The bright morning sun streamed through the giant glass windows of the grand mansion on the hill.
Elena adjusted her clean grey uniform apron while standing quietly in the wide front hallway.
She had worked as a housekeeper for the wealthy Vance family for nearly three years now.
The house was always quiet in the early mornings before the heavy grand doors opened.
Little Lily was playing happily with her colorful wooden blocks near the soft living room rug.
Elena smiled softly while watching the sweet three-year-old child stack the blocks high into the air.
Lily was a sweet child who lost her biological mother when she was just a tiny baby.
Her father, Mark Vance, worked long hours at his massive downtown corporate office every week.
He cared deeply for his daughter, but his job demanded constant attention and constant travel.
Then came Victoria, the sharp stepmother who married Mark just six short months ago.
Victoria always wore bright designer dresses and high heels that clacked sharply on the floor.
She never smiled at little Lily whenever Mark was not sitting in the room with them.
Elena noticed how Victoria always pushed the little girl away when no one was looking closely.
The maid kept her head down because she needed this job to pay her mother's hospital bills.
She swept the marble floors until they sparkled like water under the bright ceiling lamps.
Suddenly, Victoria walked out of the master bedroom wearing a bright mustard-yellow dress.
She tapped her long red fingernails against the wooden railing overlooking the deep grand foyer downstairs.
Lily carried her small stuffed bear toward the wide hallway upper steps near the railing.
Elena turned her head quickly when she heard the faint sound of small sliding shoes.
Victoria stepped right next to the little girl with a cold look in her green eyes.
She reached down and grabbed the child's hand near the edge of the dangerous top step.
Elena felt a sudden surge of total panic shoot through her chest as she watched them.
The stepmother leaned down toward the small child with a strange smile on her face.
She held the child loosely right near the top step above the long marble stairwell.
Elena dropped her feather duster right onto the clean floor without making any sound at all.
She knew that something terrible was about to happen if she did not move fast.
The house was empty except for the three of them on this crisp morning.
Mark was supposed to be in an important business meeting clear across town until noon.
Victoria shifted her weight back and whispered something cold directly into the child's ear.
Lily squeaked in confusion as she lost her small footing near the top wooden step.
Elena did not hesitate for even a fraction of a second before springing into action.