Adrienette Love Story

Chapter 16

If she had slept more than a few hours, Marinette wouldn't be madly scrambling to work. She'd spent half the night hunched over the sewing machine because she couldn't figure out how to tell Kagami that she hadn't totally ruined the date.

Alya had yet to check-in.

She didn't even have time to shower or to answer Chat Noir.

She'd left him to read for a while now. Maybe she could answer Chat's morning text once she was safely at her desk.

Wincing, she ducked behind her favorite plant at first sight of Lila. There was no doubt in her mind that Lila would rat her out.

Kim was a traitor! He hadn't even warned her she was here. She glanced back to glare at him.

He waved, then looked anxious when he was pointing behind her. Okay, Kim. You tried, I guess?

Thankfully, Lila was on a mission to personally usher their temporary boss up the elevator to his office.

Clearly, it was actually a mission to annoy the heck out of Adrien Agreste if the fleeting look of irritation on his face was anything to go by.

Drat. He spotted her. Meanwhile, Marinette thought her heart was about to leap out of her chest, fearing she had been recognized.

With a half smile on his face, he had the grace to only glance back once before he reluctantly followed Lila into the elevator.

She smirked, stepping out from behind the plant once the elevator doors had safely closed, the elaborate fronds hiding her from view. Wouldn't Lila just hate it to know that she was the one who had dinner with him the night before?

Not that she could actually tell anyone.

She tapped her pencil on her desk for 4 whole minutes straight, debating whether or not to ask which one.

After all, several only had one copy ever made. She snapped a photo of them on the mannequin before she shipped them off.

Meaning there was a chance she could pinpoint where he likely was right now.

Wouldn't that be creepy, though? It was weird enough just knowing that beneath his sillier side, Chat Noir was actually serious enough to work on projects at work.

Finally, she settled for keeping their veil of secrets.

She expected to not see Adrien Agreste for days. After all, Nathalie Sancoeur made a monthly appearance at most.

Unfortunately, his being there meant Lila had come as well.

"Ah, Miss Richard. Very clever." Lila looked very closely at the details. "Did your friend steal this one, too?"

Marie-Hélène's jaw dropped.

Marinette scowled. She might not have heard if she hadn't been standing so close.

In a moment, she walked over to stand beside her fellow designer. "She's not worth it."

Adrien frowned at the three. "Miss Rossi."

"Yes, sir?"

"Could you please go get the design criteria that Nathalie set forth from my office?"

LIla's icy smile slipped. "Someone else will have it on their computer, I'm sure."

Adrien tilted his head. In a stoic gaze that mirrored the very image of his father plastered upon the office walls, he also even spoke up. "I need the version with my notes."

Her lips pressed into a thin line. "Very well."

Once she left the room, both Marinette and Marie-Hélène were breathing easier.