1

The University of Washington seemed peaceful that day, with its hallways filled with students rushing from class to class. Anastasia Steele, a young woman with long brown hair and blue eyes, walked quickly across campus, her thoughts racing with nervousness. She had never interviewed anyone as important as Christian Grey, the business tycoon. She felt inexperienced, almost desperate. Kate, her roommate, had come down with the flu and couldn't go. So, it was up to her to ask the questions, Anastasia, a literature student with no journalistic experience.

She walked through the doors of the Gray House with apprehension. The interior of the building was sleek, minimalist and impressive. The receptionist, an elegant and professional woman, smiled politely at him.

"Miss Steele, Mr. Gray is waiting for you in his office. Take this elevator. »

The elevator was fast, and soon the doors opened to the top floor. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart, and walked inside. Christian Grey's office was huge, with large windows offering panoramic views of Seattle. The room was decorated in a simple but sophisticated way, just like the man who walked towards her.

"Miss Steele? » His voice was soft, but authoritative.

"Yes," she replied, straightening up.

"Christian Grey," he said, holding out his hand.

The touch of his hand made her shiver. He was incredibly handsome, with copper hair and piercing gray eyes. His impeccable suit accentuated his imposing stature.

"Thank you for having me, Mr. Grey," she said, her voice betraying her nervousness.

"The pleasure is mine," he replied, sitting down and motioning for her to do the same.

Anastasia took out her questions, trying not to tremble. "Um, so... you're very young to have achieved such success. What do you attribute this to? »

"I'm a control freak," he replied without hesitation. "I surround myself with good people and I work hard. Very hard. »

She wrote down his response, trying not to be distracted by his intense gaze. The questions continued, but she felt a palpable tension between them. Christian Gray seemed amused by her discomfort, but he was also intrigued. With each response, he stared at her, seeming to study each reaction.

"What about your personal life, Mr. Grey? You seem to be very private. »

"I am. It is important to separate professional life from personal life. »

"And what do you do to relax? she asked, her cheeks turning pink under his piercing gaze.

"Things you wouldn't understand, Miss Steele," he said, a mysterious smile playing on his lips.

When the interview ended, Anastasia stood up, grateful that it was over. Christian accompanied her to the elevator, a heavy silence between them. Just before the doors closed, he said to her, "I hope we see each other again, Miss Steele. »

She nodded, unable to formulate a response. In the elevator, she finally let out her breath, wondering why this man had disturbed her so much.

Back at home, Ana rushed into the kitchen where Kate was sitting with a steaming cup of tea. "So how did it go? » Kate asked, her voice still weak from the illness.

"It was... intense," Ana replied, placing her notes on the table. "He's so...intimidating. And incredibly beautiful. »

Kate smiled weakly. "I wish I was there. Did you do well? »

"I guess so," Ana said, biting her lip. "But I can't stop thinking about him. He has this aura... it's unsettling. »

"Well, you did your best. I'm sure you were great. » Kate coughed lightly before continuing. "Maybe you'll see him again? »

Ana shook her head, trying to chase away the thoughts of Christian Grey. But even after immersing himself in his studies, his thoughts kept coming back to him. It wasn't just his appearance, but also the way he looked at her, as if he could see right through her.

A few days later, while at work in the small hardware store where she worked part-time, she looked up and her heart stopped. Christian Gray was standing there in the power tool section.

"Mr. Grey?" » she stammered, her cheeks instantly turning red.

"Miss Steele," he said with a smile. "I was passing by. I thought about stopping. »

"You... do you need something? » she asked, trying to regain her composure.

"Yeah, some supplies. But I'll also need your help choosing," he said, his gaze never leaving hers.

She accompanied him through the shelves, feeling his heart beating wildly. He was asking about the tools, but she felt like his words had a deeper meaning. With every gesture, with every look, the attraction between them became more and more palpable.

"I owe you something for your help, Miss Steele," he said finally, as they headed toward the register.

"Oh, no, that's not necessary," she said hurriedly.

"I insist. Dinner with me tonight? » he asked, his tone leaving little room for negotiation.

Ana hesitated, aware of the effect he had on her. "Okay," she finally said, feeling both excited and terrified.

Dinner was in an elegant restaurant that she would never have been able to afford. Christian was charming, but she could sense an underlying tension. They talked about everything and nothing, but every word seemed loaded with meaning.

"Why did you really invite me? » she finally asked, gathering her courage.

"Because I'm intrigued by you, Anastasia Steele. You are different. »

" Different how? » she asked, surprised by his words.

"You don't realize your own charm," he said softly. "And that intrigues me. »

Ana blushed, not knowing how to respond. The dinner continued, filled with moments of meaningful silence and intense stares. At the end of the evening, Christian took her home. Outside her door, he looked at her with an intensity that made her heart beat even faster.

"Thanks for tonight," she said shyly.

"The pleasure was all mine," he replied, leaning towards her slightly. "Good night, Anastasia. »

He turned and walked away, leaving her with her swirling thoughts. Lying in bed that night, Ana tossed and turned, unable to get Christian Gray out of her mind. His words, his looks, everything about him haunted her. She knew her life had just changed forever, and she wasn't sure she was ready for what that entailed. But one thing was sure, she couldn't stop thinking about him, what he represented, and what he could offer her.

The sun peeked through the curtains of Ana's small bedroom, casting golden rays on the walls. She woke up slowly, her thoughts still muddled by the events of the day before. Christian Gray occupied every corner of his mind, like a ghostly but haunting presence. She got up, rubbed her eyes, and walked down the stairs toward the kitchen, where she found Kate making coffee.

"Hi, Kate," she said with a yawn, sitting down at the kitchen table.

"Hi, Ana. So how did it go with Christian Grey? » Kate asked with a mischievous smile, handing Ana a cup of coffee.

"It went well, I guess," Ana replied with a shrug, trying to hide the excitement in her voice.

"Just good? » Kate arched an eyebrow. "Tell me everything. »

Ana sighed and took a sip of coffee, searching for the right words. "He's...intense. And incredibly beautiful. But also very intimidating. »

Kate chuckled. "Intense and beautiful, huh? And what did you talk about? »

"Everything and nothing. He asked me a lot of questions about myself, about my life, and he answered mine too, of course. But there's something about him, Kate. Something mysterious. »

"Ah, the mystery. Always attractive," Kate said, smiling. "So, you like him? »

"I don't know," Ana replied, trying to sound indifferent. "It was just an interview and dinner. Nothing more. »

"Nothing more, really? » Kate stared at her intently, as if she could read her thoughts.

Ana looked away, staring at her cup of coffee. "It's complicated. I'm not sure what he really wants. »

Kate nodded. "Be careful, Ana. Men like him... they can be fascinating, but also dangerous. »

"I know," Ana whispered, more to herself than to Kate. "I'll be careful. »

Their conversation continued on lighter topics, but Ana couldn't get Christian out of her thoughts. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw his face again, heard his voice. She needed to focus on something else, so she decided to immerse herself in her studies for the day.

Later, Ana went to her job at the small DIY store where she worked part-time. She loved this simple, manual work which allowed her to clear her mind. As she was putting some tools on a shelf, she heard the front door bell. She looked up and her heart skipped a beat. Christian Gray stood there in the middle of the aisle, his gaze piercing directly at her.

"Mr. Grey?" » she stammered, surprised to see him here.

"Miss Steele," he said with a smile as he approached. "I was passing by and thought I'd stop. »

She frowned, trying to understand why he was there. "Do you need anything? »

"Yes, actually. I need some supplies, but I could also use your help choosing," he replied, his eyes glinting with amusement.

She nodded, still in shock at his presence. "Of course, I'll go with you. »

They moved through the store's aisles, Ana trying to concentrate on her task despite Christian's overwhelming presence at her side. They discussed the tools he was looking for, but every word exchanged seemed laden with innuendo. Ana felt her heart beat faster every time he looked at her.

"You seem to know your subject well, Miss Steele," he said finally, breaking the silence.

"I...I'm doing my best," she replied modestly.

"Your modesty is refreshing," he said, smiling. "A lot of people I meet don't lack pride. »

Ana blushed, not knowing how to respond. They continued their purchases in silence, and finally, Christian turned to her with a smile. "I owe you something for your help, Miss Steele. Coffee, maybe? »

"Oh, that's not necessary," she said hurriedly, but he cut her off.

"I insist. It's the least I can do. »

Ana hesitated for a moment, then nodded. " All right. A coffee, then. »