The Traps of Black Swan

Aarvi's slender fingers traced the golden edge of the glass railing as she gracefully stepped to reach the curved staircase to alight from the upper floor to the ground floor. Her signature look of all black, framed her slender finger as she controlled the vibe of the villa, and the air around her turn mysterious. 

Her hair was tied up in a messy yet exquisite bun, the dress she was wearing left her shoulders uncovered with the halter neckline of the dress. It flew down into a stylish keyhole highlighting her flawless shoulder blades and faultless neck.

Her arms had been left uncovered which grabbed the focus on other parts of the dress to her accentuated gorgeous curves.

The dress's waist was slim, but it was a comfortable fit. The dress reached just at her knees and flew down to the floor at the back in a stylish circular trail. The gathered style of the skirt gave ample movement and a flowy look.

It was simplistic yet mystic to the eyes.

Aarvi didn't gaze at Billy Craft despite knowing his eyes were just following her. She walked like no one around or she sees no one. The nonchalance had a fearlessness and eerie serenity.

Billy Craft really doubted if he was daydreaming or the girl was really in there. After the mall incident, it was already difficult for him to shrug off her thoughts hence he was confused between reality and the imagination.

He yearned to know if she is real, if real, 'how could she be alive?' He questioned himself stepping behind involuntarily. He could clearly remember this girl because she was the first and the last one he had witnessed dying brutally beaten and shot to death.

He was a normal human with the dreams of richness, he had no background of killing or paying money to kill. Any sane person at his position could remember the death of the girl who was stepping down marble stairs creating a soft click from her black pumps.

He had laughed at her when she didn't bow down to beg them to save her. It wasn't like Leon was going to let her off if she pleaded but they wanted to hear her scream and request them to let her go but the stubborn girl embraced the pain, welcomed the death.

Billy had thought she was insane when she didn't beg and laughed at her stupidity but thinking back, he had never seen a girl as strong-headed as her. He knew he would cry out to let him off and shout for help just by the thought of death but she didn't.

Probably that fueled the ego of each man and vented their frustration of life on her.

Memories being flooded in and being alone in the villa with her, Billy had two thoughts even though he felt both as unbelievable, 'Ava Kelly's spirit' and 'Transmigration of Ava Kelly' He couldn't come up with any other possible scenario. 

Aarvi still didn't meet his eyes when she walked in the living hall towards the dining hall. Billy stepped behind and his legs crashed to the couch and fell on it. He gulped his saliva and realized he was trembling and his teeth were chattering as she neared.

Her skin was so fair that it looked pale against the black dress and the blood-red lips gave him creeps. He had no doubt identifying her accurately as 'Ava Kelly' by the looks. He shut his eyes when she closed up oddly feeling she was going to stab him.

His breath had twitched and waited for something he wasn't sure. He waited, seconds passed by but it didn't come. He was scared to open his eyes to see her enticing face right in front of him. It was enticing but Billy felt it as scarier than Leon Harmon.

'How can she be alive?' He found it impossible.

He heard movements from the other end of the hall and opened his eyes forcefully to see the girl pouring water into a crystal clear water glass that had golden rims. He gulped the nonexistent saliva and sat properly without daring to take his gaze away from her.

He was expecting her to drink it but she held the glass and turned to the living hall and their eyes met. His breath quickened and his heart drummed against his chest looking at her lifeless gaze. He wanted to see a hint of emotion but it was just blank. Her eyes or brows, her lips or emotions, there was no expression. He felt them lifeless as though a dead girl was standing... No, walking towards him.

Her gaze was exactly similar to when she had fallen on the ground after the bullet pierced her heart and she took her last breath, tear rolling out her eyes. He clutched the cushion tight feeling his eye stung but he didn't dare to peel his sight away.

Aarvi entered the living hall and stood in front of Billy. She extended the water glass, "You might need it." Her voice wasn't cold as he had expected. It didn't seem dangerous but mellow on his ears.

'Then... Then... she is real? Is... Is she a doppelganger?' Billy really wanted to believe what he thought.

His quivering hand reached the glass, he quickly held and pulled it to hold in both trembling hands staring at her.

Aarvi went around the circular center table towards the dark-colored armchair. She was surprised Billy didn't scream, didn't attack her but sat holding his nerves.

Taking the seat, Aarvi's manicured nails drummed the arm of the chair gazing at Billy whose eyes were on her hand probably feeling his heartbeats matching her fingers' movement. "Billy Craft!" She uttered calmly.

'Crash.' An ear-piercing breaking of glass resounded in the villa.

Billy had jerked back leaving the glass which fell down breaking into numerous pieces spilling the water. He flustered immediately, "I- I-..."

"Sit." Aarvi ordered and got the attention of the man who saw her frozen hand move down indicating him to sit back. 

Billy jerked down to sit and lowered his head thinking what to ask, 'Who are you? How are you alive?...' He had many questions which were increasing.

Aarvi's hand moved front to point the file, "Check and sign." An emotionless voice sounded.

Billy nodded vigorously noticing her hand pointing at the file. He grabbed the file and the pin next to it. Checking? He wanted to leave as quickly as possible so he opened and started signing wherever his signature was required.

In less than a minute, he signed eight places holding his breath, tapped the cap on the pen, and placed the file on the center table, and he was ready to run but, "SIT." Aarvi commanded.

Billy met her eyes and flustered yet again. He blindly followed it and sat with his back straight, eyes gluing on her calm face waiting for her orders. He wasn't the same Billy Craft anymore, the brainless, egoistic and self-obsessed. He had changed the day when Leon wanted to kill him without an ounce of respect or kindness.

But the instruction or the words he was expecting from her didn't come. His gaze soon lowered down to the ground having no guts to look her in the eyes. He couldn't understand why his life went upside down in just a week that he was trembling to sit in front of... A girl!?

"Don't you want to know who I am?" Aarvi asked, her face serene and voice plain.

Billy's eyes widened as big as saucers and stared at Aarvi's face realizing she is, "Av-Ava Kelly?" He stuttered pointing his trembling finger at Aarvi.

Aarvi's slender legs crossed as she leaned back and smirked. It was a beautiful bewitching smile but it was soon going to be a nightmare for the man who witnessed it.

"H-h-ho..." Billy failed to utter. He had seen her die before they had left the Shipyard warehouse. 'How could she be alive?'

He wasn't going to get an answer to that.

Aarvi spoke but her voice carried a hint of coldness, weighing the darkness, "Billy Craft, I will ask you a question. Think before you speak."

Billy assumed the question to himself and blurted out in his stuttering voice, "I really didn't know who you are. I didn't want to kill you. It was Leon Harmon. V-Vance Hays got money from him, Chi-"

Aarvi raised her hand and stopped him without letting him continue to remind her of each person who was out there. She wasn't there to hear who Leon Harmon gave money or business deals or any other form of benefit. 

This meeting was very crucial to her. She needed a piece of information that she had failed to gather and she also doubted if anybody could give her.

"Why did Leon Harmon try to kill me?" 

Yes! As Aarvi Evans or Ava Kelly, she didn't know why Leon Harmon wanted to kill her. She had tried all her resources but failed. Leon Harmon wasn't a thug to kill somebody for money and she couldn't find the actual reason why he wanted to kill her.

Leon Harmon didn't target her for losing a business project against Kelly International, there was a piece of the puzzle that was missing.

Aarvi repeated the question without revealing any of her emotions, "Billy Craft, what was the reason?"