INSURGENCE OF FEELINGS
Her face was turned towards the desk. Lex could see her eyes, and even though her gaze was fixed, he was certain that he was not seeing the small devices scattered on the table.
Chloe was pale, and her eyes were moist. The skin around her lips was tight. He did not know if she was going to cry or scream. Really, he did not know what to feel himself.
Lex said her name again.
Her gaze remained focused on a point past the cameras and audio pins lying mockingly on the hardwood.
He knew what she was thinking. All the times they were together here in his office, in his bedroom, the time in the kitchen when they thought they were alone, those long afternoons in his bathtub.
They were all caught on tape somewhere, pastime to someone who was vile enough to plant the bugs in his home. He had promised that she would always be safe in his house. She was attacked here twice, both times by invisible menaces, both times almost killed her.
She was sitting in one of the armchairs now. Nobody tried to suffocate her with a pillow. Nobody pushed her out of the window. But this time he knew the effect was worse than any physical blow.
Chloe was pale. She was not trembling. Her eyes were vacant. She did not seem to hear him.
Lex walked over and stopped in front of her. He said her name again. She did not look up. So instead he knelt in front of her and whispered her name.
It was the first time he saw her blink since she had stepped in. Her gaze remained fixed, but now he saw a subtle movement of her lashes.
Her name.
He knew who did this. Only one person had access to the house. Compounded with the evidence regarding the hundred fifty million dollar deal, Lex was certain about the culprit.
His blood was ice. It froze every time he thought of his father watching Chloe on screen, her white skin bared to his eyes, because until now he did not believe that his father was completely blind. He had moments with Chloe in every room of this house that they thought were only theirs. They were precious because they were alone. He was lax to have allowed Lionel to touch Chloe like this.
She knew the implications of those devices. He knew she knew. He helped her to the bathroom when she threw up after seeing them.
Now she was trembling. Inside he trembled too. He had whispered so many things to her. He had believed they were for her ears only. Chloe had told him she loved him so many times. She had given him all the reasons why. She had listed everything there was about him to love.
His father heard all that.
He had put her in danger by every touch and every kiss.
Lex took a deep breath and looked up at her. He picked up her cold hand and kissed her knuckles. He was confident that she knew he was apologizing.
He pushed himself closer to her. He touched her cheek and she flinched.
He swallowed deeply. "I'm sorry." Lex leaned close to kiss her cheek.
Chloe rested her hands on his chest and firmly pushed him away. She spoke her first words since she arrived. "I can't," she whispered. "I'm disgusted. I feel disgusting."
"You're not," he answered, his voice held a hard edge.
"I don't think I'll ever see this place the same way, Lex."
"We'll wash it off. I'll make sure the place is clean."
Chloe stood up, her movements stiff. "Do that. I have to go. I'm going home to take a bath. I'm filthy," she told him, discounting the fact that her hair was still wet from her shower before she came there.
"You have clothes here. You can-" he begun, before he caught himself.
Chloe's steps towards the door were hurried.
"I'll take you home." He saw her shake her head and move faster towards the exit. When it was apparent that she did not welcome his offer, Lex followed her out the door and watched her head down the corridor. "I'm sorry," he repeated.
Chloe vanished down the hall.
Her face was turned towards the desk. Lex could see her eyes, and even though her gaze was fixed, he was certain that he was not seeing the small devices scattered on the table.
Chloe was pale, and her eyes were moist. The skin around her lips was tight. He did not know if she was going to cry or scream. Really, he did not know what to feel himself.
Lex said her name again.
Her gaze remained focused on a point past the cameras and audio pins lying mockingly on the hardwood.
He knew what she was thinking. All the times they were together here in his office, in his bedroom, the time in the kitchen when they thought they were alone, those long afternoons in his bathtub.
They were all caught on tape somewhere, pastime to someone who was vile enough to plant the bugs in his home. He had promised that she would always be safe in his house. She was attacked here twice, both times by invisible menaces, both times almost killed her.
She was sitting in one of the armchairs now. Nobody tried to suffocate her with a pillow. Nobody pushed her out of the window. But this time he knew the effect was worse than any physical blow.
Chloe was pale. She was not trembling. Her eyes were vacant. She did not seem to hear him.
Lex walked over and stopped in front of her. He said her name again. She did not look up. So instead he knelt in front of her and whispered her name.
It was the first time he saw her blink since she had stepped in. Her gaze remained fixed, but now he saw a subtle movement of her lashes.
Her name.
He knew who did this. Only one person had access to the house. Compounded with the evidence regarding the hundred fifty million dollar deal, Lex was certain about the culprit.
His blood was ice. It froze every time he thought of his father watching Chloe on screen, her white skin bared to his eyes, because until now he did not believe that his father was completely blind. He had moments with Chloe in every room of this house that they thought were only theirs. They were precious because they were alone. He was lax to have allowed Lionel to touch Chloe like this.
She knew the implications of those devices. He knew she knew. He helped her to the bathroom when she threw up after seeing them.
Now she was trembling. Inside he trembled too. He had whispered so many things to her. He had believed they were for her ears only. Chloe had told him she loved him so many times. She had given him all the reasons why. She had listed everything there was about him to love.
His father heard all that.
He had put her in danger by every touch and every kiss.
Lex took a deep breath and looked up at her. He picked up her cold hand and kissed her knuckles. He was confident that she knew he was apologizing.
He pushed himself closer to her. He touched her cheek and she flinched.
He swallowed deeply. "I'm sorry." Lex leaned close to kiss her cheek.
Chloe rested her hands on his chest and firmly pushed him away. She spoke her first words since she arrived. "I can't," she whispered. "I'm disgusted. I feel disgusting."
"You're not," he answered, his voice held a hard edge.
"I don't think I'll ever see this place the same way, Lex."
"We'll wash it off. I'll make sure the place is clean."
Chloe stood up, her movements stiff. "Do that. I have to go. I'm going home to take a bath. I'm filthy," she told him, discounting the fact that her hair was still wet from her shower before she came there.
"You have clothes here. You can-" he begun, before he caught himself.
Chloe's steps towards the door were hurried.
"I'll take you home." He saw her shake her head and move faster towards the exit. When it was apparent that she did not welcome his offer, Lex followed her out the door and watched her head down the corridor. "I'm sorry," he repeated.
Chloe vanished down the hall.