Title: Betrothed to the Enemy
Summary: The terms of Lionel's last will and testament were anything but simple. Lex Luthor will inherit a large share of the fortune only if he agrees to the terms of the contract. He must find love and marry a woman. If they are still together, in a year then Lex will gain his inheritance, if not, the money will be forfeited. He has one week to get himself a wife.
Catagory: General
Rating: R
Disclaimer: This may come as a shock to many but I *don't* own Smallville. Neither do I own The Bachelor (you know, that movie where I stole this idea from).
Chapter One: Nobody Survives an Autopsy
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Late for his father's funeral, how ironic. Lex slowly entered into the church's tiny driveway amongst the many other vehicles. The traffic in Smallville usually consisted of three speeding tractors and a suicidal cow that loved to run in the opposite direction, but today the elite of Metropolis had braved the countryside to pay their respects.
Lex wore a look of complacency as he walked into the quaint church. He unbuttoned his black Armani that his father hated and proceeded to accept the not-so-heartfelt condolences. Why Lionel's last wish was to be buried in this freak show of a town evaded Lex, but nevertheless, he'd arranged for him to be laid to rest in the tainted green soil of Smallville. There were two distinct groups of people: the Smallville crowd and their Metropolis counterparts. Of course *none* of them wanted to be there.
Lex glanced over to the open coffin that was being viewed by passive mourners. Clark stood among them, warily looking into the coffin with a morbid fascination, not willing to believe that Lionel had truly perished.
"Hey Clark." Lex said, breaking the silence.
"Holy Moses!" Clark yelled, spinning around at the sound of Lex's voice. He looked visibly flustered; his performance drew several glares.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you, it's just so quiet in here. Like a library... only with a dead person." Lex stated glancing at the deceased. Even in his coffin Lionel seemed smug. Well, seeing as how the interior was designed from Spanish cotton, he *should* feel smug.
"I-I'm okay..." Clark stuttered, recovering from shock and avoiding the glares he received from people who were annoyed with his outburst. "Just don't ever sneak up on me when I'm looking into a coffin,"
"Relax Clark, the man is dead." Lex said slowly.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Screw this. I have what I came for... why am I still here? It's not like I knew Lionel, I couldn't care less that the man was murdered. It was such a sloppy job too... you'd think Lionel would get killed by professionals. Chloe went to retrieve her jacket and leave this miserable situation, but paused when she overheard two women in an interesting conversation.
"...Imagine what Lex will inherit now? I heard that the reading of the will is going to take place at the mansion..."
"I don't suppose it's that simple... what will happen to the entire LuthorCorp industry? Will it be sold for a profit, or will Lex gain control of it?"
"I suppose we'll find out soon enough, I heard a reporter from the Planet will be at the reading... they won't give him *all* the information though, that's for certain..."
Chloe smirked at the news then put her jacket on and headed outside. This was it, one of those big breaks that reporters dream of for their careers... not that she'd actually started her career, but it was a push in the right direction. Who wanted to read about the coverage of the funeral when she could get access to the reading of Lionel's will? She needed to go home and try get into get hold of her contact at the Daily Planet. Maybe she could tag along with this other hotshot reporter who was attending the event. Time was of the essence.
The determined girl headed outside and her eyes fell upon her sleek red car that was blocked by a silver Porsche, displaying a non-subtle license plate.
"Crap..."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Chloe made her way over to Lex but paused when she saw who was talking to. Clark. This was so pathetic, ever since the fall out between herself, Clark and Lana things had been strained. Sure she loved Clark... the same way you love a stupid puppy that keeps chewing on your new shoes. It wasn't going to stop her though.
"...I'm just really sorry about Lionel," Clark started, "I wish there was something I could have done. If you need anything, I'm here, I really don't know what to say except... this too shall pass."
Oh my God. Was Clark serious? Lex expected this kind of sentimental crap from everyone else, but didn't Clark know that he'd always hated his father? He was sick of everyone trying to help him through this 'difficult' period in his life.
"I'm sure Mr. Luthor can handle this situation without somebody holding his hand Clark," Chloe stated, coming up to the two of them.
Lex resisted the urge to smile. He knew her shots would be directed exclusively at Clark. It wasn't that much of a surprise considering the way they treated each other.
"I didn't mean it like that Chloe... and besides, shouldn't you be digging up dirt on someone somewhere?" Clark fired back as best he could.
Chloe sighed, arguing with Clark was about as effective as arguing with a wet sock. She turned to Lex.
"Are you doing okay?" Chloe bluntly asked the distracted man, pulling her jacket over her simple black dress and searching for her keys.
Lex let out a frustrated sigh at her question, "I'm doing well, considering the current circumstances." He really couldn't stand the way everyone was suddenly concerned about his feelings. It was driving him insane. The truth was he couldn't care less that his father was dead. Nobody understood that, they were walking on eggshells around him and acting overly concerned and-
"Good, so do you think you could move your car? That ego enhancer of yours is blocking me and I need to get home right away." She said matter-of- factly.
Lex raised an eyebrow. Reporters...
"Lex!" a shrill female voiced pierced the air. Lana made her way over to the trio and gave Clark and Chloe two steely glares before turning her attention to Lex.
"Lana, how are..." Lex paused when he felt the sudden tension in the circle. Why did he hang out with angsty teenagers again?
"I'm so sorry about your father Lex..." Lana began, clinging to his arm like a vulture, "It's truly a tragedy, he was such a great man. I can't believe someone would do such a terrible thing, how are you doing? You must feel terrible, please feel free to cry. Showing your emotions in public is the first step in the healing process, maybe we could all join hands and cry together-"
"There will be no joining of hands right now, Lana," Chloe stated, "I came over here because Lex's car is blocking mine and I need to leave."
"I do apologize Chloe, I'll have someone move it," Lex stated, using the excuse to release himself from Lana's deathly grip and the talk of the 'tragedy'.
"How can you think of yourself at a time like this?" Lana hissed at her ex- friend.
"Yes Chloe, that was pretty insensitive of you." Clark agreed.
"Don't you think there's enough sympathy going around? I mean what else can anyone do?" Chloe said slowly for their benefit.
"She does have a point," Lex commented nonchalantly.
"I don't think anyone can help my father now," Lex continued.
Chloe nodded, "Well, nobody survives an autopsy."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 2: Close Ties
The blonde girl's comment drew two gasps from Clark and Lana and a wide smirk from Lex.
"I cannot believe the way you are behaving," Lana snapped.
Chloe sighed. Things had changed dramatically during their last year of high school; they were all still caught up in the old wounds that had never quite healed. Chloe desperately wanted to leave so she turned to Lex, "Look, I really need to go so please *move* your car."
Lex paused for a second then agreed, giving Clark and Lana a nod before turning to leave with Chloe. Thank God. He was starting to feel nauseous with all the concerned glances. As he walked through the gathering various strangers expressed their swift condolences with pats on the back and forced emotions. They all passed by in a blur.
The sun pierced his eyes as he made it to the outside. Lex leaned against the cold wall and ripped off his tie, loosening his collar.
"It's hard to breath in there with all those people isn't it?" Chloe paused, glancing at the man who drew ragged breaths. There was a twinge of guilt that was growing in her but she brushed it aside.
"Not really... it's just that this tie really doesn't go well with this suit. I don't know what I was thinking." Lex muttered, lowering himself onto a step.
"He made a joke... now I know he's sane enough to move his car out of my-" Chloe paused when she saw her car was blocked in from all sides now by those of new funeral goers. She swore out loud.
Lex follwed her line of sight and shrugged, "I could go in and start asking people who owns a silver Honda? Or maybe I could work it into the eulogy?"
"Forget it." Chloe said frustrated, sitting on the stairs beside him. The two remained there in silence, each with their own thoughts. Neither wanted to go back into the church and face the false tears and black moods.
"Is there a reason why you wanted to leave so soon?" Lex asked, breaking the silence.
"What? Oh... well, yeah, there's a reason." Chloe stated evasively.
"Well? Did your home burn down? Your cat get stuck in the dishwasher?" Lex prodded.
"Firstly I don't have a cat, I'm a dog person." commented Chloe.
Lex laughed, "Figures... you like 'em big and dumb."
Chloe gave him a sideways glance, "Did I detect a hint of innuendo...?"
"Innuendo is in the ear of the listener..." he retorted.
Chloe rolled her eyes, "Well, if you must know I was in Lionel's funeral when I... overheard a conversation about some sort of a meeting about the contents of his will..."
"...and you wanted to get into contact with someone who could get you a ticket to the show?" Lex finished of her sentence with a smirk.
Chloe paused in thought, "Well, yeah, that's pretty much what I meant, except I would have used better grammar to express it." She commented lightly.
"Are you insulting my verbal skills Ms Sullivan?" Lex feigned hurt.
"I wouldn't dream of it Mr. Luthor," Chloe rolled her eyes.
"Why didn't you just ask me?"
"For what?" Chloe responded, smoothing down her silky skirt thoughtfully.
"For a pass to go to the reading of Lionel's will?" Lex stated.
Chloe never thought Lex would actually agree to that, but since he brought it up...
"Will you let me attend the special event, Lex?" Chloe asked seriously.
Lex paused, as if to seriously consider the question, but in reality there was only one answer. The only news coverage allowed was the Planet's top reporter... he wasn't about to let an amateur into the picture.
"No," Lex said casually, getting up and putting his tie back on again. "I will not let you advance your career by using the death of my father a leverage." he continued with a dramatic air.
Chloe groaned, "Give me a break, you couldn't care less about your father's death. People in there may not see it, but I sure as hell can."
Lex looked across the sun baked fields with a smirk, "How would you feel if your father died?" he asked, knowing it was not the same thing.
"I love my father, Lex. Now if my mother died I doubt I'd feel much pain. There's just no way I could pretend to miss her when she was never there to begin with." Chloe said fluidly.
"Well I believe that I feel the same animosity towards my father..." Lex trailed off.
"Harsh words," commented Chloe.
"Actually I just wanted to see if you knew what animosity meant." Lex said, still trying to straighten his tie.
"I graduated from high school two weeks ago, I think I picked up a few things." Chloe shot back.
Lex's voice took on a serious tone, "I'm glad to know you learned something at farm-school."
"You're such an idiot, you know that?" she spat.
The man shook his head with a smile, still struggling with his tie. "Why must you always insult me? I have receive more insults from you during our fleeting conversations that I have from people I've known all my life."
"Well that's because they're all threatened by you, whereas I am not," Chloe said, thoroughly insulted by the way Lex shot down her hopes of getting that story.
Lex's hands stopped fidgeting with his tie and instead he turned to Chloe with folded arms. "Excuse me?"
For the first time Chloe looked directly into his vivid eyes, but refused to be mentally overpowered. "You heard me... I hate repeating myself."
"You know, I think you use this arguing thing as some sort of a barrier between you and the rest of the world." Lex analyzed.
Chloe's jaw dropped, "Who are you? Dr. Phil? I really don't think you're qualified to judge me you... you... psychologically scarred egomaniac!"
Lex raised his eyebrows, "Flattery will get you nowhere, I'm still not letting you go to the reading of my father's will, Chloe."
"You..." she said, embedding her index finger into his chest, "...can call me Ms Sullivan, and mark my words, I going find out about that will one way or the other..."
Lex took a step back, as the girl stormed back into the church. "That's some challenge..." he muttered.
Chloe stuck her head out the door one final time, "By the way your tie looks stupid."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Nice timing Lucas," Lex commented as his half brother made an entrance into Lex's office, just before the reading of the will.
"Sorry I couldn't make it to the funeral, something came up," Lucas responded insincerely. Lex didn't blame him at all; it was human nature to retain animosity towards someone who had abandoned you then tried to kill you.
The intimate gathering of people in the office included a few members of the extended Luthor dynasty, several major share holders of LuthorCorp and the Planet's leading reporter. Lionel's lawyer began the proceedings and gradually chipped off smaller portions of the Luthor kingdom till it was down to only Lucas and Lex. The group waited in breathless anticipation, but Lex wore a look of weary as he waited for Lionels last game.
"... to Lucas, the son I never knew, I hope that in my death you will receive what I could not give you in life," The lawyer read, then handed Lucas an envelope.
"It contains the deeds to various properties across Europe, a generous number of shares in LutherCorp and of course a handsome fortune," The older man stated, adjusting his glasses.
Lucas grinned appreciatively, "Thanks dad..." he murmured to himself, then turned to Lex before heading out the door, "I'll see you around. I trust the old man left you just a big of a prize, I won't be hanging around to find out what it is." he said, disappearing through the door.
"Actually this is a concealed matter, for Lex's ears only." The lawyer stated. The group let out the breath they had been holding and shuffled their way out the door, each much wealthier that when they'd come in.
"Lex..." the lawyer said with a frown. "Your father has left you, his first born, absolutely everything. Property, the majority of the shares of LuthorCorp and his assets in Asia."
With half a smile, Lex nodded and waited for the catch, recalling his last conversation with his father...
*Flashback*
"I really did want you to be as strong as I was before I died Lex... but you still have so much to learn..."
"I can lie and tell the truth while keeping the exact same facial expression, what else do I need to learn?"
"Desire, son. You have never desired anything in life that you weren't already addicted to. I see that now, and before you can touch any of my fortune, you will have to learn this lesson..."
*End Flashback*
"Lex? Are you listening to me?"
"Huh? Oh, yes, please continue," Lex stated, leaning forward in his chair and rubbing the back of his neck.
"...Alexander, your father left you everything, but there are terms that must be met before you receive this wealth."
Lex braced himself.
"You must find a non-family member to be your partner, someone you trust with your money..." the lawyer began.
-No problem... I happen to know the most honest down to earth farmboy to be partners with- Lex thought.
"You must then marry this person."
-Okay, scratch that idea-
"Then you two must live together, sharing all you have with each other for at least a year to prove that the relationship was genuine."
There was a pause and Lex didn't say anything so the lawyer continued.
"You must find this woman within the next week or all your assets will be forfeited and LuthorCorp will be broken off and sold piece by piece to whoever can afford it."
Lex swore, and got up from his seat. If LuthorCorp fell into someone else's hands, the fluctuation in the business world would cause LexCorp to fall too. Thousands of people would loose their jobs because of him.
"Lex? Do you understand these terms?" the lawyer asked, placing the documents in a neat pile on Lex's desk.
"I do, and I trust you will keep this confidential?" Lex asked. He knew there was no way get out of this contract, his father had made it air tight.
"It's between you, me, Lionel and the government," The man answered before heading out the door.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"Flower delivery for the Luthor's!" Chloe yelled, banging on the front door. She held the giant vase that held a few more surprises other than flowers.
A security guard let her in, "Let me take those."
"No, it's fine, I'll just go put them in Mr. Luthor's office..." Chloe said, but her path was blocked by the man.
The guard looked at her warily, "I don't think so, Mr Luthor isn't in the mood for visitors."
"Well, I need the man's signature for this delivery, so do you think you could get it for me?" Chloe pleaded with her eyes.
The security guard gave her a swift grin and took the clipboard from her. "I'll be right back."
Perfect. Once the coast was clear Chloe set the flowers on the floor and pulled out several cans from the heavy vase and shook them violently. She yanked off the pins that kept them closed and hurled them down different wings of the mansion. Billows of smoke erupted from the cans, clouding the entire are.
"FIRE!" she yelled, just before the alarms went off. She retrieved a gas mask from her white overalls and put it over her face.
Chloe smiled to herself, satisfied with the outcome. The staff members were running around like maniacs, trying to save their lives. She ducked as she saw Lex and his security guard head out of the building.
"Do you need to salvage any valuables?" the guard asked Lex.
"I've learned never to keep anything of great importance in there, and the documents can be replaced," Lex coughed as they made it outside.
"Do you see anyone who's missing?" Lex asked, his eyes scanning across his workers that were on his lawn, watching the smoke emanate through the mansion. Of all the crappy thing that could happen..
"Not that I can tell, what about your lawyer?" the guard asked.
"He left twenty minutes ago, beside nobody ever went to hell for leaving a lawyer in a burning building," Lex stated, "Anyone else?"
"I don't think so... wait! The florist!" The guard said anxiously.
"I have a florist?" Lex asked.
"No, she was here delivering flowers, I don't see her, she must still be inside," the man continued.
"Well was she a particularly evil florist that deserves to die," Lex asked bluntly.
"I. I don't know. She seemed nice enough-"
"Never mind... Look, you stay here, make sure the fire department gets here and see if anyone's injured." Lex said heading back into the building.
"Wait sir! I'll go in and get her," The guard said quickly.
"No, I will. I don't think I pay you enough to run into burning buildings for me," Lex said, disappearing into the smoking building.
He was risking his life to save a florist. He was officially insane. What were the chances of having two Luthor funerals in one weekend?
"Hey? Are you in here?" He asked, coughing and stumbling down the hallway, his eyes stinging because of the smoke.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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