Mark pulled his heavy leather briefcase from the passenger seat of his car.
The afternoon sun was beaming down brightly across the quiet neighborhood street.
He had finished his corporate meetings early because a major contract signed ahead of schedule.
He wanted to surprise his wife Brenda with the wonderful news over dinner.
They had been married for three years and lived in a grand white mansion.
Mark walked up the wide stone steps leading toward the heavy wooden double doors.
He unlocked the front door quietly so he would not disturb anyone inside.
The bright white marble floor of the grand entrance hall glinted under the chandelier.
A harsh and shouting voice echoed down the hall from the kitchen doorway.
Mark froze in place immediately as his heart began to beat very fast.
Brenda: I told you to clean that floor properly!
Mark stepped forward slowly toward the sound of the cruel shouting.
He peered around the grand archway into the main foyer of the house.
His mother Evelyn was on her knees holding a wet rag against the marble.
Her hands were trembling violently as she tried to scrub a dark stain.
Brenda stood over the elderly woman while holding a heavy wooden broom handle.
Brenda: You are so slow and completely useless every single day!
Evelyn: Please, Brenda, my knees are hurting me so badly...
Brenda: I do not care about your knees at all!
Mark could hardly process the terrible sight unfolding right before his eyes.
His gentle mother had moved in with them six long months ago.
Brenda had always promised him that she treated his mother like family.
She always insisted that Evelyn was happy and well cared for while he worked.
Yet here was his mother weeping bitterly on the cold floor in tears.
Mark dropped his heavy briefcase onto the floor with a loud thud.
The sudden sound echoed sharply across the large and open foyer space.
Brenda spun around instantly with a look of absolute terror on her face.
She quickly lowered the wooden handle and forced a tiny nervous smile.
Brenda: Mark! You are home so early today, my sweet husband!
Mark: What are you doing to my mother right now?
Brenda: She just spilled some dark juice on our expensive marble floor!
Brenda: I was only helping her learn how to keep things clean!
Mark: You were screaming at an elderly woman who cannot defend herself!
Mark took three long and powerful strides directly toward his trembling wife.
His face was red with intense emotion and deep disbelief as he approached.
Brenda backed away slowly until her spine pressed against the white wall.
She tried to reach out toward his arm to calm his rising anger.
Mark brushed her hand away with a sharp gesture of complete refusal.
Mark: Do not touch me after what I just saw you do!