Miraculous Ladybug: Season Six | Part One

Chapter Eighteen: Nathalie Sancoeur

Nathalie's POV
  I watch out my bedroom window, waiting anxiously for Adrien to return home from his friend's house; apparently it's some project they have to finish soon. He's been doing really well in school despite his father... Regardless of how he interrupts it, either he dies as a hero or a villain, he is taking it better than most children his age. It's telling, honestly, what type of father Gabriel was to him. It's sickening that he tried to form a relationship with Adrien weeks prior to his death just to force him into solitary confinement alone. His last memory of his father will forever be Gabriel forcing him into his ride that would end him up in London for his "protection." It was never about his protection. It was about the love of his life, Emilie.
Oh, Gabriel, why did you waste a year of your life? You had everything. A son, money, fame, anything at your fingertips, but you wasted it on an already dead woman, but you didn't in the end. You smashed it on me, someone who foolishly helped you reach that goal, just for you to waste the wish.
  I slam my fist on the wall next to the window, tears forming in my eyes.
I hope you're happy; you damned me to an eternal hell; I can't even tell anyone the truth of what happened to me because you forced Ladybug to protect your identity. The side your son will never know about. I risked my life for nothing just for you to die and save me; why? Was it the fear of Emilie finding out what type of man you indeed were? Or was it your selfish desires, knowing you would never see her again while you were living? You knew she wanted you to be an excellent father to Adrien in her absence, yet you make him a victim of your madness.

Adrien's POV
I arrive at the gates surrounding the entrance of my so-called home. I stand for a moment, waiting for the gates to allow me in. I bite the inside of my cheek anxiously. Why do I feel like this? The gates open as I slowly drag my feet to the stairs to the entrance. Why was Marinette being so weird around me... why was she at Luka's this late? These thoughts flood my mind, almost making me almost unable to stand. I open the heavy metal door, not being greeted by anyone. Odd, usually Nathalie is by the door to ask about my day. It's not the only thing that occurred today, unfortunately. I close the door behind me, slowly looking around at the lifeless mansion. Plain and tedious, yet modern.

CRASH.

I jump, turning towards the loud noise coming from Nathalie's room. I swallow hard, inching over to the door, almost paralyzed in fear. I reach her door; what if someone broke in? I shake these thoughts off before making a fist with my hand.

Knock. Knock.

I stand there waiting for an answer, the pit in my stomach growing. I thought my anxiety was high before; this is a new level of absolute fear. The door slowly opens, and I'm greeted with a familiar face. "Adrien, welcome home." She spoke with little to no emotion behind her words, slowly opening the door more. My eyes focused on a picture frame that was now shattered across her floor. My eyes find hers again, "Is everything alright? I heard a loud crash come from in here." I respond, hesitating to point behind her. She sighs, "Come in; we have to chat anyway." I obliged as she moved out of the way of the door. I walk past her, staring at the glass-covered floor.
She closes the door behind her, "You were out late tonight; it's a school night, may I remind you." She remarks while grabbing a dustpan and broom. I watch her make her way over to the mess, "Y-yeah. The project took longer than expected." I stuttered, running my hands through my hair, unsure how she would respond. She doesn't look towards me, "Adrien, we both know you weren't over at Nino's for that long." She mutters as she dumps the first pan full of glass into a nearby trash can. I grimace; she knows, she knows. "I-I went over to another friend's after to talk about my... father," I respond half truthfully, since that was one of the very minor topics Luka and I had discussed aside from Ladybug hiding the identity of Monarch from me, obviously keeping that out of the conversation.
Nathalie freezes and looks at me, "Your father was a good man, Adrien." She states sternly before continuing to sweep. I tense, "Yes, I know." I whisper, wishing this conversation would end. She looks back up at me once she finishes cleaning the glassy mess that was scattered along the floor. "Was there anything else spoken of that regards... you?" She questioned, fixing her posture in the process. I bite my tongue, "Marinette showed up while I was leaving and was acting weird around me... as if she didn't want to see me in an unexpected location." I spill immediately, regretting my decision to open up. I could taste the iron fill my mouth; I had bit my tongue a little too hard.
Nathalie looks down at me and glances towards her bed. "Sit," she demands as she pulls up another chair from behind her. I sat on her oddly firm bed, laying my arms in between my legs and laying my head on my hands. "Adrien, are you suspecting she's hiding something from you?" She inquires, raising an eyebrow at me. I gulp; Marinette wouldn't lie to me on purpose. I shake my head in response, not being able to find my voice. She inhales, "Then why do you feel like she was being weird around you... did she at some point have feelings for this... kid?" She exhaled as my jaw dropped. Tears form in my eyes as I nod in response. She touches my knee with her cold hand, "Adrien, you're feeling jealous, and you need to talk to her about it. If she continues to act strange, you must raise concerns to him... has he been acting weird towards you?"
She's implying Marinette may be cheating??? No way. Luka wouldn't be able to hold that type of a secret from someone unless he could. He does know my and Ladybug's identities. I shake my head once again as the tears begin to fade away. She nods her head towards me, "You must be exhausted; go to bed, Adrien, and if it continues, you can always talk to me," she smiles, probably the first smile I've seen since she was cured.