"Miranda, get the drinks from the fridge," Lady Loretta said. She was an old woman, the lady of the house, and it was her only son's birthday.
"Okay, Ma," Miranda answered. As a young woman in her early twenties, Miranda wore a pink dress. It was nighttime, and they were preparing a birthday party for Derrick Luis, the only son of the Luis family. Out of seven women, Derrick happened to be the only male of his rich family.
Many guests were present in the Luis family mansion. Among them were admirers, business partners, and their family members, but the birthday celebrant wasn't at home.
Far away at a luxurious firm, Derrick Luis was still in his office on the fifth floor when his mobile rang. "Hello, Mother," he picked up the call, and his mother said, "Derrick, you know today is your birthday. So where are you?"
Looking at his wristwatch, Derrick observed it was already past 6 p.m. He replied, "At my office, Mother."
"Come home, Son. It's your birthday, and we made a lot of arrangements to celebrate this special day as you turn 25."
"Mom, I'm not interested in birthday parties. Why can't you understand my perspective?" Derrick murmured. He knew his mother was an elderly woman, so he couldn't blame her.
"I understand. Please come home quickly before the guests start leaving. If I had known you’d stubbornly stay at the office this late, I wouldn't have allowed you to go to work today, knowing it's also your birthday."
"Mom, I can’t 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 didn’t skip home for work."
"Hmm." Derrick rolled his eyes at his mother's words. "Fine, Mother. I will be home now," he said, and the call ended.
"Running a multimillion-dollar empire at this age, and my mother still wants me to prioritize parties over work. Tch," Derrick mused. He stood up from his exclusive office chair, shut down his computer, grabbed his suitcase, and elegantly left his office.
Arriving home in a brand new Prado Jeep, Derrick Luis got out of the vehicle and made his way to his family's mansion. He could hear the sound of music and frowned upon seeing all the guests' cars parked inside his late father's estate.
As he moved forward, Derrick arrived at the mansion's exterior. He rang the doorbell, and a maid opened the door for him.
"Welcome, Master Derrick," the maid greeted him.
Derrick ignored the maid's greeting and was ushered in by his mother, who was in the living room with many guests.
"Welcome, son. Happy 25th birthday to you."
"Happy birthday, Master Derrick!" all the guests in the living room toasted to the young master’s new age.
"Thank you all," Derrick replied. Just as he was about to retire to his bedroom to rest, his mother stopped him. "Derrick, it's still your birthday. Come cut your cake and make a wish."
Pausing on the staircase, he looked back at the faces of all the guests. His seven elder sisters, all married with kids, including his nephews and nieces. Derrick wanted to protest again that he wasn't a child and didn't want a birthday party. However, he swallowed his protest as silence fell in the crowded living room.
Approaching the cake placed in the center of the living room, Derrick cut the cake, and the guests all beamed happily, clapping for him.
"Happy birthday, brother," his sisters cheered him, and he replied, "Thank you all."
"That's not all, Derrick. Make a wish," his mother urged him again.
"Oh, Mother. I'm not a kid," Derrick finally protested, but his mother walked up to him with an assuring smile.
"No one said you're a kid, but you're still my baby, so make a wish," his mother pleaded.
Not wanting to sadden his mother, 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 were equally happy, and the toast continued as they resumed drinking and chatting happily.
Derrick excused himself from the living room and went back to his bedroom on the top floor. Meanwhile, among the maids, Miranda Luis had a crush on the master of the house. She wasn't the only one with a crush on Derrick, but she couldn't tear her eyes away from him.
She openly gawked at his handsomeness. "Too handsome for one person," Miranda thought. She had observed Derrick; he seemed very hardworking, didn’t have time for women, and was mostly focused on his business.
He didn’t even have a girlfriend, and Miranda was eager to get Derrick to notice her. She was a poor girl who came from an orphanage. After years of serving the elite as a maid, Miranda wanted a classic life. She didn't want to return to poverty.
In the Luis family mansion, maids were expected to dress casually. There was no 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 doesn’t he have a girlfriend at this age? Don’t you find it weird?" Nicole spoke to her friend Alexa, whom she brought along to her brother's birthday party.
Alexa worked as a secretary at Luis Group, a multimillion-dollar firm. She admitted she hadn't seen any young lady visit Derrick's office.
"I don't think he's gay. Master Derrick is just too busy to notice any woman," Alexa replied. She wore a seductive red dress and had arrived at the Luis mansion just after Derrick left the company.
Alexa Godwin was also interested in Derrick. At just 22 years old, she knew that having a man like Derrick as her husband would ensure that she didn't have to work much or worry about her needs, as his family's wealth was enough to cover her lifetime expenses.
"What do you think of Derrick, Alexa? Don’t you have a crush on my brother? If your sister hadn't told me about introducing you to Derrick as his new secretary after my leave, do you think I accepted you based on friendship alone? Come now," Nicole grabbed Alexa's hand and led her to the top floor, away from the guests.
Alexa was nervous. For a year, she had worked as Derrick's personal secretary, thanks to Nicole's influence. She hadn't crossed the line or tried to get Derrick's attention. He was aloof and stern, and she feared what he might do if she dared to step out of line.
