Secrets from the past - Grace's POV 3

After a short and restless night Carrick and I decided not to inform Christian and Ana just yet. They were preparing to go on vacation with their children to the Bahamas very soon. As long as they didn't hear about it before they left, it was alright. Carrick reached for his cellphone and made a call to Ros,Chrisian's deputy, when he was away. He told her in precise words about the allegations and asked,if there was anything,that could be done to minimise possible damage to his family.

Ros was an amazing source of valuable ideas indeed.

Without hesitation she proposed to get Welch,Christian's top security man and Barney,the IT whizzkid,onto the case.Now we have to wait and see,with what results,if any, they come up with.

What can Welch find out?

Nearly one week had passed after the inital newspaper's sensational disclosure about Ms X's claim: Christian Trevelyan-Grey is the father of my child.

Thank goodness,Ana and Christian seemed to have managed to continue their holidays on the wonderful Islands of the Bahamas without the interference of press or paparazzis lurking behind every corner.

In the meantime Christian's top security detail,Welch, had been busy behind the scenes.

He contacted the editor of the newspaper in question,but nearly came away empty handed,if it had not been for a keen,talkative receptionist at the front desk of the newspapers HQ.

As Welch walked past her,she rose slightly from her chair and extended a hand with a small piece of paper in it. Looking carefully to the left and then to the right,she murmured hastily: "Please,Sir, take this, you won't regret it". With those words she quickly sat down again.

Welch took the slip of paper,slid it into his pocket and walked through the revolving doors,never glancing back at the girl.

Could Christian possibly have a son?

Back at the Grey Mansion the atmosphere was still tense and full of invisible but tangible question marks.

"Who is that woman?"

"What are her motives?"

"Why does she come forward now?"

My husband Carrick was already considering legal options against Ms.X.

He talked to a colleague of his about steps,that could be taken,to stop this woman's claim before she had a chance to file a law suit herself.

Step one: to find Ms.X and the boy as soon as possible.

Step two: to legally enforce a DNA test to determine,if anything at all could back up her claim.

Step three: get hold of Welch in order to find out,what his researches had brought to light.

Oh,how I hated this waiting game. I wanted to go out there and find that woman myself and tell her,how dare she implicate Christian in such a cruel and callous way.

But my hands were tied. All I could do,was hang in there and wait,to see how destiny played her game.

 Today I returned to work at the hospital after the winter holiday break.

What a break it has been:

Elliot's skiing accident,and now this scandal about paternity threatend our harmony.

The day progressed quiet and without any major problems or new intake of sick children.

I was just about to take my white coat off in order to swap it for my suit jacket,when I heard noises coming from the corridor outside my office,my door was slightly ajar and I turned my head towards the source of the sounds coming through the gap.

Then I saw"Her". Flanked by two security guards,her son holding her hand and Welch right behind her, she walked past me without noticing me.

But I noticed her. Her build was petit,with a slim body shape.Her long,wavey,brunette hair flowed over her shoulders and down her back. Her complexion was pale,large green eyes were wide with a mixture of "Angst",bewilderment and sheer anger.

The little group vanished from my view in seconds,but I stood in the doorway as I was struck by lightening.

"That face", something or someone reminded me of it. I searched my mind in desperation,and then it hit me like a bolt out of the blue: "Ms.X" reminded me of the little, faded photo,that Christian kept on his pinwall in his old room in our house.

Turning my attention to the question,why she was here,I came to the conclusion,that Welch obviously had found her and brought her here for the enforced DNA test on her child.

I followed them at a distance,careful not to draw attention to my presence. Deep in thoughts,I looked up,heck,I had lost them. Where did they disappear to?

Grace Trevelyan Grey