The grand dining room inside the penthouse was quiet, save for the soft clinking of expensive silver cutlery against fine china. Gabriel sat at the head of the long mahogany table, watching his wife, Victoria, talk about her latest charity event. On the surface, Victoria seemed like the perfect partner for a successful CEO. She was elegant, beautifully dressed in a beige silk shirt, and spoke with an air of sophisticated confidence. But Gabriel had begun to notice small things over the past few months that made him wonder if her polished public image was just a fake mask.
Their young maid, Maria, entered the room carrying a silver pitcher filled with steaming hot tea. She was a quiet, hardworking woman who had taken the job six months ago to support her sick mother. Her hands were slightly trembling from exhaustion after working a twelve-hour shift preparing the mansion for Gabriel's private dinner party. As Maria stepped closer to the table to refill Victoria's cup, her foot caught the edge of the thick rug. She stumbled, and a few hot drops spilled onto the white tablecloth.
Victoria gasped loudly, instantly jumping out of her plush chair as if she had been physically attacked. Her gentle smile melted away, replaced by an expression of pure rage. She did not ask if Maria was okay or check if the girl had burned herself during the awkward stumble. Instead, Victoria snatched the heavy silver pitcher right out of Maria's hands with incredible force. Maria stood terrified, bowing her head and apologizing repeatedly, her voice shaking with absolute panic.
Victoria: You had one job! How hard is it to pour a simple cup without making a mess?
Maria: I am so sorry, ma'am! Please forgive me, I tripped on the rug!
Victoria did not care about the apology at all. In a shockingly cruel move, she grabbed Maria's wrist, pulled her hand forward over the dining table, and raised the heavy silver pitcher high into the air. Before Gabriel could even process what was happening, Victoria tipped the pitcher forward, intentionally pouring the scalding liquid directly onto the back of Maria's bare hand. Maria let out a painful scream, tears instantly streaming down her cheeks as she collapsed into a nearby chair, cradling her red, injured skin.
Another maid sitting near the kitchen entrance gasped in sheer horror, running over to comfort her crying coworker. Gabriel stood up so fast his heavy dining chair fell backward onto the hardwood floor with a loud crash. His jaw was tightly clenched, his pulse throbbing in his throat as he glared at the woman he had married just two years ago. The sweet, loving woman he thought he knew had vanished, leaving behind a cold bully who felt no shame in hurting someone defenseless.
Gabriel: Victoria! What in the world is wrong with you?
Victoria: She needed to learn a lesson, Gabriel! She ruined our evening with her utter carelessness!