I eat, sleep, breathe, even sweat diving myself into my work. Ever since all that stuff happened with Liam and Christian, I've decided to take a necessary break from all men. All that they've done to me is bring pain and heartbreak. So it's the wise choice to concentrate on my job, and myself only.

Christian and I still talk, being friends. I'm just extra cautious around him and making sure our friendship is strictly platonic. I obviously still feel our sexual tension, but I have to move past that. Plus, I really have to start accepting that Christian will never love me or anyone for that matter like he loved Caroline. So I move on from everything. It's been a week and I say I've been dealing everything great so far.

"Ana, Banana!" Jose comes bursting through my office, startling me.

"What?" I murmur.

"Drinks tonight. Me and you. Hot men everywhere." I roll my eyes and try to organize the many papers on my desk into order.

"My answer is still no."

"Come on. I need my wing woman," he begs.

"No, Jose."

"She saying no again?" Kate asks, joining us now in my office. She stands wearing high waisted navy blue dress pants with a black lace bralette, and an oversized dress shirt. It's most likely Elliot's.

"Leave me alone," I whine, typing on my laptop.

"Just go out and have some fun! You need some." Kate encourages.

"I'm having some fun right now, at work." They both laugh.

"You're kidding, Ana. What's going on?" Jose questions, and I shut my computer.

"Nothing. I need to leave for my lunch meeting." I raise up from my chair and reach for my purse.

"What are you wearing?" I glance down at my outfit.

"A denim shirt, black jeans, and heels."

"What happened to fashionista Anastasia?" They both stare at me, and I shrug.

"She's still here. I just went for comfort today." I head towards the door, with them following closely behind.

"Let me pick you out an outfit for tomorrow." Kate suggests, and I ignore her.

"Or I can tonight when we go out." Jose pipes in, and I sigh, turning around. They halt, almost running into me.

"Stop it. Just stop it. I don't need any help with my style, or you guys pushing me to go out. So just back off, please." Kate's eyes widen, and Jose's jaw drops. "Thank you."

I continue on walking towards the elevator, stepping inside. The person next to me press the down button, and I can finally let out the breath I've been holding in.

After a busy, solely consumed week of work, I'm full of relief to be home and lodging about on my couch. I'm happily watching an old re-run of the Kardashians, and eating old takeout food. There's a knock on my door, and it stops me to continue finishing my fried rice. I set down my food and turn down the volume. My sock clad feet shuffle towards the door, and I open it.

Standing there, reveals an exhausted and over-dressed Christian. His dark, copper hair is a mess on top of his head, and the tie of his suit is gone, now three buttons on his shirt are unbuttoned. I have to keep my stare strictly on his face, as I'm easily tempted to stare at his sexy chest hair.

"Hey," he whispers and leaning against the doorframe.

"Everything okay?" I ask.

"Now it is." I bite my lip. "Please?" I step aside, and allow him inside.

"Want some leftover Chinese food?"

"That sounds so good, right now." Christian removes his suit jacket and tosses it onto the lazy boy chair. He sits himself down on the couch and begins to eat the rest of my takeout. I'm hesitant to join him, so I remain standing over by the door.

"Long day at work?" He groans.

"You can say that. I had meetings on meetings, conference calls, and was locked up in my office for the rest of the day."

"I've been there," I mutter, walking over to fix his jacket before it becomes wrinkled.

"Yeah, you've been busy with work this week." I nod.

"You can say that." He grins.

"Are you really okay, Ana? After everything that happened." Christian asks, and I sit down in the lazy boy.

"Never been better." He gives me one of his, don't feed me bullshit lies look. "It sucks. Being used by a guy you actually started having feelings for, and then to find out it was fake. It definitely makes a girl think she's not good enough to be with anyone."

"What he did was wrong, and he paid for it, tremendously. But not for one second do I want you thinking you're not good enough. You deserve the world and more than just that." I glance down, pulling my sleeves over my hands. "Ana."

"What?"

"Say you agree with me. Tell me to that you deserve someone who wants to take you on nice dates every chance they get. That you deserve someone to hold doors open for you, hold you when you're sad, and to make love to you at night. You incredibly deserve all of those things, because you're good enough." I stare into his eyes, watching his gray, sincere eyes blink with passion.

"I agree." I murmur, and he nods.

"Good." Christian digs back into his food, and I lean back into my chair.

My gaze is set onto him as he concentrates on not getting Mongolian beef on his shirt, and try watching tv. This man right here sets my world on fire, and I can never truly have him. I slowly need to move on from him, one step at a time. Just by starting to act like friends again, and be nothing more.

"Want to watch a movie?" I reach for the remote, flipping through the channels.

"I actually have to get back Grey House," Christian says, jumping up from the couch.

"But it's ten thirty at night." I exclaim, and he sighs.

"I have a conference call with Beijing."

"Does Christian Grey ever take a break?" I tease, and he laughs.

"Christian Grey doesn't know how to." He reaches for his jacket and throws it on. I walk him over to the door, opening it, slowly. Christian pauses, coming closely to me. "I missed this."

"Me, too." I give him a small smile.

"Laters, Steele."

"Goodbye, Grey."

When I get called into work, I expect that I'm either going to get fired or something drastic happened, and I'm needed to sort everything out. Well, sitting outside of the office of my boss is making me tap my heels to the beat of the loud ticking clock. If I do end up getting fired for whatever reason, at least, I'm wearing all black to show how I'd feel.

"Miss Steele? Isabella Aplin is ready to see you." I leap up from my seat and enter the office. The dark-haired woman behind the desk flashes me a smile, and I can feel myself starting to sweat buckets. This woman is going to seal my fate.

"Lovely to see you, Anastasia." She beams, and I smile.

"You as well, Mrs. Aplin." I take a seat in one of the seats in front of her desk.

"Call me, Isabella." I nod, crossing my leg over the other. "How are things going as editor-in-chief?"

"Very well, Mrs.- Isabella."

"I'm happy to hear." She folds her hands and leans forward on her desk. Here it comes, my fate. "The reason I called you in here is because I want you to transfer over to Vogue Paris temporarily." My eyes widen.

"Pardon me?" Isabella laughs.

"You're very much need at Vogue Paris. Their editor-in-chief is leaving on maternity leave soon, and I put your name in."

"You did?" She nods.

"I thought you could raise to the occasion. Prove to me even more why you deserve to be here."

"Oh, thank you so much," I mutter.

"Do you have an answer for me?"

"Can I think about it?" I ask, and she sighs.

"You have till Tuesday." I raise up from my chair and reach over to shake her hand.

"Thank you, again for this opportunity."

I stumble out of her office in a hazy daze. Vogue Paris wants me. The capital of love and fashion wants me to work there, for however long they need me. I should've right on the spot said yes, but something is holding me back. Or maybe someone is.

Jose appears out of nowhere and comes strolling my way. Should I tell him? No, no. He can't be the first person to tell this important opportunity about. It has to be Kate or Mia. They're my best friends, and will give me advice on what I should do.

"Ana! What are you doing here on a Saturday?" He falls into step with me, towards the elevators.

"I forgot my planner in my office." I lie, pressing the button for down.

"So what are your plans for tonight?" Jose asks, and I shrug.

"Probably a pizza and movies kind of night." We both step inside, and I jump to close the elevator quickly, so I won't have to deal with his constant nagging.

"Come on! When have you become so boring?" I give him a look.

"I am not boring." He scoffs.

"Boring. Please, just come out with Kate and me." I shut my eyes and count to ten.

"Fine." Jose squeals and gives me a side hug. I'm not having it. "But I will not drink if I don't want to, and you can't make me dance."

"I'll take what I can get." The elevator dings, and doors open. Finally. I walk straight for the exit, not looking back. "See you later, Ana!"

Somehow, I end up outside of Grey House and I'm debating if I should go inside. Surprising Christian could lighten up his day, and give him a break from his overbearing work. What the hell, I'm going for it.

I'm let through with no problems, and get up to his top floor. I see a busy Andrea handling something on the phone while checking her computer. The other assistants are nowhere to be found, so I decide to let myself into his office.

I don't knock and push my way through. What I didn't expect to see is a dark-haired woman very much resembling my boss. She's perched on his desk and her fingers running through his hair while Christian looks at the papers in is hands. What is going on? I drop my phone, and both of their heads snap in my direction. Christian jumps out of his chair and removes her hands from his hair. She slowly scoots off the desk and fixes her red dress. My boss and Christian?

"Ana," He states, fixing his tie.

"Oh, I'm sorry! I'll leave you two back to whatever you guys were doing." I back away, and scramble out the door.

"Ana! Ana, wait!" Christian yells after me. My finger can't stop pressing the elevator button. "Anastasia." He latches onto my arm, pulling me back to face him. I can't look at him in the eye, so I stare down at my feet. "Look at me."

"No."

"Look at me, Anastasia." He demands, and I glance up. When I look into his eyes, I find the guy I was always reluctantly trying to rid out of my mind, but here he is. The old Christian I grew up with and fell in love with is gone. Replaced with this sad excuse of a man.

"What? What do you want from me?" I yell, our faces practically two inches apart. Christian holds on tighter to my arm, so I won't let go and drags me back into his office. I try my hardest to dig my heels into the marble flooring, but it's no use. He slams the door behind him, and Isabella is nowhere in sight. I remain still, my eyes set on looking forward.

"Ana," he whispers, but I don't make a sound. "Anastasia."

"Why my boss? Huh? Why." I whisper, and he comes into view.

"Let me explain," Christian says, slowly.

"Please, do." I cross my arms. "Do you know she's my boss? That she decides my whole career and future. That she's twice my age, yours too. That-"

"Ana,"

"How long have you two been seeing each other?" I start to pace, needing to walk around and process everything. "Was she the one who you were with when we had our fight weeks ago?" He doesn't say anything. "Answer me!"

"Lower your voice." Christian growls, and I pause. "Yes, she's the one." I sadly let out the breath I've been holding. "And we've been seeing each other every once in awhile over the years."

"Years?" I mumble under my breath. "How could you not tell me?"

"She wanted to keep it a secret, with her being married and having children." I place my hands over my face and try not to go insane.

"You make me sick." His face drops, and he tries to walk towards me, but I take a giant step away. "This is not the man I know. The man I know would never be with a married woman, let alone my boss."

"That man has been gone for a very long time, Ana." Christian murmurs, and I stare at him, my heart breaking apart, piece by piece.

"And I'm stupid enough to think the man I know would come back to me."

"You're not stupid." I scoff.

"My stupidity clouded my judgment about you. After, all my friends and family constantly told me that you're no good for me and that I should move on. They were all right."

"Ana, please."

"No, no! I'm done, Christian. I'm done waiting, and I'm done trying to find the man long ago who left butterflies in my stomach every time he left me speechless. I'm done, and I'm tired." Christian begins to pace, tugging his hair.

"You can't leave me, Ana. You can't. I need you. I need you in my life." he rambles, and I watch him unravel. Unknown tears roll down my face.

"You may not understand this now, but this is what's best for me." I bite my lip to keep it from trembling.

"I can't lose you, Ana." He comes to stand before me, tears of his own staining his cheeks. I raise up to gently stroke his cheek, and his hands wrap around my waist.

"I'm so sorry." My lips softly press to his for the last kiss. I retract myself from his embrace and amble closer to the door.

Christian's gray eyes stare at me one last time, and I close the door behind me. It's a very scary thing. How people you're closest to can so quickly become strangers.


Please don't hate for taking a long time to update this story. Also, don't worry.. it's a HEA story. But, it's only chapter 9 and we have a long way to go. I'm not going to write a story where they end up right away, I need to add some drama and drag it out until they're going to be together. So patience is a virtue.