***FREE FANFIC***@Hg2806 "I loved this start to finish. It's so different to the original, but kept the key aspects. A very addictive read."
@FeliciaSpears2 "This is such a great story I love the way you're making it your own."
***CHRISTIAN GR...
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My Blackberry buzzes. I see that it's Elena calling and I answer it.
"Christian, I'm just checking in, how are you feeling?" I can hear her kids playing in the background.
"Better than this morning. Thanks for coming over and sending John Flynn. He's given me a great deal to think about," I sigh.
"Have there been developments since we met?"
"Not yet but I miss her something furious," I reply. Each time I have to say it out loud, I think my chest is going to explode from the pressure.
"What did Dr. Flynn advise?"
"Anastasia left because she perceives the lifestyle as abusive even though it is not. I'm considering giving it up or at least aspects of it to keep her in my life. John thinks you being my ex further complicates my relationship with Anastasia."
"Oh," she sounds taken aback, "Are you willing to give up a lifestyle that identifies you, that fulfils your needs more than any other. I guess if she thinks the lifestyle is abusive, when you get back together she won't want you and me to be close. Meeting up every week and family gatherings could become awkward for her. Some people deal with personal insecurities by distrusting or not liking the ex."
"I need to do this. I've never felt this way about anyone else. She's the one."
"If you get back together today, tomorrow or soon after, the fundamental changes you want to make to your life to enable your relationship to Anastasia to succeed is moving a super fast pace. You only met three weeks ago, goodness at this rate you could be married and father within a year of meeting," Elena laughed sarcastically.
"Anastasia, comes before anyone else. No doubt Diana, is a great person, but she could never be what Anastasia is to me," I'm exasperated, "I just want this pain on the inside to stop, you know?"
"Experiencing fear, pain, helplessness, first as a child orphaned at a young age then in my first marriage has made me value happiness, friendship, family, affection, pleasure even more. If I never experienced those things, I would not appreciate the courage it must take for you to sacrifice what you going to sacrifice to get Anastasia back. Rather than catching up once a week like we do, the accountant will forward on the reports for Escala, we could cancel your attending the annual school performance and I could send plausible RSVPs for family gatherings so you form new memories with Anastasia."
"You'd do that?"
"If Anastasia thinks the lifestyle is abusive and outs me to people we know, my ex husband who has not yet gotten over being cuckolded by a teenager will follow through on the promise to kill me. The kids are six years old, I may not be a perfect mother but they need me. Anyway if our lifestyle comes out, it will affect the perfect public image you've spent years building."
"That's so like you, being detached, being practical and imagining the worst case scenario."
"I was born under an unlucky star, look at me, my life is a series of worst case scenarios," her face takes on a far away expression. "Innovations in your businesses are breathtaking because you seek perfection, variety and change. You've had fifteen subs in six years, each relationship had fiery intensity but burnt out too soon. Are you sure that a vanilla relationship will work for you?"
