The Traps of Black Swan

At Harmon Industries,

Dylan treated the bruises on Leon's face and body repeatedly asking him why he was so goddam hurt. It had taken him a very long time to recall Aarvi's sharp precision of aiming knives. Then he discerned Aarvi was the one who could aim those knives at Leon and torture him. However, he wasn't sure how and what happened.

Now seeing Leon calm after getting beaten up so much, he couldn't understand what was going on in Leon's mind. If it was in the past, he would have gone berserk.

"Brother Leon, did you get hit on your head?" He asked, thinking something might be wrong with Leon.

Leon wore his shirt and buttoned slowly. He was thinking really hard about how Aarvi was going to attack that could bring the real downfall. The more he thought, the more disoriented he was. There wasn't one thing he did.. His greed was too much. In order to earn lots of money and get the highest power in the city, then in the country, he had done every possible shortcut, illegal things.

However, after Ava Kelly entered his life as Aarvi Evans, he was trying to be careful and losing money. He lost more money to control her and her people.

The same afternoon, he had even managed to poison Aarvi at Skylar. The food had also reached. However, when he saw her entering the boxing studio, he realized he was again a failure. He had no idea who ate it or what happened, he lost again.

Well, the food had reached the bin. None of the secretaries eat out in Skylar when at work. When Dax's Personal Secretary got to know the food was delivered in the name of Aarvi Evans, it was an easy guess for him to throw it right away. Aarvi never orders food in her name to keep her presence unknown. Aaron or Shawn send their people to deliver food. Zain personally goes.

That's how Aarvi was untouched. Too bad, Dax's secretary didn't feel it was worthy to mention it to Aarvi. Else Leon would have gone through another torturous time.

Failed plan apart, Leon couldn't guess any deadly strike from Aarvi to him other than the chemical manufacturing plant. He questioned wearing his tie, "How is the acquisition process going on?"

Dylan looked at Leon as if he was an alien. On Monday, they got to know they won the project. Since the project was big with a huge amount, they couldn't transfer everything in a go. Hence, they had divided the process into three stages.

On Monday, they had signed an initial agreement and transferred the first set of amounts in billions. On Wednesday, they made another transfer to the other party. On Friday, that's tomorrow, they transfer the last set, and Leon and another party will sign the final agreement papers in front of all the media and higher-ups of Harmon industries.

That means the acquisition was a success with a question.

Dylan didn't lose his cool and responded to the question, "We are facing no issues. Tomorrow at ten in the morning, you will be signing the final agreements. To avoid disturbance at the company, I have booked the nearest and vast hall for the signing ceremony. Then you will head to the factory and begin manufacturing under our labels."

Leon watched Dylan's ever so composed appearance. He so wished he had it in him, inside. There was such turmoil going inside him, he felt dizzy at times.

Should he just have fallen silent and judged the silence of Aarvi?

He had won in his plan sent Aaron away, troubles Aarvi's restaurant chains. Yet they didn't attack him. He should have learned why they were silent. He felt like a dumb-headed fool for kept attacking them and having short-term sight. His opposition was so strong and well organized that she had her way back and hellbent patience.

'Clash'

Dylan felt his heart leap but clenched his teeth and barely glanced at the broken glass center table. Leon had thrown the crystal ashtray on it.

Leon hated her patience, her calmness. He felt his blood boil when he recalled how she easily melts in Aaron's arms, becoming obedient to his words. At the same time, how worried she was after looking at the red bruises on Aaron. That's the Little Lamb Leon knew. One who had cried for hurting him.

'How could she turn into a devil and keep haunting me?' he questioned himself.

His hand searched for something to throw on the side table but Dylan had taken the vase away and questioned, "Brother Leon, could you tell me what is going on? I can't help you if you don't say. I don't know how to read your silence."

'Help?' No, Dylan wanted to know what Aarvi was up to so he has to pretend like a brother of Leon.

Leon's eyes shifted on Dylan. Aarvi had brought him to the stage, he couldn't trust anybody. Not even the one who always cleaned up his mess. Forget about Dylan, Leon couldn't believe his decision either. He started doubting every decision that he was trying to decide.

He once thought to attack Aarvi and then, he had no people. The leftover people were taking care of the drug and illegal weapons storage locations.

He thought to use those weapons and kill the whole clan of Rivas. However, he has to export them soon. If he fails, those people would kill him. So his so-called dangerous power was coming to no use.

Of course, that wasn't enough for him to realize, it was Aarvi's trap. She had waited so long, bit down her tongue, almost brought danger on them, protected everyone so long, for the meticulous planning to come into flawless effect.

Her plan, Leon should have the power yet useless for him - Checked.

"Let's call off the deal." Leon hesitantly made the decision to terminate the chemical manufacturing plant acquisition to stop.

"WHAAT!!!???" Dylan was naturally flabbergasted to hear that decision. "Brother Leon, are you out of your mind? Are you listening to yourself? We have given them 80% of the amount. It's in billions. We will not get a penny back if we cancel the deal. And what the hell are you going to say to Dawson internationals and our board of directors. They will demand to change you. Everything will turn odd at us..."

As Dylan reprimanded Leon, he realized he was too into the character of saving Leon. He thought it might be because he was doing it for a long time. However, from the business point of view, Leon's decision could cost the whole Harmon empire to be in trouble. He just couldn't accept it.

Pulling Leon down was fine with Dylan. He won't accept it at the cost of hundreds of employees and the probability of the Harmons family coming to the road was too high.

Leon got even more irritated to hear Dylan giving him a reality check. He was aware of it. He hissed in annoyance, "Just use my money, goddammit. Aarvi is going to do something and I have to stop her at any cost." He voiced out the trouble he was in.

Dylan suddenly fell silent. He knew Aarvi was up to something. He didn't think she was so cruel to see so many people unemployed.

So Dylan pulled up another theory, "What if she has no plan but to scare you? So that you back out."

Leon: "..."

How could he forget she was a master at playing mind games? But which pawn is she moving this time in her game? Should he move ahead or stop right there?

"Ahhhhh…." Leon screamed in frustration.