The Perfect Trap
1296 Words
One Month Later
Lili slowly stirred the tea in her porcelain cup.
Ting.
The spoon stopped.
Her fingers tapped against the glass table.
Once.
Twice.
Her gaze remained fixed on the surface of the tea.
“How do I get rid of his only son?”
She leaned back in her chair and twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
Loid.
For an entire month, she had been watching him.
Waiting for him to make a mistake.
But Loid was too careful.
A faint smile appeared on Lili’s lips.
“I need to make Leo stop seeing him as his son.”
Her fingertip traced the rim of the cup.
“One mistake. One ugly secret. Something unforgivable.”
Her eyes narrowed.
“What are you hiding, Loid?”
---
“Damn it!”
Loid slammed his pen onto the desk.
Stacks of documents covered his workspace. He rubbed his forehead.
A month.
No suspicious transactions.
No secret lover.
No lies.
Every time he thought Lili was about to make a mistake, the woman somehow managed to present herself as the perfect woman his father adored.
Sweet.
Attentive.
Perfect.
The door opened slightly.
“Sir, the investors have arrived.”
Loid straightened his tie.
“Send them in.”
Lili could wait.
The company couldn’t.
---
As evening approached, the aroma of freshly cooked food filled the mansion.
Lili placed the final dish on the dining table.
She glanced at the clock.
“They should be home soon.”
Not long after, the front door opened.
Leo walked in with heavy shoulders and his loosened tie hanging around his neck. Loid followed behind, his eyes fixed on his phone.
Lili’s face immediately brightened.
“Welcome home!”
She hurried over to Leo and took his briefcase.
“Ahhh, good evening, sweetheart. How was your day?”
Leo smiled.
“Exhausting.”
Lili gently rubbed his shoulders.
“Do you want to eat first or take a shower?”
“I’ll shower first.”
Leo glanced toward the dining room.
“What did you cook?”
Loid’s thumb stopped moving across his screen.
That sentence.
That sweet voice.
The same performance.
His eyes followed Lili as she led Leo toward their bedroom.
Clothes.
Food.
Medicine.
Everything.
Loid’s jaw tightened.
That was what bothered him.
---
Lili made sure Leo never had to ask for anything twice.
His shirts were laid out before he woke up. His meals were prepared according to the doctor’s recommendations. His medicine and vitamins were neatly arranged.
That night, after Leo finished showering, Lili handed him a small box.
“Your vitamins.”
Leo swallowed them.
“Good girl.”
He pulled Lili closer and kissed her on the lips.
Lili returned the kiss briefly before pulling away.
“Later. Eat first.”
Leo chuckled.
“All right.”
---
At the dining table, Lili served Leo some food.
“Here. Eat plenty.”
Then her eyes shifted toward Loid.
His plate was still empty.
Without asking, Lili picked up some chicken and vegetables and placed them on Loid’s plate.
His thumb stopped moving across his phone.
“Why did you serve me?”
“You need to eat.”
“I can serve myself.”
Lili blinked.
“Is there something wrong with me helping you?”
“Loid,” Leo warned.
“Yes, Dad?”
“What’s wrong with your mother serving you?”
Loid’s jaw tightened.
“Mother?”
Leo pointed at his phone.
“You keep staring at that thing. You probably wouldn’t even notice an entire chicken sitting in front of you.”
Lili lowered her head.
“I was only trying to help.”
Loid stared at her.
That soft voice.
That lowered head.
That innocent expression.
Again.
“Loid?” Leo called.
Loid put down his phone.
“Stop pretending you know everything, you b***h!”
The serving spoon slipped from Lili’s hand.
Clink.
Her lips trembled.
“I-I…”
Her eyes filled with tears.
Leo’s chair scraped sharply against the floor.
“Loid!”
Lili lowered her head.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset anyone.”
A tear rolled down her cheek.
Loid clenched his fists.
He knew those tears were fake.
But the look in his father’s eyes made his chest tighten.
“Lili?”
Leo took her hand.
“You didn’t do anything wrong.”
His gaze shifted toward Loid.
“You’re the one who’s wrong!”
“I only said I could serve myself!”
“She was only trying to help!”
Lili grabbed Leo’s arm.
“Please… don’t fight because of me.”
More tears slipped down her cheeks.
Loid almost laughed.
This was ridiculous.
“Then why did she serve my food tonight?” he snapped. “She’s never done that before!”
“I was only trying to help you.”
Lili kept her head lowered.
“I’m sorry, Loid. Mama is sorry.”
Loid closed his eyes.
He hated that word.
Mama.
Leo slammed his hand against the table.
“Enough!”
Loid opened his eyes.
But before the argument could continue, Leo suddenly broke into a violent coughing fit.
“Sweetheart!”
Lili immediately grabbed a glass of water.
“Slowly. Take a breath.”
Leo drank while Lili gently rubbed his back.
Loid fell silent.
His anger slowly faded.
“I only said I could serve my own food,” he muttered. “She already prepared everything. That should be enough.”
Lili stood.
“I’m going to my room.”
“Lili…”
“I’m fine.”
She walked away, wiping her tears.
But the moment her back was turned to them, the corner of her lips lifted.
Keep going, Loid.
The more often you lose control, the easier this will be for me.
She touched the corner of her lips.
“Insult me again.”
---
“Loid, enough.”
Leo’s voice had returned to its calm tone.
“Lili is only trying to help us. You need to accept her.”
Loid stared at the food in front of him.
“She…”
He took a deep breath.
“She’s nice.”
Leo nodded.
“Good.”
Then his expression turned serious.
“And never bring up Lili’s past again.”
Loid looked up.
“She used to be a kept woman,” Leo continued. “But that’s in the past. She’s your mother now.”
Loid’s stomach twisted.
“Dad…”
“What?”
“I still can’t accept Lili as my mother.”
Leo’s gaze hardened.
“You will accept her.”
“I can’t.”
“I don’t care.”
Leo stood.
“After dinner, apologize to Mama Lili.”
Loid stood as well.
“Dad? I didn’t do anything wrong!”
Leo stopped.
“Apologize."
His voice was cold.
“Or I’ll take back the company that’s currently under your control.”
Loid froze.
The company.
His future.
His ambition.
His fingers slowly relaxed.
“Fine.”
He swallowed.
“I’ll apologize to…”
He stopped.
“…Lili.”
Leo raised an eyebrow.
“Mama Lili.”
“Dad…”
But Leo was already walking away.
Loid sat back down.
His eyes fell on the food in front of him.
He stabbed the chicken with his fork.
“Damn it.”
He chewed slowly.
At least the food tasted good.
---
In her bedroom, Lili sat in front of the mirror.
The mansion had fallen silent.
She twirled a strand of hair around her finger.
Once.
Twice.
A smile appeared in her reflection.
As if nothing had happened downstairs.
“One point.”
Her gaze shifted toward the window.
The night swallowed the garden outside.
Lili’s smile grew wider.
The game had only just begun.
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