A Mistaken Night With The CEO

Chapter Seven

"Derrick, come here. I would like to have a word with you," Lady Loretta said as she called her only son back. She knew that Derrick was not pleased with her actions in pardoning Miranda; however, she liked Miranda a lot, and since Miranda had not wronged her personally nor done anything wrong to the other maids, she could not just terminate Miranda's employment in her home.

More likely, Lady Loretta had other hidden objectives. She could not disclose her plans yet, as she had personally taken Miranda away from the orphanage home and enrolled the young woman in school.

There was a time when Lady Loretta had gone to the orphanage home for one of her leisurely charitable works. There she saw the beautiful young girl who was not happy and mostly staring at the door.

Lady Loretta knew the young girl's wish was to leave the orphanage home and go out into the world beyond to establish herself. She never disclosed to Miranda that she was the woman behind Miranda's freedom. She made an offer to the orphanage to adopt Miranda, on the condition that they offer her a job as a maid under her if she wanted her freedom.

Lady Loretta already had seven daughters, and her first daughter was 45 years old and a grandmother, making her a great-grandmother. So, what did she need another daughter for?

Similarly, she liked Miranda a lot and wished Derrick would notice the beautiful girl, but Derrick didn't care about any of the maids.

Lady Loretta also saw the way Derrick had stared at the maid with pure irritation. It raised an alarm in her heart that Derrick would never like Miranda, even though she had tried to set them up.

Lady Loretta was wrong to think her son would like the maid when she knew he would have his own preferences for the kind of woman he wanted. She sighed as she watched him walk back to meet her.

"Derrick, come sit here. I want to have a word with you," Lady Loretta repeated, and Derrick sighed and took a seat on the pristine white couch beside his mother.

"Mom, I just wanted to take a stroll outside to clear my mind," Derrick said as he sat down beside his mother.

"Why is that? Are you thinking about what I told you last night or about the maid? You know that Miranda is my maid. I like her a lot, and I cannot just send her away when she has not wronged me."

"I understand, Mother, and I am not concerned about the maid. What would you like to discuss with me? Is it about the birthday party from last night or about the fact that you want me to marry?" Derrick inquired, and his mother smiled at him and replied, "Both of them."

"I want to discuss settling down with you first. Ever since you returned from college and took over your father's company, you have not introduced any lady to me yet as your girlfriend, nor brought any woman home for me to see and meet her. Or do you not have a girlfriend at all?"

"No, Mother. I already told you that I do not need a woman." Derrick's face contorted with a frown.

"Well, you should, my son. I want you to marry on time, as your father already set so much wealth aside for you. It shouldn't be until you get old that you start thinking about marriage. Would you like me to find a woman for you and bring her here?" She asked him.

"No, Mother. I do not need that. Actually, last night I was discussing this with Nicole. She wanted me to court Alexa Godwin, my secretary, and Alexa isn't a bad person. She comes from a well-respected family here, and she also has a good work ethic in the office," he said.

"Hmm, I am not familiar with Alexa Godwin, and I don't really know her. Maybe the next time Alexa comes to visit us, you can introduce her to me. You know, you wouldn't be able to know Alexa's true character if you are both just in the office. The next time she visits, you should bring her so I can see what kind of person she is," Lady Loretta concluded, and Derrick agreed with her. "Okay, Mother."

"Thank you for the birthday arrangements yesterday. I really appreciate it, even if it wasn't something I wanted." Derrick had a frown on his face, and his mother smiled at him.

"It was only right that I celebrate your birthday with you. You know that you look so much like your father in his younger days, and if only he were here with us. He was a good man, and that's why he had so many business partners all over the world. I remember when I met your father back then. Coming from a lower-class family, he didn't mind that and fell in love with me at first sight. We met in the supermarket, though—he was running some errands for his mother, and I was doing some shopping for my boss. I mistakenly bumped into him, and that was how we met."

"Really, you are from a lower-class family, Mother?" Derrick looked perplexed, and his mother smiled at him and said, "Yes. You thought I was born with a silver spoon, like you? No, I was not. It was after I met your father that he didn't let me go back. He wanted to know more about me, and he elevated my family's status from our lower standing to the level my family is at now."

"Hm. That's very good of my father, but I cannot have anything to do with a lady from the lower class," Derrick spat, and that only shattered his mother's heart.

"Why is that, Derrick? You know you cannot judge anyone based on their backgrounds. All that matters is finding a good woman who will love you and treat you right. You know, your father used to think that women from lower-class homes are more refined, more homely, honest, and genuine," she said.

"No, Mother. I see them as gold diggers, liars, and dirty people. I cannot associate with anyone from a lowly status, whether women or men. They are dirty, irritating, and I find them repulsive," he replied.

"What? Do I irritate you, my son?" Lady Loretta looked bewildered at her son's statement. She would not blame him, knowing that he had never tasted hardship. He was brilliant and always got everything he wanted.

"No, Mother. Except for you, you do not irritate me. But I do not think I will ever want to associate with or have anything to do with a woman from a poor background. I cannot like such poor women. I would rather prefer a lady from a higher-class home who matches my status and academic intellect—or do you want me to have dull kids in the future? I do not like those poor people, and that's the truth. They do not interest me."

Lady Loretta sighed, and Derrick held her left hand warmly and assured her, "Don't worry, Mom. I will marry since that's what you want. I will try to get along with Alexa and bring her over for you to meet. Is that okay with you?"

Looking at her only son's dark, handsome face—his well-featured face, full brows, and midnight blue eyes—Lady Loretta's heart broke after hearing Derrick's statement regarding poor people. She knew that her hope of having Miranda as her daughter-in-law had failed. Miranda was pretty and hardworking, but her academic performance was poor, and Miranda had no plans to further her education.

Well, Lady Loretta had caused it, as she wanted Miranda at home with her. She feared, "What if another man out there spots Miranda and falls in love with her? Miranda looks beautiful with her nice shape, blonde hair, pointed nose, and sparkling brown eyes. The gentleman would take Miranda away from her, and she did not want that."

"Mother, are you listening to all that I have just said? I apologize for my words regarding poor people, but the truth remains: I don't like them. I just find them lazy."

"No, they are not lazy, Derrick. Don't say that. That's life for you. All fingers are not equal, but they work together to assist us in doing our daily activities and what we want. You shouldn't look down on anyone simply because you were privileged. It breaks my heart to see that you think of lower-class families this way. How about kids without homes and parents? You were fortunate enough to have a home and family to call your own, and you should not use your glory in life to rub it in other people's faces. They would not admire it but rather think of how to destroy it and put you in the same agony as them. Think of them as equals—that's not looking down on anyone. I made a terrible mistake, and on my next visit to the orphanage home to help the poor from the lower class, you will accompany me—not just give them gifts in your name."

"No, Mom," Derrick said with a scowl on his face as he rose from the couch. "I cannot visit the town if that's what you want."

"Derrick, you will. Where are you off to?" Lady Loretta queried as Derrick turned to stroll out of the mansion.

Derrick met the gaze of Miranda standing in front of them. She quickly looked away from him, having heard everything he said.

Miranda usually listened to Derrick's conversations with his mother, and this was the first time she had learned that his mother was from a poor home—but he was such an arrogant man.