Chapter 1 - THE SCREAM
The baby screamed before Sarah smelled the steam.
Not a hungry cry.
Not a tired cry.
A terrified one.
Sarah dropped the silver-polishing cloth and ran.
“Leo?”
Another scream tore through the enormous house.
She hit the drawing-room doorway so fast her shoulder slammed into the frame.
Then she froze.
Victoria stood over the crib.
A heavy steam iron was in her hand.
White vapor rolled down toward Leo’s face.
The eight-month-old boy coughed violently, twisting beneath his blanket.
Victoria pressed the steam button again.
Hissssss.
Leo screamed.
“Stop crying,” Victoria whispered.
Her voice was flat.
Almost annoyed.
Sarah’s blood went cold.
“What are you doing?”
Victoria spun around.
For half a second, guilt flashed across her face.
Then it disappeared.
She lowered the iron.
“I’m steaming my scarf.”
Sarah looked toward the sofa.
A silk scarf lay ten feet away.
“Your scarf is across the room.”
Victoria’s jaw tightened.
“You startled me.”
“You were holding that thing over the baby.”
“I was not.”
Leo coughed again.
That ended the argument.
Sarah shoved past Victoria, reached into the crib, and lifted him.
His cheeks were bright red.
His little fingers grabbed Sarah’s uniform so hard his knuckles turned pale.
“It’s okay,” Sarah whispered. “I’ve got you.”
Victoria stepped closer.
“Give him to me.”
Sarah turned away.
“No.”
Victoria blinked.
“What did you say?”
“I said no.”
“You work for Ethan.”
“I work in this house. That doesn’t mean I hand a terrified baby back to someone who just scared him half to death.”
Victoria’s face hardened.
“You’re a maid.”
“And he’s a baby.”
“Give him to me.”
Victoria grabbed Sarah’s arm.
Sarah twisted her body, shielding Leo against her chest.
“Let go.”
“Don’t tell me what to do in my own home.”
“This isn’t your home yet.”
Victoria squeezed harder.
Sarah stared straight into her eyes.
“Touch him again, and I’ll scream for Ethan.”
Victoria slowly smiled.
It was the kind of smile that made Sarah more afraid than shouting ever could.
“Go ahead.”
Sarah said nothing.
Victoria leaned closer.
“Who do you think he’ll believe? His future wife?”
Her eyes moved down Sarah’s plain black uniform.
“Or the woman who cleans his floors?”
Footsteps sounded in the hallway.
Victoria released Sarah.
Her expression changed instantly.
Her mouth trembled.
Her eyes filled with tears.
Ethan entered.
“What's going on?”
Victoria dropped the iron onto the carpet.
Then she burst into tears.
“Ethan!”
She ran to him.
“She attacked me!”
Sarah stared at her.
“You’re kidding.”
“She grabbed me. She threatened me.”
“She was holding that iron over Leo’s crib.”
Victoria gasped.
“That’s insane!”
Leo whimpered against Sarah’s shoulder.
Ethan looked at his son.
Then at Victoria.
Then at Sarah.
“Sarah,” he said quietly, “tell me exactly what happened.”
“I heard Leo screaming. I came in. She was standing over him pressing the steam button.”
“I was fixing my scarf!”
“Your scarf is on the sofa.”
Victoria pointed at Sarah.
“She hates me, Ethan. She has hated me since the day I moved in.”
“That is not true.”
“Then why is she holding my future stepson like he belongs to her?”
Sarah almost laughed from disbelief.
“He was coughing!”
“Enough.”
Ethan’s voice filled the room.
Everyone went silent.
Sarah looked down at Leo.
His tiny chest rose and fell too quickly.
“Ethan, he needs fresh air.”
Victoria shook her head.
“He’s fine.”
Sarah stared at her.
“How would you know?”
Victoria took a step forward.
“Give me that child.”
“No.”
“Sarah—” Ethan began.
Then Sarah saw it.
Above the fireplace.
A tiny green light.
Blinking.
The baby monitor camera.
Sarah slowly raised her eyes.
Victoria followed her gaze.
Her face went white.
Ethan noticed.
“What?”
Sarah pointed.
“The camera.”
Victoria stopped breathing.
Sarah looked at Ethan.
“You don’t have to believe me.”
She tightened her hold on Leo.
“Believe the recording.”
May you like
Ethan pulled out his phone.
And for the first time since Sarah had met her, Victoria looked genuinely afraid.
