3.10, Whisper

After going blind in a freak accident involving kryptonite and heat vision, Clark attempts to go back to school; sounds suddenly become amplified, specifically Chloe talking on a cellphone(unknowingly) yards away.*   She's arguing with Lionel Luthor about researching Clark yet again; she reiterates that she's done with their deal.  Lionel warns her from going back to Lex at all and tells her she will give him a new report on Clark.

Chloe visits him later in the day, clueless that he knows the truth.  Clark brings up Lionel anyway, asking her how long she's been dealing with the billionaire.  Chloe admits that it's been since last spring but she didn't tell him anything he didn't already know and he wasn't sharing anything with her.   Clark is livid that she traded him for a column and some new Torch computers regardless; she replies that Lionel caught her at a moment of weakness.   Chloe adds that once Lionel had a hold of her, he didn't want to let go; she thought of all people, Clark would of understood making a stupid decision.

I'll be whatever I want.

Lionel calls Chloe all the way into Metropolis because he suspects that she's been talking to Lex again; this isn't true and she denies it.  Lionel tells her if she just admit she fed something to Lex then he'll not cancel her column.   Chloe says he can, warning him that she'll give the Daily Planet a story about "an eccentric billionaire with an obsessive interest in a Kansas farm boy."   Lionel warns her not to threaten him and Chloe retorts that she'll "be whatever [she] wants."

Chloe runs into Pete and Clark at the Talon where she says she's glad their okay.   Pete coaxes out of her that she's lost her Planet column, additionally that Lex fired her father.   Clark's taken aback by the later, but Chloe simply tells him to go talk to Lex.

* In the comics, Clark has memorized Lois' heartbeat and can hear it out of everyone else in the world (as  recently recanonized in For Tomorrow's arc); out of everyone to hear with his super hearing, Chloe is the first.  This trend continues in the following seasons.