The morning light streamed through the towering windows of the grand estate.
David held his small son tightly against his navy blue suit jacket.
The tiny infant was screaming at the top of his lungs.
No amount of gentle rocking seemed to help the upset baby.
David walked back and forth across the white marble floor of the foyer.
His shoes clicked loudly against the hard stone surface with every quick step.
He had not slept more than two hours the entire previous night.
His wife had walked out on the family three short weeks ago.
She left behind their beautiful home and their newborn baby boy named Leo.
David felt completely lost in the massive mansion his family had owned for generations.
The house was quiet except for the sad cries echoing off the high ceilings.
He looked at the large American flag hanging near the grand spiral staircase.
His late father had placed that flag there to remind the family of their duty.
David felt like he was failing his family and his son completely.
He sat down on the bottom step of the staircase to rock the child.
Leo turned his little face away and continued to cry even harder.
David gently checked the baby's blanket to make sure he was warm enough.
Everything was in place, yet the child refused to settle down.
The frustration was starting to build up behind David's tired eyes.
He had spent weeks trying to hire the best childcare professionals in the state.
Every nanny he brought to the estate gave up after just a few hours.
The infant simply refused to take a bottle from any of them.
David rubbed his forehead as his head pounded from the constant noise.
He felt entirely alone inside the empty luxury house.
Then he heard soft footsteps coming from the long hallway behind him.
It was the new housemaid who had started working there earlier that week.
Her name was Elena, a quiet woman who kept her head down during her shifts.
She wore a simple dark burgundy dress with a clean white apron tied tightly.
Elena stood near the archway and watched the struggling father with soft eyes.
David did not notice her at first because he was focused on his son.
He kept whispering comforting words that seemed to have no effect at all.
Elena stepped out of the shadow into the bright morning light of the hall.
She moved closer to the frantic child without making a single sound.
David looked up with exhaustion clearly visible on his youthful face.
He expected her to ask about her daily cleaning tasks for the afternoon.
Instead, Elena looked directly into his eyes with a strange intensity.
She took another slow step toward the grand spiral staircase.
Her hands were shaking slightly as she reached out toward the crying baby.