Victoria tossed her glass into the sink with a sharp, loud clatter.
She turned toward the little boy with a cold, disgusted look on her face.
Victoria: Stop making those annoying noises right now!
Leo began to cry softly because the sudden harsh voice frightened his gentle heart.
Victoria grabbed a small child safety harness from the hall table with sudden anger.
She attached it roughly to the boy's clothes without showing any motherly warmth.
Elena hurried out from the kitchen area with a clean dish towel in hand.
Her heart beat rapidly against her ribs as she witnessed the cruel scene unfolding.
Elena: Please, ma'am, let me take care of little Leo right now.
Victoria: Mind your own business and stick to sweeping the floors!
Victoria dragged the crying toddler across the slick black and white marble tiles.
The little boy stumbled and crawled helplessly on the hard, freezing hallway floor.
Elena could not stand by and watch this terrible injustice happen any longer today.
She rushed forward across the hall to put her body right between them.
Elena: Stop it! Leave the baby alone right now!
Victoria stopped in her tracks and glared at the housekeeper with pure venom.
Victoria: You are just a hired maid in my massive house!
Elena: I will not stand here and watch you mistreat an innocent child!
Victoria stepped forward abruptly and raised her manicured right hand high in the air.
She delivered a harsh, sharp slap directly across Elena's shocked face.
The loud crack echoed through the long, bright corridor like a gunshot.
Elena stumbled backward against the cold wall while holding her burning cheek.
Tears welled up in her eyes, but she stood her ground bravely anyway.