The high-rise luxury penthouse overlooked the bright city skyline on a warm sunny afternoon.
Sunlight poured through the massive glass windows and lit up the white bedroom walls.
A small American flag hung neatly inside a polished wooden frame near the doorway.
Inside the room, an elderly woman rested quietly against stacked pillows in her bed.
Her name was Eleanor, and her health was slowly fading after a long illness.
Standing near the bed was Victoria, wearing an expensive tweed skirt suit and heavy jewelry.
Victoria glared at the elderly woman with deep anger and impatience in her eyes.
She held a bowl of hot soup in her hands, shaking with frustration.
Across the room, a young maid named Clara was quietly tidying up the wooden dresser.
Clara noticed Victoria stepping closer to the helpless woman with a dark expression.
Victoria suddenly raised her arms and threw the bowl of hot soup at Eleanor.
Clara did not hesitate for even a single second when she saw the danger.
She leaped across the wide bed and used her own body as a human shield.
The heavy ceramic bowl crashed violently against Clara's shoulder and shattered into pieces.
Hot liquid spilled all over Clara's crisp uniform and burned her bare arm.
Clara gasped in sharp pain as she collapsed onto the floor beside the bed.
Eleanor cried out in horror and reached her fragile hand toward the young maid.
Victoria stepped back quickly to avoid getting any stain on her costly suit.
She adjusted her blonde hair and looked down at Clara with total coldness.
The door swung open abruptly, and a tall handsome man rushed into the bedroom.
It was Adrian, the owner of the grand estate and son of old Eleanor.
He stopped in his tracks as he saw the steaming soup spilled everywhere.
Victoria immediately pointed an accusing finger down at Clara on the carpet.
Victoria: Adrian! She dropped it!
Clara: I did not drop it, sir.
Victoria: She is a clumsy servant who almost burned your mother!
Eleanor: No, Victoria, that is not what happened!
Adrian walked into the center of the room with a stern expression.
He looked at Clara clutching her scalded arm in deep pain on the floor.
Adrian: What really happened here?
Victoria: She's signing your fortune to the help!
Adrian's eyes widened in complete shock as he turned toward his fiancee.
Adrian: What are you talking about, Victoria?
Victoria: Your mother is trying to leave everything to this maid!
Clara held back her tears while clutching her red skin on the floor.
She looked up at Adrian with honest eyes that showed no fear.
Clara: I only wanted to protect your mother from getting hurt.
Eleanor: Clara speaks the truth, Adrian, she saved me today.
Adrian felt a cold knot tighten inside his chest as he listened.
He knew Victoria loved money, but he never expected such cruelty today.
The air in the bedroom grew thick with tension and unspoken secrets.
Adrian took a slow step forward toward the two women in silence.
He needed to find out the truth before another lie was spoken.