Sarah adjusted the dark navy blazer around her shoulders as she walked across the sunlit foyer of her family estate.
The morning sun filtered through the grand floor-to-ceiling windows, illuminating the polished oak hardwood floors.
On the central wall, a large framed American flag painting hung proudly above the marble staircase.
It was supposed to be a quiet Saturday morning for Sarah, her husband Mark, and their ten-month-old son, Leo.
Instead, an uneasy tension filled the grand house ever since Sarah's sister, Vanessa, had moved into the guest suite three weeks ago.
Vanessa had arrived unannounced after losing her high-paying job in Chicago.
She carried two designer suitcases and an air of bitter resentment that everyone in the house could feel.
Sarah tried her best to welcome her older sister into their home.
She gave Vanessa the largest guest room overlooking the manicured gardens.
She bought her extra clothes and offered to help her find a new corporate job.
Yet Vanessa rarely smiled or offered a genuine word of thanks.
Instead, she spent her days wandering the halls in expensive emerald silk dresses, eyeing the lavish estate with quiet envy.
Sarah placed little Leo down on his padded play mat near the bottom of the grand staircase.
The baby giggled, reaching his tiny hands toward his favorite plush bear.
Sarah smiled softly as she checked her watch, knowing Mark was finishing up a call in his home office down the hallway.
She turned toward the kitchen to grab Leo's milk bottle, leaving the baby playing happily on the soft rug.
Up on the balcony landing, a shadow moved silently against the white crown molding.
Vanessa stood near the top of the stairs, her fingers gripping the polished wooden railing tightly.
Her emerald dress caught the morning light, but her eyes were cold and focused on the toddler below.
Vanessa hated seeing Sarah's perfect life, her successful husband, and her peaceful home.
She felt that she deserved the wealth and security that Sarah had built over the years.
A bitter thought festered in Vanessa's mind as she stared down at the defenseless baby.
She waited until Sarah stepped around the corner into the adjacent kitchen aisle.
Then, Vanessa took a slow step down the marble stairs, her eyes fixed on the child.
She called out the baby's name in a low, sweet voice to draw him toward the steps.
Leo turned his head toward the familiar voice and crawled slowly toward the bottom step.
Vanessa moved closer, her heart beating fast as she prepared to create a scene that would shatter the peace of the household.