The Traps of Black Swan

After being beaten by Aarvi, Shawn heard that his punishment is postponed due to the Morris family. He met all elders before going upstairs to the Entertainment room.

Shea didn't want to go upstairs so she was sitting next to Megan listening to them. Connor probed after noticing for long, "Shea, aren't you bored here? Go, join Aarvi and others."

Shea forced a smile awkwardly before standing up. She walked as slow as possible pretending to be busy over mobile while thinking how to face Nikun and Aaron since Shawn was definitely going to tell them about the microchip.

 Megan went up to her after excusing herself, "Shea, don't be so shy. Feel at home." She tried to ease her up.

It was her first time in the mansion.

'Shy? Madam Rivas, please don't say that in front of Shawn. He will probably faint.' She doesn't have a shy personality.

"Let me show you where they are. Shawn will take you around later." Megan said, leading the way upstairs thinking Shea was really shy, hence she was uncomfortable.

'Not Shawn, please...' Shea cried in her mind and followed her upstairs.

Shea appreciated the architecture as she looked around, "Madam Rivas, your house is well thought out and artistic."

Megan smiled hearing it, "Dad took major responsibility for the interior. He didn't want too modern, nor too vintage. We all love his choice."

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First impression of Jordan was strict and cold. So it wasn't easy for her to believe the warmth of the home was brought by Jordan.

Megan pointed inside the entertainment room for Shea asking her to follow as she stepped inside.

The entertainment room was vast, there were different kinds of chairs and seating arrangements including floor pillows. There was a billiards table at one end, another side had a mini parlor, opposite to which there was a huge screen. It was perfect for youngsters to hang out.

Nikun was sitting on a barstool at the parlor with a glass of whiskey in his hand. Shawn was sitting on the armchair. Common in them was seriousness.

Aaron was on a fluffy beanbag facing Shawn. Aarvi was sitting on a floor pillow facing Shawn, with her back leaning on Aaron. These two were placid like calm ocean surfaces hiding the under-current.

"What's wrong, children?" Megan was worried.

Shea peeked inside at everyone's expression and lifted her eyebrows at Nikun as she glanced at Aaron. The latter cued her to take a seat.

Shawn reached Megan and held her hands, "Mom, I don't want to lie to you." His voice was loving and had a faint smile looking at his mother, "We will tell you everything but after we discuss it."

Megan patted his arm as she sighed, "Why did you guys grow up so fast?" She nodded in acceptance before asking, "Shall I arrange for some snacks for you guys?"

Shawn turned around to know if others wanted. Aarvi responded, "Au- No, Mom. It will be lunchtime soon."

'Mom and Dad' were still foreign words to her.

Megan waved her hand and left

Nikun fumed at his sister, "Will you ever listen to me? If it wasn't Shawn, we wouldn't even get to know you are being tracked."

Shea had assumed Nikun would scold her for sleeping with Shawn. So she let out a breath of relief, "I am sorry, Brother." She apologized for not listening to him.

Aarvi changed the topic back to the one which needs their attention, "The Mertons can't be this clever and audacious."

Her intuition. Something wasn't falling in place.

She turned to Aaron, "Ask your team to check Wade Merton's location. Before and after meeting Shea." Aaron hummed as he took his mobile out.

Then she looked back at Shawn and cued him, "The Microchip." Shawn tossed the fiberglass tube at her.

Shea, who watched them, asked gingerly, "Why are you guys so worried? Isn't it enough to destroy the chip as we know it's Wade Merton?"

Aaron was instructing his team when Aarvi responded to Shea hoping she could understand the gravity, "Things aren't always simple as it looks."

Shea scratched her head and looked at her brother. She didn't know if it's simple or complex, she didn't want her family to stop her from pursuing her passion.

When Aaron hung up the call, he saw Aarvi shushing everyone and opening the microchip. She kept her mobile at silent mode and captured the front and back, closeup picture of the chip before sealing it back to the tube.

Aarvi sent it to Zain before calling him, "Apple Pie, did you check the pictures I sent you?"

[Pumpkin... Let me check.]

Shawn realized she was trying to know the owner of the microchip through the serial number printed on it.

"Little Heart, these types of microchips are sold in the black market. They won't be in the name of the real owner." Hence he hadn't asked his team to look into it.

Aarvi nodded at Shawn before asking, "What is the transmitting range and media for the transfer?"

Aarvi turned on the speaker when Zain spoke about the microchip, [Pumpkin, this is a cheap microchip. The transmission range couldn't cover the whole Mocon city. It's untraceable both the ways.]

Aarvi hummed before asking, "What about the battery power?"

There was a small pause before Zain responded, [Nearly twenty to twenty-four hours, Pumpkin. Who is spying whom?]

Aarvi didn't prolong the explanation, "Wade Merton is following Shea Morris because of the Rivas team residing at Morris hotel. He couldn't kidnap or take her out in Highland bar as the security was tight due to Shawn's presence."

"Kidnap!?" Shea understood the depth which Shawn had hidden from her. Now she learned why Nikun was so serious.

Zain hummed and hung up the call after a few more lines.

Shea who was holding up due to call, babbled out everything with her eyes moistening, "Why are they behind me? Why does he want to kidnap me? If Mom gets to know she won't let me study and marry me off. Should I go back to country S? Nobody will come there, right?..."

Aarvi's hand raised to pat her hands but her fingers trembled, breathe hitched and heartbeat twitched. She sat back, biting her lips. Aaron nodded at Nikun before he wrapped his arm around Aarvi's shoulder, "It's alright." He whispered, pressing his head against hers.

Nikun didn't want to reveal all that to Shea because she would be panicked thinking of odds. Still, hiding it from her wouldn't have alerted her either.

Shawn faintly smiled understanding Shea was worried about her career and education instead of getting kidnapped.

Nikun assured her saying she will be studying and nobody will force her into a marriage.

Shawn was waiting for the Rivas team to update them about Wade Merton's current and suspicious locations.

Aarvi, who was looking at Shea crying at Nikun, gave into her sleepless eyes and dozed off in Aaron's embrace.

Aaron wanted to take her to his bedroom but she might wake up by his movements so the silence fell for nearly half an hour with each in their own thoughts.

Shawn went out with Aaron's mobile when it rang. When he returned, he told them in a low voice, "Little Heart was right. This might not be Merton's idea."

In ten more minutes, Aarvi who opened her eyes after a nap saw Shawn grinning mischievously at her. Her hand reached for his cheek to pinch but he escaped, "I am not going to fall for it again." He rubbed his cheeks remembering how she had pinched him last time.

She sat up before apologizing in her groggy, slightly dry voice, "I am sorry, I was..." Aaron helped her drink water without letting her complete her words.

Meanwhile, "Little Heart, Wade Merton had met Leon Harmon before reaching the Morris Hotel. He followed Shea to the club with two extra cars. He went to Harmon Industries before going to his hotel and sleep." He reported the complete evening itinerary of Wade Merton.

'Leon Harmon' Aarvi's lips slyly arced up, plotting the plan back.