Remember when I said I might end this at Chapter 75. Yeah, not happening. I miscalculated cause I TOTALLY forgot about this nugget. The meeting between CG and Nani from when she came to Seattle for a visit and decided to drop some bombshells. Till then, YAY for more chapters, right?

A lot of you are freaking out about Nani giving Vishaal and Kiran AHAK, there's missing dialogue in the previous chapter and that's on purpose but will make sense in chapter 75. Also GoWildCats - good catch about the lawyer being flustered!

Till then, I shall evil laugh and eat popcorn. muhaha. I know, I know, i'm signalling for right but end up turning left. I'm just having too much fun.

I wanted to take a moment to explain the family dynamic briefly in light of Reds77 review (loved your essay and it had me laughing my ass off!). Rania is Nana's relative (his late sisters grand-daughter). Karan and Aashu are not directly related to Nana or Nani. They are Kiran and Vishaal's paternal cousins. However, due to the fact they all are in a similar age group and the close business relationship as well, they all grew up together and are close. All relationships are explained in Chapter 6 - Authors Note. Scroll at the bottom of that chapter and you'll read how everyone is related to each other.

AHAK doesn't own KGI, only 40% of their company. The structure of all that and how it came to be is explained in Chapter 59, when Karan discusses the Will with CG.

AHAK is not worth $0. It is very much worth $15.8 Billion.

Chapter song: Judas - BANKS

Chapter 74 – in your mystique, your pretentiousness is fading

Four and half months ago: Saturday, April 18th, 2020

CPOV

"Before we begin, we would like for you to sign this NDA Mr. Grey. Feel free to review it with Mr. Travis but I'm sure you'll find our terms reasonable. We want to make sure you're comfortable with this." Rania says as she hands two copies of the document. This is not the Rania who makes fun of Ana or teases me. She hasn't cracked a smile except for when Ana's name was mentioned. She has otherwise been completely stoic.

As I review it, I see that it's airtight but makes note to include that only GEH employees under security, legal and IT may only be privy to the information that is discussed in this meeting. I find the singled out departments and employees rather odd. I then see Flynn's name listed as well. I look up at Nani briefly and I can tell she knows what really caught my eye. She gives me a reassuring smile and a slight nod. Fuck, she's already surmised that I'm going to need to talk to Flynn. I briefly wonder how she knows this but then I remember that Ana has told her about her therapy with Flynn. Another interesting tidbit is the time limit on the NDA. It only lasts until the end of the 3rd quarter or until Rania has me sign another document rendering it null and void before then. Travis gives me a look but eventually signals me that it's okay to sign.

After the documents are signed, both Rania and Travis leave and just like that it's only Nani and myself in the room.

You could slice the tension with a knife at this point.

"Mr. Grey, I think it would be prudent that we address each other formally for the duration of this meeting."

Interesting. I nod. "Understood." I pause for a moment. "May I ask, why not go with the honor code?"

"That was my husband's way of doing things. I'm different." She says simply.

"I see." She really is all business today. I find this a little unnerving. I need to channel all the control I've mastered in the last 15 years.

"In that case, the first thing on my agenda is that you stop surveillance on Vishaal."

WHAT THE FUCK?

"Excuse me?" I say slightly taken aback.

"I think I was pretty clear in my first statement."

Her tone is measured and her body language is relaxed. Her movements are fluid and graceful. She's in charge. I can't get a read on this woman. She's more of an enigma than her grand daughter. Ana may not be her flesh and blood but she is the emulation of her through and through.

I recover myself quickly. "No, you were... I just find your request rather odd given what he did to your grand daughter. Is Rania aware?"

"Rania only knows what I choose to share with her. She subscribes to the plausible deniability school of thought. As far as what Vishaal did to Aana, I am well aware but what you are doing is not going to bear any fruit."

"I find that hard to believe, Mrs. Karim" I feel my jaw tighten but work to quickly relax myself as I take a deep breath.

"Mr. Grey, what you have on him is circumstantial at best. As of now he's doing nothing illegal. I know you want to 'catch him' but you won't. Not by surveilling him."

"How can you be so sure?" I need to keep my temper at bay. I can't believe she can be so calm talking about this.

"I'm sure as death Mr. Grey." She gives me a pointed look and I feel my patience wearing thin.

"Is this a game to you all? Ana's well being? Because this is tearing her apart" I am fucking seething now.

She raises her voice slightly. "I am fully aware of what she is going through Mr. Grey but what you are doing will only instigate him further. He knows you're watching him."

I run my hands through my hair. This is fucking ridiculous.

Her voice softens a fraction. "I know you love her Mr. Grey and that you want to keep her safe..."

I interrupt her. "They only way I can keep her safe... is when he is locked up or in the ground Mrs. Karim. I don't know how you can be so calm and look him in the eye after knowing what he did."

"You cannot even begin to imagine what I'm going through Mr. Grey but I also believe in giving someone enough rope to hang themselves with. "

I scoff. "Let me guess, you want us to all sit pretty and wait for things to magically fall into place?"

"Yes."

"I can't do that."

"Mr. Grey, I want you to keep Aana safe because she is about to go through something difficult in the coming months."

It takes every ounce of my control to not react.

"How do you know this?"

She looks down and pauses for a few moments. "I know you don't believe in the Divine and that's perfectly alright but in my life my faith has served me well and brought me peace. I've rarely had dreams that I couldn't decipher... I've twice had a good dream about Aana and twice a bad dream. In both those instances I wasn't able to protect her and I do not want there to be a third time where I fail her." She says with a heavy voice.

"Her accident and her rape?"

"Yes. The second dream I had about her, I thought that maybe Rothstein might come after her so I had security assigned to her in college thinking maybe that's when he'd try something since she'd be so far from the family. Never in a million years did I think my own flesh and blood would be the cause of such pain and fear in her life... but I recently had another dream and that is why I've called this meeting."

"You seriously never knew?"

"No I did not. I could see that they had grown apart but I suspected it was she had just grown up, it happens, never in a million years would I have guessed it was... especially after everything she went through and what he did for her during recovery." She goes quiet.

"You think he will hurt her again."

"I don't know and I don't want to take any chances. All I know is that she will go through a great deal of difficulty, whether physically or mentally, that remains to be seen." She looks straight at me and I see the worry in her eyes.

I look down and rub my forehead. I feel my emotions start to spin out of control and I need to center myself.

"I understand that this is difficult for you... but I am asking you to just focus on keeping Aana safe and happy."

"Mrs. Karim, I'm trying to do my best."

"I know and I appreciate that. More than you know. Just keep what you're doing. She is truly happy with you."

"What you're asking me to do is..."

"You won't find anything on him Mr. Grey. In fact, you are or were more at risk of having something found out than he ever was."

What the fuck?

"What do you mean?"

She reaches to the seat next on her right and gives me a manila envelope.

"What's this?" I ask. I am not touching this shit.

"Your Hiroshima, Mr. Grey" she says stone-faced.

I swallow and open the envelope. It had some weight to it and my heart is beating so fast it might expire. I pull out the folder from inside and open it... what I see is my worst nightmare. It's photos of me in Elena's playroom from when I was younger. Blindfolded and gagged. I look like a kid. I was 15. I was a child. How the fuck did I think this was okay? In one picture my face is clearly visible as I'm lying on the bed being flogged. It's photos of me in my own playroom with a submissive as I fuck her from behind. Another one with a sub on her knees in front of me sucking me off. This is so fucking embarrassing. I can't even tell whom the fuck it is. There are more but I can't bring myself to look at them. What the fuck? How is that even possible? I can clearly see that it's me. I look to see paperwork behind all the pictures, it's a DNA analysis on four people along with pictures but I'm immediately distracted when I recognize two of the names and I want the ground to swallow me whole.

I look at her but I can't read her expression. FUCK. This is worse than my worst nightmare right now. The grandmother of the woman I want to marry and spend the rest of my life the most incriminating shit on me.

What the fuck do I say?

"Mrs. Karim, are you blackmailing me?"

"Why blackmail someone when you can just put an end to the situation." She says impassively.

I look away. What the fuck is happening right now?

"Mr. Grey, your past is of no concern to me. My concern is your present and your future with my grand daughter." She says simply.

"How did you find these?" I am going to murder Welch and Taylor the second I get out of here.

"The moment I saw you look at Aana at wedding, I had a comprehensive and invasive background check done on you. When the nature of your only friendand 17 acquaintances came to light... well, I did what any grandmother would have done. I took care of the more immediate problem. All this was recovered from Elena Lincoln's private air gapped laptop at her residence and her safety deposit box in the Cayman Islands. This was her insurance which she would've used eventually."

"How..." FUCK. I am fucking speechless. I knew she would've had something on me but when nothing was found at her home we assumed it was just my paranoia.

"I have been alive a very long time and I have friends in high places Mr. Grey. Very high places and I rarely ever call in favors." If this was me in her shoes I'd be smug as shit but I don't detect a hint of malice from her. I almost hear compassion in her voice.

I can't look her in the eye. I've never been ashamed of the lifestyle just the way I practiced it or my intentions going in. I realize in this moment that this is a complex argument that I need to table. Instead, I know I'm embarrassed because I've now on the defensive.

"Did you know that Elena Lincoln was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer?"

What?

"No... I didn't." What the hell? I guess that explains the cryptic letter.

"She refused treatment and chose to leave her estate to two of your acquaintances."

"Yes, I am aware of the latter." Although, I'm not entirely surprised she refused treatment. Her vanity wouldn't have allowed her.

"Both acquaintances are her blood relatives."

No. Please don't. Fuck, no. Of course Phoebe is related to her. The visits to San Jose. Fuck me. How could I have been so fucking stupid? But Leila? She's from the East Coast. What the fuck is happening right now?

I ask hesitantly "Is she her daughter? Are they both her daughters or..." I will throw up my guts if it's true.

"No, her half-brother's daughters. It appears he too was quite... adventurous and unsafe."

Thank you, God. I don't believe in you but I will thank you.

"She told me she was an only child and she had no family."

"Did you ever look into her Mr. Grey?"

I shake my head. I didn't. I never ran a background check on her. There was never a reason to. I was too young then when I grew older, the thought never crossed my mind. She manipulated me. She fucking manipulated me. How could I be so fucking stupid? Even my submissives, the background check was standard. I am such a fucking fool.

"Mr. Grey, Elena Lincoln as you know her was born Astrid Solomon to a broken family and neglectful parents in Mystic, Connecticut. She filed for emancipation when she was 16 and changed her name to Elena Newbury. She got involved in her extra circulars from quite a young age. Her older half brother, Bryce Weston on her mother's side seemed to be in the same circle. She moved out to San Jose and he supported her for a while till he was killed in a hit and run. After a couple of years she moved to Seattle and well... you know the rest."

I cradle my head in my hands. Fuck me. She pimped out her own nieces to me and repeatedly tried to get me to take them back. They were the only two she'd repeatedly tried to convince me to reconsider... well, only Leila after Phoebe was institutionalized. I want to rip my insides out.

"Another one of your acquaintances was quite instrumental in guiding us in the right direction when it came to Mrs. Lincoln."

I look at her completely dumbfounded, not entirely sure if I can handle another bomb.

"Miss Susannah Blake."

Just shoot me.

"How? She was trying to out me."

"Yes she was, again under the direction of Elena Lincoln. We were in the process of nipping that in the bud at Kavanagh Media but you beat us to it. She was desperate and I saw an opportunity to further and confirm my initial findings."

"Do I even want to know how you knew about the article that was going to come out?"

"Eamon Kavanagh owes me a few favors and he called me as a courtesy because he too sees Aana as a daughter and didn't want to see her hurt. He told me about one of the independent tabloid magazines in his portfolio that was thinking of running the story and the managing editor surprisingly had some foresight to run it by Eamon. It would've been bad business for him, both professionally and personally to show you in a bad light... but fortunately, Miss Blake recanted everything, however I had a better proposition for her."

"She informed for you?"

"Yes."

"And?"

"Well, we know a whole lot more about Mrs. Lincoln now. As soon as she told us that Miss Williams had confided in her about her relationship with Miss Richmond, it wasn't all that difficult after that. Mrs. Lincoln found out about Aana almost immediately after the wedding, how did that come to be, we have been unable to ascertain that as of yet. However, I assure you Mr. Grey, Miss Blake will no longer be a problem for you... ever."

Fuck me. So many questions are now racing through my mind. Before I can ask her another one she speaks again.

"You also might want to revisit the security of your servers at GEH."

My eyes widen further in alarm but I'm quickly overcome with seething anger and I bite back. "We have the best security Mrs. Karim."

"That very well may be, but you might want to keep your personal data in a more secure environment."

"Are you admitting to what I think you are?"

Her eyes soften and she gives me a small smile. "I'm giving you friendly industry advice. At AHAK we follow the same protocol. Personal data is completely separate from the business."

God dammit, I hate that I can't read her. Welch, Barney and Taylor are most definitely on my shit list right now. I look down at the envelope that could blow my life apart. Ana would never forgive me. She already hates the limelight... if she ever saw this shit... it would break her. She doesn't deserve any of this.

"These are the only copies. I assure you." She says in a tone that's reassuring, as if she could read my jarring thoughts and I am inclined to believe her. Her concern is ultimately Ana.

I swallow and nod looking down. "Thank you Mrs. Karim." That's all I can fucking say right now. Thank you for handing my ass to me.

"I did not do this for a thank you Mr. Grey. I did this for Aana, her happiness is my primary objective and unfortunately, given everything, all this is a complicated web that needs to be untangled rather carefully. I cannot cut through it with a pair of scissors and wreak havoc."

I am at a complete loss right now.

"Can you tell me about the good dreams you had about her?" I'm still looking down willing myself to focus and hoping hearing something good and innocent about Ana will keep all these feeling at bay.

I'm not looking at her but I can almost hear a smile when she starts to speak. "I was in my teens at finishing school when I first saw her. It wasn't Aana's face but the essence of a little girl with the most beautiful blue eyes looking back at me and she called me Nani. I looked for that girl my entire life. I thought maybe it would be Kiran when she was born then I thought maybe I'd meet her through Nita's children." She takes a few moments, I look up at her and I see her looking down wistfully before she begins again. "Then when Nita told me about Ray and Aana, I didn't think much of it till they both came to visit us for the first time in SF. Nita introduced her to me and had told her previously that she could address me as Nani. Aana held out her hand and greeted me, calling me Nani with her beautiful, piercing blue eyes. I searched for that moment for almost 65 years up until that point."

It's always been her eyes.

"The second time was when she was in a coma. I prayed for her day and night, begging God to give her the remainder of my years and health to bring her back to us." Her voice is now heavy and thick. "Then one night, I saw her happy and laughing, dancing while surrounded by friends and children of her own. I saw her with a man in need of healing who would love her just as much as she would love him."

I swallow and try to rid the lump forming in my throat. "You saw us."

"I saw the essence of who you are and who you two will become."

"She makes me a better man." I say looking up to her.

"You always have been a good man, you've just been a little lost, Mr. Grey. We all need a little help now and then to come back onto the right path." She gives me a small smile.

I look down and nod. I need to know more. I need to get back on track now.

"Do you know what your husband's Will says? Will Ana be protected?"

I need to know.

She smiles and nods. "My husband was the sole proprietor of AHAK. Whatever decision he ultimately made about his business, I trust to be fair and wise. In fact I have no doubt that he made the right decision. I am only in a ceremonial role at this time. I just sign my name on the final deals till the company is transferred over. In the event that Aana is not left with anything, I will personally see to it that she is cared for and protected through our personal estate regardless of my husband's Will. She is quite self-respecting and stubborn which I'm sure you already have figured out by now." She chuckles softly.

Ana is guilty as sin on both those accounts. It infuriates me and makes me love her all at that same time.

I nod. "I appreciate that but my concern is that she not be tied to Kapadia siblings in any way and that Vishaal is completely out of her life."

"I understand that and I want that too. At this point, we have to wait to see what the Will reading reveals. Aana made me promise that I wouldn't do anything to Vishaal and I'm trying my best to adhere to that while also protecting her... as I said before we have to allow things to fall in place and that requires patience which I can tell is in short supply for you." I see a hint of a smile and I want to roll my eyes but I control the urge.

I nod. "Is that all?" I need to get out of here. My mind is racing and I need to be in familiar territory before I explode.

"Yes, I believe so unless you have any other questions to ask?" I shake my head.

I stand and we both shake hands and agree to maintain normalcy in front of Ana in spite of this conversation. Though I have no idea how I'm going to do that this weekend. I turn around to walk out but before I reach the door, I hear her call out.

"By the way, don't you think it was poetic justice as to how she died? I thought the Seattle Nooz article would be a nice touch."

I feel my heart fall into my stomach as I look back and see a smile on her face.

HOLY FUCK.

A/N: Who's mysterious and a BAWSE BITCH?

to the guest who wanted the verdict to be rolled back. I AM DYINGGGGGG. If your boyfriend was freaking out at you screaming, my sister almost had me committed for laughing like a lunatic.

All the reviewers: I wish we could all sit in a socially distanced circle and freak out together while eating good comfort food and iinhale drinks of choice. I love reading your reviews and really wish fanfiction had an option for me to publicly reply to your reviews like we can on facebook or twitter. sigh. Till then PM me if anything. MUCH LOVE.