Chapter 7

Catherine had some difficulties concentrating on her work after the scene her husband just made. She had to straighten out the situation with Smith & Millers and make a new appointment with her legal advisor regarding the intended buyout of the Scott company. She also had to do the planning for the festivities for their upcoming company anniversary. Things like these always tended to fall to her responsiblities as Henry wouldn't give it another thought. In addition, countless e-mails were awaiting her in her inbox.
After some short consideration she started with informing Richard that he had to hire a new intern for the employee survey project. Preferably someone of a male nature.

Catherine swallowed her pride and called a very angry Walter Smith. She had to eat some humble pie and butter him up before he was even willing to continue their business.

Half an hour later and with torn up nerves, the female CEO left her office to grab herself a much needed cappuccino. Charlotte, looking up at her boss, shook her head with regret.
"I'm sorry Catherine, but unfortunately the machine is still out of order. They most likely need to replace it as the technician couldn't find what's wrong with it."
Catherine groaned in agony.
"Then bring the one from our development division up here until they send a replacment," she decided without hesitation. Henry and his people could go and get normal filter coffee from other departments. She needed a fully automatic bean-to-cup coffee machine up here for their visitors and customers.
Charlotte nodded and immediately reached for the phone to organize the exchange while Catherine went back to her office.
Half an hour later her assistant brought her a freshly brewed cappuccino that was lightly sprinkled with cocoa powder.

It took another ninety minutes for her door to be torn open once again. Her enraged husband stormed into the room, his face blushed with anger. She instantly knew what had brought him up here.
"What's that again?" He snapped at her and this time his wife decided against feigning ignorance.
"Would you just snap out of it? That's only temporary." She looked up at him, her arms crossed over her chest. She even put on a conciliating smile.
"I couldn't care less."
"Fine, let Charlotte brew and drag myriads of coffeepots from downstairs in order to serve all our public business," she suggested sarcastically and leaned back in her chair in annoyance.
"Sounds good to me. After all that's what she get's paid for."

Catherine rolled her eyes at this scabrous remark and slowly rose from her chair.
"Henry, I'm done arguing with you. Come get your coffee here for all I care but don't waste my time. I have my next meeting in exactly ten minutes."
"Then let me explain you something as quickly and easy as possible so it fits into your busy schedule: your broken machine, your problem! My machine stays downstairs!"
"No, it stays here for the time being."
Henry circled her desk and only came to a halt when his nose nearly touched hers.

"Au contraire and that's final. Maybe I would have even lend it to you. All you had to do was ask nicely. But as far as I can tell that's something you're not even capable of. Correct me if I'm wrong, Catherine." The provocation that flashed from his eyes fueled the rage that rapidly spread within her belly.
"A waste of effort for the narcissistic, selfish and irresponsible ass you are. Stronzo!" She hissed, not backing away even for a millimeter. Meanwhile poisonous arrows shot right out of her eyes and aimed at Henry's direction.

"Hah! But I am an ass with a coffee machine!" He yelled at her and reached for the handset of her phone. With his other hand he dialed an internal number. By doing this he trapped Catherine between her desk and his hard body."Simon? Move your lazy butt over to the sixth floor. You need to bring our coffee machine back down ... Yes, now! When else?"
After hanging up he stopped short in the same pose for a few seconds, staring down at his wife with an indefinable expression on his face. "Are there any other decisions you've made without my knowledge you want to tell me about, darling?"

Catherine slammed his arm out of her way with clenched teeth and freed herself to put some distance between them.
"Go to hell, Henry," she screamed as she rounded her desk and for the second time that day she opened the door for him and pointed out at the hall.
With an insolent, almost happy wink he walked past her and even found the gall to pat her behind lightly.
"You'll have a nice day as well."

Shaking with rage she slammed the door shut behind her departing husband but changed her mind a split second later and tore it open again.
"Go get a new coffee machine! Now!" She yelled in Charlotte's direction.
On her desk her cell phone gave a low signal tone to remind her of her next meeting. She grabbed her mobile and laptop in annoyance and headed for the elevator whose doors were just closing in front of her. Quickly she put her arm inside and the doors slid open once again.
"Welcome on the way straight to hell, kitten," her husband's ironic words greeted her from inside the cabin.

Well, all that fuss over a stupid coffee machine - am I crazy or are they?
What happens now? Those two - being angry - in a lift... alone...

Many many thanks for your reviews! This urges me on. You're the best, I hope you know that.
I still have so many ideas regarding this AU-story and I hope I'll be able to use all of them. But I need to sort them and bring them in a good order first.