**Title:** *The Truth Unveiled*
**Chapter 3: The Substitute's Assumption*
Marinette Dupain-Cheng sat at her desk in Ms. Bustier's classroom, focusing on her sketchbook as she tried to tune out the chatter around her. It was a typical day at Collège Françoise Dupont, but today, they had a substitute teacher, Ms. Deschamps, who was unfamiliar with the students.
Lila Rossi, ever the manipulative one, saw an opportunity. During a moment of distraction, she quietly slipped a note onto the substitute's desk. The note was written anonymously, accusing Marinette of dying her hair and passing it off as her natural color. It was a small lie, but Lila knew it would plant the seed of doubt in the substitute's mind.
As class began, Ms. Deschamps seemed pleasant enough, but halfway through the lesson, she called Marinette to the front of the room.
"Marinette, can you please step up here for a moment?" Ms. Deschamps asked, her tone neutral but her eyes scrutinizing.
Marinette, slightly confused, set down her pencil and walked up to the front. The substitute gestured for her to stand beside her desk.
"Marinette," Ms. Deschamps began, "I've received a note that your hair is dyed. Is this true?"
The question caught Marinette off guard. "No, it's not true," she responded calmly. "My hair is naturally this color."
Ms. Deschamps raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure? It's a very unusual shade. If you're lying, there could be consequences."
Marinette was taken aback by the accusation. "I'm not lying," she insisted, trying to keep her voice steady.
The substitute sighed and looked at Marinette with suspicion. "I'm going to need you to bring your parents to school tomorrow. We need to discuss this matter further."
Marinette's heart sank as she returned to her seat, the weight of unjust accusation settling on her shoulders. The classroom was silent, with everyone staring at her, and she could feel Lila’s smirk burning into her from across the room.
**Chapter Two: The Family’s Response**
That evening, Marinette explained the situation to her parents, Tom and Sabine. They were both shocked and angered by the substitute's baseless accusation.
"We'll handle this, sweetheart," Tom said, placing a reassuring hand on her shoulder. "We'll bring proof that your hair has always been like this."
The next morning, Tom and Sabine arrived at the school with a photo album filled with pictures of Marinette from infancy to her current age. They also brought along a few of Marinette's cousins, who had the same unique shade of hair, to further solidify the evidence.
The three of them walked into Ms. Deschamps’ classroom, where Marinette was already seated, looking anxious. The substitute was waiting at her desk, her expression unreadable.
Tom started, "Ms. Deschamps, we’re here because our daughter has been unfairly accused of something she didn’t do."
Sabine opened the photo album and placed it on the desk. "These are pictures of Marinette throughout the years. As you can see, her hair has always been this color. It’s a trait that runs in our family."
Ms. Deschamps examined the photographs, her expression softening slightly. The pictures showed a baby Marinette, a toddler Marinette, and a young child Marinette, all with the same deep raven hair. Marinette's cousins, who were standing beside her, also displayed their matching hair color.
The substitute seemed to waver but still held a degree of doubt. "I see," she said slowly, "but we still need to investigate this further to ensure everything is legitimate."
**Chapter Three: The Revelation**
What Ms. Deschamps didn’t know was that the school had recently installed security cameras in the classrooms due to a string of recent incidents. Principal Damocles, aware of the situation, decided to review the footage from the previous day. What he found was damning.
Later that day, Principal Damocles called a meeting with Ms. Deschamps, Marinette, her parents, and Lila. When they were all seated, he played the footage on a small monitor in the office.
The video clearly showed Lila slipping the note onto the substitute’s desk when no one was looking. It also captured Marinette's sincere reaction to being questioned about her hair.
Ms. Deschamps' face turned pale as she realized her mistake. "I… I didn’t know. I’m so sorry, Marinette. I should have believed you."
Tom crossed his arms, his expression stern. "You should have investigated properly before accusing our daughter. This whole situation could have been avoided."
Principal Damocles nodded. "Ms. Deschamps, I’m afraid I have to let you go. You can’t be trusted to handle these situations fairly."
Lila’s smug expression faded as the focus turned to her.
"As for you, Lila," Principal Damocles said, his voice firm, "you will face severe consequences for your actions. This is not the first time you’ve caused trouble for your classmates, and it will not be tolerated any longer. You’re expelled from this school, effective immediately."
Lila’s face drained of color. She opened her mouth to protest, but no words came out. She had finally been caught in one of her lies, and there was no way to talk her way out of it.
**Chapter Four: Vindication**
The news of the incident spread quickly through the school. Marinette was relieved to have her name cleared, but the emotional toll of the experience weighed heavily on her. However, the support of her friends and family made a world of difference.
Adrien, Alya, and Nino all rallied around Marinette, showing her that they believed in her and knew she was telling the truth all along. Even some of the students who had doubted her came forward to apologize.
Marinette stood tall, knowing that she had done nothing wrong. She had faced unfair accusations, but in the end, the truth had prevailed.
And as for Lila, she left the school with her head hanging low, realizing that her web of lies had finally unraveled.
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**The End.**
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