The autumn wind howled against the large glass windows of the Sterling mansion early Tuesday morning.
Mark stood in the grand entrance hall, checking his leather briefcase and double-checking his flight details.
He was heading to Chicago for a major multi-million dollar corporate trial that could not be delayed.
Victoria stood next to him wearing a flawless beige silk gown, looking like the picture of elegance.
Victoria: Do not worry about a single thing while you are away, Mark.
Mark: Thank you, sister, I do not know what I would do without you here.
Victoria: Lily is in the best hands possible, so just focus on winning your big lawsuit.
Mark smiled and leaned down to kiss his little baby girl goodbye on her forehead.
He kissed Lily on her cheek and handed her over to Clara, who held her tightly.
Mark: Take good care of my girl, Clara, and call me if anything urgent happens.
Clara: I will protect her with my life, Mr. Sterling, I promise you.
Mark grabbed his keys and stepped out the front doors toward his waiting luxury car.
The moment the heavy double doors shut tight, Victoria turned her cold gaze straight toward Clara.
The gentle expression on her face vanished, replaced by an ugly sneer of pure contempt.
Victoria: Take that noisy child upstairs right now and do not let her ruin my afternoon.
Clara: Miss Sterling, it is time for her lunch and playtime in the living room.
Victoria: I do not care about her schedule, so put her in her room immediately!
Clara held back her tears and carried little Lily up the carpeted stairs into the sunny nursery.
She fed the baby her warm meal and played quietly with wooden blocks on the rug.
Downstairs, Victoria poured herself a glass of expensive wine and sat near the grand fireplace.
She began reviewing Mark's financial papers that she pulled secretly from his home office desk.
Victoria wanted to find a way to become Lily's legal guardian and control the family trust fund.
She resented every dollar that Mark set aside for his daughter's future education and life.
By late afternoon, little Lily began to cry softly because she was cutting a new tooth.
The sound of the baby crying echoed down the silent hallway and reached Victoria's ears.
Victoria slammed her wine glass down on the glass coffee table with a loud, ringing crash.
She marched up the stairs, her silk gown rustling angrily with every step she took.
She pushed open the nursery door without knocking and glared sharply at Clara.
Victoria: Make that child shut up right now before I lose my temper completely!
Clara: She is just teething, ma'am, and she needs a little comfort right now.
Victoria: I pay you to keep this house quiet, not to make excuses for a noisy baby!
Victoria grabbed Clara by the arm and pulled her away from the wooden baby crib.
She slammed the nursery door shut and turned the lock key from the outside hallway.
Clara: Please do not lock us in here, Miss Sterling, this is dangerous!
Victoria: You will stay in there until you learn how to keep her completely silent!
Clara beat her hands against the heavy oak door, but Victoria simply walked away laughing softly.
Inside the room, Clara held little Lily close to her chest and rocked her gently back and forth.
She knew that Victoria was becoming more reckless and cruel with every passing day.
The situation was getting dangerous, and Clara knew she could not keep quiet much longer.
She needed to find a way to alert Mark before Victoria went even further with her mistreatment.