Chapter 28 – She Works Hard For The Money

The moment Christian enters his office after his workout with Claude, I turn in my seat to face him. He's startled to see me in his office waiting for him. He's also alarmed by the uncertain expression on my face. Quickly, he shuts the office door and approaches me on the comfortable chairs opposite his desk.

"Baby, what's wrong?" he asks while sitting beside me, not taking his concerned eyes off of me.
"The secret's out," I simply reply. He winces at me, puzzled.

"Someone saw us kissing at the Space Needle on Saturday," I explain. His eyes initially open wide in surprise. Soon afterwards, Christian's demeanor evens out.

"Well Anastasia, I'd be lying if I told you that I was disappointed that we no longer have to hide our relationship," he says quite frankly. Of course he's glad. He didn't want this kept under wraps at work to begin with. It was all me.

Frustrated and lost, I place my face into my hands. I feel…misunderstood? It's not about hiding this wonderful man sitting before me from anyone. I love him more than anything in this world. I want to shout it from the mountaintop – 'I am in love with Christian Grey! And guess what?! He loves me back!' But we're in a very unique situation. Christian is the owner and head of a company that has over forty thousand employees – and I work for that company. I just came on board close to four months ago. I've had no time to prove that I deserve to be among the upper echelon of Grey Enterprises Holdings, Incorporated. I'm fresh out of college and to those who have been here a while longer, I am still wet behind the ears. I've had yet to cut my teeth on anything significant other than the employee satisfaction index initiative.

And now that the word's out that I'm involved with the CEO, I hear a collective 'Oh – so that's how she got the position!' in the back of my mind. Those off-putting looks that I was getting earlier on the 8th floor all make sense. That's exactly what those girls were thinking as I walked past them. The very thought is nauseating. Christian wraps his arms around me.

"Ana, it is going to be okay. If anyone talks shit about you, just let me know who they are and I will fire them immediately," he says sternly. I slowly lift my head up from my hands and look at him over at my side.

"Christian, you just can't fire people left and right simply because of how they may feel about my sudden rise in this company. Their jobs are their livelihoods," I try and reason with him. And it's at that moment that I decide not to tell Christian about Gunther's role in all of this. Although I may be upset at Gunther, I am not mad enough to cost him or anyone else their jobs.

"I don't want people spreading lies about you, Ana. You're a rising star and if people can't see that, then they don't deserve to be working here," Christian says passionately. Of course he would say that. Christian has more faith invested in me than anyone.

Christian was the one who gave me a shot and allowed me the opportunity to shine with the employee satisfaction initiative. He places me in positions where I can excel professionally. But now that the word is out, I will always be in Christian Grey's shadow. People won't feel free to be themselves around me in fear of me going back to my boyfriend for every single thing – which I absolutely would not do. I have my own brain, which is why Christian hired me to be his support manager in the first place. I don't bore him with the minor details of day-to-day bullshit. He doesn't have the time for every minutia. That's what he pays me for. After a few beats, Christian calmly addresses me.

"Ana, what if there's a chance that this is only a perception that's all in your mind? Give it some time and see how people react in the long term. If anyone asks if we're together, I'll simply reply, 'Yes', and you'll do the same. I think you'll be pleasantly surprise how others may react. Especially when they find out that this is not just a fling and that we are madly in love with each other," he says warmly. I briefly fall into his loving gray eyes, and I almost forget about my fears.

"Yes Christian, I am madly in love with you. I guess I'll give it some time and try not to be so paranoid," I concede.
"Good. Well, I'm off to the next meeting," he announces.

I nod and he stands. He extends his hand like the gentleman that he is and helps me up on my feet. Without saying a word, he folds me in his arms and I place my cheek on his chest as I hug him back. When we slightly release, he leans down and places a warm brief kiss on my lips.

"Baby, it's going to be okay. Just keep doing what you've been doing. I'll see you on the ride home. If anything happens between now and then, call me and I'll leave my meeting right away," he says in a comforting voice.

"Christian, nothing's going to be that important. I'll be fine. Honest," I assure him.
"All right, but if anything does happen – call me," he reiterates. I nod and he kisses me longer than before.

….

There were times when I would call on colleagues or send them an email and they would get right back to me. However, today is quite different. I can't get anyone to do what I'm asking for – and I can't help but wonder if it has anything to do with the rumors that are slowly making their way up the floors of Grey House. If Brittany McCall is nothing else, she's a very effective communicator. Perhaps we should just use her big mouth to do building-wide communications instead of email.

Suddenly, someone raps softly at my door.
"Yes?" I call out.
"Ana – it's KB," she softly responds. Oh boy, HR's now involved.
"Come in," I reply. Katie enters my office wearing an unreadable expression, and I instantly know why she's here.

"Do you have a minute?" she carefully asks.
"Sure. Have a seat," I offer. She obliges.
"So, I'm not sure if you're aware of the talk that's been going around Grey House. I'm just here to check on you…as a friend," she says warmly. Oh?

"I'm aware," I say with an annoyed sigh.
"So – is it true? Are you in a…sexual relationship with Mr. Grey?" she says with shocked wide opened eyes. I wince at her and then frown. So, people think that we're just fucking. How rich.

"KB, Christian is my boyfriend. We're in a relationship," I say affronted. Katie gasps, seemingly surprised and embarrassed all at once.
"Oh wow! That's…I thought…and the speed dating…" KB stutters, at a lost for words.
"It wasn't long after I went speed dating with you that Christian and I decided to give things a try," I reveal to her. A look of relief rushes across her face.

"Oh, Ana – I am sorry. I didn't…I didn't know," she stutters, utterly embarrassed.
"It's okay, KB. No one knew other than our family and close friends," I assure her.
"Wow, I can't image how difficult it was for you two to do that. I understand why you both may have wanted to keep things quiet," she says with empathy.

"Well in Christian's defense, it was more me than him that wanted to keep things quiet at work," I say.
"I get it. But now the word's out and it's all that people are talking about," she says regretfully. I frown at her. Just as I thought, Christian and I are the Grey House gossip 'Topic De Jour'. I cringe at the though.

"Ana, I suggest that Mr. Grey releases a communication putting an end to all of the speculation. Until then, people will continue to make their own assumptions," KB recommends. Nope, let's not make things any worse than they already are at this point. I'm all about just letting the gossip stream die down and hopefully things will eventually return back to normal. Either that, or I'll have to find a job in publishing fast. Perhaps I need to give Lucas a call to see whatever became of his meeting with Jerry Roach over at SIP.

"KB, I don't think that's a good idea. It'll only add gasoline to the fire. I think things will probably die down in a few days," I say adamantly.
"Okay. Well I'm glad to hear that things are going well with you…and Mr. Grey," KB says sweetly.
"Yes, they are. Thank you," I smile back at her.
"So, in Vegas – when you two wandered off…" she starts to say.
"We were just getting to know each other back then," I beam at her. She beams back at me.

"Ana, as a friend, I am extremely happy for you. And as a member of the HR team, I'm here if you need me if things get a little too…heated with your fellow co-workers," she says carefully.

"Thank you, KB. I really appreciate it," I say. In a surprise move, she rises and comes behind the desk to give me a hug.

I may have lost Gunther as a friend, but I've gained Katie. I'd much rather have her in my corner than flakey ass Gunther Lewis anyway. I still can't believe how quickly and harshly he turned against me the moment he found out that I was with Christian. And I'm glad that Lacy told him she knew that Christian and I were together.

No people, this is not a fling. Christian Grey and I are madly in love.

….

At the end of the workday, Christian and I exit the elevator together on the main floor. I didn't want to make such a scene, but Christian urged me to leave work with him. We march side by side past the reception area and I consciously look over at the blonde welcoming committee. It's two of them this afternoon and it appears that they were just in the middle of a private conversation until Christian and I surface.

As Christian looks ahead not paying either of them any mind, each blonde gives me their own unique sour look. Whoa! Really, girls?! And in a move that I did not expect, Christian takes me by the hand as we set off towards the exit. Normally, I'd be pissed at such a public display of affection while here at work. However, the broken look on those blonde's faces as I quickly glance back at them brings me so much life. Yeah, girls – how 'bout them apples! You can frown all you want at me! This wonderful man of mine right here has my back!

I'm not just a sex toy for the CEO of GEH to get his kicks with. I have a brain of my own and I contribute to this company just as much as the next person does.

On the ride home, I gaze through the window and Christian reaches over to take my hand.

"No one has said anything at all to me about us today," Christian speaks. I turn and narrow my eyes at him.
"Well of course not. You're the CEO, Christian. Your employees will never put you on the spot," I spark.

"Has anyone come up to you?" he asks.
"Katie Burns did. Otherwise, no," I respond soberly. Christian looks at me intently.
"Well, what did she say?" he asks.
"Nothing much, really. She just said that she was happy for me," I tell him.
"That's positive," he says in a way that suggests that I kept this a secret all for nothing. But he didn't see the scandalous looks I got when I roamed the halls at work. He wasn't there when I heard about Gunther calling me a gold digger.

Granted, Gunther asked me out way before Christian ever did. However, due to Gunther's behavior as of late, I now understand why I chose Christian over him. Christian would have never said the things about me that Gunther said. Christian would have never bitched about me to the company's gossip queen. Christian is a stand-up guy. Gunther is a fraud and a coward. I can't believe that I even considered Gunther as a friend to begin with.

"Ana, I don't like it when you're sad and quiet. I prefer to see you happy and full of life," Christian says soberly. Oh, Christian, I wish I could be the Ana that you seek right now. I have to see how bad the fallout at Grey House will be, if there's even a fallout at all.

Sure, some people in passing were looking at me sideways and I may have not received the usual rapid response from colleagues that I am used to getting. However, does that really mean anything? I could just be paranoid. I need to not take anything to heart unless it's more than obvious that people aren't respecting me due to me dating Christian.

"I'm sorry. I'll get over it – promise," I assure him. Christian tightens his mouth in a semblance of a smile.
"It's going to be fine, Ana. You'll see," he soothes. A genuine smile slowly makes its way on my face.

"As long as we're together, I know that everything will be fine," I say sweetly. He gives me an authentic smile in return.
"It's you and me, baby. Nothing or no one will ever change that," he says in a smoky murmur.

I lean over to kiss him. Oh, I'm so glad that we're on our way home.

….

As we make love that night in our bed, our eyes connect. Here we are, no longer hidden in the shadows. Christian and I are now free to be who we are together at work. But at what cost? The only one at risk to lose anything in this whole ordeal is me. How can I remain at GEH if no one respects my role in the company? Without respect in the workplace, what is there? My success is limited to my ability to inspire others for a common cause. If my colleagues think that I'm just Christian Grey's brainless piece of ass, then that kills any hope for me to ignite others to better our company.

"Bunny – look at me," Christian murmurs as he moves in an intoxicating slow and sensual rhythm. I didn't realize that my eyes trailed off. I lock gazes with him once more, and all I see is his love and devotion towards me.

"Ah," I exhale.
"Yes, baby. I love you so, so much," he tenderly declares. Oh my – this man knows exactly the way to my heart. In fact, he owns my heart.
"Christian – I love you too," I moan. I start to feel that familiar sensation building up inside of me.

"Come for me Ana," he exhales. I open up for him like a morning glory, gasping out my orgasm. Christian follows, coming quietly before collapsing onto me. After a few beats, he begins kissing my face, neck, and then my mouth. Our lips smack apart and we gasp collectively.

"I can never get enough of you, Miss Steele," he says lovingly.
"And I'll never have enough of you, Mr. Grey," I beam at him. He swiftly pecks my lips with his.

"I'm so happy that we no longer have to hide our love anymore. We can now share it with the world," he says with a sense of reserved jubilation. And who am I to rain on this man's parade? His elation makes me smile. Maybe I'm just being way too paranoid. This is the only thing that matters right now: Us – Christian and I.

"So when I ask you to be my wife, no one at work will be shocked," he murmurs, quickly kissing my lips once more. I frown at him and he winces in surprise.

"Why do you keep threatening to propose to me?" I say with faux indignation. He grins, knowing very well that I'm just giving him shit.
"Well, I don't want you to be surprised when it happens. Until then, I want you to rehearse over and over again saying 'yes'," he says while smirking. I giggle.

"Well, before I say 'yes', I want to get one thing straight, Mr. Grey," I preface. He narrows his eyes at me, amused.
"And what would that one thing be, Miss Steele?" he goads.

"If we get married…"
"When," he interrupts, correcting me.
"When we get married, I want more than just one child…and before the age of forty," I smirk at him. His countenance falls, which throws me for a loop.

"Anastasia, before I met you, I've never even contemplated about falling and love and getting married. Since you came into my life, I have now considered all of the above. Baby, if you want more than one child, we will have more than one child. All I ask is that I have a little while longer to be alone with you before we add children to the mix. I want to show you the world first," he pleads. And his request doesn't fall on deaf ears.

"Christian, of course. I'm not asking to have children immediately. Maybe five or ten years down the line," I say in a compromise. He flashes me a boyish lopsided grin.
"That's reasonable," he perks.
"Well good – I'm glad that you think so. This whole communication thing is kind of neat," I giggle. He sighs and softly kisses my lips.

"So since we're discussing the future, there's this land on Puget Sound that I'm considering buying for us. It's prime real estate. I want to show it to you tomorrow after work so you can see if you like it. If you do, I'll close the deal," he says. I gape at him. He's already planning a home for us…together. Whoa.

"Okay," I grin at him.
"Alright – to sleep you go, Miss Steele. Unless…" he says with a sardonic brow. Every nerve ending in my body sparks.

"I'll take the 'unless', Mr. Grey," I purr. In a surprising maneuver, he takes my nearest hand and moves it down to his erection. Holy crap – this man is like the Energizer Bunny when it comes to sex! He's a machine!

"Excellent choice, Miss Steele," he murmurs seductively before taking me once more.

….

Tuesday morning, I sit in a meeting with purchasing in place of Christian who's tied up with his executive team.

"So, we need to switch suppliers for some of the components on the new fleet of ships that we're building," one gentleman speaks out.
"I understand that. However, we can't compromise quality. It'll more than likely cost us more in the long run of we do," I argue.

"Ana, I don't think you quite understand our business. Continuous cost improvement is a standard function," a female speaks out.

"I believe that I know enough. You've heard the phrase: 'You get what you pay for'? The saying holds true for our business as well," I counter. Yeah, I know I'm new, but I'm not dumb. You don't add cheap parts to a major investment. That's just poor business sense.

"Every bit of savings counts! We can't be blowing money out of the window on commodity parts!" the woman argues back at me. Whoa, she's getting down right hostile with me!

"I understand your passion, but I'm making the call. We stick with our current suppliers," I say, putting my foot down. The woman sighs.
"Well, with all due respect, I'll take Mr. Grey's word over yours," she smarts back. I wince at her. The nerve of her!

"I am Mr. Grey's proxy when he's not present. My word is just as good as his," I strike back, but in an even tone. I will not let this woman best me. I will keep a cool head. I will keep a cool head.

"No offence Ana, but contrary to what everyone else may believe in this building, your word means absolutely nothing to me. You don't sign my checks. I'll take this up with Mr. Grey myself, if you don't mind," she spits at me. What the fuck! This woman is usually kind and agreeable with me! Now today she wants to battle against my judgment?!

"Be my guest. We can end here and reconvene at another time," I say as I kindly rise to my feet. I am fuming on the inside, but I don't let these people see me sweat. Without speaking another word, I exit the conference room ahead of everyone else and I head to the ladies' restroom furthest away.

I tuck away in the last stall, which is wheelchair accessible. And even though I don't have to use the restroom, I place a sanitary cover over the seat, lift my skirt, and lower my underwear before positioning myself accordingly.

Placing my elbows on my bare knees, I rest my face in my palms. I am overwhelmed right now. I could be doing this in my office, but I didn't feel like taking the elevator up from the 4th floor with those characters that I just got done meeting with. Hey, I'm just doing my job! Why question that?!

Yep – it's just what I feared. This is what I was dreading the most. This is why I kept Christian and I a secret all this time. Ana Steele, you have to get a grip! She would have reacted the same way to your mandate had she not known about you and Mr. Grey – surely. I try to calm my nerves. Shortly before I set to rise, I hear two women talking quietly while entering the restroom. I stay put. In a sudden move, I raise my feet so they don't rest on the floor.

"So yeah…I'm trying to save this company money, and she has the nerve to say that we couldn't switch suppliers," the first woman says, perturbed. Oh shit, it's that chick from purchasing bitching to someone…about me!

"Really? So what did you say?" the second woman asks, intrigued.
"I told her, 'No offence, but I'll take Mr. Grey's word over yours. You don't sign my paycheck, honey.' Fuck that, she's not costing me my job," the first woman murmurs.

"Well, don't be surprised if Mr. Grey sides with his whore instead of you. She's the one sucking his cock, not you," the second woman whispers scandalously. You gotta be fucking kidding me! I can't believe what I am hearing!
"Right. I don't even know what he sees in that little girl to begin with. She's dumb as rocks and doesn't even know the first thing about CCI," the first one bitterly pipes. What?! Why, you little…

"Steele's a slut. She was messing around with Gunther Lewis in finance – and when he wasn't enough, she started fucking the CEO. Don't worry, she wont last for too long here," the second girl responds discretely. My eyes practically bulge out of their sockets. It's worse than I thought that it could be.

"I should take a office pool. See how long she'll even last," the first girl says. The second girl giggles.
"You should! My vote's for two weeks," the second girl whispers, humored. Well, how about one day. I can't deal with people who think like that. I'm done. Finished.

"I have another meeting. I'll talk with you later," the first woman says as they both exit the ladies room without even using it. I sit in the now silent bathroom with my eyes still agape and my mouth wide open in shock. I can't believe what these girls were just saying about me!

Oh no! No, no, no, no… My worst fears are now being realized. My thoughts are now being acted out in reality. All of those thoughts…all those feelings that I had inside of me are now manifested in the natural. People have zero respect for me now. They think that I'm behind closed doors sucking Christian's cock and feeding him bad advice. I can't stay here any longer. There's no way I can shine in this company any more.

After a few seconds…minutes even, I finally have the nerve to stand and exit the large stall. I somberly walk to the sink to wash my hands. To my shock, another stall swings open. And just when I thought I was the only one left in here. To my utter shock, it's Lacy. What is she doing on the 4th floor? It appears that she was doing exactly what I was doing – hiding in a stall. I remove my hands from the censor and the water stops running. I look at Lacy's disturbed reflection in the mirror.

"Ana – you heard that," she says regretfully. I soberly nod.
"Fuck them. They don't know what you do for this company. They're just jealous of you," Lacy says adamantly. I tighten my lips in a crooked line as I dry my hands with a towel.
"It's all about perception, Lacy. Look – I'm going to go home for a few hours and gather myself. I'll be back sometime this afternoon," I tell her, in call that I make on the fly. I need to get out of this building, if only for an hour or two. Maybe I'll return after lunch, if I return to this hellhole at all. Lacy quickly washes and dries her hands before I can leave.

"Okay Ana. I hope you come back…please. Call me if you need me," my friend says in a plea. I nod sadly and Lacy reaches in to comfort me with a hug.

….

As Taylor drives me home, I send Christian an email letting him know that I'll be resting at home for a few hours. I don't explain why. Immediately, I shut off my phone. I just want a few hours to myself to figure all of this shit out. I now know that I am working in a hostile environment. I am no longer simply imagining things. People genuinely spite me for having relations with the CEO. The thought causes my stomach to churn.

Taylor doesn't bother to probe me. He just makes the assumption that I'm not feeling well. It's not far from the truth at all. I am feeling miserable. For those who can work in an atmosphere where little or no one respects them, my hat goes off to them. I can't work that way. I need to have some buy-in from those around me. If I can't get people to respect my contribution to the company, then I don't belong there.

Some people work to simply get a paycheck. Granted, that was the initial reason why I took this job in the first place. However, I am now fully invested in GEH. I want to see the company succeed. I spend countless of sleepless nights thinking about how to improve our company and our investments. While others are playing catch with their children, I'm strategizing the next project. I can afford to do that because my boyfriend is often tucked away in his study doing the very same thing.

At home, I lie on my side of the bed still dressed in my work clothes. I sob quietly into my pillow. I am now struggling with my own identity.

'Mr. Grey's whore!' 'Steele's a slut!' I hear the disgusting phrases reverb in my mind, repeatedly. But Ana, they don't understand – it's much deeper than that. You and Christian are in love! You've talked about marriage…and children! My own mind tries to talk me off the ledge. But alas, no one will ever understand, nor care about how much in love Christian and I are in. To them, I will always be the girl that sucks the cock of the CEO in order to get her way. In fact, I used my prowess to get Christian to lay off of Lucas Woods. And I'm sure I'd use it again if the opportunity presents itself.

Hell – who am I fooling? I need to get the hell out of this company! After I 'rest', I will contact Lucas and find out what ever became of his meeting with Jerry Roach. I need to leave GEH now more than ever. As my thoughts continue to parse my mind in a schizophrenic fashion, I surprisingly drift off into a restless sleep.

….

I wake with a start. I've only drifted for about an hour. Immediately, I reach for my Blackberry at my bedside and switch it back on. After a few beats, it buzzes uncontrollably. There are missed calls and texts – mostly from Christian. There is also an onslaught of emails. I begin first with the texts.

Christian Grey
10:22a: Ana, are you okay? Where are you?

Christian Grey
10:34a: I just read your email. Are you not feeling well?
Call me soon or I will come home.

Lacy Stevens
11:52a: Ana, I am so sorry, but Mr. Grey forced me to tell him what was
going on with you. I had to tell him what happened in the ladies' room.

Fuck, Lacy! What in the world did Christian do! Before calling him to find out, I decide to check the number of emails unread in my inbox. One particularly stands out. It's a company-wide alert from Christian himself.


From: Christian Grey
Subject: Message from the CEO
Date: October 18, 2011 11:48
To: All GEH Employees

GEH Employees,

Over the past couple of days, you may have been subjected to hearsay around the company concerning a potential inappropriate relationship between my support manager, Miss Anastasia Steele and myself. For those of you that have personally worked with me, you are well aware that I am not a fan of the rumor mill. I do not appreciate gossip and innuendo of any kind in my company. Therefore, the purpose of this communication is to set the record straight once and for all. After this, I no longer want to hear of any gossip or destructive talk regarding the subject.

Let me assure you that nothing about the relationship between Miss Steele and myself is "inappropriate". Many of you have a private life outside of GEH, which may include a significant other. You are able to balance both a career here in this company along with a quiet personal life outside of these four walls.
Believe it or not, I also have a private life with a significant other outside of work. However, my significant other so happens to be my support manager here in the office. Miss Steele and I are in a very serious personal relationship that had to be kept under wraps, not only to preserve our privacy but also to maintain the integrity of our working relationship.

Since word has leaked out about our personal relationship, I have caught wind of some very negative comments towards Miss Steele. This is unacceptable. Although Miss Steele would never reveal who has spoken ill about her, you can guarantee that appropriate action will be taken if I ever find out by other means.

Just as many of you would not tolerate anyone speaking badly about your individual significant others, I will not tolerate you speaking filth and lies about mine. Not only will I not permit foul talk against the woman that I love, but I also I will not allow vicious talk against the very same woman who helps to keep this company on its toes.

Because of Anastasia Steele, non-executives currently have access to corporate vehicles. There is also a popular fitness initiative that Miss Steele has spearheaded, along with the employee recognition and mentor/mentee programs. Miss Steele has been the voice of all GEH employees. She is able to work in the trenches with you and then report back to me unlike anyone else prior. In most cases, Miss Steele has made GEH a better place to work.

There are initiatives in place that you may not be aware of where Miss Steele's sole decisions have allowed GEH to generate over five million dollars in revenue in just over a month without the assistance of either my executive staff or myself. Not too many people at the company can tout those very same accomplishments. Needless to say, Miss Steele's record speaks for itself.

Miss Steele is a very vital part of the GEH family. I would hate to lose her talent simply because a select few refuse to work in harmony with her. When Miss Steele makes a judgment call in my place, you are to take it as gospel. I will not be accepting any meetings that are aimed to appeal any decision that she has made.

In conclusion: Yes, Miss Steele and I are indeed a couple. However, that does not discount any of the major accomplishments that she has achieved all on her own accord. Miss Steele is well equipped for the job as my support manager. I hope that this communication has cleared up any and all misconceptions.

Christian Grey
CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings, Inc.


….

I march into Christian's office, seething. He gapes at me from his desk, utterly surprised.

"Why did you send that email without talking to me first!" I snap at him. He winces.
"Ana, it had to be done. You left here upset. I won't tolerate any of that bullshit. You'll never hear another ill word uttered against you again," he firmly declares. I frown at him.

"Yes, but now it'll only be worse! They'll still be thinking it and they really wont respect me as a peer! It's just that now, they're simply afraid to lose their jobs if they say anything out loud!" I counter bitterly.
"Good – as they should be," he says petulantly. I lean backwards, amazed at his ignorance. I can't believe he can't see that what he's done has just sealed my fate. I really can't work for GEH any more. I'm done. I'm truly done here.

"You just placed the final nail in my professional casket here at GEH, Christian. I have to quit," I say in a lower tone, expressing not only my frustration but also my sorrow.

"Ana, no. I won't accept your resignation. Give it some time…please. I need you," he lovingly declares. My heart starts to ache. I walk over to his side of the desk and lean against the surface, three feet away from where he is seated.

"Christian, you have me. I will never leave you. I just can't work with you anymore. Don't you see?" I plead. He shakes his head.

"Ana, I need you not only in my life, but in my company," he says with determination. And his gray eyes pierce my very being as releases those words from his beautiful mouth.
"Christian…I have dreams and goals too. And they don't include working at GEH. You know that," I softly plead. He closes his eyes as if pained. My heart falls.

"Ana, please," he sighs, exasperated.
"You shouldn't have sent that email, Christian," I scold.
"It had to be done," he says, sticking to his guns. I shake my head at him.

"I wish you could put yourself in my shoes for once. You only see the world from your ivory tower. There's much more going on than you realize," I breathe, hopeless that my words will even make a difference.

"Ana – I hear you, I do. But do you hear me? I said that I need you by my side. You are my eyes and ears. I can't lose you professionally either," he pushes back. Does he really think I keep things afloat around here? Does he believe that these walls will crumble the moment I walk out of these doors for good?

"Christian, you started this multi-billion dollar company without me and you will continue to be successful…even without me working here," I say with strong assurance.

"But it wont be the same," he says. And the sound of his voice is reminiscent of a small lost boy at the age of four. Does he think that I'm abandoning him…like his birth mother did? No, Christian. No – I'm not abandoning you. I'm just leaving my job. I will always be yours no matter where I end up.

"Me staying here working alongside you is your dream. What about my dream?" I murmur. Again, he closes his eyes as if pained. A lump begins to swell in my throat at the sight of him warring internally with himself.

"Baby…I…I…" Christian can't find the words. He's in a struggle with himself against what he wants and what I want. Could we somehow compromise? Is there a middle ground? Sadly, I don't think there is a middle ground for us. Either he gets what he wants or I get what I want.

"Christian, I have a meeting to prepare for in my office. We'll talk later," I try and soothe. I take my hand and gently run it across his unruly copper hair. He suddenly places his hand over mine, stilling my hand. His eyes roll upward to look at me.

"This is so hard for me, Ana. You know it is," he breathes as if labored.

"I know," I murmur hauntingly.

….

"Hey Ana. Do you have a moment?"

Ros surprises me when she enters my office. She has a gentle look on her strong face. I nod soberly as I turn from my computer screen and focus on her. Ros closes the door behind her and takes a seat in front of my desk.

"I can't imagine what you might be going through right now. I just wanted to tell you that you have my absolute support. Whatever you need, I'm there," Christian's number two in command offers up. Her kind words humble me.

"Ros, thank you," I say in appreciation.
"Ana, I'm serious. You deserve to be here. People have no inkling as to what you do here. You are bright, professional and tough. Christian needs you and GEH needs you," Ros declares. I wince at her words.

"I'm here on my own accord. I was not…sent, if that's what you're worried about," she smirks. I manage a faint smile. She surely read my thoughts.
"Anyway, on a separate note, I am happy to hear that you and Christian are together. You are more than good for him. He needed someone like you to come along to show him what matters truly in life. And that has spilled over to him professionally. He is more patient in instances where he wouldn't have been in the past. The executive team and me owe our newfound sanity all to you, Ana," Ros chuckles heartedly. Her humor causes me to giggle.

"Thank you, Ros. I really do appreciate hearing that," I say sincerely.
"Everyone on the executive staff supports your personal relationship with Christian. Just know that. And we all believe in you as his support manager. People will continue to talk shit Ana, but always remember that we at the top all know that you are more than capable to do your job, Ana," Ros assures me.

My heart swells. So, upper management is confident in my ability. How do I then go about winning over my peers? Will I ever?

….

For the past two days, people from all walks of life have come in and out of my office voicing their support for me, and my relationship with Christian. The out poring of support has been so heart warming that I had to personally apologize to Christian for blowing up at him for his company-wide communication. It may have been the best thing that he could have done. However, the long-term effects still remain to be seen. I haven't spoken to Gunther since our fallout even though I've seen him in passing. However, believe it or not, that whole ordeal pales in comparison to a more recent crisis…

I'm over a week late for my period and I am freaking the hell out!

I fear the absolute worse. For the past day or so, Christian's words about wanting to wait to have children play over and over again in my mind. He's not ignorant to my change of mood. Luckily, I have the controversy of our relationship being revealed at work as material to fall back on every time Christian asks what's wrong with me. However, that will only carry me so far.

That night in bed, Christian and I are making out. We are both naked and he murmurs into my ear.

"Are you on your period yet?"
Fuck.
"Uh…no," I exhale nervously. Instantly, his hands stop moving around my body and he looks down at me.

"Ana, you should've had your period by now," he says with concerned eyes.
Holy shit. I'm screwed.

"I…I know," I say fearfully.
"Ana, you've been taking your pill as scheduled…right? You haven't missed any days?" he says, wanting reassurance.

"Well…there was that one weekend where we went sailing and soaring. I forgot and had to take two pills at once," I say, awkwardly brandishing my lower row of teeth. Instantly, Christian jolts and sits up in bed. Oh shit! Nope…there will be no sexy time tonight.

"You're supposed to be taking that pill every fucking day at the same fucking time! How can you be so careless, Anastasia!" he barks at me. Holy shit, he's livid! Oh man – is he going to break up with me if I'm pregnant? My heart constricts as if it's suffocated. I think I'm going to be sick. Or could it be morning sickness? Now I'm getting sicker by the second just thinking about the possibility.

"I…I can take a home pregnancy test," I stutter, sitting up in bed and covering myself with the duvet.
"No – you will see Dr. Greene! If it's a false alarm, then she can immediately give you the fucking shot! You obviously can't handle the pill!" he snaps at me.

What the fuck, Grey! Seriously!

Do I honestly want to be in a relationship with a man who hates the idea of children so much?


A/N: Sorry for the long delay, faithful readers. Life called and I had to answer. Lots of hot projects at work, spent time with friends, and my son also had a birthday. I go on the road tomorrow for work, but I will try to update again by Sunday from my hotel room.

So in this chapter, we end with a pregnancy scare. Like canon, we endure the very same thing. From some of your reviews, the majority of you want Ana to have the time to grow alone with Christian. This is something that she really didn't get to do in the book series. Trust me, I know that once you have a child, your entire world changes. I think that's what Christian fears the most.

Next chapter, Ana gets an offer for her dream job. Also, will the threat of pregnancy take its toll on our favorite couple?

Lastly, I've made one final change to the genre. I'm calling it "General." Someone aired their grievance over the "Humor" category. Granted there's not as much humor as I originally intended for this story, but I can't call it "Drama" considering the tone of my first two stories. One day, I will write a genuine "Humor" story. It's truly a goal of mine. ;)

As always, thanks so much for reading. Please review chapter 28. – ST2