Elena reached the top of the grand white marble staircase.
Her heart was hammering wildly against her chest in fear.
Her cheek stung from the sharp scratch Victoria had given her.
She gripped baby Leo firmly with her left strong arm.
Her right hand held her phone securely inside her pocket.
Victoria ran down the hallway to block the top stairs.
Victoria: Hand over that phone or you will regret this!
Elena: Get out of my way, Victoria!
Victoria: You will leave this house empty-handed today!
Elena: I am taking Leo downstairs to wait for his father.
Victoria: Mark will never believe a word from a poor servant!
Elena: He will believe his own eyes when he sees the video.
Victoria reached out frantically to grab Elena's shoulder tightly.
Elena shifted her weight back safely away from the top step.
She did not want to risk falling down the steep marble stairs.
Elena: Do not touch me again!
Victoria: Give me the phone right now!
Suddenly, heavy front doors banged open loudly down in the foyer.
The sound echoed loudly through the high ceiling of the mansion.
Rapid running footsteps pounded hard across the smooth tile floor below.
Mark Sterling had returned early from his trip to Houston.
He looked up toward the top of the grand marble staircase.
He saw his wife pulling at the nanny near the steps.
He saw his baby son weeping loudly in Elena's arms.
Mark: What on earth is going on up there?!
Mark took the stairs three at a time in massive leaps.
His face was pale with immediate confusion and rising worry.
He reached the top landing and pushed between the two women.
Mark: Victoria, what are you doing?!
Victoria: Mark! Thank goodness you are back early!
Victoria instantly changed her tone into a trembling, soft whisper.
She dropped her hands and forced fake tears into her eyes.
Victoria: This crazy maid was trying to steal our baby!
Elena: That is an absolute lie, Mr. Sterling!
Victoria: She attacked me when I tried to stop her!
Mark turned his head fast and looked straight at Elena.
He saw the red scratch mark clearly on Elena's cheek.
He saw the deep fear shining in Elena's tired eyes.
Mark: Elena, speak to me right now.
Elena: Look at your son, Mr. Sterling.
Mark knelt down quickly and took baby Leo into his arms.
He held the weeping boy close against his blue suit.
Mark: Daddy's right here. You're safe.
Elena: She hurts the child every time you leave!
Mark's face hardened with sudden, absolute rage at those words.
He turned his head slowly to glare straight at Victoria.
Mark: What did you just say, Elena?
Elena: She mistreats him the second you walk out the door.
Victoria: She is making up insane stories to save her job!
Elena: I have video proof right here on my phone, sir.
Victoria's face drained of all color as Mark stood up.
The silence in the grand hallway became heavy and deadly cold.