The Billionaire's Unexpected Proposal by Samantha

Chapter 169

Derek arrived at the Quinn house, pulling up to the driveway with a steady resolve. He knew tonight would be a test of his patience and control.

As he approached the front door, it swung open, revealing Sandra, who beamed at him, her face lighting up with enthusiasm. It seemed like she had been waiting for him. "Derek! You're here!" she exclaimed, stepping forward as if to hug him, but he subtly shifted, pretending to give her a once-over.

"You look good, Sandra", he said, making her flush with pleasure and not realize that he had just avoided her hug.

"You're always so full of compliments. Thank you," she said with a wide smile and then ushered him in, "Come in, come in! My parents are so eager to see you."

Claire and Eric, who were seated in the living room watching the television, looked up when Derek followed Sandra into the living room.

They both maintained a carefully neutral expression so as not to give away the fact that they were familiar with him already.

"Dad, Mom, this is Derek, CEO of Stone Corp. Derek, my parents," Sandra said with a beaming smile as she did the introductions. Claire and Eric greeted him with warm smiles and extended their hands with a practiced air of cordiality.

"Hello, Derek," Claire said, her tone deliberately neutral.

"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Quinn," Derek replied, giving them a polite nod.

They exchanged the usual pleasantries, keeping the conversation light and cordial while Sandra went in to finish her look and get her purse.

All three of them could sense the tension in the room, apart from Sandra, who had no idea that they were all very much aware of her plans.

After a few minutes, Sandra reappeared, her makeup finished, and her excitement apparent. "Alright, ready to go!" she announced, glancing at her parents. "I will be back late. Or not. Don't wait up," she said as she reached for Derek's arm, attempting to hold on to him, but he subtly stepped aside, gesturing toward the door.

"We will be leaving now. 'Il bring her back early," Derek promised, and Sandra pouted for a moment but quickly masked it with a smile since she didn't want to offend Derek by seeming too clingy.

"Our reds don't match. Mine looks sharper while yours is deep" she observed as they walked outside.

"You told me red. You didn't exactly give me a specific shade," he pointed out, glad that it didn't match.

"You're right. I suppose red is red. It doesn't matter the shade," she said, and Derek hoped she would think so when she saw Evelyn's outfit.

When they got to the car, Derek opened the car door for her and then took his place behind the wheel.

As he drove, she tried to make small talk, chatting about her week and work and how she was excited about the evening ahead, but he only offered brief responses, his thoughts elsewhere.

In his mind, Derek kept replaying his last conversation with Evelyn before Ethan's call came in. He was concerned about the tension he'd noticed in her earlier and wondered if she'd truly been okay.

Had something else happened that she wasn't telling him? And why had she claimed she received a kitchen delivery yet had come out from the guest room instead of the kitchen? Something felt off, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was hiding something. "Derek?" Sandra's voice broke into his thoughts, pulling him back to the present. "Hmm?" he murmured, barely glancing her way.

distracted," she observed with a hint of annoyance that she

I'm wondering what I'm going to say and how I'm going

in. I'm

sure when they know who you are, they will be the ones trying to entertain you," she said with a smirk, proud of herself for getting a man like

in her mind that Evelyn had lost Derek and didn't even stand a chance with him. Not when she was a Babymama to some man. All she had to do now was get Evelyn and Michael out of the picture to secure

it, Sandra looked away from Derek as she pulled out her phone, remembering that she had

crazy texts that would make it seem like he is

checking the group chat to see if everyone has arrived," she

at Rayna's bakery, which was the venue, Derek parked and stepped out of the

immediately looked around

his chest tighten at the sight of her. The red color matched his own perfectly, and he resisted the urge to smile, keeping his composure so

Derek's gaze on her, and when she turned and saw him, she pressed her lips together to keep

face fell when she

which fit Derek's red perfectly and made her own attire seem a shade too sharp and out of place beside

she glanced from Evelyn to Derek to see if he had noticed Evelyn looking at him, but to Sandra's pleasure, Derek was smiling down at

Sandra noticed, to her frustration, that the only available seats were one next to

waves from former classmates since Sandra wasn't exactly very friendly with

sit next to my boyfriend?" Sandra asked hopefully since

mingling. No one is to sit beside their partner since they would be too distracted to focus on the rest of us," Rayna said sweetly, and Evelyn resisted the urge to giggle. Evelyn had not noticed what Rayna had done until then, and it warmed her heart to see that Rayna was looking out for her so that she wouldn't have to see Sandra

sense. Why do I have to sit separately from

scene," Derek whispered, and

all the time in the world to spend with your fine-looking boyfriend. A couple of minutes away

sit beside Evelyn, seeing as you both don't get along. I don't want any fighting in my bakery," Rayna said, and Sandra scowled at her while the others murmured

possibly could have torn you both

miss the opportunity Rayna had presented, Derek spoke quickly. "She is right. I will sit beside Evelyn, and you can sit here. It's only for a couple of hours. It's

Sandra settled in the seat opposite Evelyn as Derek held out the seat for her, and after that, Derek went to take

Evelyn greeted him

see you again," she murmured, her gaze meeting

even though it was only for show. "Same here. You look gorgeous," he said flatly, but from the look

tell it was a genuine

under the table, he reached for her hand and gently squeezed

felt butterflies flutter in her stomach, and she held back

both know each other?"

This is

fumed as she watched the interaction, her irritation

as she watched Sandra's irritation. "You know, if I

as she glared at Rayna. "Derek is my boyfriend, not Evelyn's," she snapped. "Don't