The earth shattering truth - I

As soon as Anna was taken inside the intensive care unit, Regan slumped on a chair behind him. Initially he was not ready to leave her alone. He had constantly held her hand when she was dragged on a stretcher for the treatment. Although he looked calm on the surface, the people who knew him well could feel the raging beast that was roaring inside him to take out his anger on the one responsible for her condition. His aura was deathly cold which even made the doctors around him tremble in fear. He had shouted and ranted commands to the doctors for her treatment and to restore her well being at any cost. When Drake had noticed his dark lethal eyes, he instantly turned tensed as he knew him better than anyone else. He somehow made him understand that the paramedics handling her case were renowned and well experienced doctors who knew their jobs well and Anna would be treated better without his interference for the time being. He had hesitantly left her hand and she was taken inside. Half of an hour had passed since then and he was restlessly walking through the corridor waiting for the doctors to inform about her condition.

"Reg... I want to talk to you about something. But you need to sit first. Please." When he didn't respond as he was expecting, he eventually resorted to the only alternative that he knew would work to tame him down for a while. He put his hand on his shoulder to stop him from moving. "It's about Anna. You need to know this."

"How did all of this happen? What was that fuc**** bast*** doing in my premises? How did he dare to lay his filthy hands on my woman?"

Regan's voice boomed in the corridor to which even Drake couldn't help but blanched with the intensity of his seething anger. When Regan sat on a chair, he said grimly.

"About an hour ago before you called me, I got a call from our security headquarters that something was fallacious. The security cameras of the building were tampered. They tried to reach you but you were not available. So they called me. Instantly after I got the news, I had our people to start working behind it. It's then when we came to know about Mr. Benc's presence in the building. And he was not alone. Luciana Black, one of the executive assistant on the floor assisted him to get through it. I guess they were messing around with each other which tempted her to betray us."

Regan's jaw clenched on the disclosure but he managed to stay calm to hear him further.

"Within an hour, we were able to secure and recover back with the misapprehensions and made sure that our data privacy and protection was intact. However inspite of being there for so long, he didn't try to default or clutter with the data which baffled all of us. It was then when we spotted Anna's car stopping by the entrance with her getting into the building. Initially others were suspicious about her intentions and involvement with him, but knowing about the reason behind his adjournment from the Knights Enterprise, it didn't take me long to figure out his ill intentions against Anna and I immediately scurried off to her before anything could happen. However, I never expected it to be something like this. Meanwhile, I tried to call you but you left it unanswered everytime."

Regan was barring his teeth on how things turned out to be in those hours. He cursed himself for not paying heed to the constant calls that he got during that time.

"I don't fuc**** pay those shits so that anyone would come and stab me behind my back. Replace them all." Drake's eyes widened on his command but he knew it better to keep shut at that moment. "Appoint the best this time so that I don't have to worry about such scumbags in the future. And about Benc. Keep him under your eye until I say. I'll personally deal with him once Anna will be alright."

"Reg.... let's hand him over to the cops. I am sure they would...."

"Certainly. But that would be going too easy on him for what he has done. Before that, he has to suffer and pay for every tear, wound and pain that he gave her...by hundredfolds. And I'll make sure to do that with my own hands. For now, keep an eye on him. I'll deal with him later."

Drake nodded his head in approval. He was about to leave when he heard Regan again.

"Can I trust you on this? It's related to Anna and I won't bear..."

He cut him off. "You won't bear any misapprehensions. I know Reg. I have never had a problem with her. All I wanted was to... Just let it be. It's not the right time to discuss these things. Even if I had something against her, this would have been the last thing on earth that I would have wished for her or anyone else. I know I have done certain mistakes but you can trust me with her. I'll not let you down." Saying that he left.

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Regan was still sitting on the same chair restlessly waiting for the doctors to give him some news about Anna when he heard a familiar voice. It was Emily. Initially he was stunned to see her there as he hadn't informed anyone about Anna. Being caught up in the chaos and the stress thenafter, it didn't cross his mind to inform her family. She was looking at him waiting for the answer and he was flabbergasted on not knowing how to do that. He knew very well about the close bond that they share even though they were not blood related. To make it worse, Emily was heavily pregnant and he had no idea if she would take it easy after knowing about Anna. He didn't wish to cause any harm to her baby.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was craving for some ice-cream. So me and Jack were out for it when he got a call due to an emergency. It was urgent so I came with him. But what about you? Is everything alright?"

Before he could come up with anything, a voice from his back startled him calling out his name. It was one of the doctor who was treating Anna.

"Doctor.... how is she?"

"Mr. Knight. I am sorry to say but..."

Before he could say anything further, Regan held him by his collar and warned him.

"But what?"

The doctor shuddered with his burning rage.

"Relax Mr. Knight. We have treated her wounds. Fortunately, there's nothing much critical about them. They would be healed within a week or so but.... but she's not responding to our treatment."

"What do you mean?"

"It seems as if her body has shut down on its own. Usually in such cases, the patients suffer from critical trauma and depression. The same has happened with Miss Prescott. Her body is not responding to our treatment the way it should do and I am scared if it that would be the case, it would be critical for her."

"What did you say?" Emily looked at the doctor, then at Regan. "You said Miss Prescott. Regan who is he talking about? Is it Anna?"

"Emily...Listen to me."

She took a few steps back and gasped when her back collided with Jack. He seemed to be tensed with something.

"Jack did you hear what he said. Regan what has happened to Anna? Will you answer me?" She yelled at him.

Without waiting for his answer, she hastily went towards the ICU and saw Anna lying on the bed with different machines and wires attached to her body.

"Baby girl." She whispered.

She gasped at the sight and her eyes started watering. Jack immediately went to her and cupped her face.

"Em listen to me carefully. It was an accident and I was called to treat Anna. I need to go to her baby. But please be well and take care of yourself. I promise you nothing will happen to her." She nodded and he went inside.

Jack was a psychiatrist and Emily couldn't understand why was he needed there at the first place. She went to Regan to talk to him.

"Regan how did this happen to her?"

He was standing outside her door. He replied to Emily without turning around with his eyes fixed on her. "You should really not worry about this. She would be alright." He replied half heartfelt hoping that his every word would come true.

"Of course she would be alright. She has to be. And how can't I worry about her? She's my sister for God's sake. I have all the rights to know about her."

He knew that he had to answer her this time. So he turned around and walked to her and informed her everything. However, he didn't expect her to react in such a way.

She covered her mouth with her hands and frantically shook her head with fresh tears flowing through her eyes.

"No no no.... not again. Anna...Why?..."

At the same moment the door burst open with Jack and some other doctors heading out.

"Jack?"

He didn't know what to say to console her.

"She is repeatedly mumbling his name. I don't know what to do Em." He said in destution.

"What do you mean?"

One of the doctor butted in. "She is still unconscious. But she is repeatedly calling out for someone."

"Who?" Regan frowned.

"Ashton."

"I think he's someone close to her. It would help us if he would be here Mr. Knight. Call him at the earliest."

Emily's eyes widened on hearing the doctor. She looked at Jack with panicked eyes who too was as clueless as her of how to act on something that was impossible. Emily was about to fall on the ground but Jack caught her on time and made her sit on the nearby chair.

"Em.... now it's not the time to show our weaknesses. We have to stay strong for Anna."

Regan too had heard her calling Ashton's name in her unconscious state while they were heading for the hospital in the car. Unlike everytime, he was least affected by that name which always created a havoc in his heart. All he wanted was for her to be alright and if Ashton's presence was what that she needed, he wanted him to be there for her. He immediately turned towards the couple.

"Jack.... I know you both are anxious right now. But please call him first. Call Ashton. She needs him and...."

"He won't come." Emily muttered helplessly with teary eyes.

Regan's palm twitched in anger on her denial.

"Why won't he? Doesn't he love her? Inform him about Anna. She needs him. I'm sure as soon as he will get to know about her condition, he'll come."

"He wouldn't be able to come... even if he wants to. He has gone too far to come back."

"What the hell are you talking about? Give me his damn number. I'll make sure to bring him here at any cost. He has to come for her. No matter how far he is, he has to return back." He turned towards Jack to convince him as Emily was unable to understand the situation.

"Jack..... Anna is battling for her life. He is the one who can save her. Call him. Please."

"How can he save her when he himself has lost that battle... a battle of his own life?"