By noon the bright sunlight warmed the long corridors of the vast luxury estate.
Lily searched through her small wooden toy chest inside her quiet bedroom suite upstairs.
She was looking for a small golden locket that contained her mother's picture.
The precious jewelry piece had rested inside her bedside drawer for several years.
When she opened the velvet lined drawer, the golden locket was completely missing.
Tears began streaming down the young girl's soft cheeks as she panicked inside.
She ran out into the upper balcony hallway searching for someone to help.
Elena was polishing the solid brass railing at the top of the stairs.
Lily: My mom's gold locket is gone from my drawer!
Elena: Take a deep breath sweetheart, we will find it together.
The devoted maid held the crying child's hands and offered warm comfort gently.
She immediately suspected that Victoria had taken the precious locket away secretly earlier.
Victoria had been pacing through the master bedroom suite all morning while speaking softly.
She was talking on her private phone about selling off old estate items.
Elena walked down the quiet carpeted hallway toward the master bedroom door carefully.
She saw Victoria standing near an open mahogany box holding the shiny locket.
The stepmother examined the rare golden antique with a cold greedy expression today.
Elena: That personal locket belongs to little Lily, ma'am.
Victoria: Do not dare enter my room without permission, you simple maid!
Elena: You have no right to steal memories from a grieving young child!
Victoria: Everything inside this estate belongs to my husband and me now!
Victoria slammed the heavy mahogany jewelry box shut with a sharp loud bang.
She stepped closer to Elena with a fierce glare in her dark eyes.
The wealthy woman threatened to fire Elena immediately if she spoke one word.
Elena refused to back down because her loyalty belonged to the little girl.
Elena: Mr. Vance will hear about this before the sun goes down.
Victoria: He will never believe a paid servant over his own legal wife!
Victoria pushed past Elena angrily while clutching the gold locket inside her palm.
She walked briskly toward the wide balcony overlooking the bright marble foyer below.
Elena followed closely behind to ensure the precious heirloom remained completely safe now.
The atmosphere inside the grand mansion turned icy cold within a few seconds.
Lily watched from her bedroom doorway with wide frightened eyes across the hall.
She could feel that something terrible was about to happen near the stairs.