The Billionaire's Unexpected Proposal by Samantha

Chapter 140

Derek's mother sat in her bedroom, staring at the phone in her hand. Her heart pounded in her chest as she scrolled through the countless files and messages Derek had left her. Everything was there- recordings, texts, videos- each one unraveling the lies she had believed for so long. It felt like a nightmare, one she couldn't wake up from.

She had trusted Michael and loved him like her own son, but now she felt like a fool.

Unable to

stay still, she rose and paced the length of her room, her fury growing with every step.

How had she been so blind? How had she let Michael manipulate her for so many years? How had she been so gullible to not see through Sandra? Every conversation, every lie they had spun now felt like daggers piercing through her. As she walked, her thoughts raced. How could she have been so cruel to Evelyn? How could she have pushed away her own son, siding with Michael at every turn, while Evelyn- the mother of her granddaughter suffered the consequences? Just then, the door to the bedroom creaked open, and her husband walked in, concern etched on his face. "I guess you've seen everything," he said, his voice steady, but his but his eyes scanned her tense figure.

She

allu

pacing, her eyes wild with disbelief. "I can't believe it," she said, her voice trembling. "I can't believe Michael has been playing me for years! How could I have been so blind? How could I have let this go on right under my nose?" Her husband sighed and walked toward her, his hands outstretched as if to calm her down. "Relax, dear. He fooled us all. Don't let this get the better of you. Well figure it out," he said softly. "Relax?" she almost screamed, stepping back from him, her voice shaking with anger. "How can I relax when I've been an idiot? I've been fighting with Derek my own because of Michael! I believed everything Michael and Sandra told me. And now look where we are. I almost forced Derek into marrying that... that witch!" Her husband nodded patiently. "I get it. I know you feel betrayed. You believed Michael because he's your nephew. You've loved him like your own child."

son-

Mrs. Stone shook her head violently. "No! No, that's not an excuse! I should have seen through him. I should have known!" She threw her hands up, pacing again. "I'm not going to let this slide. I'm going to deal with him! I'm going to deal with those two shameless animals! I'm going to confront him him tonight!" Her husband quickly moved to her side, gently taking her arm. "No. You can't do that."

She whipped her head around to him, her brows furrowed. "Why not? What are we waiting for?"

"I don't think it's time yet," he said quietly. "Let's think this through. If you confront him now, you'll only tip him off. We need to be smart about this. We don't know how far they are willing to go." Taon! "So, what? We should let them continue? For how long? I am not interested in playing games. I want to handle this right now!"

Before he could respond, her phone rang. The shrill sound cut through the tension in the room. She looked down at the screen, and her face twisted with anger when she saw it was Michael. "Answer it calmly," her husband urged. "We need to be careful."

She hesitated, then took a deep, calming breath as she accepted the call and placed it on loudspeaker for her husband's benefit.

"Hello, Aunt," Michael's smooth voice came through the line. "I just wanted to thank you again for the lovely dinner. And I wanted to let you know I've dropped Sandra off, and I just got home." Mrs. Stone clenched her jaw. "That's good," "she forced out, trying to keep her tone even.

Michael continued, his voice sounding casual, almost t too casual. "Also, I hope you will forget everything we discussed at dinner. I really don't want to get Evelyn arrested, Aunt. I know she hurt me, but she's not worth it." Mrs.

"Why not? not?"

barely hiding

pause on the line, and then Michael spoke

to move on now that I understand why she did what she did. Let's just leave it in the past. I want her out of our lives for good. That way, I can really

I'll let it go. But I'm only doing

seemingly relieved. "Thank you, Aunt. I appreciate

the call ended. The room fell into a

left

How could Michael

husband stepped closer, watching her intently. "I know you're upset, but you need

and for that reason,

her husband spoke, her

him, "Why doesn't he want

he's worried that the truth might be revealed if you look too deep. Do you

phone in her hand, her mind

thing in the morning, I'm going to visit

You don't need to get involved in this mess. Derek and I

of me for long enough. I need to see the truth

having gotten all the necessary information from the evidence on the

herself standing in front of the hotel where

"Good morning, ma'am. How can I help

to speak with the person who was working here last Thursday night,"

her to wait. A moment later,

ma'am? You wanted to speak

place on your watch," she said, and after narrating what Derek had said about a lady taking an unconscious woman to the suite, the receptionist nodded. "Yes, I remember." "Can you tell me the

man booked the suite," he

the lady who brought in the unconscious lady?" She asked, and he

her. But I do know that the unconscious lady she brought it in was with the man. She arrived before him and