"Lex, I loved you but the payoff far greater. Look your dad said if I leave you I'd be able to get all my affairs in order. I couldn't pass that up."

"So what Helen? This marriage was a sham from the beginning?"

"No Lex, it wasn't like that. I mean we did have fun right"

"Fun? If I wanted fun, I would have picked up a random chick from a bar and taken her home. You are not getting one cent that my father said he'll pay you and if I ever see you in Smallville or Metropolis ever again, you're done."

A few minutes later

"So I heard you had a visitor Lex. And that you said she wouldn't get a cent that I offered to pay her."

"So you're not denying it dad? You actually told her that if she left me you would handle all her affairs."

"My exact words."

Lex walked up to his father and looked him in the eyes "Thank you."

"This is the first time I've gotten a thank you from you Lex. It's strange but I want to know why."

"You told Helen that if she leaves me you would help her out financially because it's all about money right? I am one of the richest men in the world and yet she thought she had to take an either or approach - me or the money when she could have just had both."

"Are you saying you would have taken her back if she had asked you first."

"Taken her back? No, that's done. But maybe if she had been honest in the first place, who knows."

Lex took a sip of his drink as the event that happened earlier in the day was still fresh in his mind. He needed a distraction. He was at a nightclub called the Ace of Clubs where the rich and famous danced the night away. You had to have connections if you were there.

Then a figure caught his eye. A young woman, who looked like she was in her late 20s, with straight blonde hair and piercing green eyes entered the room. That was the first thing he noticed - her eyes and the cherry pink of her lips. Then the way the purple halter dress skimmed against her upper body part and flared out at her hips. He liked the look - it was different from all the... Helen called them bodycon dresses - that graced the club this night.

She adjusted her light purple shawl over her shoulders and pushed her hair behind her left ear, revealing more of her silver earrings - they looked like tear drops to Lex.

A young man comes up to her. He looks younger than her and like he didn't even cross 25. He is tall, with light brown hair and sharply dressed. They talk, she smiles with her mouth closed at him and he leads her to his seat.

Then someone begins to speak over a microphone.

"Good evening ladies and gentlemen." a young woman said as she stepped in front of the bar. "My name is Lillian Fraser and I would like to welcome you all to the Ace of Clubs seventh annual charity event."

The audience clapped and cheered appreciatively.

"Thank you." Lillian replied with a close mouth smile. "Thank you all so very much."

What a performer. Lex thought. He knew the various ways people smiled - whether it was to convey shyness, hide a secret, show love, deceive others. Hers was the smile of - charm them, wow them, know your worth but be disarming enough to take their wallets.

"And now," she continued. "I would like to introduce you to the man of the hour, Mr. Michael Spencer, owner of the five-star chain of restaurants Lila Gracie."

Lila Gracie. Lex thought. Lila Gracie Spencer I heard that name before. My father spoke of her when he was younger.

Lex looked at the young man next to the woman with the purple dress that he had noticed when she first walked in. He definitely saw the resemblance.

A few minutes later...

Lex clapped as the others at the club applauded the young man. He was impressed, the guy knew his stuff. Lex got up and went over to talk to him.

"Great speech Mr. Spencer," Lex said as he outstretched his hand. "I'm Lex.."

"Lex Luthor," Michael smiled and shook his hand. "Thank you for attending this event."

Attending? Lex thought. It was dumb luck that I showed up here. The guest list didn't even have my name but the bouncers know me so they thought there was a mix up and let me in.

Lex also realized he wouldn't be attending the event but hosting it.

The young woman arrives at his side.

"That was a great speech Michael," she said. "See and you weren't nervous at all."

"Heh." Michael smiled sheepishly. "I hoped I didn't trip over any words."

"You did fine," she stated firmly. "Tell him he did fine."

"That speech could wowed a crowd of angry head hunters." Lex said.

"See." the woman nudged his shoulder a little.

"Mr. Luthor, I'd like to introduce you to my friend Chloe Sullivan" Michael said. "She went to high school with my cousin Julie and her other friend Kristen."

Lillian Fraser walked over to them. "Hi everyone, sorry to interrupt." she said. "But Michael, the vice president of the Ace of Clubs charity event would like to speak to you. You really had him impressed."

"Well I guess I better go meet him." Michael said. "Sorry to leave you guys. Chloe I'll see you a little later. I don't want your dad to think I've been a bad date."

"You go on," Chloe said. "I'll stay here and have Mr. Luthor here entertain me."

After Michael left, Chloe said. "Do you dance Mr. Luthor?"

"Yes, I do." Lex said. "Would you like to?"

Just at that moment a slow song stared playing. Lex didn't know the name but it had a nice feel to it.

They walked on to the dance floor and Lex took her in his arms. She was graceful and flowed easily with the music.

They talked while they danced.

"You look like you have your mind elsewhere." Chloe said. "Rough day?"

"Yeah, you can say that." Lex said.

"Want to talk about it?" Chloe asked. "Or better yet, I won't pry. My father always said I have a very inquisitive mind. I'm always trying to figure stuff out."

"What do you do Ms Sullivan?"

"I work as a forensic scientist for Niehaus Industries." Chloe replied "We deal with criminal activity of a weird and unexplained nature. Much like the stuff that's been happening in Smallville and Metropolis."

"You should have been a reporter then." Lex said. He dipped her and brought her back up.

"Thought about it but the high school I went to wasn't interested in having its own newspaper." Chloe mused. "Would have been nice for extra-curricular activities. The principal said that news spread gossip. Heard he doesn't like reporters after his divorced his fifth wife."

"Chloe you'd be a shark." Lex said. He wondered if he would offer her a job at the Daily Planet, a newspaper business he was taking over. But it would be hard getting her away from Niehaus.

They finished dancing and were walking towards a table when Michael came up to them with a young woman holding his hand. She looked Puerto Rican to Lex but he didn't want to make any assumptions. She could have been the same height as Chloe but Lex couldn't judge from the heels. Chloe looked taller with hers. She had thick long black hair and had what Lex considered 'a nice to look at face.' She was pretty. Unlike Chloe, she had a shyness about her and Lex noticed that Michael couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Hey, guess who decided to stop by." Michael said.

"Gabi!" Chloe exclaimed and hugged the girl. "What are you doing here?"

"Oh I didn't need to work the night shift so I decided to surprise Michael here." Gabi replied. "Oh Michael, I did try to call you though but I wasn't getting any reception."

"That's okay Gabs" Michael said "Oh by the way, let me introduce you to Mr. Alexander Luthor…"

"Owner of LuthorCorp." Gabi said as she shook his hand. "My cousin Cisco works there in your H R department."

"Ahh I see," Lex said. He noticed that despite her shyness, she had a soft but firm grip but showed a level of confidence that Lex admired. He knew her type – possibly shy and unassuming as a young girl but was able to mature and hold her own. "So, are you and Michael friends?"

"Yes, Michael is my boyfriend." Gabi said and smiled.

"Three years? Has it been three years?" Michael wondered.

"Never misses an anniversary." Gabi looked at him. To Lex she looked like a woman in love.

"You know, you two should spend the rest of the night together." Chloe suggested.

"Are you sure?" Michael said.

"Chloe, it's okay you know." Gabi replied. "I know my being here is a surprise. I'm lucky my boss let me out early."

"Nope, it's fine." Chloe said. "Mr. Luthor here will be my date."

"Sounds good to me," Lex said "When Chloe here is ready to leave I'll see that she gets home safely."

"You read my mind." Michael said. "Thank you so much." He then gave Chloe a quick cheek kiss.

"You two have fun now," Chloe said as Michael and Gabi walked away.

Chloe and Lex went to sit at an empty table. She adjusted her shawl and placed her silver clutch on the table.

"They seem like a nice couple," Lex said as he watched Michael and Gabi talk and laugh at each other.

"They are," Chloe said. "I knew Michael since he was a baby actually. And before you say anything, if you weren't here, Michael would have made sure his time between me and Gabi were spent equally."

"I wasn't going to say anything," Lex said. "But he handled himself quite well."

The night passed by quickly as Lex and Chloe conversed about their lives. Chloe and Lex had similarities – their mothers were no longer in their lives and their dads raised them as single parents. Neither Lionel Luthor nor Gabe Sullivan ever remarried. Lex said Lionel called Lillian his 'one and only' though he noticed Lionel had a certain liking for one named Martha Kent.

"She's my best friend's mother actually," Lex said. "Clark Kent. He's 27 now."

"Okay my age." Chloe said. "What's this Clark like?"

"Very hard working, nice, friendly." Lex said. "The kind of person who never helps you just to get something in return. I learnt that after I offered him one of my cars as a gift."

"Really, so he didn't take it?" Chloe asked.

"Actually he wanted to." Lex said. "Clark is a very practical guy. He had just gotten his driver's license in high school and even offered to pay me back. His father on the other hand didn't like Clark or his family to be in my debt."

"Sounds like a strict guy."

"Johnathan is a good man." Lex replied. "His parenting style is different from my father's but Clark is very lucky to have him."

"You and your father aren't close." Chloe looked at him sadly.

"Not like my mother and I were," Lex sighed. "But recently I have grown to understand him."

Chloe looked at her watch. Lex saw her and looked at his. "It's late" he said. "Do you need to get to work tomorrow? I can drive you home if you want."

"I'm actually off tomorrow but I'm usually in bed at this time," Chloe stated as she got up.

Lex got up as well and they went over to Michael and Gabi and said their goodbyes.

A few minutes later

Lex drove Chloe home and they had were nearing the traffic light.

"Do I turn or go straight?" Lex asked.

"Go straight ahead," Chloe replied. "After the next traffic light, you make a left."

The light was red so Lex stopped the car. No other car was in sight and it was easy to just drive through. But Lex knew stupidity was not a characteristic he wanted to add to his personality.

The light turned green and Lex eased his way across. They drove for a while until the next traffic light came into view. Chloe saw something nearing towards them. It was human and moving at in human speeds.

"Lex! Look out!" Chloe screamed as the figure rushed towards him and smashed the car at the front. Lex lost control and they spun and hit a tree.

Lex was the first to regain consciousness. He turned towards Chloe who was rubbing he shoulder as her seatbelt prevented her from hitting her head against the dash.

"Chloe? Are you okay." Lex asked

"I'm fine Lex," Chloe asked. "What was.."

But before she could continue, someone ripped Lex's door off and ripped his seatbelt off. He pulled Lex off his seat. Chloe tried to get her seatbelt off but couldn't. She saw them arguing and then the guy pushed Lex with a force and he fell . He then sped off like lightning.

Chloe finally got her seat belt off and got out of the car. She ran towards Lex who was getting up.

"Lex! Are you okay?" Chloe asked as she helped him stand. "Who was that? What was that?"

"That was Clark Kent." Lex said.

"Clark? Your best friend Clark?" Chloe was confused. "Mr Nicest-Guy-Around Clark?"

Lex reached into his pocket for his phone. He dialled a number.

Two rings.

"Hello?" a groggy voice came over on the other side.

"Hello. Clark, it's Lex, are you home?" Lex asked.

"Yeah. Lex, it's 3 in the morning." Clark said. "Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine Clark." Lex said. "Sorry to have bothered you."

"Okay," Clark replied.

Lex hung up.

"That was Clark." Chloe said. "But he couldn't have been here and home asleep. And what that guy did was totally inhuman. No one normal could do that."

"Clark is as normal as they come." Lex replied. "And that was not Clark. I know it's hard to believe but once this girl shapeshifted and took my likeness to rob a bank as well as a good friend of mine, Lana Lang. She was obsessed with Lana's beauty, her popularity and the life that she had."

"So she's back?"

"No she couldn't be," Lex said. "She was put into an asylum but a year ago she committed suicide but hanging herself with a bedsheet."

"So if that wasn't her, then who was it?" Chloe asked.

"I have no idea." Lex said.

"You know something," Chloe said as an idea came to her. "I can help you figure that out. We just need some DNA evidence and I bet we can get some from the door that guy or even girl who attacked us. I can go to the lab tomorrow and get you some answers in a few hours."

"Wouldn't your boss mind?" Lex asked.

"Oh, Megan wouldn't" Chloe said. "She'd been just as interested in finding out who this person with supernatural abilities is."

Lex hoped so. He wanted to know who this person was. His mind flashed back to what the Fake!Clark told him.

"So what did that guy tell you?" Chloe asked. "You two were arguing about something"

"It's nothing important." Lex said. But it was.

Stay away from her Lex. Stay away from Lana Lang.

But you two broke up six months ago Clark! And Lana and I have nothing going on.

Yeah, well we'll see about that. Then he pushed him.

Lex knew Clark wasn't one to go off into a jealous rage and he was about to find out what was going on. Luckily he had Chloe Sullivan to help him.