The bright sun shone through the tall glass windows of the grand entrance hall.
Julian stood near the bottom of the staircase and stared down at the mess on the white marble floor.
His wife, Victoria, was standing in her long red gown, clutching a heavy leather bag.
At her feet sat Clara, the long-time housekeeper who had worked for his family for nearly twenty years.
Clara was holding a small silver frame tightly against her chest.
The glass on the frame was shattered, leaving sharp silver pieces scattered across the smooth polished floor.
Victoria raised her hand and gestured toward the massive front door of the mansion.
She snapped her fingers in anger and pointed directly at the outdoor driveway.
Julian took a slow step forward, his shoes clicking against the hard surface.
He looked at his wife's tight expression before turning his gaze toward the terrified woman on the floor.
He could not understand why his wife was acting so aggressively toward someone who had always been loyal.
Clara had taken care of his father during his final months of illness before he passed away.
She had cooked every meal, organized every event, and maintained the large estate without a single complaint.
Yet here she was, sitting on the cold floor while Victoria shouted at her.
Julian cleared his throat and asked his wife what was happening in the middle of the morning.
Victoria turned around quickly and smoothed out the folds of her expensive dress.
She put on a smooth smile, but her eyes remained cold and sharp.
She told him that Clara had been caught red-handed trying to steal valuable items from the main vault upstairs.
She claimed that she found Clara packing expensive jewelry into her personal handbag.
Clara shook her head rapidly, her eyes filled with tears as she looked at Julian.
She pleaded with him to listen to the truth before making any final decision.
She insisted that she had never taken a single cent that did not belong to her.
Victoria stepped forward and grabbed Clara by the collar of her uniform jacket.
She tried to drag the older woman toward the heavy oak doors.
Julian commanded his wife to let go of Clara immediately.
His voice echoed loudly off the high ceilings of the sunlit mansion.
Victoria froze and slowly released her tight grip on Clara's dark blue collar.
She turned to Julian and argued that keeping a thief in the house was dangerous for their estate.
She insisted that the police should be called to arrest Clara right away.
Julian walked closer to Clara and knelt down beside her on the cold marble floor.
He gently asked her what she was holding so closely to her chest.
Clara raised her trembling hands and revealed the broken picture frame.
Inside the frame was an old photograph of a young girl with bright blue eyes.
Julian gasped as his heart skipped a heavy beat.
He recognized the childhood photograph instantly.
It was his little sister who had disappeared fifteen years ago without a single trace.