I am no more.....His

It was almost winter. The atmosphere had already started freezing the wind, still Anna's hands were sweaty as she rang the door bell. She was apprehensive of getting into the house that she considered her home for years. However, one night changed her whole life wiping away her every myth making her realize that she was actually forlorn with no one to call her own.

"Let us live in peace Anna."

"You know what? You...You are the reason for all this."

"The day you stepped into our lives, you took away everything from us. Like a bad omen."

"You are nightmare for us Anna. Leave us alone. For God's sake, go away from our lives."

Emily's words were still ringing in her head and everytime she remembered them, they seemed to be a slap on her face making her realize the bitter truth behind them.

She cowered and took a step back when the door opened. Jack was at the door who welcomed her with a warm smile. He wanted to hug her but the way she reacted, appalled him and he decided to talk to her first.

She formally greeted him and went inside with Zander beside her. Jack could clearly see how Emily's words had affected her as she kept herself shielded in a shell. He was hurt to see her like that as it was the way she was with strangers. However, he didn't blame her for her actions as it was their fault to leave her when she needed them the most.

She was about to speak when Emily came there and instantly hugged her without giving her a second to react. She held her hands and squeezed them.

"I am so happy that you came back baby girl. I can't tell you how happy I am to see you."

"I.....I.....I am sorry to come like this...without informing you. I just.....I just wanted to give you this."

She handed the file to Emily that she was clutching in her hand all the way there. Emily was bemused. She looked at the file and then her. She wanted to apologize for the way she reacted and shoved her away after finding about Richard's condition. She was so blinded in anger and sorrow that she didn't think for once that Anna was unknown about the truth that was kept hidden from her on Richard's insistence. She hesitantly opened the file and gasped after reading it.

"Anna what is this?"

Emily knew that she had hurt her badly. She had expected her to react in the worst way possible. But it was the most unexpected and worst of all. Her throat choked and she looked unbelievably at her.

"I know I have hurt you a lot. But this. I was upset and anxious with all the things going around baby girl. I really didn't mean a single word I said. Is this your way of punishing me? I am sor..."

"You don't need to apologize for anything you said or did Em. I am not upset with you. And I am sorry for all the worse things that I knowingly or unknowingly did. I wanted to give you this since a long time. I was just waiting for the right time and....."

Emily immediately pulled her in another hug not letting her to complete. She had an idea how her words had affected her, but seeing her so distant brought an indescribable pain in her heart. She was the sister that she always longed for and when she found her, they were inseparable from the same day. She knew that Anna was innocent. It was never her fault behind anything that happened in their lives. Neither was Ashton's death. It took them years to make her realize that she wasn't guilty in anything that happened but she herself, with her own hands pushed her away so hard that it seemed impossible to get back what she lost due to her irrationality.

"I am sorry baby girl. Just don't do this to me. It's already hard for me to forgive myself and this....."

Jack was extremely puzzled with the things going around. After hearing their conversation, he instantly went to Emily and took the file from her hand. To say he was shocked would be an understatement. The file contained the transfer papers of Watson Corporation in Emily's name as a guardian of her daughter. All the shares and properties under Watson's were transferred in the name of her unborn daughter with Emily as the caretaker until she became capable of handling everything on her own.

"Anna?"

Looking at Jack's questioning gaze, Anna explained. "I should have done it earlier. I was just too busy to think about it. You are the legal heiress of everything that belongs to Watson's. I knew that you and Jack would never agree to accept it, so I transferred everything under your daughter's name."

"Anna who do you think you are then?" Emily said furiously.

"..."

"You want to avenge me for what I did. Don't you?"

Anna's eyes widened to see her furious. Before she could clarify her intentions, Emily spoke again.

"How can you say that I am the rightful heir of all this? Our Company would have shattered and met its downfall if you have not shouldered its responsibility. I have seen you Anna.....Working restlessly behind each and everything. How can you just give it to me like that? This is all yours baby girl. Even when I was angry, the thought about all this never crossed my mind even for once. Earlier, it was Ashton's and after his death, it belongs to you. His everything Anna."

The pain that evoked after hearing his name erupted from her eyes in the form of a tear that rolled down her face. After Ashton's death, Richard himself transferred everything under Anna's name when she officially became the CEO of Watson Corporation. She wanted to deny but the critical situations back then compelled her to take all the responsibilities without a word. However, she was clear from the beginning that all of those was temporary as she wanted to give back everything to Emily as she was the rightful owner of everything that belonged to Richard and Ashton. Earlier, she wanted to wait until the completion of Ashton's dream project as it was bound to take the Company to new peaks but the turn of events compelled her to take this step earlier.

"Things have changed now." Anna said in a heavy voice choked with emotions. "His everything was mine until I was his. I.....I have no right to keep anything that belongs to him because I am no more...His. I am...I am married to someone else and..." She hastily wiped the tear that flowed out of her eye. "Dad knows about it."

"Anna... You know I don't know anything about business. Even if I accept this, how do you think I'll manage?"

She gave her a light smile. "What am I for then? I am not backing away from my responsibilities Em. Even if things have changed, I'll keep my every promise and fulfill his every dream and responsibility. I just can't own this. Please try in understand."

Emily looked at Jack not knowing what to say. He nodded his head and she agreed to accept everything. They knew that it was impossible for them to change Anna's mind at that point of time. Ultimately, it was their fault and it was the consequence of it that they had to bear together. Emily's heart ached on seeing Anna so indifferent but she was ready to give her the time she needed to heal.

"How is....." Anna licked her lips to stop herself from calling Richard as 'dad'.

"Dad?" Emily completed her words which she was hesitant to utter.

Anna looked down and nodded her head. A tear slipped from Emily's eyes as she looked at Jack. Helplessly.

"I just.....I just wanted to know if he was alright."

"He is your dad too Anna. I know I forbid you to call him dad but is it so easy for you to just.....?" Anna looked at her holding her wavering tears that were once again ready to slide down at any time.

"Although I am his real daughter, but he loves you more Anna. You are his favorite. You always were.....more than me..... and Ashton. You know why?" She cupped her face. "Because you were always by his side when he needed his family the most. Ashton kept himself distant from dad owing to his misunderstandings and I.....I was too busy to find my own happiness in making my family. You were the one who stayed by his side...always, like the best daughter. I can't even imagine the damage that I have done. All I can say is forgive me baby girl. Your sister made a mistake. Can't you forgive me and forget everything?" She said as her eyes watered frantically.

Anna herself became frantic on watching Emily crying.

"Em please. Stop crying. Its not good for the baby. I said I am not upset with you. I can never be Em. Its just that.....it hurts.....too much. But I'll be okay. I promise." Her eyes filled with tears and she hugged her.

"Fight with me Anna.....Curse me as much as you want but don't be like this. I only have dad and you to call my own. I don't want to lose you baby girl."

Anna's chest tightened on hearing Emily's words. She was indeed hurt a lot but she knew that it was impossible to stay upset with her for long. She was her only family after Richard. Above all, she truly believed that whatever she said wasn't completely wrong. She believed herself to be the reason behind their misery. However, she couldn't let her suffer from blaming herself. So, she forgave her but it was difficult for her to forget.

Keeping behind her thoughts, after sorting out everything with Emily, she went to Richard's room where he was laid on the bed with various medical equipments attached to his body. A week before, he met with an accident which paralyzed him. His condition was stable but he was still recovering. Later, he was shifted to the cozy homely environment so that he could recover quickly. Although there was no movement in his body, his mind was awake which could listen everything happening around him.

Anna went to him and lovingly kissed his forehead. She was in pain but she kept herself strong knowing about his state.

"Dad? How are you now?" She waited as if he would reply her back but he didn't speak and she continued. "I am sorry. I didn't come to visit you. I was angry with you dad. But now I am not. Not anymore. Come back dad. Please. You wanted me to marry Regan. I did what you wanted. And he takes care of me, looks after my every need and.....loves me...just as you wished for. Don't you want to see your princess happy? My happiness is incomplete without you. I have lost too much dad. I won't be able to bear your loss. Get well soon for your princess. Please." She kissed his hand and sat with him for some time talking about all the moments that could make him happy but soon left, as she couldn't hold herself back anymore.

Amidst all the critical situations, Richard was her strength and support. He was always by her side in the all the ups and downs of her life. It was too painful for her watch him like that. She had agreed to marry Regan only on Richard's insistence as before his condition worsened he stated it as his last wish to get her settled with a suitable prospect who was Regan. She wasn't ready to accept it but Emily's hateful words and his worsening condition contorted her to accept everything silently. When she realized that there was no way to get out of the situation, she even talked to Regan so that he could deny the wedding, but he too had stubbornly accepted the arrangement without a word making her succumb to her destiny.

Her mind was a mess as the hurtful memories occupied her mind and made her restless. Instead of returning home, she went to Watson Corporation to resume her work with an intention to divert her mind from all the chaos and sorrows. Her car soon halted in front of the building but she was stunned when she noticed a big crowd that had swarmed around the parking area. She was stopped by Zander to approach the crowd but she ignored him as it was the part of the office premises and being the responsible head of the Company, she had to know the reason behind the commotion. However, what she saw left her speechless as fear creeped into her heart making it difficult for her to breathe.