The Traps of Black Swan

'MIA CRAFT' Her name straight out of the king of hell froze her whole being. She felt her blood rush to the brain by the fright without daring to move even a bit.

She heard the fingers rhythmically tapping on the floor but those rhythms felt like her last call for life, it was too deadly raising her heart beats like it was on a marathon of hundreds of miles without an end to it.

She somehow knew she was testing Leon's Harmon patience and she should respond to him but she couldn't bring herself to do it either. Her mind was alarming her repeatedly saying whether she turned to face him or not, it was her end, he was more dangerous than she could even think of anyone could be.

The seconds ticked off but there was no movement in the office other than Leon Harmon's fingers gracefully waving up and down on the arm of the leather chair creating a cold tone in the silent room. However each second felt like hours and years to Mia Craft.

Leon's Harmon's patience ran out after a minute and grunted in a dark and freezing tone, "MIA CRAFT"

As though she was on a remote controller being controlled by the master, she jerked on her feet and spun around to face him in the fright of being dead right on the spot.

But she had overestimated her own strength and courage. As soon as she saw Leon's menacing gaze, her blood rush to the brain seemed to hit the peak, and fainted the next second falling on the floor with a thud.

With instinctive reaction, Billy tried to go to his daughter but fell on his face without noticing Leon's stretched leg, "Ahhh…" His knees fell on the broken sharp edges of the porcelain vase and his palm too pressed on the floor with the glass pieces piercing his palm. He cried in piercing pain gazing at the blood dripping from his palms and knees.

Leon snickered without being satisfied by it. He wanted to see them in more pain, more blood, more ear-piercing yelp. Those were to fade his frustration and fade away the heavy heart from his mind due to repeated failure.

"You filthy dog!... Tsk… Dogs are loyal unlike you, a stinking bug. I gave you name, fame, and wealth to be my dog. Won't I know to pluck the teeth if it tries to bite me?"

Billy didn't dare to meet his eyes hearing his intimidating tone and knew well it was best to stay mute when Leon was outrageously angered. His thought was to later apologize to him and get him to help him agree to be his loyal dog. Only that way he could live as the Craft, a business family.

…

The next day, Mia who had lost consciousness due to shock and fright, woke up the next day in an unknown room with a white ceiling. She took the time to identify the smell and realized she wasn't in any hell or heaven but in the hospital.

Slowly moving her head, she saw her left side was empty and on the right side made her heartbeats quicken its pace. Her father was on the next bed wrapped in bandages. His head was wrapped with gauge with red color clearly visible at the side of the forehead, his palms were wrapped with an IV attached on his backhand, his left leg calf to ankle was in a cast sending a cold running down her spine trembling on the bed just by imagining how Leon must have beaten him.

Little did she know, he was in that brutal state because of her. He had gone against Leon's order and fought against his men to stop them from abusing her. Then Leon had calmed down due to Sean entering the headquarters and sent them to the hospital to get treated.

Unknown to everything, the first option she chose in her mind was to go to Aeon to be safe from Leon's wrath or... maybe, just maybe she might reveal about Leon's another face to Aeon and stay under his protection without thinking even once about her father. She also forgot Aeon's ex-girlfriend Amiah died because of Leon's actions and Aeon already knew about it.

However, will she go out of Leon's clutch so easily? Will he let her be with Aeon when he is the one who is destroying the Craft family? Will he accept her to his family when she is of no use? Well, each question has a single answer and it is 'No, he won't.'

But the main question is, will Leon realize he is still playing on somebody's terms like a puppet attached to the strings? When will he get to know his every action is being watched and his reactions are being controlled?

As Mia Craft planned she went to Aeon Harmon but the difference was she didn't act but cried to let her be with him and she wouldn't trouble him. Nevertheless, Aeon still thought she was a psychological imbalance again triggered by somebody.

On the business end, Dylan followed Leon's instructions and the world got to know Leon Harmon abandoned his friend Billy Craft. The keyboard army of Harmon companies made sure to twist it in the favor of Leon Harmon commenting and viewing as Leon Harmon respects women and he wouldn't support scumbags even if it's his friend.

Some snickered stating he was trying to rebuild his fame from the scandal of his clothless picture watching an unknown nude woman.

Billy didn't attack Leon but tried to stand in the business industries but his company was in a mess, a complete mess falling on the ground without signs of standing back.

---

At Avron mansion in the evening.

While this world was a mess, Aarvi was on a damn serious topic asking questions after questions to Aaron who stayed calm and also a little expectant watching her.

The damn serious and major topic was KISS!

Aarvi had completed her part of work and helped in Aaron's office work handling his meeting that saved a lot of time for Aaron who went to the hospital, dealt with things and the couple was at home before dusk.

To spend time with her, he had generally asked to play tennis but she turned down having the mood to run around in the court. In other words, she was too lethargic.

Aaron too noticed and picked another choice, "A movie?"

Aarvi whined assuming they have to go back to the city, "I don't want to get ready again."

Firstly, Aaron fondly pulled her cheek, then he scooped her from the couch to take her upstairs to the other living hall where they could rest while watching the movie.

Aarvi quickly steadied herself holding his shoulder and was happy for the plan. Gently laying her on the couch, he kept footstool for her legs before he turned on the smart TV, "Have any movie in mind?"

"Oh" Aarvi started thinking and Aaron waited.

1 minute...

3 minutes...

Aaron's lips were twitching uncontrollably in the realization she doesn't have any idea which movies were in trend or up in the entertainment.

At minute five, Aarvi looked at him, blinking her eyes, shrugging her shoulders. She was so lost in her own world that she had no idea about the entertainment industries. "I only know Sister Esme, Tara Lane and Mia Craft are in the entertainment industry as actresses, Aeon Harmon is the star director in the current trend. I can't remember any movie name."

Aaron wanted to tell her to give herself a chance to live life as she wanted, as she used to live with Shawn and Dax but then again, 'Do I know?' He thought and he also knew only those who she said.

Having no right to scold her for that, he handed her the remote and sat next to her. But he was dumbstruck when she messaged the group of three asking for a movie suggestion for relaxing. Shawn suggested immediately followed by Dax reviewing the story.

Then she found the application in which the movie was available and played. It was a romantic movie about painting artists who were pen pals before becoming a couple. It was a soothing movie that calms down the tension perfect for tiredness.

Aarvi had pushed the footstool for Aaron and folded her legs on the couch while the man pulled her closer to him leaning her on his shoulder resting his arms around her shoulder.

Half of the movie over when the male lead became jealous when he saw the female lead talking with her ex-boyfriend. He desperately wanted to own her and announce that she only belongs to him. But his heart melted down right after seeing the Female lead sweetly smiling jumping to his arms in front of an ex-boyfriend.

As soon as the ex left the scene, the male lead pushed her to the wall and crashed on her lips. Aarvi was expecting a dupe but it wasn't. In fact, it was so vivid that it could be used to teach a naive how to kiss.

It wasn't the first kiss scene she watched in a movie or live but somehow she didn't want to watch yet her eyes were going back on the screen hence she wanted to skip the scene.

The remote was on the coffee table that was far away from her place and she would be embarrassed if Aaron asks, 'Why?' hence she didn't dare to move watching the screen.

Despite it looking like the male lead was in a hurry, he was very gentle for their first kiss, tenderly tasting her lower lip as his hand cupped her face. The girl's hands wrapped around his waist and clutched the shirt of the man replacing her shock with pleasure and shyness.

Taking her reaction as approval, he sucked her upper lip a little harder earning an enticing moan, he alternated between red soft lips before peering her lips open.

Instead of the scene, Aaron watched Aarvi slightly blush in embarrassment controlling her stiffening body and expression. He lifted the finger of the right hand that was around her shoulder and poked.

He witnessed her natural shift of expression and asked seriously, "Aaron, Can't there be love without lust? Why can't be simple physical touches is enough for love? Why is kissing important?"