My dear little broccolis💚💚💚
💚Sweetie, Let Me Give You The Daddy💚
"The best investment I ever made, was when I lost fifty million dollars and met the love of my life as a result of that."
‼️Rated M - {Out Of Characters/All Human/Alternate Universe}‼️
‼️Romance/Angst/Drama/Lemons‼️
‼️AS/CG/The Greys/The Steeles/José Rodriguez/Grace Grey‼️
💚Now, in case it wasn't clear, this will be a Christian POV story. and I know you will want Ana's PoV, but it will just be Christian.
💚 READ & REVIEW, DON'T BE A SILENT READER 💚
Chapter 6: Black Opal & Black Rich Blend (9,9K)
Just as silently as he entered Grace's room, Christian exited, closing the door with extra care so it wouldn't wake her. He went back to the living room, where he found Ana ironing some clothes. For a moment, neither of them said a word, though it was obvious that she knew he was in the room, and he leaned against the doorframe, noticing Andrews absence. As soon as he had observed it, Ana commented in a soft voice,
"You were in Grace's room for quite a while, so Andrew left. But he did mention that you were more than welcome to go to the zoo with them, tomorrow."
Christian stayed silent, watching Ana iron one of her shirts and keeping to himself that the less time he had to spend with Andrew, the better he felt. She could confirm over and over that they were just friends but there was something more between them and in all honesty, he wasn't sure if he wanted to know.
On one hand, he couldn't really fault Ana for trying to make a life for herself, especially with a guy who her daughter adored. But on the other … the very idea of her being intimate with anyone but himself made him want to burn the world down. He knew that he had no right to feel like that and he had no claim over her. He had hurt her in the past and then refused to see her when all he would have needed to do was delay his flight just a couple of hours. And there was that whole fiasco with the letter… But it was obvious that he was never a very rational man when it came to his love interests.
His previous relationships had never lasted long, and it had always come down to one of two things: He could be jealous beyond reason, and he knew it. The other reason had been the very little time and effort he would put in the relationship, especially after he started his company. But with Ana … things had been different.
Sure, his jealousy had been very much present, especially when Jack was around, but she had always managed to make him realise that he was being ridiculous, without always having to say it. It was all done in subtlety, through hints and looks. And throughout the months they spent together, he found that he was surprisingly happy to put his phone down or unplug his brain for an hour or two around Ana.
When she looked up at him, expecting an answer to the invitation, he cleared his throat and avoided going into the topic of spending time with Ana's man-friend by stating an obvious truth,
"He knows."
"More like he guessed. The only person who knows is Jose. No one really likes asking single mothers about their baby-daddy."
Christian frowned, staying against the doorframe as Ana kept ironing her clothes, "So Grace … She never asked about me?"
"She asked about her Daddy when we started going to the park and she saw other kids with dads. And … I told her that her Daddy is a very nice and generous man who hasn't forgotten about her, but who is busy making other people happy."
"So, you lied," he clarified.
"No. You are a nice, generous and busy man. And you are making yourself happy by building the empire that matters so much to you."
He shook his head, thinking to himself that it was still a lie in the eyes of anyone who wasn't a businessman, a politician, or a lawyer. But that made finding out the truth even more bitter.
"Is this really how you see me, Ana? As a selfish man who only thinks of his own happiness?"
"Are you sure you want an answer to that?" She immediately retorted, her tone a bit snappier than before.
"I thought you really knew me. You've seen me in a light that not even my family has seen me in for a long time. You … I thought you'd see deeper than the rest of the world," he admitted.
Maybe he was all wrong. Maybe the Ana he had fallen in love with had never been there. Maybe that Ana had just been a façade he had thought up and hadn't cracked until now.
"I thought so too …" She said in a whisper before stopping her ironing and deeply inhaling through her nose. She looked at him, fixing her beautiful blue eyes on his grey orbs, and she admitted,
"I'm sorry, I'm just being bitter and petty. I am tired, and I shouldn't take it out on you. It's just … I understand Christian, it is hard for you, who was always so adamant about not having kids, to suddenly have a daughter out of nowhere. I understand how hard it must be for you to come to terms that your life has forever changed and that there is nothing you can do about it. I understand better than anyone. But …
You must understand that no matter how I feel for you, I spent the past four years resenting you because I thought you didn't want anything to do with Grace. I knew you received the letter, and I never would have imagined that you wouldn't read it. You've always been so… to the point. And the year before Grace … there was …"
She didn't finish her thought, but she didn't have to. And there was the proof that, even years later, she was still hurt by the way things ended, by the way he had treated her. So, he guessed this was the time to set things straight,
"Ana … I never saw you as a prostitute. And never in a million years would I wish to make you feel like one."
When Christian woke up, he could feel Ana's heart beating in his hand as he held her naked breast in his palm. Her birthday had gone nowhere near as planned. He had wanted to tell her how he felt after she blew out the candles, to break off the contract and to start a real relationship with her.
For more than a year, he had found excuse after excuse, cowering from manning up and just telling the woman he loved how he felt. And in all honesty, he had gotten complacent in the situation they were in. Sure, it had its inconveniences, like his growing sexual frustration, but overall, the only thing missing from them being an actual couple was either of them saying it out loud.
Of course, all of this was before Raymond had filled Ana's head with this stupid idea of London. And of course, being stubborn as she was, she had set her mind on going there, even claiming that it was the best thing for them. And though relationships had never been his forte, Christian knew that if she went without them clarifying their relationship status, he would ultimately lose her. And for one simple reason.
Children.
As he kept on admiring the sleeping brunette in his arms, delaying the moment he would have to get up and leave her warm presence, he tried, for once to put himself in that future she wanted so badly, that future he had spent the past two years trying to subtly change so that it could fit in his plans. For once, he tried to see what it would be like to have children with Ana. To live this apple pie life that left such a bitter taste in his mouth.
And no matter how much he knew it would make her happy, it wasn't something he could see himself doing. No matter how he would picture it, the result was always the same: he would end up sacrificing his company for a family. He knew if Ana found out about this trail of thoughts, she would argue that he was already sacrificing his family for his company. But he had become used to this. It was something he knew, and in fact, something that made him thrive.
Still sleeping, Ana shifted a little and snuggled even closer to him, making it harder for him to get up. Though his favourite moments were when she smiled, her sleeping in his arms was a close second. She seemed so peaceful and relaxed when she slept, she even seemed younger than she was.
He knew that, had he been less selfish, he would have let her go as soon as he started feeling something for her. Or he could have even used her perfect excuse of London. He wouldn't give her the one simple thing she wanted. But he was a selfish man, especially when it came to Ana. And he could give her so much more. He could give her the world.
Mindlessly, he kept on caressing her arm, his eyes spotting the hickey she had on her neck. And even though he knew she would probably call him a caveman for it, he couldn't help but feel proud of it. It was proof that she was his, that he had taken her to nirvana. If only there were a more permanent way to let the world know …
And then, he remembered, there was. He might not be able to give Ana her full dream, but he could give her a part of it.
He finally got out of bed, quickly grabbing his phone to text Andrea so she could book him an appointment with the top jeweller in Hong Kong. Then, he took a quick shower and got ready hurriedly, quickly scribbling a note that he left for Ana by her purse, along with the money that signified the end of their contract.
This certainly wasn't how he had planned everything. First, he never thought hormones would take over so quick and so strong. He had planned to have a piece of cake with Ana and explain to her that he wanted to end her birthday on a high note. That he wanted something with her that was more than their contract. He even had the money ready, just so they could start over on a clean slate.
Sure, he would have liked to have this conversation face to face, but he didn't have the heart to wake her up to talk about all of this. Especially since he didn't even have a ring to propose with yet. Ana was sleeping soundly, which was a rare feat since she was an early bird, and the caveman in him liked to think it was because he did his job properly.
He gently kissed her forehead, before leaving the room, his heart full of hope for when she would call him later, they might finally become a real couple.
Ana snapped him out of his reminiscence by folding her ironing table and letting him know,
"It's in the past now. You know, for a while I kept telling myself that we were a fluke and that things would have been so much better if we had never met. I mean, you are you, and I… I was in a bad place when it came to feelings. But then, Grace happened, and I could never regret anything that brought me the best thing in my life."
"I don't regret having met you. I never have. I might have cursed everything having to do with you whilst … not completely sober, but as Elliott so charmingly pointed out the last time I saw him; you're the best thing that ever happened to me. I was just too… slow on letting you know.
Even without what happened on your birthday … I'd known for a while how I felt for you, but I didn't tell you because …"
He stopped himself, realising how much of a hypocrite he was being. Just a few minutes ago he was complaining that she saw him as a selfish man, but the truth was he had been trying to change her, and make her shift her hopes and dreams so she would fit in his lifestyle, the way he had wanted it to be.
Embarrassed, he just cleared his throat, his first instincts telling him to evade this part of him. But if he wanted to start over with her, he needed to prove her that she could trust him, and so far, he had done such a terrible job that the only way to fix anything in this situation was to come clean.
"I didn't tell you as soon as I knew, because I was hoping I could change you first before revealing my feelings. I was hoping that maybe you would change your mind on kids. I just … I don't know …
And then, came excuse on top of excuse, and any new defence was better than the previous one. And then, you kept pushing me away, talking about that stupid blonde wife and your own future kids when all I wanted to do was to keep you for myself."
He finally looked into her ocean eyes, ready for the verdict to fall, but what he saw was not what he had expected. She was sadly smiling to him, a look of resignation on her beautiful face as she shook her head and translated what he had just said,
"So, I was right. You never really loved me." He could see the hurt on her face, but before he could even try to get closer to her, she picked up the ironed laundry and continued, before he could say a word,
"You can't love someone if you're trying to change them. Even I know that."
"No! It's not … I just wanted to keep you for myself. And you were perfect the way you were. You made me want to push myself and better myself. I … I was on a delusional cloud where I thought I could have it all, without making any compromises. I …"
He passed his hands through his hair, frustration growing by the second. How come he could be so articulate in front of hundreds of people on business but so incoherent, stuttering and saying everything but what he meant when it came to his feelings?
"Ugh! I've never been good at this, Ana."
"No, obviously not," she conceded with a shake of her head before telling him that she would be right back and leaving him alone in the room.
He started pacing, knowing that he needed to get better at telling her how he felt, because right now, he wasn't saying much of anything, and there was no way he could ever hope to get her back with this sort of discourse. When she came back, she was holding a heavy cardboard box which she sat on the table while sitting on the sofa and inviting Christian to do the same.
"This … is part of everything you have gotten me whilst we were together. It's mostly the jewellery to be fair. The clothes, bags and shoes are —"
"What am I going to do with them? Do you really think I'm going to start wearing earrings, all of a sudden?" He interrupted her, not liking where this conversation was going. It sounded a lot like she was ready to put things in the past and move on, whilst all he wanted was to patch them up.
She opened her mouth, but he interrupted her once again, reminding her of something he had been telling her ever since she came back into his life, "I told you before, I still have feelings for you."
She remained silent, looking down at the box sitting between them. Christian leaned back and closed his eyes, trying to not sound like an idiot as he explained,
"I know I fucked up. And not just by not reading the letter. I fucked up when it was just the two of us. And I fucked up even worse ever since you've come back. But I swear, Ana. I will make it up to you. To Grace. To us. I will fight so Grace can see me as her Dad, but I will fight just as hard to win you back. And as I told you many times in the past, I don't play fair."
She sighed, and he opened his eyes to look at her. The condescending smile was back on her face, and this was probably the thing he hated the most in the world. He hated all the things that this simple lift of her lips, mixed with that slight shake of her head meant of what she thought of him. He hated it more than anything.
"So, Grace and I are just your newest challenge? We've pushed you out of your comfort zone, and you can't bear not overcoming a challenge. What will happen when you acquire us? We're not trophies, Christian. We're not a contract that you can win over and then write out the way you want us to act."
It was almost word for word what Elliott had told him. Except this time, Ana was also included in this contract metaphor. and just as much as he didn't like it when his brother made the comparison, he liked it even less now that it was Ana voicing it. It made him feel like all the people important to him only saw him as a selfish asshole who resembled a robot more than a human.
He chuckled darkly, passing his hand over his face as he said, "You really have lost all faith in me. I've never seen you as a trophy, Ana. I told you before. You're the best thing that happened to me. Give me time, and I'll prove it to you."
She didn't reply, and Christian observed her, trying to decipher if her silence was due to doubt, or if it was because she would just wait for his actions to prove him right. He looked down, his eyes falling on the box. This box represented all that was wrong in their relationship. No matter how priceless and beautiful the jewellery was, Christian had never seen Ana wear any of it just for the sake of it. Unlike the necklace that she was wearing at that very moment. And though he hated to admit, he knew the reason why.
Whoever gave this necklace to Ana, there was a sentimental attachment to it. Whereas none of his gifts had a sentimental value to either of them. And it was logical since everything except for the ring had been bought as an errand. Either Andrea or his personal shopper had picked out the trinkets.
He cleared his throat, looking away, and decided to talk about something he knew would make Ana happy, and would allow him to know more about his daughter.
"I saw that Grace's bedtime story is Les Misérables."
"Yeah, she likes it."
"It's a bit harsh for a kid, isn't it?"
Ana raised an eyebrow at him, as she repeated, "She likes the story."
"But … she's four."
"And that means that I should only read her stories of princesses and unicorns?"
"I don't know, Ana. I know that's what my Mom did. She used to read me Ferdinand and shit like that. I just thought I'd find those kinds of books on Grace's bedside. Not some book about how some French guy stole some bread and got served twenty years for it."
"You do realise that some fairy tales are just downright gory. Like the Little Red Riding Hood who gets raped after her grandmother. And anyway, Grace has become obsessed with French culture after our trip to Disneyland. I'm not going to curb her curiosity and interests just to make it more comfortable for other people."
He nodded, mostly because he agreed. Sure, he was surprised that Grace could find interest in something as complex as the French novel, but if there was one thing he knew, it was not to limit someone's natural curiosity.
"You know, if she likes France and all, I could take her there. The three of us could even go for Christmas?"
"We already have plans for Christmas," she let him know, looking at him as if he was missing some crucial information.
"Oh … of course. Some other time, then?" He nervously proposed, and she smiled, though it was clear that she didn't want to talk of the future much since it was quite unclear for now.
She must have understood that he caught up on her mood, because she smiled brightly, straightening up on her seat, and told him, "Grace is very much into dragons as well, as you probably saw in her room. We're going to see a cartoon with Jose and Karl next Saturday. Do you want to come?"
"Of course. We could … I'm sure it will be great!" He finished, refraining himself from inviting them to a restaurant afterwards. He himself was on a restrictive diet, and there was no point in taking Grace out if she couldn't enjoy the good food.
Another silence fell between them, and Christian estimated it was time for him to leave. He still had to wake up early tomorrow for a video call with Mr Cho, and he was pretty sure that Ana wanted to sleep. Or at the very least, it showed that she should.
So, he got up, voicing his intentions, and Ana walked him out to the door. A wild thought came to him to ask for them to sleep together, just like they used to, just so the two of them could have a peaceful rest. But he knew it was an impossible idea.
As he followed her to her front door, he apologised, "I'm sorry for showing up unannounced, by the way. I should have at least called, or texted."
She shook her head, refusing his words. "I told you, Christian, I won't stop you from seeing your daughter."
He looked at her, really looked at her. She had lost weight since her birthday, and her face showed even more worry than when she had come to talk to him. He even wondered if she had a single proper night of sleep since she had found out about Grace's failing liver.
And a part of him wondered if this was the reason why he hadn't been able to sleep or work properly either. Maybe subconsciously he had been worried about his daughter and how her days could be numbered. Maybe there was a part of him that had cared about Grace since she was born, he just didn't know how to interpret the signs.
But as he lifted Ana's chin with his finger, he did not mention his own worry, nor the obvious fact that she was worrying herself. No, he told her what she, and he, wanted to hear,
"Ana … She's going to get through this. We didn't make a weak baby."
And for the first time since she came back into his life, Ana gave him a true genuine smile. One that came from her heart and that showed that his words had touched her deep in her heart.
"No, you're right. She is as strong-willed as the two of us put together."
Christian returned her smile, letting out a small chuckle before kissing her forehead on an impulse. It was nothing calculated, just a natural gesture, and when she didn't push him away, he held her a bit closer to him, inhaling that scent he loved so much.
He had no idea how long they stayed like this, but he knew he was the one to break it off before he walked away, back to his hotel room.
.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.
Over the week that followed, Christian went back to Ana's every single night for dinner. Ana never said a thing about it, and he even had a couple of nights when she gave him leftovers for him to eat at lunch the next day. But the main reason why he took three hours a day of his precious time to spend with the Steeles was Grace.
And it worked. Sure, he was still Mr Christian, even though he had told the girl a couple of times that there was no need to call him mister. But he could see the relationship that he was developing with his daughter. Grace was a very curious child. And it seemed that everything that she was told, she remembered. She had the cutest facial expression when she was learning a new word, furrowing her brows, pouting her lips and scrunching her nose as she repeated the new word.
But the thing they were bonding over the most was France and Grace's interest in the country and the culture. Christian was surprised to discover that Grace already knew that France used to have kings and queens and that French people 'cut their heads off for being big meanies.' Every single day, she would question him over dinner about all he knew about the country, and most importantly, she would try to learn French words from him.
There was always a moment during dinner when Ana disappeared, leaving the two of them together, Christian teaching and Grace learning French words, and once again he was surprised at the speed at which she learned. His French was basic and business orientated, and he was sure that in barely six months she would speak as well as he did, if not better.
During those evenings, he also spent time with Ana when Grace was in bed, though their conversations were mostly about his family and her friends. It seemed that neither of them was ready to revisit their conversation about the past, and Ana always avoided any conversation about the future.
That's how he learned that he was right and that Grams was indeed Mary. Apparently, Mary often went to see Grace, when they were in London and spoiled the girl as any grandmother would. Just the same way Christian had no doubt his parents would do as soon as Grace knew about who he really was.
He also learned that Izzy had moved to Canada a year after Ana went to London and that she had found a companion there who had three kids of his own. The whole family was coming down for Thanksgiving in LA to spend it with the girls and Mary's family.
Ana never mentioned his family on her own, either, which he found odd since she had seen his parents and his brother since coming back in his life. She was happy to learn that he had gotten closer to his nephews, and even agreed to a couple of games (she even laughed when he mentioned how boring and terrible it had been).
And those were the moments Christian liked the most with Ana. When for a brief second, she forgot about being a Mom and was just herself. This usually happened when they talked about work. She never explained to him why she didn't pursue her initial dream, but she told him that she was now working for Raymond and that with the present situation she was mostly reviewing cases for him so she could work from home and be with Grace as much as she could.
The couple of times Christian talked to Raymond over the phone, his lawyer did not talk about Ana, but given the fact that Raymond never mentioned a thing about Ana during the separation, Christian assumed it was a force of habit. Not that he minded. He still hadn't told anyone but his lawyer, who he was now ignoring, the whole truth of the situation.
In fact, he still hadn't contacted his family since their discussions. And he knew better than anyone that he was in need of their advice. When Christian went over for dinner for a second time, he still had no idea of what to bring. She already had stuffed animals, she already had puzzles and colouring books, and he had no idea what one bought to a kid to make them happy.
When he had wanted to spoil his nephews, he had always asked them what they wanted. In general, he had always been bad at surprising people with gifts. Elliott, or his mother, would be perfect to help him choose something, but his ego got in the way. He didn't want to call them to tell them he had been in the wrong.
So he showed up empty ended, feeling beyond guilty. Ana had assured him that he didn't need to buy her anything, and his guilt was slightly appeased when Andrew also showed up without gifts.
And yes, perfect British and proper Andrew showed up twice over the week to spend time with Christian's daughter. And Grace would jump up into his arms and ask him to read her a bedtime story, but she never asked Christian to do so. And Ana would make jokes about those moments the two of them had shared in London. Andrew was so perfect that he even did the dishes and cooked by the looks of it. Of course, he did.
And to make him even more perfect, he always made sure to include Christian in his conversations with Grace. And the nicer Andrew was, the more Christian disliked him. All he could see was the fact that this perfect man was just waiting for his perfect opportunity to make a move on Ana and take her back to the country of never-ending rain, with his daughter.
Andrew worked for the British government and he had been relocated to the British embassy in New York, which meant that he was here for at least a couple of years, if not longer. And Christian knew he would have to suffer his presence since Ana and Grace both treated him like family.
In all fairness, Christian had no actual reason to dislike Andrew, other than his existence. No matter how many times Ana would claim it, Christian could see very clearly who Andrew was. He was a replacement. He was the person she would have ultimately fallen in love with if she hadn't come back in Christian's life. He was the person Grace would have one day called daddy.
Andrew thankfully was not a part of the plans when they went to the movies with Karl and Jose. Christian was driving the Range Rover he had just purchased. He could have asked Sawyer to drive him and the girls to the movies, but he was sure that Ana wouldn't appreciate having a driver during something that was supposed to be a family outing. Even if the official label still wasn't there.
Grace was all excited in the back of the car, saying that she liked the car, and that she liked being able to see the world, but no one could see her. And as she demonstrated for yet another time how cool it was to see without being seen, Christian let Ana know,
"It is yours, by the way. I've put it in your name."
"Christian, I — "
"Well, it is Grace's. But she can't drive it now."
"And neither can I."
He repressed a sigh, keeping his eyes on the road, as he reminded her, "Ana … this is a safe car, and I'm sure you want Grace to — "
"I'm not disputing the safety of the car, Christian. I just can't drive."
"What? But … how come?"
Everyone knew how to drive; it was a skill you picked up as a teenager. How could Ana know how to be a perfect and stealthy pickpocket, but not how to drive? In fact, Christian had always wanted to give her a car, something sportier than the Rover he was driving of course, but he never did because she had always been so self-conscious about the money he would spend on her.
And though he appreciated this quality about her, because it made him feel like she enjoyed his company more than his money, it also annoyed the hell out of him. He didn't like restraining himself when he wanted to make someone happy. Especially when this someone was the woman he loved.
"I never learned so never got a licence. I've been living in New York most of my life. And London after that. There wasn't and isn't any point for me to drive and add the bills that a car would bring, when I live somewhere with public transport. Plus, walking is good for your health, you know," she added with a joking tone, and he couldn't help the small smile from spreading his lips.
Over the past week, in addition to spending time with her every day, they also sent texts to one another quite often. Many of them were from Ana sending a picture of Grace throughout the day, or a little message about something that Grace would say. But most importantly, they would text one another well into the night.
Because he was spending time with the girls, Christian had reduced his sleeping hours, working more when he got back to his hotel room. But he also dreaded sleep. His nights were still restless, with him wondering what would happen if the worst was to come. Would he be able to cope with the fact that he wouldn't see Grace and her cute little face every single day? And it would all be his fault. Because if he hadn't drunk on that night, they could have had the operation earlier. Ana would rightfully blame him, but it would be nothing compared to the guilt he would be feeling.
Every night, he would lay in bed, thinking of those terrible outcomes, and Ana's texts were a welcome distraction. Even though he knew she was awake for the exact same reasons, they never talked about it. Their nightly texts were more about themselves. Of course, the banter they used to have, full of sexual innuendos was nowhere to be seen, but often, they brought a smile on Christian's face and that was all he could ask for now.
When they got to the movies, Jose and Karl were already there, waiting for them. Grace jumped in her godfather's arms eager to tell him how she finished her puzzle and how happy she was to see the new movie with Toothless in it. Christian noticed that, like she often did with Ana, Grace easily switched to Spanish to talk to the Hispanic man.
The movie wasn't even half-boring as Christian had expected. It was rather entertaining, even for him as an adult. Though Ana was between Grace and himself, her reactions were still cute to observe. She clearly marvelled at the apparition of the white dragon and felt every emotion the characters felt in the movie.
But Christian had to admit that, at some point in the movie, his focus shifted to Ana and how her hand was mere centimetres away from his, so easy to grab and they could lock fingers. He had a flashback of his teenage days, the first time he brought a girl to the movies. His heart was pounding on whether he should reach out for her hand. Which was the most ridiculous thing that had happened in his adult life.
So, he mentally pep-talked himself into growing some balls and gently took her hand in his. Nothing too obvious, so she could still pull her hand back without them feeling too awkward about it, but she didn't. She let him intertwine their fingers as his thumb gently caressed her skin.
When the movie ended, Grace was over the moon. She kept on saying how happy and sad she was for Toothless, and how the two dragons reminded her of the Yin-Yang necklace of her mommy. They were still exiting the theatre when Ana received a call, excusing herself for a moment, and so they waited in the lobby.
Grace was still animatedly talking about the movie and all the emotions it brought to her when she suddenly stopped talking, looking at the counter with wonder sparkling her beautiful blue eyes. Christian followed her gaze and saw stuffed dragons like the one she already had, except these ones were white. He looked back at Grace who was still looking at the toys, and impulsively asked, "Do you want one?"
She vigorously shook her head, looking away and taking Jose's hand as she pretended to be disinterested. "No, it's okay. I have Toothless at home."
Christian repressed a chuckle and turned to the counter, ignoring the way Jose was looking at him. Ana's friend had barely exchanged a word with him since the hospital, but Christian couldn't read him well enough to tell if it was because of his absence in Grace's life, or because of what happened between him and Ana.
He bought the white toy and crouched to present it to his daughter, feeling his heart swell with warmth as he told her, "You just saw a whole movie how it was not good to keep Toothless alone. Now, he will have a companion, just like in the movie."
For a long moment, Grace looked at the fluffy toy, with a mix of desire and apprehension, before she looked up to Jose, as if asking for his opinion, and her Godfather smiled, pushing her to take the toy. She screeched with joy, and took the dragon in her hands, saying excitedly,
"Thank you, Mr Christian."
Then she kissed his cheek and rushed to her mother who was still on the phone. Christian got back up, his heart feeling like it was about to explode. Sure, he was still Mr Christian, but he had earned a kiss, and that was worth all the stuffed toys in the world.
Jose analysed him, before letting him know, "She hesitated because usually, only her 'Daddy' buys her stuffed animals."
"What?" This made no sense. He had seen the many stuffed toys she had on her hospital bed, and he would have recalled sending her any of them. And Ana had made a point on telling him that Andrew would never be able to replace him as Grace's father.
"'Daddy' has sent a teddy bear for every big moment of Grace's life. Birthdays, Christmases, travels, illnesses. That's why she had the toys when you came to the hospital, so she would feel like her Daddy was there with her. And Toothless came when she got out of the hospital."
Christian finally understood why Andrew had looked at him funny when Grace presented him her new toy. He knew about the connection in Grace's heart between the toys and her Daddy's love. He recalled how Ana had written to him that all she wanted was for him to show up with a teddy bear, and how she once again told him that he should have brought a toy, instead of a necklace.
"I know what happens between you and Ana is just for you two to know. But Grace has put her Daddy on a very high pedestal. Think superhero. And you have big shoes to fill."
.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.
The next day, Christian spent the whole day with Ana and Grace. Grace had invited him for lunch, which filled Christian's heart with warmth, even after Ana had explained that it was a strategy from the little girl. Since Sundays were lasagna nights, she wanted to fill his stomach at lunch, so he wouldn't eat too much lasagna for dinner.
Lunch went rather smoothly, and when Grace left for a nap, Ana and Christian found themselves alone once again. Ana proposed some cookies, and of course, Christian did not oppose the idea, always too eager to have something baked by Ana. It was only when she was looking for the ingredients that she realised that she was out of chocolate.
So, she asked Christian if he didn't mind staying in, whilst she would rush to the store, and buy some chocolate. Of course, Christian dismissed her concern and sat in the living room, going over his emails on his phone whilst waiting for Ana. He arranged his upcoming weeks, glad that Andrea managed to reorganise everything around the surgery.
He had to admit that he was now more focused at work, but he also relied a bit more on Ros. There had been a couple of business trips that she had to cover for him, and he was almost tempted to get her to cover the one he had at the end of August. But this was a contract he had taken care of from start to finish and he didn't feel comfortable letting her finalise it.
In all fairness, the surgery was in ten days, which gave him a couple of weeks to recover. But the reason he was contemplating asking Ros to cover had nothing to do with health and everything to do with Grace. That was why he had thought of several things he would have to talk to Ana about when she got back.
He was stirred out of his thoughts by noises coming from the bathroom, and he got up to check it out. The little girl was sleepily scratching her eyes after having used the loo, and she looked at him with half-opened eyes, saying, "I finished sleeping."
Christian chuckled, thinking to himself that she was clearly still sleepy, but he still took her hand so they could get back to the living room. But there, Grace's sleepiness completely disappeared as she frantically looked everywhere, snatching her hand away from Christian and running throughout the apartment and crying out, "Mama, where are you?!"
When she got back to the living room and had to come to the conclusion that it was just her and Christian, she burst into tears, running to the front door and crying out for her mother. No matter what Christian could say, she wouldn't listen, even screaming when he would reach for her. She kept on banging on the door, saying repeatedly, "Mama, vuelve! Please come back!"
Christian was at a loss, unsure of what to do, and it was a relief when Ana came back, her arms heavy with groceries. She put the bags down and took her daughter in her arms, whispering reassuring words in her ear as Grace cried in her arms. Christian took the bags and brought them to the kitchen before he found refuge in the bathroom.
He hated it. He hated that his own kid couldn't bear the thought of being alone with him. He was sure that she wouldn't have cried if it had been Andrew. He had no idea how long he stayed there, trying to ease his anger mixed with hurt when a slight knock echoed. He composed himself and opened the door.
Ana looked at him, and stepped in the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
"She's on the phone with Mary. Do you want to talk about it?"
"No. I get it. I'm still a stranger."
She raised her hand to his cheek, and the anger that had been slipping through his voice disappeared. "It's not just that, she has never woken up and not found me there. We've always been together. This has never happened to her before."
"I get it," he repeated, feeling that it was his fault if his daughter didn't feel comfortable enough around him. If he had opened the letter and reached out sooner, this would have never happened.
With a knowing smile, Ana tiptoed herself and forced him into a comforting hug, reassuring him as she promised, "She'll warm up to you. Just give her time."
Christian returned the embrace, inhaling her scent deeply, and though this moment was about Grace, his hormones made him say, "I hope that in time, you, too, will warm up to me."
.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.
The rest of the day happened without any other incident, and Grace didn't seem to hold any sort of grudge against Christian. Unlike him, her meltdown didn't affect her mood, and all was resolved now that Ana was back. They had their lasagna and Christian made a point of asking for a smaller portion, just so Grace's little plan could be proven true, and she would ask for him to come more often.
When it came time for Grace to go to bed, she made her mother promise not to disappear in the middle of the night and asked for a longer hug. Christian waited in the living room, wondering when Grace would feel comfortable enough with him to ask him for bedtime stories and kisses. He kept fantasising about the moment when Grace would finally call him Daddy.
He and Ana had talked about it, and they had agreed to only tell Grace when she would be allowed to leave the hospital, after the surgery. But Ana had been very adamant that Christian was in no way allowed to force their child to call him Daddy. It was something that should come naturally from Grace. Christian agreed, albeit grudgingly.
When Ana came back to the living room, she proposed for them to have some tea together in the kitchen. Christian followed, but what he wasn't expecting was for her to produce documents and slide them in his direction.
He took them in hands and saw that they were statements saying that he was releasing custody of their daughter to her. He read every single line, from him releasing custody of his child, to Ana not contacting anyone about Grace's parentage, to him paying up everything he had missed, and forward. And when he saw in the end that the documents had been made by his very own lawyer, he knew who he was probably going to kill as soon as he would get back to Seattle.
"I contacted your lawyer when you went to Dubai and gave him all the documents and proof he needed. He just sent this to me. The only thing missing is your signature."
"I'm not signing this," he said in a cold voice, putting the papers back on the table, glaring at them. "I'm not giving you full custody, Ana."
"You promised! You said you wouldn't fight me for her!" Ana said with emotion in her voice, and Christian shook his head, resting his hand on hers as he reminded,
"And I won't. You have my word. But … you kept on saying that you wouldn't stop me from being in her life. I told you that I want to be in her life. And … you have no idea how much it kills me to see her so happy with Andrew, and calling him his name when she cries when she's with me and calls me mister. You have no idea how much I dread the aftermath of the surgery and when I won't get to see her every day. You have no idea of what I would give to be allowed to kiss her goodnight.
I won't take Grace from you, but Ana, I won't allow you to take her away from me, either."
Ana shook her head, looking at the document, "It's not what I meant."
"But it's what the documents say."
She gathered the papers in her hands, still looking down, before fixing her blue eyes onto his grey ones, making him feel like he was under oath.
"In that case, I want you to make a promise. If we ever decide to share custody, it won't go ugly. We will do it between the two of us and decide what will be best for Grace. It won't be about hurting the other, but about what's best for our child."
"I promise."
"Good," she said, getting up and putting the offending document aside. "Do you want me to make a contract for us to s— "
He didn't let her finish, already up and spinning her to force her to look at him. He held her chin with his fingers and told her,
"I know my word has very little value for you, now. But if there is one time you should have faith in it, it's now. Grace will come first. No matter what happens between us, I won't attack you with a hoard of lawyers. It will always be about her first."
He held her gaze, so she could see the sincerity behind his words, and he added with a chuckle, "My family wouldn't allow it, anyway."
She smiled, though Christian could tell it had very little to do with his joke. And though she didn't expand on it, he could see why she was so happy. It was the first time he was so clearly expressing to her that he wanted to be in Grace's life and that she mattered to him.
His eyes drifted to her lips, forgetting about her smile, and only seeing how luscious they were, and before he could gather the courage to lean in and kiss her, she cleared her throat and regained her personal space.
So, he did the same, took an iPad out of his bag and handed it to her, explaining, "I have this meeting in Singapore a couple of weeks after the surgery. I … I don't know. I just thought I could FaceTime her and wish her good night like I'm doing now. Even if it's just for a minute."
"That is very thoughtful," she agreed, and he felt encouraged by the warmth of her voice to go on,
"I also bought a place in New York. I know you used to say it was useless, and at the time, you were right, but I don't want to have Grace visit me in a hotel room. In all honesty, when I had Andrea looking for the place, I wanted to buy the place for you, but I knew you'd blow me off."
"You want Grace to visit you?"
"Yeah … after we tell her, of course. She could even … you know, spend the night, when she gets to know me better."
Ana roared in laughter, and when she calmed down, she hiccupped, "You're going to cook?"
"No. I'm going to buy food and heat it up. I don't want to poison the poor child. But … I don't know … I …"
She smiled at him, putting her hand on his, and she said with her sweet voice, "I think it's a great idea."
.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.
The night before the operation, Christian kept on tossing and turning in his bed. He had some troubles adjusting to the new bed and hated how his new penthouse felt so empty. At least in Seattle he had the Taylors living with him, and Esclava was a hotel.
Andrea had found the perfect penthouse for him, which had a beautiful view. It had a master bedroom, and two smaller ones, but he had asked Andrea to find a decorator to transform one of the guest rooms into a child's room. Dragons were obviously the theme he went with.
He had to admit that he admired Andrea's efficacy now more than ever. She managed to keep his schedule clear and balanced and do all those extra things for him, even from a distance. And without ever whining about it or telling anyone about the new person in his life. In truth, Ros still didn't know, but he was set on telling her when he got back to Seattle, just so she could understand why he relied so much more on her lately.
After switching sides in the bed yet again, he frustratedly got out of bed, and went to grab a glass of water, looking at New York by night. Then he passed by Grace's room, and sent a picture to Ana, just so she could see the room. Not even a minute later, Ana was calling, and he sat on Grace's bed, picturing when his daughter would be there as he picked up.
"She'll love it. Especially the little sofa by the bookshelves. How am I supposed to compete with that?" Christian smiled with pride because the sofa was the only thing in the room he had picked up on his own. It was shaped as Toothless, and he immediately thought of his daughter when he saw it.
"Maybe she'll convince you to stay at my place, indefinitely? I promise I won't mind."
She chuckled, and a silence grew between them, as he laid on the bed, looking at the star-filled ceiling. He waited for a moment, before telling her,
"I know I shouldn't tell you, but … I'm anxious. I keep on thinking of everything that could go wrong. I just … I just want her to be okay."
"All will be well, Christian."
He shook his head in disagreement, "It should be the other way around. I should be the one telling you this and reassuring you."
"You're the one who's going under the scalpel," she reminded him, and he frowned slightly. He never really thought of that. Even when the doctor had told him all the statistics in favour of the surgery and explained that the scar would be very minuscule. He never actually thought of the surgery, but more that he was helping someone in need. And even though it took him time, it became even more important since he was helping his own daughter.
He closed his eyes, thinking that giving a part of his liver was very little compared to all that Ana had done for their child. Like giving birth to her.
"You know, I never asked … about the day she was born…"
There was a small silence, before Ana said with a small voice, "I think it's a conversation we should keep for some other time. I definitely need alcohol for this conversation."
"Ana ..."
"I'm not saying no, Christian. it's just … I was in a weird state of mind, even for the few months that followed, and I don't want to think about it, now."
"Okay," was all he said, a part of his brain reminding him what his father had told him about women suffering depression after a cryptic pregnancy.
"By the way, in case something goes wrong, Grace and you inherit of all my assets."
He had called his lawyer after the custody conversation with Ana, and after a lot of shouting from Christian's part, he updated his will. Ros still inherited half of the company, and the rest was going to Elliott. His international businesses were for his parents, and now, all his financial assets were for Grace and Ana. If anything happened, at least he knew they were covered, and he highly doubted his family would contest the will.
"Christian… this is fear talking. Everything is going to go well, don't freak out."
"No. I … maybe you're right. And if it's the case, I just want you to know that I love you. Maybe not in the way you want, probably not in the way you deserve, but I do love you. And I'd give everything I own to see that twinkle in your eyes spark again. The one I fell in love with."
He closed his eyes, feeling lighter, and smiled when Ana said what any sane person would say, "You're going to make it, Christian. Stop making deathbed declarations."
But that didn't stop him from continuing, "And … I'm discovering a whole new you that I see myself falling in love with."
"And you'll tell me all about it some other day, not because you're freaking out. You're going to be fine, don't let fear get to your head."
He nodded, smiling like an idiot. Though he knew that she was right and that he shouldn't declare his love at such a time, he couldn't help but notice that she didn't reject him. In fact, she even said that they would have this very conversation on some other day. Life was starting to turn out alright.
"Can I ask just one thing, then?"
She chuckled, and he put the phone on the pillow next to him, putting it on speaker, "Would you have come to see me if it wasn't for my liver?"
"Mmm … I don't know. I probably would have contacted you to let you know that your child was sick, but I don't think I would have come to see you. I would have stayed by Grace's side."
He nodded; his eyes closed as he was starting to feel increasingly comfortable in his daughter's bed. "Can I ask another one? Did you really hate me?"
"Not really. There was a lot of resentment, which became even worse when you didn't reply to the letter. And … there was also the fact that I was feeling …" She breathed deeply, and though she didn't say it, he could tell that he had hurt her a lot. It was more than her ego; it was her dignity and her self-worth.
"Anyway, I never actually hated you, Christian."
"One last question."
She laughed, saying under her breath, "You're worse than a child." And he gathered the courage to ask the question that had been in his mind since she had come back into his life
"Do you see a future for us?"
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.~°~. .~°~. .~°~.
💚Your thoughts and opinions are always welcomed💚
💚 So, well, so much has happened in this chapter.
1. Which part made you feel the most? I think mine is when Grace lost it when she realised she was alone with Christian.
2. How do you feel about Grace receding stuffed toys only from her 'Daddy'? And that little line thrown by Jose?
3. How do you feel about Ana now? I know, it was cold of her to bring the documents, but remember that she entered in contact with Christian's lawyer when Christian left for Dubai, after having clearly shown he had no interest in Grace.
4. Do you think there is a chance for them two, with Christian being much more open about his feelings this time around?
6. As per usual, what was your favourite part? Mine was when Christian kissed Ana's forehead when they parted, and those five seconds before that. Because Ana finally smiled to him.
💚 I'm always curious about your favourite part, and what you think will happen next, so let me know.
💚 E L James owns the names of the characters from the Fifty Shades franchise, Everything else is mine (including the mistakes and grammar errors).
Love, Mina 💚💚💚