I get back and Grey is sat in the armchair by the floor to ceiling windows in our bedroom, his arms crossed. His face is a picture of anger. His nostrils flare a little with each breath. I wonder if he knows I have caught him in the act. Maybe someone has checked the cameras and seen I have come home during the day of his fuck?
"Good day?" I ask him, although I suspect I already know the answer. I set my bag down near him. His eyes follow my bag back up to my face. They look disdainful as he watches me, surprised I haven't asked someone to do this for me. I never do. That's his ball court. He likes people to run around after him. I hate it.
"I wouldn't say it was uneventful," he says, uncrossing his arms and resting one on each arm of the armchair. His finger tips close on the seam on the chair. He knows. My stomach twists in discomfort. "Tell me. Why are you taking off work to visit solicitors?" He asks me.
"Kate needed to visit an attorney to sort out a family will," I say smoothly, giving him the same story as Sawyer. Grey runs his tongue over a dry lip. He looks like he is ready to go in for the kill. If he is then so be it. I have nothing to lose at this stage. Other than the element of surprise.
"So I heard. Pray tell me, Ana, why are you squandering time for our company without bothering to tell me?" He asks me nastily. Of course, if I had been at my desk all day I could have made him an extra million. Like he needs any more cash. I may as well run the business into the ground.
"Because I didn't think it would be an issue," I say taking out my earrings as his lip curls unpleasantly. I set the earrings on the side and wait for his next blow.
"As your boss, it is always an issue. But I'm sure you know that your little visit to the solicitor is not why I'm upset, don't you?" His face is set in an unpleasant smile, his body spread as wide as can be. You're slipping, Grey, with your crazy stalking. Mardell & Co LLP don't do wills and probate. They specialise in family and divorce law. I turn to face him, fixing on an equally unpleasant smile.
"Just spit it out, I'm tired and want to get some dinner," I shake my head, walking towards the bathroom. He's up and following me. I hear his socks padding on the carpet behind me. He moves quickly and lithely.
"You will be tired, won't you?" He sneers as he walks behind me. I turn and face him. His face that I have had to tolerate for over a week to keep this charade going. His smug, self centred face that could do with a punch.
"What are you talking about?" I snap back, finally losing my patience with him and whatever tantrum this is. Clearly, he thinks his dirty little secret is safe.
"Well I'm assuming you'll be tired for about 9 months, won't you?" He gives me a satisfied smirk and my stomach drops. I open and close my mouth. How does he know this? I've told no one except for Kate, Dora and Euan.
"How do you know?" I ask him eventually as his look of satisfied humour turns to fury.
"So it is true? It's true we're having another child that I have not asked for? That's you've gone behind my back to conceive?" He roars at me and I step backwards in horror. His hands are balled into fists. I imagine him socking me in the face but I know he would never go that far. I'm sure he's imagined it plenty though.
"Calm down!" I shout back. A week of pretending everything is okay between us is catching up on me now. "This is clearly not planned. I don't know how it's happened. And I sure as hell don't know how you know!"
"Oh you wanted to keep it from me?" He snarls at me. His face is red with rage, spit flying from his mouth. "What were you hoping? That I wouldn't notice another baby crawling around our house spewing and shitting everywhere? Is that what you thought?" His voice is shaking with rage, his spit hitting me in the face.
"I certainly wanted to find the right way to tell you so you didn't throw a fucking hissy fit!" I shout at him, stepping away from his line of spit. Grey is shaking, his anger is palpable. Even after five years of trying to mould him in to some kind of respectable human being, he still behaves like an animal when he loses his temper.
"Oh really? When were you going to tell me? At the hospital when it's tearing you open and I have months of 'oh Christian, you can't go near there!'" He continues to yell, his sarcasm dripping on every word. His favourite form of humour.
"Yeah that must be tough on you!" I sneer. To hell with this. "As tough as using a condom?"
Christian laughs, he's in my face again, a vein popping on his red forehead. "I've kept my end of the bargain in case you haven't noticed. Have you been saving my semen?" His nastiness is out of control. The thought of his semen makes me want to physically gag.
"Clearly not! Clearly one split. But like I said to you five years ago, when you have sex, babies are a risk you take! Or can you still not get that through your thick skull?" I taunt him and he laughs again.
"It must just be you cause I've had sex with a lot of other women and they've never had this problem," he taunts me back. Oh Grey, taunting me about your other women right now is not a good way to go.
"So how did you find out? Because it's certainly not your female intuition, is it?" I point out. A look crosses his face I cannot read. He moves to his impassive, nasty pout.
"Taylor told me. Do you have any idea how humiliating it is to have your security guard tell you you're having a child because your wife hasn't?" He spits. If it wasn't the recent revelations about Grey, I might have felt sorry for him. Maybe he does have a right to be angry. Maybe he is hurt I haven't told him. Who knows. But right now he deserves what he's getting.
"How does Taylor know?" I ask him in genuine disbelief. Taylor isn't famed for female intuition either.
"Gail empties our bins. And found a positive test. And told Taylor. Who asked me," he snaps at me. Everything is falling into place. My stomach turns slightly at the thought of what else poor Gail has to empty out of our bins. He pushes his copper hair back. "How long have you known, Anastasia?" The last word drips like poison.
"A week. And honestly I didn't want to tell you because I knew you'd react like this. Because you always do," I snap back. Teddy's conception was the same. Phoebe's was a bit better but only marginally. The man hates having kids.
"Well this time, Anastasia. You leave me no choice. Have an abortion or raise it by yourself," he says calmly. Too calmly. He turns on his heel to walk from our bedroom. He's fast. Too fast.
"What?" I ask as I storm after him.
"You heard what I said, Anastasia. You're doing it on purpose," he doesn't turn back. He walks to his study and slams and locks the door. I sink down against it and start to cry into my knees.
I sit there for half an hour, the study now out of bounds for collecting any of the evidence I desperately need. But it doesn't weaken my resolve. As I wrap my arms around my legs and weep into them I realise this is the perfect excuse to leave with my children. He doesn't want more. This makes him an unsuitable guardian to at least one of them. He's also expressed his anger the other two exist.
I cry myself out before heading to our room. I gather an overnight bag for myself before heading to the kids' rooms to pack. I text Kate, letting her know we are coming. I go back to the kitchen, picking up the keys to one of the Audis and go back to get our children from the nursery, telling Hope we are going out for tea and she can finish early. I wonder whether to tell her more, but I have no idea who I can trust.
I settle the kids in the back of the car, our things in the trunk and slowly back out. "Are we going for dinner?" Teddy asks me as Phoebe sucks her fingers. I glance in the rear view mirror. I've evaded security exiting the apartment. Grey himself is still sulking in his office. Fool.
"We're going to go visit Auntie Kate and Ava," I tell him as he grins delightedly. And Uncle Elliott. Who is going to know I have walked out on his brother when I request to sleep in his house overnight. The drive to Kate's is relatively peaceful. My phone doesn't ring once and Grey still doesn't know I'm gone.
I park on Kate and Elliott's driveway, Kate coming out to help me with the kids. Teddy and Phoebe are delighted to see her and she carries Phoebe into the house on one hip as I hold Teddy's hand and we walk into their large home. Elliott is waiting in the hall looking somewhat confused.
"Ana, we weren't expecting you. It's good to see you," Elliott is unable to hide the bewilderment from his voice at my late evening arrival, especially when I set down overnight bags.
"Ana and I are just going to have a quick chat in the kitchen," Kate nods as I follow her through, leaving Elliott to fend for himself with 4 under 5 year olds. In all the pain I'm currently going through, I'd forgotten what it feels like to smile. "What's happened?" Kate asks me as soon as I close the door behind us.
I tell her tearfully of everything Christian said this evening and how he shut himself away at the news of the baby. Kate's face quickly goes from disbelief to anger as I talk. "That bastard. Ana. You need to be well shot of him," she adds shaking her head. "But seriously, I think we need to tell Elliott."
I hesitate. Her face is shining with compassion but she also loves Elliott. Am I actually asking her to lie to her partner? Won't that just be what me and Christian have? A bed of lies? "I know, Kate. But won't he tell Christian?"
"I own Elliott," Kate says firmly. "`He's not Dickhead Grey. In a nice loving way," she adds with a smile. "He'll be on your side," she says quietly.
"Can we just tell him about the baby? And the divorce? It's not my place to air Christian's dirty laundry to his family," I add quietly. Why am I protecting my husband? I quickly realise I am not. I am trying to protect his family from his sick, twisted desires and what he is doing behind his wife's back.
Kate looks hesitant. "I have no loyalty to that sack of shit," she says eventually. I shrug. "But you're right, it'll break his mother's heart." She knows what I'm thinking without me saying a word. Grace. The woman we both idolise. She will be bereft at her youngest son's betrayal. The young man she is so proud of and in awe of. Does she really want that crashing down around her?
Kate gets Elliott through and I recount the majority of what is happening with Christian. Except his infidelity and desire to have a submissive around. "Christian thinks he's not involved?" Elliott asks in shock when I'm finished. "How does he think babies are made?"
I want to laugh at Elliott but his brother's words are still stinging. "Elliott, he doesn't know I want a divorce yet. No one does. You can't tell your family. Or.. him," I spit the last word a little.
Elliott sights slightly. "Ana. I'm on your side with the whole baby thing. And I get totally why you want to divorce him, I do. But I don't know. You want me to keep it from him? He's my brother. I…"
"Elliott, you have to," Kate jumps in without hesitation. "You tell Christian, you're messing with me and Ana too. I mean it. It's between us three."
Elliott looks in genuine pain. He and his brother aren't close emotionally but I do know they hang out and drink and exercise together. I don't know exactly how Elliott feels about Christian, but I suspect he doesn't want to see his younger brother get hurt, or get the shock of a divorce. I know I have to convince Elliott to keep it from him.
"Elliott, he's been cheating on me," I blurt out as Elliott looks floored.
"What the fuck? Christian has? Are you sure? I wasn't even sure he had working genitals until he met you. Are you sure Ana?" His words are tumbling out in shock, he doesn't seem to be able to accept that his little brother could be even more of a monster than the man who doesn't want his own child to be born. His hand is through his hair, just like Christian. Genetically related they are not but their mannerisms are so similar.
But with Elliott, there's no darkness, only light. He's the brother who can always make you smile. Kate picked the happy go lucky one, the one who wanted for nothing more than her happiness. I picked the monster who hates children and lately it seems me.
"Elliott, I really didn't want you to know. I really didn't. But please. Please keep this from him," I beg him, tears starting to run down my face again as Elliott nods.
"Ana of course but. Don't you want me to speak with him? Find out what the hell is going on?" He asks me, clearly unaware of who is brother is and just how many secrets he hides. Christian would lie until the cows came home to get out of this one and I know Euan is right, I need proof.
As if he has heard us talking, my phone starts to ring. His name flashes up, still with a love heart after it, reminding me of the fool I am.
"It's like Beetlejuice," Kate whispers as I look at the phone before turning it off.
"Let him stew," I mutter as I place it on Kate's work surface, heading to get my kids ready for bed. Kate joins me as soon as Teddy and Phoebe are settled in the guest room.
"He's tried both me and Elliott. Do you want me to tell him you're safe? I just know what he's like for going crazy stalker bastard," she sighs as we walk down the corridor to her other guest room where I am staying. I lean in for a hug and she rubs my back.
"Yes, I suppose so," I whisper as fresh tears flow into Kate's shoulder. She does her best, drawing me a fresh bath and getting me the best scented salts. She makes me dinner and has made the spare room so lovely for me. Despite everything, I toss and turn throughout the night, coming back again and again to that element of proof and knowing I have to get it.
I await until lunchtime the following day to return to Escala. I need more clothes for the kids and for me. And I need to get in Grey's study. Sawyer has been calling all morning, trying to arrange collecting me. I blank his calls. At 11am Taylor tries me. I blank him too. I set off to the penthouse from Kate's at 12.
Kate is desperate to come but I know I need to do this. She cannot face everything with me. She won't be there for the divorce proceedings. She won't be there to serve Grey. At any rate, he isn't there so I intend to gather what I need and leave again. I park under the building and head up. Taylor stops me in the foyer. What the hell is he doing here? Isn't he guarding Grey at work?
"Mrs Grey, what a pleasant surprise," he says, fixing what I know is a false smile on his face. I grimace.
"I live here, Taylor. I need to collect my things," I say curtly. He narrows his eyes and I match his expression.
"Of course, Mrs Grey, of course," he says smoothly. He steps to one side, letting me pass and I head for our bedroom. Ours, I think darkly. Grey's now. I pack a suitcase with a couple of weeks of clothes and toiletries for myself before walking to the kids' bedrooms. Taylor is still lingering in the great room.
"Can I help you?" I ask him irritably as his gaze follows me to Phoebe's room.
Taylor looks unsure of himself, his usual composure slipping slightly. "No, Mrs Grey, I just wanted to check if you needed anything. I could ask Gail to fix you some lunch," he recovers himself quickly, but he still seems on edge.
"You're fine. You're dismissed," I say nastily. I never speak to our staff like this. But Taylor's behaviour doesn't currently sit well and I have taken as much as I can in the last week. Taylor gives me a small nod and disappears to his study. I roll my eyes and head to the kids' rooms, packing each one a suitcase. I move them to the foyer, pausing to check the coast is clear before heading to Grey's study.
The door is wide open. I know exactly what I need. The filing cabinet is against the far wall. It's locked. I silently curse before heading to Grey's desk. The third drawer down reveals the key I need and I open the cabinet. I open a file and pull out details for a black Land Rover Evoque and I frown. We don't own any Land Rovers. They are all Audis. The car was registered this year. The license plate is not one of ours.
I gaze at the document and turn it over. The registered keeper shows as a Miss Sienna Cole. Who the fuck is Sienna Cole? I photograph the document out of pure curiosity. It's registered at 5211 10th Ave S. Maybe an assistant? Why would an assistant's car documents be at our home though? They'd be at the office, with whoever deals with company cars.
My curiosity doesn't last long though. I reach the contracts. The submissive contracts. They are all ordered, one through fifteen. Mine isn't there though. The sixteenth in the stack is dated February 12, 2016. This year. My hands are shaking as I pick my phone up to photograph it. And I already know what name will be on it. Sienna Cole.
I turn the pages, trying not to read what her and Grey have agreed to do together as I take my photos, his messy signature on each page, hers a neat inscription of her name. Hot wax… vaginal fisting… swallowing semen… I feel sick with each revelation.
I am suddenly very aware I am not alone. I look up as a figure towers at the door. The sharp grey suit. I take a deep breath and look up at Taylor. I shove the contracts away, sliding the cabinet door across. "Again, Taylor. How can I help you?"
"I just noticed you had arrived in Mr Grey's study," he comments. So he may have stepped out of the foyer but only to watch the penthouse's CCTV.
"Good spot, Taylor," I say sarcastically, standing up, sliding my phone into my back pocket. His face is impassive, trying not to give anything away.
"I just wondered what you were doing here and if you needed any assistance," he says to me with a smoothness that would impress even Grey. This guy is well trained.
"Not that it is any of your business but as I am staying away I need our children's insurance documents," I lie to him. His face tells me straight off he does not buy this. Of course he knows what is in every damn cabinet. Taylor knows everything about Grey's sick little life. He clearly knows he has been cheating on me for months. 7 months to be exact. The thought hits me like a punch to the gut. I try to clear my face.
"I didn't realise you would be staying elsewhere," Taylor says calmly. "I will certainly be sorry for you not to be around." Like fuck you will Taylor. Me not being around means you don't have to cover your boss' cheating.
"I'm not staying here with him," I spit the last word. If Taylor is surprised his face gives nothing away. He knows we argued. He knows why we argued. Hell he told Grey I was pregnant.
"Would you like me to give you a ride somewhere? You shouldn't be moving those suitcases in your condition," he continues, gesturing for me to leave Grey's study. Taylor is always attentive to Grey, but he isn't my bitch. And suddenly it makes sense why he is here. Why he is following me so closely.
"He's here, isn't he?" I say slowly, looking to Taylor with disdain. Taylor's left eye twitches as he moves further towards the door. I walk towards him. "Where is your employer, Taylor?"
"He's at the office, Mrs Grey," he says but this time, I see straight through his lie. I brush past Taylor and into the atrium.
"I won't require your assistance with this one, thank you Taylor," I snap as I stalk towards the staircase. Taylor is frozen, clearly knowing a sudden move to follow me will fully give the game up but not wanting to let me get to Grey. I don't look back as I mount the stairs, pulling out my phone and setting to video. Euan wants evidence? Well evidence he will get.
"Mrs Grey," Taylor calls from below as I force the playroom door open. There he is. Captain dickhead himself. Thrusting into some bitch on the bed. The video is recording, the red light flashing with each thrust. The music is loud enough he hasn't even heard the door open. I step closer to make sure she is in the video too as he loses himself in her.
His world stops just as mine did 8 days earlier as he turns, horrified, to face me. There is a thin sheen of sweat on his face, his usually neat hair is in his face. He's in those stupid jeans that he wears. He's fastening them at speed. He's panting. His chest heaving. She is tied, all four limbs to all four posts of the bed. She can't see me thanks to the blindfold. But she's the time, slender, porcelain skin with long brown hair which is currently plaited.
Grey's mouth opens and closes. He spots my phone. "Anastasia," he says finally in a warning tone. I lower the phone, stopping the video. He hears the noise. "You need to delete that."
I laugh. Outright laugh. "Are you fucking serious?" I ask, gesturing at his scene, Sienna still trussed up.
"You have no business making videos," he says dangerously. He hasn't moved. I haven't moved. She can't move.
"Oh and I thought you would go with, 'it's not what it looks like'," I say humorously.
Grey snorts. "Well I guess the game is up," he says and I laugh again. How I am laughing through this is beyond me. A week earlier I wouldn't have done. I would have cried. But he is not getting that satisfaction today.
"Sir?" The whore speaks for the first time. He doesn't even look at her. His scorching grey gaze is still on me.
"You need to untie her?" I suggest, gesturing at the girl on his bed.
"Delete the video," he says, his voice dripping with malice.
"Er, sir," she says again, her voice wavering. I feel no pity for her, although I know I should. But she got involved with a married man. She consented to this. I've seen her signature to prove it.
"Shut up," he snarls at her and I hear a sob escape from her mouth. He takes a step towards me. "Delete the video."
"That won't be happening Grey because my lawyer is going to be very interested in this," I tell him calmly. He moves closer.
"Delete. The. Video." He spits at me. That vein in his temple is throbbing. His face is still sweaty. His arms are tensing. I'm vaguely aware in my peripheral vision Taylor is in the doorway, watching this unfold but powerless to protect his beloved client.
"Like I say, Christian," I sound each syllable out for him. "My lawyer would really like a watch if that's all the same to you."
He lunges for my phone, managing to grab my arm with one hand and trying to prise it out with the other. I grab his wrist with my free hand, determined not to let him have the phone. I manage to lock it under his fingers, which are trying to prise mine open. He sweaty hand is on me. I know he's not holding me tight enough to cause physical pain but yet it feels like his flesh is burning mine.
I pull backwards from him but he still has hold of me. I don't know what is going on, I aim a kick at his shin but he dodges it. I can see Taylor wants to intervene but I know even he draws the line at fighting his client's wife. "Let go," Grey says through gritted teeth, still trying to work on my fingers. I know he is moments from getting it so I turn suddenly, my back to his front, pulling us closer together, his shoulder twisted.
"Fuck, Ana, let go of the fucking thing," he's shouting now. I drag myself down to the floor, pulling him down forwards. What possesses my next move will stay with me forever. An animal loathing as I turn my head, which is positioned against his leg and bite him. "You motherfucker!" He screams and one hand, the hand I don't have hold of, releases. His other is still on the phone. Grasping his one hand with my free hand, my other holding the phone and his hand around it. I yank it back as firmly as I can possibly muster.
He lets out possibly the loudest scream I have ever heard. But it does nothing to drown out the crack as his arm breaks. I release the arm as he lets go of my phone. I shove it in my pocket. I'm shaking. I'm shocked. I'm angry with myself as much as him now. But yet I can't stop the pride swelling in my chest at how much I've hurt him. He's in the foetal position, clutching his shattered arm and groaning in pain.
"What the hell is going on?" Sienna's voice cuts through his animalistic noises of pain.
"Untie her!" Grey manages to snap at Taylor. Wow Taylor gets all the good jobs. I am shocked when he moves to comply and I can't help but think this is not the first time he's done this for Grey. Grey is getting up too and I know it is my time to go. I climb to my feet with him hot on my heels.
I manage to slam the playroom door in Grey's face, running for the stairs. I don't stop for the cases. He's delayed only by opening the door whilst also trying to clutch at his broken arm. I take the stairs two at a time, my heart is racing. I'm breathless as I reach the elevator, calling it as the doors spring open immediately. I throw myself in as I see his bare feet at the top of the stairs. I slam the button for the lobby, furiously pressing close doors.
Grey reaches the door, his face maniacal. Veins are popping everywhere, sweet is dripping down, genuine pain is in his eyes. The doors close on him a second too late and the elevator is moving. I grip the bar on the side, my chest is heaving.
The blood is thumping in my ears as I reach the bottom. I pull my car keys from my pocket and walk to my car, unable to catch my breath. As I start the car I see him appear and it's clear he's run round and taken the service elevator. He's still barefoot and running directly at me. I throw the car into reverse, narrowly avoiding him as I floor it, flying out of the underground parking lot.