Crossing Paths (PG-13/15) 05/23/08

[Linda]

Wow! what an excellent start.

I loved how you mixed the humor and seriousness of the first part with Lois being concerned about Chloe one minute and then being her typical loud brash self to Clark the next. I'm wondering what's going on with Chloe and Chance - I think I know but I could be very wrong!

You have again surpassed yourself with Lex. I love him in daddy mode. I feel really sorry for him and those kids. Lana needs to come to a sticky end and soon.....

Please update again soon!

[lexie]

Disclaimer: see Chapter 1

A/N:Thanks to those of you who commented on my Chlex fic The Love of Two Men at myfandoms. I managed to get 23 reviews before the deadline for the contest. Now I´ll just have to wait for the jury´s decision.

Here´s a new two-part instalment. And yes, there´s Chlex in this instalment.

CHAPTER 3: Stood-up

Chloe was roused from her sleep by the shrilling sound of her telephone. It was early, judging by the light that filtered into the room, and she had to make an effort to remember what day of the week it was. She turned around with her eyes closed and had to brace herself not to fall face flat on the floor. Apparently, the Chardonnay and her exhaustion had taken their toll for she hadn´t been able to make it to bed. As she sat up on the sofa and stretched out an arm to reach the handset, she realised the TV was still on. She pulled the remote from under a cushion and turned it off.

¨Hello, ¨she said drowsily, answering the call.

¨Hey, Sullivan! It´s me, Archie, ¨came the lively voice.

¨Archie? ¨mumbled Chloe, rubbing her eyes . ¨It´s seven o´clock on a Sunday morning. Couldn´t it wait until tomorrow? ¨

¨You told me to contact you whenever I got anything juicy, ¨he said, lowering his voice. ¨It´s about you know what. ¨

¨Can you talk or is there someone with you? ¨she responded, suddenly awake.

¨I´d rather not mention anyone on the phone. ¨

¨OK. I´ll meet you at the usual place in... say... forty-five minutes, ¨she suggested.

¨I´ll be there. ¨

The blonde reporter hung up the phone and bit her lower lip pensively. Her research on Cadmus had reached a dead end, and she had seriously considered dropping it. Although it´d have killed her to let down Sylvia, the young woman who had approached her five months before, she had to be honest with herself; Lex had learnt from his past mistakes and the things that he wanted buried stayed buried. In fact, Chloe had spent the past a hundred and fifty days trying to dig up dirt on Cadmus and had come empty-handed. The only real clue she had that something odd was happening was the testimony of the young woman and the impossibility to trace any of the scientists involved in the research and development of Minervit. Chloe hoped Archie had finally got her a good lead; otherwise, she had put her own love life on the line for nothing.

As she cleared her hair of shampoo under the showerhead, Chloe thought about Lois and what she had said about Chance. It had hurt and the blonde girl hadn´t felt like accepting there was some truth in her cousin´s words. He had made excuses and stood her up more than once, and the previous evening had been no exception- he had made a promise and hadn´t kept it. Maybe she was to blame. Maybe he was getting tired of waiting. No, that wasn´t true. If he loved her as he claimed he did, he wouldn´t resent her decision not to take their relationship to the physical level yet. She was aware that it was more difficult for a man to control his urges- she couldn´t help but remember the time he had tried to break her resolve a few months ago- but... . God! She had to stop mulling it over. It was her body and her life, damn it! She was twenty-nine and still a virgin; but that didn´t mean she was a freak. She just wasn´t ready. She didn´t feel ready. Or maybe ... it wasn´t her. Maybe he wasn´t the one. Maybe... maybe Lois was right. ¨Oh, you should stop rambling and get ready for the rendez-vous , Sullivan! ¨

¨Old habits die hard, ¨said her source as he sat down on the park bench next to Chloe, who was sipping coffee from a Styrofoam cup and nibbling at a doughnut sprinkled with blanched almonds.

¨You want one? ¨she asked, offering him another doughnut.

¨Tasty as they look, I think I´ll pass, ¨he said, touching his pot belly.

¨OK. More for me then. So... tell me. What have you got that justifies my being dragged out of bed on a Sunday? ¨she cocked an eyebrow.

¨I´ve got you a name and an address, ¨he responded, giving her a slip of paper with the information. ¨Her ex-husband was a researcher at Cadmus. She claims your source´s allegations are true. ¨

¨You said ex-husband. How do we know she isn´t doing this out of resentment? Did she tell you when and why she divorced? ¨

¨She said she was tired of the secrecy and that it was her who filed for divorce. If she´s to be believed, she has proof of what Sylvia´s told you. ¨

¨Do you think she´d be ready to go on the record? ¨

¨I don´t know about that. It´s Luthor we´re talking about, after all. I´d be shitting my pants. She said she´s willing to give you the documentation she has. As to whether she´d allow you to interview her... I have my doubts. ¨

¨Well, I shouldn´t look a gift horse in the mouth, I guess. This is the best lead in months, ¨she sighed. ¨Thanks, Archie. What would I do without you? ¨she smiled warmly.

¨ Are you sure you don´t want to marry me? ¨he joked.

¨A computer geek and Inspector Columbo. What a couple we´d be! ¨she quipped.

¨That Chance sure is a lucky guy, ¨he said seriously. ¨Be careful, kiddo, ¨he added, getting up of the bench.

¨Always, ¨she murmured, squeezing his hand goodbye.

Chloe got to her flat and pulled out all the files she had of Cadmus on her computer. She went through them for the umpteenth time in an attempt to find something that she might have passed over inadvertently; it was useless. Although she sincerely hoped what this woman had would be the key to put all the pieces together, she knew better than to have high expectations when the Luthor surname was involved.

By three o´clock in the afternoon she had finished typing her column for the following issue of the newspaper and done the washing of the clothes which have piled up during the week. Even though she hated doing the house chores at the weekend, she didn´t have the time or the inclination to do them when she got home after an exhausting day in the bullpen.

Hanging the last item of clothing on the airer, she decided it was high time she pampered herself. She would run a hot bath with those heavenly smelling bath salts Lois had insisted she should buy when they went on their last shopping spree; and maybe try out one of those masks which, according to Cosmo, left your skin smooth like a baby´s. Unfortunately, her plans were spoilt when, having stripped down to her undies, the front door bell rang.

¨Damn! Why is it I can never enjoy one moment of peace when I´m at home? ¨ she fumed, fetching her green satin robe. ¨I´m coming. I´m coming, ¨she mumbled when whoever was at her door kept making the bell ring.

Chloe looked through the peephole and sighed. Chance. He was at least fifteen hours late and, judging by what she had just seen, he came bearing gifts.

¨Chloe, I know you´re there, honey, ¨came his muffled voice from the corridor.

¨I´m mad at you, Chance. And don´t think for a minute a dozen roses will get you off the hook!¨ she frowned, swinging the door open, looking at the bunch he presented her with.

¨What about a dozen roses and a kilo of Brazilian coffee beans? ¨he smiled apologetically.

¨I´ll take the coffee and you can put those flowers where the sun doesn´t shine, ¨she spat at him, grabbing the packet of her favourite infusion and starting to shut the door on him.

¨Please, Chloe. We have to talk, ¨he pleaded with her.

¨Take that puppy look off your face, Chance, ¨she glared at him.

¨I don´t want to argue with you in the corridor, Chloe, ¨he said seriously.

¨You´ve got two minutes, ¨ she told him, opening the door to let him in.

¨Thanks, ¨he responded, stepping in. ¨You look gorgeous in that robe, ¨he lowered his voice, resting his eyes on the swell of her breasts, which peeked through the front of her clothes.

¨Wait here a sec, ¨she told him, berating herself for opening the door to him with such a scanty barrier between them.

¨You know there´s no need for you to get changed, ¨he spoke up as she walked into her room.

¨I´m giving you time to think what excuse to use this time, Chance, ¨she answered as she put on a sweatshirt.

Chance went into the kitchen and started opening cabinets until he found what he was looking for. He opened the tap and filled a vase with water to put the flowers in. Then, he strode back to the living-room and placed the roses next to Chloe´s laptop on her desk- that was when he noticed a sheet of paper with some scribbling in Chloe´s handwriting.

¨OK. Your two minutes start running now, ¨she interrupted his musings, returning to the room.

¨What´s this? ¨he asked gravely, showing her the piece of paper she had been writing her crazy theories on. The flow chart didn´t say much, but the essentials were enough for an intelligent man such as Chance to arrive at the conclusion she had been working on her Cadmus research.

¨You had no right to go though my papers, ¨she said through clenched teeth, snatching the paper away from his hands.

¨It was lying on your desk for anyone to see, ¨he explained.

¨I wasn´t expecting visitors, and this is my house, Chance. And these,¨ she added, making an encompassing gesture, ¨are my things. This is who I am. ¨

¨You promised. You said you were going to quit digging. I love you, Chloe, but this has to stop. ¨

¨First of all, I didn´t promise anything; you assumed I was going to follow your ´suggestion´. Second, I don´t accept orders from anyone. This is my job. This is what I live for. You knew when we started seeing each other that I didn´t write the society column. I´m an investigative reporter, Chance. ¨

¨You know how important this assignment´s to me, Chloe. ¨

¨I´m aware of that, and you can´t accuse me of standing in your way. I´ve given you time and space, Chance. I´ve stepped aside and made compromises. I really want this to work, but I also need to feel I´m not alone in this. ¨

¨I´m doing this is for us, Chloe, ¨he responded, tucking a few strands of blonde hair behind her ear and leaning into her for a kiss.

¨Chance... ¨she murmured and was cut off by his lips on hers. ¨No... ¨ she squirmed in his arms, pushing him away.

¨What´s wrong with you, Chloe? ¨

¨What´s wrong? ¨she shouted. ¨You´re trying to manipulate me, Chance. ¨

¨How can a kiss be manipulation? ¨he snapped.

¨You haven´t answered my question yet, Chance. What excuse do you have now for not turning up yesterday? ¨

¨I told you I ´might´ come after the meeting. ¨

¨It isn´t just the meeting, Chance. I´m not asking you to go out every night, but you don´t seem to have five minutes to ... I don´t know... call me in the middle of the day... ask me how I´m doing... send me a stupid card or something corny, ¨she responded with misty eyes.

¨What´s this, Chloe? Some twenty-something crisis? ¨

¨How can you be so insensitive, Chance? I just want what any woman wants, ¨she reproached him.

¨Well... when Luthor´s campaign is over... ¨he responded annoyed.

¨Don´t use Lex as an excuse, Chance, ¨she cut him off tensely.

¨Lex? He´s Mr Luthor to me. I forgot your acquaintance with him goes way back and so does your obsession with writing exposés on him and his business. ¨

¨I´m not obsessed. I´m not to blame if LuthorCorp´s always involved in stuff worthy of the front page. ¨

¨Tell me, Chloe. Has there ever been anything between you two? ¨he asked speculatively.

¨What? ¨she asked with a puzzled look.

¨You´ve heard me, ¨he said tersely.

¨Where the hell have you taken that idea from? ¨she responded outraged.

¨I´m in the business of reading people, Chloe. Knowing what a person communicates through his speech and body language is the bible in my trade. ¨

¨Well, it appears you´ve never known how to read me, ¨she laughed. ¨I´m a reporter, Chance. Lex would never have anything to do with someone like me. He´s allergic to the press- he should, with all the skeletons he´s got hidden in the closet, ¨she added ironically.

¨Does that mean you wanted something to happen but he turned you down? ¨he cocked an eyebrow.

¨That means this subject´s closed, ¨she answered grimly.

¨That means I´m right, ¨he said smugly. ¨So all this digging is nothing but a personal vendetta. ¨

¨I´m not going to explain myself to you, Chance. I´m tired of playing these games. ¨

¨So am I. ¨


CHAPTER 4: The Man behind the Mask

Metropolis Red Cross Annual Ball

The Metropolis Red Cross Annual Ball was one of the most loved traditional events in the city and also a showcase for the rich and powerful. The top of the town were always in attendance and The Plaza was the conservative though luxurious venue where it was held. LuthorCorp and its young CEO were amongst the organisation´s main benefactors, while the billionaire´s young wife took part in the Red Cross board of directors.

Although Lex would have preferred to stay at home with the children, his PR consultant had convinced him he needed the exposure, and particularly the kind of propaganda an event such as this could provide him with. On close interrogation, Chance had confessed he had good word that Cadmus was under the scrutiny of the press and that, since the issue here was ´health care´, the annual ball was the perfect place to do damage control.

Lex had found the leaking to the press disturbing to say the least. He had taken great efforts to keep everything quiet, and it seemed that everything would finally explode in his face. Even though he had tried to get the name of Chance´s source in the papers, the young man had remained adamant. However, Lex would never allow that to deter him from his purpose- he´d get the name using some other means and then, he´d take the matter in his hands.

Lana had been the model wife in front of the cameras for a month now. She still went out but took care to be back for dinner time. Notwithstanding, her attitude towards the children hadn´t changed- she tolerated Alex, but it was Lex who got up when Lilly woke up in the middle of the night.

The young billionaire was in his element and moved around the ballroom making use of his polished manners and his conversational skills. However, there wasn´t anything he hated more than socialising; wearing a poker-face and smiling on cue were second-nature to him, but pretending in front of an audience he had a successful marriage with Lana was turning unbearable.

¨Excuse me, ¨he said apologetically when he felt the mobile vibrate in his pocket. ¨I´ve got to pick up this call, ¨he added, recognising the caller ID.

¨You never rest, do you? ¨smiled the middle-aged businessman with whom Lex had been conversing.

¨Rome wasn´t built in one day, ¨responded the billionaire with a smirk.

¨Luthor, ¨he said gravely on the phone, walking out onto the balcony. ¨What have you got for me? I want the name, ¨he asked grimly. ¨Have you got any pictures? Good. Bring them to me first thing in the morning. Yes, yes, proceed as planned, ¨he flipped the mobile shut and re-entered the ballroom to find his attention attracted by a familiar blonde head and his own PR consultant.

Chloe had arrived at the ball half an hour before Luthor and his entourage. Although she wasn´t in charge of the society column, she had offered herself to cover for a colleague who had called in sick. Attending the do would allow her to wind down and wear a cocktail dress Lois had talked her into buying to cheer herself up, and- at the same time- give her the chance to corner Lex for an interview. Well... not exactly an interview.

The blonde reporter picked up an hors d´oeuvre from a passing tray and let her eyes roam around the room; she appeared to be the only woman without an escort. Well, she had one but wasn´t a member of the opposite sex.

¨God, Chloe! I should have listened to you. These high-heels are killing me, ¨whined Lois, lifting her foot to massage it.

¨And the night is just beginning, Lo´, ¨answered Chloe, nibbling on a crab stuffed voulez-vant.

¨And where are the damn chairs? ¨frowned her cousin.

¨It isn´t a dinner party, Lois. It´s a ball. People are supposed to dance or mingle with a glass and an hors d´oeuvre in their hand, ¨she explained, walking towards the table where the punch was.

¨Do you think there might be a seat in the rest rooms? ¨asked the brunette, placing her weight on the foot that hurt less.

¨I guess so, ¨answered the blonde, taking the ladle to pour herself some punch.

¨Will you be OK if I leave you for a while? ¨asked Lois with concern in her voice.

¨Sure, go ahead, ¨smiled Chloe.

She was sipping at the cold punch when she felt a presence beside her and a perfume she immediately recognised for it had been her who had given him the first bottle as a present.

¨What are you doing here, Chloe?¨ he asked, pouring himself a glass.

¨Enjoying a night out. It´s a free country, isn´t it? ¨came her response as she stretched out an arm to grab a seafood kebab.

¨You´re trying to piss me off, aren´t you? You knew he´d be here. You won´t pull a stunt in front of eight hundred people, will you? ¨he hissed.

¨I´m doing my job, Chance, ¨she brought her food to her mouth.

¨Whatever you think you have... ¨he said threateningly.

¨My, my, you´re starting to sound like a Luthor, ¨she said under her breath as she bit the shrimp.

¨Well, look who´s here. If it isn´t Miss Chloe Sullivan, ¨a cultured voice cut them off.

¨Mr Luthor, ¨replied the reporter, holding Lex´s unwavering gaze.

¨It´s been a long time. I didn´t know you did charity balls. What have you done to fall from grace? ¨

¨I needed a distraction and volunteered for the job, Mr Luthor. I still do investigative research. ¨

¨And very interesting pieces you write. A real loss for The Planet, I should say, ¨he smirked, taking two flutes of champagne from a tray. ¨Bubbly? ¨he offered her. ¨It´s a 1960´s Bollinger from my own cellar. ¨

¨Vintage champagne for eight hundred people. Someone´s feeling guilty? ¨she quipped, leaving the punch and taking the flute from Lex´s proffered hand.

¨I can afford the expense, and the Red Cross is a worthy cause, Miss Sullivan, ¨he responded, boring his eyes into her. ¨What story are you working on? ¨he added, sipping at his drink.

¨I´m not in the habit of sharing that kind of information, Mr Luthor. The world of journalism is very competitive and stories like the ones I usually work on can make a reporter´s a career and destroy the lives of many influential people, ¨she answered, holding his intense gaze unflinchingly.

¨I was telling Miss Sullivan that this is hardly the place or the occasion to carry out an investigative exploit and that, in spite of her previous acquaintance with you, sir, she´d have to use the proper channels to get an interview, ¨interrupted Chance, afraid of the direction the conversation was taking.

¨That´s for me to decide, Mr Kelley, ¨said Lex gravely. ¨Is that what you want, Miss Sullivan- an interview? I´d be willing to talk to you about my plans for the Senate, ¨he added, bringing the glass to his lips once again.

¨I don´t do politics, Mr Luthor. ¨

¨Call me Lex, Chloe. I still can´t get used to being called Mr Luthor. It reminds me too much of my father. As to your not writing on politics, that´s not true and you know it. Your articles on Senator Kent´s Agricultural Reform Bill and her fight to introduce changes into the Juvenile Crime Court were remarkable. ¨

¨You´ve read those? ¨she asked surprised.

¨I have. They should have been published by The Planet not the Metropolis Herald. I´ve been following your career with interest, Chloe. Perry was a fool to let you go, ¨he responded matter-of-factly.

¨Is this a strategy to get votes, Lex? Sweet talk won´t get you anywhere with me. We know each other only too well to be playing these games, ¨she told him with the ghost of a smile.

¨Take it for what it is, Chloe: an expression of my admiration for a talented and upright reporter, ¨he said seriously.

¨Hello, Chloe, ¨said Lana with fake warmth as she threaded an arm through Lex´s and leant on him.

¨Lana, ¨the blonde reporter greeted her, getting ready for the brunette´s spite.

¨It´s nice to see you dressed up for a change. Those clothes you usually wear make you look like an old spinster. Are you unescorted or have you brought along that puppy-eyes boyfriend of yours? What was his name? Chippy? Jiffy?¨she addressed Chloe disdainfully.

¨Jimmy. James Olsen. That finished ages ago, ¨she responded coldly.

¨Hey, everyone! What´s this? The Twilight Zone? Have I fallen into a black hole and ended up in Smallville? ¨joked Lois as she joined the group.

¨Good evening, Miss Lane. Or should I say Mrs Kent?¨smirked Lex, welcoming the arrival of Clark´s wife and her tongue-in-cheek humour.

Although he could feel Lana´s tension by the way she was gripping his arm, almost cutting his circulation, he was glad to see Chloe relax a bit.

¨Lex, ¨Lois greeted him with civility. ¨Lana, you´ll have to give me some pointers here. How have you managed to lose the pounds you put on during your pregnancy? ¨

¨It´s in the genes, Miss Lane. Why? Are you expecting? ¨asked Lana, trying to control the tremor in her voice.

¨We´re certainly working on it, ¨said Lois with a glint in her eyes, enjoying Lana´s discomfiture.

¨How old is your baby now? ¨Chloe cut in, thanking Lois for her retort.

¨Lilly´s five months, ¨came Lex´s response; and the blonde felt the love and pride of the father in his voice.

¨You´ve named her after your mum. Lillian´s a beautiful name, ¨answered Chloe warmly, feeling a sudden nostalgia for the days of old when they could banter without resentment or second-guessing.

¨She´s as beautiful as her grandmother was, ¨confessed Lex with a fleeting look of something Chloe couldn´t pinpoint.

¨We should mingle, Lex. We don´t want your prospective voters to think you´re favouring anyone, ¨Lana butted in when she stopped being the centre of attention.

¨Your wishes are orders, Mrs Luthor, ¨answered Lex, seething inside but wanting to avoid making a scene in public. ¨Ladies, ¨he said, ¨I hope you´ll excuse us. ¨

¨Mr Magnusson was asking for you, Mr Luthor. They´re getting ready for the speeches, ¨Chance told Lex. ¨Miss Sullivan, ¨he added tersely.

¨Goodbye, Mr Kelley, ¨responded Chloe gravely.

¨She´s a bitch, ¨hissed Lois when the group had disbanded. ¨I almost feel pity for cue ball. ¨

¨He wouldn´t appreciate anyone´s pity one bit. Besides, he´s made his bed and now, he has to lie on it, ¨ said Chloe, going back to the table for another kebab. ¨I´m happy for Clark. He couldn´t have made a better change. And before you say anything, it isn´t me being biased. You´re my cousin, but you´re also my best friend´s wonderful wife. I´d have lost him if it hadn´t been for you. She was changing him. She´s got the virtue to blind people with that saccharine smile and her fake good intentions. ¨

¨I haven´t seen anything of that tonight, ¨laughed Lois.

¨No, she´s shown her claws because she feels threatened. Besides, she doesn´t need to pretend with us. She knows we know who she really is, ¨said Chloe bitterly, looking at Lex and his spouse at a distance.

¨Are you going to seek him out tonight and confront him with what you´ve found out? ¨asked Lois, taking a stuffed olive.

¨I think I´ll go through the proper channels. I´ll pick up his gauntlet. I´ll ask for an interview with the candidate to the Senate and I´ll pounce on the CEO of LuthorCorp, ¨she cocked an eyebrow.

¨Do you think he suspects anything? ¨frowned her cousin.

¨If he does, I know him well enough to realise he´s eager to cross swords with someone of his stature for a change, ¨she smiled, noticing the billionaire was looking her way.

Lex was finding it extremely hard to concentrate on his interlocutor. The news he had got over the phone, and Lana´s behaviour just a while ago, had poisoned his expectations for the night. Moreover, a grim foreboding told him things would be getting worse. Something was definitely wrong; he could feel it in his bones. His fears were confirmed when his mobile vibrated for the second time that night.

¨Miriam? ¨he asked with a catch in his voice as he recognised the caller ID on the display and made his excuses. ¨What´s wrong? Calm down... Don´t worry. It isn´t your fault... These things happen. Breathe... I need you to stay calm. Yes, dress Alex up and take the baby to Metropolis General. I´ll be there as soon as I can, ¨he told the faithful servant, flipping the phone shut.

He took a deep breath and scanned the ballroom for Lana. She was in the middle of the dance floor, twirling in someone else´s arms. Over a year ago his possessive streak and jealous nature would have driven him mad and forced him to make a statement to show Lana who was the master, but not any more. If there was anyone he thought of when his eyes dwelled on his wife, that would be his offspring.

He approached the couple with his usual poker face and Lana´s dancing partner immediately excused himself and left the dance floor.

¨Lana, I´m sorry to spoil your fun tonight, but I´m afraid we´ll have to leave, ¨he told her, noticing the beginning of a pout he knew only too well.

¨What about your speech? ¨ she asked annoyed.

¨Mr Kelley can deliver it on my behalf. I´m sure he´s looking forward to stepping into my shoes, ¨he responded coldly, grabbing her by the arm and taking her to a lateral corridor.

¨What´s this, Lex? You insisted on coming here tonight and now, you´re dragging me away. Wasn´t this supposed to be an opportunity to do damage control? ¨she glared at him.

¨Our daughter´s more important than my political aspirations or my company´s PR right now. Those can be fixed with an intelligent use of resources and some well-devised propaganda, ¨he hissed. ¨Pick up your coat at the cloakroom. I´ll bring the car around. ¨

¨What´s wrong with her? ¨she asked with a frown.

¨Miriam couldn´t bring her temperature down. I told her to take her to the hospital. I´ll call her paediatrician from the car. ¨

¨You go, I.. ¨she responded in an attempt to defy him.

¨You´re coming with me, Lana, whether you like it or not. She´s yours as well as mine. You won´t do this to her- I won´t allow it. You´ve already covered your quota of meanness for one night. Your behaviour in front of Chloe was inexcusable. You were a real bitch back there, and if we hadn´t been in public, I´d have rattled your teeth, ¨he cut her off, seething.

¨She´s always had Clark to defend her. Don´t tell me you´ve also got the hots for her, ¨she answered disdainfully.

¨You´re sick, you know that? Chloe Sullivan´s done nothing to you. She´s at least ten times the woman you´ll ever be. I truly admire her convictions and her fierce loyalty- two things which are completely alien to you. Now... you´ll do as I say, Lana; you wouldn´t like to defy me. We´ll finish this conversation as soon as this thing with Lilly´s over. Things´ll change, I can promise you, ¨he finished, propelling his wife to the elevator.

Chloe straightened up and got out of her hideaway. She had been on her way back from the toilet when she spotted Lex and Lana in the middle of what appeared to be a heated argument. Although the reporter wasn´t really interested in the billionaire´s private life- she wasn´t looking for any skeleton in that particular closet- her curiosity had got the best of her. It seemed Lana was just as bitchy to her husband and her babies as she was to those who didn´t think of her as God´s greatest gift.

Chloe had heard the hurt and pain in Lex´s voice when talking about their baby daughter and realised that was part of what she hadn´t been able to identify in the fleeting look she had seen on Lex´s face a while ago. Chloe was suddenly seized by a wave of conflicting emotions. For the first time in years she had been able to see the wounded human being behind the mask and had felt an overwhelming sympathy towards him. She tried to crush that emotion in view of what she´d discovered about Cadmus; she simply had to. However, it was turning out to be harder than she cared to admit.

[tatie87]

Great chapter. I love the Lana is a bitch and Lex isn't falling for it. I can't wait to see how the Chloe/Lex relationship evolves.

[hfce]

I loved this update. I am glad Chloe got to see how Lex is suffering. Yes he is still doing wrong but you got to feel for the guy.

[Kit Merlot]

A great update!

"I have. They should have been published by The Planet not the Metropolis Herald. I´ve been following your career with interest, Chloe. Perry was a fool to let you go, ¨he responded matter-of-factly.

I love Lex's admiration for Chloe's skill as a reporter--she has his respect and he isn't afraid to show it. I didn't realize that Chloe wasn't working for the DP--the Herald seems like a good paper, but will it be explained why Chloe is no longer at the DP?

¨Lex, ¨Lois greeted him with civility. ¨Lana, you´ll have to give me some pointers here. How have you managed to lose the pounds you put on during your pregnancy? ¨

How awesome is Lois?! That was a superb putdown to the Lang, and she totally deserved--talking as if Chloe's some kind of an old maid! Go Lois, tell the cow off!

It seemed Lana was just as bitchy to her husband and her babies as she was to those who didn´t think of her as God´s greatest gift.

This is quite true and the tragedy of it all is that her children are suffering. At least they have a good dad to make up for it.

And I like that Chloe's attitude towards Lex is softening, but I still hope she kicks Chance's butt--he's a jerk!

[SVfan1286]

I am totally loving this bitchy Lana... I feel sorry for the kids though, but at least Lex is a good dad. Hopefully Lana and Chance get what they deserve--like a very painfull death? *grins* Great story so far... I look forward to reading the next chapter!

[karila]

Your story is still excellent!
The first meeting of the story between Chloe and Lex was good.
I think that it's not useful to say what I think about Lana.
Chance doesn't deserve Chloe.
And Lois is great.

Ps:I'm glad that you have had enough reviews for your story The love of two men.

[daria_103]

Great update, I'm glad we finally get to see Chance and what a jerk he is. I love that everyone from Smallville can finally see through Lana, although her attitude towards her children is heartbreaking - she really is a bitch in this one.

I'm glad that Chloe got to overhear the conversation between Lex and Lana and get a truer sense of what Lex's life is like and Lex's admiration of her is wonderful. I can't wait for more.

[Linda]

Great updates. How much of an idiot was Chance, thinking he could demand from Chloe and then getting onto Lex's radar by dancing with Lana? I think I was right by the way, just have to wait 'til the next update to find out.

[dagney]

Lexie

great chapter. I like how much Lex admires Chloe and i love the evil bitchy Lana. I can't wait for some more Chlex interaction Dagney