Victoria pulled Lucas closer to the edge, holding his arm firmly as he wriggled to break free.
The boy slipped on the smooth polished wood of the top step, losing his footing completely.
Victoria did not reach out to steady him; instead, she let her grip slip right off his arm.
Lucas gave a loud scream as he tumbled backward over the top step toward the hard floor below.
Elena did not hesitate for a single second when she saw the young boy falling through the air.
She sprinted across the slippery marble floor as fast as her sneakers could take her.
Her breath gasped in her throat as she dove toward the bottom landing of the grand staircase.
She threw her arms wide and caught the small boy tight against her chest just before he hit the ground.
They both slid across the smooth tile floor, crashing against the bottom bannister with a heavy thump.
Elena ignored the sharp pain in her elbow as she wrapped her arms protectively around the crying boy.
Lucas sobbed loudly against her blue uniform, burying his face into her shoulder in complete terror.
Elena held him close, rocking him gently while her freckled face burned with overwhelming anger.
She looked up at the top of the stairs where Victoria stood with an unbothered look on her face.
Victoria slowly walked down the steps, smoothing out the front of her shiny green sequin dress.
She looked down at the maid and the crying child as if they were nothing more than an inconvenience.
Elena: Don't you ever dare to touch him again!
Victoria: Keep your voice down, Elena, or you will be out on the street before sunset!
Elena: You pushed him on purpose, and I saw the whole thing happen with my own eyes!
Victoria: Nobody will take the word of a poor maid over the mistress of this estate!
Elena stood up slowly, keeping Lucas safely behind her back as Victoria reached the bottom step.
The boy's body shook with fear as he clutched the back of Elena's blue uniform shirt tightly.
Victoria smiled coldly, taking a small golden compact from her purse to check her red lipstick.
She acted as though nothing terrible had just happened right in the middle of the quiet home.
Elena squeezed Lucas's hand, reassuring him that she would not leave his side no matter what.
The front driveway outside echoed with the sound of fast car tires crunching over the gravel.
Victoria's eyes widened slightly, and she quickly tucked her cosmetic mirror back into her designer purse.
She adjusted her posture, putting on a sweet and innocent expression as footsteps approached the front porch.
Elena stood her ground, holding the little boy's trembling hand tight in her own firm grasp.
She knew that the moment of truth had finally arrived for everyone inside the house.