The Traps of Black Swan

Aarvi was totally busy in continuous two meetings and the pile of files when the internet was fired up and she had no clue about it.

Probably her informers and team members were enjoying the show so they updated her a little late by sending the article links.

After the end of the meeting, she entered Dax's office room rubbing between her brows thinking about the project. The island resort Aarvi wanted to get and she was preparing for it for three months wasn't showing any positive signs.

She was aware of it earlier compared to other companies but now Rivas and Harmon Industries are trying to buy it too. That doesn't mean she will ask Rivas to back out, she wasn't worried about it but she might have to visit the island to meet the owner of the resort.

She can send Dax but that old man eyes the sincerity more than the money or deal. The day of her visit would be the same day all other business heads will be present and they might have to gather for lunch too.

She needed to handle another set of people before going face to face with Leon Harmon. She wants Leon Harmon to lose control searching for her and crave for a glimpse of her when she finally shows her face to him.

She won't drop the project for Leon Harmon, never. She needs to find a way to show her sincerity and also manage as per her plans.

"President Evans, your mobile was buzzing during the meeting." Dax's secretary placed some files on the desk and passed her mobile.

He knows if anything is serious, she will get a call, else he doesn't have to disturb her in a meeting due to messages.

"Thank you… Go and have your lunch." Aarvi sent the secretary before opening the messages.

[Breaking news: Mia Craft is mentally unstable.]

[Mia Craft has gone crazy due to her father.]

[Is this new stunt for sympathy?]

[Mia Craft: A goddess or a psycho?]

Aarvi didn't bother opening the twenty-plus articles link she had received but started thinking who is behind it. She had all the proof and she knew Mia is completely healthy but she didn't bother wasting resources on her so who did this?

"This can't be Leon Harmon," Aarvi mumbled to herself

Even though Leon acts in front of Aeon and also hates him, Leon gets nothing by revealing Mia's imbecility created by himself. Instead, he would have sent the real reports to Aeon so that the latter could toss her out and keep her away in disgust.

'Dax?' She shifted it off. This wasn't his style.

'Aaron?' Aarvi started chuckling at the realization, 'This man is petty too. So cute.' She thought and was smiling to herself when a secretary knocked on the door before opening it enough for his face to be visible.

"President Evans, President Harmon, Aeon Harmon is here asking to meet you or CEO Grant. Shall I wake up CEO Grant?" Aarvi doesn't meet anybody so he asked to confirm.

Aeon's arrival wasn't unexpected as she is the producer of the movie and he will have to report to her if he wants to have Mia in the movie or change.

Dax's rest was more important than Aeon's words or her few minutes to hear Aeon. "Send him in." She got back to her work after instructing.

The secretary had seen her eyes twinkle when he had checked inside but it claimed the serenity hearing about Aeon. Thinking Aeon was there to trouble his President, he went to Aeon Harmon and his professional tone had a hint of hostility, "President Harmon, you can enter… This is lunchtime so make sure to leave quickly." He turned around and strode to his desk ignoring bewildered Aeon.

Aeon rolled his eyes for the secretary's protectiveness and went inside Dax's office but saw a slender woman working behind the glass desk on a magnificent black leather chair in her black dress. He really wanted to know why she wears only black.

He knocked on the door and asked, "May I?"

Aarvi raised her head to look at Aeon. He wasn't haughty and self-obsessed as much as he thought of him to be. He actually had all the right to be one but the dumb man didn't know what he has and his actual net worth.

She hummed as she scribbled her signature on the paper before closing the file. She pointed to the chair opposite her grabbing another file gazing at him.

Aeon Harmon nowhere looked like he was sad by knowing about Mia but she could feel he was relieved and relaxed. 

--- Previous day evening ---

After Aarvi had left the studio, Aeon completed some more scenes and was glad Mia is focusing on the character better and the retakes lowered gradually.

They packed up around nine in the evening and Mia tagged along with him since she started living in his condo but in a different room.

He was prepared to sleep early for the morning shoot when somebody pressed the calling bell of his condo. But Aeon saw no one outside, he was getting in when a package got his attention that was on the floor.

Mia who was still on her night skincare regime saw Aeon holding an envelope that had the logo of the hospital

She gulped nervously and snatched the envelope, presuming Leon Harmon might have sent the envelope to reveal the truth. Aeon might check it and throw her out. She wasn't ready to get dumped by Aeon Harmon when her life was in grave danger due to Leon Harmon.

She and Leon Harmon had used the Rivas hospital logo and forged a report to fool Aeon Harmon so she knew the hospital won't send her the report when she had never visited the hospital.

That time, Leon Harmon had managed to bribe a doctor to instruct Aeon as he was giving private treatment for Mia due to her identity as a celebrity.

Now, Aeon was confused by her behavior, holding a Pendrive in a hand. He thought she must be embarrassed to show him the reports and she wasn't recovering well due to recent activities. It didn't cross his mind she might be hiding something.

He saw the Pendrive in his hand again and assumed it might be a record of her session with her psychiatrist so he wanted to return it to her and knocked on the door, "Mia, there is a pen drive too."

There wasn't a sliver line of suspicion on his expression willing to respect her privacy. Anyhow he heard no voice from Mia. He knocked on the door but heard silence. 

Panicked, he grabbed the spare keys of the room hoping she didn't do something to herself, and rushed in to see smoke sweeping through the bathroom door.

"Is she smoking?" He mumbled to himself and pushed the unlocked door to see her burning the report papers and flushing them quickly.

Puzzled by her weird behavior, he involuntarily grabbed a paper that was at his feet and read. It was a patient record log and he didn't find Mia's name in it.

'Wait? Why did she get this instead of health reports?' He thought to himself and discerned the name on the envelope was 'Aeon Harmon' but not 'Mia Craft' and why will the hospital delivery report in the night?

Mia was unaware that her own behavior raised the suspicion without realizing Aeon was watching her burn each paper to ashes holding a lighter.

Aeon was sure something's off and stood behind her reading the papers she was burning. He didn't want to see her lose control over her mental state and behave like a maniac all night for him to tend to her. He was too tired of it.

What he had thought to read was she was gravely ill looking at her behavior but saw a paper state as none of the Doctors under Rivas Psychiatric hospital are allowed to give private counseling.

'Then who was that doctor?' Aeon thought.

He saw her burn another paper which had details of doctor and photo to realize he was a professional artist from a different city hired for some pennies.

Aeon's lips arced slyly watching the woman desperately burning the evidence. If she was smart, she would have stayed calm then told him as somebody is trying to trap her and Aeon would have really trusted her.

Yes, he would have really trusted her due to their long friendship but her panicked state was giving out the truth that she was burning the real evidence. Now it didn't take much time for him to analyze she was acting all along to force him to be her boyfriend and might force him to get married in later days.

'She really loves me!' He exclaimed himself for her possessiveness.

He didn't disturb her, instead returned back to the bedroom and connected the pen drive to the smart television, and played it. There was a simple video of the fake doctor rehearsing his lines repeatedly.

'That voice?' Mia rushed out to see Aeon smiling watching the video. Her jaw dropped in shock seeing him happy and relaxed without getting angry or unhappy.

When his eyes landed on Mia, he smiled just like he used to smile in the teenage years and how he used to be lively and cheerful for Amiah. There was no containment and that smile reached his eyes, unlike the cold smirks. 

"Thank god, you are perfectly alright." He went up to her cupped her face and sighed a breath of relief.

Mia's eyes pooled with tears seeing him get happy by knowing she was fine instead of becoming angry for fooling him so many years. 

The tears rolled down on her flushed cheeks uncontrollably as she apologized to him, placing her hands on his, "I am sorry, I- I didn't… I just wanted to be with you." She confessed.

"There There… Don't cry…" Aeon tried to coax her but she continued weeping in his embrace. Aeon softly patted her head feeling his burden off the shoulder hugging the quivering body.