Elena pushed her polishing cloth deep into the pocket of her white apron.
She looked around the massive foyer of the Grand estate with quiet eyes.
The sunlight poured through the floor-to-ceiling glass windows and warmed the marble floor.
Elena had worked for the wealthy Sterling family for almost three full years.
She knew every shadow, every hidden corner, and every secret in this house.
Her main duty was caring for little Maya, the eight-month-old daughter of the house.
Julian Sterling loved his little girl more than anything else in the whole world.
His new wife, Serena, treated the baby with cold distance whenever Julian was away.
Elena wiped down the grand wooden railing that swept up to the second floor.
She heard sharp footsteps echoing along the upper hallway behind her back.
Serena walked into view wearing a brilliant royal blue designer dress.
She held baby Maya by her arms, holding the child far away from her body.
Maya whimpered softly, her little yellow dress wrinkled around her small legs.
Elena stopped her work immediately and felt a cold chill run down her spine.
Elena: Mrs. Sterling, please let me take the baby for her nap now.
Serena: Mind your own business, Elena, and get back to your cleaning tasks.
Elena stepped closer to the stairs because something felt very wrong in the air.
Serena looked over the second-floor balcony railing into the deep foyer below.
A dark smile crossed Serena's face as she shifted her hands suddenly.
Elena gasped loudly as she saw Serena lift the child over the high railing.
The helpless infant dangled in the open air above the hard marble floor.
Elena threw down her dusting cloth and sprinted toward the bottom of the stairs.
Her heart pounded like a drum in her chest as time seemed to stop completely.
Serena opened her hands without a single drop of hesitation or fear.
The tiny baby fell straight down toward the cold black-and-white stone tiles.