The next morning brought a heavy chill over the lakefront estate.
David was preparing to leave for an emergency meeting at the corporate headquarters.
He kissed his baby son on the cheek before walking toward the front entry.
Victoria stood by the grand staircase wearing a striking royal sapphire-blue evening gown.
She claimed she had an early morning charity fitting in the ballroom.
David thought her outfit looked gorgeous, though a bit formal for nine in the morning.
He told her he would return early in the afternoon to sign the paperwork.
As soon as David's car pulled out of the driveway, Victoria's expression changed.
She walked briskly up to the nursery on the second floor of the mansion.
Mary was gently rocking little Leo to sleep in a wooden cradle.
Victoria ordered Mary to take the baby down to the grand ballroom immediately.
Mary felt a knot of worry form in her stomach at the strange request.
She asked why the baby needed to go to the ballroom right now.
Victoria snapped that she did not need to explain herself to a servant.
Mary carefully picked up the baby boy and followed Victoria downstairs.
The ballroom was vast, with high ceilings, white marble floors, and a prominent flag.
Sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the polished room.
Victoria turned around suddenly and grabbed the baby blanket roughly.
She demanded that Mary leave the room to prepare fresh tea.
Mary refused to leave the child alone with such an angry woman.
Victoria stepped forward and grabbed the baby from Mary's arms.
Mary gasped and reached out to hold the infant safely.
Victoria pushed Mary backward with a cruel glare in her dark eyes.
She told Mary that her time in this house was coming to an end.
Little Leo began to cry loudly, sensing the extreme fear in the air.
Victoria looked down at the screaming child with pure coldness.
She did not try to comfort him or pat his back at all.
Instead, she carried him toward the double doors with harsh footsteps.
Mary scrambled back to her feet, her heart pounding with total terror.
She pleaded with Victoria to hand the innocent baby back to her custody.
Victoria turned her back and laughed at Mary's desperate pleas.
She said that the child was nothing more than a nuisance to her plans.
Mary knew she had to take a major risk to save the infant.
She reached into her apron pocket and pressed a small recording button on her phone.
The situation in the ballroom had reached a dangerous breaking point.