The Traps of Black Swan

The little arms hugged Tia back as she tried to correct Tia, speaking sweetly, "Aunt Tia, I am not little anymore. I am nine years old."

Tia softly chuckled, pulling her away from the embrace. "You are still little for me, Little Peanut…" She brushed the tears away from her face.

The little girl pouted for a second and whined, "Peanut size is this small." She used her thumb and forefinger to show the peanut size before spreading her arms, "I am this big." Then she giggled, making Tia smile.

"Iris…" A lady\'s voice interrupted them.

Iris turned around and responded to her mother, "Yes, Mom…" Then she held Tia\'s fingers and gently tugged her to make her stand.

Iris took Tia inside and let her meet everyone. Iris\'s father smiled shaking her head, "The little chipmunk has grown up." When he had married the doctor, Tia was just seventeen.

"Brother-in-law… I am sorry, I made you all worried." Tia apologized as they hugged sideways.

He and his wife were indeed frightened thinking how could she survive alone and what if she meets the wrong people. They had lived through thinking about it for many years. 

Breathing in relief, all they cared was she was doing good without them, "It\'s alright. Even if you don\'t want to visit here, come to your sister\'s home. Our door is always open for you." 

Iris, who heard her father welcoming Tia to their home, happily added, "Aunt Tia, we can share our room. I have so many toys to play with."

Tia nodded at her brother-in-law as she chuckled at Iris. She gently pinched Iris\'s chubby cheeks. 

Tia always knew that she could have gone to their place. Her brother-in-law and sister would have looked after her better than her father. But she didn\'t want to be their problem and her father would have found it out sooner or later. Hence she never dared to reach out to them.

Then the sisters hugged, they had spoken a lot in the banquet so they had nothing much, "Dax?" Elder Sister asked.

"He is here. He got an emergency call." Tia responded.

Iris tugged her father\'s pants and pointed to the door, "Dad, shall I bring Aunt Tia\'s friend inside?"

Tia wanted to say it wasn\'t required so that he could attend to his matters patiently. But Iris, who had seen Dax from the balcony, excitedly skipped out to bring the uncle who hugged her Aunt to bring her out of the car.

Tia saw her mother, her mother never forced her but she also didn\'t support them. Mrs. Wells was always quiet in front of her husband even if she felt whatever he was doing was wrong. Tia never blamed her because her father was very dominant and controlling.

If something goes against his wishes, then he will scold you harshly until you do as he wants to get rid of him. He makes their life restless and always on their toes. Due to him, her behavior was pathetic with outsiders, venting her frustration.

Her father was a true dictator and Tia knew who could seal his mouth shut, Dax Grant. Nonetheless, she didn\'t want him to get tired of the Wells family matters as she had left them long back.

"Mom!" Her voice sounded feeble before they embraced each other and burst into tears. Tia tried to have control but her mother cried all the stored tears out repeating she missed and worried for Tia.

The cry alerted two men. One entered from the backyard and another from the front door, holding Iris\'s hands.

Mr. Wells, a tall mid-sixties man went inside. There was no worry but deep frowns as if the cry had disturbed his peaceful time.

He saw a slender lady in a simple top and jeans, coaxing his wife. He gritted his teeth. If Tia hadn\'t run away from the house, his wife wouldn\'t have cried so it was Tia\'s fault. He strode to them to shut their crying show that was irritating him.

Worried, Iris ran next to Dax while he strode inside. He left the little hand he was holding as they went closer to the others. He noticed Mr. Wells having ugly frowns, marching towards Tia angrily. He didn\'t feel the good vibe from him. 

Doctor Wells and her husband had their back against Mr. Wells hence they didn\'t notice him. 

In a very swift move, Dax appeared next to Mr. Wells and his left hand grabbed the wrist of Mr. Wells\'s hand in a tight grip before Mr. Wells could pull Tia away from her mother roughly.

Mr. Wells was infuriated by the interruption. He tried to lose the grip, shrug the hand but the grip was tightening around without letting it move an inch. The bone-crushing hold made him flinch in pain and roared, "What the…" 

The words stuck in his throat when his eyes landed on Dax who had murderous air. His glaring eyes were threatening Mr. Wells that if he dares to touch Tia, he would break the wrist that was in his hand.

Tia and her mother froze hearing Mr. Wells\'s voice. Feeling the air tense, Tia turned around, protecting her mother behind in case her father strikes at them.

Looking at her father\'s hand in the air, she could already guess what her father was up to and why Dax had to take action.

Mr. Wells gritted his teeth and yelled at him, "Who the hell do you think you are?"

Iris gasped in fright hearing her grandfather. Her eyes filled up when she ran over to her mother and hugged her. The doctor quickly hugged her and rubbed her back.

Dax noticed Iris. He didn\'t feel the necessity to scream, he didn\'t have to yell either. His voice carried weight when provoked Mr. Wells, "Not a shrew." 

"You-" Mr. Wells trembled in fury. 

Tia made her mother sit before running between two men. Dax left Mr. Wells\'s hand when Tia tugged his blazer. 

Then Mr. Wells shouted at Tia, "Who told you, you could bring this man home?"

The fear of her father being deeply rooted, her braveness was nil facing her father. She jerked when his voice hit his eardrums.

Dax didn\'t have to turn to her, he could feel her cowering staring at her father. 

Doctor Wells took her daughter to leave her in the room while her husband intervened, "Dad, calm down. Let\'s sit and talk."

Dax shifted his hand to Tia\'s back and gently pushed her little front. Encouraging her to speak. To the woman who could handle tyrannizing Clark Willian, facing her father has to be a piece of cake.

Tia repeated to herself that she wasn\'t the same helpless little girl anymore. "I- I didn\'t bring Dax. I am here because of him." Even though she wasn\'t unyielding, she was responding. 

Mr. Wells glared at the duo, breathing heavily. He didn\'t shout again but his rage was totally visible on his face. He passed the decree, "I don\'t want an outsider in my house." 

Dax was an outsider so Mr. Wells wanted to send him out and control his daughter. Yeah, he had no plans to talk with Tia but make her follow what he chooses for her.

Tia didn\'t like her father calling Dax an outsider. So she turned to Dax so that both could leave.