Chapter 18: Moving.

Anastasia's POV

I can see absolutely nothing. The blindfold currently is placed safely around my eyes, blocking my vision.

"Feel it", I hear Christian's voice distantly and as if on the cue, a sharp bite - probably of a flogger - lands on my stomach.

My back arcs and I can't move my hands. Handcuffs.

Another sharp sting comes across my thigh and I yelp in both pain and pleasure.

"Christian!", I scream as series of blows come up next. What is this? How did I end up hear? "Why are you doing this?", I manage to say between the screaming and gasping.

"Because you left me.", his voice is clear.

Distantly, I hear a sound of the bell. It rings again but Christian doesn't stop. Infact he is saying so many things at once that I cannot concentrate on anything.

"Why did you leave me? I loved you. We could have had a second chance, why Anastasia? I can -"

But I try to get his voice out of my head and focus on the bell instead. It is a doorbell and its ringing too many times for my liking.

The haze clears as I shift my focus away from Christian and everything stops all together. And as if on the cue, my eyes fling open.

I gasp as my eyes focus on the surrounding. I'm lying on the bed with Mila half sprawled across me. I'm covered in sweat with the sound of doorbell continuously irritating me. Who is it this early in the morning?

I get up, careful not to disturb Mila and run towards the door. What was that dream? Why would I dream about such a thing?

I open the door and I find a neatly dressed woman standing with a tray of food. I did not order any breakfast?

"Good Morning ma'am. Here's the complimentary breakfast on the check out", she says, chirpier than ever.

But then I focus on what she said. A complimentary breakfast.. on check out?

"What do you mean by check out?", I say, my brows furrowed.

"You checked out an hour before. Our hotel has a policy for this month to give complimentary breakfast on checking out", she says, her grin not faltering a bit.

"Stefanie", I read her name tag, "I never checked out."

"Yes you did, the reception desk informed us. You checked out an hour before."

"I have absolutely no clue of what are you talking about." What is this crap? Is someone playing a prank on me?

She gives me a quizzical glace. What should I do in this situation?

"Give me 10 minutes, i'll ask the reception desk myself.", I say and close the door on her face. If this is some sort of prank, i'm going to sue this hotel.

I dial the number to reception desk from the telephone in the room.

"Hotel Palm View, how may I help you?", a calm female voice answers.

"Hello, i'm from room 402 and your staff told us that we checked out an hour before?"

"One minute ma'am", she says. I look at Mila, who is now awake because of the commotion at the door, sitting groggily on the bed. "Yes ma'am, you've been checked out an hour before.", she confirms.

"But I don't remember checking out?", I say, more confused.

"Our register says so."

"Well, thank you.", I say and disconnect the call.

The first thought that comes to my mind is Luke. Maybe he checked us out? It hurts a little that he didn't inform us beforehand. I told him I don't want to stay in an expensive hotel but man he never listens. And now we are being practically kicked out of the hotel room.

I dial his number and he picks up at once.

"Anastasia", he says.

"I understand you have every reason to hate me but throwing us out of the hotel room before telling us? I didn't expect from you Luke.", I say, words gushing out of my mouth.

"I don't understand one bit, Ana. What are you saying?", confusion clear in his voice.

"I'm saying you could've told me before checking me out of the hotel.", I say, my tears threatening to fall any minute.

"First of all, calm down and I would never do that. Second, I did not check you and Mila out."

"Huh?"

"Why would I do that?"

"Because you hate me?"

He sighs. "I don't hate you, Ana. And if I did, I never would've checking you in the hotel in the first place."

I sniff, "Who is it then?" and as soon as I said those words aloud, the answer comes right after that.

"Christian."

"Mr. Grey", Luke says simultaneously.

"You knew about this?", I enquire.

"No, but it seems so.."

"I talk to you later", I say and disconnect the call again. This isn't what I planned for a Sunday morning.

It has been a week since the whole argument with Christian and me that happened here. Since then, I haven't heard from him. Infact he has made no attempt to even reach out and ask about his own daughter.

I dial his number and after a few rings, he picks up the call.

"Grey", he says but I sense the smugness in his voice.

"Steele", I mimic him.

"Oh, Good Morning, Miss Steele", he says.

"Morning yourself, Mr. Grey. Care to explain why did you remove the 'good' from our 'morning'?"

"Pardon?"

"Cut the act, Christian."

"I don't understand, Miss Steele as to what you are implying to.", but i'm sure that bastard knows very well what am I speaking.

"Why did you check us out from the hotel?", he loves my misery, doesn't he?

"Oh that!", he says, "Yeah I did." Of course. Who else would it be?

"The question was why did you do it?"

"Because I don't want my daughter staying in a hotel room when she has her OWN home here."

"You could've atleast informed me about it.", I sigh.

"And go through a long procedure of argument with you? Nah, this is better."

That jerk.

"And since", he continues, "The mother of my child also stays with her, she can live with us too." What? Did he just called me 'mother of his child'?

"Oh, no need. The mother of your child will leave as soon as she drops her daughter off.", I say and end the call.

Mother of his child.

Kiss my ass.

"Get ready Mila, we are going to daddy's house", I say and I see her eyes shine visibly.

After another hour, we were both ready with our bags packed. Mila wore a sundress since it is surprisingly hot outside. I wore a pencil skirt and white shirt paired with medium length wedges. I tied my hair up to a pony tail with a few strands escaping and settling on either side of my face.

We left the room and go down where I see Luke waiting for us.

"Lukey Bear!", Mila says and runs towards him.

He smiles when he sees us. He picks her up and takes a bag from my hand and leads us to the car.

"I signed the register for check out", he mumbles as we head out.

He drives us to Escala in complete silence. Though I don't mind the silence, there is something grave in Luke's expression that I cannot decipher.

When we reach Escala, he tells us to go ahead and that he is coming behind us with our bags.

I step out into the familiar parking space, nostalgia suddenly hitting me. The amount of memories I have in this building is beyond anything summoned together. Taking a deep breath, I walk towards the elevator with Mila in tow.

The ping from the elevator indicates the arrival and we get inside. I hit the code to the penthouse and up we move. Distant memories in this elevator comes to my mind. The time I first travelled up here with Christian, the time I travelled down with a heavy heart when I broke up for the first time, our elevator sex and the last time we were here.. the time I left him for Mila.

The doors suddenly open and Mila tugs my hand. She too, has been quiet all along. I wonder what is she thinking.

At the entrance, waits the devil himself.

"Daddy!", Mila runs towards Christian and hugs his legs as he chuckles and picks her up.

"How have you been?", he asks.

"Awesome!" and he laughs carefree. I notice the change in his demeanor. He isn't all tight and emotionless as he used to be. Infact he is quite open, or atleast his posture says so.

"Do you want to see your new home?", Christian asks excitedly.

Mila looks towards me and I nod with as much enthusiasm as I can gather.

"Will mommy stay with us?", she suddenly asks and that catches Christian off guard.

"Of.. course.. why wouldn't she?", he shoots me a glance and I raise my hand in mock surrender, indicating him I have nothing to do with her questions. Let him have a fair share of Mila's questions too. "Let's go inside?", he changes the topic.

"Yes!" and off they go inside. I was about to follow when a tap on my back distracts me. It's Luke.

"Ana, I collected the reports from the hospital." he says finally. So this explains his discomfort today. Though I can predict what the reports say, I ask anyways.

"And?"

"You should see it for yourself. Come with me", he says and leads the way inside.

~*~*~*~

Okay so.. THIS BOOK GOT A RANK IN FANFICTION! I know its only #965 but picture this, among ALL the fanfictions there exists of Harry Potter, Twilight, Fifty Shades and not only that, even fanfictions on celebrities and tv shows all around the world.. amongst millions of Fanfictions, this book got a rank! So it's a big deal for me!

It couldn't have been possible w/o you guys so here is an early update!❤

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Until we meet again, xoxo ~ Ava❤