Later that afternoon, Victoria left the mansion in her luxury sports car for an appointment.
Elena saw this brief window of opportunity and acted without wasting a single second.
She told the little boy to stay safely inside his bedroom and lock the door.
Elena walked quietly down the rear hallway toward the home's small security office.
The door was usually kept locked, but the spare key was kept in the pantry.
She retrieved the key with shaking fingers and unlocked the heavy wooden door.
Inside, several dark monitors glowed soft blue against the dim grey wall.
Elena sat down in the leather chair and pulled the computer keyboard closer.
She navigated through the system menu to find the video files from earlier that morning.
Her hands were cold, but her determination was strong as she clicked the file.
The clear footage appeared on the center screen with crisp, full detail.
It clearly showed Victoria pulling Leo forcefully by the arm across the carpeted hallway.
The footage captured the exact moment the boy cried out in visible pain.
It showed Victoria yelling harshly into the small boy's frightened face.
Elena felt tears well up in her eyes as she watched the shocking footage play.
She pulled a USB flash drive from her pocket and inserted it into the tower.
She copied the high-definition video file directly onto the small memory stick.
Elena: Now we have the truth recorded forever.
Suddenly, the sound of a heavy car engine resonated from the front driveway outside.
Elena quickly ejected the flash drive and slipped it deep into her apron pocket.
She shut down the computer screen and locked the security door behind her instantly.
She walked briskly back into the front foyer just as the front doors opened wide.
Richard Vance walked inside, carrying a heavy leather briefcase in his right hand.
He looked exhausted from his long flight back home from his business trip.
Richard: Good afternoon, Elena.
Richard: Where is my wife and my son?
Before Elena could answer, the front door opened again behind the wealthy businessman.
Victoria stepped inside, holding several high-end shopping bags in her delicate hands.
She smiled brightly at her husband and stepped forward to greet him warmly.
Victoria: Welcome home, darling!
Victoria: We missed you so much while you were away working hard.
Elena saw the deceitful smile on the woman's face and stepped forward immediately.
Elena: Mr. Vance, I need to speak with you urgently regarding your son.