Inside the bright white kitchen, Elena carefully prepared the requested tray of iced tea.
She placed crystal glasses alongside a heavy brass bucket filled with cold ice cubes.
Elena wiped down the silver tray so everything looked perfect for the demanding guest.
She wanted to keep the peace until Ethan returned home from his corporate office.
Meanwhile, Victoria walked around the spacious living room with an impatient step.
She examined the expensive oil paintings hanging on the tall formal walls.
Victoria had planned this unexpected visit for several long months in total secret.
She knew Ethan was extremely wealthy and held vast legal land holdings statewide.
Her goal was to marry Ethan quickly and take full control of his wealth.
However, she saw baby Leo as a huge obstacle to her selfish financial dreams.
She wanted Ethan to focus only on her without any family distractions around.
Victoria walked back toward the comfortable sofa where little Leo was now sitting peacefully.
The small baby was playing with a blue rattle while babbling sweet happy noises.
Victoria felt a surge of cold annoyance looking at the innocent child's joyful face.
She decided to make the baby cry so badly that Ethan would hire a nursery boarding school.
Elena picked up the serving tray from the kitchen counter and walked back out.
She carried the heavy tray carefully through the long tiled hallway toward the sitting area.
As she approached the doorway, she heard Victoria talking in a harsh low whisper.
Victoria: You think you own this mansion just because your mother lived here?
Elena paused near the open doorway, keeping her steps completely silent on the carpet.
She saw Victoria reach for the heavy brass ice bucket on the side table.
Victoria lifted the container filled with sharp freezing ice cubes directly above the sofa.
Baby Leo looked up with big innocent eyes, completely unaware of any danger.
Victoria: Cry all you want today, you do not belong in this home!
Victoria tilted the bucket, preparing to dump the freezing ice over the helpless infant.
Elena dropped her silver tray onto the floor with a loud metallic crash.
The loud sound echoed loudly across the high ceilings of the bright mansion room.
Elena: No, stop right there, do not touch that child!
Elena rushed forward across the hardwood floor with incredible speed and single focus.
She reached the sofa just as the cold ice began to spill from the bucket lip.
Without hesitating for a single second, Elena tackled Victoria away from the sofa.
Both women crashed hard onto the thick Persian rug in a tangle of arms.
The ice cubes scattered harmlessly across the rug away from the frightened baby.
Little Leo began to cry loudly from the sudden loud noise and commotion.