The CEO's Trap

Early summer, 10 PM, at a five-star hotel in the city. A woman in heavy makeup sat in a standard room. She wore a form-fitting dress that perfectly accentuated her striking silhouette. Between her fingers, she held a cigarette that carried a distinct, masculine scent. Her slightly trembling fingertips betrayed the fact that she was on the verge of an emotional breakdown. The wiretap tucked inside her ear felt like a ruthless drill, causing a sharp, stinging pain. But her heart was bleeding even more. Through the earpiece, the dialogue between a man and a woman echoed: "Hoang Khoi, you’ve been looking for me every day lately. I’m almost at my limit..." "Don't tell me you're not enjoying it!" "Of course I’m happy!" "She’s going on a business trip tomorrow. You can come over tomorrow night." "Hoang Khoi, I’m curious. Back then, Lam Thanh Mai was the most famous beauty at our school. Is it possible you don’t love her anymore?" "That wooden beauty? I’ve been married to her for a year and haven't been able to touch her once! She played the 'pure and noble' act back then, and now I find her completely dull..." "That miserable? She sounds like a total bore..." "She deserves it! Alright, let’s stop talking about her..." Lam Thanh Mai couldn’t listen any longer. She ripped the earpiece out, her gaze fixed blankly on the floor. She remembered a night three days ago when she heard Hoang Khoi mutter in his sleep: “Le Anh Dao, you’re so beautiful…” Thanh Mai had frozen. Le Anh Dao was her college classmate, but they hadn't been in touch since graduation. How did Tran Hoang Khoi even know her? The following day, Thanh Mai managed to get Anh Dao’s number through a friend. Using a fake name, she contacted her under the guise of needing help with a bathroom interior design. When Anh Dao came over that afternoon and stepped into the restroom, Thanh Mai caught a glimpse of her phone on the table. It was password-protected, but the moment the device automatically connected to the house Wi-Fi, Thanh Mai’s heart sank. She didn't even remember how she managed to see Anh Dao out. Later, she checked Hoang Khoi’s bank statements. In the span of six months, he had visited the same hotel eighty-six times. After identifying the room he frequented, she had secretly planted a bug. And now, she finally had the truth she sought. Leaving the hotel, Thanh Mai hailed a taxi. "Where to, miss?" the driver asked. Where to? Where could she possibly go? She thought back to a night of heavy drinking with her friend Luu Bao Bao, who had dragged her to the most famous private club in the city. "Driver, No. 1 Ngu Vien Road." "The Night Club?" The driver was surprised. Thanh Mai remained expressionless, though it felt as if her heart had been eroded by sulfuric acid. The pain was so intense she could barely breathe, a heavy weight crushing her chest. She pressed a hand over her heart, enduring the agonizing sensation of being torn apart. Silent tears began to streak through her heavy makeup. Half an hour later, the driver turned around. "We're here." Snapping out of her trance, she pulled three hundred dollars from her bag and handed it over like a lost soul. "Keep the change." The driver thanked her profusely, but as he watched her wobbly steps, he thought to himself: “What a pity. Such a beautiful girl, yet she seems to have lost all hope...” Thanh Mai stepped into the legendary Night Club. She walked straight to the counter and slammed her bank card down. "There is 15 billion in this account. I want the most handsome man in this club!" The receptionist looked at her and asked politely: "Hello, ma'am. Are you referring to our club’s President Duong?" "Yes, your President Duong!" Thanh Mai replied, pulling out a tissue to wipe away her makeup. The receptionist frowned slightly: "Please wait in the lounge area while I make a call." She secretly snapped a profile shot of Thanh Mai and sent it to the club owner, Duong Van Tu. Duong Van Tu called back instantly: "Are you kidding me? You’re sending me a photo of a woman this ugly? If your eyesight is this poor, don't bother coming to work tomorrow!" "President Duong, I’m sorry... but this woman is offering 15 billion..." The receptionist stammered, her heart racing at the thought of the commission. Van Tu, who was currently in his CEO's office away from the club, lowered his voice dangerously: "I heard from Director Dieu that you're new. I'll give you one chance and won't fire you this time. But let me be clear: I am the one who chooses women. No woman chooses me!" As the call ended, the receptionist prepared to explain the situation to Thanh Mai. However, Thanh Mai had already stood up and walked toward a young man stepping out of the elevator. The man looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, standing nearly 190cm tall in a meticulously tailored dark suit. He had a lean, powerful build and legs that seemed to go on forever, giving him the presence of an international supermodel. His face was a masterpiece of sculpted perfection—deep eyes, a noble bridge to his nose, and thin, alluring lips. Even his Adam's apple held a strange, magnetic charm. Thanh Mai swallowed hard. Looking at the man and then back at the receptionist, she asked: "Is he the most handsome man in your club?" The receptionist, only on her second day, didn't recognize the man. She was about to say no when his gaze locked onto her. His natural, commanding aura paralyzed her into silence. The man stepped toward Thanh Mai. He looked at her face—now clean of makeup and surprisingly pleasing to his eyes: "Hello. You can call me Mr. Lap." "Hello... Im Lam Thanh Mai. I... I have 15 billion!" Seeing her so nervous she was stuttering, the corners of the man's mouth curled into a faint arch. He looked her up and down: "Is this your first time here?" he leaned in, his voice whispering like a hypnotic spell near her ear. The magnetic pull of his voice made her knees go weak. He wrapped an arm around her waist, his deep dark eyes searching for hers as if trying to read her soul. Thanh Mai’s cheeks flushed deep red: "It’s my first time..." "Want to come with me?" he asked slowly, his tone laced with a hint of nonchalant indifference. Instinctively, the images of Tran Hoang Khoi and Le Anh Dao flashed through her mind. Her heart flared with pain. She had suffered to protect her home, only to be met with betrayal. Why should she be the only one feeling humiliated? She wanted to heal her wounds, but the rage and shame clouded her reason. After a few seconds, she nodded. His lips curved: "Then follow me." As the man led Thanh Mai away, the receptionist stood frozen. It wasn't until a Maybach sped away from the club that she regained her senses and frantically called Duong Van Tu again. As soon as he picked up, she was nearly in tears: "President Duong! Someone stole the order!" "What 'stole the order'?" Van Tu was confused. "A strange man just walked off with our female client!"