Disclaimer: see Chapter 1

CHAPTER 9: Desperate Measures

Three days had gone by since her secret meeting with Clark, and Lois was getting desperate. The engagement party was just a week away and stress was taking its toll on Chloe. Not only did she have trouble sleeping- her tossing and turning was driving Lois mad- but she had also lost a few pounds. At that rate, the dress Chloe was supposed to wear to the party would have to be taken in a couple of times. Moreover, Lana had been to The Talon a few times and was starting to get suspicious about the reasons behind Chloe´s out-of-character behaviour. Lois thought it was high time she took the bull by the horns and, since desperate times call for desperate measures, she decided to play her trump card.

¨This will cover the week´s expenses, ¨said Lex, signing a cheque.

¨We´re done, then, ¨answered Lois, stashing the cheque away.

¨Are you OK, Lois? You look peaked . Have you been sleeping well of late? ¨

¨You´ve got an acute sense of observation, Luthor. ¨

¨What´s bothering you, if I may ask? ¨

¨Are you offering your services as a confidant? ¨

¨Only if you want them. ¨

¨It´s a rather delicate matter, and it´s something of a very personal nature. ¨

¨Do you need money? ¨

¨No! ¨

¨Because if you do, I´m more than willing to help. ¨

¨Even after Lucy got away with $50,000 of yours? ¨

¨You aren´t your sister, Lois. ¨

¨Thanks, Luthor, but I´m not in any financial straits. ¨

¨Then, if it´s not money, there are only two more options left, and I´m inclined to believe the most probable has to do with ´love´. Am I right? Are there any problems in paradise? ¨

¨You´ve got me, ¨ responded Lois, drawing a handkerchief out of her right pocket and wiping a couple of fake tears away.

¨I´m not surprised if Queen´s involved. You could do better, Lois. He´s always treated girls like toys. ¨

¨The pot calling the kettle black. ¨

¨I´ve been an ass more times than I care to admit. I´ve lost count of how many pairs of diamond earrings I´ve given out in my lifetime, but that´s over now. I´ve grown up, and now it´s time for me to settle down. But we weren´t talking about me... ¨

¨Right. We were talking about Oliver, the playboy womaniser, and my cousin Chloe, ¨she stated, feigning a bitter tone.

¨Chloe? ¨ asked Lex, trying to keep a cool mask of composure and hoping the slight crack in his voice hadn´t given him away.

´Got you, Luthor! ´ smirked Lois at Lex´s back while she watched him pour himself a drink. ¨Yeah! Can you believe it? My boyfriend and my own cousin. ¨

¨The bastard! ¨said Lex through clenched teeth.

¨My thoughts exactly, Luthor. I don´t blame my cuz. He took advantage of her. You know, she hasn´t been the same of late. I´ve tried to get the truth out of her without any luck, but I could tell she was lovesick. She was on the rebound and an easy prey. And you´ve got to admit Queen´s a hunk. ¨

¨One doesn´t take advantage of a girl when she´s at her most vulnerable, ¨snapped Lex, chiding himself for being such a hypocrite. He had done exactly the same thing to Lana.

¨I´m worried, Lex. I´m my father´s daughter and I know how to weather the most difficult of storms, but I´m not sure Chloe´ll survive another romantic setback once he decides to move to greener pastures. ¨

¨I´m glad you´ve confided in me, Lois. Put your mind at rest. I´ll take care of Queen. ¨

¨What do you mean you´ll take care of him, Luthor? ¨ asked Lois with a frown.

¨Do you trust me, Lois'? ¨

¨Chloe trusted you once with her life and you didn´t fail her. That´s good enough for me. ¨

¨I won´t kill Queen if that´s what you´re worried about, but I´ll make sure he doesn´t hurt your cousin, ¨ he added, tightening the grip on his tumbler.

´Oh, yeah! He won´t hurt Chloe, but he´ll kill me when he finds out what I´m up to. ´ ¨Thanks for everything, Luthor, ¨responded Lois, picking up her handbag.

¨You´re more than welcome, Lois, ¨ he said, showing her to the door. ¨ You´ve received the invitation, haven´t you? ¨

¨Yes. ¨

¨Listen, Lois. There´s no need for you to come alone. You´re free to bring someone along now that Queen and you are no longer an item. ¨

¨Thanks. I´ll think about it. ¨ ´I´ve got the man for the job, but something tells me he won´t agree to be my escort if this plan falls through.´

As soon as he heard the front door of the mansion close, Lex retraced his steps to the wet bar and poured himself a second scotch. He swallowed the drink in one large gulp and, overcome by a deep feeling of rage, he swung round and smashed the tumbler into the fireplace.

´Damn, Chloe! Why couldn´t you just patch things up with the innocuous Olsen? Hell, I could even do my best to stomach you being with Clark; at least I´d be sure you were safe. ´

¨Good afternoon, son. You look out of sorts. Is everything all right?¨ said Lionel on entering the study unannounced.

´God! I´m in no mood for this right now. ´ ¨Dad, what have I done now? I can assure you there have been no break-ins in any Luthorcorp facilities these last few days. ¨

¨I´m not here on business, Lex. There´s something of a personal nature we need to discuss. ¨

¨For whose benefit is this father-and-son bonding farce, dad? ¨

¨I´m worried about you, Lex. You´re losing your touch. I thought I´d taught you better. ¨

¨I´m afraid you´ll have to speak clearer, dad. What is it that you don´t approve of now? ¨

¨Are you having an affair with another woman? ¨

¨Pardon? ¨asked a poker-faced Lex.

¨You should be more careful around your girlfriend, Lex. I don´t know what´s going on between you two, but she appears to have doubts about where you affections lie. She was very straight-forward about it. ¨

¨Lana went to see you? ¨asked a stranged Lex.

¨She did. Surprising, isn´t it? I used to be the Luthor who commanded the most fear. Be careful, Lex. Don´t repeat my mistakes, son, unless you want to end up alone. I suggest you talk with Lana to clear the air. ¨

¨The words of a true sage. ¨

¨ Don´t be ironic, Lex. Let´s say I believe you haven´t betrayed Miss Lang in deed, but can you truly deny there´s someone else in your heart? ¨

¨Are you planning on writing for The Inquisitor´s Problem Page now? ¨he asked with a smirk.

¨I know you, Lex. I´ve taught you everything. You can´t fool your old man. Who is she? ¨

¨I think we´re done, ¨answered Lex with a scowl.

¨I´m aware you care for Lana, Lex. But do you love her? You know, you´re still in time to back off, son. ¨

¨I´m not having this conversation with you, dad. Don´t delude yourself, you aren´t a Kent yet- although you´re starting to sound like Clark´s mum. Now, if you´ll excuse me, I´ve got things to do. You can see yourself out. ¨

¨Think carefully, son. It´d be a pity to err a third time around. If anything, my coming here today has shown me that glassware would be the perfect wedding gift no matter who you decide to marry in the end, wouldn´t you say, Lex? ¨ stated Lionel on eying the splinters scattered on the wooden floor near the fireplace.

¨Goodbye, dad, ¨answered Lex, sitting back at his desk and turning on his laptop.

Lionel was right; he was losing his touch. He had let his emotions blind him. His mind was so full of Chloe that he couldn´t think straight. Not only had he forgotten Lana´s favourite celebration, he must have inadvertently given her clues as to what he was actually feeling. It appeared his mask of cool detachment had slipped on occasion; he just hoped he hadn´t betrayed the identity of the one woman who was constantly in his thoughts. He´d have to talk with Lana eventually but, for the time being, there was something more urgent to that demanded his attention: getting Chloe away from Queen´s clutches.

How did you like this new instalment? What did you think of Lionel´s intervention? Would you say the MB sounded rather OOC?

What can I say? I enjoy writing Luthor Sr. as a relatively good guy from time to time.