The morning sun hit the tall glass windows of the Dallas estate, but inside, the air felt icy cold.
Elena adjusted her blue maid uniform while carrying a fresh tray of polished silverware across the white marble foyer.
She had worked for the rich Miller family for over three years and knew every quiet corner of the massive house.
Richard Miller was a powerful businessman who spent long hours at his corporate office downtown.
Since his first wife passed away, he had thrown himself entirely into his work to cope with the loss.
Six months ago, he brought home his new bride, a younger socialite named Victoria who wore expensive green silk dresses.
Victoria swept into the family estate like a sudden storm, demanding complete control over the household staff.
She spoke down to the workers and treated seven-year-old Lucas like an unwanted burden in her new high-society life.
Elena watched closely as Lucas spent most of his afternoons sitting quietly in the grand library all by himself.
The young boy missed his mother terribly and rarely smiled whenever his stepmother walked into the room.
Elena often made him hot cocoa and listened to his stories about high school soccer and art projects.
She loved the young boy like her own family and swore to keep an eye on him whenever Richard was traveling.
This morning, Richard was scheduled to return from a long business trip to Chicago around noon.
Victoria had been nervous all morning, pacing back and forth across the shiny marble floor in her high heels.
She barked orders at the kitchen staff while constantly checking the golden clock hanging above the fireplace.
Elena kept her head down and polished the mahogany bannister along the grand spiral staircase.
She noticed Lucas standing at the top of the stairs, clutching his small blue toy car close to his chest.
Victoria marched up the stairs with a sharp look in her eyes and caught Lucas by his thin shoulder.
The boy tried to pull back, but her grip was tight as she pulled him toward the heavy wooden railing.
Elena felt her stomach drop as she saw how close the little boy was to the steep drop below.
Victoria bent down and whispered something harsh into the child's ear that made his eyes fill with bright tears.
Elena set her polishing rag on the steps and slowly took a step closer to the staircase.
She knew that interfering in family matters could cost her the job she desperately needed for her own family.
Yet, looking at the terrified expression on the boy's face made her heart beat wildly in her chest.
The front door remained locked tight, and no one else was in the spacious front entry hall to help.
Victoria raised her voice, letting out an annoyed sigh that echoed off the high decorative ceiling.
Victoria: Why must you always stand right in my way when I am busy?
Lucas: I was just waiting for my dad to come home!
Victoria: Your father has important work, and he does not need you bothering him the second he arrives!
Elena took another step forward, her heart pounding like a drum as the argument upstairs grew louder.