The morning sun filtered brightly through the towering front windows of the grand estate.
Maria adjusted her crisp uniform apron as she walked across the shiny marble floor.
She carried a silver tray with fresh coffee toward the formal dining room.
The air in the mansion always felt cold despite the luxurious furnishings.
Ethan sat at the head of the dark oak table reading financial documents.
His young baby son Leo rested nearby in a high chair playing with a plastic rattle.
Ethan: Good morning Maria, thank you for the fresh coffee.
Maria: You are very welcome sir, let me know if you need anything else.
Victoria walked into the room wearing a bright dark green silk designer dress.
Her sharp heels clicked loudly on the hard floor with every step she took.
She did not look at the baby or acknowledge Maria with a greeting.
Victoria: Ethan, we need to discuss the new budget for the upcoming charity gala.
Ethan: I am busy reviewing the trust fund papers for little Leo right now.
Victoria pressed her thin lips together tightly in obvious annoyance.
She looked down at the infant child with a dark expression of pure hatred.
Maria noticed the look and felt a cold shiver run down her spine.
Victoria: You spend far too much time worrying about that child's future.
Ethan: He is my son and he deserves every protection I can give him.
Ethan leaned over to touch his son's soft cheek with a gentle smile.
The contrast between the loving father and the cold stepmother was stark.
Maria set down the coffee pot quietly and backed toward the hallway archway.
She had worked for the family for three full years with total loyalty.
She remembered Ethan's late wife who was kind and humble to everyone.
Ever since Victoria married Ethan, the warmth in the house had completely faded.
Victoria constantly complained about the baby and demanded more money for shopping.
Victoria: I want the key to the master safe transferred to my name today.
Ethan: The safe holds legal documents for Leo that must stay secure.
Victoria: I am your wife now and I deserve total access to everything.
Ethan: We will discuss this later when I return from my downtown office.
Ethan stood up from the table and picked up his heavy leather briefcase.
He kissed his little son on the forehead before heading toward the main exit.
Maria stepped into the kitchen to prepare the fresh baby formula.
She could hear Victoria muttering angrily to herself in the main hallway.
Victoria: That child will not inherit a single dollar from this estate.
Maria paused her work and listened carefully to the cruel words.
She knew she had to keep a very watchful eye on the stepmother.