"So I wasn't a complete moron after all," Christian murmured to himself, a smile taking over his features. His levity was short-lived, however, as Welch scoffed derisively from across his desk, the sound cutting through his moment of triumph. Christian's smile, despite Welch, only faltered for a moment. He chose to ignore Welch's mockery, instead burying himself in the paperwork sprawled across his desk. The documents were the proof of his ownership of the buildings housing the salons. Ana had been right all along; then again, Ana was always right. Elena had been lying about the banks seizing the properties. Despite her attempts to sell them, she faced little success as she couldn't openly advertise their sale. Christian couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction at the thought that she would soon experience a rude awakening when she finally found a buyer and realized the buildings weren't hers to sell.

"What happened to the money from the sale of her home?" Christian asked, looking up from the papers.

Welch shifted in his seat. "She paid off the rest of her debts. Then, she inquired about renting a condo in your building, but that fell through. She couldn't get the required references. Ended up renting a place on Boren Avenue instead."

Christian scowled. "That's what… five minutes from me."

"Better than the same building," Welch mumbled, his tone neutral. "As for the rest of the money, she filed a police report claiming it was stolen."

Christian's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Stolen?" He wondered how much Ana had taken from Lincoln at this point.

"She apparently took it out of her bank to pay for a house she had purchased. According to the report, she claimed there was fierce competition for the property, and her cash offer had secured the sale. CCTV footage provided proof of the theft, but there were no identifying features on the thieves to aid in their capture. It was a classic 'bump the car.' The occupant exits, leaving the door unlocked, and another jumps in and drives away before you even realize what's happening."

Christian stared at Welch for a beat before bursting into laughter, the humor of the situation washing deliciously over him.

"What is she doing for money now then?" He leaned back in his chair, looking downright elated at the news.

"She's been advertising the salon equipment and products for sale on eBay and Craigslist. So far, she's made around three thousand dollars, and if she manages to sell the rest, she should pull in another three to four thousand dollars," Welch replied, looking up from his file.

Christian frowned slightly. "I would have thought she would make more."

"Her equipment is second-hand and a few years old. Most of the money comes from the large volume of hair products she still has in stock."

"Have the locks to the buildings changed and a new security system installed," Christian commanded, rolling his chair forward and turning on his MacBook. "And before you do that, have the products sent to Belle's as a thank you from the Grey family. I'll clear it with the owner."

"On it," Welch chuckled, already moving to leave the office.

What surprised Christian was that it took Elena more than three hours after news broke of his return to Seattle and GEH to call his office. He had Andrea put her through without hesitation.

"Christian…"

"I have an opening at four, be here then." He said curtly, ending the call before she could respond.

He couldn't help but laugh when precisely a minute to four, Andrea announced Elena's arrival. She stormed into his office, a whirlwind of fury and indignation. Predictably, her behavior was exactly what he had expected. In truth, Elena Lincoln rarely surprised him, which made his actions all the more idiotic.

"You disappeared, Christian. You disappeared for eight months! Do you have any idea about the thoughts that plagued me? No one would give me any information. Roz treated me as if I were the enemy!" She collapsed into the chair in front of his desk, her dramatic flair nearly commendable. He had to admit her acting was Oscar-worthy, but he knew her true motivation was rooted solely in money. She couldn't bring it up without first understanding why he had vanished the very day he was supposed to sign the paperwork.

"What can I do for you?" he replied, glancing up from his MacBook with a disinterested expression.

"What can you… you asked me to come!" Elena raged, her voice rising in pitch.

"Yes, because you called. If there's nothing further, I'm sorry for dragging you all the way here; you can see yourself out." He met her incredulous stare, her mouth agape in shock.

"Christian, you were gone for months with no word, and you're acting as though I'm making a big deal out of nothing," Elena's voice trembled, barely above a whisper.

He shut his MacBook and leaned back in his chair, allowing the silence to stretch between them. "Do you believe your control as a Dominant is real?" he asked, his stare unwavering, piercing through the bravado that had began to shatter mere seconds after she entered his office.

It took her a moment to recover from the sudden shift in conversation. "Of course it is," she replied, her confidence returning, her body language shifting. She leaned forward; a semblance of what passed for a smile as far as Elena Lincoln was concerned graced her features. "It's… the skill, the ability—it's the ultimate power. Given the chance, not many can do it, and most of those think they can but have no real idea what it truly means. Look at what it did for you. Control… it's everything. All else be damned." She chuckled, seeming comfortable for the first time since entering his office.

"And the sub having already agreed to cede control? Having safewords? Doesn't all that negate its realism? Doesn't it scream that we're just pretending you have control? Even TPE is in the name. Exchange. For a time, there is a power exchange. It's an agreement, an understanding, an arrangement. Doesn't that say we're just pretending? This is a fallacy; outside of that, you have no control over me." Despite knowing he was shattering Elena's world, Christian affected a bored tone. He could see it in her face; like him months ago, she had fallen under the misconception that their control was real. He waited, relishing the tension, refusing to show her any mercy. Yeah, Ana had shown him mercy and helped him dig his way out of the holes he dug. Elena had watched him bury himself and did nothing to help him out. Well, it was his turn to watch her bury herself.

Elena opened and closed her mouth several times, seemingly at a loss for words. "That's what I thought. It's complete and utter bullshit. Enter BDSM with just control in mind, and you might as well not bother. How many years and dollars did I waste on a complete and utter fallacy? Don't get me wrong, it works until the glaringly obvious is pointed out to you. Then you realize just how fucking stupid it all is." He grumbled, his anger simmering beneath the surface.

"What happened to you?" she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Clarity." Was all Christian would divulge. "You are obviously here for a reason. What can I do for you?"

"I sold the house. I was forced to; I had no choice." Her voice trailed off as she waited for him to respond, searching his impassive expression for any hint of sympathy. She would find none.

"I paid off my debts. Paid a two-year rent advance for my condo. Then I got a call from my accountant. The IRS was asking questions about my accounts. He said it might not lead to anything, but it could also lead to my accounts being frozen. Naturally, I emptied my accounts, and on my way home, my car was stolen." She looked up at him, but his stare remained unchanged.

"Why didn't you ask for a percentage of GEH?" he asked suddenly, catching her off guard.

Another unexpected question, he could see it rattled her. "I was willing to give you ten to fifteen percent. Considering how quickly I made my first million, I expected you to ask. Instead of just giving you your money back with interest."

"I didn't think I could," she lied; it was as obvious as the regret evident on her face.

"You didn't think you could, but you asked for investment in Esclava," he scoffed, calling her out.

"Well, if you're feeling generous…" Her attempt at levity was met with Christian's cold, impassive stare. "Christian, we have been friends a long time," she said, leaning further forward, her fingers gripping the edge of his desk in desperation.

"You surprise me; I didn't think that was possible," he replied, letting out a humorless chuckle.

"Surprise?" Elena asked, her confusion evident.

"Yes, I am surprised to find you laboring under the delusion that we are friends. We have never been friends. An investor. A business advisor. The man you procured subs for. At one point, I was one of the many instruments that aided in providing you with your sick brand of pleasure." She shot out of her seat.

"Sick?" she fumed, disbelief written all over her face.

"Yes, sick," he affirmed, his voice steady. "I will give you the next twenty-four hours to find someone, anyone who will call it anything else." He made no effort to wipe the smug smile off his face.

"They wouldn't understand," she argued, her voice rising in indignation.

"Oh no, Elena. That's what makes it sick. They understand perfectly well. It is you who doesn't understand. This is an unfair comparison but apt. It's the difference between how a schizophrenic sees the world and how the rest sees the world. It is, as I said, an unfair comparison to schizophrenics. In this case, Elena, the delusion lies with you." He watched as she reluctantly sank back into her seat, the fight leaving her.

It was apparent she would rather storm out, but Elena Lincoln did not have a cent to her name and was hoping to still leave his office with some money. "You made your position in my life perfectly clear. 'You are never to expect friendship from me. This relationship is strictly transactional. Love, puppet, is for fools.'" Christian threw her own words back at her, his voice steely. "And that is how it has always been," he added, his gaze unwavering.

"I said that years ago. You were sixteen. Surely things have changed since then," Elena practically pleaded.

"Not for me, it hasn't," Christian replied with a shrug. "My offer for the loan does stand." He watched as she breathed a sigh of relief, but his pause had been deliberate, designed to give her hope before he pulled the rug out from under her. "Unfortunately, I don't see how you can possibly pay me back. You did state earlier you'd sold your home." He leaned back, his expression unreadable.

"Christian, I am…" She began, but he cut her off with a raised hand.

"Clarity has now taken up the space you occupied in my life. Show yourself out." Christian opened his MacBook, only to have it slammed back down.

"You cannot possibly be serious," Elena said, her face a mixture of disbelief and desperation.

"Miss Parker, send in security," he instructed, his tone final.

If she harbored any illusions about his seriousness, he had shattered them. Taylor and two other security personnel entered without a word, gripping her arms and escorting her out of his office. Christian didn't bother watching as she was unceremoniously dragged away.

The exhilaration he felt at finally letting Elena know where she stood in his life wore off as he approached Elliot's place. He'd known earning his family's forgiveness wouldn't be a walk in the park. He knew his parents were willing to allow him to earn their forgiveness. He had lunch scheduled with them at Escala on Wednesday. Their quick acquiescence had surprised him. Mia? He had no idea where to start. Elliot hadn't answered his calls all day, not that he had expected him to.

He parked in the visitor's spot for number eight, grabbing the beer he had specially ordered before making his way to the apartment building. He entered the apartment number and hesitated for a moment, his heart racing as he hit the call button. The sound of his beating heart drowned out everything else.

"Yes?" Elliot's booming voice sounded muffled.

"Elliot, it's me." The strength of his voice surprised him.