CHAPTER 1

“Miranda, get the drinks from the fridge,” Lady Loretta said. She was a seventy-year-old dark-skinned woman, and it was her only son’s birthday celebration.

“Okay, Ma,” Miranda answered. A twenty-two-year-old fair-skinned young lady, she wore a pink dress and black slippers. It was 5 pm, and they were preparing a birthday party for Derrick Luis, the only son of the Luis family. Out of seven daughters, Derrick was the sole son of his rich family.

Many guests were already present in the Luis family mansion. Among them were top admirers, business partners, and their family members and relatives—but the birthday celebrant was not at home.

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Far away at a luxurious firm, Derrick Luis was still at his office on the fifth floor when his phone rang. “Hello, Mother,” he answered.

“Derrick, you know today is your birthday. So where are you?” his mother asked.

Looking at his wristwatch, Derrick saw it was 6 p.m. “At the office, Mother,” he replied.

“Come home, Son. It’s your birthday, and we did a lot to make today a special moment to mark your new age at 25.”

“Mom, I am not interested in birthday parties. Why can’t you understand me?” Derrick murmured. His mother was already old, so he could not blame her.

“I understand. Please come home quickly, before the guests start leaving. If I had known you would stubbornly stay at the office until this time, I shouldn’t have allowed you to go to the office today, knowing it is also your birthday.”

“Mom, I cannot set work aside for a party. Who will look after Dad’s company?” Derrick muttered again.

His mother responded sadly, “You are right, but during your father’s prime he did not skip home for work. He attended parties—or where do you think I met him?”

“Hmm.” Derrick rolled his eyes at his mother’s words. “Fine, Mother. I will be home now.” He ended the call.

“Running a multimillion-dollar empire at this age, and my mother still wants me to prioritise a party over work. Tch.” Derrick mused. He stood from his exclusive office chair, shut down his computer, grabbed his briefcase, and left elegantly.

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Arriving home in a sleek black Prado Jeep, Derrick got out and made his way to the family’s mansion. He heard the music and frowned at the many guest cars parked inside his late father’s estate.

Marching forward, he reached the mansion’s exterior, rang the doorbell, and the maid pulled the door open.

“Welcome, Master Derrick,” the maid greeted him.

Derrick ignored her greeting. His mother, already in the living room with many guests, ushered him in.

“Welcome, Son. Happy 25th birthday to you.”

“Happy birthday, Master Derrick!” All the guests in the living room toasted the young master’s new age.

“Thank you all,” Derrick replied. He wanted to retire to his bedroom to rest, but his mother stopped him. “Derrick, it’s still your birthday. Come cut your cake and make a wish.”

Pausing at the staircase, Derrick looked back at the faces of the guests—his seven elder sisters, all married with children, and his nephews and nieces. He wanted to protest that he was not a kid and did not want a birthday party. Yet he swallowed the protest as silence fell over the crowded living room.

Approaching the cake placed in the center of the living room, Derrick cut it. The guests beamed and clapped.

“Happy birthday, Brother,” his sisters cheered.

“Thank you all,” he replied.

“That’s not all, Derrick. Make a wish,” his mother urged again.

“Oh, Mother. I am not a kid,” Derrick finally protested.

His mother walked up to him. “No one said you’re a kid, but you’re still my baby, so make a wish,” she pleaded with an assuring smile.

Not wanting to make her sad, Derrick wished for a long life, a happy family, and a prosperous business.

“Happy birthday again, Master Derrick. We wish you all the best,” the guests said. They continued toasting, drinking, and chatting happily.

–––

Derrick excused himself from the living room and went upstairs to his bedroom on the top floor.

Meanwhile, among the maids, Miranda had a crush on the housemaster. She was not the only one, yet she could not take her eyes off him.

She openly gawked at his handsomeness.

“Too handsome for one person,” she thought.

Miranda had observed that Derrick seemed very hardworking. He had no time for women and focused mostly on his business alone.

Derrick did not even have a girlfriend, and Miranda was dripping wet, aching for him to notice her.

As a poor girl from the orphanage, after five years of serving the Luis family as a maid, Miranda wanted a classic life. She did not want to return to poverty.

In the Luis family mansion, maids were expected to dress in cheap wear. There was little competition, as all the daughters of the Luis family were married—including Derrick’s most immediate elder sister, Nicole Luis.

“Come on, Alexa. I want to introduce you to my brother. I fear he might be gay. Why won’t he have a girlfriend at this age? Don’t you find it weird?” Nicole spoke to her friend as she invited Alexa to her brother’s birthday party.

Alexa Godwin worked as Derrick's personal secretary in the Luis Group. She would admit she had never seen any young lady visit him at the office.

“I don’t think Master Derrick is gay. He's just too busy to notice any woman,” Alexa replied. She wore a seductive red dress and black shoes. She had arrived at the Luis mansion just after Derrick left the company.

Alexa was also interested in Derrick. She wanted him. At just 22 years old, she knew that having a man like him as her future husband would mean she need not work hard or struggle to feed herself—his family’s wealth was enough to cover all her lifetime expenses.

“Alexa, what do you think of Derrick? Do you not have a crush on him? If my older sisters hadn’t spoken to me about introducing you to Derrick to work as his new secretary after my leave, do you think I only accepted you based on friendship alone? Come now.” Nicole grabbed Alexa’s hand and led her to the top floor, where there were no guests.

Alexa felt nervous. For one year she had worked as Derrick’s personal secretary through Nicole’s influence. She had never crossed the limit or tried to get his attention.

Derrick was aloof, and Alexa feared what he would do if she dared to cross that line.