The heavy oak doors swung open with a wide mechanical glide.
Mark stepped into the bright mansion carrying his black leather suitcase.
He unwrapped his dark scarf and looked around the vast marble foyer.
His eyes instantly fell upon Clara kneeling on the hard floor with a sponge.
Her head was bowed low and her simple uniform was stained with dirty water.
Mark: Clara?
Mark: What on earth are you doing down there on the floor?
Clara lifted her head in shock as her eyes met his worried gaze.
A tear slipped down her pale cheek before she could hide her face.
Clara: Mark... you came back early.
Victoria quickly adjusted her dress and rushed down the glass stairs with a fake smile.
Victoria: Mark, darling! You did not tell us you were landing today!
Victoria: Welcome home to your lovely estate, my dear stepbrother!
Mark stood frozen near the doorway and did not hug her back.
His face turned cold as he noticed the red marks on Clara's knees.
Mark: Why is my wife scrubbing the entrance floor like a servant?
Victoria stopped in her tracks and laughed nervously as if it were a joke.
Victoria: Your wife? What silly talk is this, Mark?
Victoria: She is just the new housemaid I hired to assist us.
Mark pulled his smartphone out from his coat pocket with a swift motion.
His screen vibrated with dozens of urgent messages from his executive friends.
They had forwarded him Victoria's viral video clip from two hours ago.
Mark clicked on the video link and watched the cruel footage play on his screen.
He saw Victoria shouting at Clara while Clara pleaded for a small break.
A deep, terrifying anger filled Mark's chest as he stared at the screen.
Mark: You posted this online for the whole world to watch?
Victoria: Mark, listen to me, she was being lazy and disrespectful to me!
Mark: Shut your mouth right now!
Mark slammed his heavy briefcase down onto the floor with a loud crash.
The loud sound echoed off the high glass walls of the mansion foyer.