Whoops-A-Daisy 🌼 (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction)

20- The Other Side of The Door

Marinette runs out of the office and slams the door shut behind her, leaning against it. Her breathing is frantic, hands shaky, and she looks down at her purse. "That was terrifying, Tikki. I can't believe Mr. Agreste caught me accidentally snooping."

"I wonder why he has a garden in the basement when there's one outside," The red kwami comments.

She nods. "I know. That's weird, right, Tikki? If it's underground, how do the plants get any sunlight? Where did that sunlight come from?"

There's voices in the office and Marinette holds her breath for a moment to listen.

"That was close, Nathalie. Too close," Gabriel says softly before shouting, "Why did you allow Miss Dupain-Cheng to wait in here?"

Nathalie had secret plans of her own. She hoped Marinette would discover the secret code in the portrait and his wife's body in the basement and report her boss, but Gabriel arrived back too soon, so her plan failed. "I didn't think it was an issue, sir. You two are working together today, anyway."

"What if she discovered—"

"But she didn't, sir." Unfortunately.

Gabriel steps forward. "You're lucky she didn't. I didn't waste all this time and energy to get her jewelry for it to be thrown away by some dumb girl's curiosity."

Marinette's eyes widen. What was down there so important to hide? And her jewelry? What was Mr. Agreste talking about? The only jewelry she had were her... "Oh no." She darts upstairs to the studio and slams the door shut. She grabs her phone, and her hands shake even more as she calls Adrien.

"Miss me already?" He flirts through the phone.

"Adrien, I need you," She whispers, pacing back and forth. "It's an emergency."

"I'm on my way."

The call clicks and she assumes he transformed.

Thirty seconds later, Catastrophe climbs through the window. "Plagg, claws in." Adrien runs over to his girlfriend and grabs her by the shoulders as she starts panicking. "Hey, hey. Breathe, Mari. Remember to breathe. Talk to me. What happened?"

"Did you know you have a basement?" She asks.

He's stunned. "What? No. We have a basement?"

Marinette nods, sniffling. "N-Nathalie let me wait in the office for your father—I guess he was out or something—and I saw the portrait of your mom. She is so beautiful, Adrien. I walked over to get a better look, and I tripped and fell, and I grabbed the painting for balance, but I accidently triggered some weird buttons. The floor opened and there was an elevator, and it went down to a basement with a beautiful garden. Your father and Nathalie caught me down there. Then I heard them talking back in the office and he said... he said..." She trails off. She didn't know how to explain any of this to him.

Adrien squeezes her shoulder. "My father said what?"

"He was talking about taking my jewelry."

Everything in him stops as his eyes widen. He's afraid he misheard her. "W-What?"

"Adrien, I think your father is Shadowmoth," Marinette whispers with a frown.

Adrien lets go of her and takes a step back. No, she can't be serious. She has to be joking, right? Even if the joke was cruel? "A-Are you sure, Mari?"

"No, but the way he was talking sounded like what Shadowmoth wants," She admits, adding, "Either that, or your father's working for him."

He shakes his head. "We shouldn't jump to conclusions. Maybe you heard him wrong—"

There's a knock on the door and Marinette screams. As it opens, Adrien leaps to the side and ducks behind it, holding his breath as Nathalie steps in. "It's just me, Marinette. Why did you scream?"

"I... I..." Marinette stalls, glancing at Adrien for a quick second. "I accidently mixed two style patterns that absolutely do not go together." She grabs random fabric samples from the table. "Old habits."

"Okay..." Nathalie adjusts her glasses. "Mr. Agreste is ready for you now."

"Actually, about that..." She takes in a deep breath. "I'm thinking about quitting the internship."

Adrien starts wailing his arms around to get Marinette's attention and she slyly steps forward and kicks his leg.

Gabriel suddenly appears behind Nathalie and Marinette's eyes widen as he towers over her. "Why do you feel that way, Miss Dupain-Cheng?"

"Uh..." Her mind goes blank for a moment. "I-I just think I'm not talented enough. My designs haven't been going anywhere and I've been here for months now. It's probably best for the brand if I'm not associated with it anymore."

As Gabriel steps in the room, Marinette grabs the door and holds it steady, hoping he won't come further in and see his supposed-to-be-kidnapped son hiding behind the door. "Miss Dupain-Cheng, you are talented, some of the best work I've seen in all my years in fashion. You are the best thing to happen to my brand." He sighs. "This was supposed to be a surprise, but..."

"What?"

Nathalie hands Marinette a poster.

"I was going to tell you downstairs, but I'm hosting a fashion show for all the designs you've created while working your internship," He explains. "All the models have been picked out already and sponsors from all around the world are going to be there."

Marinette reads over the paper and her eyes widen. Mr. Agreste was doing all of this for her? Is she wrong about him? Had she misheard him and jumped to the worst conclusions? "Is this for real?"

Gabriel nods. "Stay, Marinette. Don't throw your potential away." He grabs the doorknob, and her hearts starts racing, pounding hard against her chest, the beat ringing through her ears. "Think over it, please." He steps out with Nathalie and closes the door.

Adrien's eyes are bug-eyed. He turns serious and steps forward, grabbing Marinette's arm. "We have to go. Plagg, claws out."

"Why?" She asks, confused. "What's wrong?"

"It's not safe here anymore," Catastrophe tells her. "The sooner we leave, the better."

"Wait, you think your father might actually be Shadowmoth now?"

He stops by the window, frowning. "I don't know yet, but I don't trust my father. All my life I've known my father to be heartless, to never show compassion, and never once in his career had he given credit to someone else for his hard work. My father's lying and I bet there's a catch to this supposed fashion show."

Before Marinette can say anything, Catastrophe scoops her up in his arms and jumps out the window, taking her home.

The door opens again, and Gabriel stands there with a wicked grin. "I knew it..."