Because He Loved Me First

8

Dang it! Dang it! Dang it! Marinette, you're so stupid! You don't think at all! You have the worst brain anyone could ever imagine. You put your parents' job in jeopardy just so you could be partners with Adrien! How could you even think this was such a great idea? Marinette stared hard at her cracked screened-phone, the messages popping up faster than she could even keep up.

- I can't believe she even had the guts to say yes to Adrien. That brat will be taught a lesson.

- She also did it in front of Chloe. She's obviously wishing for death if she thinks she can just go and do something like that in front of Chloe. What does Adrien even see in her?!

- Gurl, I don't even know, but I hope he stops this. I mean, I'm too afraid to fight back only because he's famous and because of his dad. One wrong step and it'd feel like you're going to die.

- Plus you know Gabriel doesn't like it when his son is being treated badly. He'd punish us all. And also, Adrien has got a ton of fans. If we ever dare to go against him, his fans would come at us and we don't want that!

- Oh don't worry guys. I have Marinette wrapped around my finger. She's already caused two strikes. One last strike and her bakery is getting shut down. If she knows what's good for her, she'd quit being partners with Adrien right this instance!

- you're going to shut down the bakery? What the heck, Chloe?! I mean, I'm friends with you and all, but that bakery is like the best in Paris. It wouldn't be fair to the others in Paris if you just shut it down.

- shut up!

- yeah, shut up, you animal. How dare you talk back to Chloe like that? She's free to do whatever she wants to do, and if she wants to shut down the bakery, she can go ahead and do so. It'll teach Marinette a lesson anyway for ever thinking getting closer to Adrien was going to drive us away!

Marinette dropped her phone on her bed, feeling weakened. She shouldn't have read those messages. Sure, Chloe had forced her to not unjoin the group, that was the only reason why she hadn't shut down the bakery yet, but still, Marinette didn't have to read the messages. At least, she was a little glad to know that one person was against shutting the bakery down. Maybe that's all she needed to do. Marinette leaped up as she just got an idea. Yes, people loved the bakery. They may not have been fans of her, but they were fans of the bakery. They loved it. If she just gathered people who could support the bakery and her parents, maybe it'd just be enough to get Chloe to back off.

And maybe. . . maybe this was a time when she could ask Adrien to help her. She needed as many people as she could get, and Adrien did have tons of fans. If she could just get Adrien to gather all his fans and inform them of the news, and if Chloe knew that Adrien, her crush, was in on it as well, then she would back off. She would convince her father that shutting down the bakery wasn't a good idea. Marinette could save her parents' business. But. . . To do all this, Marinette had to tell Adrien first of what was going on, which is what she dreaded the most. Adrien would first have to know about her situation with Chloe, and he might even ask for something in return.

I have to go see Adrien anyway. Remember Marinette! Try not to get too comfortable around him! Marinette rushed out of her room, waving her parents goodbye before leaving the bakery. When she got outside, she could also see the black limo waiting outside. She gulped once the window rolled down and Adrien showed his face, motioning for her to come inside. Marinette started walking forward, the door opened and she was let in.

"It's actually kinda so surprising that you agreed to meet up at my mansion," Adrien instantly started to speak while Marinette settled down on the seats. "I thought you were going to say no, seems like I was wrong, huh?" He looked over at Marinette before frowning. "What's wrong? You don't look okay."

Of course I'm not okay! "Um, no it's fine." Marinette knew the only way to save the bakery now was to get Adrien to help her, because right when she looked at the window, she noticed Chloe and Sabrina standing in front of her bakery, staring at her. She clenched her hands, wondering if they were here to announce the news to her parents, wondering if today was the day and she wouldn't even get the chance to fight for the bakery. Marinette looked down at the floor of the limo. Chloe was so worthless, threatening someone like that. Just because she was the Mayor's daughter, she thought she had the right to do whatsoever. She'd gotten so many people on her side, and before Marinette could even try to stop it, the bakery was closing down.

"Marinette, you sure you're okay? You're. . . You're sweating."

My goodness! I sweat when I'm nervous. Marinette swallowed down her spit again, wondering whether now was a good idea to tell Adrien everything. But even after she opened her mouth to release what she had been hiding, a squeak came out, embarrassing her and making her shut her mouth and look away again.

Adrien didn't say anything after that, getting the idea that Marinette wanted him to keep silent. The rest of the ride was quiet, until they finally reached the mansion. The doors opened and Adrien stepped out first, before Marinette followed behind him. "Well, here we are," Adrien muttered. The driver, which Marinette noticed to be a large man, walked out of the limo and started leading them towards the mansion.

When Marinette turned around again, having this weird feeling, she noticed a white limo parked a distance away from the black limo. Marinette gritted her teeth once Chloe and her made eye contact, the blonde giving her a wide grin, before Chloe looked away and the limo started off again. Now she was sure she had no chance of saving the bakery.