Elena adjusted her navy apron as she walked quietly down the polished hallway of the Sterling estate.
The sun streamed through the high arch windows and cast bright warm light across the marble floor.
She had worked as the family housekeeper for nearly three years with total dedication and care.
Her chief job was taking care of little baby Leo after his real mother passed away last year.
The house had grown very dark and lonely until Mark Sterling married his new wife Victoria six months ago.
Victoria appeared sweet and loving whenever Mark was home from his corporate office in town.
She smiled softly at dinner and held the baby gently in front of her wealthy husband.
Yet the second Mark left through the front doors, Victoria changed into a completely different person.
She spoke with a sharp tone and treated the staff with harsh contempt every single afternoon.
Elena noticed how Victoria ignored the baby whenever he cried in his crib upstairs.
She felt a growing knot of worry in her stomach every time Mark went out of town.
Today was supposed to be a regular Thursday while Mark attended a major business meeting downtown.
Elena carried a basket of freshly folded white towels toward the primary nursery suite.
As she neared the hallway archway, she heard the harsh sound of raised voices echoing clearly.
Victoria was shouting angrily at someone inside the nursery in a cold, venomous tone.
Elena stopped in her tracks and set the heavy laundry basket softly on the ground.
She stepped closer to the doorway and peeked through the small gap between the grand doors.
Victoria stood over the wooden crib with a scowl on her heavy face.
Little Leo was crying softly in his blue blanket, clearly scared by the loud noise.
Victoria: Stop that stupid crying right now, you little brat!
Elena gasped quietly behind her hand and felt her heart race with intense panic.
Victoria: You are nothing but a burden in this giant house!
Victoria grabbed the edge of the blue blanket roughly and pulled the child toward the stroller.
Elena knew she could not stay silent any longer while a baby was in trouble.
She reached into her apron pocket and pulled out her small smartphone with trembling fingers.
She opened the camera application and pressed the red record button before taking a single step forward.