Christian Pov
I'm walking into the coffee cafe next to my company on a busy sidewalk with Taylor tailing behind me. I am busy reading the texts on my phone and I have to take a side step quickly, almost colliding and dodging a flustered woman with long dark brown hair flying around her. She has her coffee in one hand, purse and laptop case in the other, as she runs out of the cafe in a white silk dress in a big hurry. Our eyes meet for a split second only, and her eyes are the most beautiful cerulean blue I have ever seen on anyone. She muttered, "Sorry", and flys by me. She is the most beautiful creature I have ever laid my eyes on as I watch her run away, as she was in a panic.
I stopped and turned to watch her and noticed Taylor does too. I said, "Wow! You see that?"
Taylor said, "Yeah."
The young lady stops down the sidewalk, reaches down, grabs her heels that she just took off her feet and starts running at high speed like the wind. Her chocolate colored locks of hair are bouncing and flying behind her with her blue green chiffon scarf. Quickly she is long gone down the sidewalk, blending into the crowded street. A young Hispanic man runs out of the cafe door holding his face and walking with a limp. It looks red like he just got slapped and kneed in the balls. He is looking around for the woman with dark rage in his eyes, shakes his head, gets in a beat up old rusted out pickup truck and leaves.
I looked at Taylor and said, "Man, Monday mornings must suck for everyone." I shrug and go in to get my coffee.
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Ana Pov
I ran. I had no choice. He followed me here. He hurt my upper arm by grabbing it super hard and digging his nails into my flesh. I know I'm going to get a bruise from it. What the hell is he doing following me around town? I could have taken him out right there in the cafe. I just didn't want to make a bigger scene in public than I did, so I punched him and kneed him to the balls. It was enough to get away. I have a restraining order against him not to be within 200 feet of me. I took a picture of him inside the cafe on my phone and recorded the threats he was saying. I'm headed to the police station to show them my arm and my phone.
I called GEH and asked the HR lady Rebecca Cummings to reschedule my interview later today or another day because of an emergency. I was huffing and breathing hard. She asked if I was ok and I told her I was just running in a hurry. She asked if I could come at four o'clock today. I said yes that would be fine and thanked her. I hung up.
I ran the whole three blocks from the cafe to police headquarters. I filed a report and talked to an officer about Jose breaching the restraining order. I showed him my evidence and my arm that was now turning blue and bleeding on to my Donna Karan white silk dress sleeve. He took photos of my injury, downloaded my recording and took a photo from my phone. He said I need to go to the ER to get my arm checked out, documented and forwarded to his email at headquarters by the hospital. I left to go get my car out of the parking structure downtown here. Dealing with Jose and the hospital is nothing new after four weeks ago.
-Flashback-
Kate and I graduated, that night Jose joined us at the bar. We were all drinking and dancing and having fun. Jose was getting touchy feely too much and I yelled at him three times to knock it off. Kate laughed at it and said I was being too uptight and needed to get laid. She said maybe it would lighten me up and I should 'give him some'. She took off to dance with her own potential bed filler for the night.
Next thing I know, I was getting sick. As time went by, I felt sicker by the moment. I got up to leave and knew something was wrong, I was drugged, because I only had two shots and a beer. My eyes were starting to cross. Jose kept trying to drag me out of the bar and I fought him best I could, which got the attention of the bouncer. I begged the bouncer to help me and said the word "drugged" before passing out in his arms. Jose said he was my friend and would make sure to get me home. The bouncer said bullshit that I was trying to get away from him and was drugged. He called 911 and Jose ran off. The hospital found four times the amount of GHB Rohypnol in my blood. The cops weren't able to get any video from the dive bar to see if he did it. I know he did. They detoxified me and pumped my stomach. The doctor said I would have died had it all entered my system. I did not wake up in the hospital for three days and my so-called friend Kate never even knew anything was wrong, even though they called her several times, until I walked in the apartment five days later. She said she assumed I was with Jose getting my pussy pounded. What a bitch! For five fucking days!?!!
The fight that ensued was a bad one. I punched her in the mouth when she started laughing about him drugging me. She threatened to break everything I own and smashed my crystal vase. I pulled her by her hair to the ground bending her thumb backwards and told her if she broke my shit, I would cut up all her fucking clothes and rip the heels of every goddamn shoe she owned. I called her a fucking whoring bitch and that I don't need a cunt like her in my life.
I called and paid movers to bring boxes, tape, packing materials, and come pack me up to move me out in the morning. I paid premium rates for next day services. I told them it was an emergency.
I locked myself in the bedroom to get away from Kate. She was throwing a hissy bitch fit for hours by screaming, throwing shit and then beating on my door threatening me again with eviction. I was tempted to go beat her ass down again, but what good would it really do me. After a while, when she finally shut up, I called The Olivian to see if they had immediate availability of a one or two room apartment. Luckily, they just got a two bedroom apartment vacancy. I asked if I could have them hold it for me, so I could move in tomorrow. I said that I would do all the paperwork, credit checks, pay the deposit and two months in advance, if he would. He said that would be fine and took my information. Cool, all set. I packed up the room the best I could, took a shower, got dressed for bed, ate a granola bar with a glass of water for dinner. I was not going out there to cook. The next morning, I packed up everything on a truck and left, leaving the key on the kitchen counter.
What Kate or Jose did not know was that I was not some poor little waif. I had an inheritance from my step grandmother Adele and my stepfather Ray. When grandma died six years ago, I got 1.2 million dollar inheritance, which paid for my college and needs. When daddy died two years ago in a car accident, his insurance helped pay off the final expenses on the house mortgage, property taxes and his truck, which I have all in Montesano. The house is a fortress and self-sufficient with green technology and state-of-the-art technology. It's a true smart house. I ended up with a grand total of 3.3 million dollars altogether after all was said and done. It was probably more than Kate's trust fund. I don't live beyond my means, but I do have quality things. I never let her into my room to see my minimal amount of designer clothes and shoes mixed with Target and JCPenney items. I never told anyone about how much money I have whether in the bank or my jewelry in the safe in my room. I locked up all my things of value while living with Kate because of the parade of characters passing through the apartment via Kate's bedroom. I knew to have my stuff and room locked at all times. I kept my Krav Maga lessons up to date. I paid my half of the expenses and worked through college part time at Greenwood Hardware and answered no questions on my finances. Of course, Kate always played the poor little rich girl card every time trying to tell me how tough her life was being born into a rich family. I just let it go in one ear and out the other. I wasn't going to move in with her after college when we moved to Seattle, but she begged me, because I cook. She couldn't cook to save her life. Too bad, she just lost her live-in chef. I took all the food, kitchen wares and appliances with me that I paid for also. Well no more home cooked meals for her anymore or dealing with her attitude and bullshit.
A week later, I traded in my 2005 Honda Civic for a white cream pearl 2011 Audi R8 Spyder 5.2 V10 FSI with beige leather interior. I didn't have to pretend to be lower middle class anymore.
-Present-
I went to the hospital and got X-rays while they cleaned and wrapped my arm. The doctor said I had deep bone bruising and to use cold on and off throughout the day, rest my upper arm, elevate if possible to help the healing process. He said I was to take it easy and use ibuprofen for swelling and pain. He wanted me in a sling, but I would just be careful. The hospital sent all the documentation to Officer John Parks email at the SPD headquarters.
I went home and changed my dress and made myself lunch. I laid down for an hour, then got ready for my interview at four o'clock. I wore my Donna Karan fit-and-flare ¾ length sleeve faded white to blue watercolor silk dress this time. It looked like watercolor in the rain washing away. Kate used to beg me to wear this dress, but I never loaned out my clothes.
I entered the GEH lobby and went up to the desk. The young blonde girl said, "Welcome to Grey House, may I help you?"
I said, "Yes, I'm here to see Rebecca Cummings in HR. My name is Anastasia Steele and I have an appointment at four."
She said, "Yes, I see. I need your driver's license, please?" I handed it to her. My arm was killing me moving it, but I toughed it out. "Here is your visitor's badge and HR is down that hall, take a right and it's the second door on the left." I said thank you and went to where she directed.
I walked into the office and walked up to the receptionist and gave her my name. I was told to take a seat. Rebecca Cummings came out and brought me to her office. I sat down and she said, "I'm glad we are finally able to meet Ms Steele. I hope your emergency was taken care of?"
I said, "Yes, I am sorry for the inconvenience it may have caused, but I had no choice this time. I am never usually late."
She smiled, "I understand, emergencies happen. Let's just get on with the interview. I see here you are 21 years old with a double master's degree in Business Analytics and Accounting Forensics. What shows to me the most is that you finished the both in six years with a summa cum laude of a 4.2 and 4.0 GPA, but you started them at age 15. You earned a full scholarship from Caroline D. Bradley Scholarship for Exceptional Children. That's remarkable. You worked part-time for the whole six years for Greenwood Hardware while achieving your degrees?"
I said, "Actually, yes I did. I used the extra money to pay for my books, fees and incidentals the scholarship didn't cover." It also kept up the pretense of working class and I liked working there. They were nice people.
She smiled at me and said with her eyebrow raised, "That is very impressive. What do you do for extracurricular activities?"
I smiled back at her and said, "I have trained in Krav Maga. My father was in the military and started training me at age ten. He wanted me to be skilled at protecting myself because I was not just a female, but on the smaller side. I also enjoy reading, hiking, swimming, amateur photography and auto mechanic."
She said, "How high have you achieved in Krav Maga?"
I said, "Four out of five belts. I was thinking of pursuing the black belt because I'm almost there already when I stopped two years ago to take care of my father's final expenses."
She said sadly, "I'm sorry to hear that. I have a position open right now for CFO. I would love for you to interview for it. It is determined upon approval of the CEO and COO, of course. I hope to set up an interview with them for tomorrow at… let's see… 1:30pm. Is this time ok?" I was blown away that she was offering me an executive position in the company. I never thought it would be such an elite job to interview for right away. I was getting excited.
I smiled and said, "Sure, I can make it by then."
"That's great there are two other candidates interviewing, also. If you don't get this position I really want to have you try for a few others I have. Please don't give up on us. I would love to have your talents in our company Ms Steele. You have outstanding recommendations from not just professors and your employer, but a few government and state officials too. You have completely impressed me. I hope to see you soon." I had a few of my father's friends that moved into more political areas after serving in the military. They wrote me recommendation letters to add to my resume portfolio. Rebecca stood up, said goodbye and shook my hand.
As I was leaving the building and then going to go my car down the street in the parking structure, I walked through the lobby towards the front doors and saw the most attractive man I have ever seen in my life. He was getting out of an Audi black SUV and walking towards me in a dark gray Tom Ford suit. I get to the door and as he goes to open the door, I hold it open for him as he steps inside with a panty dropping smile. Our eyes met and I knew it was only seconds but time froze for a moment. At least it felt like that. He had the most beautiful gray eyes and reddish brown hair. What an unusual color for eyes. He kept smiling at me and I smiled back. He stopped at the entry door.
He seductively said, "We have to stop meeting like this, beautiful."
I giggled like a schoolgirl, "I don't remember the first time, kind sir?"
He laughed and said, "You almost ran me over this morning leaving the coffee cafe."
I said concerned, "Was that you? I'm so sorry. Are you ok?"
He chuckled, "I'm completely fine. My name is Christian. You looked distressed at the time. Are you ok though?" He looked a little worried.
I said softly, "Trust in me. Everything is going to be just fine. The universe has a way of making things work out. It's a pleasure to meet you Christian. I'm Anastasia." I reached out to shake his hand with my good arm and he kissed the back of it instead. An electrical charge was tingling up my arm. I looked into his eyes alarmed and saw he felt it too. His eyebrows went up in surprise.
The man with him cleared his throat and said, "Sir, you have an appointment."
He looked annoyed and said, "Of course. I hope to see you again or run into you again." He smiled and let go of my hand. Was he holding it the whole time?
I winked and smiled, "Bye, bye, Christian." I left out the doors. It felt good to get into the cooler air. I felt him watching me so I left down to the sidewalk and down to the city parking structure a block away.
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The next day, I ate lunch and dressed up in my Alexander McQueen
lace insert single-breasted blazer suit in all black. It had 2" lace trim around the vee neck jacket top and around the hem of the capi length suit pants. I wore my favorite black pump Louboutin heels. I switched over my purse to a black Michael Kors Hope Messenger Satchel Bag with my laptop, resumes and the contents of my purse. I put my hair in a loose french braid and tied a large black satin wide ribbon on the end in a big bow. I wore my gold onyx oval earrings and pendant with my Movado Modern 47 black watch. I was going to have to go buy some more clothes for this job if I get it. I left for GEH.