More than an hour passed and Regan was still in his room. Drake was extremely worried for him. He knocked his door again to check on him but didn't get any reply. So he decided to call Nathan. He was frantically pacing around the room still contemplating over it, when he heard the sound of the door opening. His eyes snapped it it's direction to find Regan all dressed in his usual business suit.
"Reg..... you got me worried man. Why didn't you answer me back? And where are you going? Drake was quite exasperated on seeing him unfazed with his worried state. He wanted to know what was going on in his mind but before he could ask anything further, Regan shot him a 'dare-you-ask-me-anything' look which made him shut his mouth.
"We are going to Watson Corp as I have some meetings lined up with some land dealers and you being my legal advisor are going to accompany with Anastasia."
"Are you sure you'll be okay with her? I mean are you ready to face her?"
Regan closed his eyes and sighed.
"I have to. I knew that someday or the other I had to see her with the love of her life but neither I expected it so early nor I thought it would be so difficult for me to handle it. Although she looked happy and that's all for me. Earlier, I couldn't stop myself from falling for her but now after knowing and realizing the truth, I atleast want to protect my heart from getting hurt." Having said this, he walked past Drake towards the elevator. However he felt speechless as he didn't expect such a long speech from Regan.
"Vow! That was a long speech. Regan Knight giving explanations and talking about heart? What did you just said Reg?... You didn't even realize that you just confessed your feelings. I hope it would be as easy as you said it to leave this matter because I can see you are totally whipped by her."
When they reached the office, Nolan informed Regan that they would be going to some land dealers and later at some sites after lunch. He also informed him about Anna that she was going to be late to office owing to some personal reasons. On hearing him, Regan smiled bitterly and went to his cabin.
When Anna reached Watson Corporation, it was already noon. However she got an unexpected surprise from Emily who was waiting for her in her office.
"Em? What a pleasant surprise! What are you doing here at this hour?"
"Well I brought lunch for you but where were you Anna?"
"Ummm...I was gone for a meeting. Where else would I be?" Anna replied and bit her bottom lip which was trembling with a fear of being caught by her and ruining her surprise.
"Without Mia?"
"Actually it was nothing big and Mia got some important work to sort out over here so....."
"Okay, okay... I got it baby girl. I think you should eat the lunch before it gets cold. Come..... I'll serve you." She smiled and took Anna to the couch.
As soon as they sat, Anna exclaimed unhappily, "Em..... it should be me taking care of you and your needs. Don't do this again please. I feel bad. You are pregnant and..."
Emily rolled her eyes and understood where was she going with this conversation. She cut her off and said, "Just shut up baby girl. I was going to the hospital for my routine check up and that's why I stopped by here. And you don't need to do anything for me, just take care of yourself and be happy. But still..... if you want to do something then, bake some more choco chips cookies for me. I really crave for them a lot."
"Sure thing Em." Anna nodded happily.
"Fine, now talk less and eat more. You didn't even have your breakfast in the morning. Did you?"
Anna nodded a 'no' and received a glare from Emily.
"When will you learn to take your meals on time? Okay now help yourself. I need to use the restroom. Pregnancy side-effects you see." She laughed and went to the lounge in Anna's office.
She was about to put the first morsel in her mouth when she heard a faint knock on the door. It was Regan.
"Hey! Are you ready?"
"Regan? Please come. I am sorry. I was stucked up somewhere so got late. But let's head out now. Just give me five minutes." Instead of eating she put the food back in her plate and stood to tidy up.
When Regan saw what she was doing, he squinted his eyes in anger, "Anastasia I didn't ask you to leave without eating. Finish your food first." His tone was sharp which held no room for argument.
"Okay" She replied in a whisper.
"Just inform me when you are done." He was about to turn when she said, "Regan? Have you had your lunch? If not then please join me."
"Thanks but I already had it some time before. " He waved his hand intending to leave and be away from her.
"Oh my God Regan! What happened to your hand?" She saw his wounded hand which was carelessly bandaged. He wanted to say that he was fine but before he could speak anything she came closer to him and held his hand to examine it. "Regan... there.....there are blood spots on it." She looked at him with concern.
Regan withdrew his hand from her hold and said, "Nothing serious Anastasia. I just got some coffee spilled over it in the morning. It would heal in a couple of days."
Her eyebrows twitched on his reply, "You always ask me to take care of myself and check if I am fine. What about you?" She held his hand again but this time in a firm grip. "Come with me." She took him to the couch.
"It's okay Ann....."
She glanced at him furiously and said, "Just sit Regan."
He did as she told. She then went towards her desk searching for something inside the drawers. He didn't know what to do and how to make her understand his current state as he wanted to stay away from her as much as possible but nothing was helping him. He closed his eyes and pinched the space between his brows with the other hand. After a moment, he felt a hand over his and he stiffened. He opened his eyes and saw Anna looking at him worryingly. She had a first aid kit with her.
"You don't need to do this. I'll ask Nolan to bandage it properly." He said pleadingly.
"Really? Then why is it not done yet? Don't act like a kid and let me see it. If needed..... I will call a doctor."
"What?"
She shrugged her shoulders and started her work. When the bandage was removed, she gasped as his hand was burnt and bleeding too. She looked at him, then at the wound and gulped. "It must be hurting way too much." She whispered but Regan heard it.
It was already burnt and later Regan banged the same hand in frustration after returning from the airport due to which it started bleeding. After some time when he got back to his senses, he decided to lose himself in his work as a source of distraction and casually bandaged it.
He could see her having a hard time in handling his wound and therefore he spoke, "It's fine Anna. I'll get it done later by a doctor." He thought her to be sensitive towards such things.
"No..... no need. I'll handle it." Saying that she cleaned his wound with an antiseptic blowing some air over it to ease the burning sensation. Her hands were shaking but she managed to bandage it properly. Meanwhile, Regan was keenly observing her every movement.
'How do I tell you Anna? It's my heart that feels wounded not my hand.' He thought.
"You care?" His voice was low.
"..."
She looked at him in confusion which increased more when she saw his eyes revealing different emotions which she could not dechiper.
"Do you care for me Anna?"
"..."
"Why?"
Before he could stop himself, he blurted out the question which was at the back of his mind. He knew her actions were innocent but her every touch, her care, her proximity were making him to lose his mind. He never thought a day would come when he would feel this helpless. However he didn't realize at that time that she was gradually becoming his weakness which was enough to break the hard exteriors which he built in all those years to protect himself from the feeling of love and he was falling more and hard for her.