Christian was born into extreme neglect and abuse, with a drug-addicted mother and an abusive environment. At age four, after his mother’s death, he was found by police and brought to the hospital. He was temporarily placed in foster care before being adopted by Grace and Carrick Grey.

Despite the stability his adoptive family provided, Christian continued to struggle with the lasting effects of early trauma—emotional withdrawal, aggression, and distrust of therapy. His foster placement and later adoption were life-saving interventions, but they did not erase the deep psychological scars. When literature student Anastasia Steele interviews successful entrepreneur Christian Grey (who leads a BDSM Dom/Sub lifestyle) she finds him very attractive and deeply intimidating. Convinced that their meeting went badly, she tries to put him out of her mind - until he turns up at the store where she works part-time, and invites her out.