The Traps of Black Swan

Leaning her back on Aaron, Aarvi slowly breathed out. After the strenuous game, she left herself to relax and naturally felt sleepy due to exhaustion.

Then she turned to Aaron and her left hand cupped his face as she softly said looking at his aloof face and tender gaze, "Let me look at you and cure my dizziness."

Aaron grabbed the blazer that was falling off her shoulder when she lifted her hand. Securing the blazer, he looked at her eyes which were slowly clearing, and focused on his eyes.

He had thought she was flirting with him but she actually steadied herself and flashed him a smile that skipped a beat of his heart.

Aarvi who didn't see her illusion anymore after looking at his face was finally relieved.

His fingers leisurely brushed her frizzy hair as he asked with a hint of worry, "Did you get hurt?"

She doesn't like to include him in her plans or even watch it live. So he has to wait until she completes her plans before taking care of her.

"Hurt?" She mumbled and looked at both of her palms. She then raised her right hand at him which was still red but there was no pain, "I bumped and fell down." Her mellifluous voice was ailing signifying her lack of rest.

Looking at her repeatedly but softly blinking eyelids with anticipation by showing her reddened palm, her innocent and harmless side definitely reminded him of her little version, his cute little sweet Cupcake.

Aware, her hand wasn't stinging anymore, he gently pressed his lips on her palm but didn't get to say a word.

Aarvi exclaimed like a little girl who found something interesting, "My special exclusive medicine!"

Aaron: "..."

He so wished her special exclusive medicine could also heal every problem of hers.

Aarvi let out a lovely and pleasing chuckle causing him to smile in resignation and kissed her forehead.

Resting her head on his shoulder, she promptly closed her eyes with an arm around his waist and another on his chest, "I am drowsy." Her voice was barely audible.

Aaron loved the fact that she doesn't need a house to call it home, he is enough for her to be around to feel at home by silently asking him to take care of her.

Aaron collected Aarvi's wallet from Alex wrapping his arm around her back, "I will take you home." He assured her letting her rest and removed the earbud from her ear.

Unwrapping her arm from his waist, he carefully scooped her in his arms and walked towards the exit of the engagement hall briskly to avoid the noise from disturbing her.

Aarvi mumbled, frowning due to loud music, "I don't like an ostentatious celebration." She felt the party was more like a club in the fish market.

Readjusting his arms, he easily buried her little face at the crook of his neck when he realized they were garnering little too much attention.

He responded to her words indulgently, "We will have a tasteful, exquisite celebration…" He paused his words and didn't complete 'Just as you like.' when his eyes landed on Nico Burton who was hurriedly entering inside.

Nico Burton was investigating the past events. He was quick to learn Vance Hays was cheating behind Ava Kelly's back with her best friend.

He deeply regretted doubting Ava Kelly and trusting his friend.

When he met Vance, the latter was in the hospital looking after his hospitalized grandfather and his parents. Vance had accepted his wrongdoing bluntly when Nico Burton asked him. So the latter who had supported him as a loyal friend punched him in the face.

Nico understood why Dax and Shawn who are best friends of Ava Kelly were so pissed off and stood by her.

Kickboxing? Nico felt it was a too simple punishment for Vance.

Nonetheless, Vance hadn't eaten anything for two days straight taking care of his family members at the hospital while handling the company on another end. Thus he passed out with a single fierce punch and was also admitted to the hospital.

So Nico had been to the Rivas psychiatric hospital after knowing Grace Wells' location. Unfortunately, he found her mentally absent-minded.

Nico got the information Ava Kelly is innocent from whatever Vance Hays and the Hays family maligned her. He was planning to meet her when his focus fell on her sudden disappearance and why Ava Kelly is stated as dead. So he again looked into Ava Kelly's past situation.

He earned a few questions, where did Ava Kelly go right after the wedding was canceled? Because her activity is blank after the canceled wedding. How did she become Evans?

Where is Zain Kelly? Nico knows Ava was close with her cousin so what is he doing now? In particular, Nico wanted to know if her cousin tried to harm her for Kelly International as Zain's whereabouts are puzzling right after Ava's disappearance.

Where was Hayden Kelly after the wedding canceled? He looked into Hayden's activities and found out he wasn't in the country.

How could the Kelly family behave as if nothing happened when Ava Kelly disappeared and they still happily enjoyed their life after her death news? Similarly, Nico had many more unanswered questions.

When Nico got to know she was there in the party hall, he was excited to meet her as Ava Kelly. He paused looking at the lady in Aaron's arms. He knew it's Aarvi aka Ava Kelly but his excitement plummeted.

Absolutely aware that Aaron won't let him talk to Aarvi, especially looking at Aaron carrying her out in his arms. He didn't stop Aaron but greeted him with a nod.

However, Aaron ignored him and exited the main door of the hall while Aarvi was snuggling her face against his neck humming to Aaron's words.

Nico could only sigh. Aaron never was so close to him but he never ignored him either. He knew the route cause, he knew his mistakes and he was also ready to apologize to keep things back to peace before he returned to the military base.

He decided to dig everything before going to Aarvi. He wanted to be helpful in the form of an apology.

Without attending the engagement, he left once Aaron left from there.

...

Just when Aaron thought Aarvi drifted off to sleep, Aarvi mumbled in a half-asleep state, "I am sorry."

He was the one to be apologetic, he didn't know what she was sorry about. The guards quickly covered them to avoid the media cameras as much as possible. The personal bodyguard of Aaron opened the backdoor of the Rolls Royce Phantom.

Entering inside the car, Aaron carefully laid Aarvi on the seat with her head on his lap. There wasn't a throw-over to cover her legs so he asked the bodyguard to increase the temperature in the car to her requirement as he tucked her in his blazer.

He dropped a message to Milo Wen to avoid any pictures of him carrying Aarvi out of the celebration hall from publishing in any kind of media.

---

Inside the hall, Dylan was frozen after watching 'Ava Kelly' with Aaron Rivas.

The pieces of the puzzle fit perfectly in his mind recalling the event from three years back.

'The curfew in the city wasn't because of terrorists but Aaron orchestrated it.'

'Ava Kelly was found and saved by Aaron.'

'Aaron is protecting her all these years.'

'Aaron Rivas is her boyfriend!' The most shocking one for him.

Likewise, Dylan deduced a lot before a pleasing smile appeared on his face.

He could guess Aarvi is singlehandedly playing Leon whereas Aaron was just at the corner silently protecting her by letting her enjoy her games.

Even if Leon tries to take the upper hand against her, he has no chance against the dauntless couple.

Although Dylan favored his thought of Aeon and Ava Kelly being together, he was eerily happy knowing Aaron Rivas could protect her while she will tear down Leon Harmon from the roots without a chance of redemption.

He is very confident in her determination.