Chapter 469 - The love rivals

Clark ignored Dax and moved very swiftly towards Aarvi, who was alone behind the desk. He heard the handguns' slider unlock, but he didn't fear. His eyes were fixated on Aarvi's fearless eyes. She didn't even flinch when she was the one who caught his movements first.

'Bang.'

He slapped a card on the table and crossed his arms, looking down his nose. This woman also started to irritate him without reacting to his actions and treating him like an eyesore. However, he commended her ability to stand out among the group of men just by her presence.

He saw her lips curl before she uttered without looking at the badge Clark wanted them to have a look at. "Clark William, Executive of Anti-drug controller board." Her words left everyone pause in their actions and thoughts.

It was the Shadow team who first discerned her to be over a call. They understood; either her team or her Apple Pie got the information of the man. Probably a few seconds ago.

They were right. Aarvi had sent Clark William's picture to Zain just a few minutes back. Zain was able to get the information and told her about Clark when Clark was repeating to her that they had misunderstood them.

She was surprised to know the group was a government administrative body serving the country. They were trying to seize Leon through the peddlers. One of the foremost peddlers was an owner of a restaurant that was established opposite her flower shop. 

However, since the organization was operated as a private body, they wouldn't get protection from the government, so Clark couldn't afford to offend her. In particular, he couldn't bear to provoke Evans. Little did he know, other than her name, she had nothing to do with them.

Zain quickly explained to her the team's situation and how Tia's information was modified and kept secret. He also let her know the group could do nothing against her unless Clark gets too personal. Anyhow, by looking at Clark's reaction, Aarvi was sure he wouldn't dare to provoke her.

The most shocked one in them was Dax due to Tia. However, Shawn and Aarvi were well aware of his every reaction. Dax ignored the fact that Tia was his girlfriend because they had thought Aarvi's life was at risk. If Tia had reached there a few minutes back, Dax would have unthinkingly strangled her to death.

While Aarvi was thinking about keeping Clark and his team away from their personal life and her vengeance, there was hope in Shawn when he looked at Dax's complex emotions. A hope that Tia didn't use Dax like a pawn in her mission. A hope that Tia was genuine with Dax even if their relationship might not work in the future.

Shawn had witnessed his brother longing for his Cupcake for so many years. He had seen Hassan Fisher hiding his pain after losing Ariel Rivas. He had seen Dax's stone heart after the backstab of his first love. Even though he didn't know how it feels to be in love, Shawn didn't want his friend to go back to the same state or go through another painful part of life before his parents could force him to marry a girl of their choice.

He didn't want Dax to have a loveless marriage. Like his grandfather says, life isn't about living with the wrong person. Life is about the right person who will make you feel loved even from afar, wanted- even in a difficult phase of life, appreciated for the smallest things, and an unsaid priority in their choice.

Shawn wished Dax could have a person he could love instead of the girl of his parent's choice. He crossed his legs and queried without revealing any of his emotions, "Who is Tia?"

Instead of Shawn, Clark glared at Dax's stoic face without responding to Shawn. Only if Aarvi would have taken men as the salesman to the flower shop, he wouldn't have got this day to face.

Aarvi stood up, watching Clark. She disliked how he wasn't hiding his intense distaste towards Dax and how he ignored Shawn's question. When the two men had a staring game, she turned to Shawn.

A smirk appeared at the corner of their lips. Tia knew Aarvi is Ava Kelly, but she hadn't told her team; hence there was nothing on the wall linking to Kelly. Both were sure that Dax was smart to realize Tia might have been hiding about her from them, but she was faithful and genuine to them.

When Tia had got the chance to know who was President of Skylar, she had turned down lying she couldn't keep a secret. But in reality, Tia didn't want to know any confidential information which might make them feel she betrayed them.

Now, Clark's reaction meant he didn't like Dax because Tia's boyfriend is Dax. They had no time to worry about what Clark felt for Tia. Shawn stood up as he went towards the wall. "Never mind." He had a different plan for Tia. He wasn't offended by Clark's behavior, as that's how men become jealous.

He grabbed a lighter from the table and lit a sticky note which had the information about Aarvi. The connected stickies and pictures slowly caught fire and turned everything to ash. Clark frowned, looking at the wall. It was nothing compared to what he had expected them to do.

"So..." Aarvi uttered, going next to Dax, "Will you destroy the information, or should I take it to my hand?" She meant she would havoc on the whole place. 

Shawn dusted his hand as he added one more, "Perhaps your career." His gentle smile was threatening. 

Since Tia and her team failed to get the concrete evidence against Leon other than the peddlers, Shawn knew a small leak of Clark's team was enough to destroy the team and make them regular officers under the law.  That would be really shameful for those officers to continue to work.

By their confidence, Clark realized they had the upper hand in the situation as Aarvi Evans wasn't a criminal, and they had used a foreign citizen as their civil asset. Much less an Evans, a high-profile family daughter. However, he sneered, looking at Dax, "And why should I do that?" 

'Pow.'

Dax punched Clark right in the face. He had tried to control for a long time, but Clark was repeatedly pressing his nerves with the look that was saying he stole his wife. 

Clark stumbled by the force before he balanced. He had heard about Dax, felt the same. He gives you a chance for redemption before breaking the face. Clark used his backhand to wipe the blood off from the corner of his lips. 

Dax scoffed, rolling his eyes, "Did your eyes came to their place?" He looked away to take a breath and digest everything with the fact that Tia might have a lunatic admirer, or probably her ex or... Dax put a full stop to his thoughts about Tia.

Aarvi and Shawn had expected Dax to lose his cool for a long time. They weren't bothered about it.  Shawn whispered near her ear, studying the tension between two men, "The love rivals." He couldn't believe the change of events. 

However, their faces turned dark when they grasped Clark was provoking Dax so that he could get a chance to strike at Dax.