Mark pulled his heavy leather coat tighter around his shoulders as the cold afternoon wind blew across the long driveway.
He had been away on a business trip for two long weeks in another city.
His massive mansion stood quietly on top of the green hill overlooking the town below.
Mark loved his beautiful home, but today a strange heavy feeling settled inside his chest.
He carried two heavy bags toward the front entrance of the stone house.
The sun was shining bright in the sky, casting long shadows across the polished concrete steps.
Mark took a deep breath before pulling out his brass house key.
He unlocked the giant black front door and pushed it open slowly.
The heavy doors creaked loudly as they swung open into the bright high-key marble foyer.
Mark stepped inside and placed his heavy bags onto the shiny floor.
A large frame displaying an American flag artwork hung proudly on the tall white wall ahead.
The house was completely silent except for the soft sound of water splashing somewhere nearby.
Mark walked forward two slow steps and stopped right in his tracks.
Down on the cold marble floor sat a woman in a faded maid uniform.
She was kneeling on both knees with a small blue sponge in her wet hand.
Her brown hair fell loosely across her face, hiding her eyes from view.
Mark felt his heart drop into his stomach as he recognized her thin shoulders.
It was Sarah, his beloved pregnant wife, kneeling on the wet floor.
She was crying quietly while scrubbing a small stain near the baseboard.
Mark stood frozen in total shock as he looked down at her small trembling frame.
Sarah did not raise her head because she thought another guard had entered the room.
Her gray uniform was stained with bleach and her hands looked red and raw from the cold water.
Mark could see her round pregnant belly resting against her lap as she leaned forward.
He could not process what his eyes were seeing inside his own home.
His mind raced with terrible questions as he tried to speak.
Mark: Sarah, what are you doing on the floor?
Sarah gasped loudly and dropped the blue sponge straight into the dirty bucket.
She slowly raised her head and looked up at her husband with wide frightened eyes.
Her pale cheeks were streaked with dark tears and her lips were trembling terribly.
Mark noticed small smudges of dirt across her chin and forehead.
Sarah: Mark, you came back early from your trip.
Mark: Why are you wearing that uniform in our home?
Sarah opened her mouth to answer, but a sharp sound echoed down the grand hallway.
High heels clicked sharply against the floating glass steps of the main staircase.
Mark turned his head quickly to see who was coming down from the second floor.
A woman in a bright crimson red evening gown walked arrogantly down the steps.
It was Victoria, his wealthy business associate who had stayed behind to oversee the house renovations.
She held a half-full glass of red wine in her right hand as she smiled smoothly.
Victoria: Welcome home Mark, we did not expect you until tonight.
Mark: Victoria, why is my pregnant wife scrubbing the marble floors?
Victoria took another slow step down the glass staircase and laughed softly.
Victoria: She belongs on her knees cleaning my floor where she belongs!
Mark stared at Victoria in complete disbelief as the room grew completely silent.