The grand foyer of the Sterling mansion echoed with the harsh laughter of snobbish party guests. Victoria stood in the center of the marble floor, her expensive white gown sparkling under the crystal chandelier. Below her, kneeling on the cold floor, was Alice. Alice's hands trembled as she clutched her swollen, pregnant belly, her maid uniform faded and stained with water.
Victoria: A servant should not touch what is mine!
Alice: Please, Miss Victoria... I didn't mean to bump into you.
Victoria: You dare speak back to me? Look at you, crawling on the floor like you belong here!
Alice tried to push herself up, but her knees were weak. The whispers from the surrounding crowd cut deeper than any physical blow. Victoria reached into her designer clutch and pulled out a blue velvet ring box. She held it high for everyone in the room to see, her eyes cold and mean.
Victoria: Do you see this ring? This is real emerald. It costs more than your entire worthless life!
With a sharp click, Victoria snapped the blue velvet box shut. She didn't put it away. Instead, she leaned over a glass decorative bowl filled with water on the entryway table and dropped the ring box right inside. The loud splash echoed off the tall marble walls.
Alice: No! Please don't!
Victoria: If you want it so bad, go fetch it out of the bowl like the dog you are!
Alice reached her trembling hand toward the glass bowl, tears spilling over her pale cheeks. The cold water soaked her sleeve as she tried to pull the box out.
Alice: He gave that to me...
Victoria: He gave it to you? You delusional orphan! You stole it from my dressing room!
Before Alice could pull her hand back, the heavy double oak doors of the mansion swung open. Footsteps echoed loudly across the polished marble floor. Julian Sterling stepped into the foyer, his dark suit crisp and his face like carved ice. Victoria immediately turned around, her fake smile slipping into a look of deep concern as she rushed toward him, pointing her finger at the kneeling girl.
Victoria: Julian, thank goodness you're back! She tried to steal my engagement ring!
Julian stopped in his tracks. His eyes swept over the crowded room, landing directly on Alice struggling to stand by the soaked glass bowl. His face grew dark with a terrifying, heavy silence that made the entire room freeze in place.