The Billionaire’s Unexpected Proposal (Evelyn and Derek)

Later that evening, Liam and Maya walked into the exclusive Golden Lotus restaurant for their date.

A soft piano melody played in the background as Liam pulled out Maya's chair for her, her lips curved into a gentle smile as she sat down.

"You didn't have to pick such a fancy place," Maya said, glancing around the elegant room. Her cheeks warmed as she caught sight of a sparkling chandelier hanging above them.

"I wanted to," Liam said simply, taking his seat across from her.

"You deserve only the best."

Maya's heart fluttered at his words, but she tried to hide it by reaching for her menu. She skimmed through the list of dishes, though she couldn't focus. The way Liam's eyes were fixed on her made it impossible to concentrate. "What do you think you'll have?" he asked, his voice soft.

"I'm still deciding"" she said, biting her lip. "Everything looks so good."

Liam chuckled. "I'll make it easy for you. The truffle pasta here is amazing, and the crispy prawn is a close second. Trust me."

Maya nodded, closing her menu. "I'll go with the pasta, then. You sound like you know your way around this place," she observed, wondering how often he had visited the restaurant and with who.

Liam chuckled, "My colleagues first told me about the place. I liked the setting when I saw a picture of him and his wife on their anniversary date here. I've ordered their meal twice and been here once just to confirm it is suitable for my darling girlfriend," he admitted with a wink, leaning back in his chair, and Maya grinned.

"You're such a sweet talker," she said, relaxing in her seat.

"That's because I have a sweet girlfriend," Liam said, making her giggle.

As Liam watched her, his expression became serious, "I'm sorry we haven't spent much time together in a while now. I've been so busy lately," he said, and she waved it off.

"I'm busy with school, too. Besides, your job is important, so I understand," she assured him.

"Are you sure you understand?" Liam asked, and she nodded, understanding that he was worried because his other relationship had not worked because of his busy schedule. "Of course I do"" she said, and a waiter joined them.

The waiter took their orders and poured sparkling water into their glasses before leaving to get their drinks.

Maya sipped from her glass as Liam spoke about his day, sharing little stories that made her laugh. In turn, she shared stories about school.

The conversations continued after their food arrived. Halfway into their meal, Liam set down his fork and leaned forward slightly, his expression shifting to something more serious.

"I spoke with your gynecologist today about you," he said, his voice gentle as he watched her closely.

When they began dating, Maya said she wasn't comfortable with him being her gynecologist anymore, so he transferred her to one of his colleagues.

Maya's heart skipped a beat. She set down her fork and stared at him, her curiosity piqued. "What did he say?"

Liam smiled, "Well, it is good news. We looked over your test results, and your condition isn't as serious as we thought. The cysts are getting smaller on their own, so you won't be needing surgery, after all."

Maya froze for a moment, his words sinking in. Relief washed over her like a flood, and her lips parted in disbelief. "Wait... are you serious?"

Liam nodded, his smile widening. "Completely serious. I told you before it wasn't always critical. Now we know for sure."

Maya let out a long breath, her shoulders relaxing as she leaned back in her chair. "I've been so worried," she admitted. "It felt like this came out of nowhere just when everything was finally falling into place. I thought... I thought it was going to ruin everything."

"It didn't," Liam said softly, reaching across the table to take her hand. His touch was warm and soothing. "You don't have to worry about it anymore."

A small smile tugged at Maya's lips as she looked down at their joined hands. "I'm so relieved""" she whispered.

Liam's eyes sparkled as he spoke. "What if this all happened for a reason? What if you ended up at the hospital so that we could meet and become friends?" Maya laughed lightly, her cheeks pink. "You think the universe was pulling the strings?"

"Maybe," Liam said with a shrug. "It makes sense, doesn't it?"

"Maybe it does" she agreed, her smile growing. "Because let's be honest, if I hadn't been in that hospital, we'd probably never have gotten this close." "Exactly," Liam said, his grin matching hers.

Maya hesitated for a moment, then looked at him with a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Actually, I have a confession to make."

Liam raised an eyebrow. "Oh? What's that?"Content © NôvelDrama.Org.

"I've always had a crush on you," she admitted with a shy smile.

His eyes widened, and for a moment, he was completely silent.

"No way. That's not true."

"It is," she said, laughing at his expression.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he asked, leaning forward in disbelief.

Maya raised an eyebrow, her tone playful. "How was I, a mere nanny, supposed to say anything to my employer's very successful

Doctor friend? It wasn't like you ever really looked in my direction."

Liam winced, a hint of guilt flickering

across his face. "Okay, fair enough. I get it. But I did say hello to you each timed visited, but you never said more than a word or two."

She smiled, the memory of those days bringing a mix of amusement and nostalgia. "I guess I was too shy to talk to you."

Liam laughed, shaking his head. "Well, I guess that explains it. But you weren't so shy when you came to the hospital, though."

Maya shrugged, "I guess that's because I was too surprised to see you there."

Liam smiled, "I'm glad you told me now. And I'm even more glad you kissed me when you did. It brought me to my senses and made me see what was right in front of me." Maya tilted her head, a teasing grin on her lips. "And what exactly was in front of you?"

"The most amazing woman in the world," Liam said without missing a beat.

"Stop flattering me," she said with a laugh, her cheeks flushing red.

"I mean it" he continued. "You're incredible, Maya. I'm so proud of you for chasing your dreams. And want you to know that I'll wait as long as it takes so we can settle down

together."

Maya's heart swelled at his words, and she looked up at him with shining eyes. "Thank you, Liam. I'd love that very much"" she said, her voice full of warmth.