Chapter 14 – Never Forget

Ana gapes at Christian. "I just took my IT manager out to lunch! Were you having me followed?!" she bellows.

"No! This was emailed to me late afternoon by an unknown address!" he counters, appearing appalled at the notion as he points out the blank spot on the email where the sender's information would normally reside. Ana's heart drops to the pit of her stomach. She is utterly terrified at the thought of being followed around by an unknown party. To keep from falling to the floor, Ana sits down on a nearby empty chair. Christian doesn't rise to comfort her. His own thoughts are currently running rampant.

"Someone is obviously trying to gaslight you. First the server, then payroll…now this," Christian says dejectedly. He appears to lack the energy to fly off the handle. Ana is speechless.

"I'm going to get to the bottom of this," Christian says with determination. He closes his laptop, springs up from his chair, and places the laptop under his arm before heading out of the kitchen. After a few moments, she hears a door close from a distance. 'Must be in his study,' she ponders within. Ana no longer feels safe. 'It's like Jack Hyde all over again,' she dreads. Ana eventually finds the strength to stand and carry Christian's jacket and tie out of the kitchen and into their bedroom.

Christian on the other hand makes a series of phone calls and sends a few emails. Welch, his freelance security advisor returns a phone call from earlier.

"Mr. Grey – I highly recommend that for the next few weeks that you have Mrs. Grey's security detail right by her side. I will have someone on my end following her incognito. I suggest that you make her aware so she won't be alarmed. If someone is lurking, we will find them," Welch vows.

"Good. Sawyer and another CPO will remain with her at all times. I'll have Taylor make the arrangements for Monday on forward. Also, Barney was looking into the origin of the email from today. It seems as though my tech guru has finally met his match. This asshole is obviously very technologically advanced," Christian says with annoyance.

"With technology, there's always a fingerprint of some sort. We'll find the bastard. If you receive anything else, send it my way and I'll do some sleuthing on my end as well," Welch says in his usual gravelly voice.

After ending the call with Welch, Christian summons Taylor to his study.

"Sir," Taylor greets as he enters the room, shutting the door behind him.

"We need Sawyer and an additional CPO with Mrs. Grey at all times," Christian orders.

"Already done, Sir. I'd figured you'd say that," Taylor replies, all composed and business-like.

"Breaking into buildings, planting incriminating photos...this has 'ex-submissive' written all over it," Christian says sourly.

"Leila Williams hasn't left Connecticut last we checked – so it isn't her," Taylor rules out.

"I need an update on the rest of the fourteen who stayed at Escala – just to be sure. If anyone has any location gaps, let's zoom in on them," Christian commands.

"Sure thing," Taylor nods.

Shortly after 2:00 am, Christian finally crawls into bed. The moon beaming through the partially open shades serves as ambient lighting. Ana lies still, snuggled tightly on her side hugging a pillow. Christian lies on his side and watches her sleep as a myriad of emotions run through his head. After several minutes, Ana's eyes slowly open and catch his gaze.

"Go back to sleep," he murmurs.

"I can't. What's going on?" she sleepily groans.

"Luke and another CPO will remain with you at all times outside of home," he informs her.

"Okay," Ana quietly responds. She lets out a strong yawn.

"Welch will have someone in the background keeping another set of eyes on your surroundings as well," he adds. She mumbles something incoherent, but appears to be fine with her husband's plan of action.

"Sleep," he commands.

"You promised me something earlier. I don't think you'll honor it after today," she sadly breathes. Christian looks puzzled at first, but a grin slowly creeps on his face.
"I never break a promise, Mrs. Grey," he says tenderly.

"But…you're mad at me," she says wistfully. His slight grin gradually fades away. Brief silence fills the chasm between them. The quiet is deafening to Ana.

"I know how it may seem, but it wasn't what it looked like. Greg Mitchell's happily married and so am I. He's a longtime SIP and GP employee. He's very good at what he does and I wanted to let him know how much we appreciate him. He even updated me on a few objectives. Thinking back, I should have made it a group lunch…" Ana rambles. Christian holds up his hand, ceasing her tangent.

"I understand," he says softly. Ana isn't fully convinced that he is okay with the situation.

"I'm more concerned with what's going on in that office and that you are obviously being followed," Christian adds hauntingly. Ana slowly nods.

"Ana, if there's anything strange or suspicious going on, you need to tell me. Okay?" he pleads with her.

"Yes – I will," she promises.

"We have to catch these assholes," he frowns.

"Who do you think it could be?" Ana asks softly. Christian closes his eyes, pained by the thought.

"We don't know yet," he simply says. Although the look in his eyes gives Ana the impression that he at least has a theory. Ana suddenly freezes.

"Is it…another Leila?" Ana says with terrified eyes.

"We don't know yet!" he repeats in a more frustrated tone. Ana relents. Her look of dismay eventually softens him.

Christian slides in closer and places an arm around her. "So…you're happily married?" he whispers lovingly in her ear.

'Whoa – change of tone. Mr. Mercurial is back in business,' Ana reflects.

"Yes. Blissfully married," she ardently breathes. She feels his lips forming a smile against her cheek.

"What say you?" she says teasingly.

"Yeah…blissful," he sighs with contentment. Ana hesitates to say what's on her mind that very moment in fear of ruining the current mood. However, she lets go anyway.

"You're not mad at me? About the lunch?" she tensely murmurs. Christian sighs uncomfortably.

"I'm…confused. I thought you'd be more cognizant after what happened the last time," Christian says with narrowed eyes. Ana sinks.

"I know. I'm sorry. I don't ever want you to feel that way. I need to be more…aware. Only team lunches next time," Ana vows. Christian chuckles and then plants a soft kiss on her cheek. He squeezes her tightly in his arms and stares deeply into the darkness as his thoughts continue to parse endlessly. Their breathing is the only sound that lingers.

"Mrs. Grey?" he says after several minutes of quiet.

"Yes," she answers. He suddenly rolls on top of her and looks her square in the eye. His blank stare morphs into a heated passionate gaze. Ana beams at him. She knows exactly what this means.

….

Tyler and Bridget meet for dinner Saturday night at a chain restaurant. Tyler's dressed down in jeans and a t-shirt. Bridget wears skintight jeans and a low-cut white top with a blue suede jacket and stilettos, looking extremely sexy and stylish. Tyler feels out of his league as he gazes at the Foxy Blonde from across the booth.

"So, what happened at work this week?" asks Bridget.

"Tons of craziness. It's suspected that someone broke into our building after hours and tampered with our server," Tyler reveals.

"Wow, really?" Bridget gapes as if she's genuinely in shock.

"Yes. Also, they had to manually do payroll because the server was malfunctioning. Management comes in on Wednesday to find that all of the work they've been doing for the past two days is missing," he says with a tone of suspense.

"Jeez! Did they find out who did it?" Bridget asks with a look of concern.

"No. They put in extra security measures as well as cameras in various places. I got a text just this morning from a colleague that said we will have guards on duty 24/7 now," he says.

"Wow, they aren't playing, are they?" Bridget chuckles.

"Nope. When it comes to the little lady, Mr. Grey pulls no punches," Tyler says with a grin. Bridget scoffs, but she quickly transitions into a laugh in order to cover up her previously perturbed demeanor.

"So what else does her husband do when things go wrong like that?" she probes.

"Well, I heard a few years back that she had security with her at all times. They would wait in the lobby for her from start to finish…even following her out to lunch. I'm sure that's what we'll see on Monday," says Tyler before taking a bite of his warm bread. Bridget raises a brow and nods.

"Can't say I blame him. Sounds like someone's out for her," Bridget says, feigning concern.

"Yep, seems that way – although I have no idea why. She's a really good person," he praises. Bridget lips tighten in a straight line as she tries to maintain her cover.

"If anything, someone's probably after Grey and they're attacking his wife instead. That's the only explanation any of us in the office can come up with," Tyler shrugs.

"Oh well," Bridget simply says.

"I saw that they cancelled book club for the month," she adds.

"Yes. Our president is out on medical leave and the VP is currently using up her vacation time. Ana and the remaining management team just don't have the bandwidth to support it right now," he explains.

"I was very much looking forward to discussing this month's book with Ana and the other ladies," Bridget says with a disappointed smirk.

"I'm sure they'll pick it back up in April," Tyler says.

….

Monday morning before dawn breaks, way ahead of the alarm clock sounding off, Christian and Ana lie awake – naked in each other's arms. Ana's head rests comfortably on his chest – wonderfully sated after some passionate early-morning lovemaking. He gently kisses the crown of her head. Ana sighs deeply.

"What," Christian asks, gauging the anxiety in her breath.

"I'm not looking forward to going in to work today with Sawyer and the new guy…Draper. It's going to cause some unwanted attention from the staff," she laments. Christian frowns at her.

"Your safety trumps everything else, Ana. Stop caring what others think," he says with a touch of irritation. Ana closes her eyes to take in his words and his glorious scent.

"I know," she replies like a petulant adolescent. After a few beats, she shares another thought from her very active mind.

"I hope that those photos from Friday didn't reopen any old wounds for you. We've been doing so well ever since around the time I got pregnant with Phoebe," Ana murmurs. She feels Christian's body tense underneath her. 'Shit! Leave it to you to ruin a good moment!' Ana's subconscious scolds her. She props herself up on her elbows in order to get a better view. She looks down at him.

"Mrs. Grey, you and I are good. Why are you bringing this up now?" he frowns at her.

"Because, you came home late on Friday. You didn't call or anything. Then when I saw you in the kitchen, you looked – lifeless," she shudders.

Christian closes his eyes, appearing tortured. However, his arms pull her further into him.

"Whoever's doing this is trying to evoke the past, Ana. Let's not let them win. The past is over. We're very happy and someone is trying to see to it that we're not. I don't know why they're doing this, but I'm going to get to the bottom of it," Christian murmurs in a determined tone. Ana nods and then beams at him lovingly.

"My knight in shining armor," Ana swoons. He smirks up at her.

"Your dark knight in shining armor," he teases.

"So – you're actually Batman? The billionaire recluse with all of his expensive toys?" she chuckles. He smiles a shy smile.

"I was wondering when you'd figure it out. Although, I much rather play with you all day and night over any of my expensive toys," he purrs. She gasps as the electricity parses through all of her nerve endings.

Slowly, Christian places a long finger inside of her sex, eliciting a deep moan from his wife. He moves it in and out – slowly. Ana quickly catches his rhythm and moves her pelvis to his pace. Christian takes a sharp intake of air. Ana feels his erection reawaken underneath her. He leans up and places his lips by her ear. "We don't have much time, Mrs. Grey. Let's make the most of it," he breathes before kissing her lobe.

"Yes," she says, breathless.

….

The early morning sun illuminates the tiny Seattle apartment. Bridget focuses intently on her laptop while sitting on a stool at her kitchen island. She launches an email program, resizes the window and opens a folder adjacent to it. She then drags and drops several icons from the folder into a new email. With a determined expression written on her face, she types "Never Forget" in the subject header and addresses the email to Christian Grey before sending it.

….

Dr. Daniel Baker, a tall, dark and handsome neurosurgeon had taken all that he could take in his lifeless one-year marriage to internist Dr. Candice Fuller. One evening, he decided to confront his wife's indifference head-on over dinner at their upscale apartment.

"What gives? Are you not happy being with me?" he starts softly. She continues to slowly consume her delicious pasta dish, courtesy of her husband. She doesn't respond.

"I just don't get it. All of these warm, kind, single attractive women at the hospital – physicians, nurses, patients…they all fawned over me and I wasn't moved by any of them. I fell in love with you, Candy. I am still very much in love with you. But my greatest fear is that you don't love me in return," he delivers the words soberly. She remains stoic. A light bulb goes off in Daniel's thoughts.

"You didn't start behaving strangely until you saw that local wedding story in the society pages that one time," he frowns at her. Suddenly, tears began streaming down her pretty face. She starts weep. He watches her cry from across the table for about five minutes, not saying a word.

"Candy – what's going on? I've tried everything! I'm at your every beck and call! I cook for you…I clean…I help you at your practice whenever you need it! I literally worship the ground you walk on! What else can I do?!" Daniel Baker laments to his wife, breaking the stalemate.

"I know! I know! You've been…great! I don't know what it is! Rest assured – it's not you!" Candice pleads, her face scarlet and puffy from all of her earlier tears.

"You're damned right it's not me! So what is it? Is it that rich guy you used to be with?" he snaps at her. Her stiffening body reveals to Daniel that he has just hit the mark. His heart drops.

"Are you still hung up over him?! Are you not living the life you truly desire?! Do you need a private jet?! A yacht?!" he shouts, affronted.

"No – it's not about the money! I have my own money!" she strikes back, offended.

"Well then what? What can I do?" he softly pleads with all of his heart.

"I…I don't know," she stutters. He scoffs at her. "Oh, you know!" he confronts her.

"Honestly, I don't think there's anything that you can do," she whimpers hopelessly.

….

At Grey House, Christian's email pings while in the middle of a discussion with Ros in his office. As she continues to speak him, he catches a popup in the upper right corner of his MacBook. It's another email from an unknown party. Christian stiffens.

"Ros, can we pick this up later?" he says with a look of preoccupation. She agrees and leaves the room. Christian opens the email.

Twenty minutes later, Martha Newsome enters Christian's office.

"Hey, Christian," she greets. Christian stoically nods at her. Clearly, something is on his mind.

"Have you been in touch with anyone dealing with Ashford recently?" he asks, cutting to the chase. Martha gapes at him.

"Um – just his ex-wife. She checks in with me every now and then," she responds, confused by the question.

"Do you know if he has Internet access at club fed?" Christian inquires.

"He does, but it's extremely monitored. Why?" Martha inquires.

"I just got a strange anonymous email. Do you think he has someone on the outside potentially working for him?" he asks.

"No. He's pretty much persona non grata after word got out how he manipulated his daughter and ex-wife. I don't think anyone but his aging mother keeps in contact with him," Martha responds regretfully. Christian sighs.

"What's in the email, if you don't mind me asking?" Martha pursues with caution.

"Its old CCTV stills of Ana and Ashford at the trampoline park as well as at several restaurants," Christian replies with a straight face. Martha's jaw drops.

"What?!" she gapes at him. Christian nods at her straightly.

"Who in the hell…"

"I don't know. That's what we're trying to find out," Christian interrupts, answering her incomplete question.

"I don't know who Bryan would know that would even do that!" she says, horrified.

"That's what I figured. Whoever did this knows the history," assess Christian.

"It could be anyone, honestly. Someone obsessed with the story from almost two years ago. But why would they want to do this to you and Ana? Why now? What's there to gain? There has to be a reason," considers Martha. Christian nods in agreement.

"Thanks Martha. We'll keep plugging away. Keep this quiet from Ana until we figure this out. I don't want her up in arms just yet," he beseeches.

"Sure. Just keep my friend safe," she pleads quietly.

"On my life," Christian soberly vows.

Two hours later, Barney is in Christian's office.

"I want to know who in the fuck's doing this! Find this asshole, Barney!" Christian seethes.

"Sir – we're on it. We are working with Welch to narrow down a location. The sender utilized a VPN, which could bounce off of multiple locations from across the globe. We're hoping that with this new technology we've been testing, we can crack the encryption and nail the asshole," Barney says confidently.

After Barney leaves, Taylor enters with an update.

"Sir, we've accounted for all of the fifteen except for four. I believe two of them now reside in other countries, so that will take some time to confirm," Taylor says.

"Keep me informed. We have to act quickly. Whoever it is – they're now moving at a rapid place. No telling what they'll try to do next," Christian says wearily.

"Whoever it is, not only do they have inside knowledge of Grey Publishing, but they know exactly what to do in order to press your buttons," Taylor concludes.

"As soon as we find who's doing this, they're going to wish that they were never born," Christian says with a bloodthirsty timbre.

….

"Taylor."

"Welch."

The two greet one another over lunch at a nearby sandwich shop. Taylor takes a seat right across from Welch in a booth where the later has already started in on his soup.

"Any new developments?" Taylor starts.

"Not yet. It's going to take some time to parse through the two emails. However, we can get a head start by lining up some possible suspects," Welch says gruffly.

"We've been looking at exes. We've accounted for all but four of them. I just got word that one of those four might be living in Arizona with their mother. We just need to follow through on the tip to confirm," Taylor says matter-of-factly.

"This attack pattern screams 'ex-lover.' If this were a bitter ex-employee or a rival, they'd directly attack Mr. Grey and his company. Why come after Mrs. Grey and her company?" ponders Welch. Taylor presses his lips in a line.

"One of the questions you should be asking yourself is 'Which one of these four women were a wiz at the computer?' If the answer to that question is 'none', then we could have a more complex situation on our hands," Welch sighs dreadfully.

"I'll pose the question to Mr. Grey this evening," Taylor says.

"If I were a betting man, my money's on one of the four. And whoever it is, they've been working on this plan for years. They didn't just decide to attack out on a whim. This was years in the making. They formed ties with Grey Publishing and they know exactly what buttons to push. This individual is going to be difficult to pin down, but we'll find them – eventually," Welch liaises.

"Why don't you check out the roster for the GP women's book club? They're about 25 ladies on that list," suggests Taylor.

"Send me that list. I'll give you a call if I need you to help conduct interviews," Welch says.

….

"I enjoy these lunches. You are spoiling me," Tyler groans.

Bridget and Tyler lie still in her bed after just partaking in some very hot sex. Bridget doesn't have to go in to the hospital until eight o'clock tonight. Tyler is technically on his lunch break and has to be heading back to GP soon.

"I think our lunches are great, too," she flirts. He grins warmly at her.

"I don't think I've ever felt this way about anyone. I hope that you dig me too," he says softly.

"Tyler – you're great. I'm having fun. I hope you are as well," she says kindly. Tyler's grin falls.

"Yes – fun. But for me, it isn't just that. I hope that eventually, it'll become…more," he says, hopeful.

And there's that word: More. It's a word that holds so much promise. It holds so much potential. But for Bridget, it isn't the word that she's afraid of. She welcomes it with open arms. However, she only welcomes it with one man and one man alone – and the one who currently lies naked beside her isn't that man.

"Tyler, let's just take this a day at a time. Okay?" she grins warmly at him. He returns her grin with one of his own.

"Okay," he replies.

"So how's work going? Has the craziness died down yet?" she inquires.

"Just as I suspected, Ana came to work this morning with two security specialists," Tyler smirks.

"Wow – you called it," she murmurs.

"Yeah. And word has it that Grey's private security team will be conducting a series of interviews with the staff this afternoon. I'm sure the issue with my badge will come up," Tyler chuckles. Bridget suddenly loses her breath.

"Oh no – when did they announce that?" she says in surprise.

"Just after ten this morning. It's all good. I didn't hack the server, nor did I steal that paperwork," Tyler laughs off.

"I hope it goes well. Call or text me if you need anything," she says with a sober look.

"Bridget, seriously. It's fine. It's routine. They're just trying to nail the bad guys," assures Tyler. Bridget nods in concurrence.

"I have to go. Lunch tomorrow? Same time, same place?" Tyler murmurs.

"Yes. And tomorrow, I'll let you eat me," she purrs. Tyler turns into mush at her naughty words.

After Tyler leaves, Bridget sits silent in her robe, buried in her thoughts.

'He received those stills this morning and instead of getting pissed at her, he wants to interview her employees! Surely his PI team will tie me to both Tyler and the book club. It'll take them a little while longer to tie me to their boss,' she contemplates.

'Maybe I'll lie low until there's a reason to pick up and move. If it comes to that, I'll just have to execute the final phase of my plan from afar.'

….

At the 3 o'clock hour, Tyler sits in a conference room alone with an intimidating, older balding man with a gravely voice. Tyler nervously twiddles his thumbs on the table.

"So this…Bridget Marlowe – she claimed she lost her hospital badge here in the office?" the man questions the editor.

"I'm sorry – who are you again?" Tyler says with squinting eyes.

"My name is Welch. I'm a security consultant at your parent company – Grey Enterprises Holdings, Incorporated. Answer the question," he says, not missing a beat. Tyler blinks, trying to reign in his nerves.

"She did lose her ID here. I found it in the lobby where she waited on me earlier that day to do lunch," Tyler states.

"Why was she waiting here for lunch? Wouldn't the gentlemanly thing to do be to pick her up at her location?" Welch judges. Tyler gapes at him.

"She was in the neighborhood, so she drove here. I was in the process of wrapping up a meeting. Since I was driving us, she came up to the lobby and waited for me. People wait in our lobby for their lunch dates all the time," Tyler replies as though his reasoning is clear and valid.

"So, you said you met her at the hospital while she was helping to treat Mr. Roach?"

"That's right."

"Did Miss Marlowe tell you that she was a member of the book club hosted by Mrs. Grey?"

"She sure did."

"And are you still seeing her?"

"Yes – I am," Tyler glares, affronted.

"Have you shared anything about Mrs. Grey or the happenings here at Grey Publishing?" he interrogates. Tyler scoffs at him.

"Dude – I'm dating her. Of course I talk about work! She talks about her work to me all the time!" he snaps.

"Did you share any details or rumors you've heard about former GP author, Bryan Ashford with her?" Welch questions. Tyler begins to laugh.

"What does this have to do with the price of tea in China?" Tyler laments.

"Mr. Schmitt, this is an ongoing investigation. This information is paramount. Please – answer the question," Welch barks in an even tone.

"Whatever you think she did – she didn't do it! She's a good person! She doesn't even know the Greys like that!" Tyler pops.

"The sooner you answer my questions, the sooner this interview will be over. If she didn't do whatever it is that you think I'm after…fine. I'm not in the business of framing innocent people. I'm only here for the truth," Welch says in a straight-laced manner. Tyler calms down.

"I may have mentioned some of the things I heard happen before I started here. But again, they were only hearsay. Nothing concrete. I was just having a conversation with a great girl that I'm just getting to know," explains Tyler.

"Okay. Thank you, Mr. Schmitt. We're done here," Welch says plainly as he stands with an extended hand.

"Tha...that's it?" Tyler says, dumbfounded. He slowly stands and reluctantly takes Welch's hand to shake.

"That's all," Welch reiterates.

Tyler leaves the conference room feeling anxious and unsure.

….

"Two of the four un-located ex-lovers were physicians. If this Bridget Marlowe is in the medical field, it could be highly likely that she's connected to one of these two exes," Welch says to Taylor later on that afternoon over the phone. Taylor remains silent, taking in Welch's assessment.

"I think the key to our investigation lies with Miss Marlowe. She might lead us to our culprit," Welch declares.

"Did you run a background on her?" Taylor finally speaks.

"Yes – she checks out. She's a nurses' aide. She had a recent career change from business administration," Welch informs.

"Welch, I just don't see any of the old girls coming out of the woodwork in this way. If it's what you think, this particular ex is extremely bright and cunning. We allowed Leila Williams to run wild for weeks before she showed herself – and she was very messy. If this is another tormented ex, it'll take us much longer to pin this one down," Taylor says woefully.

"Remain positive, Taylor. Let's start with interviewing Miss Marlowe at the hospital tonight. She begins her shift at eight. Meet me there at ten," Welch says.

That evening at the hospital, Bridget walks down the corridor after administering medication to one of her patients. She looks straight ahead and witnesses two tall men in long black wool trench coats talking to Nurse Charlotte at the station. Bridget hurries and ducks into a corner, still able to see the two men's whereabouts. Nurse Charlotte does a series of hand gestures and then points to where Bridget was a short time ago. When the men turn their heads, Bridget is able to make out one of them. 'It's Taylor!' she says to herself, as her stomach twists.

Bridget discretely makes her way down the emergency stairs and out of the building, leaving her purse and coat.

A/N: Faithful Readers – I know that I've been spoiling you with regular updates for the past couple of weeks. I had to help a friend move over the weekend, which is why this update ran slightly behind. I hope to kick out two more chapters sometime this week. But again, life happens – so please don't be mad if I miss the mark. :D

Because of the way that I decided to write this chapter, I was able to condense content that would have taken place over three more chapters. I wanted to get another book club meeting in here, but I'd just be delaying the inevitable. So events will speed up now that Bridget is against the wall.

Just a warning to you, my faithful readers: This isn't the worse of the worse – but I'm sure you all knew that. ;)

Please review Chapter 14. Thank you! – ST2