77: Choice
Since her arrival in Smallville, and her near death, Lena Luthor could feel her luck beginning to turn. Maybe it was the universe giving her a break after everything she had recently had to endure, or maybe it was just a brief period of calm before it decided to strike her again.
Whatever the case, Lena wasn't the kind of person to waste opportunities handed to her on a silver platter, and so she had spent her time in the quiet town planning her next moves.
She had always been careful, meticulous. Despite her strong desire for revenge against her brother, she knew that if she wanted to take back everything he had stolen from her, and more, she needed to be patient, move cautiously, and strike when he least expected it.
Which wouldn't necessarily be too difficult, because Lex had always had the bad habit of underestimating everyone around him, especially her.
Her brother was as arrogant as he was intelligent, and now that she no longer felt any kindness towards him, Lena had no qualms about using his weaknesses to teach him why betraying her had been the worst of his decisions.
But how to do it was the problem. However patient she was, Lena did not want to wait an entire decade, or longer, before she had enough capital to confront him.
The world was changing too fast, too unpredictably. Dragging things out would only increase the risk of running into an unexpected event. Lena didn't know what she would do if, somehow, Lex ended up dying in some absurd accident before she could get her revenge... or if it was her who did, instead.
She had already been close enough to that recently. If it hadn't been for Carol, she would be swimming with the fishes right now; hopefully buried next to her mother… if Lex still had any decency left in him.
That was why she had been looking for a good opportunity: a fast yet safe way that would allow her to increase her capital and influence.
Which was easier said than done. Creating a profitable and thriving business was a dream for most people; a dream that was nearly impossible to achieve.
But Lena was confident. Despite her youth, her experience in business and management was top-tier; her father had made sure of that.
Lionel Luthor might have had many flaws, but when it came to making money, the man handled it like an art, and he had made every effort to pass on each of his methods to his two children.
Lena may not have been willing to use the murkiest and darkest parts of the lessons he had instilled in her, but everything else was enough for anyone with a bit of cunning and intelligence to amass a small fortune in just a few years.
Well, Lena was much more than just a little intelligent and certainly quite shrewd when necessary… The problem was that none of that made opportunities come knocking at her door on their own.
Maybe her brother underestimated her, but he wasn't stupid. Lex understood that if he let her loose and unbound, she would become a great and annoying thorn in his side. That was why he had done everything possible to make sure that, at least in the short term, it wouldn't be easy for her to set foot outside Smallville.
It was a dirty game: an invisible confinement that left her little room to maneuver, and that only worked because Lena refused to lower herself to his level.
Limited as she was, she didn't just sit idly by. Making use of her already scarce contacts, she made sure to look for any promising opportunity, finding some more than interesting ones, though few truly within her reach.
It was more than frustrating to watch businesses with great potential slip through her fingers, but she didn't let that discourage her. She only needed to be patient; as long as she played her cards right, she knew the day would come when she would rise to the top again. She just had to wait... or at least, that had been the plan. Until she saw him.
Despite having an entire mansion to herself, Lena didn't like spending too much time in it. It reminded her too much of her childhood: lonely and empty, a home far too big for so few people. The fact that she still hadn't bothered to hire domestic help didn't help either; she preferred to do things on her own, just as her mother had taught her.
Too bad she had never been the best cook. That was why she often ate out. Luckily, Smallville wasn't lacking in good food. All the ingredients used by the local establishments were fresh and, though simple, every dish served had a certain homely touch that was rarely found in big-city restaurants.
Lena loved it, and she had already chosen her favorite place for each meal. So, like every day since she had arrived in town, she headed there right at noon, after visiting the fertilizer plant her brother had so "kindly" left her.
To be honest, Lena didn't have high expectations for the plant: it was old, with decaying facilities and a production barely able to cover maintenance costs. It had only taken her a few days to detect all kinds of disastrous problems practically everywhere.
She didn't understand why her father had kept the place, but since it was hers now, she would at least make sure it kept running... until she decided whether or not to dismantle it.
Although she wouldn't gain much by doing so, it was still a good plan B in case she ever needed extra funds to invest in something more profitable... Or she could turn it into something else.
The land was spacious and, although the buildings were old, they were still stable. Of course, some parts would have to be torn down and others rebuilt, but the foundation was there. Without a doubt, it could be transformed into something different and better.
But into what?
While her mind was still flooded with such thoughts, she sat in her usual spot, placing her laptop on the table and starting to browse through her files, waiting for the waitress to come over and take her order.
"I got it!"
"Cough, cough, cough!"
The exclamation, followed by a series of harsh coughs, pulled her out of her thoughts, making her frown slightly. Almost unconsciously, she looked up toward the source of the sound.
The first thing she noticed was a beautiful blonde woman coughing uncontrollably, with her cheeks flushed red. Lena couldn't help but let her gaze linger briefly on her face and her peculiar violet eyes; they looked surprisingly real, nothing like those cheap contact lenses flooding the market.
They were strangely fascinating. But if that had been all, Lena would have looked away without paying any more attention... Or that had been the idea, until her eyes focused on the other person at the table, immediately sparking her interest.
Not just because of his appearance. Like any young woman still in her early twenties, Lena wasn't a stranger to feeling a certain physical attraction toward others, and whether it was that man or the woman beside him, both of them undoubtedly met most of her tastes.
However, her strict upbringing had taught her to always see beyond the superficial and never let herself be impressed by any pretty face she happened to come across. And, well, having spent almost all her adolescence in a boarding school full of women hadn't exactly contributed to making her interest in men particularly high.
No, the reason was different. She recognized him; she had seen his face before. But where? She was sure it was the first time she had run into him in Smallville. She knew it, because her memory was excellent, and if they had met before, then she would remember.
The thought was intriguing enough to distract her from everything else. Although she tried to refocus on her own business, she couldn't help but glance at him from time to time, her curiosity sharper than usual.
As she carefully studied his face, something finally clicked in her head. With a hurried gesture, she grabbed her laptop and frantically searched through her files until she managed to find what she was looking for.
Although leaving Smallville was rather complicated for her at the moment, Lena had still done everything she could to stay up to date with every important event that might offer her the opportunity she sought, and the Baxter Foundation's science fair was, without a doubt, the one she paid the most attention to.
Under normal circumstances, she would have attended in person, as she had in every previous year; but given her situation, this time she had to settle for sending someone else in her place to gather data.
Because of the strange incident that took place that day, the event was cut short halfway through. Luckily, the person she had sent was far from the center of the disaster, so they weren't affected and, once things calmed down, were able to obtain and deliver the recordings of most of the presentations made before the venue collapsed.
Among them, there were several that caught her attention, but one in particular was the one she saw the most potential in.
'Element V,' she thought, clicking open the folder that contained the video of the presentation where the man, who was now only a few meters away from her, was showcasing his creation.
She couldn't help it; the corners of her lips began to rise. Barely managing to contain her excitement, Lena quickly reread all the information she had managed to gather about Daniel at the time, which, in truth, wasn't much.
Of course, she had already tried to locate and contact him, just as everyone else who saw the potential in his invention surely did.
However, all those attempts had hit a solid wall: the man was like a ghost. No matter whom she asked or where she looked, no one seemed to know anything about him, as if the science fair had been the place where he appeared for the first time.
Given her limited resources at the moment, Lena had no choice but to give up the search. Who would have imagined that, on an ordinary day, she would run into him, and in Smallville, of all places?
'This is an opportunity.' A far too good one. Only a few days had passed since the science fair had taken place; there was a small chance he hadn't yet struck any kind of deal with a company. If somehow she managed to convince him to work with her…
'But would he?' That question cooled her excitement by several degrees.
Maybe once, working by her side would have been a privilege for many, even a dream. But right now, Lena didn't have much to offer, and anything she could put on the table would surely pale in comparison to the other offers he had already received. With that in mind, her chances didn't just seem slim, they were almost nonexistent.
'Even so… I have to try,' she decided, crushing her doubts. Whether he accepted or not, at the very least, getting his contact and establishing a connection wouldn't be a loss.
"Oooh! Mmmm!~" The sound brought her back to reality again. It wasn't very loud, but it was striking enough to draw attention, and she couldn't help but raise an eyebrow as she watched the blonde woman savor her food as if that dish were the most delicious thing in the world.
'They must be on a date,' she thought, noticing how close they seemed. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to interrupt them so suddenly, but if she did nothing, there was no guarantee they would meet again anytime soon.
She just hoped the woman wasn't the jealous type, or it would only make things more complicated… While she was thinking about it, their eyes suddenly met. Lena saw her raise her eyebrows in surprise before giving her a wide smile and then whispering something while pointing in her direction with little discretion.
'Well, she doesn't seem upset.' Being caught staring was a bit awkward, but Lena didn't let the slight embarrassment she felt stop her.
Since she had been noticed, she was ready to stand up and approach them, but before she could do so, the man stood up first.
He was quite tall, more than he appeared at first glance; it hadn't been as noticeable in the video, perhaps because of the lab coat he had worn during his presentation, but he was clearly in good shape. Assurance was evident in his posture; he seemed like someone easy to talk to, even pleasant to be around. Lena couldn't quite define it, but there was something about him that radiated a natural self-assurance, with not a trace of arrogance or conceit.
She studied him as best she could, looking for anything that might help her in the conversation they were about to have: a flaw, a quirk, any hint of something else; however, there didn't seem to be anything.
Or so she thought, until she saw him freeze briefly when their eyes met. His surprise was unexpected but welcome. To Lena, it was obvious that he had recognized her and had immediately taken an interest in her presence. He didn't even try to hide it; on the contrary, he showed it openly, as if trying to conceal it would be pointless.
It was strange. For someone used to dealing with all kinds of manipulative, corrupt, and dishonest people, finding someone capable of showing his emotions so freely was disconcerting, yet at the same time, oddly soothing.
Letting out a quiet sigh of relief, Lena felt much calmer now; without realizing it, she had grown more nervous than she should have, a rookie mistake she hadn't expected to make again. Her father would probably be rolling in his grave if he saw her.
The thought brought a brief smile to her lips, but it wasn't the time to get distracted. Soon, Daniel reached her table and, with a polite gesture, pointed to the chair across from her.
"May I sit?" he asked, and she nodded, allowing him to take a seat.
"I was just about to go to your table," she admitted, closing the lid of her laptop.
"That's interesting. I don't recall us having met before,"
"That's true, but you've surely heard of me, and you could say I have a particular interest in you." she said tentatively, still thinking about how to approach this conversation without sounding too desperate.
Her words seemed to spark his curiosity. Lena noticed a flicker of confusion in his eyes, as if he didn't fully understand what she meant.
"Well… whatever I did to earn the personal attention of a Luthor, it must be important," he replied, and at that moment, Lena knew he still had no idea what she was after.
"Oh, it undoubtedly is. And I believe it could benefit us both greatly… if you're willing to hear my proposal."
Daniel raised an eyebrow, remaining silent for a moment before slowly nodding.
"I'm all ears."
Lena swallowed silently. Good, she had his interest. She didn't yet have a foolproof plan to win more than that, but, based on her experience and what little she had observed of him so far, she strongly sensed that the best approach was to be clear, without intrigue or attempts at manipulation; otherwise, she could end up with nothing.
"I saw your presentation on Element V," she began after taking a deep breath.
"You've probably already received dozens of offers regarding its production and distribution. I'm interested to know if you've reached an agreement on the matter with any company yet."
As if all his doubts suddenly cleared, Daniel's eyes lit up and a faint smile appeared on his lips.
"No, I haven't finalized anything yet," he answered honestly.
In fact, he had been ignoring the matter until now, so much so that it hadn't even crossed his mind that this could be the reason she had recognized him in his civilian identity, although, in retrospect, it made perfect sense.
He didn't remember seeing her among the audience that day, nor among the people he had helped evacuate after he closed the spatial rift. But that didn't mean much, considering the entire event had been recorded by the Baxter Foundation to be broadcast later on television for those who couldn't attend in person.
And although he had made sure to cover up everything related to Reed's machine incident, going as far as to modify every possible video file in the foundation's database with Lara's help, that didn't mean he had done the same with his presentation on Element V and the V-Fiber.
Anyone with the right means could easily gain access to the unreleased footage from most of the event, and it wasn't surprising that Lena was one of those people.
'I should have seen it coming' he chided himself internally with some amusement and a touch of embarrassment.
He had been so distracted by everything that had happened over the past few days that he completely overlooked something that should have been obvious from the start, worrying over nothing… maybe he was getting a little too paranoid.
Lena didn't notice the faint sigh Daniel let out, as she was too busy fighting to contain the surge of excitement that filled her upon hearing his response.
Although she wasn't a pessimist, she was a realist. She knew the chances were low and had already prepared herself mentally for disappointment. She hadn't expected her luck to shine on her again today and, surprisingly, the least likely outcome had become reality, making it almost impossible for her to suppress her joy.
As if a burst of inspiration had struck her, Lena suddenly knew what she had to do, and without hesitating any longer, she began to speak, her voice filled with more confidence than she had ever felt before.
"In that case, I won't beat around the bush. I want to work with you and take charge of the production and commercialization of Element V. If you agree, I assure you that, with my help, turning your vision of a safer world into reality won't take long," she said with genuine sincerity.
In another kind of negotiation, Lena would have been more reserved, more strategic. But in this case, where what she had to offer was limited, the only option she found was to bet on her own worth and ideals. Things that would undoubtedly be scorned by anyone else, but not by the man sitting across from her.
Why was she so certain? Because she had seen it in his eyes, in his way of speaking, in everything about his demeanor during the presentation on Element V. Every part of his speech that day had centered on how his invention could improve people's lives, give them safety and protection, change the world.
And a man like that wasn't won over with promises of profit or million-dollar offers, because he wasn't a businessman or an investor: he was an idealist. And the best way to win an idealist's trust was by sharing their vision… or, at least, part of it.
Of course, her greatest motivation was still revenge. But if there was an undeniable truth, it was that Lena Luthor was not like her father, and much less like her brother. Maybe it was a naïve thought, but deep down she still believed that making the world a better place and becoming rich in the process didn't have to be incompatible goals.
That clash of ideals was the reason why, at the time, she refused to continue working at LuthorCorp, once she discovered just how deep the filth her family's company was buried in truly went. And it was also the reason why she believed, naïvely, that she could change it for the better after her father's death… at least until Lex decided to betray her by not sharing her vision of how things should be managed.
And so, following her intuition, Lena made her proposal in the only way she believed would be effective, the one that would convince him that she was the best option, the best partner he could ever find.
Of course, there was always the possibility she was wrong. Maybe Daniel wasn't what he appeared to be; perhaps behind that friendly smile and that air of kindness, something dark and terrible was hiding… something like her father, like Lex.
But if that was the case, there was nothing more to say. Lena would rather spend her whole life in Smallville than make deals with someone like that.
Upon hearing her, Daniel raised his eyebrows. He didn't say anything right away; instead, he looked at her closely for a few seconds, lifting his hand to rub his chin as if analyzing each of her words deeply.
He was… surprised. There was no other way to put it. Although he had already guessed, for the most part, what Lena was after, he hadn't expected her to express it so… sincerely.
He had prepared himself to hear the usual shrewd business pitch, but this, to say it exceeded his expectations, would be an understatement.
'Maybe this could work,' he thought, clearing his mind.
He had been worried for some time about getting his textile "empire" up and running. However, to say that Lena was his only option to do so would be a lie. A product like Element V would instantly see every door it knocked on open, and multimillion-dollar offers would greet it wherever it appeared.
But if making money were the only thing that motivated him, then he wouldn't be who he was.
The potential profits didn't even take a back seat in his mind. Of course, they were important to fund some of the projects he had been thinking about, but what truly mattered was that V-Fiber, and any other product derived from Element V that might be made in the future, would be affordable for the general public.
Daniel would feel much more at ease if every person on the street could be wearing a bulletproof shirt and pants when the damn alien invasions started hitting the planet, one after another.
An unrealistic dream, objectively speaking, but one he was still willing to work for.
And since that was the case, Daniel knew that finding the right person to cooperate with would not be easy. Even more so considering he wouldn't be able to devote all his attention to the business.
Whoever was chosen would have to handle most of the management, direct every aspect properly, and make sure everything worked to the letter… and that required much more than simply signing a contract with strict clauses.
Requirements so severe that he had even considered placing the burden on the shoulders of Overwatch,his virtual intelligence still in its diapers. Of course, before that, he would have to work on it extensively and turn it into a true, full-fledged Artificial Intelligence. An idea that, at first glance, might seem good… but only if you ignored everything that could happen if something went wrong.
No, there wasn't going to be a Skynet in the world because of him.
That brought him back to the crossroads: finding someone capable enough, trustworthy enough, and 'honest' enough to bear the burden and responsibility of having Element V placed in their hands.
The question now was… did Lena meet those requirements?
'I can't deny she's capable; her achievements, both academic and in business, prove that. But… whether she's trustworthy or not, that's another matter entirely.'
Daniel had researched the Luthors quite a bit. He knew that, of all of them, Lena was the "cleanest": no scandals, no criminal record. At least on paper, she was the complete opposite of the rest of her family. But reality wasn't something that could be verified so easily.
Trusting her could be one of his worst decisions, but… remembering her words, the look in her eyes, and the tone of her voice, Daniel couldn't deny the honesty he had perceived in each of them: a genuine, almost desperate desire to be given a chance and prove her worth.
Without being able to help it, his eyes briefly drifted toward where Harleen was sitting. The blonde pretended to keep eating as if nothing were happening, but Daniel could feel her gaze fixed on them every so often, with an intensity that was hard to ignore. It was something endearing, exasperating, yet amusing at the same time.
'A leap of faith, huh?' Choosing to believe in people was, probably, one of the dumbest acts that existed. But what kind of hero would he be if he didn't try? It had worked once before; he just needed to believe it would work a second time as well.
With his decision made, Daniel focused on Lena and spoke, pronouncing each word clearly.
…
…
Harleen toyed with the cutlery in her hands, humming a catchy tune she couldn't remember where she had picked up. She was trying to distract herself, but no matter how much she tried, her curiosity kept poking at her like an annoying pebble in her shoe.
When she had suggested that Daniel go talk to the woman who'd been watching him, she'd thought it would be a brief affair: a greeting and a bit of polite small talk that would end with him quickly coming back, maybe with a funny or embarrassing anecdote to tell her.
So… why had they been talking nonstop for almost twenty minutes? And why were they smiling so much?!
The pout on her face deepened. Harleen narrowed her eyes in their direction once more, wondering if using her powers to eavesdrop would be too excessive.
As a psychiatrist, she knew privacy was sacred, but this wasn't a therapy session. Nothing would happen if she just listened a little… right?
Just as temptation began to outweigh her morals, she saw Daniel stand up, shake the woman's hand, and then walk back toward their table calmly.
Startled, she quickly turned away, trying to feign indifference, but her sudden movement caused her half-full glass to spill all over the table.
"Damn it!" she hissed through her teeth, muttering a string of curses under her breath as she clumsily tried to clean up her mess.
"Tsk!" Daniel looked at her disapprovingly, shaking his head slightly to her annoyance; still, he helped her clean up before returning to his seat.
"So? How did it go?" Harleen asked after a few seconds of silence, crossing her arms and trying to sound as if she didn't really care.
"Well, you were right," Daniel replied with a shrug.
"Huh?" Harleen blinked in confusion.
"She asked for my number."
Her eyes widened at his words. Like a spring that had been waiting far too long to be released, she suddenly lunged toward him, nearly climbing onto the table.
"Really?!" she exclaimed loudly, making several heads turn their way again, though this time, the looks were less curious and more irritated.
Letting out an amused huff, Daniel gently pushed Harleen back into her seat before raising his hand to signal a nearby waitress to bring them the check.
"Well, there was a lot more to it than that, but I'll tell you later. It's getting late; we'd better hurry or the furniture store guys will get there before us," he said, reminding her of the things they still had to do.
In particular, being at the house at the agreed time to receive Harleen's new furniture.
If there was another good thing about living in Smallville, it was that delivery services could be pretty fast in some cases. Otherwise, no matter how big Daniel's new truck was, they would have needed more than one trip to haul everything Harleen had bought.
She pouted but knew he was right. Their lunch had already lasted longer than they had planned, and if she wanted to finish getting what she still needed before they had to head back, they had to hurry.
Grumbling to herself, she gathered her hair that had been tousled by her earlier movement and then gave him a mischievous smile, a glint of teasing light shining in her eyes.
"You know, it's not good for your reputation to leave a girl halfway~" she said playfully, raising her eyebrows up and down with subtle teasing just as the waitress Daniel had called over arrived at their table with the check. The middle-aged woman paused for a moment upon hearing her, giving them both a strange look.
Daniel sighed inwardly and, ignoring her poor attempt at provocation, simply paid the bill and dragged her along despite her protests.
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Meanwhile, in another part of Smallville.
"Are you okay?" Chloe asked with some concern. "Because your face looks like someone who just ate a very sour lemon," she pointed out, making Carol's left eyelid twitch.
The Kryptonian took a deep, long breath before forcing a smile and nodding slowly.
"I'm fine," she said in the calmest tone Chloe had ever heard from her. It was so cold she almost believed she could see her breath freezing the air.
Frowning, she wrapped her arms around herself as she felt a sudden gust of icy wind hit her.
"Ugh! You can tell the year's almost over," she muttered to herself while shivering, before turning her attention back to her friend.
"Anyway, have you decided whether you'll go to the prom? I know parties aren't really your thing, but this will be our last dance! You really should come," Chloe said, almost pleadingly.
In all the years they'd gone to school together, she had never managed to convince Carol to come with her to any of the important events, not a single one! But this time, she had promised herself she'd bring her along, even if she had to drag her there.
Carol glanced sideways at her best friend, already sensing her thoughts. If it had been before, she probably would've found it annoying, but this time it was the complete opposite. Letting her lips curl slightly upward, she closed her locker before turning toward her and nodding firmly.
"I think I will," she said with genuine anticipation. Saying she had never been interested in attending a dance would be a lie, but she had simply never found the right date... until now.
Seeing her shy smile and the faint blush that lit up her cheeks, Chloe's eyes went wide, her body frozen for a brief moment until her brain finally processed her words.
The squeal of excitement she let out then immediately drew the attention of everyone around them in the hallway. With a grimace forming on her face, Carol quickly lowered her hearing sensitivity to that of a normal person, barely managing to keep her eardrums from starting to buzz.
Chloe nearly started jumping with excitement, but halfway through her euphoria her body froze, and her lively expression shifted into one of suspicion and wariness.
"It's because of him, isn't it?" she asked quietly, frowning.
"Do you need to ask?" Carol didn't deny it. Slinging her backpack over her shoulder, she turned and began to move, walking toward the school exit.
Letting out a grunt, Chloe slammed her locker shut, grabbed her backpack, and quickly followed her.
"Unbelievable. Your best friend since preschool spends years trying to get you out of your shell without any success, but all it takes is for some random guy to appear, and suddenly the butterfly spreads her wings," she hissed under her breath, complaining openly.
"He's not-"
"He's not some random guy," Chloe cut her off mid-sentence, in a tone that sounded exactly like hers but with an obvious touch of mockery.
Both stopped abruptly, turning to stare intently at each other in a battle of stares that Chloe could barely sustain, and not just because she had to stand on tiptoe to face her.
Carol had always been like a thick wall of ice to her: impenetrable, unshakeable. Being her friend had been quite the challenge over the years. It's not like she regretted it, but… she felt she deserved more than this.
'Great, now I'm jealous,' she thought, sighing and deflating like a punctured balloon.
For her part, Carol didn't know exactly what to say. It wasn't that she didn't understand what was going on, but even if she did, dealing with it wasn't easy for her. Despite knowing each other for so long, the truth was that Chloe still didn't understand who she really was.
She could try telling her, opening up and revealing everything, but the moment the idea crossed her mind, Carol crushed it mercilessly. There was too much at stake... or was she simply afraid? She didn't know for sure, but she chose not to take any chances.
"All right, all right... fine." Chloe took a long breath to calm herself down. This wasn't the time for arguments; teenage drama needed to be left behind. Soon she'd be heading to the university of her dreams, and there was a chance she wouldn't see Carol again for several years. She didn't want their friendship to turn bitter or for them to part on bad terms.
She was still worried about her friend, of course, but there were things that simply couldn't be avoided. Each of them had their own life, and if Carol ended up crashing for choosing the wrong first love... well, that was a mistake she'd have to face on her own. They weren't kids anymore, after all.
"We need to get you a dress. A spectacular one. We'll make sure that when he sees you, he goes crazy, so much that he won't be able to take his eyes off you for even a second. I promise you, with that figure and that face, he'll be the one crawling after you for the rest of his life!" Chloe suddenly exclaimed, her eyes sparkling and her fists clenched with excitement.
Since she couldn't stop Carol from falling into that Daniel guy's honey trap, she might as well help her and make sure she conquered him completely. Who knows, maybe it wouldn't be such a bad thing; perhaps, in reality, they were perfect for each other and she was just being overly paranoid.
Seeing her sudden change in attitude, Carol blinked in surprise, but her confusion didn't last long, and soon she was caught up in the lively atmosphere, listening intently to the "amazing" conquest plan Chloe had started to concoct for her.
As they walked and chatted enthusiastically, Chloe felt much more relaxed and at peace... at least until a sudden thought hit her like a freight truck.
'Wait... if Carol's going with Daniel, doesn't that mean I'm the only one who still doesn't have a date?'
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Note:
Finally, the new chapter is here!
It ended up being longer than I expected, but in my defense, playing around with different points of view always turns out to be as tricky as it is entertaining. I hope it didn't feel too heavy; I'm still figuring out how to make my writing flow more smoothly, which means a fair bit of experimenting.
While doing so, there's always that thought lingering—that things could go wrong—but at the same time, you hope they'll go right. It's contradictory, I know, but I suppose there's no better way to improve than by taking risks. Whether you mess up or get it right, the only thing that truly matters is learning from the process, right?
Leaving my ramblings aside, let's talk a bit about the chapter itself.
Some time ago, people started asking me if I had forgotten all about the Element V business… Well, here's the answer: from the very beginning, I always had Lena in mind as that "business partner" Daniel needed.
Of course, behind his decision to cooperate with her lie far more nuances than what can be seen at first glance. Having Lena around is, in a way, like having Lex Luthor around. And you know what they say: keep your friends close and your enemies even closer.
These past few chapters have been somewhat calmer and more informative, focusing much more on character and relationship development, but as you know, it's all to pave the way for what's coming next. I know there are many interesting things to tackle, and I truly appreciate your patience so far. I promise to do my best not to leave anything out.
Anyway, I wish you all a good morning, afternoon, or night, wherever you may be.
See you in the next chapter!
Remember that you can already find the next chapter of this story on Patreon( patreon com/EmmaCruzader ) All the support received is appreciated ;D