The sun shone brightly through the high glass windows of the massive luxury mansion every morning.
Light filled the white marble hallway and made the spotless floors look like clear water.
Yet despite all the beauty, the giant home always felt cold and completely empty inside.
Ever since her sweet mother passed away two years ago, seven-year-old Lily spent her days quietly.
She kept to herself in her room and played with small wooden toys on her bed.
Her father David worked long hours as a chief executive officer at a major firm downtown.
He thought hiring help and bringing a new partner home would bring warmth back into the mansion.
Six months ago, David married Beatrice, a charming woman who promised to love his young daughter.
Beatrice always wore bright designer dresses and pretended to be a loving mother around David.
She spoke in a gentle voice whenever her rich husband walked through the front doors.
However, the moment David left for work, her cheerful face changed into a cold frown.
She treated the household staff with absolute disrespect and treated young Lily like an annoying burden.
The only person who truly cared for Lily was Elena, the quiet young housekeeper in uniform.
Elena had worked in the mansion for years and remembered the kindness of Lily's original mother.
She cleaned the rooms carefully and always made sure Lily had warm meals to eat.
Elena noticed how Beatrice treated the child when David was not around the home.
She saw Beatrice take away Lily's simple hand-painted drawings and toss them into the trash.
She saw Beatrice hide the child's favorite picture frames inside dark closet shelves upstairs.
Elena tried her best to comfort the little girl during those long and lonely afternoons.
Elena: Your mother loved you very much, sweet Lily.
Lily: I miss her voice every single day, Elena.
Elena wrapped her arms around the child and offered a gentle and warm smile.
Elena: She lives forever in your heart and in all your sweet memories.
Lily nodded slowly and held her small stuffed bear close to her chest.
She knew that Elena was the only true friend she had left in that big house.
Meanwhile, upstairs in the master suite, Beatrice was searching through old wooden drawers.
She was hunting for valuable items that belonged to the previous owner of the home.
Beatrice wanted to clear out every remaining trace of David's late wife forever.
She felt insecure whenever she saw old photographs or personal items belonging to her.
Her goal was to secure full control over the family trust fund and estate.
She wanted David to forget his past completely and focus only on her luxury lifestyle.
Elena watched from the bottom of the stairs with a heavy and deeply worried heart.
She prayed that David would soon notice the truth about his new wife's cruel nature.