Author's note:

Hey, everyone! Buckle up—this chapter is packed with tension, power struggles, and a whole lot of fire (literally and figuratively). Christian is beginning to see that Ana isn't just some rebellious woman testing his patience—she's someone who moves in shadows, someone with a purpose. And for the first time, he's realizing she might be the only one who can truly protect him. But at what cost? There are a lot of layers unfolding in this chapter—trust, control, manipulation, and revenge. Ana isn't just reacting anymore; she's planning. She's making moves that Christian isn't even aware of yet. And Elena? Oh, she has no idea what's coming for her. Enjoy the ride!

Chapter 36

Christian's grip on my arms tightened, his storm-gray eyes locking onto mine.

"What the hell were you thinking?" His voice was low, edged with something sharp—anger, frustration, maybe both.

I schooled my expression, forcing my breathing to steady. "Looking around."

His jaw clenched. "I told you to stay put."

I arched a brow. "And I told you I don't take orders."

His nostrils flared slightly, and for a second, I thought he might drag me out of the building himself. Instead, he exhaled sharply, his hands falling away as he raked a hand through his already disheveled hair.

I took the moment of silence to shift the conversation. "What did Ros say?"

His expression darkened. "That we're looking at weeks of damage control. The server room is—" He stopped, eyes narrowing slightly. "You already know, don't you?"

I lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. "I was curious."

"Ana." His voice dropped, rough and warning. "You defied me. Again."

I held his gaze. "I was careful."

"That's not the point."

I could see the worry buried beneath his frustration, the tension in his shoulders, the tightness in his posture. He wasn't just angry—he was shaken.

I sighed. "Christian…"

He closed his eyes for a brief second before reopening them, his expression unreadable. "Come with me."

I hesitated. "Where?"

Christian's eyes flicked toward the exit, his jaw tightening. "Somewhere private."

I studied him, noting the fine tremor in his fingers before he shoved his hands into his pockets. This wasn't just about the arson or me wandering where I shouldn't. Something else was eating at him.

After a beat, I nodded. "Fine."

He exhaled sharply, like he hadn't expected me to agree so easily, then turned on his heel, striding toward the elevators. I followed, keeping my posture relaxed but my senses alert. If someone had gone after GEH, this wasn't over.

Inside the elevator, tension crackled between us. He pressed the button for the parking garage, his fingers drumming once against his thigh before he stilled them.

I leaned against the wall. "Are you going to tell me what's really going on, or are we playing the brooding billionaire game?"

His head turned sharply, eyes narrowing. "This isn't a game, Ana."

"Never said it was."

The elevator doors slid open, and he stepped out, heading toward his Audi R8. He unlocked it with a press of a button, then rounded to the driver's side. I hesitated for half a second before getting in.

As soon as the doors shut, the air felt even heavier. He gripped the steering wheel for a moment before starting the car, maneuvering out of the garage and onto the street.

Christian's grip on the steering wheel tightened as the city lights blurred past us.

"Where are we going?" I asked again, breaking the heavy silence.

He kept his eyes on the road. "Escala."

I frowned. "Why?"

"Because I can't do this here. Not in front of everyone. Not when I can't think straight."

I studied him carefully. His jaw was clenched, tension radiating off him in waves. Whatever Ros had told him about the fire at GEH was just the tip of the iceberg. There was something else he wasn't saying.

"Christian," I said quietly, "what aren't you telling me?"

His knuckles whitened on the wheel. "Someone breached the server room before the fire. They wiped certain files before the sprinkler system even kicked in."

My pulse quickened. "What files?"

"Financial records. Transactions that were being flagged as suspicious."

Elena.

I felt my stomach drop. She was already covering her tracks. But Christian didn't know that yet — not fully.

I swallowed hard. "Do you think this was... intentional?"

His stormy eyes flicked to me briefly before returning to the road. "I don't believe in coincidences anymore."

Neither did I.

I leaned back in my seat, my mind already working through possibilities. The arson was a distraction. The real move was inside the server room. But what exactly was she hiding? And more importantly... who was helping her?

As we pulled into the underground garage at Escala, Christian killed the engine and sat in the silence for a moment. His hands flexed on the steering wheel before he spoke again.

"I can't lose this company, Ana." His voice was low, almost vulnerable. "I built it from nothing. It's... all I've ever had control over."

My chest tightened. He didn't realize he'd already lost control. Not of his company — but of me.

And I wasn't going to let him lose everything else.

"You won't," I said firmly.

His eyes met mine, searching, uncertain.

"You have me," I added softly. "Whether you like it or not."

His breath hitched slightly, and before I could process the shift between us, he leaned across the console, his lips crashing against mine.

It wasn't gentle. It wasn't controlled. It was raw, desperate, and filled with something I couldn't quite name yet.

I kissed him back, matching his intensity, until he pulled away, resting his forehead against mine.

"I hate how much I need you," he whispered.

"You have no idea," I breathed.

I needed him too. But I wasn't just here to protect him from himself.

I was here to burn his world to the ground — one lie at a time.

Christian's breath was warm against my lips, his forehead still resting on mine. For a moment, I let myself feel it — the pull between us, the fire that burned too hot, too fast.

But I couldn't lose focus.

I pulled back slowly, my hand brushing against his jaw. "We should go upstairs."

He studied me for a beat before nodding. Without a word, he stepped out of the car, rounding the hood to open my door. Always the gentleman.

I let him guide me to the elevator, the tension between us thick and unspoken. He thought I was here because I cared about him — and maybe I did, more than I should. But I was also here to find answers.

The elevator doors slid open, and we stepped into the penthouse.

It was quiet. Too quiet.

I scanned the space out of habit, looking for any signs of movement. My instincts were always on edge here — not because of Christian, but because I knew this was where she had control over him.

Elena Lincoln.

The woman who still had her claws deep in his world.

Christian loosened his tie and stalked toward the kitchen, pouring himself a glass of whiskey. I watched the tension ripple through his body as he downed it in one gulp.

"She's behind this, isn't she?" I said quietly.

He froze.

His eyes slowly lifted to mine. "What did you say?"

"Elena," I said, stepping closer. "She's involved. Somehow. You know it."

Christian's expression hardened. "I told you to stay out of this, Ana."

I smirked. "And I told you... I don't take orders."

His eyes darkened, something dangerous flashing there.

I took slow, deliberate steps toward him, closing the space between us. "You think I haven't noticed the way she moves around you? The control she still has over you? I've seen women like her before, Christian. They manipulate. They play games. And they always leave destruction in their wake."

His breathing grew heavier, his body tense with frustration. "You don't know what you're talking about."

I stepped even closer, our bodies nearly touching. "Don't I?" I whispered.

His eyes flicked to my lips, and for a moment, I thought he might kiss me again. But instead, he turned away, raking a hand through his hair.

"I can't do this," he muttered. "I can't—"

I grabbed his wrist, forcing him to face me. "You're not alone in this, Christian. But you need to start trusting me."

His stormy gaze locked onto mine, conflicted and raw.

"I want to protect you," I said softly. "But I can't do that if you keep shutting me out."

A muscle ticked in his jaw as he stared at me, battling whatever demons were clawing at him from the inside.

"Tell me everything," I pressed. "About her. About what she did to you. About why she's still here, in your life."

His breath hitched, and for a moment, I saw the fear flicker in his eyes.

"I can't," he said, his voice barely above a whisper.

I stepped closer, my hand resting on his shoulder, feeling the rapid beat of his heart in his neck beneath my palm. "Yes, you can."

His eyes burned into mine, and slowly, I felt the walls he'd built around himself begin to crack.

"I need to know the truth, Christian. Because I'm not walking away from this."

He swallowed hard. "You're going to hate me."

I shook my head. "I already know who you are. And I'm still here."

Silence hung between us, thick and heavy.

And then, finally...

"I was fifteen," he said, his voice trembling. "She was my mother's best friend."

My stomach twisted in anger, but I kept my expression steady.

"She... she taught me things. Controlled me. Made me believe that... it was what I needed."

I clenched my fists at my sides, rage burning in my veins.

"She still has something over you," I said quietly. "Doesn't she?"

He looked away, shame washing over him. "She knows things. About my past. About... the darkness in me."

I stepped even closer, forcing him to meet my gaze. "She doesn't control you anymore, Christian. Not while I'm here."

His eyes softened, something breaking inside him.

I leaned in, my lips brushing against his ear. "I'm going to destroy her. Piece by piece. And she'll never see me coming."

Christian's breath hitched as he closed his eyes, his body trembling against mine.

"I don't deserve you," he whispered.

I smiled darkly. "No. But I'm exactly what you need."

His lips crashed against mine, and this time, I let him take everything from me.

Because what he didn't know...

I was already taking everything from her. Christian Grey.

Christian's lips hover over mine, but I pull back, placing a hand on his shoulder.

His brow furrows. "What now?"

I swallow, my pulse racing. "I need to tell you something."

He stiffens immediately, his defenses rising. "What is it?"

I hesitate for a moment, knowing this will shatter whatever illusion he's been clinging to. But he deserves the truth.

"I followed Elena," I admit quietly.

His expression hardens instantly. "What?"

"I followed her to the club. I heard her talking to Michael Vance."

Christian's face drains of color.

Christian stares at me, stunned, as the weight of my words sinks in.

"Elena doesn't just want to control you, Christian," I say quietly. "She's in deep with Vance. She owes him money — a lot of money. And she's using you to pay off her debt."

Christian's expression darkens, his breathing becoming heavier.

"What are you talking about?" he asks, his voice low and dangerous.

I step closer, my eyes locked on his. "I heard them. At the club. Elena told Vance that you owe her. That you wouldn't be where you are without her."

Christian's entire body tenses, his fists clenching at his sides.

"She thinks you still belong to her," I add. "And she's willing to drag you down to save herself."

A muscle ticks in his jaw as he starts pacing, the fury radiating off him in waves.

"I knew she was manipulating me," he mutters. "But this…" He turns to face me. "This is worse than I thought."

My gaze hardens. "It's not just about you, Christian. Vance doesn't care about your company or your reputation. He wants control. And if you don't cooperate, he'll come after your family."

Christian's eyes widen slightly, fear flashing across his face for a brief moment before the cold, calculating mask returns.

I take a step forward. "That's why I've been keeping my distance. Watching. Waiting. I've been tracking her moves — and now, I have something she doesn't know."

"What?" Christian breathes.

I smirk darkly. "I know she's desperate. And desperate people make mistakes."

His eyes narrow. "What are you planning, Anastasia?"

I hold his gaze, my voice cold and steady.

"I'm going to make her think she's winning," I say softly. "We are going to let her believe she has control over you."

Christian swallows, his eyes darkening with understanding.

"And then?"

I step closer, my lips almost brushing against his ear.

"I'm going to burn her world to the ground."

A shiver runs through him as my words sink in.

He exhales shakily. "Jesus… Who are you?"

I meet his gaze with quiet, deadly confidence.

"The only person who's ever truly protected you."

Silence hung between us, heavy and electric.

In that moment, Christian Grey didn't just see me as Anastasia Steele.

He saw the Ghost.

The one who'd been in the shadows this entire time. Watching. Waiting. Planning.

In the shadows, I'd been patient. I'd played my part. I let her believe she was winning.

But now... I was done hiding.

I wasn't just Christian Grey's protector.

I was the woman who was about to make Elena Lincoln wish she'd never crossed me.

Because no one touches what's mine.

Not my client.

Not my target.

And definitely not the man who was slowly becoming my weakness.

Author's note: Well, that escalated quickly! Ana isn't playing games—she's setting the stage for something much bigger. Christian's world is starting to crack, and he's beginning to question everything he thought he had control over. The question is: Will he trust Ana enough to let her take the lead? Or will his need for control push her away?

Elena has been pulling strings in the background for too long, but Ana isn't just cutting those strings—she's about to set them on fire. And let's not forget Michael Vance—because where there's power and money, there's always someone lurking in the shadows.

What did you think of this chapter? The stakes are getting higher, and things are only going to get more intense from here. Let me know your thoughts!

Until next time,