Threads of Trust

The soft glow of the nightlight bathed the room in a warm hue, casting gentle shadows that danced across the walls. Lucas sat quietly on the edge of the couch, his tiny hands gripping the covers nervously as he watched Jia with wide, uncertain eyes.

Jia knelt down to his level, her voice soft and soothing.

"Lucas," she said with a warm smile, "I’m not here to hurt you. I just thought we could go downstairs together... Grandma’s waiting for you for dinner."

Lucas fidgeted with the hem of his sleeve, his gaze dropping to the floor. His small body was tense, guarded. It broke Jia’s heart to see such fear in such a young child.

She gently reached out her hand, not forcing, just offering.

"I know it’s scary," she said, her tone tender, "but you’re not alone anymore, okay? I’ll be right by your side."

For a moment, Lucas didn’t move. The room was filled with nothing but the faint ticking of a clock. Then, hesitantly, he lifted his head and looked into Jia’s eyes — searching, questioning.

Jia stayed perfectly still, her smile unwavering, her hand steady.

Finally, with a small, shaky breath, Lucas reached out his tiny hand and placed it in hers.

Jia’s heart swelled. She squeezed his hand gently, giving him silent reassurance.

"Good job, Lucas," she whispered, as if they had conquered a mountain together. "Let’s go. Grandma’s making all your favorites."

Lucas gave a timid nod, and together, they slowly made their way toward the door.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in the sprawling estate, Daniel lounged on the velvet sofa in his private lounge room, one leg lazily crossed over the other, deep in thoughts .

His phone buzzed impatiently.

He glanced at it — yet another message from one of the gold-digger "friends" he had reluctantly involved.

[So, when should we start the 'accidental humiliation'? You promised! ~xoxo]

Daniel’s jaw tightened.

He tapped his fingers against the armrest, feeling an odd restlessness creep under his skin.

Why was he hesitating?

He picked up the phone, typing a curt reply.

[Not yet. Wait for my signal.]

The truth was... he hadn’t expected Jia to be so calm, so composed. She wasn’t the naive pushover he had assumed she'd be. There was something about the way she carried herself — a quiet strength that unsettled him more than he cared to admit.

He tossed the phone onto the table with a sigh, running a hand through his hair.

"Whatever," he muttered under his breath. "She’ll show her true colors soon enough."

Back upstairs, Jia led Lucas carefully down the grand staircase, her hand never letting go of his. Each step they took together seemed to chip away at the walls Lucas had built around himself.

At the foot of the stairs, Granny looked up, her eyes lighting up when she saw the two of them.

"Oh, my sweet boy!" she exclaimed, her arms opening wide.

Lucas hesitated, glancing up at Jia once more.

She smiled warmly and gave his hand a little encouraging squeeze.

With a tiny smile of his own — the first in a long time — Lucas ran into his grandmother’s embrace.

Granny chuckled through her happy tears, lifting Lucas into her arms as if he weighed nothing at all.

"You’ve done wonders, Jia," she said gratefully over Lucas’s shoulder. "Thank you."

Jia just smiled, feeling a warmth blossom in her chest.

For the first time since her arrival, it truly felt like she belonged here.

And little did she know, these first fragile threads of trust she was weaving with Lucas... would soon become the strongest bonds of all.

Granny set Lucas down gently at the dining table, where the maids had already arranged a cozy, delicious-looking dinner.

The little boy clung shyly to Jia’s side for a moment before Jia knelt down again.

"Come on," she whispered encouragingly, "let’s sit together."

Lucas nodded, barely audible, and took the seat beside her. His wide, curious eyes kept sneaking little glances at her while she helped him with his plate.

Granny beamed, motioning for the maids to begin serving.

"I haven't seen Lucas this comfortable in months," she said fondly, her voice soft with emotion. "You must have a magic touch, Jia."

Jia only smiled modestly, picking up a small spoon and demonstrating how Lucas could scoop up his food himself. She didn’t want to make a big deal out of it — trust had to grow naturally, one small moment at a time.

As Lucas ate in small, careful bites, Jia chatted lightly about harmless topics: kittens, flowers, and cartoons — testing the waters to see what Lucas responded to.

To her delight, when she mentioned her kitten Pearl, Lucas’s eyes brightened slightly.

"You like kittens?" Jia asked gently.

Lucas gave a tiny nod.

Jia laughed softly. "Pearl would love to play with you again. She’s a little troublemaker, always climbing onto my shoulders when I’m trying to study."

Granny chuckled. "Maybe Pearl’s antics will finally get Lucas to laugh out loud again."

Lucas ducked his head, a shy smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

Watching the scene from a distance, Daniel leaned against the doorway, arms crossed loosely over his chest.

His sharp eyes followed every tiny interaction — the easy way Jia spoke to Lucas, the soft patience in her every movement.

It was... unsettling.

No one had ever gotten through to Lucas like this, not even the therapists and nannies hired at ridiculous prices. Yet this woman, a stranger, was already breaking through his defenses.

Daniel scoffed inwardly.

So what? he thought. Winning over a kid doesn’t prove anything.

Still, an odd tightness gripped his chest as he watched the gentle smile Jia gave Lucas.

A smile Daniel had never seen directed at himself.

Annoyed at his own ridiculous thoughts, Daniel turned on his heel and stalked away, ignoring the persistent buzzing of his phone from the scheming gold-diggers.

---

Later that night, after Lucas had finished his dinner and Granny excused herself for an important phone call, Jia took the chance to show Lucas the small "surprise" she had prepared earlier.

She pulled a tiny folded paper from her pocket and began folding it expertly, her hands quick and practiced.

Lucas watched, fascinated, as the paper twisted and bent into shape under her fingers.

With a final flourish, Jia presented him with a delicate origami kitten.

"This," she said, placing it carefully into Lucas’s hands, "Look. She says hi."

Lucas held the paper kitten like it was the most precious thing in the world.

His fingers traced the folds with awe.

"You can make another one tomorrow if you want," Jia added. "I'll teach you."

For the first time, Lucas met her eyes properly, his tiny face lighting up in a soft, genuine smile.

At that moment, Jia knew she had made a true breakthrough.

---

Meanwhile, hidden away in his room, Daniel sat sprawled on his bed, staring up at the ceiling in frustration.

The night outside was silent except for the occasional chirp of crickets.

He hated feeling restless like this.

He hated thinking about her.

And yet, every time he closed his eyes, all he could see was that warm look in Jia’s eyes when she spoke to Lucas.

Not fake. Not greedy. Not scheming like the people he was used to.

Real.

Daniel grabbed a random pillow and threw it across the room with a groan.

"This is ridiculous," he muttered. "She's not special. She's just pretending."

He had to remind himself: Jia Li was just another opponent. Another chess piece in the game he planned to win.

No matter what.