The Traps of Black Swan

Stepping out of the car, President Hays looked at his secretary Harper repeatedly wiping the sweat from his forehead and gulping his spit again and again.

He perfectly looked like a man who saw something unimaginable and couldn't digest it or speak about it, afraid to be called a lunatic.

"What happened?" President Hays asked gravely entering the Hays international.

Harper moved closer to his president and whispered, "President Hays, she is alive and she is sitting in your office using your computer."

The old man paused without believing his ears. He turned to his secretary and hissed, "Somebody broke into my office and what the hell are you doing here instead of reporting to the security?"

Harper felt his back dripping in sweat as he dabbed his handkerchief on his forehead, "President Hays, what do you expect me to tell?" He felt like crying.

He had gone to the funeral of Ava Kelly, a talented woman who he had expected to take over his president's position but she is dead yet sitting on the President's chair as if it's hers.

It didn't strike his mind Ava Kelly must have known the password but assumed she is a spirit and they don't need any password.

After giving him a death glare, President Hays stormed to the elevator and went to the ninth top floor of the Hays international. All the while looking at his secretary's weird behavior.

Entering the top floor, the first thing he noticed was the cleaning staff who were walking here and there weren't actually his staff. And strongly felt the presence of some more people even though he couldn't get to see anybody.

The air was too stuffy there but that didn't stop him or scared him. He strode ahead and flung the door open of his office while his secretary hid behind him taking each step hesitantly.

He saw a man in a black suit sitting on the edge of the desk watching outside the city. Then his eyes landed on the back of his leather chair, he wasn't sure if the seater was facing outside or the wall.

Anyhow, he roared in his dominating tone, "How dare you break into my office? Who are you two?" He took the steps making his footsteps more audible to the other two trying to make his presence overbearing to waver their confidence.

The first to look at him was the young man. The young man lowered his sunglasses to the tip of his nose and rolled his eyes before looking out, "Little Heart, I don't like this office. The ninth floor is too low."

'Little Heart?' President Hays brows quivered thinking he had heard of this name, but where?

The swivel chair turned and a slender hand closed the file it was holding and responded to the young man, "Obviously, we stay on the tallest towers." Where they could look at whole city instead of a few buildings.

The small bag in President Hays's hand fell on the floor, his eyes widened identifying the girl by just half of the face, 'A-Ava K-Kelly.' Even his thoughts stammered to speak her name.

Harper saw his president shocked taking a step away in disbelief so he lowered his head when the lady turned to them, he walked behind and ran away out of the office.

Aarvi placed the file back on the desk and looked at the old man, "Hello President Hays, long time." Her sweet mellow tone sounded.

President Hays hands trembled but he could feel the slight difference in her voice. It was softer, probably sweeter on ears but he tried to hold his ground but stammered to ask, "W-who a-are you? Y-you can't be Ava Kelly."

It wasn't like Aarvi was going to tell him that her throat and voice box had damaged and it changed slightly while recovering. Probably luck was on her side, her recovery made her even more bright and glowing and her voice mesmerizing. Come on, it wasn't her fault.

Shawn stood next to Aarvi and chuckled, "It's true after all, President Hays is smart." For identifying the changes at first glance.

Aarvi's serene face didn't change but just raised her brow faintly shrugging her shoulder, "Why?" She asked but didn't wait for his response, "Did your talentless grandson tell you he saw me dead in the warehouse?"

'Thump.'

President Hays fell back on the couch but didn't dare to wince in pain or take his gaze away from the serene dainty face.

President Hays clearly remembers he was throwing Vance out of the home for ditching the wedding with Ava Kelly and he had returned home after a week with a woman.

That time Vance had assured him that Ava was no more and she couldn't bring the Rivas family to hunt them down even if the Kelly family doesn't do anything to them.

Yes, the reason why President Hays wanted Ava Kelly as granddaughter-in-law wasn't because of Kelly International, he had witnessed her potential and heard everyone sing praises for her at the business party after she won the reputed business project. He also noticed her close to Rivas family members who never cared about acquainting with others.

Hence he wanted to get her to his family so that he could reap benefits from her talent and her connections. He just made an offer to her parents who readily wanted to shoo her out of their home.

Thus when Vance didn't attend the wedding, he had to put on a drama with his family to shut the Kelly family from endangering their presence. Their drama was successful but he was very afraid of Rivas family due to the pampered son; Shawn Rivas and his father were close to Ava. Their close relationship with Ava might probe them to destroy Hays International.

Hence he wanted to put on an act of sacrificing his dumb grandson for being recklessly so that he could push the blame on Vance and wait till things settle down before bringing his grandson back.

That time Vance had taken him away and told him clearly, he saw with his own eyes Ava taking her last breath and died in an old warehouse. It's just a matter of time her body will be found and they can frame as she suicided.

Even though he was frightened by his mild, gentle grandson becoming a monster, he had slightly calmed down when he heard it wasn't Vance's plan but some highly influential man.

He had waited for more than nine months and fetched the reports of the dead body's DNA matching with the Kelly family. He finally let his weak guard down.

So how could he stand indifferently when the dead girl was in front of him and mentioned accurately as, 'dead in the warehouse.'

Aarvi's gaze turned sharper. She didn't know if the old man knew what his grandson did but just threw a stone in the air, unfortunately, it was floating. She had thought he had little humanity thinking how he had treated her warmly but it seems like everything was fake.

All she got as Ava Kelly was fake upfront, fake emotions, fake concerns.

Shawn took his glasses off, his hands hitched to punch the old man in the face but his age stopped him from doing so and he didn't want to be reckless when he could feel the air around Aarvi turn intense.

President Hays's eyes fell on Shawn when the latter took his glasses off. The worst he didn't want to happen three years back was right in front of him.

The innocent little girl he had seen three years back wasn't there anymore. Instead, he was seeing a woman who is calculative, crafty hiding her real emotions behind that gorgeous serene face. The black orbs which used to be gentle and sparkling were darker than the night.

He knew his act of good grandfather won't work on her anymore and suddenly missed that sweet girl who he was easily fooling.

The anger, Shawn and the old man expected didn't appear instead Aarvi smiled and her tone sounded lazy, "One thing less to speak."

Shawn felt cold run down his spine even though he saw her smile. He didn't want to disturb her but couldn't help but peek at her face. It was that smile that didn't reach her eyes or match her tone.

Instead of thinking negatively, he realized he was admiring his Little Heart, just like he admires his elder brother. She was no less of his cold brother to dominate the presence of another one with a few words.

His thoughts broke when the old man asked stutteringly, "H-how c-could y-you be a-alive?"

President Hays wanted to trick or convince or fool the lady to be safe from the hanging knife on his head. So he forced himself to calm his heart that was slamming against his ribs imagining Hays International crumble down.

He wanted to ask in surprise to sound like he was glad she was alive, however, he sounded like he didn't want her alive but dead and buried.

Aarvi put on the innocent Ava's face and smiled standing up from her chair, "Grandfather Hays, please be comfortable, why are you trembling? Do you need some water?"

Shawn: "..."

'Why is she worried about him?' Shawn thought controlling himself from rubbing his eyes.

Aarvi grabbed the water glass from the desk and walked to the old man with a small curve of her lips.

President Hays was confused without understanding her shift of expression. He gulped his spit and carefully watched her to know if she was acting but he didn't feel like it.

Her expression was soft so as the way she carried herself towards him. Seeing her extend her hand to give him a glass of water, he raised his hand gazing at her face.

A smile slowly appeared on his face looking at her sweet smile with her eyes holding the same innocence.

Shawn: "...."