Clara stood in the doorway of the giant estate and took a deep breath.
She had not been back to this house in five whole years.
Her older sister Victoria had taken over everything after their father passed away.
Victoria always wanted all the money and the luxury status for herself.
Clara only wanted a quiet life for her young daughter Lily.
She walked down the long hallway toward the grand staircase.
The white marble floors shone brightly under the huge crystal chandelier.
Suddenly Clara heard a loud gasp coming from the upper floor balcony.
She looked up and felt her entire heart stop instantly.
Victoria was standing right there over little Lily with a pair of sharp kitchen scissors.
Lily was wearing her favorite white dress and crying softly.
around her neck was a delicate pearl necklace left by her grandmother.
Victoria: You do not deserve to wear these precious family pearls!
Lily: Please Aunt Victoria, stop!
Victoria snorted with pure disgust and closed the scissors around the string.
With a sharp snip, the shiny pearls snapped free.
They bounced down the marble steps with loud clicking sounds.
Lily reached out her small hands to save them, but Victoria pushed her back.
Clara felt a wave of cold terror wash completely over her body.
She began running toward the grand staircase as fast as she could.
Clara: Get away from my daughter right now!
Victoria looked over the balcony edge with a mean smirk on her face.
She did not care about the damage she was causing.
She grabbed Lily by the shoulder and shoved her toward the railing.
Lily screamed out in absolute terror as she lost her balance.
Clara sprinted across the bright hallway with all her strength.
She lunged forward just as Lily slipped past the white wooden balustrade.
Clara slid across the smooth floor and caught her child safely in her arms.
They hit the rug together, bruised but safe from harm.
Lily squeezed Clara tight and buried her face into her mother's chest.
Clara: I have got you sweetie, you are completely safe now.
Clara looked up at the balcony where Victoria was still standing cold and distant.
The pure evil in her sister's eyes was impossible to ignore.
Clara felt a fiery rage take over her heart.
She stood up quickly and checked Lily for any small cuts.
Once she saw her daughter was unharmed, Clara turned toward the steps.
She stomped up the grand staircase with her fists clenched tight.
She was not going to let Victoria get away with this cruelty.