Elena wiped her sweaty brow with the back of her dirty sleeve as she scrubbed the hardwood floor. Her hands were raw and red from the burning chemical soap she was forced to use every single day. The floor was giant and covered the entire ground level of the grand suburban mansion in suburban Ohio. The bright daylight shone through the huge glass windows, exposing every single speck of dust that remained on the dark oak planks. She had been on her knees for five straight hours without taking a break or drinking a glass of cold water. Her body ached all over, and her thin knees bled through the torn fabric of her gray maid dress. The oversized uniform was stained with bleach and old grease from cleaning the kitchen stove earlier that morning. She heard the heavy double doors at the front entrance swing open with a quiet wooden creak. Strong footstep sounds echoed across the tall entryway, followed by the heavy thud of leather suitcases dropping to the floor. Elena did not look up right away because she was terrified of being yelled at by her cruel stepmother. She kept her head down and scrubbed harder, hoping the visitor was just a delivery driver dropping off groceries.
Elena: I am almost done with the foyer floor, ma'am.
David: Elena? What in God's name is happening to you?
Elena froze in place when she heard that deep, warm voice echo through the huge hall. It was a voice she had prayed every single night to hear again after two long, silent years. She slowly lifted her tired head and wiped a wet hair strand away from her tear-stained cheek. Standing right in front of her was her husband, David, wearing a sharp black business suit. He looked healthy, tall, and strong, but his blue eyes were filled with pure shock and sudden horror. He had been missing overseas after a terrible offshore accident, and everyone told her he was gone forever. For two whole years, she believed he had passed away while she suffered alone in this giant cold home. David stared at his wife, taking in the torn rags, her messy hair, and the bucket of dirty water beside her knees. His face pale as paper, he stepped toward her with trembling hands as if he was seeing a ghost. He fell to his knees right into the soap water, paying no mind to his expensive pants.
David: Look at me, sweetheart. Who did this terrible thing to you?
Elena: I'm sorry, sir... I did not mean to make a mess.
David: Stop calling me sir. I am your husband, Elena!
Her mind was foggy from exhaustion and lack of food, making it hard to process that he was truly real. Before she could answer his tender words, the sound of sharp high heels clicked loudly from the top balcony. Down the grand winding staircase walked Victoria, her ruthless stepmother, holding a crystal glass full of dark red wine. Victoria wore a luxurious red evening dress and carried herself like she owned every square inch of the property. She looked down at David with supreme disgust, swirling her wine glass slowly as she took another step down. Victoria had taken full control of the estate the moment David went missing two years ago using fake legal papers. She forced Elena into complete servant work, threatening to destroy her father's memory if she ever tried to leave. Victoria stopped at the bottom step and placed one hand on her hip with a nasty, mocking smile on her lips.
Victoria: She is my maid. Who are you to walk into my house?
David: Your house? You have five seconds to explain this nightmare!
Victoria: I don't owe an explanation to a dirty trespasser in a suit.