Something Old, Something New

Chapter 9: The Execution

"Ah, Miss Finn; how wonderful to see you again," Lionel Luthor smiled broadly as he stood to shake her hand, urging her further into his office in the mansion.

Kate smiled back, shaking with a firm grip, as her father had taught her. Lionel indicated a seat in front of his desk, and she sat graciously.

"Thankyou for seeing me, Mr Luthor," she said in a professional manner. "I know how extremely valuable your time is."

He smiled and sat in his own chair, very much larger than Kate's.

"Scotch?" he offered.

"No, thankyou," she shook her head, laughing faintly. "I find it makes me sleepy, and I like to have my wits about me while I work."

He nodded slightly, pouring a glass for himself. "I was surprised to hear from you – our businesses don't seem to coincide."

"Actually, I'm not exactly looking to coincide. If you don't mind me getting straight to the point…" she raised her eyebrows in question and received an almost imperceptible nod in return, "…I'm here to purchase something from you."

"What are you in the market for?" he asked smoothly, sipping his scotch and leaning back in his chair.

Kate leaned forward, placing a well-manicured hand on his desk. "LexCorp."

"LexCorp?" he raised his eyebrows with interest.

"And all other projects formerly belonging to your son; yes."

Lionel laughed and Kate sat silently, allowing him time to form a reply.

"If I were to sell you these companies," Lionel said slowly, "What plans do you have for them?"

Kate smiled politely, showing a hint of malice. "I'm going to tear them into tiny pieces, and then sell those pieces off to the most despicable people I can find," she said simply.

Lionel looked slightly taken aback, but never looked out of control of the situation. "May I ask why?"

"Because your son recently broke my heart, and I want revenge."

She smiled her practised smile and continued in a strictly professional manner, "You see, Mr Luthor, I have been in love with your son for some time. After abandoning my fiancée at the alter and rekindling our childhood friendship, I confessed my feelings. Lex said that he felt the same, we slept together, and then he told me that he wasn't so sure anymore. I was dumped."

She sighed but kept her composure, "In short, I was hurt and now I want to hurt him back."

"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned…"

"Precisely," Kate kept her business face on and waited for him to speak.

"I'm a very rich man," Lionel said eventually, sipping his scotch in a self-assured manner. "I have no need for the money that LexCorp, the Talon coffee shop, or any of Lex's other projects bring in."

Kate smiled politely, knowing that this was never about the money, "I'm sure that's true, sir."

"Lex has been very difficult lately," Lionel murmured, turning the proposal over in his mind. "It might be beneficial for him to learn his place."

"He certainly is sure of himself," Kate said with a look of irritation.

"May we speak plainly?"

"Of course," Kate was slightly surprised, but worked hard not to show it.

"How much can you afford?" he asked directly.

Kate sighed, showing a little of the feminine vulnerability that she knew he was a sucker for. "As you know, Mr Luthor, we Finn's are far from billionaires…"

"I'm well aware of your financial position, Miss Finn; your mother and I are still on good terms."

"Speaking plainly?" Kate asked, receiving another of his slight nods. "My limit is fifty million dollars."

Lionel regarded her carefully, "That's no small amount of money for you, Miss Finn. Are you that desperate to own these companies?"

Kate looked deep into his eyes, "Have you ever had your heart broken, Mr Luthor?"

"It is a risk we all take," he skilfully avoided.

"I want to hurt him," she said firmly. "I want to take the things that matter to him, and I want to destroy them. Naturally I can see that there is money to be made by selling the pieces, but for the most part I just want him to feel some small reflection of the pain that he has forced upon me. At the moment that's worth a significant sum of money to me."

"I see…" Lionel struck his thinking pose; weighing up a mere fifty million dollars against Lex's humiliation and financial desperation. He was going to sell the companies in France anyway, why not sell them here instead? Granted, the money would be significantly less, but he could afford to splurge a little on Lex's downfall.

"Fifty million dollars?" he clarified.

Kate nodded, showing another flash of vulnerability. "It's the best I can offer."

"Dad, I wonder if we can…" Lex stopped short at the sight of Kate as he burst through the office doors.

"Lex," his father said coolly. "Haven't you learned to knock?"

Lex looked distinctly uncomfortable.

"You remember Miss Finn?" Lionel introduced unnecessarily.

"Of course he does," Kate said with sharp politeness. "How are you, Master Luthor?"

"What are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously.

"I'm having a meeting with your father," she said confidently. "A private meeting, if you don't mind…"

"Is it life or death, Lex?" Lionel said with a pained expression. "I was just about to close a deal with Miss Finn."

Kate looked at him with innocent surprise, and he smiled kindly in her direction, ignoring his son completely.

He stood to shake her hand, and she took it gratefully. "Miss Finn, consider this handshake a gentleman's agreement. I'll have my lawyers draw up the official papers as soon as possible."

"Wonderful," Kate smiled broadly, taking a business card from her purse and laying it carefully on his desk. "I'm looking forward to doing business with you."

"As am I," Lionel said professionally, picking up the card and placing it in his inner jacket pocket. "I'll call a maid to show you out."

"Thankyou sir, but I know the way."

Lionel nodded, gesturing to the door. "It was lovely meeting with you."

"Thankyou," Kate grinned triumphantly at Lex, who was standing stunned in the middle of the room.

Suspicious, he followed her into the hall, calling her name as he went. He caught her arm just outside the office door and spun her around sharply to face him.

"What was that all about?" he asked loudly.

Kate flashed another victorious smile, "I just bought you, Lex."

"What?"

"LexCorp, the Talon – everything that used to be yours is now mine." She wrenched her arm from his grip and called confidently as she walked away, "You should have known better than to mess with me, Lex – I learned all my business ethics from you."