Arlyn and Derek waited for Maya to bring Samantha back from the park. Derek paced the living room, his mind still spinning from the revelation. He couldn't wrap his head around it—Samantha, the bright little girl he adored and had grown fond of, was his daughter. Every interaction they'd had suddenly took on new meaning. How had he not seen it before?

He glanced at Evelyn, who sat on the couch, her eyes following his every step. Although a part of him was still upset that he had missed out on the earlier years of Samantha's life and that Evelyn had deliberately kept it from him for over three weeks, he was also filled with awe. She had done such an amazing job raising Samantha alone. Evelyn, the woman he had fallen for at first sight and lost, had carried the weight of motherhood by herself while he remained oblivious.

"What are you thinking?" Evelyn's voice cut through the silence.

Derek shook his head. "I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that you have a child for me, and not just any child. Samantha I just can't believe that Samantha is actually my child," he admitted, his voice raw with emotion.

Misunderstanding him, she frowned. "We could have a DNA"

"No. Don't get me wrong, Eve. I don't doubt you. Not in any way. It's just that all this time, we've been interacting, and I didn't know" He let out a soft, disbelieving chuckle. "From the first time I met her, I felt this connection, but couldn't explain why. Now, it totally makes sense. I never really believed in that 'parent-child connection' stuff, but I know I felt it with Sam. There was this pull, this inexplicable feeling."

Evelyn smiled faintly, understanding his shock. "I was surprised when I realized you were the 'Rek' Samantha always talked about."

Derek's brow furrowed. "When did you know about my friendship with her?"

"I always knew Samantha had a little friend called Rek," Evelyn said softly. "From the first day we arrived in Ludus, I knew she had met him in the hotel lobby. I always assumed he was a kid she had a crush on. I didn't know Rek was an adult, let alone you, until Saturday. That's when Maya corrected my impression, and everything clicked."

Derek frowned. "So, when we talked last night and I told you about my little friend, did you know I was talking about Samantha?"

Evelyn swallowed hard, guilt flickering in her eyes as she nodded. "Yes, I knew."

Derek's jaw tightened, a mix of frustration and understanding swirling in his chest. "You could have told me then. Why didn't you?"

Evelyn sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I didn't know how. I was still processing everything myself. How was I supposed to say something like that in the middle of our conversation?" Derek sighed. "I suppose you're right."

"And I actually scolded Samantha to stop hanging out with you, especially after she told me she asked you to marry her," Evelyn confessed. To her surprise, Derek chuckled.

Now that Derek remembered Samantha's innocent request, he smiled. "She put me in such an awkward position with that," he said, shaking his head.

"I'm sure she did. I was taken aback when she told me that," Evelyn admitted. Derek walked over to sit beside her. "You did such a wonderful job raising her on your own, Eve. I can't imagine how tough it must have been, especially considering how heartbroken you must have been at the time. Thank you for keeping the pregnancy a secret, even though you didn't even know me. Thank you for taking good care of our daughter. Thank you for bringing her back to me. She's such a beautiful and wonderful child," Derek said, and tears gathered in Evelyn's eyes.

"I'm in the picture now, so you don't have to do it alone anymore. You won't have to. And just so you know, you are stuck with me for life now. You really can't leave me anymore, Eve. We are going to be a family. I want you and Sam in my life. You're going to be my wife, Eve. I'm not asking, I'm telling you," Derek said, and Evelyn's lips curved into an amused smile.

"And if I say no?"

"I'm sure Samantha won't say no. And if you do, I'm just going to kidnap you, take you to an island somewhere far away, and you'll be forced to marry me. There's no way out," he said, and she giggled.

"Do you really think we can do that, Derek?" Evelyn asked, her doubts and worries evident in her green eyes.

"We can. And we will," he said, then his smile faded. "But Maya always let people talk to Samantha the way they let anyone else!" he asked with a frown.

Evelyn sighed again. "Honestly? I have no idea. Maya is a good nanny. She's been with us since Samantha was a baby. But I was surprised when I found out how much access she allowed you to have. I scolded her for it, so I'm sure she won't repeat it."

Derek's expression darkened. "Now that I know Sam is my daughter, I'm not okay with that. We need to make sure no one has that kind of access to her unless we approve. I don't even want anyone looking at her twice. I'm going to have to talk with Maya."

Evelyn nodded, a smile twitching her lips at his instant protectiveness. "You're right. That has to stop."

Derek crossed his arms, his mind already shifting to the dangers surrounding them. "And until we deal with Sandra and Michael, we need to take extra precautions. I don't trust them not to try something if they find out about Samantha. We can't risk it."

Evelyn's face tightened with worry. "I've been thinking of that too. I've been doing my best to keep her a secret."

"How about I move you both to somewhere safer? This place is too open. Anyone driving by can see you. Let's get a house in a more private environment. Probably an estate," he suggested.

"We have been moving from one place to another since I returned to Ludus"

"Running from me," Derek pointed out.

Evelyn winced. "Not totally. But Samantha needs stability."

"And she will be. What I mean is, let's get our home. You and Samantha can stay there, and I'll stay in the hotel until we have resolved everything. And then when we get married, I'll move in with you," Derek said, and Evelyn's heart skipped a beat.

"Our home? Isn't that too soon? I mean, aren't we moving too fast?" She asked, and Derek looked at her incredulously.

"If you ask me, we are not moving fast enough. I've missed out on both you and Sam's life, and I don't want to waste more time than necessary. I don't think you understand yet that I love you. You've been engraved in my heart from the moment I saw you six years ago, and I want you in my life. Not temporarily, Eve. I want you for life," Derek said, his voice firm yet gentle.

"Now, back to the subject, I want you out of here," he said, and she sighed.

"But her school is nearby and my office" she trailed off, remembering she had lost her job.

"She can keep attending the school. I will get you a car, Sam will have a car and a driver to take her to school and bring her back daily. I don't want to take any chances. I don't know how far Michael and Sandra intend to go, but I want you both to be safe. Let me do it for Sam's sake," Derek said, and Evelyn took a deep breath.

Before Evelyn could respond, the doorbell rang, and they both turned as the sound echoed through the room.