Money and it wiles

Money didn't buy happiness... but it did buy power

When people tell you that money doesn't buy you everything you should tell them to go to hell.

Don't get me wrong, it didn't buy me happiness nor any progression in my career, but it bought me to a place I would never have gotten if it wasn't for money.

I'm sorry to admit, hope to never have to admit, that the world was unjust and unfair and it makes it that much funnier because it was my job to prove just that; the world wasn't a happy place to be.

None of them ever understood just why I agreed to it, the infamous deal, nor why I happily ignored their warnings then their snide remarks.

Lana believed I was always after the money.

Lois believed I was crazy after all.

Jimmy believed I just like the other girls.

Clark believed it was his fault and he had to fix it.

At first I had to admit the money repulsed me more then he ever did, then when he retracted the money from the deal I admitted the very thought of him repulsed me.

I screamed every thought that cruised through my mind; he wanted Clark's secrets.

Lana never knew them to ever offer them to him.

He wanted to hurt Clark; but believe it or not he did that enough with Lana.

Lana innocent thoughts of romance and the hope of changing him hurt Clark then my agreement to the deal ever could.

He wanted to legally kidnap me to test me; it caused too many problems when he took me against my will.

When I offered the idea that this was his idea of getting back at his father I nearly laughed in his face.

But the thing that undid me, that caused so much pain and heart ache to everyone around was the idea that none of them actually told me to stop for my sake and not theirs.

Lana told me that I was out of my league.

Lois told me that I would bring shame to the family.

Jimmy told me that I wasn't his type of woman.

Clark told me that I was being used to get his secrets.

I signed the papers the night they all told me I was making a mistake and they would never speak to me again.

The day the deal was sealed for good Clark attempted one last time to reach out to me. Despite the amount of security, the walls that put the miles between us and the only road into the fortress could not stop Clark when he had in his mind to be the hero.

He promised to help me from whatever new possession had over took me, he warned me that I was in over my head if this is how far I would go to finish what I started all those years ago and then he threatened not to be there when I understood I could never change a man like.

I should have shouted, I should have laughed, I should have cried and flung myself in to Clark's begging him to save me.

Instead I walked away and told him security wouldn't be so lacking next time.

I heard more in that silence then I ever did when people spoke to me.

My friends, my loved ones weren't there but those who gathered knew I was making my deal with the devil.

So what if I did take his money in the end… what if I did take the power that came with that name to get the jobs done quicker then if I was just plain old me from Smallville.

I would stare at him some nights and wonder if Clark was right, could I change him.

I just had to remember the new adventures and new stories I broke to remind my self that this wasn't about changing him, it was about using him just like he was using me to increase his own standing in the world.

Being the cold hearted bachelor would only get you so far in the business world.

Even Lionel Luthor had a family.

Money and it's wiles; I laugh knowing that everyone who ever knew me would think I had some how come under the control of him while those meeting me for the first time would think I had been lured to the money and the power; they still gave me the information I wanted though.

So if anyone tells you that money doesn't buy you everything send them to me.

I was once upon a time Chloe Sullivan; a small town reporter with no power behind her.

I won't be her when they meet me.

I'm Chloe Luthor now; a hard ass reporter who knows there's more to power then just innocent hope that you can change the world.

Money doesn't buy happiness; Clark will always try to prove that.

Money does buy power; Lex will never let me forget that.

Not when I've still got a deal to fulfil with him.

Sorry if this isn't any good... but this is my first Smallville fanfic and there for my first Chloe/Lex pairing. I'm also sorry if Chloe or anyone else seemed out of character but I really believe that after so many years of being treated the way she was she would finally get her own back.