Elena quickly learned the daily chores required to keep the large mansion spotless.
She dusted the antique wooden furniture and polished the vast white marble floors daily.
Every morning, she washed the heavy linen sheets and prepared the nursery downstairs.
Little baby Leo was an adorable six-month-old child with bright blue eyes.
Elena felt an instant connection to the cheerful, innocent infant from day one.
She loved singing soft lullabies to him while rocking him in the nursery chair.
However, the mood in the house changed drastically whenever Victoria entered the room.
Victoria was Arthur's young second wife, whom he had married the previous year.
She always wore expensive designer clothes and high-end jewelry around the house.
Today, Victoria wore a striking crimson-red velvet gown that swept across the floor.
She rarely held her stepson and often complained about the baby's soft cries.
Elena noticed how Victoria spent endless hours shopping online or taking long calls.
The young wife seemed completely cold toward the child and the domestic staff.
Whenever Arthur left for business trips, Victoria's dark temper flared up easily.
Elena washed the crystal glasses in the kitchen while keeping her head down low.
She heard footsteps approaching the granite island counter behind her back.
Victoria leaned against the counter, her arms crossed tight across her red gown.
Victoria: Make sure the nursery is completely quiet during my afternoon nap.
Elena: Of course, ma'am, I will make sure baby Leo is fed and peaceful.
Victoria: See that you do, because my patience is running thin today.
Elena nodded respectfully, avoiding any unnecessary argument with her demanding boss.
She noticed Victoria checking her expensive phone with an annoyed, bitter glare.
Elena wondered why someone with so much wealth could seem so angry inside.
Later that afternoon, Elena overheard a private conversation near the sunroom door.
Victoria was speaking on the phone in a harsh, hushed whisper to someone.
Victoria: The prenuptial agreement gives me nothing if we split up now!
Elena paused holding her cleaning tray, trying not to make a single sound.
Victoria: I need a bigger share of the family trust fund right away!
Elena backed away quietly, feeling an uneasy tension settling in her chest.
She realized that Victoria was deeply unhappy with her marriage and financial limits.
The wealthy lifestyle was not enough for the ambitious and selfish young woman.
Elena worried about how this toxic anger might affect little baby Leo.
She swore to keep a close watch over the defenseless child every hour.
The heavy quiet of the big mansion felt more like a warning now.
Elena carried her duster upstairs, her heart heavy with a strange foreboding.