Leo panicked as his stepmother's sharp hand reached toward his small shoulder.
He backed away quickly, but his heel caught the edge of the smooth rug.
The little boy stumbled backward and lost his balance at the top step.
Leo: Help me!
Victoria: Get out of my way!
Victoria gave a sharp push toward his chest instead of catching him safely.
Leo fell backward down the steep marble stairs with a loud, terrifying cry.
Elena dropped her cleaning towel and sprinted across the polished foyer floor.
Her heart pounded wildly in her chest as she watched the child tumble down.
She threw her body forward at the bottom step to break his fall.
Leo crashed right into Elena's arms, and they both slid across the smooth floor.
Elena held the terrified child tightly against her chest, shielding his head completely.
The small plastic car shattered into pieces against the bottom step with a crash.
Leo wept loudly, buried deep inside Elena's protective, warm embrace.
Elena checked his arms and legs quickly to ensure no bone was broken.
Elena: Shh, it is okay, I have got you safely.
Leo: She pushed me, Elena!
Elena: You are safe now, my darling.
Victoria stood at the top of the stairs, looking down without any pity.
She casually smoothed her white dress and adjusted her expensive gold bracelet.
Victoria: What a dramatic little liar he is.
Elena: You pushed him on purpose!
Victoria: Watch your tone, or I will fire you today!
Elena felt a wave of righteous anger surge through her entire body.
She stood up slowly, keeping Leo safely behind her black and white uniform.
She stepped toward the staircase, her eyes burning with pure outrage.
Elena: You are a monster to treat a child like this!
Victoria: How dare a low-class maid speak to me like that!
Victoria raised her hand to strike Elena across the cheek in anger.
Elena caught Victoria's wrist in mid-air with incredible strength and determination.
Elena: You will never lay a hand on anyone in this house again!
Victoria: Let go of my arm this instant!
Elena: Your cruel games end right now, Victoria!
Victoria pulled her arm back in shock, her face turning bright red with anger.
She had never expected a simple housemaid to defy her authority so boldly.
At that exact moment, the heavy wooden front doors burst wide open.