Chapter-1
ANASTASIA STEELE
Like every other girl, I was a sucker for shoes. The left side of my walk-in closet were entirely shoes, neatly shelved. Whenever I am sad and troubled, I come here and watch my shoes. Too girly I know, but that's just how I am.
The call from José spoilt my mood to no return. Looking at my shoes diverts my mind to shopping. Suddenly I am reminded of the new Giuseppe Zanotti shoes I saw on the store last week and drool. Today I am going to buy them after I finalize the deal with the Morgans. Soon I am ready to take on the world wearing a simple white shirt tucked in a black pencil skirt and black Aquazarra stilettoes. I don't really wear a lot of make-up because I am naturally fabulous. Or I like to think I am.
I love myself.
My most favourite person in the world is me. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. I'm not a narcissist, I just adore myself.
Even though my friends hate that I cannot get out of José's clutches, I can't really explain them why! My boyfriend is mafia, he threatened to kill you all if I leave him or go to the police. Fuck my life. Since I knew I could never get José out of my life, I try to see the good sides of it.
One, he loves me like crazy. He really is crazy you fool.
Two, he's good looking. He's a monster.
Three, he gives me my own space. If you call stalking giving you space.
Four, he does not interfere in matters of my career. Okay, I'll give you that.
Five, he trusts me. That's why he abuses you.
Six, he does not ask me to move in with him. Did you forget when he locked you in your own apartment for two days because you wanted to break up?
Oh shut up! No you shut up you bloody coward.
I have to become blind and deaf when I am around him. I shut myself off. I just wish I could share my pain with someone, but sharing meant risking his or her life. I can't even get myself a shrink.
José mostly has to travel around the country to handle his dad's "business" so I get a lot of time to myself. Thank God for small mercies. I just dread the day he might come out and ask me to marry him. Maybe I'll have to kill myself then to actually live in peace. I can't see myself living with him for the rest of my life. This is a thought I usually avoid. Coward. I know but what can a girl, who has been threatened by mobsters do?
Soon I am in my office and my assistant Lauren hands me a file that includes all my appointments for the day.
The call from José has me in a sour mood. All I want to do is get drunk and forget everything. I dread the fact that he is coming day after tomorrow. The sex used to be mind-blowing, but with my resentment for the man, the sex just feels like an act of obedience. My life sounds so miserable right now. Well it is miserable.
Once I am seated at my desk, I look around and can't help but feel proud of myself. Everything that I own is hard earned, nothing came easy. I worked hard every single day to get where I am today and no phone call from mobsters is going to take away my feeling of self-pride. Everyone in my office loves me. I work under the best bosses in the city. The environment in my office is warm and affectionate and to think just few years back I was just an intern here and today I am the agent with the most number of clients.
I am awesome. Period.
My first client comes into the office and I forget every bad thing in my life and concentrate on my work. I'll have to peg the Morgans soon or else the other vultures in the business will make a run for them. They are a newly married couple, extreme high rollers. Sky is the limit. And I have just the house for them. I show them photos and they seem impressed. Soon I have an appointment with them on Thursday to take them to the location of the house.
There's a buzz on my phone and I can't help but smile. One of my closest friends Samantha Lee is calling me. Samantha's father is Chinese and her mom American, hence the name Samantha Lee. She took after her mother though, and everywhere we go, her last name garners looks from strangers. She hates it.
"Lee!" I answer, suddenly my spirits high.
"Ana boo! I need you," she rhymes.
I giggle. It's just normal for us, laughing and giggling at the most stupidest things. There have been times when we laughed at funerals. But that is just how we are.
"Couldn't stay away from me huh?"
"Oh you know how I am without you!"
"I know I know. Alright Shoot!"
"Ana I am in love."
"We were together last night and you weren't in love then Sam" Samantha, the man-eater, in love?
"That's because I met him only after you guys left!"
"Oh Sam not again." I roll my eyes.
"But it's real this time. I promise."
"I'm sure it is honey. But right now I have to get back to work okay? I'll meet you at say 6? I'm getting those Giuseppe Zanotti shoes so we are going to the store together. Let Anita and Camille know as well. And ask the boys to meet us outisde Barneys."
"Yay shopping! See you at 6. Mwah"
"Mwah baby."
Samantha Lee, Anita Banks, Camille Adams are the three girls I simply cannot do without. They are my soulmates. We have been together since high school, and later we all decided to go to New York for higher studies so that we'd still be joined at the hips. And here we are, after all these years, still together.
Samantha is the man-eater, as we call her. She is a journalist and the only girl I know who can give a man a run for his money when it comes to "scoring." Anita is a lawyer, and has been in a relationship with Phil Atkins ever since we moved to New York. Phil is also a lawyer. Camille owns a restaurant and is currently single. There's also Adam, Michael and Jessie, who work with me.
CHRISTIAN GREY
I hate breakfast meetings. Waking up and listening to old dickheads sitting across from me just pisses me the fuck off. I hate ass kissing too. And these ass kissers just keeps on ass kissing my fucking head off. I try not to roll my eyes at them only because I have millions tied up with them. Also the stupid waitress who keeps on coming back with excuses to eye fuck me irks me more. It is too obvious.
As soon as the meeting ends, I head towards my office, Grey Enterprise Holdings Inc.
I enter my office room and am greeted by Welch.
"Good morning Sir."
I just give him a nod in return.
"I need you to locate someone for me Welch. Her name is Anastasia Rose Steele. I need to know everything about her." I hand him the magazine and see a look of surprise form on his face but he quickly goes back to looking impassive.
"Anything else Sir?"
"No."
"Very well Sir. I will have the information emailed to you by tomorrow afternoon the latest." I watch him walk out the door.
Once he is out and the door is shut, I relax my head on the headrest and close my eyes and take slow deep breaths. I don't want anyone else to see how anxious I am. I will be meeting her after so long. I am nervous. I just hope she remembers me. A gift wouldn't be too much now would it? No. She obviously cannot know how I found her. She's in real estate isn't she? I'll just make it look like I am looking for a place in New York. I already have an office there and I always stay in hotels so getting my own place wouldn't be a bad idea.
My phone buzzes and my brother Elliot is calling me.
"Hello Lelliot!"
"Fuck off Christian," he snaps. He's always hated me calling him Lelliot. When we were kids, I somehow couldn't call him Elliot. Everytime I tried to pronounce his name, only Lelliot came out.
"What is it you need? I don't have time. Make it quick."
"It appears our little sister is finally coming back from Hawaii on Friday and I need you to get her from the airport."
"Sorry big brother but I am flying to New York on Friday so it will have to be you."
"Okayyyyy baby brother."
"Fuck you. I am not a baby"
"Then stop calling me Lelliot."
"Okay Lelliot."
"Fucker."
I hang up. My "elder" brother Elliot was more of a friend than a brother. I did not have real friends, so I had to do with my siblings. Everyone else was just around me because I was Christian Grey. I even hung out with Elliot's friends. I was never very social, and girls chased me so I never had to go and talk to them to get laid. Plus I only spend one night with any girl, so there's never any time for conversation. It is just a lot of fucking and I never sleep with anyone in the literally sense. Once I am done, I just sneak out. No cuddling for me.
Ros comes barging in my room with Elena Lincoln, my mother's friend. God this woman gives me the fucking creeps. When I was a teenager, she used to touch me. What was an old hag trying to do with a fat boy like me anyway? Motherfucking pedophile. I mean Childfucking-botoxed-fake-tits-pedophile. What the fuck, right? I only ever told Elliot, and he asked me not to tell mom as it would upset her, but we had a pact since then and whenever she was around, both him and me would be joined to the hips so that she never got to try something like that with me again. Ever.
She walks swaying that fake ass and gives me a tight smile. Is that even a smile? I bet those new fat pouty lips were her attempt to look like Angelina Jolie. Humor me. Rolling my eyes I stand and extend my hand for a shake. She takes my hand and holds on longer than necessary. I practically have to pull my hand out of that witchy palm. Those nails are a mile long. She gives me the heebie-jeebies.
"Mrs Lincoln, how lovely to see you." Witch.
"Christian darling! It is always nice to see you. You look as handsome as ever." You ain't getting nothin' of this bitch.
I am in business with her. Yeah I know it sucks. But she begged me to back her up after she was divorced because her husband did not leave her a dime. Mom talked me into this shit, as my reputation would help her salon business. These monthly meetings with this botoxed-tight-assed-fat-lipped-whore make me want to pull my hair out. All she ever does is stare at me, while Ros does all the talking. She looks like she could eat me up with one gulp. The only reason I put up with her is my mother's pity on her.
"Mrs Lincoln, are we clear on what Ros just said?" I ask trying to be as impassive as I can but I can't help my irritation. I only ever end up scowling at her with disgust.
"Christian sweetheart, I don't understand. The salons are doing so well, why would you want to pull your back-up?"
"Mrs Lincoln, the money these salons bring me is like a drop of water in the ocean."
"Then why does it matter if you're in or out? Please Christian don't do this to me. Your name is very important for my business. You know if you're not backing me up, it would be hard to keep up the goodwill." She starts crying.
"Everything is going to be done quietly. No one will know if I am in or out. Ros please escort Mrs Lincoln out of my office."
Ros has to literally drag her out but she keeps on wailing and screaming my name. For fuck's sake woman! Old age hit her hard. I can only look at her with disgust. Good riddance. I text Elliot with what just happened and he only replies in one word. "Disgusting."
In the mean time, Taylor calls me to let me know the flight plan is ready for Friday. I can't help but feel excited about Friday.
ANASTASIA STEELE
Shopping with the girls is the best part of any day. We walk out of Barneys New York with so many bags, that when the boys meet us we run to them and hand over the bags to them.
"Did you guys buy the whole store?" Phil asks flabbergasted.
"This is crazy. You guys should learn how to save!" Adam rolls his eyes.
"Sorry daddy." Samantha giggles.
"Alright alright I know it's too much, but what the hell. YOLO!" I shout.
"That's so lame Ana. Even for you." I turn towards Michael and punch him hard on his biceps. "Ow! You hit like a man."
All the girls start giggling and all of us walk towards our cars. We all head to my condo since I told them my "boyfriend" was coming back and it would be the last time I get to be with them until he was here. It wasn't like the son-of-a-gun didn't allow me to hang out with them or stopped me while he was here, but it meant that I would have to tag him along with everyone else, which I didn't want to. So when he was here with me, I avoided getting out with my friends. All I ever did was sulk in my condo and counted the hours until he would be gone.
The whole gang knew José was a psycho and they wanted so much for me to break-up with him. But I couldn't tell them the truth why I couldn't free myself from his claws. I would never risk their lives by telling them. I love them too much. In return they called me a sadist for putting up with the abusive bastard. I never told them until one morning Sam showed up at my condo, unannounced and found me sprawled on the floor, crying with finger marks on my cheek. She wanted to go to the police right away but I stopped her. It was a bad week. Sam told everyone and they all lectured me, but I couldn't tell them why. There have been a few other times I actually did leave José but then he came and created so much fiasco infront of them and threatened everyone that I went back to him immediately each time. The whole gang hates him. Heck, he was my boyfriend and I hated him.
It was a parting ritual that has been going on for a long time. Whenever there was news of my "boyfriend" coming back in town, we have dinner at my place where we all cook and drink. No matter what day of the week it is because I wouldn't be seeing them till he would be around.
We all sit at the table and enjoy our usual banter, eating and drinking when suddenly the door flies open and there stands my nightmare on the threshold.
José fucking Rodriguez.