WHAT?!

WIFE?!

She's consented to be his wife?!

I am stunned. I can't believe what I've just heard.

Right now, I'm grateful for the crowd of people rushing the happy couple. I need to escape somewhere and absorb this. I quietly leave the living room and step out the front door. As I lean against the cool brick of the mansion, trying to calm myself, I spy Christian's R8 sitting in the driveway. Oh, yeah, baby, the world is your oyster. Expensive cars, penthouses, vacation home, all the trappings of wealth - they're yours and all because of me. I gave you the discipline you needed, you wanted, and never got from your perfect family.

I take a deep breath and head back into the house. It looks like everyone has gone to the kitchen, except Mia, who's just left the dining room. She's been talking with Christian's fiancée, who's now the only one remaining in there. I seize the opportunity and block her exit, closing the door behind me.

I've had it with this little bitch. She's known Christian for barely six weeks and thinks she'll marry him? I've known him, body and soul, for twelve years. I tried reaching out to her, several times, and all I've gotten from her was self-righteous hostility. Well, now it's time she got a dose of her own medicine.

"Ana," I say, making sure I've got her full attention.

"Elena," she responds, trying unsuccessfully to put some force into her voice.

"I would offer you my heartfelt congratulations, but I think that would be inappropriate."

"I neither need nor want your congratulations, Elena. I'm surprised and disappointed to see you here." So she's back on her high horse again.

"I wouldn't have thought of you as a worthy adversary, Anastasia. But you surprise me at every turn."

"I haven't thought of you at all," she counters. Liar, I say to myself. I've been your worst nightmare since Christian told you about me. She babbles on.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have much better things to do than waste my time with you." So she's dismissing me? I don't think so.

"Not so fast, missy. What on earth do you think you're doing, consenting to marry Christian? If you think for one minute you can make him happy, you're very much mistaken."

"What I'm consenting to do with Christian is none of your concern." Oh, yes, it is, bitch. Everything he does concerns me.

"He has needs— needs you cannot possibly begin to satisfy."

"What do you know of his needs? You're nothing but a sick child molester, and if it were up to me, I'd toss you into the seventh circle of hell and walk away smiling. Now get out of my way— or do I have to make you?" I can see her getting really wound up and it only fuels my own indignation.

"You're making a big mistake here, lady." I shake my finger at her. "How dare you judge our lifestyle? You know nothing, and you have no idea what you're getting yourself into. And if you think he's going to be happy with a mousy little gold digger like you …"

And before I finish, she's throws her drink in my face. "Don't you dare tell me what I'm getting myself into!" she screams. "When will you learn? It's none of your goddamned business!"

Oh, I am so ready to teach this cunt a lesson she won't forget. But before I can act, the door pushes me forward and Christian enters the room. He looks from her to me and back again, then stands between us, facing me.

"What the fuck are you doing, Elena?" he asks.

"She's not right for you, Christian," I answer him softly.

"What?" he shouts. "How the fuck do you know what's right for me?"

"You have needs, Christian."

"I've told you before— this is none of your fucking business," he roars, now in full-blown Christian Grey rage. "What is this?" he continues, glaring at me. "Do you think it's you? You? You think you're right for me?" He's lowered his voice but now it's acquired a menacing tone.

Oh, sonny boy, have you forgotten so soon? Time for a reminder. I draw myself up into my best Mistress stance. "I was the best thing that ever happened to you," I tell him. "Look at you now. One of the richest, most successful entrepreneurs in the United States— controlled, driven— you need nothing. You are master of your universe." He takes a step back. "You loved it, Christian, don't try and kid yourself. You were on the road to self-destruction, and I saved you from that, saved you from a life behind bars. Believe me, baby, that's where you would have ended up. I taught you everything you know, everything you need."

I watch him turn pale; he snarls, "You taught me how to fuck, Elena. But it's empty, like you. No wonder Linc left." He goes on, his voice lowering, "You never once held me. You never once said you loved me."

So that's what this is about? "Love is for fools, Christian," I hiss at him.

"Get out of my house." Grace is in the doorway, her eyes burning with rage, and all of it focused on me. She enters the room and stands before me. Suddenly she slaps me hard across the face, and it sounds like a rifle shot. "Take your filthy paws off my son, you whore, and get out of my house— now!" she spits at me.

I am paralyzed by the shock of what she's just done but after a few seconds my wits return and I make a hasty retreat out of the dining room and through the front door. I climb in my Mercedes and just sit for a minute to regain my composure. To my surprise, I feel tears on my face. I have no idea when that started. I pull down the visor mirror and fix my makeup. That done, I start the engine and head down the driveway.

First things first. I press the Bluetooth call button on the panel and tell it "call Isaac." After three rings, he answers.

"Yes, Mistress."

"Dungeon, thirty minutes."

"Yes, Mistress."

"And you better have a boner the size of the Space Needle or your ass will be raw for a month."

"Yes, Mistress."

"And Isaac, how many rings before you answer my call?"

"Two, Mistress."

"And how many rings did it take just now?"

"Three, Mistress."

"Do you remember your punishment for answering late?"

"Yes, Mistress."

"You know what to do then."

"Yes, Mistress."

I hang up. I'm hoping a couple of hours of taking out my frustrations on Isaac will restore my equilibrium. In the meantime, there's one other thing I can do.

I press the Bluetooth call button again and tell it "call Hamlin." Mike Hamlin is a reporter at the Nooz, Seattle's gossip rag, although calling him a reporter is using the term rather loosely. He's cultivated a relationship with me, mainly due to my chain of salons. Hairdressers hear a lot of juicy gossip and I frequently parlay my knowledge into free advertising with the Nooz and assorted other favors from Mike. He answers my call with his usual breezy voice.

"Hey, Elena, long time, no hear. Whatcha got for me?"

"Oh, Mikey, I think you're really gonna like this one." This is huge and I'm savoring it as much as I can.

"You've got my full attention, babe. Dish!" he commands.

"So which of Seattle's most eligible bachelors just got engaged today?"

"Haven't a clue, Elena. Could be one of a half dozen."

"Hint: he's also the richest."

"No!"

"Yes!"

"Christian Grey?" he squeaks in disbelief. "I thought he was gay!"

I smirk to myself. You and 99.99% of the rest of Seattle; the other .001% know way better. "Well, he's not. Or else he's putting up a damn good cover." I say this to keep the illusion going; I get my kicks wherever I can. "He just announced it this evening."

"Who's the lucky girl?" Mike asks.

"Some little nobody," I sneer. "I think she's a secretary somewhere. They've only known each other for about six weeks."

"Is she pregnant?"

"Shit, I don't know. I don't think so but I wouldn't put it past her." That thought hadn't even occurred to me but now that Mike's brought it up, it's rather unsettling.

"How about a prenup?" Damn, I hadn't thought about that either. Knowing Carrick, I'm sure he'll make her squirm about it.

"Don't know that either, Mike." I'm almost home. "Listen, something came up so I had to leave the party early. You've got all I have to tell right now, so have fun with it."

"Thanks, Elena. I owe you one."

"You bet you do! I'll think of a way to collect."

"You always do. Catch you later." He hangs up.

After a couple of hours of Isaac, I've had enough. He's on the floor next to the bed, in child's pose, awaiting my next abuse. I give him a parting kick in the ass with one of my Jimmy Choos and tell him to beat it. He crawls backwards to the door and lets himself out.

I drop down on top of the bed. Physically, my session with Isaac took the edge off, but emotionally, I'm still churned up inside by the evening's events. I still can't believe Christian's actually going to marry that bitch.

Looking back over the last several weeks, I suppose I should have seen it coming, starting with the fact that he didn't find her through the usual sub hookup scene. When he told me she was a college student he'd met on an interview, I warned him. From the very beginning, I'd always emphasized the need for secrecy regarding anything to do with the Lifestyle. This was especially important for him as his wealth and power grew; the repercussions of public exposure were just too awful to contemplate. Together we'd worked out safeguards against that possibility.

I'd vetted each of the subs he contracted. Prior to the first play weekend each sub had to go to one of my salons, ostensibly to be properly groomed but in reality to be assessed by me. Christian's bullshit detector was in good working order but another woman will pick up things that a man will miss. And even that doesn't work 100% of the time – witness that wacko Leila. So the first warning sign was when he didn't bring her to Esclava for the usual evaluation.

When I pressed him about this he told me that because of her inexperience he was introducing her to the scene slowly. He seemed so concerned about scaring her off and he was so impressed with her virginity. At first I didn't place any importance on this; my initial reaction was that if popping cherries was his latest kink, then that was fine with me. I've always felt virginity was overrated; I'd lost my own, unwillingly, to my stepfather when I was thirteen (a fact I've never told anyone, not even Christian). But Anastasia's "innocence" has become an obsession with him. He's counting her orgasms, for fuck's sake!

Another warning sign was his telling her about me - he'd never told a sub about me. He said she even had a nickname for me: Mrs. Robinson. At first I thought it was cute but eventually I realized the animosity behind it. And it was this animosity that blindsided me. Since it seemed like she really cared for him, I thought we'd both be on the same side. But she rebuffed all my attempts to communicate with her. And Christian sided with her. That hurt the most – after all of our history together, after all I'd done for him, he can just dump our friendship because of her.

I'm really riled up now. I take a quick shower, put on some comfortable clothes, and pour myself a drink in the living room. The alcohol helps but I still continue brooding. My thoughts turn to Grace.

Doctor Trevelyan, with her Yale education. A fat lot of good that Yale education did her when her son was running wild. I know that children need discipline, even if they've been abused. But whenever I mentioned this to her she just blew me off. What did I know? I was just a hairdresser and a trophy wife – she went to Yale. "Oh Elena, he's been through so much. He just needs love and understanding. Carrick and I are making sure he sees the best therapists." Even when I turned his life around, stopped the brawling and the drinking, they were too stupid to make the connection.

And Carrick? The match made in heaven? If only Grace could hear half the shit I hear at the salons, she wouldn't think her marriage was so heavenly. Not that I think he'd ever leave her but I'm pretty sure he's not above getting some on the side.

I am now in a full-blown funk. I think about my affair with Christian and about all the excitement and passion we had. Was it wrong? While he was a minor, certainly it was, both legally and morally. But once he came of age, he stayed with me. And I'm convinced that had Linc not found out, we'd still be together. And in spite of the wrong, Christian benefitted so much. Now I don't even have his friendship anymore. He gained and I lost. Zero-sum game.

I need some company. I pick up my cellphone and call the only person I know who'll listen.

"Hey, Linc. It's me, Elena. Do you have some time to talk right now?"