Richard walked up the front steps of his grand brick mansion with a heavy briefcase in his hand.
He had spent three exhausting days in downtown Chicago closing an important real estate contract.
The afternoon sun reflected brightly off the tall glass windows of the quiet neighborhood.
He pulled out his brass house keys and unlocked the large dark wooden front door.
He expected to find his wife relaxing in the living room listening to calm music.
He expected to see his twelve-year-old daughter Lily sitting at the kitchen table doing homework.
Instead, the grand entryway was completely silent except for a soft crying sound.
Richard stopped in his tracks near the heavy oak coat rack in the foyer.
The air inside the hallway felt cold and unusually tense for a warm Tuesday afternoon.
He set his heavy leather briefcase down beside the marble archway leading inside.
The soft crying sound came from behind the massive double staircase near the hall.
Richard stepped quietly across the polished white floor to see what was happening.
A young girl was kneeling on the cold floor holding a wet rag.
She wore a faded black maid uniform that was far too big for her.
Her long brown hair hung down in front of her wet, tear-stained cheeks.
She scrubbed furiously at a puddle of soapy water near the wooden baseboards.
Richard felt his heart stop as he recognized his only daughter Lily.
"Lily?" Richard whispered in total disbelief as he stared at the scene.
Lily: Dad...
The young girl gasped and looked up with wide, terrified brown eyes.
She dropped the dirty cloth into the plastic bucket beside her shaking knees.
Richard: What are you doing on the floor?
Lily: I had to clean the whole floor, Dad.
Richard: Who put that uniform on you, sweetie?
Lily: Eleanor said I had to work today.
Richard felt a wave of cold anger wash over his entire body.
He stepped closer to his daughter and knelt down beside the bucket.
Her hands were red and trembling from scrubbing the hard marble floor.
Richard: Stand up right now, Lily.
Lily: I am not finished yet, Dad.
Richard: You are done cleaning this instant.
He grabbed her small hand and helped her stand up from the floor.
Just then, the sharp sound of high heels echoed down the hallway.
A woman with styled red hair walked into the brightly lit foyer.
She wore a expensive wine-red silk dress and held a crystal glass.
She had a broad, confident smile on her face as she looked up.
Eleanor: Darling, you are home early today.
Richard: What is the meaning of this, Eleanor?
Eleanor: Oh, don't make such a big deal about it.
Richard: My daughter is wearing a maid uniform!
Eleanor: She needed to learn some real discipline today.
Richard: Discipline for what exact reason, Eleanor?
Eleanor: She dropped an antique vase this morning.
Lily: I didn't drop it, Dad!
Eleanor: Hush now, you little liar!
Richard placed himself directly between Eleanor and his frightened child.
His hands curled into tight fists at his sides as he stared.
Richard: Do not speak to my daughter like that again.
Eleanor: I am her stepmother and I run this house!
Richard: You do not own a single brick of this estate.
Eleanor raised her chin arrogantly and took a slow sip of wine.
She showed no regret or fear in her cool blue eyes whatsoever.
Eleanor: You hired me to manage this family when you were busy.
Richard: I married you because I thought you loved us.
Eleanor: She broke a five-thousand-dollar crystal vase in the hallway.
Lily: She pushed it off the table herself, Dad!
Eleanor: That is an absolute lie from a rebellious spoiled brat!
Richard looked at Eleanor's cold face and realized the terrible truth.
He had made a massive mistake bringing this woman into his home.