in with a grin and chuckled when she playfully bit his arm.

"Didn't you just say I shouldn't stress myself?" She asked, and he grinned.

"We can have the interview in here, right here and now," he offered, and she leaned forward and kissed him. "We will do it next week. For now, don't worry about anything, okay?" She said, and he shook his head.

"I'm going to worry about you. For instance, you haven't had lunch," he said, and she giggled.

"Yeah. You can worry about that. Only worry about me," she said, and they both laughed as he kissed her.

"Take a nap while I fix you lunch," he said before heading for the door.

As Derek shut the door behind him, Evelyn sighed contentedly. She pulled his jacket to herself and snuggled against the pillow.

She sat up when her phone rang and saw it was her father, "Dad..."

"She's dead, Evelyn. Claire is dead."

 

Chapter 190

Evelyn froze, her father's words sinking into her like a dagger.

"What?" Her voice cracked, trembling with disbelief. "No... that can't be true. Mom can't die!" She cried, refusing to believe what she was hearing.

On the other end of the line, her father's voice was thick with anguish. "Her heart stopped. The doctors... they did all they could."

Evelyn felt the room tilt around her. Her vision blurred as tears gathered in her eyes. "I-I'm coming to the hospital now. I don't believe you!" she choked out. Without waiting for him to say anything else, she hung up the call and threw her phone on the bed.

The woman who had stepped into her life after her mother's passing, who had tried in her own way to be a mother to her and had taken her side over Sandra's, was gone? It was impossible.

She refused to accept it.

Her heart beat very fast, and tears blurred her vision as she quickly began to pull on her just discarded clothes.

Without waiting to fully zip up her dress, she headed for the door.

Before she could open it, Derek walked in with a tray of food for her, and he frowned when he saw her fully dressed. "What's wrong? Where are..."

"I'm going to the hospital. I have to go to the hospital, she cried as she bolted out of the room.

Derek frowned as he quickly set down the glass, picked up his car key, and ran after her. "What is going on? Did someone call?" he asked as he walked quickly, trying to catch up with Evelyn, who was running down the stairs.

"My Mom""" she sobbed, stumbling as she descended the stairs.

"Dad said she's.... she's...... I have to go back to the hospital," she said, refusing to associate the word dead with her stepmother.

"Let's go. Come on," he said, trying to match her pace.

The drive to the hospital felt endless. Evelyn sat in the passenger seat, her knuckles white as she gripped the hem of Derek's jacket, which she had taken without realizing it. Tears streamed down her face, and she muttered incoherent prayers under her breath. "She can't be gone," she whispered, her voice breaking. "She can't be..."

Derek reached over, placing a steadying hand on her knee. "We'll get there. Just hold on, okay?"

When they arrived at the hospital, Evelyn practically sprinted through the corridors, not waiting for Derek.

Her father stood outside Claire's room, his face pale, his shoulders slumped in defeat as he cried silently.

"Dad!" Evelyn cried, running to him. "Where is she? Let me see her!"

Her father's head jerked up, his face streaked with tears. "Evelyn..." he choked out as he pulled her into a hug, but Evelyn pushed past him, desperate to get to Claire. She shoved open the door to the

room with trembling hands.

Although Evelyn dreaded the sight of Claire lying cold and lifeless, but that didn't stop her from stepping closer and pulling down the cloth over Claire's lifeless face.

Her knees threatened to give way beneath her as her gaze fell on Claire's pale face. She looked... serene, as though asleep, but her stillness was unbearable.

Evelyn pressed a hand to her mouth, her world spinning. Claire, gone? It didn't feel real. She took another shaky step forward, her hand reaching out toward the woman who had always been a quiet, steady presence in her life.

"You can't do this to me, Mom. I refuse to lose to you. You can't leave me! I won't let you!" Evelyn cried as she lay on Claire's lifeless body.

"What am I supposed to do if you die this way? This is so unfair!

Are you trying to punish me for something? Why do I have to lose you?" Evelyn cried, unable to hold back her tears as they fell freely.

The door opened, and Derek and Eric walked in, but neither of them made any move to stop Evelyn, even though they wanted to.

"I need you, Mom! Please. I need you. Please don't leave me this way. I will forgive Sandra. I will do whatever you want me to, but please don't leave me. What am I supposed to tell Samantha? I need you! You can't just go this way, please," Evelyn cried, sobbing uncontrollably as she prayed for a miracle. Suddenly, a faint sound broke the tension in the room-a rasping breath. Evelyn froze, her heart skipping a beat when she felt the movement.

"Dad... did you hear that?"

Her father looked up, startled. "What are you talking about?"

The sound came again-a shallow, uneven breath. Claire's chest rose faintly under the sheet. Seeing this, Derek hurried out to get the doctor. "Mom!" Evelyn gasped as she jerked back, her grief-stricken face transforming into one of shock.

!Dad, she's alive!" Evelyn cried, and her father rushed to the other side of the bed, his hands trembling as he reached for Claire.

"She's breathing! Dak

"What... how?" He asked as the door burst open, and a nurse rushed in, followed closely by a doctor. "Step back, please!" the doctor ordered as they surrounded Claire's bed.

Evelyn and her father moved aside, clinging to each other as the medical team worked.

Evelyn's heart pounded as she watched the doctor check Claire's vitals. The nurse hooked her up to a monitor, and the room filled with the faint beep of a heartbeat.

"She's stable," the doctor announced after a tense moment. "Her pulse is weak, but it's there."

"How... how is this possible?" Evelyn asked, her voice shaky.

The doctor turned to her with a measured expression. "It was a rare medical situation. I believe she experienced what's known as Lazarus syndrome."

Evelyn stared at him, bewildered. "What does that even mean?"

The doctor adjusted his glasses. "As I said, it's an extremely rare phenomenon where a patient's heart stops, and after failed resuscitation efforts, they are presumed dead. However, minutes - or even hours- later, the heart can spontaneously start beating again. It's caused by a buildup of pressure in the chest during CPR that eventually releases, allowing the heart to restart. In her case, her vital signs were so faint they were undetectable, even to medical equipment..." "So you made a mistake?" Derek asked, clearly upset that his mistake had caused Evelyn so much emotional distress.

"It's more complicated than that," the doctor replied, visibly uncomfortably. "Her vital signs were nonexistent for over ten minutes, and all attempts to revive her failed. We followed protocol. But then..." He trailed off as he gestured to Claire.

"You thought

t she was gone. You told me she was gone!" Éric said, his voice trembling with equal parts relief and disbelief.

ו"

"I understand your frustration" the doctor said calmly. "But the important thing is that she's alive now. We'll monitor her closely and do everything we can." "You're

"Yes," her now to ensure th

the doctor confirmed. "It's as miraculous as it is rare. And we're monitoring her closely now to ensure there are no further complications."

Evelyn's legs gave out, and she collapsed into the chair beside Claire's bed. Tears streamed down her face. Relief and shock warred within her as she clutched her chest. "She's alive!" she whispered, as though saying it aloud would make it more real. Her father knelt beside her, his face wet with tears. "She's alive, he echoed, his voice breaking.

As the nurses adjusted Claire's IV and continued their checks, Evelyn reached for her stepmom's hand, "Thank you, Mom. Thank you for not leaving me," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Claire's

"She's waking uttered briefly, and Evelyn let out a startled gasp.

up!" up!

The doctor stepped closer, checking her reflexes. "Can you hear me?"

Claire's lips parted slightly, and a faint sound emerged - barely a whisper. Evelyn leaned in, holding her breath as her stepmother's eyes flickered open.

"Evie... Sandra..." Claire rasped, her voice weak but unmistakable.

Evelyn burst into tears, gripping Claire's hand tightly. "I'm here. I'm here. You're going to be fine."

Her father moved closer, placing a gentle hand on Claire's

shoulder. "I thought I'd lost you," he said, his voice trembling.

Claire's gaze moved between them, her expression faintly confused but full of love. "I... I'm still here, she whispered, her words fragile but steady.

Evelyn nodded, her tears falling freely. "Yes, you are. Thank you.

Thank you for not leaving me Evelyn cried, her voice shaking. Evelyn exhaled a deep, shuddering breath for the first time in what felt like hours. Claire was alive. And no matter how rare or miraculous the explanation, she would hold onto her mother and never let her go.