Elena stood on the cold marble floor of the grand foyer.
She wiped a single tear from her pale cheek.
Her stepmother Margarethe glared down at her with sharp eyes.
The entire mansion smelled of expensive lilies and old silver.
Margarethe held a heavy pair of iron scissors in her hand.
She stepped closer to the trembling girl.
Elena backed up until her heels touched the balcony railing.
The pearl necklace around her neck caught the warm chandelier light.
That necklace was the last gift from her late mother.
Her father had locked it in a high-security vault years ago.
Only last night had Elena finally received the access code.
She wanted to wear it to the family charity gala tonight.
Margarethe smiled without any real warmth or kindness.
She raised the heavy iron blades to the silk string of pearls.
Elena squeezed her eyes shut and held her breath.
With one harsh snap, the iron blades cut through the delicate cord.
Dozens of white pearls bounced wildly across the white marble floor.
They made a sharp click-clack sound in the quiet hall.
Elena gasped as the heavy pearls fell away from her chest.
She reached out her hands to grab the falling gems.
Margarethe pushed her shoulder back with cold force.
Elena lost her balance near the edge of the tall staircase.
Her blue evening dress billowed softly in the cool draft.
She slipped on the loose pearls rolling beneath her shoes.
Margarethe did not reach out to save the falling girl.
She simply folded her arms across her dark velvet dress.
Elena screamed as her body tipped over the white railing.
The sheer drop to the main floor looked terrifyingly deep.
She felt air rushing past her ears as she fell.
The world turned upside down in a blur of white stone.
She thought about her late mother's warm smile.
She wondered if anyone in the grand house heard her scream.
Then a dark shadow moved fast from the main entrance below.