Chapter 2: Crossing The Line
1084 Words
Alexa and Nicole excused themselves from the rest of the guests and went upstairs. Miranda had already overheard their conversation as she was serving drinks. However, any conversation involving Derrick caught Miranda’s attention.
The top floor was off-limits. Derrick disliked being disturbed, and Miranda was well aware of this. Nonetheless, she was curious about what Alexa and Nicole were planning to do on the top floor.
Seeing how elegantly Alexa and Nicole looked in their beautiful, floor-sweeping dresses, Miranda felt a pang of jealousy and wished she wasn't a maid. Despite her education, she couldn't leave her job as a maid just yet, especially when she admired the most handsome man she had ever seen.
"Ouch! Watch where you're going," a guest yelled at Miranda when she accidentally stepped on her toes and dropped the tray, spilling drinks on the guest’s white dress.
"How dare you let this stain my white dress? Do you know how much this outfit costs?" The guest was equally annoyed. She was a young woman the same size as Miranda, and seeing that the celebrant seemed uninterested in the party only added to her irritation.
"I'm sorry," Miranda began to apologize, but the guest slapped her hard on the left cheek.
"You don't deserve to be a maid here! Get out!" the guest yelled, which caused the room to fall silent.
The lady of the house was equally shocked and she reprimanded the guest, "Melody, that's not how to treat another person. She made a mistake and apologized. Come, Miranda," Lady Loretta called her back.
"Show Melody to the room upstairs. I think Nicole might have some spare clothes left from before she got married last year."
"Okay, ma'am. Come with me," Miranda said to the angry guest, who now seemed pleased to be taken upstairs for a change.
While guards were stationed throughout the mansion, the celebration continued in the living room as Miranda led Melody upstairs.
Melody was happy to be away from the main crowd, and she asked Miranda, "Where's Master Derrick's room?"
Miranda had no desire to befriend the woman who had insulted her. Both women were fair-skinned, but Miranda's fairness was natural; she didn't use any skin-lightening lotions.
"Can't you speak?" Melody yelled again, but Miranda wouldn't tolerate more insults from the guest.
"What do you need Master Derrick's room for? Are you here for the party, or are you here to see the master of the house?" Miranda asked, confused by the woman's intentions.
"What? How dare you speak to me so rudely? Have you lost your mind?" Melody retorted, ready to confront Miranda, who didn’t know which room belonged to Derrick or his sisters.
The mansion was vast, and there were too many rooms on the top floor to distinguish which one was the master's or his sister's.
However, just as Melody attempted to hit Miranda again, Derrick stepped out of his room with his sister and Alexa. They had come to check on him after he finished his changing into comfortable clothes.
"What's going on here?" Derrick demanded, and Melody quickly withdrew her hand, offering him a sweet smile.
"Good evening, sir. Madam asked 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 way."
"Hmm, that’s a total lie, sir. She was asking me about your bedroom," Miranda said. Silence filled the hallway. Derrick was surprised by the softness of Miranda’s voice; he had never heard such a gentle tone before.
He eyed the maid curiously, as he had never seen her before.
"That's no excuse to attack our maid. You don't own this house. I saw you trying to attack her. Leave now. You are not welcome here, and your contract with the Luis's firm will be terminated," Derrick stated casually as he walked toward the staircase to go downstairs. Melody immediately went down on her knees and pleaded, "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."
However, Derrick paid no attention to the woman begging him. He went downstairs to thank all the guests for attending his mother's invitation.
After Derrick, his sister, and Alexa left the top floor, Melody stood up and attacked Miranda, seeking revenge for losing her job and her chance with the master of the house.
"You witch! How dare you ruin my chance? I’m going to get you!"
Melody did not anticipate that Miranda knew how to defend herself. As Melody lunged at her, Miranda dodged the attack, kicked the lady hard, and tackled her.
"Somebody help!" the woman screamed after Miranda retaliated with several slaps for the initial slap she had received.
Miranda sat on the woman’s stomach on the tiled floor, slapping her hard and pulling off her wig, before throwing it away.
However, the music playing in the living room and the bodyguards escorting Derrick downstairs to the grand hall drowned out her cries.
After dealing with the lady, Miranda ran away and went into one of the rooms to take a calming bath.
The birthday party had concluded, and Derrick thanked all the guests for attending his 25th celebration.
"Baby brother, we need to head home. Enjoy your night. I was thinking, why not ask Alexa to be your girlfriend? She works with you in the office and spends many days with you. Alexa comes from a prestigious family and would make a good wife," Nicole suggested to Derrick.
Derrick frowned slightly and replied, "I’m not interested in relationships, and Alexa knows this unless she's the one who asked you to talk to me about it."
"Not at all, Master Derrick," Alexa quickly interjected, fearing for her job, especially when she saw Derrick's irritated expression.
"That's fine, sister. Let's call it a night. I need to rest, then I’ll consider your suggestion. Alexa Godwin is a wonderful woman, and I wouldn't mind asking her out properly," Derrick said, placing his hands in his trouser pockets and offering his elder sister a warm smile. He didn’t want them to worry about him.
"That's fine, baby brother. Good night," Nicole said, waving to Derrick as she got into her car and drove home to her husband and new baby. Alexa, feeling nervous, walked to her sleek black car.
She opened the car door, aware of Derrick watching her, before driving away from the opulent residence.
- Writer
