(2002 words)
"She's opening her eyes!" I heard a familiar voice exclaim. My head hurt and I found it hard to open my eyes but when I did, my vision was blurry. Very blurry.
"Ana?" I forced my head to turn toward the direction of the voice and winced at the pain the movement brought. My neck hurt.
"Ariana?" I managed to croak out. Through my now slightly less blurry vision, I could make out Ariana, my mother, my father and my mother-in-law standing around me. I couldn't understand what was going on. Where was I? What happened? Why did I feel weak? Why was I feeling pain in certain places? I didn't know.
"Mom?" I whispered out.
"Oh Ana, honey, thank goodness you're alright." Mom said, coming closer to me. My vision was clearer now and I discovered that I was in a hospital room.
"What happened?" I asked feebly.
"You and Ethan got into an accident." Ariana explained. My eyes widened as the event rushed into my brain like a flood. Ethan telling me about the brakes failing, the truck in front of us and how our car lost balance.
"Where's Ethan?!" I demanded, realising that he wasn't near me. I tried to get up. I was, of course, forced to lie back down.
"He's fine. Though he's still unconscious." Martha responded. She looked beyond distressed.
"I wanna see him." I said as tears rushed to my eyes. I fought them back.
"You need to rest. Don't worry. He'll be fine." Ariana said to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"Is my princess okay?" Dad asked, approaching me and caressing my cheek.
I nodded slightly. It hurt to move my neck. "Can someone please check on Ethan?" I requested, wanting to tear the IV off my wrist and run off to see him.
"Don't worry Anastasia, Zayn and Ahira are with him. He'll be fine." Martha answered, trying to assure me, but she failed to hide the concern in her voice that she felt for him. He was her son after all. Just then, the door opened and Ahira walked in. "Ana?! Are you okay?!" She asked, hurrying to my side.
"I'm fine. Is Ethan alright?" I asked desperately. He was all I cared about in that moment.
"Yes, he just woke up and he was asking about you too. I'm so glad both of you are okay." She replied. I saw everyone else sigh in relief and I myself thanked God mentally. I couldn't lose Ethan now. He was so important to me.
The door slammed open, startling all of us and Ethan strode in, disheveled and covered in bandages. Zayn and a female nurse followed behind. "Ethan, what are you doing?!" Martha asked disapprovingly and looked at Zayn with a questioning look.
"You know how stubborn he is." Zayn responded. "He needs to return to bed. Please reason with him." The nurse pleaded to Martha. Ethan didn't say anything; just walked up to me. "Are you okay?" He demanded and I nodded my head, wincing slightly from the shooting pain in my neck.
"We'll give you privacy." Ahira said.
"Ethan Woods, you need to get back to your ward. You're not in the condition to walk around yet." The nurse chastised and I opened my mouth to agree with her but Ethan beat me to it.
"Please just give me a few minutes with her." He requested and after a few minutes, the nurse decided to give in to his plea. Our family members also left the room.
"Are you insane, Ethan?! You should be resting right now. Look at you, you're hurt." I finally reprimanded.
"No, I should be next to you. And I'm fine. You're the one who's badly hurt." He was exaggerating. He was covered in more bandages than me.
"Don't be silly, Ethan. You—" He silenced me by pressing his soft lips against mine and instantly, warmth spread throughout me. I forgot about my pain. My hands wrapped around his head, pulling him closer to me. He was all I needed.
He broke the kiss, resting his forehead on mine, our heavy breaths mixing with each other. "I'm so glad you're alright." He whispered. He sounded so vulnerable. And I was a hundred percent sure no one had seen that side of him.
"I'm also glad that you're okay, Ethan." I whispered back and tried to get up.
"Nuh uh, what do you think you're doing?" Ethan stopped me, forcing me to lie back down.
"What? You can get out of the hospital bed but I can't?" I retorted.
"That's right." He said, kissing my forehead. The door opened suddenly and Ethan pulled away from me.
"Brandon, what's the news?" Ethan asked him. I guessed he was one of Ethan's, I dunno, workers? Employees? What did he call them?
"Sir, we examined your car. The crash wasn't a mere accident. Someone tampered with the brakes." He informed and I was astounded. A wave of fear washed over me. Who could do something like that? Why would someone wanna do that to me and Ethan?
I looked at Ethan. His jaw was clenched. "Who could do this?" Ethan asked. He was trying to keep calm.
"No idea, sir. Do you have any doubt on someone?" Ethan shook his head slowly, though he still seemed to be contemplating if anyone could be doubted.
"It could be one of your business rivals." Brandon said.
"Yeah, maybe. From now on, wherever me and Anastasia go, bodyguards will come with us. I don't want any other accident or mishap. I would like to have a peaceful wedding." Ethan spoke firmly.
"Yes, sir."
"You may go now." Ethan dismissed him and he left.
"Why do we need bodyguards?" I asked him.
"Because someone wanted us dead and we're not dead." He replied.
I frowned. "So, you think we might get attacked or something again?"
"Hopefully not, Anastasia. But it's beneficial to take preventive measures."
"Uh huh." I said before pressing my lips in a straight line.
"Don't worry," he said, caressing my cheek. "I won't let anything happen to you."
I gave him a smile. "I know."
———
"This looks beautiful." I said as I saw all the decoration in our wedding hall so far.
"It's all coming together really well." Ethan commented.
"Ethan?"
"Yes, baby girl?" It made me weak to my knees every time he called me that.
"I want to have a ramp that starts right at the entrance and it'll lead to the stage."
"Sounds great. Consider it done." You see, I had an amazing almost-husband who listened to everything I said. I couldn't wait to get married. In a few hours, I was going to have my bridal shower and I was extremely excited for it.
———
"You look so beautiful, Ana." Ariana said to me as she placed a delicate tiara on my head.
"Thank you, Ari." I said to her with a big smile. I was all smiles that day.
I rose from the chair that I was sitting on and flattened my baby pink ball gown, embellished with the prettiest embroidery and tiny flowers, before standing tall and straight. I felt so good about myself. Everything was finally turning out to be right in my life.
"I can't wait to get married to him." I told Ariana with a giggle.
"And he can't wait to see you, so let's go out there already. Don't keep him waiting." Ariana said and we both chuckled in unison. I took a deep breath and exhaled before confidently walking out of the small dressing room.
I walked outside into the lawn where the bridal shower was arranged. I hugged my parents and my in laws and made small talk with them before going to greet other guests. My friends were there, they looked absolutely radiant and ecstatic. "You look so lovely, Anastasia." Iris complimented me and I gave her big grateful smile. I was showered with compliments by everyone.
Lastly and finally, I came face-to-face with my husband-to-be who looked down admiringly at me. "You are the most beautiful girl in the entire world." He whispered affectionately, his eyes piercing through my soul.
"Let me tell you a secret, Mr. Woods." I whispered back, my eyes going to Adeline's briefly, who was watching us with venomous eyes.
"And what is that, my queen?" He asked me, caressing my cheek.
"You are the most handsome man in the entire world." I told him.
"Oh that is no secret." He said, winking at me and we both burst out laughing.
"Arrogant as ever." I commented.
"You still love me though."
"Excuse me for interrupting." Someone said and I stepped away from Ethan before giving an annoyed look to whom I'd discovered was my best friend, Elsa.
"Mr. Ethan Woods." She said, nodding towards Ethan.
"Miss Elsa Adams. Pleasure to have an opportunity to speak to you again." He said, nodding back.
"Again?" I asked curiously, scrunching my eyebrows together.
"He called me asking for you when you were kidnapped." Elsa explained.
"Oh." I said, unnecessary memories from my kidnapping rushing to my head.
"Mr. Woods, I only came here to say that if you ever dare to hurt my best friend, I will break your legs and hang you upside down." Elsa threatened. A blunt friend I had indeed.
Ethan stifled a laugh and then covered it with a cough. He tried keeping a straight face but it was obviously hard for him. Ethan was so tall and strong, and Elsa was even shorter than me (I'm 5'4) and petite. It wasn't possible for her to actually break Ethan's strong legs. Therefore, her threat was funny.
"Don't worry, Miss. Adams, I wouldn't dare hurt this beautiful girl." Ethan said respectfully.
"Good. I'll leave you two alone now." She said and left after winking at me. I shook my head at her and smiled.
"Hey, Ethan?"
"Yes, my love?" He asked lovingly.
"Since we're getting married, it is very important that you take into account a certain thing." I told him.
"And what is that?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at me.
"You must give me nose boops." I declared as if it was some sort of royal order.
"Nose boops?"
"Yes."
"Will you please explain how I'm to do that?" He asked.
"Oh it's quite easy. You just do this." I said, extending my hand and pressing my pointer finger on his nose and then retreating it.
He laughed. "Oh that's easy." And then he gave me a nose boop and it made me feel like I was on cloud 9. It just made me so happy. My eyes went to Adeline whose nostrils were practically flaring as she shot daggers at me with her eyes.
"Hey, Ana, come with me." Ahira appeared next to me suddenly and dragged me to meet her cousins. Unlike Adeline, these girls were humble and very sweet. I had met them before at our engagement and enjoyed their company.
The bridal shower was really fun. I had an absolutely wonderful time. The cake had been cut, snacks had been devoured and everyone was in deep conversation, laughing heartily. Except Adeline, of course.
My eyes wandered to Ethan who was laughing with Zayn and a couple other friends. He looked so handsome and happy. I smiled as I studied his beautiful features. It seemed like a dream that I was going to marry that handsome man.
I looked further around. Everything was heavenly. It was— Suddenly, a certain sight alerted me; my heart that was previously swelled with joy, then fell. My mouth parted as I stared at the man and the object in his hand. It was a gun and it was being aimed at my fiancé.
I gasped as he put his finger on the trigger. "Ethan." I muttered before running to push Ethan out of the way. Just as I approached Ethan, the gun was shot.