The grand foyer of the Vance mansion echoed with loud classical music.
Golden chandeliers hung high above the polished marble flooring.
Victoria Vance smoothed down the silk of her brilliant gold sequin gown.
She checked her reflection in the gilded wall mirror near the entry.
Elena stood silently near the corner holding a silver tray with water.
Her clean white maid uniform looked simple next to the surrounding luxury.
Elena had worked in the mansion for nearly three full years now.
She kept her head down and always completed every task quietly.
Victoria turned around on her sharp high heels and stared at Elena.
Victoria: You missed a spot on the marble floor over here.
Elena: I am sorry, Mrs. Vance, I will clean it immediately.
Victoria took a deliberate step forward with her heavy designer shoe.
She pressed her sharp heel directly onto Elena’s plain leather shoe.
Elena gasped softly from the sudden pressure against her foot.
Victoria: Learn your place, trash!
Elena: Please don't do this, Mrs. Vance.
Elena carefully tried to step back without dropping the heavy tray.
Victoria leaned in closer with a cruel smile on her face.
Victoria: You think you belong in a place as grand as this?
Elena: I am only doing the job I was hired to do.
Victoria: You are nothing more than servant scum in my house.
Elena kept her eyes fixed on the floor despite the sharp pain.
She knew that talking back would only make the situation much worse.
Victoria enjoyed feeling superior to everyone around her every single day.
She stepped harder on Elena's shoe to make her bow lower.
Elena: Please, you are hurting my foot.
Victoria: Then learn to bow faster when I speak to you!
Elena reached out gently with one hand to balance herself against Victoria.
Victoria immediately yanked her arm back with extreme anger on her face.
Victoria: How dare you touch me!
She slapped the silver tray directly out of Elena's shaking hands.
The tray crashed down loudly onto the hard white marble floor.
Water splashed across the gown and the pristine stone floor tiles.
Victoria raised her voice into an angry scream that echoed everywhere.
Victoria: You ruined my dress, you clumsy worthless girl!
Elena dropped down to her knees to gather the fallen glasses.
Her fingers trembled as she picked up the sharp glass pieces.
Victoria towered over her with a look of pure hatred.
Victoria: You will be fired without a single penny today!
Elena looked up with tears forming in her tired dark eyes.
Elena: Please, I need this job for my family's survival.
Victoria: I do not care about your pathetic little life at all.
Suddenly, the heavy double doors at the main entrance swung open.
A tall man in a black tuxedo stepped inside the room.