The morning sun cut through the tall glass windows of the grand estate.
Arthur Vance stood near the wooden desk inside his bright marble office room.
He looked down at the official legal paperwork regarding his late wife's estate.
The family business was growing fast, but his heart felt empty without Clara.
Clara had passed away six months ago, leaving behind their sweet baby boy.
Arthur had hired Victoria a few months later to help manage the house.
She seemed like a gentle woman who cared deeply about his young child.
She wore expensive maroon dresses and spoke with a smooth and quiet voice.
Arthur trusted her completely with the house keys and the child's daily care.
However, the house staff noticed a very different side to Victoria each afternoon.
Elena was a young maid who had worked for the Vance family for years.
She loved little Leo and always made sure his nursery was bright and clean.
Elena: Good morning, little guy, ready for breakfast?
The baby giggled softly as Elena adjusted his bright blue blanket in the nursery.
Victoria: Why are you wasting time talking to that baby, Elena?
Elena turned around quickly and saw Victoria standing cold in the nursery doorway.
Elena: I was just bringing him his warm morning milk, ma'am.
Victoria: Put the bottle down and go scrub the downstairs light marble hallway.
Elena: Yes, ma'am, I will start on the hallway right now.
Elena lowered her head and walked toward the large hallway down the main stairs.
She felt a strange lump in her throat whenever Victoria spoke so harshly.
Victoria did not show any love toward the child when Arthur was away working.
She treated the baby like a burden that stood in her way every day.
Arthur had built a massive trust fund for little Leo before Clara had died.
Victoria wanted full control over the grand estate and the large family trust fund.
She spent her afternoons looking over financial documents in the private library room.
Victoria: This entire estate will belong to me very soon, child.
She whispered those words under her breath while pacing down the long corridor.
Elena heard the cruel words while wiping down the white marble floor tiles carefully.
Her heart beat fast because she knew something dangerous was building inside the home.
She made a quiet promise to protect the helpless baby no matter what happened.
She held her cleaning cloth tightly and wiped the smooth stone under her knees.
A shadow fell across the hallway as Victoria walked toward the baby room again.