Over the next few weeks, Elena worked tirelessly from early morning until late at night.
She cleaned the rooms, prepared healthy meals, and took tender care of baby Maya.
She also took time to sit with Lily after school to help her finish her homework assignments.
Lily slowly grew very fond of Elena and began trusting her completely.
They would draw pictures together in the sunlit breakfast nook near the garden windows.
However, Victoria grew increasingly annoyed by how much the children loved the new nanny.
David Vance spent long hours working at his corporate office downtown.
Whenever David came home, he praised Elena for bringing peace back to his household.
David: You have been a true blessing to our family, Elena.
Elena: Thank you, Mr. Vance. I love caring for Lily and Maya.
David: Lily smiles so much more now that you are here.
Victoria: Do not shower her with too many compliments, David.
David: Why not, Victoria? She is doing a fantastic job.
Victoria: She is just doing the basic duties she is paid to perform.
Victoria turned her back and walked toward the grand staircase with an icy glare.
She hated seeing David show appreciation toward a simple house nanny.
Victoria had her own secret plans regarding the family inheritance and trust accounts.
She had been secretly transferring small amounts of money out of the household manager account.
Victoria feared that an observant nanny like Elena might notice the missing financial records.
One afternoon, Elena was dusting the bookshelf in David's private home office.
She accidentally noticed several open bank statements sitting on the wooden desk surface.
The numbers did not line up with the household expenses Victoria had claimed.
Before Elena could step away, Victoria walked into the office holding a glass of iced tea.
Victoria gasped in anger when she saw Elena near the desk papers.
Victoria: What do you think you are doing snooping around in here?!
Elena: I was just cleaning the dust off the desk, ma'am!
Victoria: You have no business looking at private family documents!
Elena: I was not reading anything, I promise you.
Victoria: Get out of this office right now and back to your duties!
Elena quickly curtsied and hurried out of the office into the wide hallway.
Victoria's hands trembled with rage as she stared at the bank papers on the desk.
She realized that Elena was far too attentive to details around the house.
Victoria decided that she had to get Elena fired immediately before David returned home.
She needed a dramatic event that would force David to cast Elena out without hesitation.
Later that afternoon, Lily was playing quietly on the floor near the upper stair landing.
She was setting up small toy blocks in a line along the wooden floorboards.
Lily noticed Victoria walking toward the nursery with a strange, nervous look on her face.
Victoria brought out the blue baby stroller and placed it near the top stair step.
Lily picked up her small smartphone, which her father had given her for emergencies.
She loved making little video vlogs of her daily life in the big house.
Lily quietly turned on the phone camera and focused it through the wooden railing spindles.
She saw Victoria look left and right down the hallway to check if anyone was watching.
Victoria did not notice young Lily sitting quietly behind the tall decorative floor vase.
Victoria placed a rolled-up heavy blanket inside the stroller to make it look occupied.
She then set baby Maya safely inside a soft playpen inside the adjacent nursery room.
Victoria walked back out to the top of the dark mahogany staircase.
She gripped the handles of the blue baby stroller tightly with both hands.
Her face twisted into a cruel expression as she prepared to carry out her plan.