The Traps of Black Swan

Looking at the posh interior, it couldn't be a hospital, it wasn't Ava Kelly's bedroom neither in her father's villa nor at the Kelly mansion.

'Where am I?' She thought.

Her hand moved on her left chest where the bullet had pierced her chest to reach her heart, she felt no pain but soreness to move around. She cupped her face to feel the wounds when she noticed a clip on her finger. 

She was removing the clip when the loose knitted long sleeves dropped and she caught the sight of her hands. She brushed her fingers over her forearms in shock instead of surprise. 

'Where are my injuries?' She thought by looking at her slender long fingers.

Her palms were pressed under the boots and made them lifeless, she had no strength to move her hand around when she lost consciousness, so how could she believe those were her hands which didn't have a single flaw?

She tried to look around when her eyes laid at the corner of the bedroom where a full-length mirror was there facing inside next to the glass wall. 

She couldn't believe she was alive, so she wanted to confirm. She tried to sit but failed, she tried to pull her body up but another failure consuming her energy. 

In her frequent tries to get up, she thought if she puts her legs down she can sit easily and then stand. But as soon as she pushed her legs down, she failed to sit and rolled off the bed clumsily.

She was in a rust orange knitted winter sheath dress, and the sun rays failed to warm her slender bare legs that trembled in coldness.

She felt her knees sting and her hand sorer but thanks to the thick rug on the floor, she wasn't much hurt. Holding the bed to sit, she even tried to stand without giving up by the number of falls but ended up weak on the floor.

Slowly pulling her body, she crawled to the mirror in rugged breathing feeling completely tired and extremely weak before she sat in front of the mirror.

The person in the mirror was so pale that her skin looked translucent against sunlight. She had reduced a lot of weight like she hadn't eaten for a long time, yet she looked uniquely gorgeous.

However, Ava Kelly's hand pressed on the mirror as her whole body started to tremble by remembering her worst nightmarish day, 'Grandfather, I need to go to grandfather. Grandfather… Grandfather…'

The first person she wanted to meet was none other than Hayden Kelly. She prayed that the place where she was in to be her grandfather's place or him to be taking care of her.

Lost and frightened, she didn't hear the gasps of excitement at the door of the bedroom. She didn't even know who was standing and how long. Her gaze moved up on the mirror when she felt somebody appear behind her.

Her eyes were forced to close due to weakness so she couldn't see the person clearly. She could only make out he was very tall that her neck started to hurt in mere seconds before her body started to incline and eyes droop.

She knew the man held her before she could hit the floor and scooped her in his arms effortlessly and carried her like she weighed nothing.

Her weak cold body leaned to his warm embrace before her body completely gave in to grab some rest.

The next time she woke up, she was in the same room in a new set of clothes, felt more energetic. She easily sat leaning on the headboard and saw the man frozen next to the daybed dropping the laptop on it.

He was in a simple white shirt and dark trousers yet looked majestic. She couldn't help but blink her eyes to confirm she wasn't imagining a breathtaking man who looked regal without effort, the beautiful sunset of the autumn paled in front of him. 

The orange and red sunset rays highlighted his sharp jawline, his thick brows head were slightly raised, his long nose cast a shadow on the other half of the face, his brown hazel eyes were beguiling where she kept staring at.

She should be scared and alert in fright seeing the unknown man but she couldn't focus anywhere and stare at him blankly. Blankly? She wasn't sure either, it was like something in her was pushing her toward him.

It was only till she heard a loud gasp and a known excited voice rang in her ear, "Little Heart!"

She had just turned towards the door, she identified the man who climbed on the bed. It was Shawn. Her best friend. He held her shoulder and intently watched her face. His eyes were shimmering in moisture, they were happy, they were content.

Her eyes still traveled back to the man who was now frowning but she couldn't put a finger on if he was disappointed or thinking something.

Shawn hugged her, patted her head. She wanted to hug him back, cry and tell him everything that happened but everything stuck in her throat right after recalling Shawn lost his sister and aunt.

Recalling everything, she started to tremble violently. It wasn't because Shawn was holding her, but remembering how those officers were touching her which caused her to push Shawn away and pull the duvet to cover herself.

"Little Heart?" Shawn's voice cracked obviously afraid she forgot him.

Earning no response, he called his brother looking at her terror-stricken eyes, "Bro, you said probability is low on losing memories."

She soon noticed an old thrilled lady running inside, followed by Shawn's uncle and many maids peeking inside at her in excitement.

'Rivas family? Brother?' After her previous encounter with rich influential members, the fear crept up as she couldn't find her grandfather.

'Why didn't they send me to Grandfather?' She thought, crawling away from Melia's hand. That one thought was enough for her to fear they were keeping her in their hold without sending or calling Hayden.

With Aaron Rivas's image as cold, unapproachable, and detached, she feared him the most thinking he was just like other rich spoiled heirs who played around.

In confusion, she didn't feel like talking.

Seeing her run from any kind of touch and be mute, Aaron had to explain to her why he has to touch her. She used to stare at him for a long time thinking he might force her. But he always waited for her response so she was nodding. 

A few days passed by, she was slowly recovering her energy but they never called her grandfather or her parents. Other than the hospital, they took her nowhere and she didn't have any mobile or telephone.

She was disappointed by Shawn for not calling her grandfather too so she thought to escape. If in case she asks to let her go and they get offended. 'What if they hurt grandfather?' 

One day, she had run out of the Avron mansion when Aaron went to the kitchen but her energy could only reach her outside under the hot sun before she started feeling dizzy. 

When she fainted, all she knew was she was in Aaron's arms and his soothing voice, "Why aren't you talking?"

But he didn't know his gentleness was what scared her the most.

'Why is a cold, indifferent brother of Shawn is gentle, patient towards me?'