Sarah helped Leo arrange his colorful blocks on the wooden table in his room.
The quiet room felt safe and warm compared to the cold marble hallway downstairs.
Sarah: You built such a tall tower with those bright red blocks, Leo.
Leo clapped his little hands together happily as the wooden tower wobbled slightly.
Suddenly the sharp sound of heavy footsteps approached the open hallway door outside.
Victoria stepped into the sunlit room without knocking on the frame first.
Victoria: Mark will be home from his downtown board meeting in twenty minutes.
Sarah: Thank you for letting me know, but why are you telling me this?
Victoria: Because he needs to review the official financial papers before his lawyer arrives.
Sarah stood up and dusted off her navy blue jumpsuit with both hands.
Sarah: I will bring the legal folder down to his private office right now.
Victoria: Leave the child here while you fetch those important estate documents downstairs.
Sarah felt a sudden wave of hesitation deep inside her protective motherly heart.
Sarah: Leo can come with me while I get the blue folder from upstairs.
Victoria: Stop being so overly protective and just hurry up for once today.
Sarah stepped out into the bright hallway toward the private study near the stairs.
Leo toddled closely behind his mother while holding his favorite little wooden car.
Victoria walked right beside them near the top landing of the steep marble staircase.
Suddenly Victoria reached out her foot near the top marble step deliberately.
Leo tripped over the sudden obstruction and stumbled forward toward the edge instantly.
Sarah turned around quickly and gasped as her child lost his balance entirely.
Sarah: Leo, watch out!
.The toddler stumbled hard against the top step and tumbled downward onto the landing.
The terrifying sound of a loud thud echoed through the massive white atrium.
Leo landed heavily on the carpeted lower landing and began crying hysterically.
Sarah rushed down the marble steps as fast as her feet could move.
Sarah: Oh my God! Sweetheart, are you okay?!
She dropped to her knees on the cold surface and gathered him tightly.
Sarah: Shh... mommy's here!
Victoria stood at the top of the stairs looking down with false shock.
Victoria: Oh dear, he is so clumsy when he walks near the edges!
Sarah looked up at Victoria with burning anger and intense tearful protection.
Sarah: You deliberately stuck your foot out to make him stumble down here!
Victoria: That is an absurd accusation from a woman who was not looking!
Leo sobbed loudly against his mother's shoulder while holding his bruised tiny knee.
The front doors swung open suddenly with a loud click of the lock.