The Traps of Black Swan

Dax was aware Mr. Wells was calling him an outsider because he was an outsider. He didn't have a problem accepting it either.

Glancing at Tia who was ready to leave hearing her father, he looked back at Mr. Wells, "Mr. Wells, you wouldn't have needed an outsider to bring your daughter home if you had behaved like a father." His voice was sarcastic and cold.

Mr. Wells pointed his finger at Dax, "You-" Then he shrugged and looked at Tia, "Because of you, I have to listen to the mannerless, audacious man. Aren't you ashamed?" He hissed in disgust.

Tia gulped looking at the ugly expression on her father's face. Mother Wells tried to intervene so that they don't start an argument with Tia's boyfriend, "Let's not fight. Tia is back after so many years. Let's…"

Before she could complete, Mr. Wells scolded, "Shut your lips. Don't forget your limits." He shut her off.

Tia held her mother and spat at her father, "W-Who is mannerless here?" She questioned her father. She knew Dax wouldn't have countered or even spoken if her father was speaking with her normally, instead of trying to insult her and scold them.

"Have you ever been a good husband to your wife? Did you bother to consider her opinions?" She questioned again, "Just because Mom takes care of everything at home, doesn't mean that Mom is your slave to listen to your orders. She is your wife, if you can't respect her, you are unfit to be her husband. Don't think of yourself as high and respectful just because you were earning..."

As she started to speak out about every thought she had buried from her teenage years, she was a little braver. Seeing her father's fury ticking up like a time bomb. She doubted if things could be alright between her and her father. If not, she didn't want to be his puppet and let him know that he was scum, and he wasn't doing any good to them.

Mother Wells panicked hearing Tia. She tugged at Tia's dress to stop her but Tia held her hands and looked at her father.

Tia's brother-in-law didn't know if they were glad somebody was finally confronting the old man or worried that things would go wrong.

Even though Tia's sister never got a chance to speak out her real thoughts, her husband had tried to convince Mr. Wells softly, sensibly and that never succeeded. Instead, Mr. Wells was thinking his daughter wasn't being a dutiful wife to her husband or his son-in-law was useless.

Dax witnessed another so-called socialite, wealthy family having their own deep mess that was nauseating him. The list of disgusting families was increasing, Kelly, Harmon, Wells…

He used to think that he could have achieved things better if he was born into a well-named family. Now watching everything, he loved his parents more and more. They neither had money nor name yet never lacked in love and respect. He doesn't even remember arguing with his parents or they hinder him or rudely behave with him or each other.

Now that his family was being called the reputed one, The Grant Family, he hoped they would stay the same without getting affected by the wealth or social standing.

Mr. Wells laughed mockingly when Tia paused. What she said didn't open his eyes, instead, "Who the hell do you think you are?" He asked Tia, "It's between me and my wife. If she has a problem, doesn't she have a mouth to speak?"

The question is, did he ever let her speak?

Tia clenched her teeth as her eyebrows tightened, she turned to her mother, hoping her mother could be brave now after seeing them all grown up. Anyway, Mother Wells lowered her head and avoided her husband's eyes.

"Who the hell is she?" Doctor Wells sneered word for a word, entering the drawing-room after leaving Iris in a room. "Dad, why don't you tell me who she is?"

Mr. Wells was shocked to hear his obedient, filial elder daughter was speaking to him in that tone.

"Let me tell you, she is your daughter just like me." Doctor Wells went closer to them. She knew she was being cowardly in the past years and never dared to tell her father what he was doing was wrong. She had thought her father would be fine after he retires, he would be fine once he is old, he might be stressed hence he has ill behavior, he might not know to express his concerns. But as time passed, she was proven wrong. Her father's personality was getting worse.

Doctor Wells continued, "Do you know why Mom never complained?" She questioned him, holding her mother who wanted to stop them.

"How dare you talk to me in that tone? Did she…" Mr. Wells pointed his finger at Tia but clenched his fingers when he met Dax's eyes.

Doctor Wells didn't respond to him, "Didn't you want me to study medicine? Let me tell you something. Don't even think that Mom was ill because of Tiana. Mom has an anxiety disorder and I have been treating her for many years because of you. "

"I-I don't believe that." He announced, assuming they had planned everything to wrong him. He highly doubted that Tia had indoctrinated his elder daughter against him.

Doctor Wells, ignored his opinion, "Do you know what Mom told me when Tia left?" She scoffed and continued, "Mom told me to 'Search for Tia, look after her away from you. Don't bring her home.' That's the home you made for us. A home where we never wanted to return."

Mr. Wells skeptically looked at the four in front of him. He also glanced at his son-in-law who didn't seem to favor him either.

"Oh… Oh, now that you all are earning money and think of yourself as successful, you all are ganging up on me?" he looked at his wife and pointed at their daughter, "Look, this is how useless you are. You couldn't even bring them up well."

Dax shook his head in resignation hearing Mr. Wells. It was very obvious the latter wasn't ready to accept his mistakes, in fact, he doesn't feel there is a problem in his way.

Since he had lived so many years, controlling his family members, making every decision for them, it was actually hurting him to see they were speaking against him. And it was coming out in harsh words and anger.

It wasn't that Mr. Wells doesn't love his daughters, he had deeply assumed what he thinks and decides for the family members was for their best.

Mr. Wells was prideful to accept his elder daughter's success as his stating he was the one who guided her. But when something goes wrong, he would blame it on his wife because she was an easy target who doesn't go against him.

Changing such persons was hard.

"Mom…" Tia and her sister screamed in unison when their mother fainted.

Dax was closer so he quickly helped the sisters to hold mother Wells. Shifting her quickly to the bedroom, Doctor Wells checked on her. They hadn't even started, mother Wells couldn't bear to see them fighting that way.

Meanwhile, Dax stood in front of Mr. Wells who hadn't moved from his place despite watching everything.