The bright chandeliers cast a warm glow across the white marble floor of the Sterling estate hall. An American flag hung high on the back wall, framed by tall marble pillars. Guests in expensive tuxedos and designer dresses stood around the room, holding silver champagne flutes. In the center of the hall, Victoria stood in her striking emerald green gown, her golden hair styled perfectly. In her right hand, she held a pair of sharp steel kitchen scissors.
Victoria: Stand still, you pathetic little mouse!
Clara: Please, Mrs. Sterling... don't do this in front of everyone!
Victoria: I told you to stay in the back kitchen! You have no right to show your face around my guests!
Clara: I was only bringing fresh water for the dinner table...
Victoria grabbed a thick clump of Clara's dark hair and opened the heavy steel blades. With a loud, sickening crunch of steel against hair, a long strand fell directly onto the polished floor.
Guest A: Is she really cutting the maid's hair right in the middle of the gala?
Guest B: Victoria has always been cruel, but this is disgraceful!
Victoria: Now you look less distracting!
Clara dropped her metal serving tray. The silver pitcher hit the floor with a loud clang, spilling ice water across the white tiles. She fell to her knees, clutching her stomach with both hands, gasping dramatically for air as tears ran down her face.
Clara: Ah! My stomach... I was only bringing water...
Victoria: Stop acting, you useless girl! Get up and clean this mess!
Clara: It hurts so bad... please help me!
From the top of the grand marble staircase, heavy footsteps echoed down the hall. Julian Sterling, wearing a grey designer suit with a small US flag patch on his chest, hurried down the steps with a look of utter horror on his face.
Julian: What on earth is happening down here?
Victoria: Julian! Don't look at this mess, darling! The maid broke a pitcher!
Julian: Get away from her, Victoria!
Julian pushed past his fiancée, kneeling down on the wet floor beside Clara. He unbuttoned his suit jacket, pulled it off, and wrapped it protectively around Clara's trembling shoulders, unaware that a tiny piece of torn paper was about to reveal a secret that would shatter the entire Sterling empire.