Chapter 2 ~ Runaway Plane

As the taxi pulled out onto the street, Chloe let out a long shaky breath and tried to steady herself. The driver, an elderly man with gray hair tucked under an old baseball cap looked at her in the review mirror, with concern edged on his features.

"Where to ma'am?"

"The airport, please." Her voice trembled slightly, and her hands were still shaking. It had taken every last bit of willpower to go through with her decision. Now she felt numb and tired and wanted nothing more than to curl up in a dark corner and die.

"Yes ma'am. Uhm, I'm not sure if I should, but may I ask…"

"You may not," she spat, but regretted it the next moment. She tried to make amends. "Listen, I'm sorry, but it's been a hard day already and I'd rather be left alone now, o.k.?"

The driver simply gave her an understanding nod and a sympathetic smile for an answer.

Leaning back in her seat, Chloe closed her eyes and tried to push away the thoughts and emotions eating at her. She hadn't made the decision to leave Lex on a whim. She had watched for a long time, how he had changed, and she had tried so hard to stop it, to get him back, to regain the man she had fallen in love with so many years ago.

With every year that passed, however, he had become more distant, colder. Bit by bit he had turned into a carbon copy of his father. Lionel's early death had done nothing to prevent this. In her mind it had rather made things worse. With all the pressure Lex had had to face there had been no way to change things, let alone improve them. Lex had to succumb to the same semi legal to illegal measures his father had employed to keep things afloat and to keep the hell hounds that were after his father's empire at bay.

No matter how much Chloe had hated the magnificent bastard that had been Lionel Luthor, she had found herself wishing from time to time, that he hadn't died so early, to leave his son alone with all the mess that no one would have been able to take on using honorable means. But Lex's stubbornness had kept him going and Chloe was sure he didn't even realized where it had taken him. Oh, she had tried to tell him, to show him what it did to him, to them. And more than one time at that, but he wouldn't listen. She still remembered the last argument that had sealed her decision to leave.

/ / / / / /

"Alexander, please, listen to me! Can't you see what's happening to you? Why do you do this? What are you trying to prove? You ruin the lives of thousands of people and all for the sake of ...of what exactly? I don't understand you anymore. What has happened to the man who tried to be better than his father? Cause you're not better, in fact you are exactly like him!"

Standing in front of his desk looking down on her husband behind it, Chloe gestured with both hands to emphasize her words. In the end she ran a hand through her hair closing her eyes to will away the stinging tears of frustration.

Lex sat behind his desk, his hands folded in his lap and looked placidly up at his wife. His eyes were devoid of any emotion.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I do what I have to do ensure the success of my corporation. And if that means I have to sacrifice one or two plants in less productive areas then I will do exactly that. LexCorp is not the only company providing jobs in the field of steel workmanship, is it? So those who are laid off can get a new job in another factory or try to be transferred to another plant before theirs is closed, I'm sure that can save one or two hundred of them."

"As opposed to the three to four thousand who still lose their jobs and stand to loose their whole livelihood, just because the production numbers weren't sufficient for your highness!" Chloe yelled, losing her temper. She hated it when he was like this; an insensitive, heartless businessman right to the bone.

'Now sweetheart, you know that that is not true." Lex's voice was dripping with feigned indignation.

"Don't you dare sweetheart me you condescending, self-righteous bastard!" she spat in his face making him to flinch slightly. For just the fraction of a second she could see shock, hurt and anger flitting across his features, before the calm nonchalant mask was back in place.

"I think this discussion is over. I have a meeting in a half hour and I'm sure you have some business that you want to take care of as well. So if you don't mind..." He left the rest of his sentence unspoken, but motioned silently for the office door with his hand.

Chloe turned on her heel without another word and walked out of the office, slamming the door loudly behind her.

/ / / / / /

That had been the last time they had 'spoken' to each other, before this morning when she had told him that she was leaving. While she had relived that horrible day in her mind, time had moved on, and the taxi was now pulling into the parking lot in front of Metropolis Airport.

Chloe paid the driver including a generous tip and gave him a tired smile before she got out of the cab and headed for the large glass sliding doors that led to the departure hall.