Neither Sandra nor Michael spoke as he drove her home. The quiet hum of the car was the only sound as Sandra stared out the window, lost in thought. She was still disappointed that Michael, not Derek, was driving her home; she had hoped to spend more time with Derek. Michael, however, was reeling from the events of dinner. "Damn Derek and his big mouth," he thought. "If only Derek had kept quiet." But it wasn't Derek's fault; it was Sandra's. If only she hadn't pulled that stunt and simply gone to the hotel as he'd asked, without involving Evelyn, none of this would have happened. His grip tightened on the steering wheel as he abruptly pulled the car over.

Sandra turned to ask him why he was stopping, but without warning, Michael grabbed her throat.

Sandra gasped, her eyes wide with terror. "Michael! What the hell are you doing?" she choked out, her hands clawing at his.

His voice was low and angry. "What did you plan to do, Sandra? Why did you try to drug Evelyn? You think I wouldn't find out?"

Sandra's mind raced as she struggled for breath, fear coursing through her veins. "What what are you talking about? I didn't—" she stammered, feigning innocence.

"Don't play dumb with me!" Michael snarled, his face inches from hers. His grip tightened momentarily before he released her.

Sandra coughed, gasping for air as she stumbled back against the door, shaking, and clutching her neck.

"You tried to set me up with Evelyn, didn't you? You thought you could drug her, drug me, and make me look like a fool. Do you like Derek that much?" Michael's words were sharp. Sandra's voice trembled. "Michael, I don't know what you're talking about you're scaring me." She tried to sound convincing, but her heart pounded. He wasn't falling for her act. He could see the fury in his eyes. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "Don't mess with me, Sandra. You set this whole thing up, and I'm done with you. You're not marrying Derek. Our deal is off."

Sandra's fear quickly turned to anger. She straightened, her voice sharp. "You don't get to decide that anymore, Michael. I'm marrying Derek whether you like it or not." Michael's eyes flashed. "You think you're walking into that family without my blessing? I paved the way for you, Sandra. I brought you into this. If I decide you're out, you're out. I'll block every step you take." Sandra's lips curled into a bitter smile. "You wouldn't. Because if you try, I'll expose you. I know more about your schemes than you think. So stay out of my path, Michael. It's in your best interest." Michael clenched his jaw. "I can't believe I ever trusted a bitch like you."

Sandra shot back, her voice laced with contempt. "I'm a bastard too. Don't get mad just because I'm playing the same game as you. You planted that camera so you could blackmail me with those photos to keep me in check," she snapped.

"I didn't want to blackmail you! I only wanted leverage," Michael retorted. "We're the same, Michael. We think alike, so stop acting surprised and betrayed."

Sandra laughed scornfully. "Leverage, blackmail—same difference." They stared at each other, the tension thick. Finally, Sandra's tone softened. "We were both wrong. We shouldn't have planned what we did. I'm sorry. We've both come a long way, and I don't want us to fight. We both want the same thing. I want to be Derek's wife. And honestly, you stand to gain more than lose if I marry him. I'll make sure you're always taken care of. I'll push things in your favor. We can still work together."

Michael remained silent for a moment, then sighed. "Fine. You can keep going. But only on one condition—you stay my lover. No more games, no more stunts."

Sandra raised an eyebrow skeptically. "And how do I know I can trust you not to take more photos? How do I know you won't try to ruin me?"

Michael's expression was unreadable. "As long as you don't give me reasons to doubt you, I won't. Just don't try anything stupid like the other night."

Sandra leaned back, exhaling. "Fine."

Silence fell. Then Sandra spoke again. "But what about Evelyn? If she gets arrested, she might have proof that I drugged her. Everything could fall apart."

Michael cursed, gripping the wheel. "It's Derek's fault. He's the one pushing for this. I thought he'd be defending her as usual, not throwing her under the bus. I don't understand why he wants her arrested so badly."

Sandra smirked. "Shouldn't you be glad? It clearly shows Derek is done with her."

Michael paused. "Yeah, but did you notice? He didn't seem shocked about Evelyn having a kid. He didn't even blink. Something's off."

Sandra nodded. "Maybe that's why he's so determined to punish her. Maybe he realized she wasn't as good as he thought, and now he's angry. Did you really see the kid's father, or were you fibbing?"

Michael scowled. "I saw him. His name is Liam. I still can't believe she cheated on me."

Sandra smiled. "Well, it looks like Evelyn wasn't as innocent as we thought. It's a good thing she's not in our way anymore. I'll talk to Rayna. I need her help deleting that video."

Michael's head snapped toward her. "What video?"

Sandra looked away, shame washing over her. "Someone caught me on camera putting something in Evelyn's drink."

Michael's eyes flared. "Are you for real? Have you lost your senses? Do you realize what you've done?"

Sandra swallowed, her voice trembling. "I didn't know what I was thinking. I'm sorry. I will take care of it, I promise."

Michael sighed heavily, running his hands over his face. "When is Evelyn supposed to resume at the magazine?"

"Tomorrow," Sandra replied.

"Fine," Michael said coldly. "You can arrange for someone to steal her phone tomorrow. And I will talk to my aunt and convince her to drop the hotel investigation and leave Evelyn alone. We can't afford any more loose ends."

"That sounds like a good idea," Sandra agreed, worried Evelyn might ruin her plans. "To prove we're back to being partners, why don't you be a good girl and give me some sugar?" Michael asked, placing her hand on his thigh.

Sandra rolled her eyes, but a smile played on her lips as she unzipped his fly and performed oral sex on him.

With that settled, Michael restarted the engine and drove her home.