The room was bathed in the soft glow of the bedside lamp as Derek lay beside Evelyn, his arms wrapped around her. His fingers absentmindedly stroked her hair as he watched her sleep peacefully. He could tell she was exhausted; she had fallen asleep mid-conversation about getting more help around the house to reduce Maya's workload, allowing Maya to focus solely on Samantha. Suddenly, a sharp ping broke the stillness.

Derek's phone lit up on the nightstand. Frowning, worried it might disturb Evelyn, he carefully extricated his arm and reached for it. More pings followed, piquing his curiosity as the screen flashed with notifications. He unlocked the phone to see voice recordings and videos from his source, who was monitoring bugs and cameras in Michael's apartment. His stomach tightened when he saw an audio file titled "Urgent."

Before he could listen, Evelyn stirred. Her eyes fluttered open, confused. "What's that?" she mumbled, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. "Who's messaging you at this hour?" Derek sighed, giving her a sheepish smile. "Sorry for waking you, babe. It's it's about Sandra and Michael. I think it's important."

At the mention of their names, Evelyn sat up straighter, concern etched on her face. "What did they do this time?"

Derek narrowed his eyes at his phone. "I haven't listened yet. It's recordings and videos. The late hour suggests it's important." He played the urgent recording, and they both listened intently as Sandra's calculating, malicious voice crackled through the speakers. She suggested they get rid of Evelyn.

Evelyn's breath hitched, her face paling. She clutched the blanket, her heart pounding. Derek's hand froze on the phone as fury surged through him. "She's planning to kill me," Evelyn whispered, her voice trembling.

She knew Sandra disliked her, but this shocked her. What had she done to deserve such hatred?

Derek slammed his phone on the bed, his expression dark and unforgiving. His jaw clenched, barely containing his rage. "What kind of person is she?" he asked. Seeing Evelyn's pallor, he shook his head. "I won't let that happen. I swear, Evelyn, Sandra will pay for this. I'll submit this to the police and get her arrested. She won't get near you," he promised fervently.

Evelyn shook her head, tears welling. "We can't use this evidence, Derek. It was obtained illegally. How will you explain planting bugs in Michael's house?"

Derek's face hardened, his mind racing. He'd only wanted evidence of their affair; he hadn't expected Sandra to go this far. "I didn't think she would plan something this extreme"

Evelyn bit her lip, still shaken. "Neither did I. I don't understand why she hates me so much."

Derek took her hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm going to have her phone bugged. Sandra is more dangerous than Michael now. I'll make sure she slips up."

Evelyn swallowed hard. "How am I supposed to look her in the face? How do I act normal around someone plotting my murder?"

"You won't have to put up with her long," Derek said firmly, pulling her into his arms. "I'll deal with this. I promise. But you need some sleep."

Evelyn stared at him incredulously. "How do you expect me to sleep after hearing my sister is planning to kill me?"

Derek sighed, holding her tighter. "I know it was hard, but staying awake won't solve this. You work tomorrow; try to rest. I promise I won't let her touch a hair on your head. I'll keep you safe."

"If she plans to kill me, what do you think she would do to Samantha if she finds out she is yours?" Evelyn asked, her thoughts drifting to Samantha.

"Do you trust me?" Derek asked, lifting her chin so she would look into his eyes.

Evelyn nodded. "Then believe me when I say no harm will come to you or Samantha. I'll do whatever it takes to keep you both safe. Now sleep," Derek said, turning off the lamp.

As Derek held Evelyn close in the darkness, he felt her trembling body and silent tears. His heart broke for her, but beneath his sadness, anger boiled. He held her closer, already calculating his next move. He would protect her, even if it meant destroying Sandra. Sandra had crossed a line, and she would pay, whether or not she was Evelyn's sister. He would catch her and end her plans.

The next morning, Evelyn pulled into the company parking lot in her new car. The silver exterior gleamed. She allowed herself a flicker of pride before it vanished as she saw Sandra's car beside hers.

Evelyn stiffened, memories of the night surging back. Sandra's cold words echoed in her mind. She'd tossed and turned all night, plagued by nightmares. Seeing Sandra step out of her car, every muscle tensed. She wasn't sure what to do. Could she pretend everything was normal? She started to walk away, but Sandra caught up with her.

"Evie, I see you've got a new car. It's a beauty. Congratulations," Sandra said lightly, though her stomach churned with jealousy. She wondered how Evelyn could afford it.

Evelyn's mouth went dry. Her stomach churned; she imagined Sandra tampering with her car.

Sandra's eyes narrowed at Evelyn's silence. "Why so quiet this morning?" she asked mockingly. "Come on, we have articles to review."

As Sandra turned, something snapped in Evelyn. She couldn't live in fear. "Sandra," Evelyn's voice was more forceful than she intended. Sandra paused. "Why do you hate me so much?"

Sandra slowly turned, her face blank. "What are you talking about?" she asked casually, but with an edge.

Evelyn clenched her fists. "Don't act like you don't know. We're alone. Why do you hate me? Why have you been making my life miserable? What did I do?"

Sandra sighed, the smile vanishing. She glanced around before her eyes landed back on Evelyn. "Is this another attempt to record me?" she asked coldly. "I'm not recording anything. I just want to know. I need to know." Evelyn's voice wavered, but she held her ground.

Sandra pulled out her phone, typing furiously. She turned the screen toward Evelyn: [How can you ask that? Have you forgotten how you treated me like trash when your father married my mother?]

Evelyn's eyes widened. Her mind raced, but nothing seemed right.

"That's not true," Evelyn said, shaking her head.

Sandra snorted, typing again: [Your father treated you like a princess, while my mother tried to win your heart. You got all the attention; I was ignored. You always got everything first—every decision, every gift, every bit of attention. I was always left with your leftovers, always in your shadow. You controlled everything. You were always the golden one. Nothing I did could ever compare. I hate you for it. I always have.]

A cold chill swept through Evelyn. She opened her mouth to protest, but the words stuck. Was that how Sandra had seen things? "But that's not true" Evelyn whispered, her chest tight with disbelief and hurt. "I am your older sister"

"Sister? You're not my sister," Sandra interrupted, her eyes dark with resentment.

Evelyn felt the ground pulled from under her. "Have you always felt this way? Has there never been a moment when you thought of me as your sister or friend?" Evelyn asked, her voice breaking. Sandra's lips curled into a bitter smile. "Sister? Friend? No, Evelyn. Never. I've hated you for as long as I can remember," Sandra replied coldly. She turned and walked away, leaving Evelyn frozen.

Evelyn stared, stunned into silence, her heart pounding. She'd thought it was jealousy, but now she realized it was a hatred so deep it shook her.