Chapter Five
On Chloe's birthday she woke up alone, all of their clothes had been packed, and so suitcases filled the room. She wondered where Lex had gone without her, since he usually only left her alone when he had a meeting to go to. The makeup that Marcus had put on her had tricked Lionel into thinking that Lex had treated Chloe the way he had raised him to. Chloe had also behaved herself and hadn't gotten into anymore trouble; Lionel had patted Lex on the back for Chloe's new found behavior. She basically ignored everyone, and only did as she was told outside of their bedroom.
The night before Lex and Chloe had walked the grounds, and had talked about what the law building was going to be like. He said that the mansion they were in now was a lot more lenient on things that happened than the law building. Chloe was afraid of going to her new home, knowing that the treatment of the servants, and of the other women at the mansion was already horrible here, she couldn't imagine the way the men at the law building would treat women. She decided that she was just going to make the best of it and try and obey everything that was said to her.
So Chloe got out of the bed and grabbed a dress for the day, then she went into the bathroom and took a shower. By the time she finished Lex was back in the room. "Where did you go?" Chloe asked him as soon as she saw him staring at the mirror at himself.
"I had to get your travel pass." Lex raised his hand and Chloe saw the tiny cards that Lex held in his hands.
"Travel pass?" She walked over to him and examined the pass that he gave to her.
Lex shook his head. "You need one to travel to the law building, security is tight there."
Chloe looked at the travel pass that had her name written in small letters while Lex's name was written in huge letters before her name. "It looks more like this pass is for you then for me."
"I know but I'm sure that it can't surprise you that much." He looked at her closely and then he looked at all the luggage that was in the room. "We will eat on the train; it's only about a thirty minute ride to the law building from here."
"And then do we ever come back here?" Chloe looked around the room; it already held so many memories.
Lex looked at her closely. "This is the Luthor mansion, the law building was just recently built for us to live in it, and so we use this place for vacations, and for weddings."
"Who else lives in the law building Lex?" She could tell he didn't like talking about the building much.
Lex sighed and took her hand. "All of my father's officials and their wives. They are horrible men, Chloe. They treat their wives as though they are animals, and they treat their daughters with the same disrespect. I need you to hold in your anger, when you see them punished. I know it's hard but you have to keep calm there, because there will be more men than just my father demanding proof that I have hurt you. They like to see the punishments men do to their wives, its sick." He looked into Chloe's eyes hoping that she could see why she needed to behave.
"I wish we could just stay here Lex." She pressed her head into his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.
"I know its awful birthday present for you." He paused and then he realized that he hadn't told her happy birthday yet. "By the way happy birthday, I have a present waiting for you in our new bedroom." He touched her hair gently and then he stepped back from her.
"You didn't have to get me anything." Chloe looked up at him wishing he would hold her longer.
"Of course I did Chloe, although I did have to sneak it in and say it was for me. Now I'm going to go get someone to help you with these bags." He left the room and came back a minute later with a young girl.
Chloe grabbed some suitcases and the girl followed suit, Lex led them down to where the suitcases would be loaded on the train that ran beside the mansion. Chloe and the girl made at least five trips to the room before all of the suitcases were gone from the room. On the last trip Chloe stood next to Lex while a girl on the train loaded their suitcases into the holding area. "Come Chloe." Lex told her as he walked toward the part of the train where they would board.
Lionel stood with his hand on Victoria's back; this was the first time that Chloe had ever seen Lionel place an affectionate hand on his wife. "I'm sure your daughter misses you." He was telling her while she looked down at the ground.
Lex stood next to his father and looked at the train with displeasure. "What's taking them so long? We are five minutes behind."
"I know son don't worry we will be leaving soon." Lionel's eyes glanced at Lex and then to Chloe who was staring at them both. Chloe immediately put her head down knowing that Lionel didn't like for women to stare at men. "You haven't had any trouble with her have you Lex?"
"Oh no she has been quite obedient father. I think she learned her lesson."
"They always slip up Lex, always be on guard."
It was then that a girl finally opened the door to the train to let them on. A man stood next to her with a scanner. "I need your passes please." The man told them as they walked on the train. Lex gave him his and Chloe's passes, and Chloe watched as the man scanned them both to make sure they were authentic. Then Lionel gave the man his and Victoria's passes, and they were led by the girl to a small table. Chloe could tell that the girl had been hit multiple times from the bruises on her face, and the red marks on her cheeks. Chloe waited for Lex to sit near the window, and for him to tell her to sit before she took her place beside him. Her eyes went down to her hands, and she secretly couldn't wait until Lex and she arrived to their new bedroom so that she wouldn't have to do this.
Once they were all settled the train started to move. A different girl then came out with breakfast. She had pretty curly red hair and bright blue eyes. Lex shifted in his seat when he saw the girl, and Chloe could sense that he knew her. Victoria also seemed to know her because she lifted her head some, but she immediately put it back down when Lionel tapped her shoulder. "Molly." Lionel said to the girl with a smile.
The girl curtsied to him. "Mr. Luthor."
"I'm glad that I requested you to serve us, you have done a fine job."
"Thank you." She said and then she looked at him to be dismissed.
Lionel however didn't say anything more to the girl and he let her stand there looking at him while he ate. He ate all of his breakfast leaving nothing for Victoria; Chloe knew that this was a sign that Victoria was being punished. Lex however had only eaten half of his plate and then gave the rest to Chloe. She ate quickly knowing that the girl was probably tired of watching them eat. Once Chloe was done the girl looked at Lionel with anticipation. "Clean it up, and then come back." Lionel ordered her. Chloe had never heard anyone ask for someone to come back after they took their dishes. But once Molly had taken the dishes away she quickly returned. "Your mother hasn't been following orders lately Molly. You do understand what that means?" Lionel looked at the girl accusingly.
Victoria put her head down lower, and Chloe knew that the little girl was going to receive some type of punishment. After all Lex had told Chloe that Lionel had taken Victoria's daughter as his own, and therefore he could do whatever he wanted to her. "Yes sir."
"Your punishment for your mother's misbehavior will be given to you when we get to our home, so I wish for you to follow us to our quarters when we arrive. You may go now." The girl nodded her head and then left. Chloe could tell that she was shaking, and Chloe felt awful for her. Victoria was also shaking badly, and Chloe felt guilt rise up in her stomach she wished that she hadn't helped Victoria that day maybe then her daughter wouldn't have been punished. "Now Lex you know we are going to be very busy the next few days, what are you going to do with your wife?"
"My office is a terrible disaster I'm sure it will take at least two days for her to clean it up. You did say that I could have today off though father and I have guessed that our main meetings will only take the other two days."
"Yes of course, after all I'm the one who is going to be far busier than you are. That's why I have decided to put you in charge of Molly after you no longer have to be a part of business. Victoria here will be in the meetings with me serving the rest of the men."
"You said that you were the only one to punish Molly dad." Lex looked at him curiously.
Lionel glanced back at Lex. "I simply asked you to take charge of her, I will punish her when necessary son."
Lex shook his head at his father, and to Chloe he seemed a bit relieved that he wouldn't have to punish Molly himself. It was then that the train stopped and Lex told Chloe to get up and get their luggage. Chloe immediately got up and went back to the compartment where their luggage was. The girl who had helped Chloe take it from the room was next to her again helping her bring it up to their new room. Lex had gone into the building along with his father; Molly was at Lionel's heels. They seemed to stop to talk to a man who carried a cane and who looked as though he could be about eighty at the door. Chloe walked behind them holding suitcases and waiting to pass.
"So this is your new wife? So sorry I couldn't attend your wedding my dear boy but duty calls." The man was looking at Chloe hungrily and Chloe could tell that this was one of Lionel's officials.
"It's quite alright Sam." Lex told him as he looked at Chloe as well. "Well get a move on." He shouted at her, and then Chloe took off away from them where another girl was gesturing for her to follow.
"Trained her well already I see." Sam said with a laugh and then he patted Lex on the back.
Chloe didn't hear any more of their conversation instead she followed the young girl up to her new room. The doors looked the same as the ones in the mansion and when the doors were opened Chloe was surprised to find that the room looked exactly like the one at the mansion as well. She wondered if all the bedrooms were decorated the same way. Chloe then put the suitcases down and went back to get more. The girl who was her helper followed behind her. When the two of them finally had all of their luggage put up in the room Chloe found Lex and stood next to him. They were still talking to Sam. "So when we will be expecting a new Luthor?" Sam was asking Lex.
"Soon I hope." Lex told Sam with a smile.
"You better get on it soon my boy you never know what will happen tomorrow. Now I think I have kept you all here long enough. Get settled in and Lionel we will be expecting you soon, there was a riot again in the town next to us. We have to find a way to get the women there to settle down."
"Oh I'm sure we will think of something." Lionel told him with a smirk and then he looked down at Molly. He grabbed her arm, and then he looked at Victoria. "We might as well get this done so I can go enjoy my meeting. Come Victoria, maybe watching your daughter in pain will make you behave for once. Have a nice day off Lex." Lionel called to his son as they walked away to a different part of the law building.
Lex glanced at Chloe knowing what was on her mind. "Come outside." He told her. Chloe walked out the doors with him, finally seeing the law building for herself. She had been too busy carrying in suitcases to pay attention to what the building looked like. It looked a lot like their mansion except that the flag of the law was flying on each of the towers that surrounded the building. "Guards are positioned up there." Lex pointed up to the towers. "They are told to kill whatever runs in or out of the gate surrounding the building, so don't go poking around those areas by yourself."
Chloe looked at Lex wanting to ask him a question but instead she kept it to herself knowing full well that there were sure to be cameras out here. She couldn't help but wonder why he wanted to come out here, when they could talk freely in their own room. It wasn't until she heard the screams coming from inside that she realized why Lex had wanted to come outside. She was sure the screams would have been a lot worse inside the building then where they were standing now. Lex walked farther away from the entrance and Chloe followed him, the screams fading the farther they walked. A man who was wearing a red and gold suit came over to Lex. "Lex it's nice to see you back." He said patting Lex's shoulder.
"It's good to see you as well Marvin. This is Chloe." Lex put his hand on Chloe's shoulder.
Marvin smiled at her. "It's nice to meet you."
"I wouldn't be saying that around here Marvin you know how it displeases the officials to hear their sons treat women with such respect." Lex spoke in an authoritative voice.
"Oh right." Marvin mumbled looking down at the ground kicking the dirt underneath his feet. "Did you have to leave the building as well?" He whispered to Lex.
Lex nodded his head slowly. "It appears that my father's wife didn't behave on our trip."
"The arrangements are coming along though aren't they Lex?" His eyes looked at Lex with hope.
"Oh yes but I'm afraid it will be a while before I will take any chance in placing them in motion. I have more to lose now." Lex glanced over at Chloe, and Marvin nodded at him.
"You know I'm always of service, just tell me when you need me." He smiled and then walked off.
Lex placed his arm around Chloe and they kept walking around the grounds, the guards in the tower waved to Lex as they passed. Lex waved to them in return, and then once they were at the back door of the law building Lex pressed his ear to the door. He then pushed it open and led Chloe through. The screams were no longer filling the room, and Chloe was glad that Lex had brought them outside so that they wouldn't have to hear Molly. She couldn't help but wonder what Lionel had done to the poor girl though. "Come let's go to our room." He walked before her up the stairs and to their new bedroom. Lex opened the door and walked in, and then Chloe shut the door behind them.
Lex had fallen on the bed and had buried his head into a pillow. Chloe walked over to the bed and kicked off her black dress shoes. Then she climbed up on the bed and moved next to him. She ran her hand down his back. "What were you talking about to Marvin?"
Lex turned towards her. "I'm planning a revolt to overthrow my father."
Chloe looked at him with surprise. "You can do that?"
Lex then sat up and leaned his back against the head board of their bed. "Yes if I have enough support. It's still rocky though. I'm sure that I can't do it successfully for a while. But if I can stop the screams that echo through this place on a daily basis then I have done something right." He reached up and touched Chloe's face. "I just have to make sure that they don't try to hurt you now."
Chloe looked at Lex, she felt proud that she was his wife. And even though they had only been married a few days she felt as though she had known him a lot longer. "You are a good man."
"I'd be a better man if I hadn't been born into this." Lex closed his eyes; he wished every day that he hadn't been born a Luthor.
Chloe placed her face close to his and touched his cheek. "Just think if you weren't born into this you might not be planning a way to change the law." Chloe had heard Lex talk of what he would do if he was in his father's position and she couldn't wait for Lionel to die so that Lex could be in charge.
"He's still my father Chloe. I may hate him with every fiber of my being, but I can't kill him. That's the flaw in this whole thing, it be easy to have someone kill him, have it look like an accident, but I can't do it." Lex shook his head and then he turned to look at Chloe. "I see the horrible things he does to Victoria and Molly, and yet I can't have him killed. What a sorry excuse for a man I am."
Chloe took his face in her hands. "You are not a sorry excuse for a man Lex. You are one of the few men who actually realize that the law is screwed up, and that is amazing since you have been born into the law. If he was my father I don't think I would be able to kill him either. It doesn't make you less of a man for not being able to have him killed Lex, it makes you human, more human than your father or the other people who live here ever will be."
"You really think that?" Her touch made him feel warm.
"Of course I do." She lowered her head and rubbed his nose with hers. She then let her head rest against him. "Can I ask you for something?"
"Anything it is your birthday after all." Lex had his eyes closed he wanted to fight back the urge he had to hold her in his arms and never let her go.
Chloe raised her eyes to meet his. "Will you kiss me? And I mean really kiss me, not like the kisses you have had to pretend to have in front of your father or at our wedding."
"Chloe." He said looking at her.
"You said I could have anything." Chloe pointed out to him looking at him hopefully.
Lex sighed as he sat up some. "Just one." He told her, he hadn't wanted her to feel that just because they were married she had to perform wifely duties. Lex placed his hands on her face and leaned over to her, and he pressed a soft kiss against her lips.
Chloe wrapped her hands behind his head, and deepened the kiss. If he was only going to let her have one she wanted it to be unforgettable, and last as long as they could both hold their breaths. When she finally decided that she had to breathe she pulled her hands away from him and then her lips. She stared at him panting some, and wanting to kiss him again. "Lex." She finally managed to get out.
"Chloe." Lex said back and then he got off the bed.
"Where are you going?" She looked at him sadly, hoping that he would want to kiss her again.
Lex looked at her, she was on her knees and her eyes were gleaming at him. He wanted to forget that the kiss had ever taken place, but he knew that he would never be able to. "I'm getting your present."
"Can't I just have the thing I asked for happen again instead of a gift?" She looked at him her body telling her that it needed to feel the heat that rose up to her chest again.
"I told you that you could have one, and that's what I gave you." Lex opened the drawer of his dresser, and then pulled out a present that was wrapped in blue paper. He brought it over to her, and placed it in her hand.
Chloe unwrapped the present, seeing a book resting in her hands. She had never seen the book before, and it didn't have a title. "What's this called?"
"You'll have to read it to find out." Lex teased.
Chloe opened the book, trying to find some indication of what the book was about. She finally gave up and decided that it would have to wait until she could read what the pages said. "Thank you, for breaking the law again." She said with a laugh.
"You're welcome." He was still standing away from the bed his eyes looking at the floor.
"Are you afraid of me now?" Chloe got up off the bed and walked over to him.
Lex didn't move from where he was standing, and he didn't look up at her. "I don't want you to think that just because you're my wife you have to…"
"Lex I wanted to kiss you, you make me feel like I've never felt before." She stood on her toes and raised his chin with her hand. "You are the most incredible man I have ever met, and even if we weren't married I would have wanted you to kiss me."
Lex looked at her again, her green eyes were still gleaming, and he could see the hope in them. "I can't Chloe; I can't keep kissing you like that." He turned his eyes away from her.
"Why? Wasn't it just as amazing for you as it was for me?"
Lex walked over to the window that was in the room and looked out of it. "Once we keep kissing each other Chloe, we will want more, and we don't want children."
Chloe walked over to him again, glad that he was staying in their room instead of leaving because then she couldn't follow him without curious eyes wondering why she wasn't obeying his orders. "We haven't even gotten that far yet Lex, and when we do we'll be careful."
Lex shook his head at her. "You're seventeen Chloe."
"And what does that matter?"
"You're too young to understand, you haven't seen the horrible things I have seen. Once we go too far Chloe it's going to be hard to be careful. I'm not about to risk our child to live like this, because I'm sure that we will be unlucky enough to have a daughter. The way I'm expected to treat her…." He shook his head at Chloe and left her again crossing over to the other side of the room.
Chloe stood in her spot tears streaming down her face. She hadn't wanted to be married, she hadn't wanted to feel this way about Lex but she did. "I can't help the way I feel." She said sadly not bothering to look at him. She went over to the bed and curled into a ball, she wished that neither of them had to live in such fear. She wished that they could live far away from here, and be happy.
Lex looked at her form on the bed, and he felt guilty he hadn't wanted to make her cry. He got up on the bed and moved over to her. He placed his face over her body so that he could look at her. "I didn't want to make you cry." He brushed the tears from her eyes. He couldn't help the way he felt about her either, he wanted to love her, his heart ached for her every time he touched her, but they had only know each other a few days.
Chloe turned her head and looked at him. She touched his face again, and then reached up and kissed him. Lex wanted to pull away to make her stop but he let his heart take over, and he kissed her back. He moved his body over her and kissed her deeper, his hands entwining with her hair. Then when he went to take a breath he moved to get off of her, Chloe put her hand on his arm. "Please." She asked him looking into his eyes with so much love.
Lex couldn't turn away from her and so he kissed her again. He then ran kisses down her neck, and went back to her lips. His hands came out of Chloe's hair and then they were caressing her face. Chloe kept pushing her lips deeper into his and then when his mouth parted she placed her tongue inside him. Lex moaned into her mouth and then ran his tongue along the top part of her mouth, he had completely forgotten that he didn't want this to happen. Chloe's hands were running over his own face and they were both filled with heat. Lex finally stopped kissing her and then lay down on his back panting. Chloe came over to him and placed more kisses against his lips. She then placed kisses against his neck, and went back to his lips. Her hands started to run over his bald head, and then she stopped kissing him. She looked at his pink cheeks and his chest rising and falling rapidly. She laid her body on top of his pressing her face under his chin. "Chloe." Lex whispered to her, but he didn't say anything else, instead he wrapped his arms around her frame and held her. His mind was filled with the way she looked, her cheeks were pink, and she had also been breathing rapidly.
Chloe had fallen asleep against Lex, and he had let her sleep. His head was filled with a thousand thoughts of what was going to happen in the future. He knew that he could never let Chloe get pregnant until he had overthrown his father, he felt certain that their destiny would be to have a girl, and he couldn't place his innocent daughter in this type of lifestyle. He knew that he had to figure out a way to get Chloe to go slower with their relationship, to stretch it out as long as possible. They would have to fight back their desires, in order to protect the child he pictured in his mind from the terrible world of men.
When Chloe woke up she felt Lex's arms still wrapped around her. She smiled at the memory of his lips against hers. She then turned her head so that she could look at him. He was now breathing normally and the pink that had been in his cheeks was gone. Chloe reached out for his face, and then she placed a kiss against him. Lex then touched her cheek when their kiss had broken. "We have plenty of time for kissing." He mumbled to her as he tried to sit up.
Chloe got off of him and sat across from him. "What's wrong Lex?" She wanted him to feel as happy as she was feeling.
Lex shook his head at her. "Nothing."
Chloe crossed her arms. "Don't lie to me Lex. Tell me what's wrong. Is this not what you want? Because if it's not I'll stop I'll…."
Lex placed his face close to Chloe's. "I want this Chloe, but I can't let it go any farther than this. I refuse to get you pregnant." He brushed a strand of hair away from her eye.
"I think I can deal with just kissing you." Her face was lit up, glad that he didn't want her to stop kissing him.
"Good." He stroked her cheek, and then he realized how hard it was going to be to kiss her coldly in front of his father, and the other men.
"Can I ask you something?"
Lex looked at her curiously. "Go ahead."
"What happened to your hair?" Chloe couldn't believe that she hadn't asked him about it before now.
Lex let out a laugh he hadn't been expecting this question. "I was caught in a storm; it destroyed all of the hair on my head."
"Only the hair on your head?"
"Yes only the hair on my head. I thought that was going to be one of the first questions you were going to ask me when you first met me."
"It never really crossed my mind until now." She smiled at him.
That night Chloe fell asleep in Lex's arms, and she had the best night's sleep since she had gotten married to him.
In the morning Chloe woke up before Lex, and so she kissed him awake. "I'm going to take a shower." She said once he had become fully awake.
"Alright." He said sleepily but he sat up and watched her collect her clothes.
After Chloe had picked out the dress she was going to wear she turned towards Lex. "What?" She asked since she had felt his eyes on her.
Lex swung his legs off the bed and then walked over to her. He ran his hand on her cheek and placed a kiss on her lips. "Nothing." He told her giving her a smirk.
Chloe laughed at him and then went into the bathroom. She closed the door and then looked at herself in the mirror. She noticed that her lips were a bit puffer than they had been yesterday. She touched them and then she got undressed. Chloe took a quick shower and then threw her dress on, she wished that she could wear a shirt and pants for once but women were always supposed to be prim and proper. She brushed her hair and then she opened the bathroom door. Lex had already put on his suit, and he was waiting for her to go eat breakfast. Their lunch and dinner had been brought to their room so Chloe hadn't met anyone else but the girl who had served them. "How awful is it going to be?"
"Well it's mostly just official talk, but if one of their wives does something that they don't like, it gets nasty. Just keep your head down and don't look at anyone. Once breakfast is over you will be alone in my office, since my father and I have separate offices here. No one should bother you, and if they do just answer their questions. They can't order you to do anything, but if they do order you to do something I would do it." Lex looked at Chloe and then he touched her cheek. "You'll be alright."
"It's scary being outside of this room." Chloe would rather spend all of her time with Lex locked within the four walls of their room.
Lex placed his nose on hers. "Just be obedient and everything will be okay. When we come back here you can do whatever you want."
Chloe looked at him. "Ok."
"I'm sorry that it has to be this way Chloe."
Chloe shook her head. "It could be a lot worse I could have been married to Gregory, and been one of his five wives. I'm sure that he wouldn't have let me have any control at all."
"Let's go eat." He took her hand and then opened the door to their room.
Once outside Lex let go of her and started to head down to the dining room. Chloe shut their bedroom door and then followed him. Once they reached the dining room Lex gave her a look that meant he was sorry for whatever was going to happen, and then Lex opened the door.
The table in the dining room was much longer than the one that had been at the mansion and it was filled with people. Chloe hadn't gotten a good look though because she kept her head down, and waited for Lex to tell her to take a seat. Chloe sat in her chair in silence while the men chatted about the changes that needed to be made to the law. The things that Chloe heard coming from their mouths were awful, and she hoped that the new laws that they were talking about would never be put in place. Lex had given Chloe the rest of his breakfast after the men had been chatting for at least ten minutes and he told her to eat. Chloe ate slowly and she could tell without looking that most of the men were looking at her. Lex had given her less to eat then he had back at the mansion, it was then that she realized why Lex had told her to eat the entire plate of food for dinner last night. She had told him to eat something, but he had refused telling her that she needed to fill her stomach.
Once Chloe had finished eating a girl came and took her plate. Chloe was relieved that none of the wives had gotten in trouble, because she didn't want to know what they did to women here. Lex told her to get up and follow him so that he could show her his office. He led her to another huge oak door and then he pushed it open. Chloe looked at the room; it was bigger than the office that Lex and his dad shared. There was a fire place and a leather couch along with Lex's desk, and a large built in book shelf.
Lex walked over to her and placed a kiss on her lips, it wasn't filled with passion like all of his other kisses in their room. Then he lingered by her ear. "Clean slowly make it last a few days." His voice was barely audible and Chloe had to strain her ears to her him. "Clean I'll be back to inspect your work." He said once he backed away from her.
Chloe nodded at him and then Lex left the room. She found cleaning supplies underneath Lex's desk and she started to get to work. Chloe was so focused cleaning that she didn't even notice that anyone was close to Lex's office until she heard voices.
"Marvin you aren't taking a gander at Luthor's new wife are you?"
"No sir of course not I was just walking by."
"Well then you better be getting along then. And aren't you supposed to be at the meeting anyway?"
"Oh yes I was supposed to be there wasn't I, you know me always losing my head."
Chloe kept cleaning although she heard footsteps coming close to the room. She didn't stop what she was doing even when a man who looked to be around Lex's dad's age came into the room. She barely glanced at him. "Luthor's trained you well I see." He went over and sat down on the couch, putting his dirty shoes up on the table that sat in front of the couch. Chloe didn't know what she should do, but she did know that Lex's orders went above everyone else's and so she kept tiding the area she was in. "Wish my wives were as good as you are." He then got up from the couch and went over to Chloe and placed his hand under her chin. "No wonder Lionel wanted you for himself." He dropped her chin, and then Chloe kept cleaning. "I wonder how many beatings you had to suffer to be so good." He stood close to Chloe, and she fought every urge that she had to push him away. He then caught her chin again. "You wouldn't tell Luthor about our little encounter would you?" He made her look at him. "This does require an answer my dear."
"No sir of course not." She wasn't sure whether to be afraid of him or not, but when she felt his hand start to run up her dress, she knew that she needed to be afraid.
"If he found out I could be in big trouble. But I find that I like to break the law. You would think with having six wives I wouldn't have to do this, but touching other men's wives makes me feel powerful." Chloe wanted to make him stop but she knew that if she did, she would surely be hit, and the man would make up some lie that would make Lex have to pretend to punish her again. The man replaced his hand back to his side but his other hand was holding Chloe's chin. "Hardly anyone ever looks at the cameras, when Lex and Lionel are in meetings." He then brushed her lips with his. "I look forward to doing this again my dear." He then slipped out of the room.
Chloe wanted to kill him; she hated men like him, who thought that they could be above everyone. But Chloe knew that she needed to clean the mud that the man had left on the table before Lex came back. So she quickly went over to the table and cleaned up all of the mud, and she was glad that she had because Lex and Lionel came in just seconds after she had cleaned it. "You don't need to see me off dad. I'm a big boy now."
Lionel laughed at his son. "I know that Lex, I just wanted to make sure that Chloe was meeting expectations." Lionel then walked around the room. "There is still plenty to do."
"She has done what I could expect for the time that we were gone."
Lionel looked at Chloe who had her head down but she was still cleaning, since she hadn't been told to stop. "She has been quite obedient since you beat her. Now I'm sure son that you can see why beatings are good for them. They make them listen, well except Victoria I have to find other ways to make her listen. I think she got the point yesterday though."
"Beating Molly worked then?"
"Oh yes, I think I might just have to keep using the girl as needed if she doesn't shape up. Well I should go collect her and see how she has done with my office. See you tomorrow son." Lionel then left the room.
Lex walked over to Chloe. "You can stop now, put your things away and go up to our room. I'll be there shortly."
Chloe stopped cleaning and then she put the cleaning things back exactly where she had got them from. She kept her head down and left the room. Lex had always escorted her up to their room before, and so she wondered why he wasn't now. But she couldn't question him, and so she went up to their bedroom and then locked the door behind her. It was then that went into the bathroom and cleaned the spot where the man had touched her. She also wiped her lips, not wanting any trace of him to be on her. If only Lex had known about it she was sure the man would pay for his actions. Once she was done cleaning herself she went and got on the bed, and started to read the book that Lex had gotten her for her birthday. She had read about ten pages before the door handle started to twitch back and forth. Chloe hid her book in case whoever was coming in wasn't Lex. But it was Lex who entered the room and Lex who slammed the door behind him. He looked furious, and Chloe couldn't help but wonder what was wrong. "Lex."
He turned his head towards her looking her up and down. "Did he hurt you?"
Chloe looked at Lex, and suddenly she knew that he must have been informed that the man had touched her. "No but he touched me, and kissed me. I wasn't sure what to do."
"I saw it, what you did was remarkable. I would have hit the bastard in the face." Lex started pacing back and forth.
"How did you know?"
"Well Marvin wasn't outside the office to look at you." Lex said stopping in his tracks and looking at her.
"I thought he had left."
Lex shook his head. "I always knew that Henry was breaking the law, I saw the way he looked at other men's wives. I wanted Marvin to watch you just in case he or one of the others tried anything. I'm glad I did old Henry will get his punishment that's for sure."
"He'll think I told you."
"Oh believe me Chloe he already knows you didn't tell me. I went and reviewed the tapes, and brought the evidence to my father. My dad doesn't like other men besides him breaking the law, so as soon as he saw the video of Henry touching Victoria he really went over the edge."
"She won't get in trouble will she? I mean if she does poor Molly will…"
"I'm sure she won't get into trouble Chloe, after all my father told her to behave, and she was doing as she was told."
Chloe could feel Lex's anger, and she wanted to do something to make it go away. "What's going to happen do you think?"
Lex turned towards Chloe. "Oh he'll get thrown out for sure, and since he broke the law he will get sent to prison most likely for life. Men don't usually get in trouble but when they do their punishment is worse than death."
"What will happen to his wives?"
"I'm not sure what exactly will happen to them or to his children. Usually the women and children are banished from here. They might have to find new husbands, or they might be allowed to stay here as servants."
"Is your father in charge of the servants?"
Lex looked at her. "Yes, but he puts other people in charge of them as well. He gives them permission to hit the girls, and most of the servants marry the man who has been given permission to control them. Their daughters then become servants as well. It's an awful thing to be a servant, somehow the line is never allowed to be broken, their daughters are always destined to the same fate they were."
Chloe found this awful, and she was glad that she wasn't a servant. "And the servants are they mostly orphans?"
Lex looked at her curiously. "Why are you so interested in them?"
"Because their people Lex, and considering how many servants there are in this place they might help you in your revolt." Lex looked at her and then he came over and kissed her passionately. "What was that for?"
"You're a genius I never thought about using the servants in the revolt I was just trying to find as many men as possible who didn't agree with the law. I never thought that the servants could be useful."
"You would be amazed at the things women can come up with." Chloe said sarcastically, knowing that Lex had never thought of the servants as people who would fight back because he had to constantly see them be beat.
"I guess that is why the law needs to allow them to speak for themselves. They have brilliant minds." Lex touched her cheek his face was beaming at her.
Chloe laughed at him. "You didn't answer my question though, are they mostly orphans?" Chloe wanted to know for sure, she had only heard rumors that they were.
"Mostly yes, some are outcasts though." Lex watched as Chloe's eyes rose curiously at him. "Some of the girls are thrown away by their father's because they don't find them pretty enough to marry off. Or some have families that are too large and so their father picks the ones who he thinks no one will pick to marry, and he sends them off to be servants. My father then chooses from the girls, whom he wants to use as servants, the other girls are put into the mills where they can't be seen."
"That's awful."
"This world is an awful place Chloe." Lex touched her again wishing that she would stop asking him questions that only had bad answers.
Chloe looked at him sadly. "What happens to the girls at the mill when they reach the age to be married?"
Lex sighed; Chloe seemed to want him to keep telling her bad news. "None of the girls that get sent to the mill ever marry Chloe, so I guess you can figure out for yourself what happens to them." She looked away from Lex and then went to sit down on the bed. Chloe felt her throat run dry. Lex got into the bed and moved over to her then he touched her back. "Maybe I should have lied to you about it all."
Chloe shook her head at him. "No I'm glad you told me. I just... how come we don't know about this?"
"Because it's a shameful act to toss away your own children, men don't like talking about it. You see they pretend that they don't care, but they do. Maybe not for their wives, but they do care for their children. I've been there when a man has given his daughter away to my father. Even though he says that his child isn't pretty enough to marry, only because he has been told this by his neighbors, he can barely sign away the rights to his child. I've seen a few men cry over their daughters when they have been forced to try and give them a life where they have enough food to eat. Think about it Chloe how many men have you seen hit their daughters?"
Chloe thought back to all of the fathers in her town, she remembered them yelling at their children, she had hardly ever seen the men strike their daughters. "A few times, not many, not what you would expect when we live with a law that says that a father is allowed to treat his daughters as he pleases."
"Exactly, men care more about their own flesh and blood because they form a bond with them. The men here however are an exception, they seem to breed heartless men in this building Chloe. That is why I can't afford to have a child with you, I would be expected to hit her, break her, do whatever needed to be done until she was no longer human. The daughters of the officials walk around like robots, it's horrible to see. I don't want that for our child."
Chloe's eyes met Lex's. "You have seen so much, and I have seen so little."
"Be glad that you haven't seen as much as I have Chloe." He pressed her head into his chest. "You are the only thing that has been good in my life. I know we have only spent a few days with each other, but I feel as if I have known you my whole life."
"I feel the same way about you Lex." She lifted her head to look at him. "Let's stop talking about all of this depressing stuff and just be happy that we are together." She kissed his lips touching his face, and understanding why she could feel so much tension underneath his skin. She took her lips off from his when he hadn't kissed her back. She looked at him curiously.
"I want it to end." He whispered to her.
Chloe caressed his cheek. "I know you do Lex."
Lex looked at Chloe and he remembered how the first time he had looked at her he had pictured a small girl with her eyes, he knew it was the image of their daughter that they could never have. He wanted to have one though; he wanted that little girl to grow and be happy and live free. Lex was determined to change the way things were, he just wished that he could make the change happen faster than it was. Lex pushed the picture of the little girl from his mind, and then he touched Chloe's cheek. He pressed a kiss against her lips. "I love you Chloe." He said into her ear when he had finished kissing her.
The words seemed so foreign to Chloe, even though her father had told her that he loved her just days ago. But she hadn't expected them to come from Lex, especially not so soon. She was confused now, not sure if she felt the same way about him that he did for her. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was sincere, and she wondered if he would be hurt if he didn't hear the words said back to him. "Lex I don't know… I don't know if…" Chloe stammered she had been completely unprepared for him to say that to her.
Lex touched her cheek. "Its fine Chloe, I just thought you should know." He moved towards her again and kissed her.
Chloe kissed him back her lips deepening his kiss. She knew that she liked kissing him, and that she liked feeling his arms around her, but she just didn't know if she loved him. She felt horrible not telling him it back, but she figured that she would rather be honest with him than lie. Chloe then put her hands against Lex's chest and pushed him down gently so that his head rested on the pillow. She kept kissing him and their hands entwined. The heat that was rising in her chest told her the answer she had been looking for, she had just been afraid to admit it to him so soon. She stopped kissing him abruptly, which made Lex look at her curiously. "What is it?"
She smiled down at him and he gripped his hands tighter with hers. "It's just that I realized I love you too. I guess I was afraid to admit it to you so soon, we haven't been married that long, but picturing my life without you, without what you make me feel, makes my heart empty. My heart is always full when I'm with you."
Lex grinned back at her. "You truly are amazing Chloe." He removed one of his hands from hers to brush her hair from her face. "Please continue sweetheart." He looked up at her his eyes begging for her lips to touch his again.
"Of course master." Chloe giggled at him and then she kissed him again.
Chloe didn't know how long they had kissed for or how long she had kept her body over Lex's. But she remembered there being a knock on the door that their food was ready, and they had completely ignored it. Their stomachs were rumbling with hunger hours after that had happened though and Lex told her that he was going to go get them something to eat. They had both ate the food that Lex had brought back and then they had kissed each other again.
Now Lex was snoring silently beside Chloe while she watched him sleep, their hands were entwined together. She found it strange how she thought that she would hate him, and that she would never love him. But here she was completely in love with a man who she had married just days ago. She took one last look at Lex's peaceful face and then she buried her head into his chest and closed her eyes. Chloe couldn't help but wonder what Lionel Luthor would think if he could see inside their room, she was sure that they would both be punished for the rest of their lives if he could see them so in love with each other.
The next day Chloe and Lex went to breakfast and then she was sent to clean his office again. She had been in there for hours cleaning and she couldn't help but wonder when Lex was going to come back to get her.
He finally appeared after three hours and said, "Stop cleaning. I want to show you something."
Chloe followed him out of his office and down a flight of stairs. Then he led her down a long hallway and into a room. The door to the room was large and Chloe could tell that even with Lex's strength he had a hard time opening it. When they were both in the room Lex closed the door, and then he went over to where a camera was hanging on the wall. She watched as he turned it off and then went over and turned off another smaller camera on the other side of the room that was barely even noticeable. Chloe then glanced around the room and stared at the pictures of men who looked like Lex and Lionel. They all looked cold and proud. The looks on all of their faces made Chloe shiver.
Lex walked over to stand next to her and they both looked at the picture that was on the wall. There was a black and white picture of a man who looked to be in his thirties. His eyes showed no emotion, but Chloe could tell that Lex was related to this man because they had some of the same features. She could also tell that if the man had been in color than he would have Lionel's hair coloring, but he didn't have Lionel's beard. In fact the man was cleanly shaven which was very different from all of the other men in the room, since they all had beards. "This is the first Luthor who came to live in this place. He left Germany to make his own rules. He brought other men with him, and they had wives, and he of course had his own wife." Chloe glanced around the room hoping that it was safe to talk to Lex, and that he hadn't missed a camera. Lex must have guessed at what she was thinking because he said, "It's alright I made sure all the cameras are off. Say whatever you want."
"Why did the people he brought with him accept the law?" She stared at Lex wanting more answers about the Luthor line, and about why the law was put into place.
"Well Louis was a horrible man. From the history books that we have here, they say that even when he lived in Germany he always treated his wife badly. She had gotten pregnant many times but she would always lose her children. Louis would tell her that it was her fault and she would receive punishments for it. There were a lot of men in the village where Louis lived who wanted him to leave, because he not only treated his wife with cruelty but others as well. Some of the men in the village didn't seem to mind the way Louis treated people or his wife, and so that was how Louis choose the men he took with him. He had heard of this place from his grandfather who had wanted to flee Germany as well. So once most of the village was ready to kick him out he left."
Lex paused and moved towards a different picture that was in the room. Chloe moved to stand next to him and stared at a picture that was of twenty men and women. She could see Louis standing in the middle with his hand gripped possessively around a woman; Chloe assumed that she was his wife. "When they got here Louis demanded that he should be in charge. He started making rules about the women that they had brought with him because he knew that all of the men would agree with him. But Louis didn't stop there. He wanted to be in complete control of everything, and everyone. So he made the men agree to let him do whatever it was that he wanted. Not only did the women lose their rights but the men did as well."
"Why didn't the men just revolt against him? I mean there were nineteen of them right I'm sure they could have done something."
"One of them tried to, and Louis killed him without a second thought. The others then became afraid of him. But it wasn't just the people that Louis brought with him that were afraid of him but the people who had lived here long before Louis arrived. Louis had convinced a few of the men he had brought with him to help him make sure that everyone would obey his laws. Since the men didn't want to die they went along with it. Louis would travel to different parts of the town with the men and they would instill fear to the people who lived there. None of them spoke the language Louis and the others did so they didn't understand what was going on. But Louis didn't care that they couldn't understand; he was determined to make them understand. So he would observe the different parts and find out what they appreciated most. Some of the towns worshiped, in a temple, others saw their wives and children as the most precious things in the world." Lex paused and looked at Chloe, he felt horrible that this was a part of his linage. He wished that it wasn't, that he hadn't been born a Luthor, but he had and he knew that Chloe was curious about how everything had happened.
Chloe looked back at Lex with curiosity. "So he destroyed them?" She figured that this might be something that Louis would do especially since he had already killed one man, and hurt his own wife.
"Yes he did. For the people who loved to worship, he would burn down the temples. Then he would stay in town until the people understood that in order for their temples to be rebuilt they would have to agree to his laws. The people who lived here silently agreed because all of them wanted to keep the peace and since a man had come in and was trying to destroy it they were willing to do whatever it took. But they unfortunately they still didn't understand exactly what the law meant, and many of them broke it. They were rounded up and were either punished or killed. Soon the people learned what kinds of things they were allowed to do and what kinds of things they weren't allowed to do. They also started to pick up on Louis' language, and so they were able to talk to him. Louis did the same thing in every place that he visited, he would either burn down temples, or he would take women and children from the men who loved them more than anything else in the world. Louis would give back the wives and children to the men when they agreed to the law. But by the time the wives were returned they had been badly beaten, and most of them had been raped. Louis showed no mercy in anything that he did, and he knew that the people who lived in this land wouldn't revolt against him since they were determined to keep the peace."
"He was an awful man." Chloe glanced back up at the picture of Louis and the men that he had brought with him.
Lex couldn't agree more with her about that. "He was he was able to get people to change their way of life. He was able to take control of all of them, and he was able to make them hate women. The only reason Louis allowed for women to stay around was because he needed a line, and he couldn't reproduce without them. He only saw them good for that one thing, and if they couldn't produce children then they were killed."
"So did he kill his own wife?" She turned her head abruptly to look at Lex.
"He did, he made sure to do it publicly so that everyone could see that he was serious about this part of the law. Then he found himself a new wife." Lex pointed to the picture that they were standing in front of. Chloe could tell that he was pointing to the woman who Louis had his arm around. "That women Rebecca became his new wife. She had come with the man who had thought that he was Louis' best friend. But Louis cared about no one but himself, and he took the man's wife as his own. The man pleaded with Louis to not take her, and Louis saw him as a law breaker. Louis was the one who was in control and he wasn't going to let this man get in the way of what he wanted. So he punished the man, by torture. No one even likes to talk about what Louis did because it was just too horrible. Louis' first male child started to ease up on the law on the men once his father died. His name was Lance, and he was much smarter than his father. He could see the people that lived here getting more upset over the law, and so in order to keep the peace he eased up on the way men were treated. The men appreciated this greatly and they were completely enthralled with Lance."
"The women however weren't so lucky. Because by the time Lance was in control, men were used to treating their women as if they were animals. The men liked the control that they had over the women and so they weren't about to give it up."
"So was Lance a little better than his father?"
"Well I wouldn't say that he was much better no. Sure he let up on the law his father had put into place but it was only so that he could manipulate the people that he ruled. When Lance wanted something, he made sure he got it. Lance ran through numerous women, forcing them to have as many children as possible. Even to do this day it isn't clear how many children Lance had. You see he didn't even care if these women were his wives, he didn't care if they were married. The only thing he cared about was if they were pretty enough to want, and if they were then he made sure that he could have them. He manipulated many men into giving up their wives to him, and he manipulated many fathers into giving up their young children to him. This was how the law of being married seventeen came into play. Lance was sick of running around in search of women to marry, and so he decided that if he made the law then most of the fathers would bring their daughters to him."
Lex had moved to a different picture that was in the room, and Chloe glanced up at man that had a huge bushy beard and cold eyes. He looked as though he was looking at her, and she felt a shiver run up her spine. "So all of the Luthor men came to hate women?" Chloe turned back to Lex; she hoped that at least one of the men had wanted to change the law like Lex did.
"Yes they did, they were all raised by it. They all saw their mothers receive punishments or be killed, and to them it was natural. They liked the way things were and they didn't want to change them, and there were other men who liked the law as well. That is how a council had started to form, to make sure that the law would always remain in place. But a Luthor was always in complete control, and they could overturn whatever law they wanted to. This never happened though, instead the law tended to get harsher and harsher. The way women were treated grew worse and worse and the men enjoyed themselves more. The loved to see women in pain, they loved the control they had over them, and so they were always searching for new ways to make life harder for women."
Lex turned to face Chloe, and Chloe could see the pain that was in his eyes. She reached up and touched his cheek, knowing that he was hating that he was a Luthor, and that he had ancestors who had done horrible things. "You're not like them Lex, and if you weren't a Luthor then you wouldn't be able to change the law when you are in charge."
"I know that is the only reason I am grateful to be a Luthor. I'm going to make sure things are different because this can't continue. It has been going on for more than three hundred years and it needs to stop." He took her hand and squeezed it, glad that he at least had her to talk to about all of this.
Both Chloe and Lex jumped though when the door to the room opened a few seconds later. They turned towards the door, and when Chloe saw Lionel she immediately put her head down. "Lex, I was wondering why the cameras were off in here. Decided to have some fun in here with your wife did you?"
"Yes and I thought I should show her our wonderful ancestors and all that they have done for the law." Lex moved closer to his father while Chloe remained where she was.
Lionel smirked at his son and then glanced around the room. "They surely were smart when they created the law. I can only hope that we are both going to do it justice. But considering that we have made sure that women know their place in our world I assume that they are happy with the results. Everyone except for maybe Louis, but if we had kept the law as he wanted it then I'm sure that the Luthor line would have been killed off." Lionel paused and then he moved over to Chloe who was still looking down at the floor. "Women will always know their place in our law; they will always know that we hold all the control. That we have the power to do whatever we want to them." Then Lionel placed his hand under Chloe's chin and forced her to look at him. "Isn't that right sweetheart?"
"Yes sir." Chloe gritted out, she was uncomfortable, and she certainly didn't want Lionel to touch her.
"Watch your tone with me." Lionel removed his hand and then he turned towards Lex. "You better teach her another lesson Lex. Women need to know their places in our lives. I've started to make sure Victoria understands her place in mine again. She has become highly disobedient and hurting her daughter has sure made her improve somewhat in her ways. Molly has always been Victoria's weakness and I have no problem hurting the girl to get what I want from Victoria."
At his words anger rose in Chloe's chest and before she could stop herself she blurted out, "You're an asshole." Then realizing that she had just said the words out loud she glanced at Lex, fear was reflected in her eyes.
Lionel didn't even give Lex the chance to punish her he strode over and hit her hard on the cheek. The hit had made Chloe's head go to the side and she had to fight back the tears that were threatening to fall. She wasn't about to show Lionel that she was weak. Then he grabbed her chin again. "So disrespectful your wife is Lex, you would think she would be more appreciative considering we gave her a better life."
"I'll take care of her, and make sure it never happens again." Lex had moved over and gripped Chloe's arm tightly.
"You do that Lex, and maybe you should remind her about the way she is supposed to behave more often. I told you they always slip up, and they do tend to need to be reminded quite often of their rule breaking." Lionel glared at Chloe and then he dropped his hand from her chin. Then he left the room giving Lex one last look.
Lex pushed Chloe out of the room still holding onto her arm, and then he dragged her up to the bedroom. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." Chloe told Lex as soon as the door was closed.
"I know you are. I was thinking the same thing about him. But Chloe you have to try and control your temper." Lex walked over to her and touched her cheek where his father had hit her. "You're going to have a bruise from him. I'm sorry that he hit you." He placed a light kiss on her cheek.
"It's not your fault it's mine." Chloe moved away from him and sat down on the bed. She didn't want to make Lex feel guilty she had been the one to make the mistake.
Lex sat down next to her and held her hand. "It is my fault he is my father after all."
"But you can't stop him. Right now your father can do whatever he wants. He can break any law he wants to." Chloe looked at Lex again, fear reflected in her eyes. This was the first time that she realized that Lionel could do whatever he wanted to her even if she was married to Lex.
Lex stroked the cheek that Lionel hadn't hit. "I know that is why we both have to be careful. If there is a next time Chloe then he'll do something worse to you."
"I'll control my anger Lex. I'm so sorry." She moved her face into his hand more so she could feel his warmth.
"It's alright we all make mistakes." He placed a soft kiss on her lips, and he knew that the next time his father even attempted to lay his hands on Chloe he was going to stop him. He should have stopped him tonight, but he had been shocked by Chloe's outburst, and he hadn't been anticipating that his father would hit her.