Arthur hurried down the curved stairs while adjusting his dark blue necktie.
He stopped dead in his tracks at the bottom of the landing.
The sight of broken glass across the marble floor shocked him deeply.
Clarissa was sitting on the floor, holding her wrist and crying loudly.
Elena stood ten feet away, clutching baby Leo tightly against her sweater.
Arthur: What on earth happened down here right before my flight?
Clarissa: Oh Arthur, thank goodness you came down before she hurt us!
Elena: Sir, that is not the truth at all! Please listen!
Clarissa: She tried to push me down the front steps with Leo!
Arthur looked between the two women with confusion and rising fear.
He had known Elena for years, but Clarissa was his chosen bride.
Arthur: Elena, is this true? Did you endanger my son today?
Elena: I would give my own life to keep your son safe, sir!
Elena: Miss Clarissa put him outside in the freezing cold draft on purpose!
Clarissa: She is lying because she knows you are going to fire her!
Clarissa: Look at the shattered glass she threw near my feet, Arthur!
Arthur walked slowly over to his crying baby and touched his cheek.
Leo reached out his tiny hands toward his father's warm face.
Arthur took the child gently into his arms and kissed his head.
Arthur: The baby is shivering cold, Elena. Why is he trembling like this?
Elena: Because he was put near the open door before I grabbed him!
Clarissa: Don't listen to her insane excuses for one more second, darling!
Clarissa: Who do you think he will believe? Your future wife or her?
Clarissa sneered coldly at Elena while Arthur turned his head away.
The cruel words hung in the air like a heavy dark cloud.
Elena felt her eyes fill with hot tears of deep frustration.
She knew she had no money or influence to defend her name.
Arthur: Elena, go to the staff quarters until I return this evening.
Elena: Sir, please do not leave Leo alone in her care today!
Arthur: I said go to your room now, Elena! We will talk later!
Elena lowered her head and walked slowly down the narrow service hallway.
Her heart felt broken into a thousand tiny pieces inside her chest.
Clarissa stood up slowly and wiped her face with a silk handkerchief.
A triumphant smile spread across her lips as Arthur turned his back.
Clarissa: Don't worry about a thing, darling. I will watch Leo all day.
Arthur: I have to sign the emergency trust fund documents downtown first.
Clarissa: Go ahead, my love. Everything here will be handled perfectly well.
Arthur grabbed his dark wool coat and stepped out into the morning fog.
He felt a strange weight in his gut, but his mind was rushed.
As soon as the black car pulled away, Clarissa's smile vanished completely.
She turned to look at baby Leo sitting in his infant seat.
Clarissa: Your father will sign everything over to me by this afternoon.
Clarissa: And once he does, you will be gone from this house forever.
She picked up the baby seat roughly and walked toward the dark basement.
There was nobody around to stop her evil plan from unfolding now.
Or so she thought as she locked the basement door firmly shut.