CHAPTER 1

"Miranda, get the drinks from the fridge," Lady Loretta said. As the lady of the house, it was her only son's birthday.

"Okay, Ma," Miranda answered. The twenty-two-year-old wore a pink dress and black slippers.

It was after five in the evening, and they were preparing a birthday party for Derrick Luis, the only son of the Luis family. Out of eight children, Derrick was the only son in his rich family.

Many guests were already present in the Luis family mansion, including top admirers, business partners, and their family members and relatives, but the birthday celebrant wasn't home.

At a luxurious firm, Derrick Luis was still at his office when his phone rang. "Hello, Mother," he answered, and his mother said, "Derrick, you know today is your birthday, so where are you?"

Looking at his wristwatch, Derrick observed it was 6 p.m. He replied, "In my office, Mom."

"Come home, Son. It's your birthday, and we did a lot to make today a special moment to mark your new age of twenty-five."

"Mom, I am not interested in birthday parties. Why can't you understand my priorities?" Derrick complained. His mother was getting older, so he couldn't 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 wouldn't have allowed you to go today, knowing it is your birthday."

"Mom, I cannot set work aside for a party. Who will look after Dad's company?" Derrick complained again. His mother responded sadly, "You are right, but during your father's time, he didn't skip home for work. He attended parties; where do you think I met him?"

Derrick rolled his eyes. "Fine, Mother. I will be home now," he said, and ended the call.

"Running a multimillion-dollar corporation at this age, my mother still wants me to prioritize a party over work," Derrick complained. He stood up from his office chair, shut down his computer, grabbed his briefcase, and elegantly left his office.

Arriving home in a brand-new Prado Jeep, Derrick got out of the car and made his way to his family's mansion. He could hear music and frowned at the many guests' cars parked inside his late father's estate.

Walking forward, Derrick arrived at the mansion's exterior. He rang the doorbell, and a maid opened the door.

"Welcome, Master Derrick," the maid greeted him.

Derrick ignored the greeting and was ushered in by his mother, who was in the living room with many guests. "Welcome, my son. Happy twenty-fifth birthday to you."

"Happy birthday, Master Derrick!" The guests in the living room toasted the young master's new age.

"Thank you all," Derrick replied, wanting 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."

Derrick paused at the staircase and looked back at the guests: his seven elder sisters, who were married with children, and a few of his company's staff.

Derrick wanted to protest that he was not a kid and didn't want a birthday party. However, he swallowed his protest as silence fell in the crowded living room.

Approaching his cake, which was placed in the center of the living room, Derrick picked up a knife and cut the cake in two. The guests beamed, clapping for him.

"Happy birthday, brother," his sisters cheered, and he replied, "Thank you all."

"That's not all, Derrick. Make a wish," his mother urged him again.

"Oh, Mother. I am not a kid," Derrick protested, but his mother walked up to him as they stood in the living room.

"No one said you're a kid, but you're still my baby, so make a wish," his mother pleaded with an assuring smile.

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

"Happy birthday to you again, Master Derrick. We wish you all the best," the guests were happy, and the toasts continued as they resumed drinking and chatting.

***

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

Meanwhile, among the maids, Miranda had a crush on Derrick. She wasn't the only one, but she couldn't take her eyes off him.

She openly gawked at his handsomeness.

"Too handsome for one person," Miranda thought.

She had observed Derrick; he seemed very hardworking. He didn't have time for women and mostly focused on his business.

Derrick didn't even have a girlfriend, and Miranda desperately wanted him to notice her.

She was a poor girl and came from an orphanage. After five years of serving the Luis family as a maid, Miranda wanted a better life. She didn't want to return to poverty.

In the Luis family mansion, maids were expected to dress in cheap clothing. There was no competition, as all the daughters of the Luis family were married, including Derrick's immediate elder sister, Nicole.

"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 celebration.

Alexa works as a secretary in the Luis group, and she would admit that she hadn't seen any young lady come to the office to visit Derrick.

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

Alexa was interested in Derrick, as she was just twenty-two years old. She knew that having a man like Derrick as her husband in the future meant she wouldn't need to work much or suffer to provide, as his family's wealth was enough to cover her lifetime expenses.

"Alexa, what do you think of Derrick? Do you have a crush on my brother? If my 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 was nervous. For the year that she had been working as Derrick's personal secretary based on Nicole's influence, she hadn't crossed the line nor tried to get his attention.

Derrick was aloof, and she feared what he would do if she dared to cross his boundary.