After a day of pampering at the spa and a fun shopping spree, Sandra walked into her house feeling energized. The stress Evelyn had put her through during the week had led her to decide she needed to relax her body and mind to think clearly and develop better strategies to deal with Evelyn. And what better way to de-stress than a shopping spree?
Bags of new clothes and shoes dangled from her arms as she made her way through the hall. She couldn't wait for her dinner with the Stones the next evening. She had everything planned perfectly—her outfit, the conversation, and how impressed they would be. She would win Mr. Stone's heart as she had won his wife's, she thought with a smile, remembering the tie and cufflinks she had picked up for him.
As she passed her parents' bedroom, she stopped to let them know she was back and to ask when she could invite Derek over for dinner so they could meet her fiancé. Just as she raised her hand to knock, she heard her father's voice through the door.
"I still can't believe Evelyn raised Samantha all by herself. All these years, she's been doing it alone, without asking for help," her father said, his tone a mix of admiration and disbelief. Sandra's hand froze on the doorknob. Samantha? Her heart skipped a beat as she listened more closely.
"She's done a great job," her mother replied. "I've been thinking about what to do about all the birthdays we've missed. We have to make it up to her somehow. Maybe get Samantha presents for each of the five years we've missed?"
Her mother chuckled softly. "Yeah. I suppose you're a grandpa now. I never thought you'd be saying that. And about the gifts, we can throw her a big party for her sixth birthday coming up soon." Sandra's mouth dropped open. Grandpa? Sixth birthday? The pieces of the conversation clicked together in her mind. Samantha. Her father was talking about being a grandfather. Sandra's eyes widened as she stepped back from the door.
Not wanting them to know she had overheard, she hurried to her room, her mind racing. Evelyn, the perfect daughter, had a daughter? Sandra mused, incredulous. The moment she entered her room, she threw her shopping bags on the bed.
Sandra remembered her mother asking about Sam and Maya on the phone the last time, and when she followed her mother to Evelyn's house, she recalled seeing a pink bike in the yard. She hadn't given it much thought at the time, but now everything made sense.
Was Evelyn married? No. She highly doubted it. If Evelyn were married, she would know, and Evelyn wouldn't be threatening her about Derek.
She stopped pacing when she remembered her mother mentioning a sixth birthday. Even though they had been accusing Evelyn of cheating on Michael, Sandra knew Evelyn wasn't that kind of person. She had loved Michael deeply; there was no way she could have cheated on him. Did that mean Evelyn had a child with Michael? Evelyn had Michael's child? She mused, unsure whether to be amused or horrified.
If her plan to take pictures of Michael and Evelyn in bed together had worked, this would have been the perfect way to expose them.
She resumed pacing, her anger growing with each step. How could Michael impregnate Evelyn? That hadn't been part of their plan. Was Michael aware that Evelyn had been pregnant at the time of their wedding?
She snatched her phone and dialed Michael's number. It rang once before he answered.
"Hey, Sandy, what's up?"
"Where are you?" she snapped.
"Uh, I'm at home. Why?"
"Stay there. I'm coming over right now," she said, her voice shaking with fury.
"Sandra, what's going on?" Michael asked, but she had already hung up.
Sandra grabbed her keys and rushed out. It wasn't long before she was standing outside Michael's door, her heart racing with anger as she fumbled with the key.
Michael, who had been waiting for her, opened the door, looking confused, but Sandra slapped him hard across the face before he could speak.
"You bastard!" she yelled. "How could you do this to me?" She stormed into the house.
Michael's eyes widened in shock. "Sandra, what the hell has gotten into you, and what are you talking about?"
"You know what I'm talking about! Have you always planned to betray me? Is that what the camera in the hotel room was about?" Sandra's voice cracked with emotion.
"I don't have the time or patience for this nonsense, Sandra! And stop talking to me about betrayal when you're the one who drugged me! What the heck is wrong with you? Why would you come to my house and hit me without a reason?" Michael asked angrily.
"Without a reason? Did you just say I don't have a reason? You got Evelyn pregnant, you bastard!"
Michael looked stunned. "What? No, that's impossible. I always used protection with Evelyn. There's no way she could have had my child."
"How am I supposed to believe that?" Sandra shot back, her voice trembling with rage. "I saw a little girl's bike outside her house last time I was there, and I just heard my parents talking about their six-year-old granddaughter! Don't you dare lie to me!"
Michael blinked, his mind racing. He hadn't known Evelyn had a child. He needed to figure out what was going on.
"Evelyn has a child? Calm down and talk to me, will you? Your anger isn't going to solve anything. I swear to you, I never had sex with Evelyn without a condom"
"So, are you saying she had sex with someone else? We both know Evelyn wasn't that sort of person," Sandra said, and Michael sighed.
"Okay, listen," Michael said slowly, trying to calm Sandra down. "I didn't know Evelyn had a kid. But I'll find out. I'll go to her place tomorrow and see for myself, and I will get her to tell me if the child is mine. Don't worry"
"Worry? I'm not worried, Michael. But you should be. You should be worried if that child is yours because I won't forgive you for it," Sandra snapped and stormed out without waiting for a response.
Michael rubbed his face and let out a deep sigh as he watched her go. Evelyn had a child? For him? Michael mused, unsure how to feel.
Did she leave six years ago because she found out about him and Sandra and didn't want him to know about their baby?