Disclaimer: I do not own Fifty Shades Trilogy

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Note: This chapter picks up right after what happened in the previous one.

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Why are you so cheerful?

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One moment she was staring at her damaged home, the next, she felt herself slipping away, and then it went dark before her very eyes...

The last thing Ana heard was Taylor ordering Mr. Harris to call 911...

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Meanwhile, at Grey Enterprises Holdings Inc.

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"Sir, are you OK?" Andrea asked, head tilted a bit with some important documents in hand.

She was also furrowing her brows, something she barely did.

"Me?" Christian asked, while placing a hand on his chest, surprised that his assistant asked him that particular question." I'm doing great, Andrea"

In response, she took a seat and placed the documents on her lap." You seem... uhmm, a bit different today, Mr. Grey. Are you really... OK?" she said with hesitation in her voice.

Christian sighed in response, and all of a sudden had a smile on his handsome face.

"Sir, you are NEVER like this,"

"Like what, Andrea... do tell," he said, and leaned on his chair, while chewing on his favorite pencil, eyes on her.

Andrea swallowed hard, wondering why he was doing that with the pencil, and got a bit scared... cause to be honest, she was always on high alert, whenever her boss was around, afraid that he would yell at her for... anything really. He usually found a reason to yell at her.

However, since Mr. Grey got in this morning, she and the others had noticed how cheery he was.

And that was very, very strange. When he had meetings back to back, Christian was usually very grumpy, and always yelled at his employees for no reason... at all.

So, seeing their boss being so cheerful, made them all afraid of him... more than usual.

"Andrea, I'm listening..." she heard Christian say, his gray eyes still on her. But, with a twinkle in them... One that she had never seen before, since the first day she had worked for him.

"I'm never like this, you said? Like what exactly? Do explain, Andrea"

She sighed deeply in response. "You have a happy look on your face, you bought the whole department breakfast, you greeted us with a smile on your fa- face and uhmmm... you even hummed a song, when you walked in?" Andrea summed it up for him, her hands shaking a bit, while giving him a scared look." And it's... it's already 10 AM, but you haven't insulted or yelled at anyone yet?"

As those words left her lips, she was absolutely terrified!

However, she had to find out if something was wrong... she was his assistant after all. And Taylor wasn't here yet!

While waiting for him to react, Andrea held the documents so tightly that her knuckles had turned white.

And then, she heard her boss laugh...

Seriously?!

Andrea's mouth fell slightly open, eyes wide, as she watched how Christian burst out into laughter.

"Sir... uhmmm, should I call someone for you?" she asked, really concerned about him." Does this have to do with that pregnant brunette who put you on blast last evening?"

The more she asked, the harder he laughed, making the other employees wonder what the hell was going on, and if their boss had gone crazy.

At one point, Christian stopped laughing, wiping away the tears, and got up from his seat with a small smile on his face.

"Sir, you OK?"

"Andrea, yes I am fine... you can go now and get my presentation ready," he told her, and helped her up from her seat.

However, she wasn't satisfied with his answer, still worried about him." But why are you so cheerful, sir?" she questioned, her heart pounding inside her chest.

Christian gave her a smile, and said." Have I ever told you that I'm lucky to have you as my assistant, Andrea?"

As those words reached her ears, her mouth dropped to the floor. "Sir?" she uttered, and shook her head.

"Well, I am lucky. You do such a good job," he pointed out." And now, I need you to set up the conference room for my next meeting,"

Andrea nodded with a shocked expression on her pretty face, and heard her boss hum a song she had never heard before.

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"I had to see it for myself," Christian heard a familiar female voice say.

He looked up from his laptop and saw his COO standing at the threshold of the door, giving him a certain look.

"See what, Elena?" he said, and continued with what he was doing.

"They were telling me that our CEO looked very cheerful today,"

Christian raised an eyebrow in response." So? What's wrong with someone being cheery,"

Elena walked into the conference room, and closed the door behind her, eyes on Christian.

"What's really going on, Christian?" she said, and closed the gap between them, her hips swaying seductively.

However, he didn't answer her, and kept finetuning his presentation.

"Why don't you tell me, Christian?" she insisted.

He stopped with typing, when Elena hovered over the table, placing her expensive, manicured hand on his chest." Well? Tell me,"

"First, why don't you take your hand off of me, and then give me my personal space," Christian answered, while giving her a stern look.

She complied and stopped touching him. Elena then took a seat three chairs away from him." Well, what's going on, Christian? Why is the CEO of GEH so cheerful today?"

"Stop calling me by my first name," Christian told her." I'm your boss... don't forget. I've told you this a dozen times already,"

Well, Elena got very angry, when she heard him say that." You didn't mind, when I screamed your first name, while we were fucking last month," she snapped at him, eyes glaring. If looks could kill, Christian would definitely be dead by now.

He held his hand up, and said." It was a one-night thing and we both agreed that it was a mistake, Mrs. Lincoln," he said, while giving her a harsh look." Didn't we agree that it was indeed a mistake?!"

Well, at this point Elena was seething, wanting so badly to slap Christian hard! However, she knew her place and they did agree that him fucking her was a big mistake.

And yet, she couldn't help feeling that he had used her and threw her away in the morning like she was trash!

Elena Lincoln was a very vindictive person, and was unable to get over the fact that her boss had rejected her...

"Fine, Mr. Grey... I will not call you by your first name anymore," she promised, and decided then to find out why her boss has been acting so cheerful.

(Maybe, just maybe he would tell her, so she could make him pay for rejecting her)

"I'm almost done here... call Andrea for me?"

"I will... but first, can I know why you are so cheery this morning?" Elena asked, and pursed her red lips, eyes on him.

At first, Christian didn't want to confess. However, he felt so happy that he wanted to share it with someone... anyone really.

He chuckled, and said." You've obviously seen on social media how a pregnant brunette had bitten my head off, right?"

She nodded, but didn't reply.

"Well, let me tell you more about her," Christian started, while a smile graced his face.

As Elena watched the happy expression on his face, she felt a gnawing pain in her heart. Seriously?! He was happy, because of that plain, simple looking, heavily pregnant woman?!

As Christian told her all about what happened this morning, how Ana played piano for him, and how extremely talented the young woman was, Elena so wanted to throw up.

He went on and on, raving over the young, pregnant woman, triggering Elena's jealousy and already present anger.

Christian was still talking about the young woman, when Elena interrupted him." You should be very careful, Mr. Grey," she demanded, eyes fixed on him.

He chuckled in response." Wh- why? She's harmless," Christian replied, and smiled.

Elena took a deep breath, and said." Have you already run a background check on her, Sir?"

In response, Christian furrowed his brows." Why would I do that? She is a composer and just moved from Oregon yesterday,"

"Oh, really? Well, isn't that convenient," Elena pointed out." She could be anything, Sir... maybe she's a stalker or anything really,"

"Wait, wait..." he said, and shook his head." Ana is a simple woman who moved here... she is nothing what you say,"

"I still advise you to be careful, sir... you are a billionaire and honestly you do attract certain people," Elena kept insisting." Let Taylor do a background check on her... let him ask his contact at the Precinct to dig deep in her past. You never know what kind of person she is... she could even be a corporate spy,"

Well, Elena being Elena had successfully planted a seed in Christian's head, when she used that term...

"No," he uttered, and shook his head again. Then got up from his seat." You're wrong about her. She could not be any of it... I'll proof it to you,"

"What are you gonna do, sir" Elena asked, while an evil smirk appeared on her face, very satisfied that Christian didn't look that happy any longer.

'Aahhhh, there is our real CEO... Mr. Christian Grey with that grumpy look on his handsome face, and looking miserable like usual. Just the way I like it.' were the words that swirled around in her head right then, while an evil smile appeared on her face.

Christian didn't notice that, because he was too preoccupied at the moment, pacing the room, attempting to reach the head of his security detail.

He had Taylor's number on speed dial of course.

"Why the fuck isn't he picking up?" he shouted, and gritted his teeth.

After two attempts, he walked out the conference room, into the hall, and reached his huge office.

"Andrea! Where the fuck is Brown?!" he exclaimed, still trying to get a hold of Taylor.

"Do you need me, Sir?" a tall, robust man said, standing in the doorway.

"Where is your superior? Do you know where the fuck he is?!"

"Not sure, Mr. Grey," Brown, one of Christian's bodyguard, told him." He did give me an order to stay close to you... protect you, because he was helping someone,"

"WHAT! WHO THE FUCK IS HE HELPING?! With what?!"

Brown was a big man, even taller than Christian, but right now he looked really scared." I- I'm not... sure, Mr. Grey, but I assure you I will protect you with my life," he pointed out." I won't let you nor him down, Sir,"

And it was then, when Andrea appeared. "Sir, the meeting will start in five minutes," she told Christian, making him explode.

"Well, I am the CEO of this empire! LET THEM FUCKING WAIT!" He shouted, while towering over Andrea.

In response, she nodded, her whole body trembling." Y-yes, Sir... Mr. Grey. I'll pass your uhmm... message on to them," she said, and rushed out his office.

Brown stood only a few feet away from Christian with an expressionless look on his face, watching his boss like a hawk, who was still pacing the office, attempting to reach the head of his security detail.

It was then, when he finally answered his phone.

"Taylor, where the HELL are you?!" Christian said, right before attending his second meeting of the day.

The head of his security detail was supposed to give the pregnant woman a ride, make sure she had her car back and return to GEH.

"Sir, I'm so sorry... but I can explain, Mr. Grey,"

"You do know that you're the only one I trust one hundred percent to protect me. Right?" Christian pointed out, sounding very annoyed." I want you back right now! And I don't want to hear any excuses,"

"But, sir... I'm at the hospital,"

Christian furrowed his brows, and narrowed his eyes, not understanding why his employee wasn't following his orders like he usually does." You're where now?" he barked at Taylor, and began pacing his massive office.

"Miss Steele... she uhmmm, she had the misfortune to lose her house, Mr. Grey," Taylor told him in an empathetic manner.

"So?!" Christian exclaimed, gritting his teeth." I do not pay you handsomely, so you can do whatever you want, do you hear?! I want you here now!"

"But, sir... Miss Steele, she fainted, because her house was destroyed," Taylor explained." I'm in the waiting room of the ER right now, sir... she doesn't have anybody else,"

"That's not my problem, Taylor! Return to your post right away!"

"But, Sir... I cannot leave her all alone,"

Christian wasn't used to arguing with his employees, and at this point had lost his patience completely." Come back right NOW! And if you don't, you're fired, Taylor!" He ordered, and hung up the phone, because his secretary was signaling him to attend the meeting with the board.

Taylor sat motionless in his seat at the ER with a shocked expression on his face. He couldn't believe Christian reacted that way." What a heartless asshole," he whispered, and decided then to stay.

As a sigh escaped his lips, he dialed a number. He was calling Gail. "Sweetie, uhmm... I think Mr. Grey just fired me,"

Gail was at the mansion, and immediately stopped arranging Christian's suits in his walk-in closet. "What did you just say? But why?" she asked, wondering what had happened.

She didn't understand... Her boss left the mansion this morning in a very good mood." Mr. Grey was even humming a song... I don't get it. What happened?"

Taylor then explained it all to her.

When he was done, Gail let out a deep breath, her hands shaking, while tears pooled in her eyes." You go to Mr. Grey right away,"

"But what about Ana? Mr. Harris had a flight to catch... he couldn't stay,"

"Don't worry... I will come, and wait for Ana to wake up," Gail whispered." You have to leave the hospital immediately, and go to Mr. Grey. I think something's up with him,"

Taylor shook his head, eyes shiny." But sweetie, you haven't been to a hospital, since..." he started, but didn't finish his sentence, clearing his throat.

As tears rolled down her cheeks, Gail nodded." I know, sweetie... but Ana needs me," she told him, and walked towards the front door." You're right. She doesn't have family or friends here. That's why I'm on my way there. We don't want her to wake up in the hospital, and find out that nobody's there for her,"

"Are you sure, Gail?" Taylor asked softly, while a tear rolled down his cheek." You've refused to go near a hospital, since we've lost our baby,"

While tears streamed down her face, she nodded." I'm sure... it's been three years," Gail pointed out." And most importantly, Ana needs me now,"

"OK, sweetie... I'll leave right away. Though I wonder what the big deal is with Mr. Grey" Taylor said, and walked in the direction of the exit." Brown is a good bodyguard... I don't know why our boss insists on having me there,"

"He only trusts you... after last year's incident," Gail pointed out." Just go back,"

"I'm already on my way, sweetie... uhmm, do you think he will give me my job back?"

Gail chuckled at that." He won't fire you, even if he says he will,"

"Right... he only trusts me. I know," Taylor said, and stepped inside the white SUV.

Note: Thank you for reading my work and the wonderful feedback.

Till the next,

J