CHAPTER 19

The following day Carrick went to see his son in his office. Carrick walked through Christian's office door and said, "Hello son, I came to talk with you."

Christian looked up and asked, "What about?" His father sat down in the chair across from his desk.

Carrick said seriously, "I know love is a powerful thing and very important in a young man's life, but you must think ahead of yourself."

Christian asked with a bored look on his face, "Father, what are you getting at?"

Carrick said huffing, "Fine, you need to have a prenup set up before you get married."

Christian looked at his father and said, "Why? I don't want one and I didn't ask for one."

Carrick said firmly, "You need to protect yourself. I'm not saying anything will go wrong, but it can happen. Ana's a nice beautiful girl, but you never know and you need to protect your assets, just in case it does."

Christian looked his father in the eye and said, "No! I'm not starting my life with her with contracts looming between us."

Carrick said, "I don't think you understand…"

Christian said standing up getting frustrated, "I said no. No. No. No. Now drop it! It's none of your business!"a

Ana was walking down the corridor to Christians office with an arm load of files. She opened the door to his office and heard him yelling. She closed the door seeing it was Carrick. She walked over and sat her files on a table and asked, "What's going on?"

Christian snapped, "My father was just leaving."

Ana asked, "What's this about?"

Christian said, "Nothing."

Carrick stood up and said, "I asked about a prenup." Ana laughed. Carrick looked at her funny. Christian was glaring at his father.

Ana said indifferently, "That's not necessary. What's mine is his and what's his is mine. We will share everything equally."

Carrick looked at her and said, "He is worth billions."

Ana said smiling, "He's worth more than that to me. He's priceless." She walked up to Christian and they wrapped each other in their arms. Christian was smiling at her.

Carrick was getting frustrated and said, "I'm sure there will be ample compensation for you if anything goes wrong and provisions for children with listed rights in case also."

Ana giggled and said, "I don't want compensation from him. It's not needed or wanted. Well just cut everything in half and share our children. But I'm not leaving Christian ever. I adore him and always will."

Carrick said with a blank face, "But then you'll have nothing. I don't understand?"

Ana looked at Christian and said, "He doesn't know?"

Christian shook his head and said, "I didn't tell him because it's not my place to tell him. I don't want any contracts between us at all." Ana nodded.

Ana said seriously, "Carrick, I need you to swear on your lawyers oath or whatever you hold dear as my future father in law, what I tell you next will not be breathed to anyone?"

Carrick looked puzzled and said, "Ok, I swear not to say a word to anyone."

Ana said clearing her throat, "Last November I got an inheritance from my biological father. I haven't told anyone but Christian because he understands where I'm coming from. I am terrified of it getting out to anyone."

Carrick asked, "Why?"

Ana said seriously, "I have 2.5 billion dollars free and clear of taxes from my father's family. They were oil barons in Texas but everyone passed away with me as the sole survivor of the Lambert's fortune. That kind of level of money frightens me because I had inherited almost thirty million from my stepfather Ray. I was a millionaire not even comfortable with that. I told Christian because he could understand that I was not remotely familiar with how to operate at that kind of level of money. When we get married, it will be our money. No matter what happens, we will both be making GEH grow together and have our money together. See, Carrick, we are both perfect for each other in so many more ways than money. We just want to be happy together forever." Carrick was in shock. He never would have guessed that she had that level of assets.

Carrick said sincerely, "Yes, I guess you both are perfect for each other. I'm sorry I got pushy. It's the lawyer in me."

Ana said, rubbing her hand on Christian's chest, "It's ok, you're just doing your job wanting to protect your son. Christian and I are evenly matched and money will never be an issue. Besides, it will be our money and everyone will think it's all his. I personally don't care." Christian bent down and took possession of her lips.

Carrick cleared his throat and said, "I'll be going so you two can get back to work. Sorry to have disturbed you."

Christian said, "Have a good day, father."

Ana smiled and said, "Yes, have a good day, father." Carrick smiled at them and left to go back to his office. As he left, he thought she was right they were equally matched financially, business wise, and completely in love. She was healing his son and changed his life completely from the brooding man he was before.

Christian said looking in her eyes, "I'm glad he backed off. After all the fucking paperwork I had between me contracting women in my life, I don't want that between us."

Ana smiled and said, "Sorry baby, but one piece of paper will be, it will be a marriage license. It's a good contract though because I'll take you and you'll take me." He smiled and kissed her.

—--

A week later, Elena was sitting in her cell looking at a newspaper picture that was torn down the middle with just the picture of Christian with a woman's hand on his chest. It was the engagement announcement in the newspaper with Ana torn off.

She was muttering, "You don't want her, you were supposed to be mine. I taught you everything, how to fuck, about a woman's body and how to beat them like a master. I taught how to dance, all about wines and how to be a successful strong unemotional man. I made you who you are and taught you everything I know about having no children, family or relationships that would get in your way. I gave everything to you. Come back and help me, Christian."

A guard came and she stuffed the picture under her pillow. The guard said, "You get twenty minutes out in the yard." She got up and followed the guard out to the fenced in yard. She started walking around looking at the overgrown field beyond the triple chain link fences with barbed wire.

Suddenly an alarm went off. The guard shouted, "I have to get you back to your cell! NOW!" Elena and the guard who had hold of her arm went into the corridor dragging her through the crowd of people and inmates. They crossed into the kitchen area and the doors flew open and the inmates flooded the corridor in chaos. The guard got separated from Elena in the throngs of prisoners. Two people grabbed her by the upper arms and were dragging her through the crowd and went into the kitchen area. They locked the door, pushed her into the dish room where eight inmates women each with items in their hands. They had three cucumbers, duct tape, a spray can, matches and a shank.

The leader of the group said, "Strip her! Let's get the show on the road." They started punching and tearing her clothes off.

The leader hissed, "This is how we take care of pedophiles for putting their filthy hands on little kids!"

Elena started to scream as they bent her over naked and taped her elbows and knees together, "No! No! I helped them!" They stuffed a cucumber in her mouth…

—--

The next day at work, Christian and Ana were going over the acquisition final draft for negotiation when Christian's personal cell phone rang. It was his father.

Christian said, "Hello, father."

Carrick said, "I have an information update on Elena. She's in Seattle Grace Hospital. She was grotesquely attacked by inmates and not expected to live long but they are treating her injuries. She was stripped and they carved the letter 'P' in both sides of her face and forehead. They bound her, raped her in all her… orifices with cucumbers and then... doused her with cooking spray then… her lower half was lit on fire. It took a while to find her because whoever did it locked the dish room door with the exhaust fan on during a fire in the laundry room. I told you it was gross." Silence. Christian was shocked at the method they used.

Christian cleared his throat and said, "Ok. Thanks for the update." Christian hung up and just sat there thinking. He admitted that was a very violent way to suffer and she didn't even die. He knew she was suffering in horrific pain now, but he felt nothing and it surprised him.

Ana looked up from her laptop and knew something happened. She got up and walked over to Christian. He pulled her in his lap and hugged her. They sat there like that for a while.

Ana asked softly, "What's going on, baby?"

Christian inhaled and said, "Elena is in the hospital after getting attacked by inmates. They must have found out about the pedophilia. They raped, sodomized and set her lower half on fire. They locked the door with the exhaust fan on. They don't expect her to live long."

Ana said softly, "Wow. Are you ok?"

Christian sighed and said, "Yeah, it's just the initial shock of hearing the description of it all." Ana hugged and kissed him.

—--

Grace was at the hospital when she heard about Elena coming in from the county jail. Grace read her chart and heard the description of how she got her injuries. After a while she walked into the hospital room when she knew Elena would be conscious before her next pain shot.

Grace looked down at her laying in the bed. Elena's eyes slowly opened and looked at her in a woozy state. Her face was all bruised from being punched and her cheeks had the P carved in both but scabbing over.

Elena whispered, "I hope… you're happy… now?"

Grace said stoically, "Warned you it was coming but you chose not to believe me. It all happened because you wouldn't admit to your crimes against children and other people. You thought you were better and smarter than everyone. This is your payment for your cruelty. I hope it was worth it?"

Elena whispered, "Christian and everything… should have been… mine."

Grace said emotionlessly, "Hope you know you only got a tiny taste of the burning hell you're going to. Be sure to have a good, painful trip." Grace turned and walked out of the room. Three days later, Elena died.