Chapter 4: The Trap Is Set
I didn’t confront Celeste.
Not yet.
People like her didn’t break under accusations.
They broke under exposure.
So I waited.
That evening, I pretended everything was normal.
Dinner. Conversation. Smiles.
And just like Mara said… Celeste prepared Noah’s dessert herself.
The same blue cup.
I watched carefully as she placed it on the tray.
Then I made my move.
“I’ll take it to him,” I said.
For a split second—
Her hand tightened around the tray.
Her eyes flickered.
Fear.
There it was.
“I can do it,” she insisted softly.
I smiled.
“No. I’ve got it.”
I took the tray… and switched the cup.
The original went into my pocket.
The clean one went to Noah.
Then I waited.
Minutes later, Celeste entered the kitchen.
She froze.
Her eyes darted to the tray.
To the missing cup.
Then slowly… she turned toward me.
“You touched it,” she said.
Not a question.
A statement.
I leaned against the counter.
“Yes.”
Silence stretched between us.
Then…
She smiled.
Not sweet.
Not warm.
But cold… and relieved.
May you like
“Good,” she said.
“Now we can stop pretending.”
