Hi everyone, I'm very sorry for the long wait, but with the craziness with the COVID in the world real life got too hectic and priorities shifted a bit. Me and Ro promise not to abandon this story, what we can't promise regular updates and for that I'm really sorry but it is what it is right now.

Hope you enjoy this chapter.

Christian POV

"For the love of all that is holy Ana, stop it. Your stubbornness is literally going to kill you, and then where will your father's legacy be?"

"I'm not being stubborn!"

"Really? So, doing a face plant on your desk is not a result of you being stubborn? Banging your head against flattened hard surfaces is something you do on a regular basis?"

Her face is fuming red, which, in my opinion, is a healthier colour than chalky white. I'd rather she be pissed mad and healthy than looking like death.

"You're a workaholic Ana and I get it. I've been that. I've gone for days entombing myself in my study where Gail almost threatened to tie me down and spoon feed me if I didn't return her plates back empty. I know what it feels like to be in the zone where the need to get it done is stronger than any consideration for your health. Maybe this method of isolation to attain your goal has been a success in the past but at what expense? If your father ever knew you worked yourself sick, he would've given you the height of shit for neglecting yourself. So, stop being a martyr and ask for fucking help!"

"I didn't want to take time away from you flirting with every skank in the office." Where the actual fuck did that come from?

If my looks could maim, she'd be prostrate in pain.

With herculean effort I clamp down on the flare of anger and hurt I feel from her accusation. I force myself to rationalize and understand where her stubbornness and allegations are coming from.

Walk away Grey. She's tired and anxious and not herself.

If not for my desire to be a better man, I'd have this woman pinned her to the desk unleashing holy hell on her beautifully formed ass until both my hand and her skin reflected a glowing fire engine red. But Christian 2.0 would not do that.

Her eyes widen in recognition of what she just said, but before she can profess a pardon with pitying platitudes, I quickly turn a heel and head toward the sanctuary of my own office. Pressing the call button to security, I order a lock down to the penthouse.

"No one, and I mean absolutely no one comes in to Escala. I am not to be disturbed, and I don't give a fuck who it is, no one comes into my office unless I say otherwise."

~0~

After sitting for breakfast with Dad and Gramps 2 weeks ago Ana and I met up with Adele that afternoon to discuss plans for our wedding. We outlined again our desire for a low-profile ceremony at City Hall sans the stress and media circus that typically comes with celebrity status nuptials. Also taking into consideration the tension within the family in the form of Grace and Mia, we opted to avoid the hypocritical familial niceties and focus more on the purpose of our wedding.

Grams, in her magical way, managed to kibosh our fast-track idea quickly. Using her elderly wiles and womanly wonders, without artifice, emotional blackmail, or feminine manipulation she took into consideration our desire for a low-key ceremony and proposed alternate options. Whilst still catering to our vision, she suggested and encouraged a more tasteful and elegant venue than City Hall. By the end of it, Grams was our self-appointed Wedding Organiser inheriting all that a said organiser entail. So, the responsibility of the fallout that I expect to happen between my mother and sister will lie in her capable hands. Thank Fuck. And considering our earlier meeting with Dad and Gramps, Ana and I would direct our time and energy toward Steele Advertising and less with the drama that is mom and Mia.

With that done Ana and I decided on a quiet dinner evening at home. We talked about working together to bring Steele Advertising back to its glory whilst continuing our work keeping GEH strong. We spoke of our plans for the upcoming year and together we were going to forge a way to a stronger us. If we weren't working, I envisioned taking Ana on a multitude of adventures of sailing, helicopter rides trips abroad. The possibilities were as endless as my bank account.

That day was one of the best I've ever experienced in my life. For the first time in a long time, I was enthusiastic to share a new day with someone I truly loved and felt a deep connection to. What awaited me the next day and every day since was not what I had envisioned.

Since the day Dad and Gramps came to Escala and gave Ana the green light to access Steele Advertising, she went full throttle. On the dawn of the next day Ana went from friend and partner to forensic intelligence investigator. A veteran CIA agent would have paled in comparison to the dedication and determination Ana put into Steele Advertising. It was on that day that a switch in her mind was flipped and she'd gone berserk.

With court order in hand, Ana stormed into Steele Advertising like a Storm Trooper and mandated that anything related to Steele Advertising be surrendered to her immediately. All files, folders, physical or digital; any accounts past and present as well as upcoming projects, with all their accompanying finance records, everything was hard copied, and for added measure, transferred to a secure storage drive specifically designated for Steele Advertising. No one, but Ana, would have access to this drive.

Suddenly, within 30 mins of this coup, Mr. George Pierce magically reappears in Seattle and is available to meet with Ana. For months, since the news of her father's decline and subsequent passing, Ana was calling Pierce's PA begging for a meeting. But what could have been a more genial transition of power has become a company overthrow. Pierce's insincere sympathies and outpouring of condolences was laid on thick. And while he, Ana and I sat in his office playing the charade of niceties, my team infiltrated every department downloading file after file, physically confiscating banker boxes full of folders into a secure GEH truck, overseeing the transfer of accounting spreadsheets and financial statements. Pierce didn't even know there was a crew on site. The bloody bastard was caught exactly as we had planned, with his pants down and his dick in hand. Asshole.

Mr. Steele, for what I can only assume was an err in judgment, had put his blind faith and the sole care of Steel Advertising to his trusted long-time friend George Pierce. Raymond Steele had built his business that from the ground up, yet before the ink was dry on the deed of power transfer, Pierce put into place his fraudulent plan.

In the span of a few years, he syphoned an exorbitant amount of money to a personal offshore account. Accounting forensics discovered that from the time Pierce took over operations, small amounts of monies, amounts that would have been easily written off as a loss, were being funnelled to unknown investments or charities. Throughout the years, those losses became larger forcing Steele Advertising to restructure and downsize. Meticulously, George has been screwing both his friend and Ana at every given opportunity yet despite the loophole Gramps discovered for Ana gaining her full access to the company's records, finances and dealings, her access did not give her control.

Because Steele Advertising is a private company, there is no Board or external panel of executives whom Pierce needs to satisfy. The downturn of Steele Advertising could be explained or excused and no one would be the wiser. Pierce had the power to regulate the company's structure.

Ana's diagnostic work on Steele Advertising produced a truck load of mishandled cases, lost revenues due to poor decisions and a mountain of paperwork pointing to fraud. And although Ana now has the knowledge of Pierce's duplicity, in order for her to exercise her right in terminating Pierce she needs to present proof of intent. The courts need to be satisfied, in painful succinct detail, that Mr. Pierce is intentionally mismanaging the company whose sole intent is to ensure the dissolution of Steele Advertising.

But why? And that million-dollar question is the unfortunate reason Ana has been MIA. Well…relatively speaking. According to the team I had assigned to assist Ana, this type of forensic audit needed to go beyond Pierce and the contracts he was overseeing. The audit expanded to encompass the entire company reviewing not only the last few years since Pierce was CEO but going as far back to when Pierce took the mantle of COO and second in command.

I knew Anastasia was a focused, hardworking, and determined individual and in her I have met my match. Two majors from one of the best colleges in the world are proof enough of that. Her work ethic is admirable, her drive and attention to detail mirrors my own work ethic. Her passion and determination reminded me of those beginning first few months when Ros and I worked tirelessly launching GEH. Had she been anyone else, and not my fiancé, I'd head-hunt her add 10% to her asking price and throw whatever other incentives to entice her to sign with GEH. Ana would be perfect as Director of Operations for all GEH projects.

Initially, I was pleased as punch when I introduced Ana to the team who I had assigned to assist her. Ana's profusion of thanks in the form of hugs and kisses fuelled my incentive toward her goal for control of her father's company, but after that first meeting with my team and as the level of Pierce's corruption came to light, her anxiety that she may lose her father's legacy tripled and her need to act quickly spurred her efforts to an unrelenting pace. When the team took a well-deserved recess, she continued on her own. Ana's desire to bring Pierce to justice became her obsession and in a matter of days Ana's focus centred solely on Steele Advertising and The Pierce Project, (as we've baptised it), eclipsing anything and anyone who was not in tune to her purpose. None of us seemed to exist. Not even Hippo.

Once again, I found her passed out in her office over another stack of spreadsheets. That was the fifth time in a sequence of days that I found her supine over her desk. In a fit of exasperation, and the fear of her making herself ill, I went completely ape shit on her. Now, I'm sitting in my office, isolating myself as much as Ana is in hers at a loss, again. I swear to God this woman is giving me an ulcer.

I consider approaching Elliot since he's seen more of my fiancé than I have. Apparently Grey Construction marketing campaign took precedence over her own welfare. My gentle invitations to take a break, have dinner out, or go for a walk were dismissed. As the days passed my invitations turned to pleas then demands. She needed to see reason. She needed to start behaving more rationally, quit being such a control freak and let people do their jobs. I get the irony. Me, of all people, giving advice to someone who is doing the exact same thing that kept me away from my own family. It's been 2 weeks now and I've barely seen my fiancé. Karma is such a bitch and currently that bitch is wasting away before my very eyes.

~0~

Monday June 3, 2020

"I think this merge would benefit GEH more than any other company you've acquired Mr. Grey…"

It's 8.30 a.m. on a Monday morning and I'm fully regretting agreeing to this breakfast meeting with Mr. Gendry.

Mother fuck. What a moron!

We both know that without the cash infusion from GEH his precious Gen Manufacturing will go belly up in less than a year. Still, the idiot is piling on so much bullshit trying to convince me his sinking business is more appealing than it actually is that I can almost smell it. Perhaps that offensive sulphuric odour is Gendry shitting his pants. I'd actually prefer a colonoscopy than have to endure any more of his car salesman chatter.

I glance over at Ros and with that singular look that only long-time business partners can relay, she knows that if Gendry doesn't quit with his useless banter and actually get down to the brass tacks of his business, I'm bailing. With an infinitesimal nod she politely interrupts Gendry manoeuvring the dialogue to the purpose of this meeting.

What Mr. Gendry doesn't know is I've had my sights on his R&D for a few years now. With the world focusing on Clean Energy and reduction of fossil fuels, his team created an ingenious system using solar panels harnessing the suns energy generating electricity that could, in theory, power cities. Unfortunately for Gendry the world market is focussed on Oil and Gas. And although I believe technology needs to put forth efforts to creating a cleaner process, the future needs to consider a change of habit. Gen Manufacturing offers a future and I want that. Many of Gendry's investors pulled out, placing a larger portion of their funds in Oil & Gas Technology making Gen Manufacturing ripe for picking. With Gendry's concept along with his techs and my R&D team, we could spear head a new generation of Clean Power. As exciting as this new endeavour is, my mind is not far from thoughts of Ana.

We're 6 days shy to our first month of knowing each other and since that first day, every day has been a challenge. I've run the gamut of emotions since being with her. My initial frustrations which initially brought her into my life transformed from a mere attraction to deep affection and because of it, I'm back at being frustrated, but not for my own sake.

Ana wasn't sleeping. She barely eats anything and lost so much weight that her looks have altered. She resembles more of a ghost than the vibrant young woman I've come to adore. She's ignored me all weekend keeping herself sequestered in her damn office, or rather my library converted to accommodate/ investigation on Steele Advertising. I know the toll of overexertion and if Ana won't take care of herself, I'm going to have to step in. Ana was the one constantly preaching for open communication. Perhaps it's time that I have a come-to-Jesus' conversation with my woman and get this issue resolve. We both need to find the correct balance between work and our personal lives.

I can't help but compare the care that I mandated my past subs to exercise as stipulated in our contract to my need to care for Ana. It's a different contract, a different relationship, and a completely different kind of woman. Can I mandate Ana to a health routine? Would she actually do it? What if I threaten to pull my audit team if she doesn't agree?

I'm jolted when I hear Ros call my name with her closing line for the meeting. "…Mr. Grey and I will set up another meeting to go over the final details of the contract. Please email us the rest of your files on the Gen System, particularly the results from the last test module. Upon final signatures we'll bring our research teams together and collaborate on the tech. GEH will handle the marketing."

"Thank you both for your time." Somewhere between my almost walking out and the tail end of this meeting Gendry must've reached an epiphany. Had GEH not approached him with an offer for Merge/ take over, his company and all their innovative research would be lost. His offering of thanks is genuine and while my mind was distracted, I had missed the moment he finally understood the severity of his situation. Sighing apologetically, I reach out with sincerity.

"I look forward to seeing your results Mr. Gendry. I'm excited to see what our team can accomplish."

"Me too. Please call me if you have questions Mr Grey. Good morning, Ms Bailey."

Final handshakes are exchanged and Gendry moves to intercept our server, but unbeknownst to him, I've already settled our tab before the meeting. Gendry looks over to our table and with a final glance and nod of thanks he makes his way out of the restaurant.

I glance down to my cold coffee contemplating a refill when Ros abruptly stops my train of thought.

''Ok Grey. Spill. After what you pulled on me this morning, you totally owe me." And I know I do.

"Sorry Ros. I just got some stuff on my mind." That confession alone is enough to give Ros pause.

"Did you just apologise? Fuck. Well, there's a first. I was waiting for your typical 'leave off. I'm dealing with it' sort of spiel, but now I'm intrigued. For real. Trouble on the home front?"

Humph. "Something like that, but nothing I can't handle."

My ensuing silence and my pointed stare tell her that's all I'm giving so she relents.

"Whatever it is Grey, it would be best for you to participate and be more involved at our next meeting with Gendry. I want his tech, and with your non input this morning I don't want him to have any doubts. Gen Manufacturing was your call and Gendry will only work with us because he has faith in you, so make it count."

"Yes. Yes, I know. Listen. I'm going to work the rest of the day from home. Do you need me in the office today, or can you manage?"

She looks me dead in the eye for a full minute before she comes to a decision. She knows something is taking me off my game, and she's got that look that says she has an idea of what it is but is considerate enough to leave it alone…this time.

''I'm good. Just work out whatever shit is going on with you. I'll link you into the video conference meeting around 3pm with GEH Australia. We'll need to update them on this morning's meeting. Just preliminary stuff. Once we've poured over Gendry's work and get him signed on, we'll need to schedule a visit to the site there. Gendry will most likely need to come with."

"I'll call in once I've read over his excel sheets. If I like the results, we'll need to schedule an R&D team for this. If we need to hire, let me know, I'll have HR on it."

"Done. Oh, and I hope you remember that I'm taking Ana with me and Gwen to the opening of the Commerce Conference tonight. It's a full dinner affair, so you're eating alone tonight.''

Fucking hell! I totally forgot. Shit. The purpose of my working from home today was to manoeuvre some time with Ana when she got home. Now that plan is shot. Fuck. I'll take it for the grace it is and use the time to organize my thoughts. Ana will be dead on her feet by the time she gets home, but this needs to get settled. I won't be going into another work week with her avoiding me. And if she's not going to sleep anyway, we might as well talk this out tonight.