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Chapter 25: The Pool Game

Chapter 25: The Pool Game

Anastasia's POV

I haven't been much angry in the past six years. The most I had been was when I was angry at myself for being stuck up at the same job with minimal pay and hence I decided that i'll do everything in my power to get a better one. It took me exactly 11 months to finally land an interview that was flexible with the time I was ready to work as I couldn't keep Mila in the daycare for elongated periods. The reason for that was simple - the more the hours, more the fees.

So now that I am angry.. wait scratch that, infuriating, I cannot compare it to anything. I can barely keep myself from internal combustion. It seems the only emotions i'm having since I came back to Escala are anger and anxiousness. Gosh i've made a mess of myself, haven't I?

I'm pacing around in Christian's library, scanning books after books. He has stocked his library with classics that I wanted to read for a long time. In the past years, in order to get a 'better insight' - my boss's words not mine - I was expected to read the modern books with the same ol' teenage drama. So when I found these books here, I cannot help but trail my fingers over them and smile at the thought of the rush i'll get while reading the classical novels again.

"Something that holds your interest, Miss Steele?" a voice says from the door. I don't need to turn to see who is it.

"Actually many things right now", I reply, being lost in the decision to which book should I actually read.

"The bestsellers are on the shelf to your right", he says.

I flit from one shelf to another as I pick out books to read. As I go further into the library, I spot something. It's the pool table. Not any pool table, the table on which we played a match.. and did many other stuff. I don't know for how long was I staring at the table but I didn't notice him coming behind me, startling me in the process.

"Ah, I haven't played pool in a very long time", he says. If he takes one more step forward he be basically touching my back.

"Let's play one then", I turn around and look at him. Christian raises his eyebrows, asking me if i'm actually serious. "Well, we both are here, so is the pool table. I don't see what's the problem", I shrug.

"Okay then", he says and goes to the cabinet to take out the balls and the striker.

"But this time, the rules will be mine", I smirk and he looks at me but continuous arranging the balls on the table. "After every ball we pocket, we get to ask the other person a question. It can be anything the person wants to ask. But on every strike that you miss, you don't get anything."

"Fair enough", he says as he hands me the striker. "You go first."

"Also, the person who wins the game can punish the opponent in anyway they want", I say as I take the striker from him. It's been a long time since i've played pool too, I don't even know why am I doing this. I think it mainly has to do with the anger I have towards him today. I'm taking you down today, Christian Grey, by hook or by crook.

"Careful, Miss Steele, 'anyway' is a dangerous word", he looks at me smugly. I wink at him and angle the striker towards the ball. I push it back a little and hit the white ball with all my power, hoping to pocket at least one ball. And I did.

"You get the strips. Shoot your question, Miss Steele", he says.

"You decide to tell your mother everything about me, of course, without consulting me. Did you not think it was important to ask me about it?", I say as venomously as possible, gauging his reaction carefully.