Elena adjusted the strap of her maroon dress as she stepped out into the bright hallway.
The sun streamed through the massive floor-to-ceiling windows of the grand estate.
Soft violin music drifted up from the lower level where guests were gathered for the party.
It was supposed to be a peaceful celebration for the charity foundation her late husband created.
Instead, her heart pounded with a sense of dread that she could not shake off.
She carried a tall glass of sparkling juice as she walked toward the open balcony rail.
Her seven-year-old son Leo was down the hall, practicing his steps with his new leg.
Leo had lost his left leg in a car accident two years ago that took his father.
Despite the pain, the little boy showed incredible courage every single day.
Elena loved him more than anything else in the world.
She stopped near the grand staircase to look for her step-father-in-law, Richard Vance.
Richard was a wealthy businessman who loved control and hated any sign of weakness.
Ever since Arthur passed away, Richard had tried to take over the family estate and business.
He treated Elena like an outsider and ignored Leo whenever he entered the room.
Elena knew Richard only cared about money and his public reputation.
Suddenly, the sharp sound of a wooden crutch hitting the floor echoed down the hall.
Elena turned her head quickly toward the marble hallway near the main office.
She saw little Leo moving slowly near the wall under the large flag display.
He was trying his best to keep his balance while carrying his favorite toy train.
Richard was walking down the same narrow path with a cold sneer on his face.
Instead of stepping aside, Richard extended his shiny black shoe toward the boy's crutch.
With a deliberate kick, he knocked the support beam out from under Leo's arm.
Leo gasped and lost his balance completely, hitting the hard floor with a loud thud.
His toy train rolled across the polished tile and smashed against the wall.
Elena dropped her glass, and it shattered into a hundred pieces on the floor.
Elena: My baby! What did you do?!
She ran across the shiny hall as fast as her heels would let her.