The Traps of Black Swan

Aarvi watched Zelda walk away without showing her emotions. She sat there and slowly breathed in and out, then she stood up and followed Zelda inside. 

She discerned and also accepted Zelda was heartless too. The latter didn't scold her or raise her voice. She said her farewell when Aarvi and Aaron were leaving the next day, after breakfast.

She least wanted Zelda to ignore Aaron because of her. How did it turn worse? It voiced her opinion because Zelda asked, she didn't mean to say Zelda was wrong. 

Zelda knew Aarvi was following her, yet she went inside and shut the door on Aarvi's face a loud thud. The latter had expected it so she was a good distance away.

Sophia stood by the door of her room uneasily. Even though she was a maid, Zelda always treated her well. That doesn't mean she had the right to interfere hence she could only advise, "Young Madam, why don't you take a rest and speak with Elder Madam, tomorrow?" She didn't judge the situation and stayed respectful.

Aarvi faced a worried Sophia. Sophia reminds her of Melia, the housekeeper of the Avron mansion. As far as Aarvi knew they were all hired and trained by Zelda. They never treated anybody oddly even if they were displeased by anybody. How much ever freedom she gives, they will stay respectful, kind, and loyal.

Aarvi faintly smiled, "Aunty Sophia, I am alright. You must be tired after a long day. Why don't you go to bed?"

Against another stubborn woman, Sophia could only give in and went out to the kitchen to complete her work.

Aarvi's eyes landed on Aaron who was at the stairs. She glanced at the closed door and skipped to her husband without a hint of annoyance on her face. Pulling his cheeks, "Why haven't you bathed yet? I will come soon… No, take a bath, fill the bathtub for me. I will reward you when I return."

Aaron controlled himself from facepalming himself. Reward? Was he a child to lure him with reward? "Candy?" He asked with a straight face.

Aarvi chuckled at the reward he mentioned, discerning she was treating him like a kid. She just wanted to keep him distracted instead of worrying about her and Zelda. "That's a good idea. When we go back, I will prepare a big jar of candies for you." 

Aaron: "..."

Aarvi chuckled looking at him speechless while he was thinking if he should carry away his wife. He pulled her close, his long fingers gently massaged between her brows. His deep voice had a hint of worry, "Convincing Grandma is difficult so soon. We will drop visits whenever you feel like."

Aarvi had no idea she was frowning. She hummed, accepting his plans. However, "I won't convince her. I have something to tell her."

Aaron could only let her go, seeing her resolute. "I will get your bath ready." with an underlying threat as 'You better come back soon.' He kissed her forehead and went upstairs seeing her sweet silly smile.

Clash of opinions. Aaron couldn't guess how this was going to end.

Aarvi time passed for five minutes before knocking on the door. She wanted to give Zelda time so that she could patiently think, hoping she was thinking positively instead of any negative assumption.

The door didn't open. Aarvi knew Zelda was awake and grumpy. So she again knocked on the door. It took a few seconds before the door was opened.

Zelda probably knew it was her so she turned around, went to the armchair, and sat down. Neither welcoming her inside nor uttering anything.

'Let's not lose patience.' Aarvi told herself. She was a normal human too so she hoped they wouldn't end up arguing with each other.

She went inside and calmly excused herself, "Elder Madam, I hope it's alright if I take five more minutes of your time."

Zelda shifted her gaze on Aarvi who halted three steps away. Out of all the women, Zelda had met, Aarvi was somebody she couldn't judge. She had anticipated Aarvi wouldn't hound on her door and irritate her. Thinking if she was going to ignore her, she came back after a few minutes.

"What do you want to say?" She mused without bothering to ask Aarvi to take a seat.

Aarvi gave a small nod, glad Zelda wasn't unreasonable. "Elder Madam, I never meant what you did was wrong. Nobody has the right to question your decision but Grandfather Jordan. Do you know why I still treat Grandfather Jordan the same even after knowing the past?"

Her questions caught Zelda's interest. She didn't think of that. If Aarvi didn't forgive Jordan, how could she treat Jordan like nothing happened?

Aarvi continued, "Because of you." If Zelda hadn't taken the step to leave Jordan, she wouldn't have felt bad for the couple and it would have been very difficult for her to face Jordan and treat him nice.

"You might have taken this decision as a doctor or as a grandmother of Aaron. From the time Aaron is away from me, you and grandfather are also suffering each day with him." She glanced at the photo frame on the bedside.

Even though Aarvi hadn't found Zelda's picture in the common hall of Rivas mansion, Aarvi had seen Zelda and Jordan's picture in both of their rooms. Surprisingly, both had the same picture, framed in the photo.

Aarvi looked out of the bay window, into the dark sky full of stars brightly. "Life isn't that long to live in displeasure. I don't want to regret one day thinking I should have been better."

Zelda saw a sad smile on her face before it disappeared without a trace when she turned to face her. Zelda knew even though Aarvi wasn't considering herself as a victim of Jordan's action, she had been through the worst phase of her life. 

In the experience of life, Zelda felt like she fell short in front of Aarvi.

The silence fell over for a few seconds. Aarvi tried to know if Zelda got angry again or her words created more misunderstandings that she had tried to clear between them. 

The misunderstandings would never let any relationship be strong.

However, Zelda maintained her stoic face as though she had nothing to say and Aarvi could leave. Aarvi didn't assume anything and waited patiently for Zelda to sort out her thoughts and speak.

When Zelda finally opened her lips, her voice had a hint of hesitance. Obviously, she was uncomfortable to ask that question to Aarvi, yet her stubbornness won over and questioned Aarvi.

"Do you think you will be able to live if anything happens to Aaron?" 

Zelda fixed her eyes on Aarvi's face to catch every single line on her face. As she had expected, Aarvi's calmness seemed to drop to the coldness. Her eyes which had confidence and serenity turned frosty. Her natural curl of the lips flattened, loudly speaking her dissatisfaction to the question and unwillingness to have such thoughts.

Zelda could see the changes in Aarvi after she had been through a life and death experience. Regardless of it, when it came to Aaron, Aarvi Evans was still as vulnerable as Ava Kelly in the past. 

What was she going to do with love-struck fools?

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