Michael stormed into Derek's office, his usually composed face twisted in frustration. He approached Derek's desk, where Derek sat, casually glancing up from his laptop. Derek's calm expression didn't change, even though he knew exactly why Michael was there.

Derek leaned back in his chair. "Mike, I've told you before: you have to knock before entering my office. You can't just barge in. I can't keep repeating this. What if I were in a meeting?" Derek scolded.

"I'm sorry, Derek. I confirmed with your secretary beforehand. I just needed to talk to you before I lost my mind," Michael said, resisting the urge to scowl. Keeping up appearances was more important than Derek's perceived stupidity. "Want to sit?" Derek asked, gesturing to a chair. "What's the problem?" He picked up his phone and casually placed it on record.

He knew Michael was about to fabricate a story, probably some elaborate excuse. He'd been waiting for this all morning. He and Evelyn had agreed to record their conversations with Michael and Sandra—more for entertainment than evidence, as the duo were dim-witted clowns.

Oblivious to Derek's actions, Michael threw himself into the chair, rubbing his temples. "I can't believe how stupid I am," he muttered through clenched teeth. "I'm so mad at myself I could die."

Derek raised an eyebrow, maintaining his calm demeanor. "How can you say that? What did you do? Did something happen?" Derek asked, folding his hands on the desk, his voice even and patient.

Michael exhaled sharply, running a hand through his hair. "Yesterday, I got a call from Evelyn."

Derek widened his eyes, feigning surprise. "Evelyn! Why would she call you?"

"That's what I thought!" Michael said, shaking his head. "I was just as shocked. She asked if we could meet and said she wanted to talk things over."

Derek's expression remained neutral, but inwardly, he was struggling to suppress a snort. He doubted Evelyn even had Michael's number, but he knew Michael was acting, and he needed to play along. "And you agreed to meet her?" Derek asked incredulously.

"At first, I wasn't going to. I mean, after all that happened, why would I?" Michael shifted uncomfortably. "But then curiosity got the better of me. I wanted to know why she called off our wedding. I needed closure."

Derek nodded slowly, feigning understanding. "That makes sense. I can see why you'd want that."

Michael continued, his voice dropping as if sharing a dark secret. "She sent me a suite number, not a restaurant or café. That should have been a red flag, but I wasn't suspicious. I thought maybe she lived there."

Derek remained calm, mentally piecing together the story. "So, you went?"

"Yeah," Michael muttered, looking embarrassed. "When I got there, we talked, and she apologized for everything and for cheating on me. She told me a lot, and I forgave her."

"Did you record what she said?" Derek asked, and Michael frowned.

"No, why would I? Maybe I should have. I guess I still saw her as the innocent Evelyn I loved. That's why I didn't think twice when she offered me a drink. The next thing I know, I wake up this morning with Sandra beside me in bed," he said in disbelief.

Derek's mouth twitched, barely containing a smile. This was Michael's angle. He managed to keep his voice steady. "Sandra? In bed with you? How? Do you think Evelyn set this up?"

Michael nodded, his face a mix of anger and disbelief. "I think she's trying to blackmail us, make it look like Sandra and I are having an affair."

Derek leaned forward, acting horrified. "Evelyn doing something like that? That's unbelievable!"

"I know, right?" Michael rubbed his forehead, clearly playing the victim. "The Evelyn I was engaged to was nothing like this. Now she's evil."

Derek sat back, considering Michael's words. He wondered if he would have fallen for this if he didn't know Evelyn personally.

"Why do you think she did this? What's the purpose?" Derek asked. Michael shrugged.

"I think she wants everyone to think she ended things with me because I was having an affair with Sandra. She might send pictures to you. She wants you for herself, like she threatened Sandra," Michael said with a scowl. He thought Evelyn was more likely to send the pictures to Derek than his aunt.

"Right. So, what do you plan to do? Are you going to have her arrested or sue her?" Derek asked, suggesting the reasonable course of action.

The suggestion made Michael freeze, his eyes widening. He quickly shook his head. "No, no. I don't want to go that far."

Derek's voice remained calm, but he pressed on. "Why not? Evelyn crossed a line. She can't get away with this!"

Michael shook his head. "I just don't want to drag this out. It's embarrassing enough that I fell into her trap."

Derek scoffed inwardly. "Have you told my mom or yours about this?" Derek asked, eyeing him with disapproval.

Michael shifted uncomfortably. "I'm not telling them. You know they'd be furious that I agreed to meet with Evelyn. They'd blow the whole thing out of proportion and might arrest her. I don't want that. I just want it to go away quietly."

Derek tilted his head, keeping his tone casual but insistent. "So, you came to me to vent, expecting me to let you do nothing? If you don't do anything, how will this end? I think we should definitely get her arrested. If you don't, I will."

Derek knew exactly what game Michael and Sandra were playing, and he had no intention of letting them win.

Michael blinked, caught off guard. He hadn't expected this reaction, knowing Derek liked Evelyn. He frowned, suspicion creeping into his features. "Why are you pushing this so hard? Do you have something against Evelyn?"

Derek waved a hand dismissively. "Nothing against her. I just think she's gone too far this time."

Michael looked even more confused. "I thought you cared about Evelyn. Why are you being so harsh?"

Derek shrugged. "I did care about her, but that doesn't mean I'll stand by and let her ruin lives. Besides, my focus is on Sandra now. As long as she's involved, I should take action."

Michael shook his head. "The truth is I still love Evelyn. I'd rather try to talk things through with her. I don't think Sandra wants Evelyn arrested, either. Despite everything, Sandra still loves Evelyn very much."

Derek sighed, clearly not buying it, but he didn't want to argue. "That's nonsense. She needs to be dealt with."

Michael narrowed his eyes, more suspicious than ever. "You're acting like this is personal. If you want to punish her, don't let her interview you. I don't want to arrest her, so drop it," he said. Derek barely suppressed a laugh. He pretended to cough, and before he could respond, Michael's phone buzzed. Michael glanced at it; seeing it was Sandra, he looked back at Derek. "Work calls. I need to get back to my office." He stood, offering a forced smile. "Thanks for listening."

Derek nodded, watching Michael leave. The moment the door closed, Derek leaned back and chuckled, pleased with how the conversation had gone. He couldn't believe Michael thought he was so easy to manipulate. He began to doubt the authenticity of everything Michael had ever said.

Just as he was about to return to work, his phone rang. It was Ethan. Smiling, Derek answered. "Hey, how's it going?"

Ethan's voice was warm. "All is well. How's the latest Dad in town and his babies?"

Derek chuckled. "We're all good. What's up with you?"

"I was thinking of stopping by the office later. You free?" Ethan asked.

Derek thought. "I've got a busy day, but we can meet after work at our usual spot. How's the wife hunt going?"

Ethan laughed. "You won't believe it, but I think I've found my perfect match. I'll tell you all about her when we meet."

Derek smiled. "Looking forward to hearing about it."

As they were ending the call, Derek's phone buzzed again. "My dad's calling. Let's catch up later, okay?"

"Sure thing," Ethan replied, and they hung up.

Derek answered his father's call. "Hey, Dad. What's up?"

His father's voice was cheerful. "I was thinking about when you're bringing my granddaughter to see me?"

Derek chuckled. "No hello? No 'how are you doing'? Don't tell me you care more about your granddaughter now?"

"As a matter fact, I do. I had a dream about her last night," his father said with a chuckle.

"You haven't even met her yet, and you're dreaming about her already?" Derek asked, amused by his father's enthusiasm. "When am I seeing her? Or do I have to go find her myself?"

"Don't worry, I already talked with Evelyn. I'm taking her on tomorrow. We can meet somewhere."

"Why meet somewhere?" his father asked. "Just bring her over to the house."

"But Mom"

"Don't worry about your Mom. She doesn't need to know Sam is your daughter yet. Let her naturally fall in love with the kid before we say anything. That way, it'll be harder for her to protest." Derek considered it, then nodded. "That's actually a good idea. I'll do that."