THE ORIGINAL NOVEL WAS WRITTEN IN SPANISH, I APOLOGIZE FOR THE TRANSLATION. IF YOU WANT TO READ IT IN SPANISH LOOK FOR IT UNDER THE SAME PSEUDONYM AND BY NAME "EL SECRETO"
In case you're wondering if Christian is in the novel, is there, just won´t expected.
I woke up the next morning with the sound of the alarm clock. I had slept very well. After taking a light shower I got dressed and headed for the kitchen. It was strange that Kate hadn't woken up. As soon as I finished making breakfast I went to her room. Kate was still sleeping. I sat on the bed beside her and moved her to wake up.
—You're not getting up today. —I said to her as I moved her by her legs.
—Five more minutes. —she said as she covered his head more.
—I see you were late last night, we're gonna be late. I'm waiting for you for breakfast. —I told her as I got out of bed and headed for the kitchen.
I was having breakfast when I got a message and quickly got my phone.
From: Christian
To: Anastasia Steele
Date: Friday, 23/10/2015 1:45 PM, CET
Subject: Good morning.
I hope you rested and slept well. I'm in a greenhouse looking at some exotic plants. I just wanted to say good morning.
Christian
The message had just made my day even happier.
—What's with the smile? —Kate said to me as she sat next to me.
—Christian just texted me. —I said as I put my cell phone down and continued with breakfast.
—I see you're serious about meeting your secret admirer. —she told me, sitting next to me.
—Yeah, I think we could get along.
—I'm happy for you.
—What time did you get in last night? —I asked her as she took a sip of juice.
—Late. —se said with a smile on his face.
—It went well for you as far as I can see. — I told her as I'd give her a little push with my shoulder.
—Yes. Spectacular. —she said as she continued with an idiotic smile on his face. How was Mr. Chasting's company last night? —she told me changing the subject as I choked on the juice and started coughing.
Kate started tapping me on the back while my eyes were watering.
After a while I started to calm down.
—What happened to Mr. Chasting? —she asked intrigued now.
—Nothing. —I told her as I continued to eat breakfast and she squinted.
—Then "nothing" means that something happened and you don't want to tell me. Come on, Ana, I've known you for a long time. Besides, the guy is very hot and you like him, if nothing had happened you wouldn't have choked on the juice with my question. —she said at full speed as I watched her without blinking.
God, she was so stubborn at times, I think it was best to get straight to the point and rather than give her a summary of what happened.
—He wants to sleep with me. —I told her while Kate was gawking.
She didn't react to what I told her.
—Did you hear what I said? Mr. Chasting wants to sleep with me.
—Yes, I heard you the first time. And what did you say?
—Are you really gonna ask me that? He warned me he'll only sleep with me once and you know what I think about it.
—Yes, you don't sleep with anyone once, much less if you don't go out first, or if you don't know him, or if you don't work with him, or if you like him too much. —she said the last thing too quietly for I not to listen, but she failed.
—Exactly. —I told her while she was thinking.
—Except that one time, two years ago if I remember correctly. Was it at the masquerade ball?
—Please don't remind me of that. It's enough torture not to remember who it was. — especially if what happened continues to haunt me at night.
It's not that I didn't remember anything that happened, I just didn't remember him. I'd want to remember, that's what I want most of all.
I hadn't had many sexual experiences, not to mention none when I met José. But since Kate had warned me herself, he was a womanizer and only wanted to sleep with me. After a month together he began to insist on sleeping with me, but I refused. I couldn't understand what his insistence was.
Two days later I caught him in the elevator with his mouth and his hands very busy between the legs of the receptionist on my floor. Not only I had witnessed that, a few other people saw them including Grace as well. Both were immediately expelled from the company. My heart had been broken by his deception and the humiliation he had put me through.
A few days after that and at Kate's insistence we went to the masked ball. I didn't really have the courage to go anywhere, but there was no one to say no to her. So I got a costume and we went to the dance. I didn't want to think about anything, I didn't want to keep remembering the idiot. So I went too far for drinks. And then I met him, he took me dancing and then we went up to the room. That had been the best night of my life, at least for the little I remember. What I most regretted was that I had lost my virginity with a stranger that I didn't remember the next morning.
—Okay, I'm not asking you anything more about Mr. Chasting. So tell me about Christian. —Kate told me, bringing me back to the present.
And I gave her a brief summary of our conversations by mail the night before.
—So you'll meet him next week?
—Yes. —I told her as I got up to pick up my breakfast things.
—So we can still go out tonight?
—You're not going out with Elliot today?
—Not in theory.
—Explain what you did now.
—Well, I had planned for the three of us to go to Navy Pier. You, Elliot and me. But so you wouldn't be alone, Elliot gave me an idea.
—Kate, tell me is not what I'm thinking.
—He's going to invite a friend of his.
—You know I don't like arranged dates.
—Come on, we'll have fun. Besides, according to Elliot, his friend is a real gentleman, and he's handsome. Maybe you'll even forget about Mr. Chasting. —I've never liked fixed dates but she was right. I had to forget about Mr. Chasting somehow.
—All right, I just hope his friend doesn't behave strangely.
We drove out together today in my car for work. When I got to my office, there was no sign of Mr. Chasting anywhere. I was lucky I didn't cross him yet. But I knew I'd have to face him as soon as he arrived.
Mr. Chasting arrived after 8:00 a.m. He walked into my office and looked at me seriously. He was wearing a black suit with a gray tie today. As always, the first button of his shirt unbuttoned and his hair unlike yesterday, perfectly combed back.
—Good morning, Mr. Chasting. —despite what happened last night, I had to behave as if nothing had happened.
—Good morning, Anastasia. —That was all he told me before he get into his office.
What stranger? No comments at all. I got up and went to get his coffee like I do every day. I knocked on his office door and walked in. Mr. Chasting found his face in his hands and I couldn't help myself.
—Is something wrong, Mr. Chasting? — I told him as I put the coffee on his table and he raised his head slightly smiling at me.
—Just a problem with my car that hasn't arrived from London yet, it's late.
—If there's anything I can do for you, just tell me. — and as soon as I finished the sentence I regretted what I had said.
—Now that you say it, yes, as a matter of fact, I do. —he said as he got up from his seat and turned around to his desk and stood in front of me.
I should have run away or at least walked away from him. But I couldn't do it. At that moment, as so many times before, I stood there, frozen.
He stopped in front of me, smiling slightly. Making my breathing and my heart rate soar.
—There's only one thing that would make me feel better right now. You know what it is?
—No, Mr. Chasting. —I answered with nervousness in my voice.
I couldn't help it, especially with his closeness. I had lied to him. I knew exactly what he wanted.
—A kiss from you.
Oh, my God!
Why would he do this to me?
It was doing it on purpose, I knew it, he was tempting me to see what my endurance was.
—Did you think about my proposal?
—There's not much to think about. The answer is and remains no. Now if you don't need anything else, I'll be in my office, if you'll excuse me. —saying this I turned around and left his office.
I had to use all my self-control to keep my word. Every time he talked to me like that he made me shiver completely and almost lose my senses. I sat behind my desk and looked at the computer and saw that I had a message. When I opened the e-mail it was Mr. Chasting's.
From: Ryan Chasting
To: Anastasia Steele
Date: Friday, 23/10/2015 8:25 AM
Subject: Persistent.
Do not think that I will give up so easily, I will only rest when I have you under me in ecstasy for pleasure and begging for more.
Thanks for the coffee, delicious as always. Nothing to do with the one in the meeting the other day.
Ryan Chasting, CEO of TecFall.
The last thing he said about coffee made me laugh.
But as for the rest...Why did he have to tell me those things? That it was very difficult for him to understand that I didn't want to. Well, actually, I did, but I wasn't gonna sleep with him.
I decided to answer his e-mail immediately and make it clear to him how things were.
From: Anastasia Steele
To: Ryan Chasting
Date: Friday, 23/10/2015 8:28 AM
Subject: Stubborn.
Have you not understood what I have said to you on either occasion? I'm not sleeping with you. Don't think that because you're my boss you have any influence over me. You can threaten to fire me if I don't, but I will continue to say no. I'd rather find another job than sleep with you. Please stop insisting. Perhaps it is very difficult for you to understand, or perhaps it is that no woman has ever refused you before. You have an idea that what you're doing is called sexual harassment and that I might as well report it. Think about it before you think about me... naked... in your bed.
Anastasia Steele Personal Assistant to Ryan Chasting.
That'll do you good.
I just hope he doesn't keep insisting. It wasn't long before his answer came.
From: Ryan Chasting
To: Anastasia Steele
Date: Friday, 23/10/2015 8:31 AM
Subject: Evidence.
I never thought a woman would have so many words to say no to a proposal like mine, you surprised me.
PS: Do you have proof of my sexual harassment?
Ryan Chasting, CEO of TecFall.
Maybe he had a short-term memory loss.
From: Anastasia Steele
To: Ryan Chasting
Date: Friday, 23/10/2015 8:32 AM
Subject: Evidence?
I think the e-mails you've sent me are proof enough, don't you think.
Anastasia Steele Personal Assistant to Ryan Chasting.
He answered quickly.
From: Ryan Chasting
To: Anastasia Steele
Date: Friday, 23/10/2015 8:33 AM
Subject: E-Mails?
I don't know what e-mails you're talking about, but good luck finding evidence.
Ryan Chasting, CEO of TecFall.
Now he had gone mad. I looked up the records of the e-mails he had sent me. Last night's and now morning's to forward to him. But to my surprise I didn't have them. This was impossible. I looked again. Nothing. Nothing. I used my hacker skills learned in college and quickly accessed the server but there were no backups there either - how did he do that? No e-mail from our conversations was there, his or mine.
From: Anastasia Steele
To: Ryan Chasting
Date: Friday, 23/10/2015 8:40 AM
Subject: Well done.
I don't know how you did it, but I'll be ready for the next one. If you continue with your plan as a profligate conqueror, I'm going to get the evidence.
Anastasia Steele Personal Assistant to Ryan Chasting.
The minutes were passing and there were no more e-mails from him. I felt a mixture of relief and disappointment that he had not answered the last e-mail. I had to get it out of my mind, but seeing it all the time would make it impossible for me. And even more so with the e-mails he sent me. Then I came up with something. I haven't been on vacation in a while.