Ananya's PoV

I don't remember coming back to the hospital room. I just remember falling asleep on the terrace. Alex might have brought me back to the hospital room.
We spent almost the entire night, just sitting there, saying nothing. Yet I knew he understood everything that was going through my mind.

I wondered if he knew what I was thinking right now. He had been quiet the entire morning. We drove to my house where we  got freshened up.
He made breakfast for the both of us while I was busy puking my stomach out. I don't think it was just the morning sickness like the doctor said. I had felt nothing like that till before that day. May be I was just too nervous to face Nathan.
"Eat well Ananya. Now you are not alone."
That was all he said the entire morning.
I had no strength to speak to him either.
The anxiety of how Nathan would react made me hide inside my shell.
The silence between Alex and me was just helping me in a way. I could spend more time thinking what exactly I need to say to Nathan.

The car stopped with a little jerk.
"Sorry. My bad."

Clearly, even Alex was nervous.
"Do you want me to come with you?"

"I don't think that will be a good idea. Nathan might just .."

"Yeah! I understand. But I am waiting here. And if there is anything, anything you need me for, just buzz me."

"Ofcourse."
Alex just removed his seat belt and bent towards my side. He placed a kiss on my forehead.

I nodded. He came out and opened the door for me.
"Take care beautiful."
He said as I got down the car.
I looked up at the building standing tall in front of me. I was sure Nathan was expecting me.

I knocked on his office door.
"Come in Ms.Donavan. I was wondering when you would show up."

"Nathan, I am sorry. But we need to talk."

"Really? After all this you think there is anything left to talk. I must say you are one tough player. You don't stop until you get everything you set your eyes on."

"Nathan, please listen to me once."
I begged to him. By this time already the dam in my eyes that was holding the tears was about to burst open.

"Ok. You have 5 mins. Tell me your story."

What! He just agreed to listen. My heart was beating fast.

"Ms.Donavan, you are wasting my time. If you have nothing to say  lets just get back to our jobs."

"No. No. Yes. Actually. Remember. No. Wait."

"Tick tock. Tick tock."

I looked at him and touched my belly once taking a deep breath. I had to do this. I had to for my baby.

"Nathan, I know you don't remember anything but what I am about to tell you is the truth.
Alex is just my best friend."

"Or so you say?!"

"No. He is infact my only best friend and only my best friend. Nothing more. I was never involved with him or anyone else since I have met you. You were angry at me because of this misunderstanding that I was cheating on you when I really wasn't. And you got drunk at the party in the Palace that night when we met your friends. You were not in a state to go home so Lisa suggesed I take you to her room at the Palace which I did."

I didn't know how to put up the next part of my story. Even the thought of that night scared the hell out of me.

"I don't have all day Ms.Donavan."

"Yes. Yes. Sorry. Ok so when I went to drop you off to her room you kind of became aggressive and started hurting me."
I was shaking.

"So you are accusing me of physical abuse?"

"No. I am just telling you what happened. You broke the glass of whiskey. You continued to drink in the room and you accused me of cheating on you. And when I tried to explain you, you hurt me and pushed me on the bed where I hit my head on the head rest and fell unconscious."

The look on Nathan's face clearly suggested that he did not believe a word that I said.

"Nathan. What do you remember from that night?"

He started to laugh. "Thats the whole point Ananya. I don't remember anything doesn't mean what you are telling is true. You are accusing me of physical abuse."

I looked into his eyes, for this part of it.
"No Nathan. I am not accusing you of physical abuse. What you did to me was far worse Nathan."

"What? You are saying I sexually abused you or something?"

I shook my head in an affirming way still trying to contain my feelings. I was shaken to the core remembering that night and doing it in front of Nathan made it more difficult.

"When I regained consciousness after having hit my head on the head rest, I found myself lying on your bed, naked, with bite marks all over my body and .."

He was furious as he stepped near me and caught hold of my arm tightly.
"You bitch. You are seriously accusing me of.."

I took a deep breath and interrupted him.
"Yes Nathan, you forced yourself on me that night while you were in an inebriated state and which is why you don't remember anything. This is the truth. And nothing but the truth.
This baby is yours Nathan, I am pregnant with your child. Believe it or not its the truth."

"I don't believe it. How could you stoop so low? You just want to extract money from me, don't you? You lying whore."

"Nathan its the truth. I swear. Every word is true."
I pleaded my innocence, as he cursed and abused me a little more. But he was in no mood to listen.
He didn't remember it and so would never believe it.
I failed my child I thought.

"If you are done with your games Ms.Donavan, I would like to remind you something. You are still my employee. And I want you to get back to work."

"No. I don't want to work with you anymore. It tortures me to see you daily. It reminds me of that night and its difficult for me Nathan to see you with someone else." I bursted out.0

"Oh. Thats fine. Pay me the bond money and leave. No one will stop you then."

Helpless, I sat there on my knees crying. I couldn't take it anymore.

All of a sudden, Nathan started pouring whiskey on the floor right in front of me.
The feeling of helplessness took over me as tiny droplets of whiskey splashed on me.

Nathan kneeled in front of me with tissues in his hand.
"Clean this Ms.Donavan."
That smirk on his face broke my heart.

********************************
Mr. Luther Lexstur's POV

I was worried for Ananya. She had been going to Swornwell office even after all she went through.
She could have told me about the bond. We could have got this sorted that very day. But now I was on my way to Swornwell tower. This is going to end. That Swornwell kid doesn't deserve Ananya. The way he was talking about her in the hospital was ungentlemanly.

This ends today.

"Mr.Bishop, hope you have checked all the papers. We need to close it today. Pay him anything he asks for."
I addressed my Lawyer as we drove towards the Swornwell tower.
"Sure Sir."

As the car came to a halt in front of the building, I couldn't believe what I saw.
It made me furious and I opened the door of the car and walked towards him.

"And what would you be doing here Alex?"

"Dad? You? Why are you here?"
Alex was surprised to see me there but not as angry as me on seeing him there. I knew why he was there and that made me angry. He knew everything but he still brought Ananya to meet Nathan.

"How could you let her stand in front of that rotten man?"
"Dad. She wanted to explain it to him. She doesn't want her kid to be deprived of their Father's love."

"What she is expecting is never going to happen? That man doesn't deserve her. You don't know what he said about her yesterday when he came to know about her pregnancy. Even if he agrees I will never let my daughter marry him. She deserves someone better. Way better than that loser."

"Dad, he loves her and that is the reason he is angry. He just doesn't know that its his kid. Give him a chance, please."

"I don't wish to waste my time here with you while he humiliates her there. You can wait, guess thats what you are good at. Waiting!"
I was infuriated with him.

"Mr.Bishop. Lets go."

We rushed to Nathan's office. As it is I had arranged for an appointment.
Alex followed us.

There was no one at the the assistants chair and so I decided to directly go to his office. Where is Ananya?
On not finding her anywhere outside I sensed she was with him and I knew it wasn't going too well.

I pushed the door of Nathan's office and what I saw next made my top explode.
"What on earth do you think you are doing Nathan?"

Alex rushed to Ananya who sat their on her knees about to sweep the floor with the tissue. She was crying and her tear smeared face only inflated the rage inside me.
"I thought I made it clear to you yesterday to stay away from her."

Nathan had a smirk on his face. He wanted to showcase this as a victory of his ego.
"Oh yeah. You are right Luther. But it was she who came to me. Aah. You weren't expecting that were you?"

He had the courage to speak with this tone in front of me. No one in this city except my wife and mother ever called me by my name.
But I knew it was Ananya who had come here out of her own free will.

"And ofcourse she is still my employee and I can make her do anything. Clean my floors or clean my ass." He was wickedly wearing his smile when Alex lost his cool and attacked Nathan. He held Nathan by his collar and pushed him against the wall.
Alex was about to punch Nathan when I held his fist before it could hit him.
"Alex. No! Let him go."
Mr. Bishop helped me haul Alex back before the matter got worse.
But what was far worse than this was thay Nathan never stopped smiling.

"Oh Lexstur junior cares so much for his slut! Then why don't you just care for your baby instead of pushing him on me."

"I will kill you, you Son of a bitch." Alex was burning with rage.
Mr.Bishop tried his best to pull back Alex before he charged in on Nathan. One look at Ananya and I realised, it wouldn't be good for her to witness all this. I went to her and stroked her head gently.
"Darling, you should leave with Alex. And I will ensure this person will never ever hurt you again. You will be free from the bond which he was using against you to make you continue your work here."
Ananya looked at me with those tear filled eyes and was full of unspoken guilt. I know she would have never accepted anyone paying the bond amount for her.

I turned towards Alex who looked like a raging bull ready to charge on anything and everything that came in his way.
"Son, take Ananya to our Mansion. All this stress is not good for her in this condition. I will handle everything from here."
Alex's look softened at the mention of Ananya's condition. He calmed a little and shook his head in agreement but not before giving Nathan a threatening look. I had never seen Alex this angry. But I knew it was all for the woman he loved.
Justified!

Alex left with Ananya and Mr.Bishop started on with the bond conditions.
"Mr.Lexstur, I think just the payment of bond amount is required in this case. Ms.Donavan is not bound by any other obligation."
Mr.Bishop informed me while Nathan stood there by the window looking outside pretending to ignore our presence there.
I signed the check and walked towards Nathan.
"Here. She is free now. Mr.Bishop will need your signatures to end this forever."

He smirked. It was getting on my nerves,  how he behaved as if all this was a joke to him. I never for once left his eye and neither did he.
He took the check and tore it into pieces. Such arrogance.
"Where do I need to sign?", he exclaimed looking at me.

"Here Mr.Swornwell." Mr.Bishop intervened.

"It was never about the money Luther. It was always for fun." He smiled and signed the papers. I decided to walk out of the room but then something inside me made me stop.
I turned around and went near Nathan.
"This is the last time you insult my daughter. I don't want to see you anywhere near her again. If ever I come to know of you troubling her in anyway, I will not hesitate to wipe this smirk off your face."
I threatened him in a cold voice. For a second his smile was gone but he immediately went back to not caring.
"And yes, since you denied everything that Ananya has said, I think you will not mind signing a couple of more pieces of paper.
You will attest that you will not have anything to do with Ananya's kid and that you deny any relationship with it."

He bowed a little bringing his right hand on his chest and keeping his left hand behind his back.
"That would be my pleasure your honour."
I walked off without giving him a last look.
This man has lost all respect in ny eyes today.

When I reached home, I couldn't see anyone in the living room. I walked around and found Alex arguing with his mother in the ground floor study.

"Mom, I am not sure what kind of help you are mean to offer to her. You know in what condition she is. She needs someone to share her pain with. Not pity her."
Alex was now angry on his mother. Unaware of what she has said before I came in, I decided to stand mute for some time to understand their cause of conflict.
"Darling, you know I love that girl and I will do whats best for her. I know all she wants is a Father's love for her kid. She will get that. Patrick would be more than willing to marry her. He has always had this liking for her which he had expressed to me."

"Patrick? You mean Uncle Charlie's son? Mom!! Please stop setting up Ananya with random people. She is not just some girl. She is special."

I was now amused with Alex. The way he was protective about Ananya reminded me of my youth.
"Ok Son. Forget about marriage. We are here with her. We will support her with everything she ever needs. Hope you are happy now."

Alex realised I was standing there at the door. He was thinking something intently.
Ifailed to understand what was in his mind. But my presence there surely made him think twice about what he was going to say next.
But what he did next even took me by a little surprise.
He turned towards his mother, after giving me a stern but confident look.

"Mom. She is special. And more so for me. No one will understand what she really wants but me. You are right, she should get married. And surely she will get a father for her child in the man she will ultimately marry. I will ensure that."

Saying this he took off his engagement ring which he wore just a day before and kept it on the centre table.

He then walked off. He had made a decision and showed no sign of confusion or regret.