The afternoon sun beat down relentlessly on the concrete outdoor patio area.
Elena worked tirelessly as her hands grew completely numb from the bucket water.
She had scrubbed nearly twenty massive metal soup pots in four straight hours.
Her knuckles bled slightly from the harsh chemicals in the strong cleaning detergent.
Victoria walked down the wide marble steps holding a tall glass of red wine.
She tapped her high heels against the floor with a sharp click sound.
Victoria: You are working far too slowly for what I pay you.
Elena: I am almost finished with the heaviest roasting pans, ma'am.
Victoria: They look filthy and completely covered in dark greasy grease spots.
Victoria deliberately tipped her wine glass right over Elena's pristine white shirt.
Dark red liquid splashed across the girl's chest and stained her fabric deeply.
Elena gasped loudly in total shock and backed away on her knees.
Elena: Why would you do that to my clean clothes, ma'am?
Victoria: Do not dare talk back to me in my own luxury home!
Victoria sneered down at the trembling maid with total icy contempt.
Victoria: Start over, and make sure every single pot is completely spotless!
Elena began to cry silently as tears mixed with the soapy water below.
She felt completely helpless against such a rich and powerful woman.
If she quit now, her parents would lose their home to the bank.
She wiped her wet face with the back of her dirty sleeve.
Elena: I will clean them again like you asked, ma'am.
Victoria: You will stay on your knees until every guest arrives tonight.
Victoria laughed softly and turned her back on the crying young girl.
She took another slow sip from her fresh glass of expensive wine.
Elena dipped the heavy scrub brush back into the dark gray water.
Her back burned with intense pain from bending over for so long.
She thought about her brother Mark and prayed for his safe return home.
Mark always stood up to bullies when they were growing up together.
Suddenly, the heavy iron garden gate swung wide open with a loud creak.
A tall man walking with strong authority stepped onto the manicured lawn.
He wheeled two large leather suitcases across the neat stone pathway.
A bright American flag pin gleamed brightly on his crisp black suit jacket.
He stopped dead in his tracks as he saw the scene playing out.
His jaw clenched tightly as intense anger filled his dark brown eyes.
He recognized the small crying girl kneeling on the dirty concrete floor.