Outtake #5

Fifty Shades of Grey

JANUARY 2017

The conference room emptied gradually, each member filed out one-by-one quietly. Ros lingered behind it. It was Monday, and they usually meet the executives at this time slot, but that got pushed to Tuesday. She was honestly still in the holiday haze, but this meeting was actually interesting. Those who attended all caught a glimpse of the boss's domestic dynamic.

They were all more or less surprised by the fact that their almighty CEO actually had to answer to his woman, they all somewhat assumed that he always called the shots given his dominance stance at work and the intimidating glowers.

"Who listens to who at home?" Ros jested at the couple who remained seated after everyone had left.

"I call the shots," Christian answered arrogantly, earning a glare from Anastasia. "After careful negotiation with the boss," he added, grinning at her cheekily. He felt like a pussy cat.

"All jokes aside, Ros," Anastasia's face softened at her fiancé and turned to GEH's COO. "What's your opinion on this documentary or movie suggestion?"

"I agree with you that if this got made into a movie, people are going to focus on the entertainment value rather than the informative purpose we're seeking and trying to achieve."

"Romantics are going to think this is all about a love story," Anastasia snorted.

"Is it not?" Christian jibed, none of them had heard the answers when they were interviewed for the documentary. "I'm still not sure, up till this day, what exactly is the motivation behind every decision that you've made regarding me and my company."

"I was asked that in the interview," she admitted. "You assumed it was love?" She lobbed at him, a bit reluctant to respond.

He shrugged. "I did, until your comment just then."

"It wasn't," she confessed, carefully gauging his expression ensuring that he didn't take it the wrong way because she was more honest and blunt in her interview answer. "That was the only reason why I didn't sell your company when it still had some worth. But, that's not why I did what I did. I dropped everything to help you because I remembered that it was your shoulders that I stood on when I started my career. I knew that it probably wasn't much for you to sponsor my research, but it meant a lot to me. Then, I came up with that stupid pact which I late realized hurt you more than me, so I thought I might have a very small but distinct role in your down fall. I just wanted to make up for the hurt that I caused the both of us."

Christian had never heard speak of what occurred so candidly, and it warmed his chest that she was someone who knew how to appreciate and be grateful. Even though it did sting slightly initially when she outed that love wasn't the factor behind all that she did; because if it was the other way around, he'd be sure that it would be his passion for her that drove him to do everything for her.

He guessed he was probably the more sentimental one among them.

"I'm sure Christian had a reason for pushing for this project," Ros broke the silence, reminding the couple that they weren't alone.

"Do you know?" The brunette inquired the previous speaker.

Ros shook her head, "but that's why I didn't object to it outright."

"Okay, so let me ask this," Anastasia blinked a few times in confusion. "Is this project a corporate effort or a personal one?" She followed Ros's gaze and found Christian's, who was deep in thought.

"I do have a reason behind my insistence," he leaned forward on the table, intertwining his own fingers on the table before them, he couldn't decide how to answer her question.

His thigh brushed against Anastasia's as he shifted closer, she felt like this was more for her than for Ros to hear. They were sort of discussing domestic matters but apparently Ros also needed to be present.

"I have been considering the next step if we do go through with the merger."

Ros's eyes bugged out. She was aware that she had been the first person that was informed of this potential deal brewing in the great mind of his. The moment Anastasia relayed the message to Christian, he brought it up to Ros after a few hours of serious pondering. However, she had always been under the impression that it was just an idea that most likely wouldn't turn into reality.

"I am thinking of delisting the company so GEH won't have to be forced to be made public."

Ros gasped. She knew this kid was crazily ambitious when she met him, and she knew she was out of her mind when she accepted the job offer, but this, she would never dream of hearing that sober.

Anastasia stared at him frozen in her spot, recalling the exact moment this seed of idea was planted in his head. It was when she let him in on the condition of Senior and practically implied that he wouldn't wake up to utter another syllable, much less regretting his decision to basically gift away his business like a New Year's present.

"You're serious…" her voice trailed off, correctly reading his mind just a few days after she let him in on the confidential information. She knew then and there that he had already made up his mind even during the later days when he appeared troubled and conflicted. She just knew that he did voice his entire thought to her.

"It's just an idea," he told her, and she knew he was saying it for the sake of Ros. There was a silent understanding that passed between the two of them and he knew damn well that Anastasia knew every single one of his thought process.

"You want that to be documented," Ros pieced everything together and finally found her voice. "That might cause more backlash than publicly criticizing the FBI for failing the American citizens."

"But that answers her question," he placed his palm on Anastasia's forearm, indicating who he was gesturing to. "She keeps asking what's the point to it."

"You want this to be the climax?" He almost laughed at how she cringed when she said the word and how her arm muscle involuntarily twitched.

"I want to show the world that I'm capable of coming back with more daring ideas than becoming a self-made billionaire before the age of thirty."

Anastasia was still very skeptical. She wanted to support him but she was also worried.

"So," Christian broke her out of her own thoughts. Ros returned her focus to him and away from his girl. "What's the verdict? Have I convinced you? Managed to at least persuade you to reconsider your veto?"

Ros watched the couple slowly lock eyes, and she swore in the five, maybe six or seven years, that she had known this man, she had never once seen him look at another person the way he was looking as this brunette. She couldn't even describe what was entailed; it was love and more, but with a little cheekiness. Even as a lesbian she could feel herself succumb and swoon at that gentle gaze.

"We will wait and see. I will give it a trial period of six months," she finally answered.

Christian grinned, sending Ros a triumphant wink smugly.

"Let's revisit this in three months' time to see if we should continue," she added, but that wasn't going to make him crestfallen, because he had at least got her to agree with filming. That was one step forward. "You're too ambitious for your own good," she flicked his jaw and bopped his nose affectionately.

Effectively making Ros felt like a third wheel intruding on a private moment, but she was so taken with the way they looked at each other that she failed to let the awkwardness sink in.

She was now going to look out for that long overdue ring to take up residence around Anastasia's finger. "So, when's that rock going on her finger, Christian?"

…

MARCH 2017

"Get the ball rolling," he barked into the phone and the car only just started to move. Anastasia didn't have to ask to know that he was snapping at his poor CFO.

She sighed, they were just out of the cemetery and the funeral hadn't been officially announced to conclude. It was only the funeral, and there was still the memorial, yet he was already going to do it? She was no even more determined to hold off on the documentary.

She was sure the pensive look on her face said it all, and it was all capture into film in that camera in the car.

The guy needed to stop using his ego and start rationalize through his brain!

"You clearly have something to say," he observed, switching his tone to a softer and gentler one. He'd never raise his voice at her, and he doubted that it would always be like this; there would definitely be time when they'd want to rip each other's head off in the future.

"I do," she admitted, "but I'm not going to say it. We had an understanding that we won't intervene with the other's career."

"Yes, but you have before and I trust your judgement," to an extent. He added. "Your career is just too advance for me to grasp other than maybe to offer you advise when it comes to establishing and maintain social connections."

"I think you should hold off on delisting. You had the support of the associates now, but if you announced your plans, they won't be on your side during the memorial. Especially, the memorial service is a much larger event."

"I'm not announcing it," he assured her, taking her hand in his. They still had to dine with her parents since Ray didn't finish his tale earlier. "Trust me on this baby, I know what I'm doing."

"How long will it take?"

"Give or take, I'd say three to four months to completely detach from the market with the shares bought back. The only issue is the family," he was pretty confident in his ability to persuade the rest of the shareholders to sell.

"What would be the worst case?"

"They can actually sue me, and they will have a ground to stand on if they did. So, it's up to my negotiation and persuasive ability. If I can't get this done privately, it's going to get nasty in public." It was true that it was clearly stated in Senior's will that he would request at least one member of the Rodriguez family to remain attached to the business.

"Why are you willing to risk potentially everything just to have something that you already have a considerable amount of control over? I still don't get it."

"You are going to support me right? You won't take off if this all fails, right?"

"Yes, I will still be with you and I won't love you any less, but please, make me understand, Christian. Why are you suddenly feeling the need to gamble? To showcase your bravery? This is too risky."

"I need control."

"You have them as the CEO."

"That's not enough, and it's not risky, it just has a huge consequence," he lobbed and he knew that she got the meaning. After all she was the one who introduced the difference between the two concepts to him in the first place. He didn't agree with her at first, but now he absolutely understood her point of view and a hundred percent assented to this perspective.

They had a conversation about her work, and she had tried to get him to see the differences between risk and consequence.

In her opinion, she wasn't risking anything in the operation room because she was well prepared and knew exactly what she was going to do. Her profession just had a greater consequence than the medics that didn't work in the operation room, because her patient could die as a consequence but death wasn't a risk.

…

It was late in the month of March and it was as if time flew by, because so many events occurred in the span of time. They were going to break the news to his immediate staff since the delisting was now almost over and he had to address the rumors to put them to rest once and for all.

Christian and Anastasia were both subtly aware of the crew behind them and a camera pointing at them as they walked, forcing the man behind it to back track. If they were uncomfortable, neither showed it. However, it wasn't lost on them that the other attendees were slightly bemused and it was written all over their faces.

"Are we late?" Christian broke the silence that ensued upon their grand entry. "Or did all of you got here extra early because you wanted to get it over with?" He joked, breaking the ice, but Anastasia wasn't sure how successful it was given the trepidation in their eyes.

"You're late, boss," Ros stepped forward making a beeline for Anastasia all the while throwing looks at the boss. "We ate everything," she informed, "but," pulling away from the brunette with her hand still on her shoulder, "I saved some for you." She winked and led her away.

"Hey, I gave the company to you not in exchange for my fiancée," Christian protested, yanking said female out of Ros's grasp.

Everyone in the room gasped and froze on the spot, some darted to her naked ring finger even more confused than ever. Christian draped an arm over Anastasia's shoulder and smiled mischievously.

"Oops, guess I'll have to make the announcements sooner than I expected. I was planning to tell you all after I got the lot of you drunk," he grinned from ear-to-ear, and pecked his girl on the cheek. "I have recently made the decision to merge with the Rockefeller Inc., and also decided to move to the East Coast for personal reasons," some more gasps rounded the room, and he flashed everyone a mysterious smile.

They were easier to fend off than the nosy paps.

They were occupying the atrium of the top floor, and since it was a workday—being a Monday so Anastasia could show up—the party would take place for the entire day, and the food would always be there. So, whoever had the time and wanted to visit the top floor of Grey House, they were welcomed to come up and snack. If they were lucky and got here just in time, they could see their CEO in his best mood.

"Yes, private reasons," he teased, making Anastasia elbow him in the ribs. "The new headquarter for the merged companies will be in Baltimore, Maryland," he declared, purposely avoiding the use of an official name since his plans were still in action. "The Seattle base will always be the headquarters for Grey Enterprise Holdings, and you all will always belong to Grey House as part of the GEH family no matter what the future holds. Ros will be here to take care of you all and I will be making frequent visits."

He announced the business related part of the speech and now he was going to move on to the personal section of the speech.

"With that being said, other than the important members of our family," he indicated between the woman on his arm and himself. "We've decided to wait until we settle into our new home on the East Coast to pick out a ring and officially announce the engagement. However, since the GEH family has been with me, with us, through the ups and downs in the past several years, we feel honored to be able to share the secret joy with you all first."]

Christian beamed at his employees, and he faintly registered a few more executives ducking out of their offices and some walking out of the elevator. Everyone who worked in this building had all been regarded to be working at the highest rank since they weren't working at some subsidiary.

"A toast to m future bride, and a toast to everyone in this family who had to put up with me for the seven or so years, because there will be more to come." He raised his champaign glass and the rest followed suit. "To a fresh page!"

Cheers erupted, and this was surprisingly Christian's most carefree moment they had seen. All the apprehension dissipated for the day, and congratulations flooded in, echoed around the atrium. Some went to him to offer their congratulations in person, as well as a chance to clink their glasses with him, they were probably determined to drink with him to get him drunk; however, it wasn't lost on him that the majority rushed to Anastasia, and were now gushing over her.

He couldn't decide whether it was because she was more easy-going and less intimidating, or they believed that she would ever try to influence his business decisions.

Though, that didn't stop him from feeling elated and on cloud nine. The last time they gathered around for a celebration on a workday was when he bought the Mile High Club, but he remembered he was sulking back then over her.

"It was nice to see you so laidback and chill for once," Ros approached him and the both of them watched in amusement as Anastasia got swarmed by the others; it must be an overwhelming experience for him.

"It is only a one-time thing, Bailey, don't get used to it."

"Well, then I should take advantage of the opportunity," she grinned.

"The answer is no, Ros. I know what you're going to ask." She laughed in his face because she knew Christian was spot-on, and knew they were referring to the exact same thing.

"You don't even know what I'm about to ask."

"You want Gia Matteo to design the new office," he refrained from calling her out like he would used to do and act like an asshole without a sense of humor. "And you've been badgering me for it for four years straight."

Ros laughed, it was true and she didn't even realize that it had been over four years. "Why not? You were fine with it four years ago, and you were going to meet with her and sign the contract but you played hooky that day."

"Actually, I was going to tell you no four years ago, but it was my birthday so I played hooky and that meeting just never happened. Granted, the offices do need to be renovated, since I don't believe you liked the style of my current office."

"Wait…" her jaw slowly loosened toward the ground. "You're for real," she let out slowly.

He nodded, sipping his bubbly wine. He wasn't particular to the taste of it but Anastasia liked it, so he ordered that on top of everything else.

"I'm getting half of this floor?" She checked.

He nodded again, eyeing her amusedly.

"You're not going to take it back come tomorrow?"

He shook his head, stifling a laugh, but was unable to contain that mocking smile so he hid it behind his rim.

"When are you moving out?"

Christian threw his head back laughing.

"You're not drunk are you?"

"No, I'm not," he sobered up from the laugh. "Not even close to tipsy. I am moving out in April."

"You must have a condition, you are never that generous," Ros squinted her eyes at him.

"I do have one," he lifted a finger and his eyes twinkled with mischief, she tensed up slightly imaging it to be some ridiculous demand that she couldn't fulfill. "I get to veto the new blueprint before it's signed."

"Why?" She removed the flute from her lips and glared at him suspiciously.

"Because I'm kicking you out when I visit, and like I said, I'm making frequent visits." What he didn't say was that those trips would decrease in frequency as time went by. He was just handing it over to her gradually.

"Asshole, I knew it!" Ros punched his arm, laughing. "I knew you're not giving up control that easily."

His eyes darted around searching for is girl, and like he had anticipated, she was at the center of the most populated corner. She truly was a magnate.

"Why are you mixing drinks?" He approached her like other magnets, he just had a stronger and mutual attraction with her.

"It's for you," she grinned at him. "They were just watching because they don't believe that I used to work at a bar."

He smiled fondly at the memory of their very first encounter. It surely was hard to forget.

"I tipped you very generously," he reminded her. "Then, contributed the most to your wad of cash that night."

"How could I forget. You were trying so hard to make me rich overnight, and you didn't even walk me home like the gentleman you claimed you are."

"I still achieved it four years later," he taunted. "You have half the GEH share and I made half a billion overnight. As for being a gentleman, I don't recall letting you into that small detail."

She eyed him from the corner of her sockets pretending that she wouldn't acknowledge his arrogant statement. The audience were now more or less engaging in talks among one another, not wanting to eavesdrop so blatantly. They were all well aware of the CEO's relaxed stance and they all knew better to believe that it would extend to the following day.

"Here, try it," she dabbed the rim and the exterior o the cocktail glass with a tissue like a professional bartender before handing it to him.

"Reminds me of Vesper but I'm nothing like Bond." He eyed the liquid in the glass. It looked oddly familiar.

"It's not even the same color as James's Vesper," she cocked her brow.

He observed the drink; the dilute Star of Bombay color in the mixer that resembled something between cobalt and sapphire—he couldn't really decide. He placed the rim to his parted lips and his eyes found her blue ones, they were especially deep and electric today. The glass tipped slightly and the fluid touched his lips, they flowed into his mouth and landed on his tongue perfectly. He steadied the booze and closed his mouth, registering the flavor and taste.

Then, his eyes popped open in surprise and the corner of his mouth ascended into a lopsided smirk.

It made him sinfully hot and even more enigmatic.

"You remembered," he arched a perfect brow at the woman who claimed that she couldn't recall what she served him the first time they met. "So, you did take a particular interest in me," he smirked oozing cockiness and confidence.

So much so that her initial hubris for shocking him waned.

"Do you still like it?" She inquired shyly, not even sure if it tasted the same as he remembered.

Throwing his head back, he drained the glass.

"Do I get a second?" He said instead of answering directly, hoping that his action and reply was enough to assure her.

"Unless you buy the supplies," she giggled coyly. They were now blatantly flirting under every employee's watchful eyes.

"Can I have the recipe, then?" He swayed closer to her and leaned back against the makeshift bar facing her with a devious and dirty smirk that made her panties wet. If he wasn't in his tailored suit and tie, she would think that he was some dark knight.

"Are you tipsy?"

"I'm drunk," he slurred on purpose, and she knew that he wasn't even close to intoxication. "Drunk in love," he then added, his smirk turning lazy but sexy nonetheless.

She shoved his chest friskily.

"You keep acting like this and you're seriously going to give your staff whiplash," she warned him gently. "They won't know how to act tomorrow."

"Should I stop drinking then? Or, are you calling me a lightweight?"

She glared at his lame jokes.

"Promise me that you'll make me that shit at home," he told her sternly. "Makes me recollect that time when you have to work your ass off to get to where you are now. Literally," he added.

They spent the next hour with some staff who had developed a close rapport with Anastasia during the six months that she took charge crying on her shoulder, asking her to stay or keep in touch by visiting often.

Christian watched from the side and allowed some of his staff to take advantage of his extremely good mood to get away with a few small mistakes as well as receiving the go ahead for some other projects.

He was being lenient today, but only to a small degree because he still had a reputation to uphold.

The camera crew effectively forgotten by everyone in attendance.

Anastasia on the other hand had a completely different plan for the documentary now.

…

APRIL 2017

The same people were now around the same table discussing the same project.

The documentary.

"The delisting is almost through, and it will soon be a private entity," Christian declared to the people seated, Ros and Anastasia shared a secretive glance, they knew that Christian still had one more trick up his sleeve.

That was the goal of including the Rockefeller Incorporated under the name of Grey Enterprise Holdings.

"So, what's the assessment so far?" It was for Anastasia since she was the one ultimately calling the shots in the final decision to publish.

"Negative," she replied calmly. "I don't want to go ahead with the documentary, however I am going to ask for the footage. The documentary will still be made, but for an entirely different purpose."

…

"Wait, I thought we were the ones planning it, since when did it fall into her lap?" Christian pulled her to a stop before the entrance of the Mile High Club.

They were here for the engagement party that shockingly fell out of their responsibility once they settled on a date and location as well as a guest list. It was the late afternoon on the eighth of April on a Saturday, so no one would need to battle a hangover getting to work on the next day.

"Did we look like we had the time to deal with the details?" She rebutted, she for one didn't, having spent most of her week tying up lose ends at work and passing over her duties as well as getting acquainted with the team from the Swedish Medical Center just so she might receive an invitation to go to Sweden some time in the future. "At least we got to plan one thing."

In they went and cheers from all over the VIP section erupted, it was deafening. Too loud that they were sure the other guests on the floor below could hear them over the equally penetrating music. They only closed the VIP floor to keep the party small and intimate. However, it was inevitable for the VIPs to end up in the mix down below.

Hence, the vetting process was chokingly strict tonight to the members, and they'd prohibited all guests.

The next second, they were drowning in the swarm of people all trying to offer them their congratulations. They felt suffocated even though they only had something like twenty to thirty friends present.

"Now we know just exactly how many people we're inviting to our wedding," she spoke in his ear once they were finally presented a chance to breath. He laughed in agreement, giving her waist an affectionate squeeze.

"Before we toast to anything, and anyone makes any speech, the couple under the limelight has a montage for you all just to seize the opportunity when you're all sober." Kate gathered everyone's attention and they all turned to the display in the room following her gesture.

The screen faded into a black background with white characters.

Fifty Shades of Grey

Christian's voice faded on before the screen changed. He was speaking but the movie showed a clip of him getting out of his car and walking into Grey House with Taylor trailing behind.

"I have no idea what prompted me to do this, but I must be possessed with something since I haven't been able to shut down the thoughts even though Ana said no to it multiple times."

The man in the movie surfaced from behind the camera and sat down on the plush armchair opposite of it, right in front of the frame.

"I guess I just felt cheated on," there was a pregnant pause as he pondered his next words. "I don't exactly feel betrayed but definitely let down, but… a lot of people." He nodded, and propped his elbows on either side of the arm rest and let his hands meet beneath his chin, loosely intertwining his fingers. "Maybe I'm doing this out of spite, but I think I like the feeling of taking advantage of someone weak just like the justice system and many other people had done to me. Yes," he nodded to himself again. "I'm starting to enjoy it, and I want to document it, because this is exactly how I've been cheated on, only I get to be the bad guy this time."

The screen shifted to him in a meeting, sitting at the head of the long table. It was one of the meeting regarding the documentary but it was mute. The VoiceOver came on, and it was his voice.

"I'm Christian Grey, a businessman from Seattle, Washington, and this," the camera shifted to the exterior of Grey House. "Is my brainchild, Grey Enterprise Holdings."

If the prequel was anything shocking, and the introduction was everything unusual, then the audience would now be able to grasp the tone set for the rest of the documentary. It could be considered as a thriller if the suspense created by the crazily ambitious decision he made was anything to go by.

"This is my fiancée, Anastasia," a frame of her walking out of the hospital in the afternoon and into the awaiting silver car. "And this is Taco, the most well-behaved member of our family," the dog int he movie rolled to his back, exposing his stomach and a small treat found its way into his mouth. "In front of food only."

Scattered laughters erupted from the audience and some other cooed at the cuteness.

"Welcome to my soap opera," Christian's voice over a film clip of Taco snatching an over mitten from the kitchen counter and escaping with his male owner chasing behind him and Anastasia giggling at the scene.

The clip then showed the couple walking down a street, and this could be one of the few times they walked anywhere without being hounded.

"I selfishly pulled her into my drama a year ago," it was his voice but the footage was of them strolling in a happy manner.

"It was unnerving," Anastasia said in response to the question about her feelings when she was subjected to take over the entire Grey empire. She was now in the same plush armchair that Christian previously occupied at the beginning of the clip. "To have everything thrown in your lap and backed you into a corner. That Will represented the man's entire life, and I wasn't his enemy; I was far from it despite everything that occurred between us. I understand that it had been my choice to choose the path that we had partake, but to have been called to sign on someone's death note was an entirely different, and- overwhelming experience."

She knew she was shifting uncomfortably beneath her skin as the camera glared into her face, and a microphone over her head while the interviewer was only nodding mutely as if whatever she said wouldn't matter.

There was a visible switch of the screen which meant that some parts were cut off.

"People all assumed that it was either because of something he was holding over me or that I could benefit from it, or some hopeless romantic believed that it was love-driven for me to keep it and actually get fully involved."

Anastasia remembered wanting to roll her eyes at the notion but refrained herself.

"Truth was, it wasn't because of love. I do love him, and that is why I didn't sell it, but it was't love that motivated me to drop everything just to help keep his company afloat. It really was the fact that I feel like I owe it to him since he picked me up when I was struggling financially before I became a doctor.

"Also the guilt played a factor in it. I was the one who broke up with him and I still did id despite knowing how much it would hurt him. At the time, I selfishly prioritized my own life before ours and I knew that if I'd asked, he'd sacrifice everything for me."

"We have a slightly different dynamic than any average couple that you expect," he narrated again, the scene shifted again into motion. "We are both workaholics, and that makes us live like we're roommates with benefits instead of lovers during the week."

Some of the footage of their domestic life was shown, eliciting a few chuckles here and there.

"My life seems ordinary but I'm not fifty shades for nothing," the shot switched to the funeral in March. "This is one of the public events I have to attend."

Since the event was a public one, they were able to film him making the speech.

"This isn't the first time I've considered the idea of merging, but the first time it was proposed I turned it down."

A pause ensued and he appeared thoughtful in the film as the screen morphed into the interview.

"I honestly just want a few years of less exciting life. The past four years are too eventful."

Footages from the press conference appeared.

"I don't regret uttering those responses just like I don't regret making the decision to merge," then it morphed into the part of them in the car.

"There are a lot of opposition, and it's even scarier that it's palpable and I was actually there to witness it," Anastasia sat in the same armchair after overlapping with the mute motion picture. "I had my doubts and I worry, but that doesn't stop me from supporting my fiancé. It was a tough situation for him because it's such a drastic transformation, and he has been pondering, weighing his choices for a long time… we've had numerous sleepless nights," and the both of them knew that she was only saying this for the benefit of the audience because they weren't plagued with just a single problem. "It was truly a struggle, more for him than for me."

"It's probably wrong and unethical for me to take another family's legacy just because I was offered a chance. But, I don't think I'm taking a mile when I was only given an inch—I don't see it that way albeit public beliefs."

The screen displayed the interview setup, and he appeared pensive and deep in thought.

"The decision to privatize was made before the merger went through, and the defiance and protests from the family is only a catalyst. I have been called ungrateful, but if I am too considerate and sensitive like I was four years ago, I'd get stomped all over again. I had something that people can hold against me four years ago, and trusted that I would have at least more than a handful of people that remained loyal to me, but I was proven wrong in the hardest way.

"It feels like shit to be fucked over and let down by the people who you were taught to trust, thought you could rely on, and turn for help in dire situations. So, I'm not going to let it happen again, hence I made the decision to utilize my power as the CEO given carte blanc to the company. I was naïve once, and I don't like the consequence, so I'm not going down that road again."

The documentary continued focusing mainly on his business, bu also snippets of how he casually announced their engagement to the staff on that party, but leaving out the part about relocation out. Since their attendees weren't strictly close friends.

"Ready?" Anastasia's thumb hovered above the post button on the screen, it was the last scene of their documentary. The background was actually some of the nocturne piano music Christian had played with her sitting through next to him in their sleepless nights.

Christian nodded in the film, and he held her closer to his side. They held their breath as the button was pressed.

A picture of them against the backdrop of the darkened Seattle skyline from their Escala full-length window to the deck was the sole content of the post; there was no caption.

In the photo, a couple was gazing into each other's eyes. The man laid his hand atop of the woman's left on as it rested idly on his chest, the rock caught light of the beam in the room and the reflection blinded the camera more than a burning magnesium strip.

They looked like they were about to kiss with their faces only inches apart, and their gaze locked dead with one another. The chemistry and sexual tension was so palpable that it could be felt even though the photograph.

It was an Instagram post that nearly crashed the platform, even her personal account suddenly became popular.

If you've read this on wordpress already, there will be more.

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