Maria carried Leo into the small side kitchen to inspect his sore arm.
The boy held back his tears while Maria wrapped a cool wet cloth around it.
Maria: You are a very brave boy, Leo.
Leo: She took my mother's legal papers from the safe too.
Maria froze in place and looked directly into Leo's tearful eyes.
Maria: What legal papers are you talking about, sweetheart?
Leo: The trust fund papers my mother left in the wall safe.
Leo explained how he saw Victoria opening the safe early that morning.
She had taken a thick blue envelope labeled with his mother's name.
Maria realized that Victoria was planning to destroy the inheritance documents.
If those papers disappeared, Victoria could claim the entire estate for herself.
Maria: We must find that envelope before your father gets home.
Leo: She locked it inside her green jewelry chest upstairs.
Maria took Leo by the hand and walked quietly down the hallway.
They could hear Victoria shouting at the kitchen staff in the distance.
This was their only chance to search the upper master suite unnoticed.
They climbed the service stairs quickly to avoid being seen from below.
The master bedroom was large and filled with expensive antique furniture.
On top of the marble vanity sat a locked emerald green box.
Leo: That is the box where she put my mother's envelope!
Maria checked the heavy lock and pulled a small pin from her hair.
She worked carefully on the keyhole while Leo watched the bedroom door.
After a few tense seconds, the metallic lock snapped open cleanly.
Inside lay the blue envelope alongside stacks of stolen cash and jewelry.
Maria pulled out the legal documents signed by Leo's late mother.
The document clearly stated that the entire estate belonged to Leo alone.
Maria: This is the proof we need to expose her greed.
Suddenly, the master bedroom door slammed open with a loud bang.
Victoria stood in the doorway with her hands resting on her hips.
Her face twisted with pure rage when she saw the open chest.
Victoria: How dare you sneak into my private room and steal from me!
Maria: These papers do not belong to you, Victoria!
Victoria: They belong to whoever holds them, and you are a thief!
Victoria lunged forward and grabbed Maria by the wrists violently.
The blue envelope fell onto the floor near the edge of the bed.
Leo dropped to his knees and snatched the envelope off the carpet.
Leo: Leave Maria alone! She did not do anything wrong!
Victoria: Give that envelope to me right now, you miserable child!
Victoria broke free from Maria and chased Leo out into the hallway.
The boy ran as fast as his small legs could carry him.
He made his way toward the balcony overlooking the grand foyer below.
Victoria caught up to him right near the top of the stairs.
She grabbed Leo by both shoulders and shook him with anger.
Victoria: Hand it over right now or you will regret this!
Leo: No! I will never give you my mother's trust!
Victoria pulled the papers from his hands and shoved him backward hard.
Leo stumbled back against the heavy wooden railing of the balcony.
Maria screamed out in horror as she ran down the hallway toward them.
The entire house echoed with the sound of pure terror and chaos.