Bright morning daylight flooded through the arched windows of the grand mansion, lighting up the polished white marble tiles and the grand piano in the corner[cite: 1]. Across the room, a large framed American flag hung mounted against the pristine white wall[cite: 1]. Clara tightened her grip on her serving tray, watching the woman in the center of the hall with rising dread[cite: 1].
Victoria stood beneath the crystal chandeliers in an exquisite pink diamond-embroidered gown, holding a tiny swaddled infant out in front of her[cite: 1]. Her fair-skinned face twisted into pure, unbridled disgust[cite: 1].
Victoria: Get rid of it right now![cite: 1]
Clara: Miss Victoria, please! Step back from the center of the floor! He's just a newborn baby!
Victoria: I don't care! I will not have this beggar's brat in my home for one more second!
Clara: That is Mr. Sterling's only child! Give him to me!
Victoria: He is an obstacle to my future, and I am cleaning house!
Without warning, Victoria pulled her arms back and aggressively threw the infant high across the room toward the stone floor[cite: 1].
A frantic gasp echoed off the high ceiling as the silk blanket tumbled through the open air[cite: 1]. Clara dropped her silver tray with a clattering crash, diving forward on her knees across the slippery marble tiles[cite: 1].
Her knees skidded hard against the polished stone, friction tearing straight through her stockings as she threw both arms out[cite: 1].
Clara: NOOO![cite: 1]
She caught the falling bundle just two inches above the unforgiving marble, pulling the screaming boy tightly against her chest[cite: 1]. High-definition terror gripped her chest as she looked down at the tiny infant sobbing with wide-open lungs[cite: 1].
Clara: What is wrong with you?! You could have killed him![cite: 1]
Victoria smoothed down the sparkling pink folds of her gown with a cold, manic smirk[cite: 1].
Victoria: A pity your reflexes were so fast, maid. But nobody will ever believe a servant over the future Mrs. Sterling.
Before Victoria could take another breath, the heavy double wooden doors at the end of the hall burst wide open under the bright daylight[cite: 1]. Ethan Sterling strode into the ballroom, flanked by armed security guards, his eyes locking onto his sobbing maid on the floor[cite: 1]. But the dark secret Victoria had hidden inside her private safe was already about to rip her entire world apart[cite: 1].