The night air felt heavy and cold against the stone patio of the sprawling mansion.
Clara adjusted her apron and held her tray tightly with both hands.
She had worked for the Sterling family for almost three years.
It was a quiet job that paid for her small apartment in town.
Arthur Sterling was a wealthy businessman who owned a huge estate.
His young son Julian had been confined to a wheelchair after a car accident.
Julian was a kind young man who spent most days reading by the pool.
Everything changed when Arthur married his second wife Victoria six months ago.
Victoria was stylish and wore expensive dark gowns to every dinner.
She acted pleasant whenever Arthur was standing in the room.
The moment Arthur left for business, her smile faded instantly.
Clara saw the way Victoria looked at young Julian with cold eyes.
Julian was the sole heir to his father's vast estate and life insurance policies.
Victoria wanted the money and the mansion all for herself.
Clara noticed small subtle cruelties happening every single day.
Victoria would hide Julian's medicine or leave him outside in the chill.
Julian never complained because he did not want to bother his busy father.
On this particular evening, Arthur was inside his study finishing up some late paperwork.
Victoria walked out onto the dark terrace where Julian was sitting alone.
Clara stood near the glass doors, wiping down a marble table in silence.
She watched Victoria lean down and whisper something sharp into Julian's ear.
Julian tried to turn his wheelchair around to move back inside the house.
Victoria grabbed the handles of the heavy wheelchair with a sudden harsh glare.
Without a single second of hesitation, she shoved the chair backward violently.
The heavy chair tipped over the tiled edge of the deep swimming pool.
A massive splash cut through the quiet night air as Julian fell under.
Clara dropped her cleaning cloth in sheer horror as the water rolled over him.