A/N: As you must already know I´m a full-fledged Chlexer. However, once upon a time I used to pen Lexana stories too.
Here´s the first instalment of my goodbye Lexana fic, which I wrote after watching the Season Finale Phantom. It was written with the intent to show the brunette as I wished she had been painted on the show in the last seasons and gives my own version of one particular event in Season 6.
Here´s what Lexana should have been like for me to fully embrace it, I hope you´ll like it.
Summary: Tragedy strikes the Luthor household. Feeling guilty and incapable of dealing with pain,Lex pushes away the only woman he s ever loved.Meanwhile,Lana reaches a decision that will break their hearts but destiny has something unexpected in store for both.
Rating: PG-15
Author: lexie
Disclaimer: all Superman and Smallville characters belong to DC Comics and Gough &
Millar. No Infringement's intended.
HOME IS A WOUNDED HEART
CHAPTER 1: Grief
SMALLVILLE 2007
It was an unusually bleak morning of July. It seemed the weather had changed to fit the mood that had seized Luthor Mansion of late. It was the morning she decided to pack and leave despite what she felt deep in her heart. She needed him, needed to share with him the tragedy that had befallen them but he had closed up emotionally. She had tried to break down the walls he had erected around his heart, but she didn´t have the strength to fight any longer.
The day it had happened he had locked himself up in the room, denying her access. He had stopped eating and sleeping; and it had taken Martha Kent two hours to convince him to open the door and let her in. Martha Kent, the mother of the young man whose ghost had stood between them for so long; the woman who had managed to put some humanity back into Lionel Luthor and who had been the closest thing to a mother Lex had had since he came to Smallville, was the only female whose comfort he accepted.
Three months had gone by. Three months of agony. Ninety days of missing him and his warmth. It seemed the man she had come to love after so many years had died that day. He who was the only constant in her life, her rock, had shut her out and it hurt like hell- if anything, it tripled her grief. She was sure he blamed her, and she dreaded to think what would happen if he awoke from his trance and decided to come out and face her, for she didn´t know if she´d survive the look of those blue-grey eyes.
Lana climbed down the stairs of the mansion with her suitcases and got into the taxi that was already waiting for her on the driveway. She shut the door firmly and told the driver her destination before her resolve disappeared. She got away from Lex´s life but left her heart behind.
CHAPTER 2: Studying the Grounds
ZURICH 2014
It was snowing heavily and the tarmac was completely white, when Lex´s Lear Jet finally landed. Switzerland was the last leg of a business tour that had taken him to four major cities around the world- Sydney, Hong Kong, St Petersburg and Kuala Lumpur.
It was the first time he left American soil after his self-imposed reclusion. He wasn´t over it; he doubted he´d ever manage to overcome what had happened to him and Lana, but it was time to expand the emporium overseas. Notwithstanding his isolation, the previous four years had seen the strengthening of his reputation as a ruthless businessman- a man whose sphere of influence stretched beyond the four walls of his seventeenth century refuge and who wasn´t afraid of making enemies. He had nothing to lose for all he held precious had been taken away from him seven years before. Lex Luthor was not a happy man. He had thought once that she could save him, but it wasn´t meant to be. He had been branded at birth and no matter how hard he´d tried to escape his destiny; it had caught up with him. He had hoped with all his heart that he didn´t get what he deserved, but God hadn´t spared him. Lex wished He had remembered Lana and not punish her because of him.
Six years before he had got Lana´s divorce papers and, although it had torn him apart, he had signed them without hesitation. He owed it to her for putting her through it all. He couldn´t fathom what it must have been like for her. She must have suffered three times what he had, and he regretted not being there for her. He had needed her so badly but hadn´t have the courage to face her; not when it had been him the one to blame.
Lex got off the plane perfectly groomed after a fast and uneventful flight from Kuala Lumpur. A black limo was waiting for him at the airport to take him to the Prince Regent Hotel. The choice of accommodation wasn´t just a matter of comfort but of business; in fact Zurich´s Prince Regent would be the fifth hotel of the chain he´d be staying at.
¨Welcome to the Prince Regent, Mr Luthor, ¨said the manager, giving the passport back to Lex. ¨Franz, upgrade his reservation, please, ¨he said, addressing the receptionist. ¨I´m sorry for the inconvenience, Mr Luthor. Had we known ´Global Ventures´ was a subsidiary of Luthorcorp, we would have booked the Presidential Suite before-hand. ¨
¨Don´t bother with the upgrade, Franz. I prefer it this way, ¨answered Lex. ¨I´d appreciate your discretion, though. I want to keep a low profile during my stay, ¨he added in an undertone.
¨We´re at your service, sir, ¨responded the manager.
¨I´ll have dinner in my room. I´ve heard you´ve got an excellent chef. ¨
¨That´s right, sir. Gustav´s a Cordon Bleu chef. He´s been with us for the last two years. He´s one of Mr Leckmelm´s wisest additions to the staff. ¨
¨Could you give me an hour and send up the restaurant menu, please? ¨
¨Certainly, sir, ¨agreed the manager, calling a bellboy to assist him with Lex´s luggage. ¨I´ll see you to your room. ¨
¨I´d rather you didn´t, Herr Müller. I wouldn´t like to attract too much attention. ´
¨As you prefer, sir. Good evening, then. ¨
Herr Müller had been impressed by the face-to-face meeting with one of America´s wealthiest men. Lex Luthor was a man of refined tastes and impeccable good manners. Still, his reputation as a relentless businessman was legendary and so were the stories the hotel manager had heard about him. The younger Luthor had no qualms about using whatever means were necessary to get what he wanted and had made a lot of enemies in his thirty-four years. Müller wondered what had happened to a bright and promising young man- a renowned philanthropist- such as Alexander Joseph Luthor to turn him into the heartless individual he now appeared to be. Although Müller ignored the reason that had brought the billionaire to Zurich, he pitied the poor soul that dared stand in his way.
CHAPTER 3: Dark Secrets
Caisteal Cuilcheanna- Near Inchree- Scottish Highlands
It was close to six o´clock and she was driving back from Onich. She had been to the pebbly beach and taken with her several tubes of oil paint, an assortment of brushes, her old palette and a blank canvass with the idea of starting a new picture. Since Danny and her had moved into the castle near Loch Linnhe, she had started to paint again. Nothing like the dramatic sunsets in Morvern mountains and the delightful views of Ballachulish Bridge to awaken the dormant artist in her.
Time seemed to fly when she was sketching or taking a stroll along the beach in search of the perfect subject or the appropriate moment to capture the beauty of the Highlands. More often than not, she would sit down on her favourite spot with a flask of hot tea- an infusion she had got used to and that she couldn´t give up now- and a paper bag full of Mrs MacAllister´s raisin buns. She needed those moments alone- her soul cried for them and Danny respected that need for privacy.
She had met Danny in Glasgow five years before and had recognised in him another tortured soul. Danny was the only son and heir of Laird Leckmelm and had had a hard time proving his worth to his father. Before meeting her, he had led a reckless lifestyle and was falling pretty fast; but there was something in him that had told her he was beautiful inside. Soon she became his confidante, the one person from whom he kept no secrets- even the darkest ones. Three years later, Danny would surprise her with a confession and make her a proposition she didn´t have the heart to turn down.
She parked her Land Rover in front of the back entrance and stepped out.
¨Good evening, Mrs Leckhelm, ¨said Mr McAllister.
Good evening, Mr McAllister, ¨she answered warmly. ¨It was a breath-taking sunset, wasn´t it? ¨she stated, taking off the wellingtons.
¨It certainly was, madam. ¨
¨What time will dinner be ready? ¨
¨Mrs McAllister said at about seven, madam, ¨informed the butler. ¨The master´s in his study, ¨he added; a fleeting emotion of pain in his eyes.
¨Thanks, McAllister, ¨she answered with a sad smile.
She walked along the wooden-panelled corridors with a heavy heart, until she reached the room that was Danny´s favourite refuge. She hesitated for a couple of minutes, took a deep breath, pasted on her best smile and opened the door.
Danny was sitting in an armchair with a warm blanket on his lap. The fire was roaring, despite the fact that winter hadn´t arrived yet. It ached her to see her husband so helpless and fragile. He had lost several pounds and was but a shadow of the young man she had met five winters before.
¨Danny, it´s really cosy in here, ¨she said, placing a kiss on his forehead and grabbing tightly the hands, which rested limp on his lap. ¨Come here, Rascal, ¨she murmured to the Collie that sat on its rear and eyed its master with a sorrowful look. ¨You´re a beautiful boy, ¨she whispered in the animal´s ear, caressing his soft fur. ¨What was your afternoon like? ¨she asked, addressing Danny.
¨Darling, ¨he croaked, looking at the only woman who had meant something in his life. ¨There´s something I have to tell you. This arrived an hour after you left for Onich, ¨he said, leaning forward to reach a manila envelope that lay on the coffee table in front of him.
¨What is it? ¨she asked with a puzzled look.
¨It appears I can´t leave my past behind. I knew it´d come back knocking at my door. I wish I could spare you this, darling. You´re the best thing that has ever happened to me. ¨
¨What´s inside that envelope? ¨
¨Something I wish I could erase. ¨
¨Is someone blackmailing you, Danny? ¨
¨He´s threatened to send a similar envelope to my dad and, you know what that means. Dad doesn´t have an inkling and he must never know. If he ever found out, he´d disinherit me and you´d end up in the street.¨
¨I didn´t marry you because of your fortune, Danny. What does this man want? ¨
¨The hotels. He wants me to sign the sale papers for the whole chain. ¨
¨What? ¨she asked outraged. ¨He wants the only thing that´s truly yours. When you took the reins they were nothing... ¨
¨I think I have no choice but to give in. If these photographs arrive at my father´s doorstep... ¨
¨They won´t, ¨she said determinedly. ¨Leave it to me. When and where are you supposed to contact this... this... ? ¨she asked, searching for the correct term to name the person who could have no qualms about destroying the life of another human being.
¨Darling... it´s too dangerous. ¨
¨Don´t tell me, Daniel Leckhelm, there´s nothing of the highlander left in you. We´re going to fight this. Now... when and where, Danny? ¨
¨The day after tomorrow. Room 107 at The Stafford. You´d have to travel all the way to London. ¨
¨That won´t pose a problem, Daniel. Put your mind at rest. We´ll find a solution.¨
CHAPTER 4: Têtê-à-têtê
Two months after his trip to Zurich, Lex checked in his favourite hotel in St James´s. He preferred it to The Ritz or the Hilton for its secluded location and the discretion of its staff. It was the perfect accommodation for the business he had in mind.
He had a relaxing bath in the marble tub- bathrooms in this hotel were extraordinary examples of craftsmanship- and ordered a continental breakfast. It was Friday and the deadline had arrived. He just had to sit down and wait. He had bided his time and was ready to reap the fruits of his patience.
At about ten o´clock the phone on his bedside table rang, and the receptionist informed him there was somebody asking for the guest of room 107.
¨ Send him up, please, ¨responded Lex.
¨It´s a she, sir, ¨said the receptionist. ¨She insisted you were expecting her. ¨
¨Ask her her name, please, ¨said Lex with a frown.
¨The lady says she´s Mrs Leckmelm, sir. ¨
¨I´ll see her. Tell her to wait for me at the restaurant. ¨
¨All right, sir, ¨answered the receptionist, putting down the receiver. ¨He´ll be down in a minute, madam, ¨he said, addressing the young woman. ¨Stevens, escort the lady to the restaurant, please. ¨
Lex put on his Italian tailor-made jacket and left his room for the lift. He didn´t relish the idea of dealing with a woman- least of all if the female turned out to be Leckmelm´s mother- but he had come all this way and wasn´t willing to back off.
When the lift stopped on the ground floor, he stepped out and ambled to the exclusive restaurant. His favourite table was located behind a marble column next to an exquisite French window, and Lex walked towards it, observing the back of the woman that was already sitting at it. He had been wrong in his assumption; the woman couldn´t be Leckmelm´s mother.
As the younger Luthor approached the young lady, he felt a sudden chill in his bones. He would have recognised that swan neck anywhere. He stopped across the table and saw her lift her eyes to meet his and felt the knot in his stomach tighten.
¨Lana? ¨whispered an emotional Lex.
¨L... Lex? ¨she stammered. ¨What... What are you doing here? ¨she asked with a puzzled look on her face.
¨I´m meeting someone. ¨
¨Room 107? ¨asked Lana with a grim foreboding.
¨Christ! Are you Mrs Leckmelm, Lana? ¨the truth dawning on him.
¨I am. Mrs Laura Leckmelm. ¨
¨Laura? Wasn´t that your mother´s name? ¨
¨It´s my name now. I needed to start afresh, ¨she responded, swallowing the lump in her throat.
¨You mean you didn´t want me to find you, ¨he answered, sitting down across her.
¨Nothing would have stopped you, Lex, if you´d really wanted to track me down, ¨she responded with a catch in her voice.
¨I thought it was for the best. ¨
¨The best for whom? ¨
¨Are you saying you wanted me to come for you, Lana? Why did you ask for divorce, then? ¨
¨I´m not here to talk about us, Lex. ¨
¨Right. You´re married now, aren´t you? Although, I can´t understand what kind of marriage it is. ¨
¨He´s a good man, Lex. He reminds me a lot of you. ¨
¨Is that why you married him? You cannot be happy with Leckmelm, Lana. ¨
¨I thought we both agreed there´s no such thing as happiness, Lex. ¨
¨Satisfied, then. Can you honestly say you´re satisfied with this sham? ¨
¨Careful, Lex, ¨she warned him. ¨Tell me this isn´t because of... ¨
¨It isn´t, ¨snapped Lex. ¨Believe me, Lana. I didn´t know Leckmelm was married- least of all to you. ¨
¨Only three people knew of our marriage. You´re the fourth now.¨
¨Why keep it a secret? ¨
¨Isn´t it obvious, Lex? Getting married to a Laird´s son is the surest way to make the headlines in Britain. Now... let´s get down to business. How much do you want for the negatives, Lex? ¨
¨This isn´t a question of money, Lana, ¨he responded gravely.
¨We both know that everyone has a price, Lex. Name it. This isn´t worth finishing someone´s dignity. ¨
¨He should have known better, Lana. ¨
¨These photos are the past, Lex. If I´m not wrong, you had a questionable past before coming to Smallville. Don´t you believe in second chances? ¨
¨I used to believe I could fight my destiny. Unfortunately I was proven wrong. In your husband´s case, things will be a lot harder. Nobody can change that much. What brings me back to my original question: Why did you marry him? Did you know the truth from the very beginning?¨
¨I did, Lex, and it´s never been an issue. He needs me and I won´t let you destroy him. ¨
¨I´m ready to negotiate. The question is: are you willing to do anything to protect your husband?¨
TBC
Here´s the first instalment of my goodbye Lexana fic, which I wrote after watching the Season Finale Phantom. It was written with the intent to show the brunette as I wished she had been painted on the show in the last seasons and gives my own version of one particular event in Season 6.
Here´s what Lexana should have been like for me to fully embrace it, I hope you´ll like it.
Summary: Tragedy strikes the Luthor household. Feeling guilty and incapable of dealing with pain,Lex pushes away the only woman he s ever loved.Meanwhile,Lana reaches a decision that will break their hearts but destiny has something unexpected in store for both.
Rating: PG-15
Author: lexie
Disclaimer: all Superman and Smallville characters belong to DC Comics and Gough &
Millar. No Infringement's intended.
CHAPTER 1: Grief
SMALLVILLE 2007
It was an unusually bleak morning of July. It seemed the weather had changed to fit the mood that had seized Luthor Mansion of late. It was the morning she decided to pack and leave despite what she felt deep in her heart. She needed him, needed to share with him the tragedy that had befallen them but he had closed up emotionally. She had tried to break down the walls he had erected around his heart, but she didn´t have the strength to fight any longer.
The day it had happened he had locked himself up in the room, denying her access. He had stopped eating and sleeping; and it had taken Martha Kent two hours to convince him to open the door and let her in. Martha Kent, the mother of the young man whose ghost had stood between them for so long; the woman who had managed to put some humanity back into Lionel Luthor and who had been the closest thing to a mother Lex had had since he came to Smallville, was the only female whose comfort he accepted.
Three months had gone by. Three months of agony. Ninety days of missing him and his warmth. It seemed the man she had come to love after so many years had died that day. He who was the only constant in her life, her rock, had shut her out and it hurt like hell- if anything, it tripled her grief. She was sure he blamed her, and she dreaded to think what would happen if he awoke from his trance and decided to come out and face her, for she didn´t know if she´d survive the look of those blue-grey eyes.
Lana climbed down the stairs of the mansion with her suitcases and got into the taxi that was already waiting for her on the driveway. She shut the door firmly and told the driver her destination before her resolve disappeared. She got away from Lex´s life but left her heart behind.
CHAPTER 2: Studying the Grounds
ZURICH 2014
It was snowing heavily and the tarmac was completely white, when Lex´s Lear Jet finally landed. Switzerland was the last leg of a business tour that had taken him to four major cities around the world- Sydney, Hong Kong, St Petersburg and Kuala Lumpur.
It was the first time he left American soil after his self-imposed reclusion. He wasn´t over it; he doubted he´d ever manage to overcome what had happened to him and Lana, but it was time to expand the emporium overseas. Notwithstanding his isolation, the previous four years had seen the strengthening of his reputation as a ruthless businessman- a man whose sphere of influence stretched beyond the four walls of his seventeenth century refuge and who wasn´t afraid of making enemies. He had nothing to lose for all he held precious had been taken away from him seven years before. Lex Luthor was not a happy man. He had thought once that she could save him, but it wasn´t meant to be. He had been branded at birth and no matter how hard he´d tried to escape his destiny; it had caught up with him. He had hoped with all his heart that he didn´t get what he deserved, but God hadn´t spared him. Lex wished He had remembered Lana and not punish her because of him.
Six years before he had got Lana´s divorce papers and, although it had torn him apart, he had signed them without hesitation. He owed it to her for putting her through it all. He couldn´t fathom what it must have been like for her. She must have suffered three times what he had, and he regretted not being there for her. He had needed her so badly but hadn´t have the courage to face her; not when it had been him the one to blame.
Lex got off the plane perfectly groomed after a fast and uneventful flight from Kuala Lumpur. A black limo was waiting for him at the airport to take him to the Prince Regent Hotel. The choice of accommodation wasn´t just a matter of comfort but of business; in fact Zurich´s Prince Regent would be the fifth hotel of the chain he´d be staying at.
¨Welcome to the Prince Regent, Mr Luthor, ¨said the manager, giving the passport back to Lex. ¨Franz, upgrade his reservation, please, ¨he said, addressing the receptionist. ¨I´m sorry for the inconvenience, Mr Luthor. Had we known ´Global Ventures´ was a subsidiary of Luthorcorp, we would have booked the Presidential Suite before-hand. ¨
¨Don´t bother with the upgrade, Franz. I prefer it this way, ¨answered Lex. ¨I´d appreciate your discretion, though. I want to keep a low profile during my stay, ¨he added in an undertone.
¨We´re at your service, sir, ¨responded the manager.
¨I´ll have dinner in my room. I´ve heard you´ve got an excellent chef. ¨
¨That´s right, sir. Gustav´s a Cordon Bleu chef. He´s been with us for the last two years. He´s one of Mr Leckmelm´s wisest additions to the staff. ¨
¨Could you give me an hour and send up the restaurant menu, please? ¨
¨Certainly, sir, ¨agreed the manager, calling a bellboy to assist him with Lex´s luggage. ¨I´ll see you to your room. ¨
¨I´d rather you didn´t, Herr Müller. I wouldn´t like to attract too much attention. ´
¨As you prefer, sir. Good evening, then. ¨
Herr Müller had been impressed by the face-to-face meeting with one of America´s wealthiest men. Lex Luthor was a man of refined tastes and impeccable good manners. Still, his reputation as a relentless businessman was legendary and so were the stories the hotel manager had heard about him. The younger Luthor had no qualms about using whatever means were necessary to get what he wanted and had made a lot of enemies in his thirty-four years. Müller wondered what had happened to a bright and promising young man- a renowned philanthropist- such as Alexander Joseph Luthor to turn him into the heartless individual he now appeared to be. Although Müller ignored the reason that had brought the billionaire to Zurich, he pitied the poor soul that dared stand in his way.
CHAPTER 3: Dark Secrets
Caisteal Cuilcheanna- Near Inchree- Scottish Highlands
It was close to six o´clock and she was driving back from Onich. She had been to the pebbly beach and taken with her several tubes of oil paint, an assortment of brushes, her old palette and a blank canvass with the idea of starting a new picture. Since Danny and her had moved into the castle near Loch Linnhe, she had started to paint again. Nothing like the dramatic sunsets in Morvern mountains and the delightful views of Ballachulish Bridge to awaken the dormant artist in her.
Time seemed to fly when she was sketching or taking a stroll along the beach in search of the perfect subject or the appropriate moment to capture the beauty of the Highlands. More often than not, she would sit down on her favourite spot with a flask of hot tea- an infusion she had got used to and that she couldn´t give up now- and a paper bag full of Mrs MacAllister´s raisin buns. She needed those moments alone- her soul cried for them and Danny respected that need for privacy.
She had met Danny in Glasgow five years before and had recognised in him another tortured soul. Danny was the only son and heir of Laird Leckmelm and had had a hard time proving his worth to his father. Before meeting her, he had led a reckless lifestyle and was falling pretty fast; but there was something in him that had told her he was beautiful inside. Soon she became his confidante, the one person from whom he kept no secrets- even the darkest ones. Three years later, Danny would surprise her with a confession and make her a proposition she didn´t have the heart to turn down.
She parked her Land Rover in front of the back entrance and stepped out.
¨Good evening, Mrs Leckhelm, ¨said Mr McAllister.
Good evening, Mr McAllister, ¨she answered warmly. ¨It was a breath-taking sunset, wasn´t it? ¨she stated, taking off the wellingtons.
¨It certainly was, madam. ¨
¨What time will dinner be ready? ¨
¨Mrs McAllister said at about seven, madam, ¨informed the butler. ¨The master´s in his study, ¨he added; a fleeting emotion of pain in his eyes.
¨Thanks, McAllister, ¨she answered with a sad smile.
She walked along the wooden-panelled corridors with a heavy heart, until she reached the room that was Danny´s favourite refuge. She hesitated for a couple of minutes, took a deep breath, pasted on her best smile and opened the door.
Danny was sitting in an armchair with a warm blanket on his lap. The fire was roaring, despite the fact that winter hadn´t arrived yet. It ached her to see her husband so helpless and fragile. He had lost several pounds and was but a shadow of the young man she had met five winters before.
¨Danny, it´s really cosy in here, ¨she said, placing a kiss on his forehead and grabbing tightly the hands, which rested limp on his lap. ¨Come here, Rascal, ¨she murmured to the Collie that sat on its rear and eyed its master with a sorrowful look. ¨You´re a beautiful boy, ¨she whispered in the animal´s ear, caressing his soft fur. ¨What was your afternoon like? ¨she asked, addressing Danny.
¨Darling, ¨he croaked, looking at the only woman who had meant something in his life. ¨There´s something I have to tell you. This arrived an hour after you left for Onich, ¨he said, leaning forward to reach a manila envelope that lay on the coffee table in front of him.
¨What is it? ¨she asked with a puzzled look.
¨It appears I can´t leave my past behind. I knew it´d come back knocking at my door. I wish I could spare you this, darling. You´re the best thing that has ever happened to me. ¨
¨What´s inside that envelope? ¨
¨Something I wish I could erase. ¨
¨Is someone blackmailing you, Danny? ¨
¨He´s threatened to send a similar envelope to my dad and, you know what that means. Dad doesn´t have an inkling and he must never know. If he ever found out, he´d disinherit me and you´d end up in the street.¨
¨I didn´t marry you because of your fortune, Danny. What does this man want? ¨
¨The hotels. He wants me to sign the sale papers for the whole chain. ¨
¨What? ¨she asked outraged. ¨He wants the only thing that´s truly yours. When you took the reins they were nothing... ¨
¨I think I have no choice but to give in. If these photographs arrive at my father´s doorstep... ¨
¨They won´t, ¨she said determinedly. ¨Leave it to me. When and where are you supposed to contact this... this... ? ¨she asked, searching for the correct term to name the person who could have no qualms about destroying the life of another human being.
¨Darling... it´s too dangerous. ¨
¨Don´t tell me, Daniel Leckhelm, there´s nothing of the highlander left in you. We´re going to fight this. Now... when and where, Danny? ¨
¨The day after tomorrow. Room 107 at The Stafford. You´d have to travel all the way to London. ¨
¨That won´t pose a problem, Daniel. Put your mind at rest. We´ll find a solution.¨
CHAPTER 4: Têtê-à-têtê
Two months after his trip to Zurich, Lex checked in his favourite hotel in St James´s. He preferred it to The Ritz or the Hilton for its secluded location and the discretion of its staff. It was the perfect accommodation for the business he had in mind.
He had a relaxing bath in the marble tub- bathrooms in this hotel were extraordinary examples of craftsmanship- and ordered a continental breakfast. It was Friday and the deadline had arrived. He just had to sit down and wait. He had bided his time and was ready to reap the fruits of his patience.
At about ten o´clock the phone on his bedside table rang, and the receptionist informed him there was somebody asking for the guest of room 107.
¨ Send him up, please, ¨responded Lex.
¨It´s a she, sir, ¨said the receptionist. ¨She insisted you were expecting her. ¨
¨Ask her her name, please, ¨said Lex with a frown.
¨The lady says she´s Mrs Leckmelm, sir. ¨
¨I´ll see her. Tell her to wait for me at the restaurant. ¨
¨All right, sir, ¨answered the receptionist, putting down the receiver. ¨He´ll be down in a minute, madam, ¨he said, addressing the young woman. ¨Stevens, escort the lady to the restaurant, please. ¨
Lex put on his Italian tailor-made jacket and left his room for the lift. He didn´t relish the idea of dealing with a woman- least of all if the female turned out to be Leckmelm´s mother- but he had come all this way and wasn´t willing to back off.
When the lift stopped on the ground floor, he stepped out and ambled to the exclusive restaurant. His favourite table was located behind a marble column next to an exquisite French window, and Lex walked towards it, observing the back of the woman that was already sitting at it. He had been wrong in his assumption; the woman couldn´t be Leckmelm´s mother.
As the younger Luthor approached the young lady, he felt a sudden chill in his bones. He would have recognised that swan neck anywhere. He stopped across the table and saw her lift her eyes to meet his and felt the knot in his stomach tighten.
¨Lana? ¨whispered an emotional Lex.
¨L... Lex? ¨she stammered. ¨What... What are you doing here? ¨she asked with a puzzled look on her face.
¨I´m meeting someone. ¨
¨Room 107? ¨asked Lana with a grim foreboding.
¨Christ! Are you Mrs Leckmelm, Lana? ¨the truth dawning on him.
¨I am. Mrs Laura Leckmelm. ¨
¨Laura? Wasn´t that your mother´s name? ¨
¨It´s my name now. I needed to start afresh, ¨she responded, swallowing the lump in her throat.
¨You mean you didn´t want me to find you, ¨he answered, sitting down across her.
¨Nothing would have stopped you, Lex, if you´d really wanted to track me down, ¨she responded with a catch in her voice.
¨I thought it was for the best. ¨
¨The best for whom? ¨
¨Are you saying you wanted me to come for you, Lana? Why did you ask for divorce, then? ¨
¨I´m not here to talk about us, Lex. ¨
¨Right. You´re married now, aren´t you? Although, I can´t understand what kind of marriage it is. ¨
¨He´s a good man, Lex. He reminds me a lot of you. ¨
¨Is that why you married him? You cannot be happy with Leckmelm, Lana. ¨
¨I thought we both agreed there´s no such thing as happiness, Lex. ¨
¨Satisfied, then. Can you honestly say you´re satisfied with this sham? ¨
¨Careful, Lex, ¨she warned him. ¨Tell me this isn´t because of... ¨
¨It isn´t, ¨snapped Lex. ¨Believe me, Lana. I didn´t know Leckmelm was married- least of all to you. ¨
¨Only three people knew of our marriage. You´re the fourth now.¨
¨Why keep it a secret? ¨
¨Isn´t it obvious, Lex? Getting married to a Laird´s son is the surest way to make the headlines in Britain. Now... let´s get down to business. How much do you want for the negatives, Lex? ¨
¨This isn´t a question of money, Lana, ¨he responded gravely.
¨We both know that everyone has a price, Lex. Name it. This isn´t worth finishing someone´s dignity. ¨
¨He should have known better, Lana. ¨
¨These photos are the past, Lex. If I´m not wrong, you had a questionable past before coming to Smallville. Don´t you believe in second chances? ¨
¨I used to believe I could fight my destiny. Unfortunately I was proven wrong. In your husband´s case, things will be a lot harder. Nobody can change that much. What brings me back to my original question: Why did you marry him? Did you know the truth from the very beginning?¨
¨I did, Lex, and it´s never been an issue. He needs me and I won´t let you destroy him. ¨
¨I´m ready to negotiate. The question is: are you willing to do anything to protect your husband?¨
TBC
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