Elena pushed the polishing cloth across the cold marble floor of the grand foyer.
The sunlight poured through the front glass doors and lit up the immense American flag on the wall.
She worked every day for the rich Vance family in their huge suburban estate.
Her daily routine was always long, quiet, and exhausting.
Yet, Elena never complained about her job because she loved little Maya like her own child.
Maya was just two years old and full of bright giggles.
The little girl ran around the house in a bright yellow dress every single morning.
Elena kept a close eye on the toddler whenever the master of the house was away on business trips.
Richard Vance was a wealthy man who cared deeply about his daughter.
His new wife, Victoria, was a very different person.
Victoria married Richard six months ago and always treated the staff with harsh words.
She wore expensive royal blue dresses and walked around like she owned the world.
Elena wiped the wooden base of the sweeping staircase with extra care.
She heard the faint sound of small footsteps on the upper floor.
Maya was playing upstairs near the open indoor balcony.
Victoria was also standing up there, looking down with a cold expression.
Elena stopped wiping the floor for a brief moment to look up.
Something about Victoria's stiff posture made Elena feel very uneasy inside.
She put her polishing cloth down on a nearby side table.
The atmosphere inside the grand foyer became strangely silent and heavy.
Elena took two steps closer to the bottom of the stairs to get a clearer view.