The morning sun streamed through the giant glass windows of the Sterling mansion in Dallas.
Everything in the house looked perfect on the surface.
Marble floors gleamed beneath expensive crystal chandeliers.
Yet behind the shiny walls, tension was growing worse every single day.
Sarah cleaned the dusty glass tables near the main foyer quietly.
She had worked as a housemaid for the wealthy family for two years.
Her main job was helping care for little Leo, who was only two years old.
Leo was a sweet boy with bright blue eyes and soft brown hair.
His mother had passed away shortly after he was born.
His father, Richard Sterling, was a busy real estate developer who traveled constantly.
Richard loved his son deeply, but he was rarely home to see what happened.
Recently, Richard had brought his new fiancée, Ethan, into the family home.
Ethan was a wealthy socialite who wore expensive designer dresses and high heels.
She claimed to love Richard, but she treated the household staff with cold disdain.
More importantly, Ethan had zero patience for little Leo.
Whenever Richard left the mansion for work, Ethan changed her attitude completely.
She yelled at the toddler whenever he made a small mess with his toys.
Sarah had noticed the uncomfortable shifts in Ethan's mood for several weeks.
She tried her best to keep Leo away from Ethan as much as possible.
That morning, Richard had left early for an urgent corporate meeting downtown.
Ethan was preparing her dress for an afternoon charity gala in the master suite.
She had brought a heavy steam iron down to the living room area.
Leo was playing quietly on the rug nearby with his wooden train set.
Suddenly, a loud wooden toy dropped onto the hard floor, making a sharp sound.
Ethan snapped her head around, her face twisting into dark anger instantly.
She dropped her silk dress onto the sofa and stomped toward the toddler.
Sarah was down the hall wiping light fixtures when she heard the harsh voice.
Her heart started pounding fast against her ribs.
She put down her wiping cloth and stepped closer to the archway to check.