The bright midday sun poured through the arched windows of the grand foyer, lighting up the cold white marble floor.
Seven-month-old Toby crawled along the stone tiles in his yellow onesie, babbling happily as he chased a soft red rubber ball.
Victoria stood over him in a shimmering royal blue satin gown, her eyes narrowed with pure venom.
Victoria: You think you own this entire house, don't you, you little parasite?
She held a heavy metal spatula straight from the outdoor patio grill, its stainless steel surface hissing and radiating intense heat.
Victoria: Get out of my sight, you little pest!
Toby stopped crawling, looking up with wide, curious eyes as the hot edge hovered inches from his bare skin.
Victoria: Your dead mother isn't here to save you anymore, and Marcus is stuck in corporate traffic!
She lowered the scalding metal with cold, deliberate cruelty, pressing the red-hot edge right onto the baby's bare heel.
The child let out an ear-piercing shriek of sheer agony, kicking frantically as the scent of scorched skin rose into the air.
From the kitchen hallway, Rosa dropped her wicker basket of fresh linens and bolted across the room in her gray uniform.
Rosa: You cruel monster! How could you burn a baby?!
Rosa scooped the sobbing child into her chest, shielding him with her apron while tears burned her own cheeks.
Victoria's face twisted in savage fury as she grabbed a heavy brass vase from the entry console.
She swung the metal ornament with brutal force, slamming it straight into the side of Rosa's head.
Rosa stumbled to her knees with a choked cry, warm crimson blood instantly gushing from her forehead across her temple.
Rosa: Oh God, save us!
The heavy front double doors crashed open with a thunderous bang as Marcus Sterling stormed inside in a dark wool suit.
Marcus: What is the meaning of this chaos?!
Victoria: Marcus, she went insane! The maid attacked me out of nowhere!
Rosa: Look at his foot, Mr. Sterling! She burnt your baby's foot with a hot spatula!
Marcus looked at the blistered skin on his son's heel, his blood turning to ice before erupting into blinding, lethal rage.
He stepped forward, swung his open hand, and cracked Victoria across the cheek with a vicious slap.
Marcus: Leave this home forever!
Victoria crashed onto the marble floor, totally unaware of the locked legal dossier in Marcus's coat that was about to destroy her whole world.