Mrs. Anastasia Regan Knight

"Meet my wife, Mrs. Anastasia Regan Knight."

Anna stiffened on hearing her new identity, with her heart pulsating into frenzied beats at the sound of Regan's voice. She looked at him while he held her possesssively by her waist. She still couldn't believe how her life changed so fast. Everything seemed surreal where she felt as if she had lost the hold over her mind.

One week before, she had never once thought in her dreams to be someone else's other than Ashton. Although, her heart longed for Regan's attention and care, the thought of them being together so intimately never crossed her mind. She was still in the process of finding an appropriate reason behind the connection she felt with him, the reason behind her blind trust on him and the feeling of safety and comfort that he always provided her without speaking anything. But everything changed on that uneventful night.

She remembered how one week before, he confessed his love to her. Before she could say anything, he had rushed her to the hospital with him. She was anxious all the way when she had seen Jack's number flashing on Regan's screen. She kept on asking him all the way if it was something about Emily but got no answers. However, when he had stopped the car in front of the hospital gate, she was shocked and her anxiety knew no bounds. Regan's face was emotionless all the way which gave away nothing and peaked her worries. She had asked him again but got nothing. Hence, she hastily tried to get out of the unmoving car fumbling with her seatbelt. She had just opened the door when Regan had held her arm to stop.

"Anna....." He had called out her name to stop her.

It seemed as if he wanted to say something but was unable to form the words. She didn't know how to deal with his unspoken words and the anxiety of anticipating something worse that had happened to make him speechless. She had even forgotten about the kiss that had shaken her to the core.

"Why are we here Regan? You are scaring me now. If you don't want to say anything then at least let me go. I'll check it on my own."

She tried to move her arm from his grip when he cupped her face and said in a deep voice. "Stay strong Anna. Just remember, no matter what, I am always with you."

She subconsciously nodded her head and went with him to the Intensive Care Unit without any further delay. Emily was already seated on one of the chairs outside when Anna spotted her and immediately engulfed her in a hug after she stood up on seeing her.

"Em...Thank God you are fine. I thought something happened to you. Are you alright? And the baby?"

Emily couldn't hold it anymore and hugged her again while bawling without answering her. Anna gently rubbed her back.

"Why are you here Em?" Then as realization hit her, she parted away and asked anxiously, "Oh My God! Is it Jack? Is he alright?"

Before Emily could answer her, she heard Regan calling out Jack's name and her heart became more unsettled in weariness. She furrowed her brows while looking at all of them. Jack was standing right in front of her. She was relieved to see him but was bemused on looking their sorrowful state.

When Emily and Jack didn't answer her, Regan came to her, held her hand and informed her carefully.

"Its Richard."

Her eyes widened as she stared at Regan. She opened her mouth trying to speak, but no words came out. The next moment, she sprinted through the corridor to look into the emergency room which was right in front of her. The sight of him through the little glass window horrified her.

Richard was laid on the bed with different doctors running around him. His body was scarred and wounded with blood dripping from his head and the doctors still working on it to stop the bleeding. His condition was severe.

With tears in her eyes, she whispered, "Dad?"

Regan was exactly behind her. He called her to divert her attention to pacify her as he knew it was not going to be easy for her to take all of that. However, he got no response, but heard her whimper.

"Anna?" He placed his hand on her shoulder and she turned to his side.

"Re...Regan, Dad? What happened to him? How? I.....I.....He was with me an hour before. What hap...happened to make him like this?"

She asked him with teary eyes and he enveloped her in his embrace assuring that everything was going to be fine not knowing that soon it was going to change everything.

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Anna came out of her thoughts when she found herself moving along with Regan. She was so lost in the past that she couldn't hear a word between Regan and Mr. Robinson. However, looking at Regan's contorted expressions, she was sure that he might had a hard time to deal with Mr. Robinson's cockiness. She was used to his flirtatious behavior as she had worked with him for a long time. Initially, she was bothered by it but later, realizing that it was harmless, she got used to it.

After some time, she was taken away by Grace who wanted to introduce her to a few of her close friends. Grace was ecstatic to watch Anna mingling with her friends in an easy going conversation. She could see that her friends were already admiring her for her clear perception and opinions on varied matters that they were discussing. They were pleasantly getting along when Nathan greeted the women and came beside Grace. He whispered something in her ear and she chuckled.

"Anna dear...I think your husband is missing you too much and if you won't go to him anytime soon, he is going to get pissed off even more. Calm him down." Grace winked mischievously which made the other women burst into laughter.

Anna frowned on hearing her, but as soon as she registered her words and saw all of them laughing on the enclosure of her so called husband missing her due to getting away from him for around ten minutes, she turned crimson and pursed her lips in a thin line before nodding. She quickly walked away from them to hide her embarrassment.

The moment she went to Regan, she was enclosed in a bone crushing hug by Stella followed by Drake with best wishes and greetings. She muttered a simple 'thank you' looking down as she couldn't find words to say anything. She raised her head when she heard a faint sound calling her out as lovingly as always.

"Baby girl."

Her eyes brimmed with tears on hearing the warmth in Emily's voice which had seemed to be lost in the past few days. The surge of strong emotions that she had bravely held back with a pleasant smile on her face throughout the evening would have break if it wasn't for Regan who immediately came to her side while intertwining their hands, silently assuring her that she wasn't alone in this. In other circumstances, she would have pulled away her hand from his grip but she felt too weak to do so after seeing her again.

"How are you Anna? You look lovely as always." Jack who was standing beside Emily came ahead and pecked her cheek while greeting.

Instead of replying, she simply nodded her head.

"You didn't answer baby girl. How are you?"

Emily took a step towards Anna but she unknowingly moved back. When Emily noticed it, she felt hurt. She knew that somewhere she was the reason behind Anna's behavior but it didn't stop her heart to wail even more.

"I am good." Anna replied in a low voice.

"Congratulations to both of you. I am so happy for you Anna. If dad would have been here..." She trailed off not intending to continue as a lump formed in her throat. "Mrs. Anastasia Regan Knight. It really suits you." Emily said with a smile.

Anna stiffened on hearing about her new identity from Emily. She felt as if she was pricked with thousands of needles. She never had thought about a wedding in the past too. However, it was always Emily who used to tease her by calling her Mrs. Ashton Watson as according to her, it was her future identity. The mere thought about the past welled up her eyes again and a lone tear fell on her cheek which she quickly hid by ducking her head and wiping it almost immediately. However, her futile effort of keeping herself strong didn't go unnoticed by Regan.

Emily was about to say something but Regan excused themselves. He took Anna away from them assuring to join again shortly. He knew it wasn't easy for her, but his own heart constricted on looking her in pain. He took her to a corner and softly said,

"Anna you don't need to talk to them if you don't want to. Take all the time you need before acting normal."

"They are the only ones left who I can call my family. I can see that she's repenting over her actions but what she said...I can't forget her words. She wasn't completely wrong. I am a bad omen. I should stay away from her, from everyone as much as possible. At least from her, till she gives birth. If anything bad would happen to them because of me...I wouldn't be able to forgive myself. If I would lose them too...I wont be able to li....."

He didn't let her complete and placed his finger on her lips. His blood boiled in anger on recalling Emily's words that she had said to Anna a few days back. If it was in his hands, he wouldn't have allowed her to come near her again but being well aware of her importance in Anna's life, he kept his fury in check so as to not hurt her further. However, her words stung his heart and he immediately stopped her from speaking further.

"Don't even think off to finish what you were going to speak. You have a family Anna. You have mom and dad who love you as much as they love me. You have me now. And I intend to live with you, by your side, till the end of our lives."

He knew she was unhappy about their marriage. When the idea of marrying him was proposed to her, she had instantly denied it. She even tried to convince him to reject it but he had his own reasons which he wasn't intending to disclose her for her own good. He wanted to wait for the right time to tell her everything and for that he was ready to bear her fury and distaste.

"You are stucked with me for a lifetime heart because I'll fight with anyone and anything to be with you...forever." He smiled and pressed his lips on her forehead.

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The reception soon came to an end. Throughout the event, Regan and Anna met various people and elites of the corporate. Their unification as a couple had already created an uproar as it was not only big but unexpected too. They even answered a few questions of the media trying to keep it as low as possible. Regan made sure to keep Anna with him for most of the time keeping her away from Emily for the time being.

They left for his Pent house as it was already late. However, Anna was extremely puzzled by the amount of security surrounding them. They were followed by two cars throughout their way. Not only that, before and after getting out of the car, they were instantly covered by a group of at least five bodyguards. Earlier, she never noticed Regan surrounded by such high security. She was bemused with the present situation and was about to ask him the reason behind it but abruptly stopped when she noticed that the car was already parked and the moment that she was dreading the most eventually arrived. Her heart skipped a beat when Regan warmly welcomed her inside.

"Welcome to your new home heart." He smiled and said dotingly.

The endearment that he used for her was still foreign to her ears. Standing in his house which was her new home now, she had the surreal sense that her life was completely changed and she didn't know if she was capable enough to cope up with those changes.