Placating her

Two days later, Anna got discharged from the hospital. Her injuries were gradually healing but her head was still bandaged. Jack and Emily wanted her to stay with them for a few more days so that she could rest until she was perfectly fine but she didn't wish to stay in Seattle anymore, especially after what had happened. She had impassively declared that she was returning to New York in the same evening.

When Regan came to know about it, he was pretty flared up but knowing the reasons behind her decisions and her stubborn personality, he decided to not discuss or argue with her on that matter. Later that day, he went to Jack and Emily's house to see her. He even tried to convince her to accompany him in his private jet as he too was leaving for New York the next day but she wasn't ready to take any help from him.

Later when he was about to leave, Emily stopped him as she wanted to have a word with him.

"I am sorry for Anna's behaviour. I don't know what is the reason behind her changed behaviour towards you. Please try to understand her and go easy. "

Regan smiled on hearing her concern about Anna. "I guess I know the reason. I wouldn't lie but it's me who is responsible behind all of this. And me being easy on her?" He shook his head. "She has all the rights to get angry on me for what I did to her. In fact it's her who's going easy on me. But I am not going to stop cajoling her. I'll do everything to persuade her and apologize for my mistakes."

Emily grinned on hearing him. "What can I say then? All the best. But let me tell you a secret." She looked behind to see Anna and Jack looking at them in amusement. "She is too kind to stay furious with anyone for a long time. And you won't need to do anything big for that." She winked and went inside.

He sighed and smiled inwardly. Glancing her for the last time, he left.

--------------------------------------

Anna was already on her seat looking outside the window awaiting for the flight to take off. She was engrossed in her thoughts when someone gently tapped her shoulder and she turned around to look.

"Good evening Anastasia." Regan greeted her with his biggest smile.

"Good evening." She said and again turned towards the window. As if she realized who was he, she came out of her thoughts and her head instantly snapped in his direction not believing that he was already seated beside her.

"You?"

She asked in shock. She squinted her eyes. "What are you doing here? Didn't you say that you were going to return to New York tomorrow morning?"

"Did I say that?" He shrugged his shoulders. "Well... I changed my plans."

She gently rolled her eyes. "What are you doing here beside me? Go to your seat."

He chuckled. "That's where I am Anastasia. On. My. Seat."

She folded her arms across her chest and scrunched her nose. "Why would you do that? Didn't you tell me before that you never travel through public flights?"

He smirked. "Well... I still don't. But I am good at finding my ways."

He signalled her to look around her. It was then that she noticed that all the other seats were unoccupied. She gasped on seeing it.

"Did you... did you?"

"I booked all the seats. So practically it's only two of us. Although it's different from my taste, I can adjust with it this way." He replied nonchalantly.

She still couldn't believe that he would do something crazy like that.

"Are you for real? How much money did you waste for this?"

"What?"

"You could have utilized that money to help some needy instead of shoving it like this. How can you act so crazy and why?"

Regan couldn't believe that she said those words. He wondered for a moment about how different she was from others which brought a genuine smile on his face. Had it been another girl, she would have been the happiest, to see a man spending money for her like that. And here she was, explaining him the better ways to use his money. He immediately took out his phone and messaged someone. He looked at her again as his smile widened.

"Done."

She frowned. "What?"

He gave his cell phone to her to have a look. She reluctantly took his phone and her eyes widened on reading the message. She looked at him and then at the phone. He had already transferred the same amount of money to an orphanage in Seattle through Nolan.

"Regan!"

He shrugged his shoulders again. "I think I liked that idea of yours. So..."

"Why are you doing all these things? Just because I said?"

"What if I say yes?"

"Regan please....." She turned towards the window without completing her statement.

"What if I say this is my way of coaxing you, to persuade you to give me another chance to rectify my mistakes." He put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Please look at me Anna."

After a few seconds, she turned to look into his eyes.

"I know I have hurt you too much. Not only with my actions but also with my words. And before I could apologize for them, certain things happened and... but you know what? They made me realize how wrong I was. I wouldn't lie to you but there were certain things that were disturbing me, playing with my mind and I couldn't help but succumbed to my irrational thoughts and fear that kept me away from you."

She remembered his words that he said earlier and immediately lowered her gaze feeling hurt.

"You have hurt me too much." She said softly and bit her lip that was already trembling. His heart clenched in pain on hearing her. "You saved me. I..... I don't even want to imagine about what would have happened if you have not rescued me on time. May be I would have already died..."

"Anna."

He held her hand and squeezed it lightly as the thought of something happening to her stabbed his heart brutually and he couldn't take it to hear her complete the statement as he had already suffered enough when he thought that she might lose her life.

"Although you did so much for me... I am unable to forget what you said to me. I am sorry. I am sorry but..... but I can't." She was still looking down while shaking her head.

"I don't intend you to forget or forgive me Anna. I have an idea of how terribly I have hurt you." He said and raised her head by holding her chin to let her see the sincerity in his eyes. "It's your right to be angry with me but you can't take away my right to placate you. I would do anything and everything to make up for my mistakes. I want you to know that I'm not going to stop until you forgive me from your heart. I want my friend back."

Her eyes glistened with tears. It wasn't only about his behavior or words anymore but she couldn't forget what she was told by Mr. Benc of her being his weakness and... She closed her eyes tightly to stop those terrifying memories which started playing in her mind again.

"Some things are never meant to come back. I am grateful to you for everything that you did for me but there are certain things that I wouldn't be able to forget. Ever. Don't waste your time on me anymore. Let's just be business partners, nothing more, nothing less."

"What if I say I want to be more? More than just business partners....."

"...."

"I am a very persistent and headstrong man Anastasia. I want us to be friends like before. And I won't stop at anything until I would get my dear friend back." He playfully winked and called the air hostess to bring them something to drink.

"We have talked too much. Give this little head of yours a bit rest now. Have this and rest for a while." He passed her an apple juice which she tried to ignore but his hard stare made her to take it hesitantly.

Soon the flight landed on the grounds of New York. Regan instantly held her hand, securely leading her outside with him, ignoring her efforts to pull it away. She eventually realized that he was doing so to ensure her safety and gave up after sometime. When they came outside the airport, Max was already waiting for her to take her home.

He was shocked on looking at the bandages on her head and hand. As if she understood his questioning gaze, she lightly smiled and said, "Don't worry. A small accident."

He frowned on hearing her and skeptically looked at Regan who was standing beside her. Max was not only her chauffeur but was also her bodyguard who was hired by Richard to always accompany her outside work. He was in his early forties and had served Richard for a long time to build a harmonious relation with his whole family. He was well aware about how special she was, for everyone in the family. However, during the last couple of visits to Seattle, she avoided to take him with her on which Richard had grimly agreed. He wanted to ask more about the accident not believing her words. He was working for Anna since three years, immediately after Ashton's death when she took over Watson's Corporation and had developed a special place in his heart for her due to her kind and down to earth personality. However, he decided to let go off the topic after looking at Regan.

"Ummm... I will leave then, bye." She said to Regan turning around.

"Aren't you going to drop me at my place?"

"What?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I haven't called my chauffeur to pick me up. So help me."

Without waiting for her reply, he walked towards her car. He had just opened the door but found that Anna was still not there. She was standing at the same spot gaping him with her mouth wide opened in shock on witnessing his cocky side.

"Are you going to stand there till morning? I am really tired Anastasia. Let's leave."

She frowned on hearing him and muttered under her breath.

"Always so bossy."