Chapter 21

The following day, Derek and Evelyn visited Sandra as planned before going to his parents' home to inform them of their findings and pick up Samantha.

As they approached the gray concrete walls of the prison, Derek tightened his grip on Evelyn's hand. The air felt heavy; the echoes of distant voices and the sharp clang of metal gates made Evelyn's heart race. It was her first prison visit, and she felt uneasy.

That morning, Derek had again tried to dissuade her, but she insisted. Sandra had requested a visit, and despite her complicated feelings, Evelyn needed to know why.

A guard escorted them through security checks to a small visitation room. A metal table sat in the center, flanked by two sets of chairs. Evelyn's eyes drifted to the scratched table, her thoughts swirling with uncertainty. The opposite door creaked open, and Sandra entered.

Evelyn gasped. Sandra was a shadow of her former self: pale, hollow-cheeked, her once-vibrant complexion gone. Her hair, limply tied back, lacked its usual luster. In her prison uniform, she seemed smaller, diminished by the weight of her actions.

Sandra entered, eyes fixed on the ground, nervously twisting her hands as she sat. Her shoulders were hunched, her gaze remaining on the table. Despite everything, Evelyn felt a pang of pity.

"How are you?" Evelyn asked softly, her concern unexpected.

Sandra's head snapped up, surprised. "I'm fine," she whispered hesitantly. "Thank you for coming."

Derek leaned forward, his expression hard. "She shouldn't have come. I didn't want her to, but she insisted." His voice held a warning. "Don't make me regret bringing her here."

Sandra nodded quickly, glancing at Derek before returning to Evelyn. "I won't," she said, her voice wavering. "I-I wanted to apologize. For everything."

Evelyn's brow furrowed, but she waited for Sandra to explain.

Sandra swallowed hard, her hands trembling. "I've had a lot of time to think," she began, her voice trembling. "And I've realized how wrong I was. My anger at you, Evelyn—it wasn't justified. You didn't deserve what I did and tried to do to you." Tears welled in her eyes. "Even when you found out about my affair with Michael, you didn't expose me. You didn't ruin me, even though you could have."

"Is that why she wanted to see you?" Derek interrupted coldly. "To justify her sudden change of heart? If that's all, she doesn't need to hear it. We're leaving."

Sandra flinched, but before she could respond, Evelyn placed a calming hand on Derek's arm. He turned, his jaw clenched, but her touch eased some of his tension.

Evelyn knew Derek was angry about Sandra's father's actions against his parents and Sandra's attempt on her life.

"Why now?" Evelyn asked, her voice steady but curious. "Why did you ask to see me?"

Sandra's lips quivered. "I promised God I would do this if he brought Mom back to life."

Evelyn hesitated. "Do you know why your biological father went to jail?"

Sandra's brow furrowed in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"Your biological father, Victor Harding," Evelyn said. Sandra shook her head slowly.

"How did you know about him? Did Mom tell you? Why are you asking me that?" she whispered.

Evelyn exhaled, locking eyes with Sandra. "Your biological father murdered Derek's parents."

The color drained from Sandra's face. Her lips parted in shock; her eyes darted between Derek and Evelyn. "What?" she breathed, her voice barely audible. Tears welled up. "No that can't be true."

"It is," Evelyn said firmly. "We recently uncovered the truth. He killed Derek's parents and tried to cover it up. And now, you—you've followed in his footsteps. You've hurt people, lied, manipulated, all for your own gain."

Sandra's tears flowed freely. "I didn't know," she choked out. "I swear, I didn't know."

Evelyn nodded slowly, her voice softening. "We know you weren't aware. Even Mom had no idea it was Derek's parents. I thought you should know."

"I'm sorry," Sandra cried, looking from Evelyn to Derek. Derek remained stony-faced, his jaw tight at the thought of Sandra's father killing his parents and Sandra attempting to kill Evelyn.

"Like you, I promised I'd forgive you if Mom woke up, so I have. But you need to understand something, Sandra." Evelyn leaned forward, her eyes piercing. "Mom doesn't deserve a daughter like you—not after living with a man like your father. I hope you stay here long enough to truly change because that's the only way you can make things right."

Sandra sobbed openly, her hands covering her face. Evelyn stood, her expression calm but resolute. Derek rose, his posture stiff with barely contained anger. "Let's go," Evelyn said gently but firmly.

Without another word, they left Sandra to grapple with the weight of her actions and the truth Evelyn had revealed.