Chapter Two: Trying to Right a Wrong

Mission: Win back the lovely Anastasia Rose Steele

How: Hearts and Flowers

When: Every fucking day for the rest of my life!

He was frustrated. Every olive branch that he extended in the form of dinner invitations, flowers, and gifts were rebuffed by his target. She refused to take his phone calls and he was persona non grata at her place of business. She warned WP's security that if they let Christian Grey into the Crider Building that she would have their heads on a platter. He couldn't get close to her. He even swallowed his pride and enlisted the help of his family, but she rebuked them also, but with her ladylike charm. She explained to Grace and Mia that she could no longer be with a man that she could not trust. She didn't come out and tell them that he cheated, but that was what they believed. He let them believe that, because he would rather they thought him an adulterer than a BDSM monster. In her own way, Ana had protected him.

His next ploy was more devious. If he couldn't get her attention personally, then he would go the professional route. He began to buy up publically traded shares of Washington Publishing quietly. He planned to buy enough stock so he would land a place on the Board of Directors and then he would have access to Ana. He didn't give Jeb and Rachel Crider enough credit and they began to buy up more of their stock to thwart his plans. They had rounded up the wagons and waited for the next strike against their company. He hated to do this, but he was obsessed. He had to have his Ana back at any cost to himself or others. He wouldn't not quit until she was back where she belonged by his side and in his bed. He turned to speaking to other stockholders and pressured them to sell their stocks. He was getting closer and closer to the goal of owning thirty percent of the stock. A few of the larger stockholders refused to even to meet with Christian so he was finding himself stonewalled. He had to admire Jeb Crider, he knew who his loyal friends were and they refused to sell. However, when the word hit the business world that Crider Industries, especially Washington Publishing was under attack, Christian knew that he was getting closer as Jeb Crider began to panic and had to call in favors.

Ana knew what was going on and she had an idea who the culprit was that was trying to raid WP. She blamed herself and many times reached for her phone to call Christian and beg him to back off but her pride wouldn't let her. She had made a clean break and she didn't want to return to a man that she couldn't trust. She knew what he was doing. He wanted to get control of the company so he could get control of her. She went to Jeb and told him her suspicions. He then decided to send her to New York to meet with prospects for new authors to add to their stables and to enlist the help of one of his dearest friends who held a great majority of the stock that Christian would need to take over WP. He told her to explain everything to this gentleman and get his promise not to sell to Christian Grey.

Before she left Seattle for her mission to save her career and the company that she loved, Ana did schedule a meeting with Christian but not at either of their offices, but in a public venue. She chooses one of her favorite restaurants, a French bistro called La Petite that was close to the Pike Market District. Ana demanded a lunch meeting so he would only waste an hour of her time and she had an excuse to leave.

Ana arrived first and took her seat at their reserved table which was discreetly tucked away from the main dining area. She didn't want anyone noticing them and selling pictures to the paparazzi and having the media outlets reporting that they were reconciling. She was sipping her usual Twinnings English Breakfast Tea when her ex-fiancé arrived at their table with a big smile. Christian was as charming as ever and leaned down and brushed his lips against her offered cheek, then sat down as he unbuttoned his suit jacket. She noticed that he wore his black three piece suit with a black linen shirt and that grey tie. Her big blue eyes were locked on that tie as the memories raced through her head. She felt her insides get warmer. He still affected her. Her betraying body yearned for his touch. She pressed her thighs together to squelch the fire in her groin.

"You look beautiful, Anastasia." He drawled in his sex laden voice. He was dripping with sexuality. "I would love to throw you on this table and make love to you all afternoon."

Ana laughed. "I do not think the patrons of this respectable business would appreciate that, Mr. Grey. Please, remember that you are a respected businessman and I am establishing a career in publishing. The last thing we need is a charge of indecent exposure."

He granted her request and kept his hands to himself, but his eyes undressed her. He licked those full manly lips in anticipation of tasting her sweet skin. He had plans of taking her back to Escala after lunch and ravishing her in their bed. She would have to call in to her office that she was taking the rest of the day off. The waiter stopped by to take his drink order and he requested their most expensive bottle of wine. Ana was not impressed however said nothing. She did not drink during the workday.

"I do believe that this is yours." Christian declared as he placed a red velvet jeweler's box in front of her on the table. He opened it and turned it to face her. It was her engagement ring. "I think it's time for you to return home, Ana. You made your point. I was a bad boy and you have punished me enough."

She stared at the ring. Yes, it was lovely with its three carat center diamond that was surrounded by another two carats of smaller diamonds on a gold band. She looked up to Christian. "I am not coming back to you, Christian. You cannot be trusted and I refuse to marry a man that I cannot trust." She pushed the lid down and moved the box back to his side of the table. "I did not request this meeting to discuss our failed engagement, but to ask you to leave Jeb and Rachel's company alone. They have done nothing to you."

"Done." He said sternly getting angry that she did not accept his ring immediately. "I will back off if you come home and put that ring back on your finger."

"Damn it Christian, are you even hearing me? We are not getting married."

"Yes, we are, or we will be as soon as you choose the date and we can get it planned." He cocked his head to the side. "Or would you rather we just flew down to Vegas and get married there?"

Ana was frowning making that delightful "v" in the middle of her eyebrows. "We are not getting married in Vegas or anywhere else. Christian, get it through your thick skull, we are not getting married. You lost that right when you went to that club and bought yourself a sub." Her voice was in a whisper but it was still stern. "Why don't you go back to her and beat her ass a delightful pink and leave me the hell alone?"

He sat back in his chair in a lazy relaxed way. He crossed his legs with his ankle lying on his knee. He saw the waiter coming back with his wine. He kept staring at Ana as the waiter poured a small amount of wine into a glass and offered it to Christian to taste. It was fine and Christian motioned the waiter to pour. Ana refused the wine which only angered Christian further. When the waiter left, Christian was still in his relaxed stance but his grey eyes were wild in fury. "You refuse my phone calls, you refuse to meet with me, you refuse my love and devotion, you refuse to wear my ring, and now you refuse to share this delicious and delightful wine. Are you trying to destroy me, Ana? Is that what you want?"

"And, do you blame me, Christian? What if the roles were reversed and I went to a club and hired a man to satisfy my needs, would you be forgiving? Hell no, you would have killed that man and probably me." She took a deep breath and calmed her nerves and let her temper cool. This was time for a level head. "I will not return to you. Your phone calls will not be accepted. I never want to see you again unless it is at a social occasion that we both must attend, and your love and devotion is a fuckin' joke. You don't know what love and devotion is. You are a selfish man, Christian Grey and you need to learn that the whole fucking world does not revolve around you and your whims, so you can take your damn ring and shove it up your ass. I will not marry you." She picked up her purse and stood. "Leave the Criders alone. They have done nothing to you. If you continue to go after them, then I will just resign my position and move on."

Christian shot to his feet. Ana couldn't leave Seattle. She had to stay so he could have a chance to show her that he was devoted to her and that his love was real. Her words did wound him, but she had every right to express them for he had been foolish and damaged their life together. He reached out to touch her cheek but she avoided his fingertips. She couldn't even stand his touch. "Ana, please don't leave me." He whispered. "I am so sorry for what I did. I can fix this, baby. Just let me prove that I can fix this."

"You are such a child, Christian. Do you think saying I'm sorry will make all the pain go away. You broke my heart, Christian. You tore my fucking heart out of my chest and stomped on it!" She stepped away from him. She was shocked that there were no tears. She had cried enough over this selfish and broken man. She could not heal him, he was to diseased with darkness and it wasn't her job to heal him. He had to do it himself. "Goodbye, Mr. Grey. I hope you find some happiness in your miserable life." She turned on her Louboutin heel and left the restaurant without having her lunch. She slid into the waiting limousine that was already packed with her luggage and she was taken to SEA-TAC for her flight to New York.