Chapter Text
Another day another long span of hours having to listen to retellings of Lila's numerous exploits with her "boyfriend", Damian Wayne. Last night, Lila had supposedly gone on a date with the boy to a trendy nightclub. The photos she showed this morning were obvious pictures that can be found on any search engine. In addition, Jon had shown me a classmate's post at the Academy that put Lila at a coffee shop on the same block as the hotel. At least I would be free of the mere mention of Lila while satisfying the terms of my internship at Wayne Enterprises. It was the little things that made life livable.
"Marinette!" I turned to see Tim waving me over at the front desk. Adrien's heated gaze burned holes into my back, but I couldn't possibly deny the co-CEO of Wayne Enterprises. Guilt weighed in my stomach at the feeling of appreciation at being granted an excuse to avoid my boyfriend, but not regret. "There you are. How was the ride over? I heard the traffic was a little heavy today."
A warm smile that has become a rarity spread across my face. "Long, but that might have been the company."
Tim laughed, a genuinely happy sound that drew many eyes towards us in surprise. From the reaction, I guessed that Tim didn’t laugh very often. "I could tell you stories. Anywho, I have a request to make of you if you're so inclined. Your parents are bakers, right? I may have done a little snooping about you and saw on your social platforms that you inherited their skills."
A cheerful giggle erupted from my throat, starling me as I hadn't giggled in a long time. Not since Lila. "They taught me everything they know. My parent's bakery was voted best in France last year and is in the running again this year."
"Congratulations. I'll have to keep that in mind." Tim touched a finger to his forehead. "So…the department heads are going to be meeting with Bruce and I to talk about a charity auction we'll be hosting around the holidays later this year. Our cook fell ill and we are without snacks for this long and arduous meeting. Would you be so kind as to make crepe suzette for us? We have the equipment for it in the kitchens, just no one to use it."
“This building has a kitchen?”
Tim confirmed with a nod. “Yep. There’s a cafe on the fourth floor. We had it installed to provide a place for our employees to eat somewhere safe so they wouldn’t have to leave the building. Anything made that isn’t eaten here is distributed to the homeless.”
“That’s wonderful!” The chance to bake for some of the most powerful people of a multi-billion dollar company. No pressure. "What about my internship? Shouldn't I be helping with the paperwork?"
Tim whipped his phone from his pocket with one hand. "I already covered it with Dimitri. He's cool with it so long as we give you back. He says you are a dedicated worker and he'd hate to lose you. So are you up for it, or do you prefer paperwork?"
It was a no brainer. "I would love to bake for you."
His smile was almost too bright to look at without long-term side effects. "Excellent! Go ahead and put your bag at your assigned desk and head to the kitchens, fourth floor. They'll have what you need prepared. We'll be on floor 49, conference room 2B. Left at the elevator, second door to the right. Can't miss it."
"Fourth floor. 49. 2B. Left. Second right." I repeated the critical information more for myself than to assure Tim that he had been heard. “No problem.”
He was tapping away on his device, the latest and most expensive model in sleek black. “The meeting starts in twenty minutes, but don’t sweat it if you're running a little late. Just focus on getting what you need.”
Tim left for the elevator leaving me standing with Adrien, Max, and… unfortunately Lila. My boyfriend was beaming with pride. “Wow, a personal favor from a Wayne. Before you know it, he’ll be commissioning you for a new suit!”
Max offered his own excited grin. “You’re going to be in the same room with the Heads of all the departments and the CEOs! This could be a great chance for you to make a lasting impression!”
Of course Lila had to draw attention back to her. It wouldn’t do to let me bask in the limelight. With a sickly sweet smile faker than press-on nails, Lila spread her poison. “I’m so glad Timmy took me up on my suggestion! I was just telling Dami-bear and his brothers about what a wonderful baker you were last night over dinner.”
Max looked impressed, but I had to try to pull the wind from her sails. “You were standing right there. I think Mr. Wayne would have said something about you suggesting me. Plus, didn’t you say it was just you and Damian at a nightclub last night?”
Adrien stepped between us. “Look at the time, you really need to get going if you don't want to be late. Come on. I’ll escort you to your floor. Bye Lila! Bye Max! Have fun today!” As soon as the elevator doors were shut, Adrien’s countenance took on a familiar air of disappointment. “Why do you have to antagonize her, Marinette? It’s not like she was hurting you.”
I couldn’t stop the snort of disbelief. “She undermined my own hard earned skills and reputation by insinuating that I needed someone to drop my name just to get noticed. In doing that, she has taken credit for what is essentially a small favor. One would think you’d recognize that for what it was considering your upbringing.”
The next moment found my back against the elevator’s glass walls with Adrien’s hand clenched tightly on my chin. My face was already aching under his fingers, but it was the look on his face that unnerved me. There wasn’t any anger to be found in his emerald green eyes. What was unsettling was the lack of emotion. His gaze was flat. Blank. Too much like a doll’s eyes. For the first time ever, I felt scared in Adrien’s presence.
He was quiet, watching me, until he finally broke the silence. “I don’t like the way he spoke to you.”
My brow twitched. “Huh?”
His hand remained in place. My cheeks were really starting to hurt. “I don’t like the way Mr. Wayne spoke to you. Or the way he looked at you. It’s obvious that he’s completely smitten with my precious kitten. It didn’t help that you were leading him on, m’Lady.”
Unable to tolerate the pain he was inflicting or the nonsense he was spewing, I knocked his hand away in a move my mother had ingrained into me. “What are you talking about? Tim isn’t…”
“Why are you on a first name basis with our boss? Isn’t it a little unprofessional to be addressing him so informally, and in the workplace? We’re representing our school, Marinette. Could you try to be a little less flirtatious before it affects how people think of us?” Adrien took a step back and checked his appearance in the mirror. He didn’t seem to care that my hands were shaking.
Angry that he would actually think I’d flirt with the CEO of a company when I was in a committed relationship with him and that he was still defending Lila after all she had done, my temper loosened the restraint on my tongue. “I’m not the one running around Gotham claiming that they are going to marry into the Wayne family.”
My boyfriend sighed and fixed me with a tired glare. “Stop being so dramatic, Marinette. Lila isn’t hurting anyone. Once she sees that she doesn’t need to lie to make friends, she’ll stop. All you have to do is show her how to be a better person.”
My heart beat wildly in my chest, racing from the adrenaline. “First I was a whorish liability, now I’m a model citizen?”
Only one of his shoulders lifted in a careless shrug. “I never said that. You’re putting words in my mouth. Just remember that you promised me that you’d leave Lila alone.”
The elevator dinged and opened to my floor. I stormed off without looking back, or at least I tried to when Adrien grabbed my arm and yanked me back. The growl that escaped from my throat was almost inhuman as my Omega reacted to the perceived attack. “Let. Go.”
“Give me a kiss first. You know I hate to part on bad terms.” Adrien pecked my gland and licked the tender flesh.
My stomach rolled in rebellion. “And who’s fault is that, Adrien?”
I felt his sigh of annoyance against the nape of my neck. It made my skin crawl. “Well if you would stop overreacting to everything Lila does, you’d see that she can be pretty nice when she wants to be.”
I felt bile threaten to surge up my esophagus. “Only when things are going her way. Believe me when I say that her friendly facade will drop the second you’re no longer useful to her.”
Adrien pulled away with a grunt. “She’s always been nice to me.”
I turned on him wearing a sneer. “Well duh. You have fame, fortune, and you’re set to inherit a world renowned fashion empire. Of course she’s going to be nice to you. She’s planning all the ways she can slither into your bed when she’s not lying to our friends or plotting my downfall.”
He cocked his head to the side. “You know, our friends miss you terribly. They’ll stop excluding you from our outings when you stop antagonizing Lila.”
Trying not to grind my teeth, I turned for the door. “I’d rather give up fashion and become a professional pole dancer than ever willingly spend a moment pretending to be friends with that two-faced lying parasite! In fact, I swear on my Miraculous that I will give my virginity to the first person I see punch Lila in the face!”
The ring bearing boy’s face grew red and his eyes burned. Then he took a deep breath and relaxed back into his friendly facade. “I know you don’t mean that, Mari. You need to stop being so sensitive. I’ll see you at nine. Try not to embarrass yourself.”
I saw his smiling face as the elevator doors closed leaving me to fume silently. Hot tears burned my lower lids, but I forced them down. I would be cooking in the presence of my supervisor’s boss and their boss. Looking like a weepy child would not make a good first impression and I wanted to put my best foot forward.
Mindlessly greeting everyone I had come to know as I put my bag away and headed back to the elevator, I couldn’t help but think over my relationship with Adrien. How was it that he always managed to make me feel so small and immature? Was I really being unreasonable about Lila? She was lying to our classmates, our friends, and manipulating them into doing her bidding. She constantly made empty promises that could lead to very real consequences. Alya’s blog which she once boasted to have ground zero footage of akuma battles and evidence driven theories was now practically a monument to Lila’s grandiose and completely fabricated stories. Alya wanted to be an investigative journalist. If she were to submit her blog as an example of her work on her university applications, it would be tossed into a garbage bin. And Nino, who wanted to write music and direct movies, hasn’t participated in a single junior film competition in years. I would bring them up and mention them to Nino when I could. He would even begin the planning and ask me to design costumes, but then Lila would swoop in and reassure him that she could get him into Hollywood with her numerous contacts with movie directors and producers. Why put in so much effort when networking was all that mattered in show business? I just knew that one day Nino would be left holding the bag and waiting for Lila to come through while making excuse after excuse when she didn’t. And Juleka, Ivan, and Rose. Nathaniel. Mylene. Kim. Max. Alix. All of them put off their work towards their goals in favor of having fun with Lila and her fancy stories.
I guess Lila really was a parasite. She drained everyone else of their time, energy, and money while harming their opportunities for success. It was as if she knew on some conscious level that she would never amount to something great telling lies. And if she couldn’t amount to anything successful and famous, then neither could anyone else if she could help it. But she failed with me, and she would continue to fail. I would make certain of that.
I informed my supervisor about Tim’s request and rushed for the kitchen on the fourth floor when he waved me off with a farewell and good luck. I had wasted enough time arguing with Adrien.
The head chef was a stout and matronly strawberry blonde who reminded me much of my own mother the way she commanded the kitchen. There was a kind twinkle in her hazel eyes as she threatened to string me up by my toes if I failed to return her equipment and how I had better not go drinking the alcohol on the cart even if those French laws didn’t expressly forbid it for us youths. I bumped into a man who introduced himself as Lucius Fox on the elevator. He was a very funny man who looked as if he needed a month of vacation. He laughed when I told him so and agreed. When I asked where I was going, he brightened and informed me he was running late to the same meeting and he’d be happy to walk with me. At least I wouldn’t get lost.
The conference room he led me to was the same sleek black and grays of the rest of the building. It had no artworks on the wall to draw the eye and only a floor to ceiling wall of windows that looked out over the city of Gotham. The long table that could easily fit forty people was occupied by the most powerful people of the business. Bruce Wayne sat at the head of the table with Tim at his right and Damian Wayne to his left. His green eyes caught me for a moment. Unlike Adrien’s cold emerald stare, Damian’s eyes were the green of the underside of a leaf turned up before a storm, and fixed on me. They were so expressive and enchanting. My heart skipped a beat.
I was brought back to reality by the sound of a closing door. I cleared my throat and forced my feelings down. I had a boyfriend after all, my True Mate in Chat Noir, and it wasn’t fair of me to start eyeing up pretty boys.
“Ah, there she is! Thanks for walking her here, Lucius.” Tim addressed his subordinates. “Marinette here will be making Crepe Suzette for us today.”
There was a quiet round of applause. One woman, a graying redhead with kind forest green eyes turned in her chair to beam at me. “Yay! I love crepes!”
Bruce oversaw his employee’s with a mirthful glow in his bright blue eyes. “Cora, I believe you haven’t met your new intern. Marinette, this is Cora Brightman; Head of Purchasing and one of the most unorganized people I have ever met.”
The ageing woman pointed at her boss in jest. “Well if you weren’t so intent on single handedly investing in every cause known to man, I might be able to spare the time to clean up my danger zone of an office. By the by, dear, Dimka has been singing your praises since day one. If you’re as organized as he says you are, do you think you could whip my office into shape?”
I smiled and shrugged, happy to know that my hard work under Dimitri was paying off. “As an intern, I’m here to do whatever you tell me to do.”
Cora smirked excitedly. “Oooh, I like you.”
A thin, wiry man snorted derisively and spoke with a refined british accent. “Wish our intern showed that kind of drive. Little twit just floats around spewing absolute nonsense when she’s not kissing arse. Ever since she’s come in, productivity has taken a nosedive and isn’t showing signs of stopping.”
Another man, this one appearing older albeit friendlier with a face marked by laugh lines, barked a condescending laugh. “You think that’s bad? The boy I got is supposed to be the son of a fashion mogul. He’s amicable enough when everything is running smoothly, but he is an outright moron when it comes to handling confrontation. His best and only solution to any argument, ‘can’t we all just get along?’, is so childishly naive and stupid that I damn near smacked him!”
“My intern is a very bright young man.” Near the end of a table sat a tiny woman with deathly pale skin and intelligent gray eyes made comically large by round wire framed glasses. She was reserved, hardly showing any emotion and observed the room with a logical detachment. “However, he does have a bit of a habit of getting distracted and running off on tangents. He once told me the most ridiculous tale about a girl getting tinnitus rescuing some musician’s cat from being run over by a plane. I had to explain to him three times that a human simply could not get tinnitus with a single close encounter with a jet engine and would probably have blown their ear drums entirely. And the thought of running fast enough to rescue a cat from being run over is utter nonsense as well. How would this person even have gotten past the tarmac workers? The entire story just makes no sense whatsoever. For a smart lad, he is a tad too gullible.”
The wiry man leaned over the table to stage whisper at Cora. “Think we could trade interns for a while?”
She smiled and promptly flipped him off. “My intern, Erik. Sod off.”
“Can we get back to the progress reports, please?” Tim clapped his hands to reorient the group to their task. He shot me a warm grin, his blue eyes glowing. “You can go ahead and get started, Marinette.”
I nodded and reveled in the relaxed energy of the room. Everyone here was so at ease with each other. It was hard to believe that this was a professional workspace. The light atmosphere did wonders in soothing my nerves. “No problem. Is anyone here allergic to gluten, oranges, or alcohol?”
A blond haired man in a mustard yellow suit that oddly worked on him raised a hand. “I’m allergic to bees.”
With a practiced flick of my wrist, I began preparing the wet ingredients. “Thank goodness you said something because I often decorate my plates with live bees.”
“Odd choice, but you are French.” He replied smoothly.
The meeting went on while I whipped up numerous crepes. Considering the number of people, I had to make quite a few to satisfy as a snack. Each department head presented their progress, productivity, and problems then discussed possible solutions with Bruce and Tim with Damian piping in every now and then with carefully worded statements. There was a lot of business talk that I didn’t quite understand and a lot of problems I recognized as ones I’ve had to handle as class president before. I never opened my mouth though as it was not my place. I was a lowly intern, a student not yet graduated from high school, and this was a group of the best minds of a global powerhouse. I had made a good impression and I didn’t want to ruin it by stepping out of place.
As I poured ignited grand marnier over a spiral peeled orange into the soaking crepes, I noticed that I had caught the attention of Damian. His eyes were bright with curiosity and interest, flicking between the flaming liquid to my face as if imprinting the moment into his memory. I wished again that I could smell again just to know what he was feeling, but it's not like I’d be able to distinguish his scent in such a full room.
"Is everything alright over there, Stevens?" Bruce called to a lithe and sharp eyed brunette that looked stunning even in her older years.
Her dark eyes turned away from me to address her employer. "I'm sorry. I'm just way more interested in what's going on over there."
Cora snorted, "I've been watching her reflection the whole time."
Tim set his own down. "Can we get back to the task at hand?"
The redhead snapped back in good humor. "Well, I’d be more inclined to pay attention if you were handling flammables.”
“Please don’t give him any ideas.” The wiry man groaned a put upon sigh. “We already have to deal with Dick and his incredible talent of getting atop the chandelier in the lobby. I still don’t know how he does it because we don’t have a ladder that big and he always erases the tapes to keep us guessing!”
I finished up the crepes and began plating, flambaying the vanilla ice cream topped desserts as Tim continued. Upon hearing the name of my business, I almost fumbled a plate into someone’s lap. “Now considering the charity this coming December, I’d like to get Jagged Stone to endorse it and MDC to provide the items to be auctioned.”
Cora barked a laugh of disbelief. “MDC? They are probably the most difficult designers to contact much less commission! You need to be referred by one of her existing, and might I add, short list of clients to even get an email of consideration. Whoever they are, it’s safe to say they like their privacy.”
Tim smiled and Damian silently thanked me when I set his plate down before him with a kind smile and a slow wink. “Well, I’d think that MDC would be delighted to participate in our charity. As a designer, surely they would support a charity that offered funding to help underprivileged students in artistic pursuits through various mediums.”
Art is just as important as math and science. Of course I’d support a charity like that.
Then Tim whipped out his phone. “And it just so happens that I got MDC’s phone number, thanks to my amazing detective skills. I’ll just give them a call right now.”
My hand froze only to resume its task a tad slower as I processed what Tim had just claimed. There was no way on earth Jagged would have handed a stranger my private work number. Not even the school had my work number, or Adrien. It was a phone number meant specifically for my business. The only saved contacts at that phone were of my material provider’s, my lawyer, and my loyal clientele. Each one had to sign a legal contract ensuring that they wouldn’t share it with others. I paid a monthly subscription that blocked robot and scam calls. I was so careful about that number. So how on earth did he get it?
The sound of a Jagged Stone guitar riff coming from my back pocket overpowered the ringing on Tim’s speaker. It was from the song he wrote for Penny though only few knew that little secret. It was a song that spoke of steadfast friendship and hope for something greater. It was a song that conveyed a lot of emotion that resonated with me.
And it was the ringtone of my personal cell, not the generic trill of my work phone.
I carefully pulled the device from my pocket and accepted the call. Looking dead on at Tim, I pressed the phone to my ear. “How long have you known?”
My voice echoed through the speaker of the phone which Tim smugly turned off upon the reveal. “A number of things, really. Your initials are M.D.C. which is the title of the anonymous designer. You were mentioned in a few magazine articles for having designed Jagged Stone’s ‘Rock Giant’ album cover at fourteen, and that ties you closely to MDC’s biggest supporter and client. The first day you arrived and had to have your clothes changed after that dreadful girl dumped coffee on you, I noticed the MDC trademark on both the skirt and top. One of Damian’s classmates and friends, the boy you’ve been paired with for your time at the Academy, mentioned that you claimed to have made the outfit yourself. Either you are the designer behind MDC or you are a very skilled liar, and you are not a liar. Trust me, I can spot a liar very easily.”
With a chuckle, I slipped my phone back into my pocket. “There was no missing chef, was there?”
Tim shrugged nonchalantly. “We do have a cook who called out sick today.”
The brunette’s eyes were wide with shock, taking in my form as she processed the news. “Oh my god, you’re MDC.”
“Yes, I am. I’d appreciate it if that fact remained secret for now.” I set down the last plate and faced the Waynes with determination. “What do you need from me exactly?”
Bruce’s grin spoke of satisfaction. “We were hoping you could craft a number of items for auction, preferably accessories and jewelry. Each one would be a limited edition, one-of-a-kind piece never to be made again. You will get a 15% profit of each piece’s final sale, though that number is open to negotiation.”
I shook my head. “I would just take 5. It is for charity after all. I can sketch a few concepts and we can go from there. Does that sound alright to you?”
Tim smiled like the cat who ate the canary, smug and satisfied. “Sounds wonderful. After we finish up here, why don’t we retreat to dad’s office? We can lay down some rough designs and talk more about your future here at Wayne Enterprises.”
I couldn’t help but laugh at that. “My future? I have my own business that grows more popular by the day. What makes you think I’d want a job at Wayne Enterprises?”
“I was talking about future collaborations between us.” Tim’s voice dropped into a softer tone, more bashful. “And, perhaps, commissioning you for a new suit or three. I’ve always wanted an MDC original in my closet.”
The meeting wrapped up in less than five minutes. Lucius offered to return the cart for me before Bruce and Tim swept me away with Damian quick to follow to the nearest elevator all the way up to the main office. It was there that I sketched a slew of new bags, purses, hats, and jewelry of all kinds and each one dragon or music themed. A delicate hair comb with a chinese dragon swirling above the slender tongs was one of my favorite designs. I almost wanted to keep it for myself, but it would surely sell highly and this was for charity. Damian offered his skills to hand paint a silk shawl, a skill set I could never quite master.
While I dreamed up more accessories, I had a lovely chat with the Wayne men. Bruce was the definition of charm, most likely hard earned throughout years of running his father’s company and schmoozing with business elites. Tim was so intelligent and was almost giddy when he talked about my past projects under the MDC label. Damian hardly ever spoke, but his voice deep and pleasant and his words carried meaning. He was the most intrigued by my process as a fellow artist. Sometimes he would lean in close with an arm around my back and shoulder as we talked over a new design. Sometimes his wrist would rub the spot Adrien had kissed on my neck gland earlier and I found the touch rather soothing, like a balm that washed away Adrien’s possessiveness that was becoming more discomforting by the day. Adrien wasn’t the type to be jealous and he had never taken such measures as to scent me, mostly because we wanted to keep our relationship secret. The fact that he had been doing so now was very odd and off putting. There was once a time when I dreamed that he would scent mark me, that he would show possessiveness over his Omega and mark me as his own to ward off rivals, but I found I didn’t like it now that he was doing so.
At some point, I noticed Bruce grinning almost maliciously at his computer screen. I assumed he had just received news of some business victory over a rival company. I was distracted by Tim exclamations over a draconic clip and chain meant to protect wallets from pickpockets. It wasn’t any of my business, so I let it slip from my mind.
“Goodness, is that the time?” Bruce held up his right arm to better see his wrist watch that surely cost more than my parent’s bakery and then some. “We must be getting you down stairs, Marinette, before the bus takes off without you.”
I relinquished the signed sketches into Tim’s care. “It’s really nine already? Where did the time go?”
Tim giggled, freaking giggled, and carefully stashed the papers for safe keeping. “Time flies when you’re having fun.”
I thought I heard a growl behind me as Damian rushed to take my arm in his. “I’ll escort you down. I’m about ready to head home too.”
“We’ll be right behind you, Damian. Have a good evening, Marinette. We’ll see you tomorrow and start the process of 3D printing your designs.” Bruce soundlessly swept out the room with more grace than what was allowed for a man of his size.
I said goodbye to Tim before departing with Damian. He was silent until we were encased inside the elevator. Alone. He took long, deep inhales in what seemed to be blissful peace. Then he looked at me with soft eyes that struck me in ways even Adrien’s hadn’t, even when I was madly in love with him. “You truly are an amazing artist, Marinette. It’s no surprise you’ve gotten so far. You’re going to take the world by storm.”
Such words of praise from a man who had a reputation of cold ruthlessness seemed all the sweeter. I blushed under his gaze. “Thank you. It’s always nice to hear when one’s work is appreciated. I’m really just lucky that my first ever client was a really awesome rock star. I wouldn’t be where I am today without Uncle Jagged.”
His eyes twinkled. “I don’t believe that.”
My face burned even hotter. It only started to cool off as we reached the Purchasing floor to retrieve my bag. Damian’s next statement marked the return of my blush. “So I heard you like Phantom of the Opera.”
I almost tripped and would have kissed the floor of Damian had not caught me by the waist. I thanked him and fumbled to collect my belongings. “Yeah. Yes, I do. My Nona, she’s Italian, once took me to see it years ago when I was little. I have watched the movies since then, but I would really like to see it on stage again. When I found out that it would be playing in the Gotham theatre, I proposed that we should see it as a class. But then someone mentioned how the high notes made their tinnitus worse, so the idea was rejected. I tried getting a ticket to go see it alone, but it was sold out by the time I got around to searching. I guess I’ll just have to wait for another opportunity.”
Damian’s smile was dazzling. “Well, we Waynes happen to have a box reserved just for our family. Why don’t you join us this Saturday?”
I swear my heart must have stopped beating for a moment before kicking into hard drive and thumping like crazy. My arms flung out by their own power. “What!?! I-I-I couldn’t possibly! I wouldn’t want to intrude on your family time.”
He rolled his wrist. “Nonsense! Tim has been doing nothing but boasting about having MDC in his employ and the rest of my family wants to meet you. We have an extra seat and I would be immensely happy to partake in your company.”
We returned to the elevator and I fondled with a Ladybug keychain made by my own hands. “Well… I would like to see the play again. And if your family really wants me to come, I guess I have no other choice but to take you up on your invitation. What is the dress code so that I may scrounge through my bag to find suitable attire?”
The elevator door opened to reveal the lobby and Damian and I stepped out together. “Formal, but it wouldn’t be gentlemanly of me to invite you to an event without making sure you weren’t properly dressed. I know Stephanie would love to spend some girl time shopping with someone who can actually keep up with her, an added bonus that you are so fashionably inclined.”
I wanted to shriek and turn him down. He was already being so generous in offering to take me to see an opera in a special box seat belonging to the prestigious Wayne family, practically Gotham royalty. To accept more would just be taking advantage. Besides, I had a few dresses that I brought along in my suitcase. Surely one of them would suffice.
Then I was stopped by a looming dark skinned man in a suit that screamed security. He had a thick belt lined with pouches, a taser, and an honest to Kwami gun holstered where I could see. Movement in the corner of my eye drew my attention to Lila who had the same malevolent grin on her face as she did the day she got me expelled. My stomach clenched and dropped at the overwhelming feeling of foreboding, my heart stuttering in my chest. I just knew that she had done something terrible, something that would land me in a lot more trouble than an expulsion.
“Can I see your bag, Miss?” The guard asked bluntly.
Running away would only confirm their assumption of guilt. No. Whatever she had planned I would surely be able to prove false. I had an alibi, witnesses, and I’m sure Bruce would have invested in cameras being in the crime capital of the world. I would hire a lawyer if I had to as I was innocent of whatever bullshit she tried to frame me for this time. I would get to the bottom of this. I just had to have faith.
I shrugged off my bag and handed it over with my head held high. “Go ahead. I have nothing to hide.”
The guard was gentle as he handled my handmade bag. He flipped open the flap and reached inside. Lo and behold, he pulled out an object I had never seen before. It was small and metallic, almost looking like a miniature drone.
All of sudden, there was Lila, crying out and causing a raucous to draw as much attention as possible. She gasped and pointed at me with her manicured talons. “Marinette! How could you?! Stealing from the Waynes! How despicable of you!”
“What’s all this fuss about?” Bruce and Tim appeared having slipped through the growing crowd. Both wearing masks of careful neutrality on their handsome faces. My stomach clenched. I hoped that this wouldn’t be another Damocles incident where they would only see what was right in front of them. Tim was smart, brilliant really. Surely he would know something was off. I had spent most of my work day with them. They had to believe in my innocence.
Lila’s voice carried over the whispers and echoed off the walls. Her acting skills were dramatic and over exaggerated, as usual. “It’s the most awful thing! Marinette stole something from the company! First it was my family heirloom, and now this! I thought she learned her lesson!”
Max barreled through the crowd with a look of shock on his face. “Marinette, is it true?!”
I shook my head adamantly. “I don’t care what she says, but I didn’t steal anything. Someone must have planted it in my bag.”
“Miss Dupain-Cheng.” Bruce’s stern voice made my veins grow cold. I saw Lila’s malicious smirk flash across her face for a moment before she quickly covered it with a concerned frown. “We do not tolerate theft at Wayne Enterprises.”
Kwami, this was just like my expulsion. I am so getting arrested.
He continued, “But more than that, we do not tolerate sabotage.”
I looked up and caught his gaze. He winked at me and turned those icy blues to Lila.
Tim was the one who addressed the trembling liar. “You’re fired, Miss Rossi.”
Lila stiffened, blinked twice, and turned her innocent facade towards Tim. “W-What do you mean? I’m not the one who stole from your company.”
Bruce scoffed a condescending chuckle. “I didn’t get this far being gullible, Miss Rossi. Marinette couldn’t possibly have stolen that prototype from the Robotics ward in the IT department. She’s been in my line of sight almost since the moment she arrived.”
Lila’s mask cracked a little, just enough to show her panicked discontent. “But we arrived here together and then she went off on her own. She must have done it then.”
Tim snapped his fingers and someone slipped a tablet into his waiting hands. “Those id cards we gave you aren’t just for show. They track your movement throughout the building just so we know where you are and where you’ve been for safety purposes. In addition, there are cameras on each stairwell entry, elevator door and pointed down every hallway. From her id card receipt, I know that Marinette went to the Purchasing floor, the kitchen, the boardrooms, and then Bruce’s office. The camera timestamps confirm this. Marinette never visited the IT floor.”
He turned the tablet so that it faced us, a victorious sneer on his lips. “But you did.”
Lila blanched at the sight of her visage on the tiny monitor. I could see her likeness smiling and chatting with Max as he showed her around his department.
Bruce inhaled through his white and sharp teeth. “Pretty sure you need permission before bringing friends into the IT department, Mr. Kante. Zoey, did you give Mr. Kante here permission to give Miss Rossi a tour of the IT floor?”
The pale bespectacled woman from the board meeting stared daggers at Max, the glasses glinting harshly under the light. “No I did not, Mr. Wayne.”
Max choked, looking absolutely terrified. “But… but… she said Damian told her it would be okay. That she was practically family being Damian’s True Mate.”
Damian, still at my side, cackled cruelly. His glare was hard and flinty, the green almost glowing with his fiery rage. “I never said such a thing to her. And just to be clear, Rossi is not, nor ever will be, my friend. Much less my romantic partner. I find her utterly revolting. Besides, she’s not even my type. I’m far more interested in blue-eyed beauties with artistic talent.”
My face burned. I felt like I was getting whiplash from the sudden shifts of my mood.
Tim let the footage play out. “There you are, scoping out the prototypes, Mr. Kante turns his back, and -gasp- there’s you grabbing one of our prototypes!”
Lila’s skin took on a sickly green tint. Murmurs broke out among the crowd. A thrill went through me as people finally began to see the liar for what she truly was.
“Now your id card doesn’t show that you visited the IT floor, because you piggybacked off Mr. Kante, but it does show that you went to the Purchasing floor where Marinette is interned.” Tim brought up new footage of a room I had grown somewhat familiar with. His finger pointed out Lila’s image as she slipped past the cubicles. “Here you are, wandering about. Whatever could you be looking for? What’s this? Marinette’s bag?”
There was the video footage of Lila planting the prototype in my unattended bag, hard evidence of not only her theft but also trying to frame me. Max was gaping at the tablet, looking between it and the frozen green girl. “Lila… did you really…?”
“You just saw the recorded proof. What more do you need? A confession? Because it seems highly unlikely that you will get one.” Damian’s patronizing quip made Max flinch.
Lila’s innocent mask came back up, but it was cracked beyond repair and now all could see through it. “M-Marinette! She blackmailed me into stealing it and framing her!”
Tim extended the tablet and someone carefully took it from him. His smile was pleasant, but the devious glint in his eyes belayed the true nature of his intent. He didn’t believe her, not even a little, and he was angry. “Miss Rossi, I saw you for what you were the second I saw you walk directly up to a distracted young lady and purposefully pour a hot beverage over her head: a narcissistic, fork-tongued, manipulative liar who had it out for one Marinette Dupain-Cheng for reasons I cannot even begin to fathom. Right then and there, I just knew you would try something again. So instead of firing you on the spot, I decided to wait until I could catch you red handed. Now I have plenty of proof against you for when we take this to trial.”
His prey, the fork-tongued italian, shuddered and paled under his cold stare.
I watched her olive green eyes flicker about the room as if searching for an escape, but I knew that was none to be had. Not for her. She had slipped up, lied herself into a corner. No amount of crocodile tears or feigned illnesses could get her out of this mess, and the Waynes were not like the incompetent staff at Francois. They caught her planting evidence on my property in an attempt to frame me for theft. And from the devilish gleam in their eyes, the Waynes would not let her off with a warning. My tormentor was finally going to face the consequences of her actions, and I had never felt so weightless in my life. Just knowing that she had finally been caught was almost orgasmically good.
Bruce snapped his fingers twice and the sharply dressed brunette from the meeting came up behind him and slipped two small folders into his waiting hand. He handed one to Lila. “Your internship is hereby terminated, Miss Rossi. In addition, we have filed a restraining order against you. You are not allowed within 100 meters of Wayne Enterprises or Wayne Manor. You will never speak falsely about my family or Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng again whether by lying about being on friendly terms with the aforementioned subjects or spreading rumors and slander. Should it be discovered that you have broken any of those clauses, we will happily add it to the lawsuit we are currently building against you for attempting to frame a fellow intern and I will happily ensure that you never see the light of day again.”
Lila stopped trying to play innocent and instead adopted the persona she previously only showed me of the cruel and heartless bitch she truly was. Despite her blatant rage, her fear was still leaking through her very pores for she knew she was cornered. It was amazing seeing her trying to stand toe-to-toe with a predator like Bruce Wayne. Her fake bravado wasn’t fooling anyone. “I have diplomatic immunity. You can’t touch me.”
Bruce slowly leaned down to look directly into her eyes. It was like watching a tiger playfully bat at a wounded lamb. “You wanna bet? Your mother is only a Junior Diplomat, and only she has diplomatic immunity. It does not extend to you. And even if it did, do you really think the Italian government would cover your scrawny ass with such irrefutable evidence of theft and sabotage? They would throw you to the wolves faster than you could think up a piss poor excuse for your despicable behavior. You are the lowest of the low, you disgusting little cretin. I’ll see you in court. Guards.”
Another security guard emerged from the woodwork to help the guard that stopped me to carry a thrashing Lila out to the waiting bus, making sure to return my bag safely to me before walking off. “Wait! Wait! It’s not what you think! Marinette made me do it! She’s nothing but a money grubbing, gold digging_!” The glass doors shut and silenced her screaming and we all watched as she was thrown into the bus. She scrambled to her feet and disappeared into the shadows of the cab.
It was truly over. She lost.
Max had the other manila folder thrust into his hands. “Max Kante, your internship is hereby terminated. You have been issued a restraining order and you are not allowed within 100 meters of Wayne Enterprises or Wayne Manor. You are not to spread any falsehoods about the Wayne family. Should you be found breaking this restraining order, we will pursue legal action. Consider this to be a warning.”
My classmate stuttered and stumbled around his tongue. “Bu… Wha…. huh?! But I didn’t do anything wrong! Lila lied to me!”
TIm shrugged, uncaring of his plight. “You signed a contract that clearly stated you were not allowed to bring people into the IT department without permission, and you did. You broke contract and Marinette could have been arrested for it if we were half as stupid as your pitiful excuse of a teacher.”
I tried to feel sympathy for Max, but I couldn’t.
He looked ready to cry. “But Lila said… that it would be okay. That Damian said…”
Said boy growled irritably. “Refrain from using my name so casually. And in case you weren’t paying attention, we’ve just established that Lila is a liar. Even if she claimed she had gotten permission, you should have confirmed it with your supervisor.”
“Ignorance is not an excuse, Mr. Kante.” Bruce scolded the boy. “I’m not pressing charges because I know you were manipulated, but this will be your first and only warning. You break any of the clauses in that restraining order, and you’re done.”
A third guard showed up and gently guided a near catotonic Max out to the bus. He moved almost robotically, swaying on unsteady feet until he eventually climbed onto the bus and hopefully onto a seat.
I didn’t know my knees had given out until I was caught before I could hit the ground. Resting in the safety of Damian’s arms, I allowed myself to enjoy the moment. It was over. Well and truly over. Lila had been caught red handed and she was going to be punished by the law. I was going to be free of her tangled web of lies. Finally, my classmates and all of Paris would know the truth about the real Lila Rossi. It felt like nothing could ruin this feeling.
“Marinette!”
“Fuck me.” I groaned under my breath.. Good feelings gone like mist in the morning sun.
Adrien stormed up to me with the frantic movements of a prey animal evading danger. “What happened? What’s with the crowd?”
I should be happy to see my boyfriend, my supposed mate, but all I felt was dread. He had always stepped up to Lila’s defense even when she was in the wrong. Would this time be like the others? I pulled away from Damian’s grasp to address Adrien on my own two feet. “Lila was caught on video framing me for theft of company property. She and Max both have just been fired and given restraining orders.”
His eyes widened. A pale hand came up to ruffle his hair. “Mon dieu! This is terrible!”
My heart fluttered with hope. Maybe things were finally looking up. The pieces of my life were finally all coming together to create a perfect picture of bliss and happiness.
He turned his emerald gaze to me that glittered with hopeful expectation. “You have to fix this, Marinette!”
I swear my vision cracked, as if I were wearing glasses. “... What?”
Adrien persisted, “I’m sure this is all just a big misunderstanding. As class president, can’t you call Mr. Wayne and convince him to give Lila another chance?”
Another crack in my vision. Lila? Another chance? How many chances has she had to do the right thing only to spit on it and walk away? I’ve given her more than enough chances to be a better person, all at Adrien’s behest, and she never diverged from her web of lies. Her latest attempt would have landed me in legal trouble, probably the kind of trouble that ended any hope of a career. I would have been ruined. Yet there Adrien stood, taking Lila’s side and asking me to grant her one. More. Chance.
The man from earlier, what I assumed to be the director of the department Adrien was interning, broke from the masses to tower over Adrien. My view was then blocked by Damian’s wonderfully broad shoulders to keep me from Adrien’s sight. I could hear the man’s frigid voice. “Did I hear you just ask the victim of sabotage to lend a helping hand to her accuser? Are you out of your mind? You know, I just said today that I didn’t know if you were childishly naive or intentionally ignorant. Now I know that is most definitely the latter, and I am appalled that the son of such a prominent public figure would behave in such a deplorable, unreasonable, disgraceful manner! Call Mr. Wayne and get her job back? Miss Rossi was caught on camera committing a crime and trying to frame another intern for it. You are the dumbest of the dumb if you think anyone here would so much as spit on that lying rodent should we ever come across her, much less welcome her back into the building.”
Adrien’s tone was cast low, soft and pleading in a way I knew he used to manipulate Bustier into getting his way. “I’m sure Lila didn’t see it as a crime. She’s the kind to play practical pranks and this one just went a little too far.”
I saw Bruce from the corner of my eye. His expression was stern and stormy. His eyes had darkened like a raging sea. “This was not a prank, not a joke, and most certainly not a misunderstanding. This was an intentional act of malignance against Marinette. Miss Rossi attempted to frame Marinette for a very serious crime which would have destroyed her future entirely. Miss Rossi is old enough to know right from wrong. She knew what she was doing was illegal and she did it anyway. She will be facing the consequences of her actions and I will take satisfaction in every moment delivering it to her. Liars like her need to be punished early on, but I see this one was granted more freedom than should ever be allowed.”
“Please sir, I know Lila can do better. Can’t you just give her one more chance?” Adrien’s pleas for mercy cut me to the quick. My vision was fracturing and all he could think about was Lila. Didn’t he care that I was nearly framed for theft of company property?
Bruce Wayne scoffed in a most scornful manner. “Not on your life, Agreste. I don’t make the same mistake twice and approving her internship was a mistake.”
An assistant came up behind Tim and handed him a manila folder. “In fact, you’re fired too, Mr. Agreste. And rest assured, we will be contacting your father about your most atrocious behavior. I’m sure he would love to hear that you persisted in defending a criminal even when she’s been caught in the act. Please kindly leave my business, and don’t come back.”
I peeked out from behind Damian and regretted it as soon as Adrien’s emerald greens caught my baby blues. That damn disappointed scowl appeared on his face. “Marinette, did you put them up to this?”
It sounded like Tim and Bruce both jumped to my defence, but I couldn’t hear them. The cracks in my vision splintered and my rose tinted glasses shattered and revealed the truth that was right in front of me. And just like that, my mind had never been clearer. A True Mate would never allow another to lie about me. He would never ask me to keep silent and my head down to appease my bully. My Mate would have knocked Lila down the moment she whispered a bad word in my direction. My Mate would support my dreams of becoming a world renowned fashion designer. And any True Mate of mine certainly wouldn't ask me to stick my neck for a liar that was caught attempting to frame me for a crime, but even if it made me look like the bigger person. Which it wouldn't.
I don't care if the Ladybug and Black Cat are meant to be, I wanted nothing to do with Adrien Agreste anymore. "He is not my True Mate."
I felt Damian's hand gently squeeze mine. "You're finished here, Mr. Agreste. Or would you rather have security carry you out and make a scene that would surely reflect poorly on your father's brand?"
Adrien must have tried to address me because Damian stood all the straighter, puffing out his chest and backing into me to block me from Adrien's sight. "I believe your restraining order has a clause that states you shall not speak to or of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I dare you to break it. I would love to take you to trial."
There was a moment of silence and then the sound of footsteps followed by the sound of the front door opening. Adrien wouldn't bother me again. At least not until we were back in Paris.
My phone beeped in alarm of an incoming text, and continued to beep as my cell was bombarded with messages. I clicked the volume button and saw a preview of what was to come. The first one was from Alya calling me a disgusting bitch. More messages from the rest of my classmates shared the same theme of derogatory language. "Oh no. Lila must have texted them a sob story. Alya is threatening to burn my suitcase. I have to call the front desk and ask them to hide my things."
I felt a gentle hand on my shoulder. Turning my head I found Tim with a sad apologetical frown marring his handsome face. “I’m sorry, Marinette. You are facing so much grief from my actions. I never thought something like this would happen.”
“No no! It’s not your fault. I told you before that Lila has a way with people… it’s not the first time she’s done something like this.” I didn’t want someone so nice shouldering the responsibility for Lila’s actions. Not after they had offered me a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and caught Lila in a lie. She was finally going to face the consequences of her actions and she would forever out of my hair and my life. I would walk through hellfire for the Waynes just for ridding me of Lie-la.
Tim shook his head and looked away appearing shamed. “It’s not that. To be honest, I asked you to attend the meeting in front of Miss Rossi for a reason. From the very moment I saw her poor hot coffee on you and lied about it being an accident, I knew exactly what kind of person she was. I knew from your description of her and your body language when just mentioning her that she hurt you. I knew that if given an opportunity, like knowing your bag would be left unattended after receiving special attention from the CEO, Miss Rossi would most likely try something again and I wanted to catch her in the act. I never dreamed that she would try to frame you for theft. I used you as bait and I am terribly sorry for putting you through so much stress.”
That gave me pause. He had planned it, the whole thing. Well, not the whole thing. He didn’t anticipate that she would go so far as to frame me for a crime. I knew just how low that snake could sink, but he didn’t. All he knew was that she was a bad person that he couldn't outright fire on a whim without reason due to her mom’s career. He made a plan to get proof of her true nature and succeeded. I only wish I had been as clever as him. “I don’t like that I was kept in the dark, but I get why you did it. Besides, I’m just glad that Lila is finally being punished. Everyone always told me to suck it up and be the bigger person because ‘it’s not like she’s hurting anyone’.”
Damian radiated gentle care and affection. “She was hurting you.”
I snorted in self depreciation. “Yeah well so long as it wasn’t them, who cares.”
“I care.” His voice was soft, deep and warm. How could anyone think this boy was an Ice Prince when he could be so kind?
Bruce, who had stepped away to make a phone call, stepped into my line of sight. The grin on his face had a predatory edge to it that made my inner Omega lower her head. “Well Marinette, I just got off the phone with the director of the hotel your class is staying at and had your things moved to a secure location. In addition, I’d like to offer you an invitation to stay at Wayne Manor for the time being. The thought of sending you back to your classmates knowing that you may come to harm at their hands doesn’t sit well with me. I’d rather ensure your safety in our home than risk it out of my supervision.”
I choked on my own air supply. Stay at the Wayne Manor? With them?! My arms waved about like a fish out of water in my panic. “W-W-What?! I-I couldn’t possibly! Besides, it's not like my classmates would actually hurt me. I’ve known them for years, they would never… do…. that.” But they stood by and let Lila trip me up and accepted her excuses. They hadn’t even bothered to check if I was okay. They just laughed along with Lila. The bruise was still healing under all my makeup.
The glint in his eyes softened to empathy as Bruce Wayne stood over me like a benevolent King. “Mob mentality, dear. All it takes is one person lashing out then the rest will follow. And with Lila there to egg them on with lies and misdirection, I’m not willing to risk your well being.”
His co-CEO and son nodded in agreement. “From her behavior, I’d say that Lila has been granted leniency for far too long. Your teacher should have recognized and stopped that girl in her tracks. By not punishing Rossi, your teacher and all the authority figures in your school have given her their silent approval of her behavior and allowed her to roam free doing as she pleased without rebuke. We’ll make certain that Rossi faces her long due justice, and we will definitely be looking into Francois Dupont and their less than respectable conduct.”
I felt Damian nudge my shoulder with his own. “I have a cat and a dog at the Manor. You can pet them all you like.”
I giggled into my palm. “Are you bribing me with the possibility of petting cute animals, Damian Wayne?”
He smirked, “Is it working?”
Adrien was not my True Mate. He had chosen his side, and it wasn’t with me. The ring of the Black Cat was still on his finger and I would need to take it back, preferably before we returned to Paris. But those were worries for tomorrow, because for now there were pets to play with. “I do like animals. Alright. I accept your offer, but I should probably call my mom and let her know about the whole situation and why I won’t be at the hotel.”
Damian perked up a bit. “Does your last name Cheng happen to come from your mother’s side? Is she an immigrant from China perhaps? I ask because I studied Madarin when I was younger and I would love a conversation partner so my skills don’t grow rusty.”
I thought of my mother meeting Damian and shuddered at just what she would do to draw us together. Damian Wayne, after all, was a fine catch. He was handsome, gorgeous really, intelligent, physically fit, and apparently spoke Mandarin. My mother had loved Adrien when she first met him but had slowly grown cold to the mere mention of him. Of course I was only starting to see why she disliked him so much, but she still supported my decisions even though it was evident she thought I could do better. If I were to put Damian on her radar, this wonderful young man who was my age and already so accomplished, just what would she do? What kind of things would she tell him? She knew I had only just started learning her mother tongue. All the embarrassing things she could say without me knowing… “Um yeah. She is, actually. But uh… you two probably shouldn’t meet. Like ever.”
His laugh made my skin tingle. “On the contrary, I have to meet the woman that raised you. I need to thank her properly.”
My face flushed red again as we were escorted to the garage beneath the lobby. I almost couldn’t believe the turn my life had taken. Within the span of a few minutes I was framed for a crime I couldn’t commit, my school nemesis had been revealed as the liar she was and would be properly punished, I realized that my supposed True Mate wasn’t even a proper boyfriend, and I would be staying with Gotham Royalty in their estate that was rumored to rival palaces with its size and defence system. So many ups and downs, yet I wouldn’t go back to change a single one when it had led me to being in the company of such charming people. I felt completely safe and at ease as the car’s movement lulled me into a light slumber.