„Mr. Grey, Mr. Roach is here to see you, he says it is urgent." Andrea announced over the speaker and Christian was immediately intrigued. He had never wanted any of the companies he owned to fold and he certainly didn't want to lose the bet but he also wanted to see what Ana was capable of doing business wise.

He had bought the publishing house to keep her safe and to gift it to her at a later time when she had more understanding for the business side of things, but he knew that now it would be a step back for her to take over SIP. Cross Publishing had a shining reputation and was working with other publishers all over the world to make sure their authors were well represented in all countries their books were available, while SIP acted on a way smaller stage. Sure there was enough potential, but it would still be a step back for her so he would either let it fold and find a different position for all the employees or sell it.

When Roach entered his office Christian just stared at the man he still had a great dislike for. This man must have known about Hyde's tendencies but he kept him on and didn't investigate further into why his previous assistants had left which was an absolute no-go for him. He didn't tolerate any kind of inappropriate behavior from employees towards other people and had let go some promising people over the years because of their disgusting remarks or behavior that he couldn't agree with and he expected people in a position of power to act the same or he simply didn't do business with them.

GEH had a no tolerance policy in regards to drugs, alcohol and any kind of sexual misconduct, which was something he was proud of because while the rules were strict he had created a work environment in which people felt safe and which clearly showed in the annual survey his employees had to take part in.

„Sir, I'm glad you had the time to see me, Cross Publishing is trying to ruin SIP!" Roach said as he came into the office.

„Is that so... please, have a seat and explain." Christian said facing the man who looked as if he had aged twenty years over night.

„Within two weeks we have lost five potential authors who already agreed to sign with us to Cross Publishing, they went and made two of our senior editors job offers they couldn't refuse and now Boyce Fox called me to let me know that he has decided to work with them as well. They want to ruin SIP!" Roach rambled and Christian had to fight the urge to smirk, Ana really meant business.

„What have you done to prevent more people from leaving?"

„What?" Roach asked and that pissed Christian off.

„Mr. Roach, you have been in this business for almost three decades, clearly Cross Publishing isn't the first competition you ever had... so what are you doing to keep them from ruining SIP?" He asked sharply.

„I... I haven't ... I mean, we weren't expecting this."

„So, you are here to tell me that while you were aware that Cross Publishing was going to open a branch in Seattle you never once thought that they would try to get authors in this area that are already in talks with other publisher's?" He questioned further making Roach squirm in his seat.

„With all due respect, Sir, but we never had to deal with such aggressive competition."

„I understand that, however, what I want to know is what you are going to do about it?"

„I... we have some more promising authors, we could push their release dates to get us on the bestselling lists."

„That would be a start."

„Still, Cross must have someone on top of his branch who is in the publishing world for many years to be able to persuade everyone to work with them." Roach said and this made Christian laugh.

„So, you came here to tell me Cross Publishing is ruining you and you don't even know who leads the branch?"

„I... Sir, I apologize..."

„Well, let me give you a little lesson. The woman on top of the new Cross Publishing is Anastasia Lambert... though I assume you know her as Anastasia Steele." He said.

„The name sounds familiar..."

„She once was hired by SIP to work as Jack Hyde's assistant, she left without a notice after a work trip with him to New York four years ago... sounds familiar?"

„I... yes, I remember her, but this can't be possible, she was fresh out of college back then, why would Cross allow a rookie to be in charge?"

„Maybe because he knows how capable and talented she truly is... after all she has you pissing your pants." Christian replied deadpan and Roach stiffened.

„Sir, I will get this situation under control."

„I would hope so, because as of now GEH has no longer any use for SIP, so if you let it fold that is it, Roach."

„But all the employees."

„Will find new jobs within GEH and it's subsidiaries. The only job that is on the line is yours, Mr. Roach because to be very honest, I'm very displeased with your performance and behavior, in addition the fact that you allowed for Jack Hyde to work for you knowing that something isn't right about him disgusts me."

„Sir, we let Hyde go almost four years ago."

„And who insisted on giving him the slip?" Christian asked pissed.

„That would have been you, Sir."

„That is right, you knew he was a scumbag, who most likely had harassed the young women he hired as assistants over the years and you just sat by."

„I had no proof."

„One assistant leaving without any explanation is bad luck, two could be seen as coincidence but six young women leaving a job they had fought to get is clear evidence that something isn't right and even if there was no proof of it, it would have been your job to investigate or simply terminate Hyde from his job to make sure all other women working at SIP are safe. You failed at doing that and while I allowed you under supervision to keep your job, I have no further use for a man like you in my company should SIP fold." Christian said making it clear that he despised the older man in front of him.

„I understand, Sir... I won't let SIP fold." Roach said and excused himself while Christian called his finance department to sent him an overview of SIP's numbers and then HR to have them look into other positions for all SIP employees in case Ana did win the bet.

In the evening Taylor drove him home and when he got out of the car he saw Ana in her work out gear walking to the elevator. He called out to her but she wasn't hearing him because she was wearing headphones. So, he hurried to catch up with her, touched her shoulder and before he knew what was happening he was on his ass on the ground.

„Oh my god... Christian!... I'm so sorry." Ana gasped when she saw that she had just karate kicked Christian to the ground. „Are you hurt?"

„Well, I'm pretty sure you bruised my ass and my ego isn't very happy right now either." He muttered as he got up.

„I'm so, so sorry." She murmured again and he looked at her, she was almost one foot shorter than him and not more than 120 lbs, but this tiny girl had just kicked his ass unlike anything he had ever experienced and suddenly he had to laugh.

„Christian, this isn't funny!" Ana snapped.

„Ok... then I guess to make it up you have to cook me dinner." He said and this made her smile.

„If you give me fifteen minutes to shower and change I will be right on it, Sir." She replied teasingly.

„Very well, Miss Lambert, I shall be at your place in fifteen minutes. What kind of wine would be fitting for dinner?"

„Diet Coke." She said making him frown.

„I'm making macaroni and cheese with chicken tenders."

„Diet coke it is." He smiled and they got into the elevator. Christian took a quick shower himself and then changed into jeans and a t-shirt and stopped by the fridge to get a bottle of diet coke. He himself didn't drink soda often but always had some in the fridge for when Kate and Mia stopped by because both women lived off of diet soda.

When he arrived at her place she was dressed in yoga pants and an oversized sweater, her wet hair was braided and she looked stunning. While she was cooking, he sat at the breakfast bar and watched her.

„Where did you learn to knock a guy twice your size to your ass?" He asked still intrigued.

„I shared an apartment with a couple of girls in New York. One of them, Lola, she worked at a gym and gave self-defense classes. She made all of us take classes. She always says if you carry pepper spray the wind can blow it into your face, a dog can get scared and if you carry a gun someone can disarm you and use it against you, so the only effective form of self-defense is to turn yourself into a weapon. At first, I wasn't sure about it, but after a few lessons I really got into it and since then I have been taking classes in mixed martial arts, both as work out and as self-defense training." She explained to him and he nodded.

„Are you taking classes here too?"

„I haven't found the right one yet, but I'm going to a krav maga class next week to see if it is for me. Right now, I'm just doing some cardio at the gym and I hate it, I don't know why, but a normal workout is the most miserable thing in the world to me."

„Mia takes some classes at the gym, I don't know what it is exactly, but I can ask her maybe you can join her." He offered.

„No, I already asked her, she does pole dance workouts."

„What?"

„It's like pole dancing but turned into a workout. I have tried that a few times with Gideon's sister Ireland because she is really into it, but I only ended up with lots of bruises and utterly frustrated because I just can't get it right. If Krav Maga isn't mine either, I'll just hire a personal trainer who does mixed martial arts." She said.

„Can I ask you something, Ana?"

„You can ask me everything Christian, I just can't promise you to answer all of your questions just now."

„Ok, so... why was I the first person you came to see when you moved back to Seattle." He asked and she turned to look at him.

„Because you didn't deserve the way I left and I knew you had been looking for me for so long... I didn't want you to find out by chance that I'm back and think I just didn't care to tell you. You deserved better than that... and I missed you." She confessed before she turned around to stir the food, while he looked at her.

He could see it in her eyes that there was so much more she wanted to tell him and everything in him screamed to pull her in arms and tell her that no matter what Hyde had done to her, he didn't care that it didn't change how he felt about her, but he remained silent. He knew she needed to come to him and open up about what had happened the day she disappeared. He was afraid that if he pushed her she would run or shut him out and he wouldn't be able to deal with either of those possibilities. So he decided to go for a casual chat instead when she placed the food in front of him and they started to eat.

„Roach came to GEH today... he is shitting his pants." He said and she grinned.

„Really, that's funny... I didn't think he would find out until tomorrow."

„What do you mean?"

„I was shopping for Cross Publishing today... we have our offices, but we also need some extra space. Did you know that the building that houses SIP isn't owned by the company?" She asked innocently and he couldn't believe it.

„You bought the building?"

„Yes, and tomorrow SIP will receive the four weeks notice to vacate the building... so how was your day?" She grinned and he still couldn't believe it.

„How did you even know that the building wasn't owned by SIP and how did you manage to get the sale done in one afternoon?"

„Oh, I have my ways... but don't worry, you might like what I want once I have won." She said confident and he shook his head.

„Should I just throw in the towel now?"

„I don't know if you think you can't win." She shrugged.

„Maybe I don't want to win and just want to see what you are capable of doing."

„You tell yourself that... better for the ego right?" She giggled and he just enjoyed their little banter but just like the other night he had dinner with her their time together ended way too soon for his liking and he had to leave feeling like he still had nothing accomplished in regards of getting her to open up to him...