The Billionaire's Unexpected Proposal by Samantha

Chapter 202

Derek and Maya remained in each other's embrace, their hearts beating in sync as the intensity of the moment

enveloped them.

Everything else around them seemed to fade away, leaving only the warmth of their connection and the

unspoken words that lingered between them.

Evelyn carefully stepped back into the sleeping area, not wanting to get in the way or interrupt their reunion. Her

heart was at ease, knowing that Derek's sister was Maya, whom they already considered family. After what felt

like forever, Derek pulled away to look into Maya's face. The face he had gotten used to without knowing was his

sisters.

He opened his mouth to say something but then closed it when something else cto mind. They were still on

their way to Husla when they should have been heading back to Ludus.

"Givea moment. | need to speak to the pilot," he said, and Maya nodded.

"| suppose you want to tell him we're turning around"" Maya said awkwardly, and Derek nodded.

"Yeah. I'll be right back. We have so much to talk about," Derek said before going to inform the pilot that there

was a change of plans.

As Maya returned to her seat and waited for Derek to return, tears slid down her cheeks, and her lips curved in a

shaky smile. Her mind drifted to her thoughts that morning.

Who would've thought that Evelyn was going to be her sister-in-law, that Samantha, whom she had nurtured

since she was a baby, was actually her niece, and that she was expecting another niece or nephew?

To think she had raised her brother's child without even realizing it brought fresh drops of tears to her face. Like

Samantha, she had also met her brother on her first day in Ludus without realizing it.

She looked up when Derek joined her again, and she sniffled. "I still can't believe it. You're really my brother?"

She asked as Derek took the seat opposite her.

"I'm still trying to believe it myself, but I'm glad it's you," Derek said as he reached out and brushed the tears

from her cheeks.

"You remember this?" Maya asked, referring to the locket since it was what had drawn Derek's attention.

"Not entirely. It just seemed so familiar when | saw it on you last night, and | couldn't tell why. And then | had a

dream, and | saw something similar," Derek said, and Maya looked down at the locket. "Perhaps you would have

known if | had taken it out earlier.

Yesterday was the first t| took it out since | received it from my late mother," she explained.

"What did she tell you? And how long have you been searching for me?" Derek asked, and Maya took a deep

breath, gathering her

thoughts.

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"I only just started searching for you. | wasn't sure you would rememberor that you would wantto be

involved in your life. But for sreason, | just felt the urge to find you," she said, and Derek leaned back, his

eyes locked on hers. "Have you always known about me?" he asked, and Maya shook her head.

"l only learned about you syears ago when my mom, the woman who raised me, was dying. She toldthe

truth that she wasn't my birth mother and that my parents had died in a car crash when | was just a baby, and

she had taken my brother to the orphanage hbecause she didn't have the means to care for us both."

Her voice cracked, but she pushed on. "She gavethis locket and toldit was the only thing left of my real

family, and | was holding on to it when she found me. All this while, | hadn't thought of finding my brother even

though | had the information | needed to find him, but after receiving so much love from you and Evelyn, |

decided to find my brother- if he was even alive. | never imagined it would be you, Derek. | didn't think I'd ever

find you," she said as fresh tears flowed from her eyes.

"I'm sorry | didn't find you all this while. | can't imagine how tough things must have been for you," Derek said

softly.

"I always knew | was adopted, but | knew nothing about you. | totally lost the memory of my life before the

accident. | only found out about your existence recently, and that's why | started searching for you," Derek said,

and Maya nodded, understanding that he had only been a kid then. "Better late than never, right?" She asked,

and Derek took a shaky breath, his gaze softening as he nodded.

"Telleverything, Maya. | want to know everything. Tellabout your mom. How did she find us?" Derek

asked, curious to know how she had taken them out of the car wreck.

"She said she was returning halone from a late night shift when she saw the car. It was burning, but my

brother... you were seated away from the car within your arms, crying. We were both crying and terrified.

She said she couldn't ignore the cries, so she got out to help. She said our parents were already gone by the

tshe got there. She couldn't save them..." Maya paused, her voice trembling as she wiped away her tears.

Although Derek was confused about how he got out of the car with Maya, he knew Maya wouldn't have the

answer since she was telling the story as she had been told.

"She took us hthat night because she feared | wouldn't survive the night without immediate care. She

planned to take both of us in, but her circumstances were dire. She barely had enough to feed herself, let alone

two children. So, the next morning, she took you to the local orphanage and kept me. She said it broke her heart

to separate us, but she thought you'd have a better chance at life through the orphanage."

Derek leaned forward, his voice filled with quiet intensity. "I don't blher for that. It must ve been an

impossible choice for her.

But she saved our lives. Without her, neither of us would be here today."

Maya nodded a bittersweet smile on her face. "She was a good woman, Derek. She raiseddespite her

husband's objection and gaveeverything she could. | loved her deeply, and | miss her every day."

Derek reached across the table and took her hands in his. "I wish | could ve met her. She sounds like a

remarkable woman." "She was," Maya whispered, squeezing his hands.

"Things must have been tough for you after her death," he said, and Maya nodded.

"Her husband-made life difficult for me, but thankfully, Evelyn showed up and employedas her live-in nanny,

and | have been with her

since then," Maya said, and net

then

smiled, "Evelyn is going to be so

shocked when she finds out I'm your

sister."

Derek smiled, "Yes. And she brought you towithout knowing," Derek said, his heart filled with gratitude for

Evelyn.

"Life is quite unpredictable"" Maya said thoughtfully, "I never would have imagined that something like this

would happen. | was still in awe of your relationship with Samantha, and now this," she said, and Derek

squeezed her hand.

He knew he should probably tell her

how their parents’ died, but he

wasn't sure.n now was the tto get into that. He would get to it

eventually, but for now, he justel.ne

wanted them to savor this moment before bringing that unpleasantness into the picture.

They spent the next few hours talking about their lives before now, crying, smiling, and laughing happily at being

reunited.

As the jet prepared to land, Derek rose. "I should check on Evelyn.

I'll join you shortly," he said, his voice soft.

Maya nodded. "You should," she said, wondering what Evelyn's reaction would be when she heard about her

being Derek's sister. Yeah. She was Derek's sister. She mused, a smile gracing her lips again. No matter the

number of times she said it, it still amazed her.

As she watched Derek go, she wondered what Liam's reaction be when she told him. What about Derek's and

Evelyn's parents?

She was going to think about all that later. What mattered now was that she had found her brother, and he was

someone who had already considered her family, so she didn't need to be scared of being rejected by him.

As Derek walked into the sleeping area, he was surprised to find Evelyn sitting up, wide awake, her eyes red-

rimmed but steady. She looked at him, her expression unreadable.

"How long have you been awake? Are you okay? Why are you crying?" he asked with a concerned frown as he

joined her and took her hands.

"I'm okay. I just couldn't sleep," she said and embraced Derek.

Derek hugged her back, "I need to tell you something," Derek said softly, but Evelyn pulled back to look into his

face.

"I know," she said, her voice trembling. "I overheard everything."

"You did?" he asked, surprised, and she gave him a nod.

"I'm so happy for you, Derek. I'm happy for Maya, too. It's just so incredible that you're both siblings. I still can't

wrap my head around it," she said as tears slid down her cheeks, and Derek brushed her tears off. "You made

this possible, baby. You've been caring for my sister this whole time," he said, his voice trembling with emotion.

"She has been the one caring for Sam and me," Evelyn said as she embraced Derek again. "And I'm sorry," she

said, and Derek frowned.

"What for?" He asked, confused.

"| realize now why you were looking at her necklace. | can't believe I..."

"Let's not talk about that. It's in the past," he said, kissing her lightly and hugging her again.

"Thank you," he murmured after a while.

"What for?" Evelyn asked, confused.

"For everything. Thank you for bringing Samantha and Maya into my life. You gavea complete family," he

said, feeling even more grateful than ever. Evelyn's face broke into a small, teary smile. "It wasn't me, Derek.

The universe is in favor of you. That's why they sent Maya to me," she said, pulling back to look at his face.

"You should go back to her. She needs her brother after being

separated from you for so long," Evelyn urged, and Derek nodded.

"Cwith me. Let's go together," Derek said, and although Evelyn was reluctant to join them, Derek took her

with him.

As Derek and Evelyn walked in, Maya looked up, and as soon as she saw Evelyn, she rose, and her tears started

afresh. "I... Derek... he's..."

Evelyn covered the distance and enveloped her in a hug. "It's okay, Maya," she whispered. "I know everything,

and I'm happy for you.

I'm happy for you both."

The two women cried in each other's arms while Derek stood silently nearby, watching with gratitude and love.

His eyes teared up as he watched them, and he walked over and embraced them both.

They all settled in their seats when the pilot announced that they were about to land, and each of them

struggled to compose themselves.

As the jet descended, they were all filled with gratitude for the way fate had brought them together, hope, and

the anticipation of what lay ahead.

The events of the past hours had been nothing short of miraculous, and the bonds they had discovered nurtured,

and reinforced during the flight marked the beginning of a new chapter in their lives- one filled with promise and

healing.