Elena remained on the hard floor, holding the wrapped bundle near her heart.
Her knees throbbed with pain from the hard impact against the checkered stone.
She took a deep breath to calm her rapid and heavy breathing.
From the upper balcony, a loud and fake shriek filled the entire foyer.
Evelyn: Help me, somebody come quickly, the maid dropped the precious family heirloom!
Elena looked up in utter disbelief at the shouting grandmother standing above.
The old woman was pointing her finger down while crying loud fake tears.
Heavy boots stomped loudly across the upper hall floorboards toward the noise.
Richard Vance burst through the double doors wearing his sharp dark blue suit.
His face twisted with sudden shock as he looked down over the railing.
Richard: Mother, what on earth just happened down there right now?
Evelyn: She grabbed it from my hands and let it fall to the ground!
Elena shook her head frantically as she scrambled up to her feet.
Elena: That is not true sir, I caught it when she dropped it!
Richard rushed down the sweeping marble staircase with dark and furious eyes.
His face flushed bright red as he confronted the trembling housekeeper before him.
Richard: You dropped my mother's irreplaceable treasure on the stone floor!
Elena: No sir, I saved it from smashing onto the hard floor!
Richard: Do not lie to me while standing inside my own house!
He snatched the blue blanket bundle right out of Elena's shaking hands.
He inspected the priceless antique closely to check for any sudden cracks.
The grandmother walked down the steps slowly with a handkerchief covering her face.
She put her thin hand on her son's arm with dramatic flair.
Evelyn: She has been careless for weeks Richard, she must be fired now.
Elena: Mrs. Vance, why are you saying these terrible false things about me?
Evelyn: You are incompetent and put our valuable history in constant danger!
Richard stepped closer to Elena with a loud and furious warning tone.
Richard: You are finished in this house and I am calling the police!
Elena: Please listen to me for just one second before you decide!
Richard: There is nothing left for you to say in your defense!
Elena backed away slowly as the master of the house shouted loudly.
She felt completely helpless against the wealthy family's heavy false words.
No one had ever treated her with such harsh injustice during her work.
She remembered the tiny security lens installed near the central foyer light fixture.
Hope suddenly flared inside her chest as she remembered the secret recording cameras.
Elena: Check the security video footage on the wall monitor right now!