Gabriel Agreste could not believe it. How dare that woman! He knew Nathalie, in her condition, was not of fully sound mind, but this…this was madness.
"Yes, monsieur," she confirmed, her voice coming in loud and clear through the old pipes of the house. "I want to name Marinette Couffaine heiress to my business."
"And her children to follow, madam?" the attorney asked.
"Yes," she said. "Once they come to age at eighteen, of course. Be sure to clarify that."
"I promise, I will, madam."
Gabriel flicked the clean laundry straight with a snap. How dare she! Those little brats hadn't the slightest clue how to run a company, nonetheless the substantial fashion company that Nathalie Sancoeur had created. As for their mother…Gabriel was reluctant to admit that the woman would know what she was doing, especially with all the training that she had been given by Nathalie herself.
"And that is what you want in your will? For the company and estate to go to Marinette Couffaine and her three children?"
"Yes. That is correct."
Gabriel scowled. He had been working faithfully for Nathalie Sancoeur for well over two decades. He was her most trusted assistant, her most valuable asset, the greatest employee of her company.
And she completely cast him aside when a poor widow woman had come begging for a job.
That wasn't even the most insulting part. Nathalie had had no family of her own, her husband leaving her when her 'side-business' was generating more income than his own career. Had she really been so desperate as to take that girl and her three toddler children as her own?
It pained Gabriel to realize that yes, she had.
Well, that wouldn't last. She would realize her mistake. He should have been the one she named heir, not her.
As Gabriel continued folding his laundry, a plan slowly brewed in his mind. It would be the best for Nathalie in the end, and Gabriel was nothing if not a loyal companion. He always had her best interests in mind. And he would ensure that this would end well for her.
"Louis, stop antagonizing your sister."
The little boy frowned while Emma grinned at him.
Marinette didn't miss the way that Louis stuck his tongue out at her.
She felt a tug at her skirts. Looking down from the ensuing bickering, she saw little Hugo looking up at her. "Are they going to fight, mama?"
"No," she said. She pointedly rose her voice as she directed it to her two six-year-olds. "They are not if they want dessert tonight."
"But I'm good, mama," Hugo continued, his blue eyes brightening. "Do I get dessert tonight."
She smiled down at her youngest. "Only if you stay good."
He gave a fervent nod.
She reached down to ruffle his raven hair before turning her attention back to Emma and Louis. They now stood a few spaces apart, looking rather apologetic.
Marinette grinned. Worked every time.
To keep them occupied so they would stay out of trouble, Marinette set them up with some paints and paper, allowing them to create their own masterpieces until Gabriel called them for dinner.
The kids bounded to the dining room without giving Gabriel a second glance. But Marinette always would. There was something about him. Something…off. She didn't trust him, no matter how much faith Nathalie put in him. And she especially didn't trust him around her children.
"Where's Nathalie?" Marinette asked when they arrived.
"She wasn't feeling well," he dismissed. "Therefore, she is unable to make it do dinner."
Marinette didn't by it, but her children were whining for food, so she ignored it to correct them on their behavior.
"Will you be joining us, Gabriel?"
He shook his head. "I have other things to attend to. Enjoy your meal."
After the four of them finished dinner, Marinette sent them up to their room to get ready for bed.
Instead, they all gathered in Marinette's room. They were already tired, but the kids wanted a story, so that's what they got.
Halfway through the chapter, all three kids were fast asleep, and Marinette didn't trail too far behind.
The shaking awoke her. Slowly, her heavy eyelids opened to darkness. It took far too long to register that she was not in the house.
With a gasp, she sat up, just as the carriage she was in came to a stop. The clinking of chains sounded over the rain, and she scrambled towards one of the windows as she tried to figure out what was going on.
And that's when the carriage starting rolling backwards.
Fast.
She screamed, bracing herself in the carriage as it twisted, then tilted, turning over on its side before skidding to a stop.
Her heart was pounding, and currently the sound of her blood roaring in her ears was far louder than that of the rain that came in through the cracks in the windows.
"Mama?"
Her heart stopped. "Louis!" She reached toward the tiny hand that she could barely see in the darkness and pulled her eldest to her. "Emma? Hugo?"
Another presence appeared at her side while a cry on the other side of the carriage caught her attention.
She crawled over to Hugo, picking him up and cradling her four-year-old tightly.
"Are you okay?" she asked no child in particular as she scrambled to collect her three kids to her.
"I'm okay, Mama," Louis said, twisting his hands in her skirt.
Emma sniffed but nodded her head against Marinette's side.
Hugo clung to his mother's dress, burying his face in her chest while sobbing.
She held them close. "It's okay," she lied. "It's all going to be okay."
How, she didn't know, but somehow, things had to be. Her children deserved better than this.
Adrien strutted down the street, relishing the light drizzle of rain as he meandered down his favorite path along the river trail. He whistled a happy tune to keep himself entertained. Being a swordsman as he was, his rapier swung in a steady rhythm at his hip with each step.
However, that all paused when he came to see the carriage that had crashed down onto the riverbank. He let out a low whistle, shaking his head as he thought of what poor, unfortunate soul had to be inside that carriage, that is if there were any.
And he quickly realized that there was. A woman, a small one with black hair and hopelessly stained white dress, scrambled out one of the windows.
He was by her side in a heartbeat.
"Are you all right, Miss?" he asked, assisting her from the overturned carriage.
She was even more beautiful up close. Her eyes were a stunning shade of blue, and her hair seemed to shimmer like raven feathers. He'd seen many a lovely lady, but she held a certain beauty all her own, especially when paired with that stubborn, determined expression she wore when she was scrambling out of the carriage.
She paused, staring up at him in surprise. "Um… I…"
"A simple thank you would suffice," he said with a wink. He then righted her on her feet and bowed. "Adrien Agreste of the royal musketeers at your service."
Her eyes widened, as he knew they would upon hearing the title. It was always his first weapon used when impressing a lovely lady.
"My… my children. They're still in here."
Children? His heart sank. Of course, she was married. She probably had been competed over. But he could dwell on that later when he wasn't weaseling his own way into the carriage to help her children out.
All three of them.
He would assume it was the eldest that came to him first, looking him over with the wide eyes of hero worship. He grinned at the kid. "You up and out first."
He was the easiest, followed by a skeptical young girl who looked very similar in age.
It was the youngest he had the hardest time with.
"Hugo, he's there to help you," the woman called to him.
But the kid just cried and scampered away in fear.
Adrien resorted to grabbing the kid, scaring the daylights out of him if his scream was any indication. He felt horrible about it. Thankfully, his mother didn't seem to unnerved by it. She simply took the kid from his arms and allowed the little boy to cling to her dress.
"Are all of you all right?" Adrien asked, hopping out of the carriage for himself.
The woman was looking all her kids up and down before she gave him a nod. "Thank you, sir."
He nodded, looking the kids over for himself. He couldn't help but notice that they were shoeless and in their nightwear, and his curiosity peaked. "Can I ask what happened?"
At this, she looked ready to cry. "I… I don't know. We were reading a story then… we woke up in the carriage, and it slid backwards into the river bank."
Adrien's brow furrowed.
"I don't know where we are or how to get back home."
He looked at her, then at the child clinging to her dress front before he looked down at the two kids hiding behind her skirt. He sighed. "Come. I'll help you get back home."
"Would you, please?" she pleaded, her voice soft and eyes wide.
He couldn't say no. "Of course. Cat's honor."
Her brow furrowed.
He smiled at her, but he turned his attention towards the scared looking children. "Of course. I am the famous Chat Noir, the most talented musketeer of the king's army. I've been on many adventures all over the kingdom and fought many foes."
The older boy's eyes began to shine with intrigue. Adrien grinned. Seemed like he could charm kids, too.
"Yes," he continued. He took out his sword and playfully took a stance. "I've been in many battles and vanquished many foes from the kingdom! They've come up to me and said 'Are you the famous Chat Noir? I've heard you're the most talented musketeer of the kingdom. I challenge you to a duel!' And the rules would always be the same: if they won, I would have to leave the kingdom forever and they could rob whatever houses they wanted to. But I knew I couldn't let that happen so I would always reply 'I accept your challenge!'"
By now, both of the kids that had been clinging to her skirt were looking at him in awe. The littlest one was no longer crying, so he'd take that as a win.
He grinned. "And I always defeated them so that people just like you would be safe. But vanquishing foes is not my only duty." He sheathed his sword again and knelt before the two older children. "I also have the duty of making sure little kids like you are safe. And I think I know just the place to go. Are you ready?"
The two kids nodded. He grinned widely.
"Well then," he said, standing up, "Let's go, shall we? We have to get to the barracks, and from there, we can get a carriage and I'll tell you all about my adventures."
The kids eagerly followed him as he led them down the river trail.
"Well, you know my name," he said. "But I don't know yours?"
"I'm Louis!" The older boy said, scampering up to his side. "And that's Emma."
"I can introduce myself!" she argued.
"Of course, you can," he said. "But it's always polite for a man to introduce a lady."
At this, her anger instantly dissipated. "Louis and I are twins," she added.
That explained it.
"And that's Hugo," Louis explained, pointing at the child the woman held.
Adrien turned to give him a smile and a wave. "It's nice to meet you, Hugo."
"Can you wave back?" his mother whispered.
Shyly, he waved, then buried his head back into his mother's dress.
Adrien chuckled.
"And this is Mom!" Louis finished.
"Does mom have a name?" Adrien asked.
She smiled sweetly at him. "Marinette Couffaine."
"Well, Mrs. Couffaine, it is a pleasure to get to meet all of you. Now, let's take you back to the barracks to get your little ones out of the rain."
Relief washed over her. "Thank you so much."