CPOV

I'm sitting on my balcony with a bottle of bourbon, drinking directly from the bottle. I'm quite drunk already but I don't mind. The chill wind does a world of good and it's the first time in awhile, that I feel free, because now I'm 100% sure that I did not only break up with Elena but also broke all ties with her - and that is great.

After some time I hear the balcony door being opened and somebody sits down next to me. Being drunk makes my senses slow, so it takes quite some time until I recognize, who sits next to me.

„Did I ever tell you, how I learned about BDSM?" Elena asks and gazes into the distance thoughtfully. I shake my head and take a gulp from my bottle.

„I was a bit older - 22 - and married for two years. Linc was constantly away, he had a girl in every city and if he once in a while was with me, he never had time either. I was just the woman on his side when he had to attend public occasions. That was frustrating and I was beside myself with rage for Linc, his work and my life. One day I began to scratch my arms and legs unconsciously. A friend of mine was worried about me and only when she showed me my arms and legs, I realized what I had been doing. Of course I went to a psychiatrist, but he couldn't help me. After that I was in a stage where I was aware that I hurt myself, but I was not able to stop it. I was desperate, because it was like addiction, but then a friend of mine told me about her affair, who practiced BDSM and well, the rest is history", she tells me calmly, before taking my bottle and drinking a big gulp.

„Christian, you have to believe me, that I never wanted to hurt you. I saw myself in you and because BDSM helped me so much with my daily life, I thought it would help you too. I wasn't conscious about you being still a child, because at 15, you already looked like an adult. And because of your rough childhood, you were more adult than most other teenagers. But of course that doesn't justify my actions", she admits.

„You know, it's not like I didn't like it in those days. But you were the grown up person, you weren't blinded by those many hormones. You could have done so much good, but instead you messed me up more. You didn't help me forge a better relationship with my family, with your best friend, but because of the amount of time you claimed for yourself, my family ties grew weaker than before", I bemoan and take another gulp of the bottle. „I don't want you in my life anymore!" I say calmly.

„Christian please! Please don't do that!", Elena begs. But I don't do pity, just as she didn't pity me for years.

„And I want you to break ties with my family!", I say with my Dom voice. Out of the corners of my eyes I see Elena gazing at me. „You can keep your silly salons, they're going to crash soon anyway! And now piss off! Your stuff will be delivered by tomorrow", I simply say before emptying my bottle. Elena collects herself pretty fast and stands up, taps me on my shoulder apologetically and disappears.

I sigh, because my alcohol bottle is empty, so I make my way to my study to find more supplies. Arriving there I first look for my phone to text Ana. She sure is able to lift my spirits.

I have 20 ballpoint pens and not one of them is working. Why does nobody just toss them out? -C

Because it looks stupid if the pen holder is empty. -A

So why not buy new ones? -C

One easily forgets you need any when the thing is filled up. -A

Right, the unsolvable office supplies dilemma. -C

No, the unsolvable office supplies dilemma is my broken printer! -A

You have a printer? -C

Yeah, but it's broken! How much would you spend on a new one? -A

Who even has a printer anymore? -C

Me. In case you'll need to print something. Where should I go and look? -A

Can you even still buy printers?! Did I fall in a coma and awake in the past? Is this an advanced sci-fi retro plot?! -C

As I said before: Ana manages it again and again to lift my spirits!

Your attempts at being funny tire me out and I need my beauty sleep for my New York trip! Good night! -A

Wait, WHAT?

Monday morning Ros has everything arranged to acquire MIP. Along with it, there is a meeting today with the executive staff of the publishing house. Andrea automatically prepared a conference room with refreshments and therefore she's irreplaceable.

At around 5 P.M. the time has come and when Andrea tells me, that my next appointment is in the conference room, I stand up, button up my jacket and put on my CEO face. Showtime!

I enter the room and catch the sight of five people. That's absurd! When a company is represented by so many people, they want to put power and superiority in the opponents mind, but I haven't played in the peewee league anymore for quite some time now. I'll give them one hour, before they will beg me to take over their publishing house. Ros and I sit down on the opposite side of the table and put on quite a show, which we have perfected over the past few years. And after 45 minutes, the corks pop indeed and we clink our champagne glasses and drink a toast to a successful deal. I get to talk to Mr. Roach and try to grill him about Ana as subtly as possible.

„Mrs. Steele? Yes, of course I know who she is. When she has personal problems, she's out for the count, but when she's going well, she's far and away the best you can have. I don't want to lose her for anything in the world!", he gives me his truthful opinion. „Currently, she's with Mr. Hyde in New York to participate at a symposium." I start to listen attentively and implant his name in my mind. She never mentioned him to me.

When I sit in my office again and update the folder with the newest information about the acquisition of MIP, I can't resist the urge to look for the background check on Ana. It doesn't look bad, only her account balance bothers me a bit. I draft a memo to pay every staff member a generous bonus to cover up my attempt to financially help out Ana a bit. Then I look at Mr. Hydes background check and sigh loudly. It looks like he's a real womanizer and I hate the fact, that Ana is in New York with him. So I take my phone out and type a message.

This chapter is full of Goodbyes - Say bye bye to Elena and say bye bye to Christian's POV. The rest of the story will be in Ana's POV.

BTW, this is chapter 42, so let's start a countdown, shall we? TEEEEN ...

Guest #1 - In fact, he DID text Ana. How did you know? ;D

bonnetta - Thank you for your review! Well - as we say in German - all things have an end, but the sausage has two! ;)

pdb1115 - Give Christian a little air to breathe, he just had a break through with his family ... and Ana is now in New York anyway ;)

erinlea2010 - Thank you for your review!

joan . goldman . 9, Christian618 - Well, let's switch to APOV then, right? ;D

Guest #2 - Well, no sex scene anymore in this story. I sure thought about a second sex scene, but for me it wasn't necessary. But I will write ... or let write sex scenes in the next stories, I promise ;D

ashley . mercer . 16 - Let's let him get Ana first, ok?

Guest #3 - The problem for his family was, that they learned, that Elena beat Christian and he called her child molester (which indicates, that they had sex when he was underage).

sweetsub75 - No, don't let us feast on this bitch troll. Let's focus on something positive - on Ana and Christian!

Pielietje - Thank you for your review! Yes, I tried to make the story funny. No, Elena will be gone forever.

Guest #3 - Yeah, let's see what will happen next ;)