Maria stepped out of the kitchen, unable to shake the persistent feeling of dread weighing down her chest.
She looked up toward the second-floor balcony that overlooked the expansive, white marble grand foyer below.
Victoria was standing near the railing, holding little Chloe in her arms with a strange, cold expression.
The baby was wearing a light pink dress, innocently babbling while reaching her small hands toward the sunlight.
Maria's heart dropped instantly as she noticed how precariously Victoria was leaning over the thick wooden rail.
The balcony sat high above the hard floor, a dangerous fall that no small child could ever survive.
Maria took a careful step forward, calling out gently so she would not startle the erratic woman above.
She asked Victoria if she needed help carrying the baby down the wide stairs for her morning bottle.
Victoria did not answer with words, turning her head slowly to glare down at Maria with pure contempt.
The cruel smile that spread across Victoria's face sent an icy shiver straight through Maria's entire body.
Suddenly, Victoria lifted the child over the edge of the railing, holding her out over the open air.
The baby began to whimper, feeling the sudden shift and the empty space beneath her tiny feet.
Maria gasped aloud, dropping her cleaning towels onto the floor as panic flooded through her veins completely.
She begged Victoria to pull the baby back over the railing to safety immediately before something awful happened.
Victoria sneered, whispering harsh words into the air that chilled Maria to the absolute bone.
Without a single hesitation, Victoria opened her hands, letting the helpless baby slip into the open space.
A loud scream echoed through the high ceilings of the mansion as the infant tumbled toward the floor.
Time seemed to freeze for Maria as she saw the pink dress falling fast through the sunlit air.
There was no time to think, no time to hesitate, and no time to call out for help.
Maria sprinted across the polished marble floor with every ounce of speed her body could possibly gather.
Her feet pushed off the slick surface as she threw her body forward in a desperate, sliding attempt.
She slid on her knees across the hard stone, reaching her arms out wide toward the falling child.
Her apron brushed the ground as she extended her hands as far as they could possibly reach forward.
Just inches above the cold marble, Maria caught little Chloe firmly against her chest, breaking the fast fall.
The impact hit Maria's arms hard, but she pulled the child tightly into her chest without letting go.
The baby began to cry hysterically, frightened by the sudden drop and the loud noise of the room.
Maria curled her body around the infant on the floor, weeping tears of intense relief and utter shock.
She rocked the baby gently back and forth, whispering soft words of comfort into the child's hair.
She told Chloe that she was safe now, holding her as tightly as she humanly could on the floor.
Up above, Victoria stood at the railing, staring down in absolute disbelief at the maid's incredible catch.
Her face twisted in anger as her desperate plot to eliminate the heir had just completely failed.
Before Victoria could react further, the massive front doors of the estate suddenly burst wide open.