Chapter 2: Crossing The Line

When Alexa and Nicole excused themselves from the rest of the guests and went upstairs, Miranda overheard their conversation while serving drinks. Any conversation about Derrick kept Miranda alert.

The top floor was off-limits. Derrick hated to be disturbed, and Miranda was well aware of this, but she wanted to know what Alexa and Nicole were going to do up there.

Seeing how beautiful Alexa and Nicole looked in their floor-length dresses, Miranda felt only jealousy, wishing she weren’t a maid.

Aside from being a maid, Miranda had gained a college education, but she couldn’t resign from her contract yet—not when she admired the most handsome man on the planet.

"Ouch! Watch where you're going!" a guest yelled at Miranda for stepping on her toes and losing her grip, causing the tray to fall and stain the guest’s white dress.

"How dare you, a lowly maid, stain my white dress? Do you know how much this outfit cost?" The guest was annoyed. She was a young woman about Miranda’s size, and seeing that the celebrant wasn’t interested in mingling with the guests only fueled her irritation.

"I am sorry," Miranda began, but before she could finish her apology, the guest slapped her hard on the left cheek.

"You don’t deserve to be a maid here! Get out!" the guest yelled, her voice silencing the living room.

Lady Loretta was shocked and chided the guest. "Melody, that’s no way to treat your fellow lady. She made a mistake and apologized in front of everyone. Come here, Miranda. Show Melody to the room upstairs. I think Nicole still has some spare clothes left in her room from before she got married last year."

"Okay, Ma. Come with me," Miranda said to the angry lady, who now looked pleased to be taken upstairs for a change.

As the bodyguards stood watch around the mansion and in the living room, the celebration continued as Miranda went upstairs with Melody.

~~~~~

Melody was happy to be away from the living room and asked Miranda, "Where is Master Derrick’s room?"

Miranda did not want to be friendly with the woman who had dared to assault her. The lady was fair-skinned like her—Miranda was naturally fair, even without using any skin-toning lotion.

"Can’t you speak?" Melody yelled again, and Miranda would not tolerate the insults any longer.

"What do you need Master Derrick’s room for? Are you here for the birthday party, or are you here for the master of the house?" Miranda questioned the perplexed woman.

"What? How dare you speak to me in such an insolent manner? Have you lost your mind?" Melody charged at Miranda, who did not even know which rooms belonged to Derrick or his sisters.

The mansion was too vast, and there were too many rooms upstairs to know which was the master’s or his sisters’.

When Melody was about to strike Miranda again, Derrick stepped out of his sitting room with his sister and Alexa, having just taken off his coat.

"What’s going on here?" Derrick demanded. Melody quickly withdrew her hand and offered him a sweet smile.

"Good evening, sir. Madam sent this maid to show me to one of her daughter’s rooms to change my dress after she spilled wine on me. But the maid is rude and refuses to show me the room," Melody said.

"What? That’s a total lie. She was asking me for your bedroom, Master Derrick," Miranda countered.

Silence fell in the hallway. To Derrick’s surprise, Miranda’s voice sounded soft—he hadn’t heard anyone talking with such a gentle tone before.

He eyed the maid curiously, having seen her before.

"That’s no reason to attack my mother's maid when you’re not the owner of the house. I saw you about to attack her just now. Leave immediately. You are not welcome, and your contract with Luis Firm will be terminated as well," Derrick said, before walking toward the staircase to go downstairs.

Melody fell to her knees and pleaded, "Please, Master Derrick, forgive me. I didn’t mean to attack the maid. She’s lying—I wasn’t asking for your room."

With leisurely strides, Derrick paid no heed to the lady begging him. He went downstairs to thank all the guests who had taken the time to honor his mother’s invitation.

After Derrick, his sister, and Alexa left the top floor, Melody stood up and lunged at Miranda. She wanted revenge on Miranda for making her lose her job, and her chance with the master of the house.

"You witch! How dare you ruin my chances? I’m going to kill you today!"

Melody was unprepared. She didn’t know Miranda knew how to fight. As she rushed to attack, Miranda dodged, kicked her hard, then pounced on the spoiled woman and began beating her.

"Somebody help!" Melody screamed after Miranda landed multiple slaps in retaliation for the first slap she had received.

Miranda sat on Melody's stomach on the tiled floor, slapping her hard and pulling off her wig.

Due to the music playing in the living room, and the bodyguards having escorted Derrick downstairs to the grand hall, no one could hear Melody crying and screaming.

After dealing with the arrogant lady, Miranda ran away and went into one of the rooms to take a cool evening bath.

~~~~~

The birthday celebration had long ended, and Derrick had thanked the guests who had taken the time to attend his 25th birthday party.

"Baby brother, we have to start heading home now. Enjoy your night. I was thinking—why not ask Alexa out to be your girlfriend? She works beside you in the office and spends most of her days with you. Alexa is from a prestigious family and would make a good wife for you," Nicole suggested to Derrick.

Derrick frowned slightly and replied, "I’m not interested in a relationship, and Alexa knows this—unless she’s the one who asked you to speak to me about it."

"Not at all, Master Derrick," Alexa quickly replied, not wanting to lose her job, especially when she saw Derrick’s face twist in irritation.

"That’s fine, sister. Let’s call it a night. I’ll go inside and rest, and I’ll give your proposal some thought. Alexa Godwin is a wonderful woman, and I wouldn’t mind asking her out properly," Derrick said, putting his hands in his trouser pockets and offering his elder sister a warm smile.

He didn’t want any of them worrying about him.

"That’s fine, baby brother. Good night, then. Bye," Nicole waved to Derrick as she got into her sleek red sports car. She drove home to her husband and new baby boy.

Alexa nervously smiled and walked to her sleek black car. She opened the car door, got inside, felt Derrick’s gaze on her. Then she drove out of the mansion.