The Traps of Black Swan

"No Pumpkin." Zain turned down because they will stay in hospital and her mood was already quite upset to leave her alone in a hotel or new city. 

"I-" Probably she wanted to request or ask again but she gave up.

Zain could say she was giving up having any expectations for everyone and stopped hoping for a good but he didn't agree, "If you come with us, you will repeatedly think of your parents." He was actually glad thinking she didn't love Vance Hays and she wasn't affected by him but her parents.

"You can keep yourself busy with work and unload from Dax too. I will keep calling you, alright?" He expected a few words but all he got was a response of bobbling of her head side to side in acceptance.

He didn't allow her to drop him off at the airport either and it became the last words of hers. Then he flew away to grab the chance to save his mother a little longer.

He had gotten her to call, too many times but he was in the hospital, it was late into the night so the mobile was in silent mode and missed all her calls.

By the time he got to know, she was missing over a night and half a day. He left his mother under the care of a nurse and booked the earliest flight but he got to know Mocon is locked down due to terrorism and all the flights were canceled.

He was delayed by two days and when he returned, he got nothing.

--- Dax ---

Skylar was too new to the business and each day was too crucial. Due to the wedding, Ava was working day and night managing everything so Dax voluntarily chose to meet clients forcing her to do office work.

Unquestioningly, he didn't want her to have a loveless marriage. However seeing happy yammering her parents were happy, he or Shawn had no voice but sigh and support her unwillingly.

Dax was meeting many clients or other company heads who are from rich, strong family backgrounds. Some mocked him for having high dreams, some laughed at him but Shawn and Ava were there to keep him strong.

It is an unsaid truth that people don't believe or accept just a 'Nobody' could become big in the business and Dax was from a common background with no prominent family name.

Even though he was positive, encouraged by his friends, he always had uncertainty and fear that he might pull down the future of Skylar due to his identity as no one special.

He was looked down on to the extent he wanted to give up and become a normal employee and send Ava ahead and make her the face of Skylar. 

It wasn't a problem at all, Ava was confident, beautiful, and from the rich family background. Importantly she was also ready to do his part of the work but she didn't. 

She wasn't afraid nor wanted to hide, Ava and Shawn encouraged him, pushed up, lifted him each time saying let's prove family name is nothing but a useless adornment to our name.

In the coming days, as much as positively he took the rejection, he would hear those clients say behind his back as 'He is no one.' Some said behind the back and some on his face, it would sting him. 

'Would I have a better future if he too had an influential renowned family name?' He always thought after hearing them.

During a struggle with himself, Ava's wedding approached and he heard Shawn's sister met with an accident. He had been to the hospital to be a moral support to Shawn but they heard Ariel Rivas was brain dead. 

Having no heart to disturb Ava's mood during the wedding, they hid it from her and Shawn gave a reason as he is busy whenever she asked. 

On the day of the wedding, Shawn lied as he was ill and asked his mother to lie to her so that she doesn't run to him leaving the wedding.

Without Shawn, Dax couldn't go to his Dum Dum when other girls surrounded her. If he alone dawdled around the bride, it would spoil her name through the filthy mouths so he just stayed in the wedding hall to wait for the wedding ceremony but got the news of 'The groom isn't coming.'

Why? What? He had many more questions but didn't have an answer. 

That's the day he had witnessed the real environment Ava grew up in and why she always asked them to teach every simple thing including cycling. To be fact, he had thought her parents never let her work hard treating her like a fragile delicate girl.

The happy, innocent Dum Dum of his had too much pain which she always hid and lied to them as her parents were busy with the business. 

He understood pompous family names and richness doesn't bring happiness. He was glad to realize he had loving parents without ostentation. Now he wanted to prove that a person, his talents, and determination are needed for a successful life.

During his insecurity and urge to prove himself, a big project client came forward to sign with them, even though it was manageable by Skylar, Ava didn't like to invest in the project.

Misunderstanding her mood as down and she needed time, he went ahead to prove his worth so he agreed to the client and flew to the farthest city of the country. Helpless, Ava let him do because the project still had potential even though it was out of her plan.

Little did he expect he was going to a place where it was hard to get a network. 

As soon as he went to the network coverage area, his number was flooded with Shawn, Zain, and Grandfather Kelly's number asking the same thing, 'Is Ava with you?'

And a message from Ava to encourage him before his meeting with the client, [Be confident. I am always with you.]

Even though it was a message to encourage him before she went missing, that message had kept him going for nine-plus months, having no idea if she was alive or dead.

He had no idea Shawn knew Ava was in a coma hence he repeatedly stressed him to work harder and don't let down Ava when she returns.

Hence, all he did was to follow the long-term plan Ava had drafted to hold the footing in the business industries as he waited for her.

--- Shawn --

Shawn's life was miserable. He practically lived in a mansion of misery.

As Dax, he had objected too but gave in to Ava and unwillingly supported her as he continued to manage Highland club and restaurant and his passion as Disco jockey.

Hardly endured any problems in life, if he had an obstacle, one or the other one would help him to tackle it. His life was pretty smooth compared to the other two friends of his.

But life tests you at unpredictable modes. He was excitedly preparing for his Little heart's wedding, Aaron's return when he got the devastating news. His cousin, Ariel Rivas got into a drunk and driving accident.

By the time he rushed to the hospital, the doctor announced her brain was dead and she was kept alive by the machine.

He loved his sister and knowing the brain dead is the same as the dead. Twenty-one years young man didn't know how to react to it other than getting angry at the doctor for being inefficient. 

His mother, Megan, and Aaron's mother who were of medical background could easily understand the case and were crying in anguish for losing the princess, precious daughter of the family. 

Shawn had to be with them letting other elders take care and find the solution. He didn't let the matter reach Ava, with the help of Dax, he hid everything from her to help her celebrate her wedding without being sad.

Aaron who got to know about the accident of his younger sister booked a ticket back to Mocon which needed the flight change in another country that consumed time.

Aaron had reached half distance when his grandfather asked him to meet a surgeon and bring him hence he had to fly to another country.

During this time, Ava had her wedding and Shawn had to be with his family so he didn't attend the wedding managing with a lie.

The whole process of reaching the doctor, reading reports took five days for Aaron to run between different countries.

In Mocon, Ava's wedding was canceled. 

Shawn was too stressed out seeing two of the girls who he treasured had an ugly fate suffering and the ladies who he respected were weeping every single day.

He wanted to look after each one but failed, he couldn't save his sister nor could undo what happened with Ava or relieve the pain his mother and aunty were in.

He was too helpless, stressed, worried. It seemed like all his life difficulties reached him at once.

He had thought, once Aaron returns to Mocon, he could lighten up or share it with him or feel a little relieved without knowing another overwhelming grief was waiting for them.