CPOV

It's the morning after and I sit in the Grey House, trying to distract myself with work. I love working here alone without being interrupted all the time. While taking a break after some hours I look out of the window and suddenly I feel like my life is askew and developing in a direction which displeases me. All my life Elena has told me that love is only for fools, but I'm starting to feel like she deceived me. I admit that lovesickness sucks and that I really do not need that in my life but loving someone is something special and I wouldn't want to miss this feeling for all the money in the world. And yes, already one and a half week passed by and I still didn't manage to not think about her for a single day. My life is totally going against my plans. Fuck!

My head hits the desk and I rake my fingers through my hair. When did I lose control of my life?

"So bad?" somebody asks me. I raise my head and look into my mother's kind and wise eyes.
"You've got no clue!" I moan.
"I do know what it's like to be lovesick. Or do you believe your father and I found each other without a single problem?" she snorts. Then she smiles and tells me, "But it was worth each and every tear! So spit it out! Is it about this Kate?". I groan.
"No, her best friend. Her name is Ana and she has two children. Two marvelous boys – Tommy and Andy. Her husband died about a year ago," I tell her.
"She's single?" she questions me surprised.
"Yes," I tell her.
"So what's the problem?" she wonders.

"Some ugly things happened between us and our lifestyles simply don't match. Can you imagine me with children? I would destroy those three with my problems! And I am engaged to Elena who's bugging me more and more and is slowly going crazy," I explain.

My mother looks at me for a moment and it seems like she is pondering what to tell me.

"Christian, for 26 years I watched you being unhappy, just existing from day to day. Yes, you are successful, I won't disagree; but have you ever been happy in your life? So if there's just a tiny possibility, that there's someone who can make you happy you simply can't let it pass! Only then you can see who you really are - And believe me, you will be surprised how 'normal' and uncomplicated you are. How great you'll be as a father. I know that your first years in life have coined you and how much they still influence you, but you cannot ruin your future because of them! Give Elena a oneway-ticket to hell and go get this Ana! Get up and move because I want to see you happy," she says and gets up. "Well, and now I'll leave. I just wanted to remind you that we won't see each other before next Saturday as your father and I will be going to the theater today. At least that was my excuse to continue our talk from yesterday," she adds giggling. I nod, get up, kiss her cheek and guide her to the elevator. This was the kind of speech I heard almost on a daily basis when I was younger and I have never before truly listened to her. But I cannot deny that these words hit home today.

As soon as I get back to my desk I take the next stack of paperwork. Ros has looked at a small publishing company in Montesano which has both great potential and financial problems. I call Welsh and order him to get me a list of all employees. Meanwhile I start studying the documents and it seems like a great project. You just need to adjust small aspects to make it a very successful business. Shortly afterwards my laptop signals me a new email and I unconsciously brace myself. I open the report Welsh sent me and read through the names. And there she is: Anastasia Rose Steele, Junior Editor.

This seals the deal as I cannot watch Ana lose her job once again. She doesn't deserve that, no, not if I can prevent it. I write another email to Ros and command her to buy the publishing house. And at the end of the day I am quite content as the day turned out to be productive after all.

I think I was wrong in the previous chapter. THIS is the chapter Grace's trying to knock sense into Christian and from the next chapter on, there will be Ana's POV ;)

Christian618 - Good to hear, because I don't think that she will go away with a big bang ;)

Guest - Thank you for your review! There won't be the question if he would like to know it, because he's going to learn of her trip for sure ;D

Pielietje - I have my auntie in mind, who always told me about the first time my cousin fell in love. She said, she knew it the moment she saw him coming home and going to his room ;). And I think there is a difference between a love marriage and a marriage of convenience - And like some readers pointed out - he's not acting like before, so it would be easy for Grace to see a difference. And isn't love the first thing you would expect? ;)

mya4snape - Most likely Elena has something to do with Christian's accident. What she truly wants will be revealed in chapter 38. Even if his family don't like their relationship - he is 30, so they have to respect his decisions at some point I guess. I think Elena is good with people, showing them what they want to see, so I don't think anybody has a reason to hate her ... yet ;) And she is a friend of Grace, so they wouldn't expect something is wrong.

Moonstone star81 - It will begin to get better from chapter 38 on ;)

hateme101 - Isn't that what every mother thinks of first? I don't know.

Doc-sama - Thank you for your review! (Which is the 300th I had the pleasure to read ;D)