2. Crossing the limit

Alexa and Nicole excused themselves from the rest of the guests and went upstairs. Miranda had overheard their conversation while serving drinks to the guests. Any conversation involving Derrick always caught Miranda's attention.

The top floor was off-limits. Derrick hated being disturbed, and Miranda was well aware of this. Yet, she was curious about what Alexa and Nicole intended to do on the top floor.

Seeing how elegantly Alexa and Nicole looked in their beautiful dresses that swept the floor, Miranda couldn't help but feel envious. She wished she wasn't just a maid. Despite being a maid, she had managed to gain some college education, but she couldn't resign yet—not when she admired the most handsome man she had ever seen.

"Ouch! Watch where you're going," a guest yelled at Miranda for stepping on her toes. Miranda, caught off guard, accidentally dropped the tray she was carrying, staining the guest's dress.

"How dare you stain my white dress? Do you know how much this outfit costs?" The guest was clearly annoyed. She was a young woman, much like Miranda in size, and seeing that the celebrant wasn't interested in his own party nor mingling with the guests only fueled her irritation.

"I'm 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 shouted, her voice silencing the living room.

Lady Loretta was equally shocked and chided the guest, "Melody, that's not how you treat a fellow woman. She made a mistake and apologized in front of us all. Come, Miranda," Lady Loretta called her back.

"Show Melody to the room upstairs. I believe Nicole left some spare clothes there before she got married last year."

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

With guards present around the mansion and in the living room, the celebration continued as Miranda led Melody upstairs.

Melody was happy to leave the living room and asked Miranda, "Where's Master Derrick's room?"

Miranda didn't want to become friends with the guest who had dared to humiliate her. The guest was also fair-skinned like Miranda was, although Miranda's fairness was natural.

"Can't you speak?" Melody yelled at Miranda again, and Miranda was no longer willing to tolerate the insults from the guest.

"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, leaving the woman perplexed.

"What? How dare you speak to me so insolently? Have you lost it?" Melody charged at Miranda, unaware that Miranda didn’t even know which room belonged to Derrick or his sisters.

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

However, just as Melody was about to strike Miranda again, Derrick stepped out of his sitting room with his sister and Alexa. They had come to check on him just after he had finished changing into comfortable home wear.

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

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

"Hmm, that's a lie. She was asking me about your bedroom, sir," Miranda said. Silence immediately fell in the hallway. Much to Derrick’s surprise, Miranda’s voice was soft, unlike any he’d heard before.

He regarded the maid with curiosity, as he hadn't noticed her before.

"That’s no reason to attack our maid. You’re not the owner of the house. I saw you just now attempting to strike her. Leave here now. You are not welcome, and your contract with the Luis firm will be terminated as well," Derrick said as he casually started down the staircase. Melody immediately fell to her knees, pleading, "Please, Master Derrick. Forgive me. I didn’t mean to attack the maid. She’s lying, and I wasn’t asking her about your room."

With leisurely strides, Derrick paid no heed to her pleas. 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 got up and attempted to retaliate against Miranda for costing her the job and her chance with Derrick.

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

Melody was unprepared, unaware that Miranda knew how to defend herself. When Melody charged, Miranda deftly dodged and kicked her hard, then pounced on her and began to fight back.

"Somebody help!" Melody screamed after Miranda landed several retaliatory slaps on her.

Miranda straddled Melody on the tiled floor, delivering more slaps and even yanking off her wig.

However, with the music playing loudly downstairs where Derrick and the guests were, no one heard Melody's cries for help.

After dealing with Melody, Miranda quickly slipped away to one of the rooms to freshen up with a bath.

The birthday celebration eventually wound down, and Derrick thanked the guests once more for attending his 25th birthday party.

"Baby brother, it's time for us to head home. Enjoy your night. I was thinking, why not ask Alexa to be your girlfriend? She works alongside you and spends most of her days with you. Alexa comes from a prestigious home, and she’d make a good wife for you," Nicole suggested to Derrick.

Derrick frowned slightly and replied, "I’m not interested in relationships, and Alexa knows that. Unless she’s asked you to speak to me about dating."

"Not at all, Master Derrick," Alexa quickly interjected, not wanting to jeopardize her job, especially when she saw Derrick’s expression of irritation.

"That’s fine, sister. Let’s call it a night. I’ll think about your suggestion. 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. Bye," Nicole waved to Derrick as she got into her car, heading home to be with her husband and their new baby. Meanwhile, Alexa nervously smiled and walked to her sleek black car.

She opened the door and sat inside, acutely aware of Master Derrick’s gaze as she drove out of the opulent residence.