Arthur Sterling was a powerful executive who managed a huge trust fund.
He valued honesty, hard work, and respect above everything else.
He had hired Martha decades ago to care for his family.
To Arthur, Martha was far more than just a regular worker.
She had helped raise him when his own parents passed away.
Arthur pulled his car into the long driveway of his mansion.
He held a thick leather briefcase packed with important legal papers.
He walked up the front steps under the bright afternoon sun.
He unlocked the giant front doors and pushed them wide open.
The heavy doors slammed open against the grand interior wall.
Arthur stepped into the foyer and instantly froze in his tracks.
He saw Victoria standing over Martha with the heavy wooden handle.
Martha was huddled on her knees, shaking with deep emotional pain.
Arthur dropped his expensive briefcase straight onto the hardwood floor.
The loud thud made both women turn toward the open door.
Arthur's face turned completely red with immediate, explosive fury.
Arthur: STOP RIGHT NOW!
His loud voice echoed off the high ceiling of the foyer.
Victoria quickly pulled the wooden handle behind her sparkling green dress.
She forced a bright, charming smile onto her carefully made face.
Victoria: Oh, Arthur darling, you came back home so early today.
Arthur marched across the room toward the two standing women.
His heavy shoes clacked loudly against the shiny wooden floorboards.
He looked down at Martha's shaking shoulders with deep worry.
Arthur: Martha, are you okay? What happened to you here?
Martha tried to speak, but her trembling voice completely failed her.
Victoria stepped right between Arthur and the kneeling older maid.
Victoria: Darling, I was only teaching your lazy staff a proper lesson.
Victoria: She was being stubborn and refused to clean correctly.
Arthur stared at Victoria with complete disbelief in his eyes.
Arthur: Is that how you speak about the people in my home?
Just then, a younger maid named Clara ran into the foyer.
She had been watching the scene unfold from the long hallway.
Clara: Sir, she has been terrible to her all morning!
Clara: She threatened her and screamed in her face repeatedly!
Victoria glared at Clara with cold anger burning in her eyes.
Victoria: Shut your mouth, Clara, or you will be fired next!
Arthur held up his hand to quiet Victoria down immediately.
Arthur: Nobody is getting fired by you in this house, Victoria.