I could not believe what I just heard. My mind is racing in a hundred different directions. He bought SIP, he bought a publishing house, because of me. Maybe even for me. This was not a normal, I mean couldn't he just buy me some flowers maybe a nice purse. No Christian Grey buys you a whole fucking company.
"Christian you can't be serious." I pulled my hand out of his and shifted my body away from him, in complete and total shock. His face changed as I pulled away, I could see the doubt creep up in him.
"I am, you said it would make you happy. So I bought it…" He said it so easily, like he was asking me about the weather or where we wanted to go for dinner.
"Was it even for sale?" He smirked and rubbed his finger over his chin.
"Well, no… But that has never stopped me before."
"I can't believe you did this… for me… this is too much."
"Ana, I want you happy, I want you doing what you love and you love publishing. And after what he did to you I couldn't resist firing Hyde…Come, lets do this. Roz is waiting for us."
"Roz, wait… this is the deal you have been working on all weekend…"
"Yes it is."
We walked into the SIP offices hand in hand, Taylor right behind, to the open mouths of everyone we passed from reception to marketing. Sawyer was already there with another man that I didn't know, standing on either side of the conference room door. Jack sat at the head of the conference table, flanked by Elizabeth on one side and who I assumed was his new assistant on the other. The smug look on Jack's face dropped when he saw me enter the room on Christian's arm. I felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. Take that asshole! Christian quietly introduced me and sat next to Roz on the other side of the conference table. I couldn't help the sly smile on my face as he and I locked eyes. Christian caught this little moment and chuckled.
"Miss Michaels, could you please excuse us, Hyde won't be needing you today." The young girl, jumped out of her seat eager to leave this tension filled room, I was tempted to join her.
It was just the five of us now, sitting there waiting for Christian to speak again. "So I guess you are wondering why we are all here today. My name is Christian Grey and as of this morning I am the new owner of SIP. I am going to be making some changes…Starting with management." Jack shifted in his seat. 'I think it goes without saying that your services are no longer needed Hyde." Jack shot me a look, seething with hatred and anger. He stood abruptly and pounded his fist on the deck.
"Fuck you Grey!"
"Such language Hyde, you see men like you…. The ones who feel like they have to force themselves on women… Women like Ana, and you Elizabeth…" Shock spread across both of our faces, as Elizabeth and I locked eyes.
"You can't fire me, this place runs because of me. Just because your little cock tease girlfriend got her feelings hurt, you are going to destroy this entire company!"
I could see Christians demeanor change when Jack call me a cock tease. He stood, placing his hands on the table leaning forward, his voice was deep and in command.
"This place will flourish with out you. I have hired Peyton Forbes to take your place." Holy shit, Peyton Forbes… She was like a legend. I could not believe what I was hearing. "With you gone, the women that work here can focus on their jobs and not getting fucked and taped by you." Jack's eyes grew wide, realizing his power was gone and there was nothing he could do to regain it. He looked at Elizabeth who was crying silently and then back to me with such anger and rage. "If you are going to video tape your treachery you should at least keep it on a secure server, It took my security team minutes to find them. They have of course all been deleted… So you have your freedom back Elizabeth."
I couldn't believe what I was hearing, shock was not even the word to express it. I felt sick to my stomach, the idea that there could be a video of Jack forcing himself on me. I shuddered, a wave of nausea passing through me. I wondered if Christian had seen it, I could feel the tears welling in my own eyes but I refused to give Jack the satisfaction.
It happened so quickly, Jack ran, yelling profanities and lunged at Christian. He never even got close, Taylor was spry and took him down in a split second. Both men hitting the floor was a thud that shook the entire room. I jumped up, as Christian wrapped his arms around me, placing he body in front of mine, blocking my view of Hyde getting his ass kicked by Taylor's expert hands. We all watched as Sawyer and the other guard pulled a rabid Jack Hyde out of the building to places unknown.
Elizabeth looked like a dear in the headlights, her hands shaking as she sat back into the chair and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She took a few deep breaths, as we sat back down at the table.
"Elizabeth, why don't you take a few minutes and then call the rest of the staff in here I am sure they are curious to find out what is going on."
"Aren't I fired too." Her voice was barely a whisper.
"No, you are not. You will be instrumental in the transition. Peyton won't be in Seattle for another week. You have a great reputation, that can't be marred by Hyde. So yes you still have a job. Why don't you go clean yourself up and call everyone else in."
In a matter of minutes everything had been turned upside down. I had a million questions, and twice as many fears.
"I know you must have a lot to ask me, we can discuss it all later. For now, lets just get through the rest of this meeting." He placed his hand on my knee, and I nodded once, placing my hand over his as the rest of the company filtered in.
I listened intently as he explained that he was the new owner effective immediately. I watched the shocked and smiling faces when they were told that Hyde was fired and Peyton Forbes would be their new boss and I was to be her assistant. I felt a surge of happiness rush through me, I was going to be Peyton Forbes' assistant. I was going to learn from the best, it was like a dream come true and I had Christian to thank. Peyton was a publishing powerhouse, her father was the founder of Forbes Publishing. She took it over in her thirties and but her fortieth birthday it was the largest and most successful house in the world. She grew tired of churning out the big hits, books destined to be blockbuster movies. She wanted to do smaller projects, meaningful ones and in a move that stunned many she sold her company lock stock and barrel. She took years off to raise her daughter Millie who had just graduated college and was now working for biotech firm in Seattle. All of the pieces of this puzzle were coming together.
Christian explained that SIP would now be known as Grey Publishing and that the offices would be moved across town to the Grey Building. He asked that they all pack up their desks, and clearly mark their boxes. The movers would be there tomorrow. He also told them that everyone sans management had the rest of the week off with pay. In a matter of minutes he had managed to ease their worried minds and assure them that things would only be getting better. It was my mind still in limbo, wondering if it were true hoping it was not.
We got back in the limo and I couldn't contain it any longer I broke down crying in Christian's arms. It was all too much, too fast. Seeing Hyde, the news that her had video of Elizabeth, maybe even me. Then the amazing news of Peyton Forbes working for the company that Christian had bought for me just to make me happy. I was hysterical and sobbing on his shoulder.
"Baby, its going to be ok. Fuck, I shouldn't have brought you in there. I just wanted you to see the look on his face…What was I thinking…"
Taylor passed me a handkerchief and I noticed that his knuckles were bleeding. He shrugged it off and said he was fine, but it was just another part of this overwhelming wonderful but awful day. I took a few deep breaths and wiped my eyes before I could speak.
"Christian, is there a video of me and Jack?" He nodded, confirming my fears. "And you have seen it?"
"I have yes…" His voice was a growl, his jaw tight. He had seen it.
"Before or after I told you what happened?"
"After, I watched it this morning. I just found out about its existence. The videos of the others were kept on the SIP server, I saw those days ago. The one of you was on his SIP laptop…"
'You shouldn't have watched it, I didn't want you seeing me like that…" My mind replayed those awful moments over and over, I felt disgusted now knowing that Christian had seen it too. "Taylor…did you watch it as well?"
Taylor and Christian locked eyes in the rearview and Christian gave him a small nod.
"Yes Miss Steele." I could hear the controlled anger in his voice and now I understood why he beat Jack the way he did. It was payback.
"You didn't tell me everything Ana…" Christian's voice dropped an octave, filled with sadness. My bottom lip began to quiver, he had seen the video he knew everything.
"No, I didn't…I omitted…"
