A.N.- I'm sorry that this chapter landed on Valentine's day. Truly, I am. The Angst train came into the station.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, I'm sure if you talk to him face to face, you'll get answers."

Tikki's voice barely cut through to Marinette as she paced back and forth inside the kitchen of her bakery. Three days since her encounter with Chloe. The name Sophie had stewed inside her mind for hours on end. Adrien was supposed to visit later that night. The message was all typed up staring back at her from the phone screen.

Whose Sophie?

Although the question is too direct to send as is, they needed to talk about it."I need to talk to him about it. This has robbed my sleep, and I need to be focused for tomorrow." Her finger poised over the send button, but she couldn't bring herself to hit the button. She could wait a couple of hours and talk to him them. Right on time, her phone buzzed with a text from her boyfriend.

Adrien: Can't make it tonight, I have to run errands for my father.

Marinette's heart sank further inside her chest as she read and reread the text over and over again. That meant the soonest she could ask in person would be right before the competition. The Sophie question deleted a more pressing matter came to mind.

Marinette: Can you still make it tomorrow?

Marinette found that she was holding her breath waiting for a reply. If he couldn't, she would like to know now instead of an hour before. Her phone vibrated, and she couldn't open the message fast enough.

Adrien: Wouldn't miss it for the world.

At least she had the satisfaction of knowing he would still be there tomorrow, not that it provided much comfort where Sophie was involved. An idea sprung, and she typed up a message before she could convince herself that it was not her most brilliant idea.

Marinette: It's funny I was in the market earlier, and I ran into this girl, we got to talking, and she said she knows you.

She couldn't very well spill that Chloe brought up the name to prove that they wouldn't work out. If he thought this happened more organically, he might be more prone to give her information.

Adrien: Oh really? What's her name?

The moment of truth. Marinette took a breath and took the plunge.

Marinette: Her name was Sophie, how do you know her?

She'd take looking like a jealous girlfriend for a while if it meant getting the answer she wanted.

Adrien: She's someone I knew a couple of years ago. I'll tell you the whole story later. My father is expecting me.

She should have expected that right when she was about to get answers the conversation died. Now Marinette had no choice; her questions would have to wait.

Adrien sighed as he glanced at the phone; she knew about Sophie. He didn't know how she found out, and it didn't matter at this point. It had to be a conversation that they needed to have in person, not over text message. The paper bags in his hand shifted as he unlocked the door to his apartment. He only managed to make it a couple of steps but stopped at the sight of Chloe draped on his couch.

"You really should find an apartment with a better doorman; yours just let me right in." Chloe extended her hand checking her nails. "Although, I figured you would be home sooner." She sat up and crossed her legs.

"What are you doing here?" he growled. He didn't spend the last couple hours doing a favor for his father for him to home and bossed around by Chloe. If she wanted something, she got it. Adrien had lost the desire to cater to her every whim. First thing in the morning he would talk with his doorman.

"Don't you miss hanging with me, or are you too busy with your little girl toy?"

"Don't talk about her like that!" He snapped anger bubbling up inside him. Of course, this was about Marinette. The second Adrien told her that Marinette was his girlfriend, he knew he was in for trouble. Chloe never excelled in sharing in pretty much anything- especially him.

"If you are trying to convince me that you two are anything serious, I'd hold your breath. It's not like you told Marinette anything about you," Chloe replied.

The wheels began to turn inside Adrien's head, none of the thoughts brought comfort. Marinette said she had bumped into Sophie in a marketplace, but what if she didn't. What if-

"It was you," he whispered. Chloe's unchanged features from the accusation told him all he needed to know. The anger raged up along with the desire to punch the wall. Chloe purposely tried to weasel her way between Marinette and him. "You had no right"—

Chloe checked her phone, un-swayed by his display of anger. "I was only speeding along the process, Adrien. The sooner you get over her, the better."

"Jealousy doesn't look good on you, Chlo." This had gone far enough. She would have to get used to the fact that Marinette was in his life. She wouldn't like his decision if she made him choose.

"Jealous?" she scoffed as she slammed her phone on the couch before standing. "Maybe I was briefly, but then I talked to her. If you two were serious, you would have told her about your ex-fiancé, and why you were really at the restaurant."

"How did you"- Adrien's question tapered off. He had learned long ago not to question how she learned something. Being the mayor's daughter probably aided her in more ways than one.

"I have my ways, Adrikins." Chloe reached out and tapped his nose despite him shrinking back. "Just like I know your father bought a building a couple of weeks ago?"

Adrien's brows furrowed. "So? My father buys buildings all the time." He hadn't bought one in Paris in a while, so it was overdue. Chloe acted as if it was convicting evidence. His father could buy buildings as he saw fit, it was part of running the Agreste fashion line.

"But not with Marinette's name in the memo line." Chloe's lips tucked into a smirk, "sound familiar?"

She had to be lying. There was no way that Marinette would do that to him. But if Gabriel found out about the meeting—he wouldn't put it past his father. But if Marinette had been part of the plan from the beginning, then why mention Sophie now? Things weren't adding up.

"I think it's time you leave."

"I just don't want to see her break your heart. If you don't believe me, go snoop around your father's office." "But deep down you know I'm right. Marinette may not love you, but I always will." She ran her fingers down the edges of his face until he forced her hand away. Chloe blew a kiss in his direction before sauntering out the door.

A grunt of frustration escaped him. His father had gone too far this time. Chloe might be jealous, but she wouldn't have made up evidence like that. Tomorrow he would snoop in his father's office, Adrien hoped he wouldn't dread what he found.

He would have time before the competition, at least that's what he told himself. Adrien didn't gain a wink of sleep from the previous night, Chloe's words rattled around his mind. Things didn't add up, and if it took breaking into his father's office, then that's what he would do. Then once he had more of an idea what happened, he would approach Marinette. He didn't want to go to her accusing her of something she was innocent of so he would have to wait. His phone buzzed with a message from her.

Marinette: I can't wait to see you today. I am loading the car with essentials. Wish me luck.

He typed a fast reply, shoved the phone into his pocket and started in the direction of his father's house.

Thankfully Nathalie didn't take much convincing to let him inside the house.

"Your father isn't here; he has a meeting with some investors."

"I'll wait in his office," Adrien figured if he said it with enough confidence, he could stroll right in. Nathalie didn't stop him.

He didn't know how it was possible, but the office seemed warmer and friendlier with no one occupying it. It had been years since he had been in here, but not much had changed. The large picture of his deceased mother still hung on the wall watching his fathers every move. The bookshelves still contained hundreds of books that Adrien was sure his father hadn't cracked open despite the lack of dust.

Where could he even begin? If his deal with Marinette was an ongoing thing, he was bound to keep the information nearby. The first logical place was his desk. He crossed the room and glanced at the different drawers. The first one he picked, he didn't find much. A photograph of his mother and a receipt for the calendars...in a total amount of almost a thousand dollars. It didn't much for him to put the pieces together. The chief looked entirely too happy when his father left the station on the day of the photoshoot. He paid Nathaniel already, which only meant that his father rather than allowing the natural course of his charity even play out, he had to smother the project, so it would never so the light of day. It was the only way he got what he wanted. The crew still got their calendar as a thank you for their hard work. But it seems like outside of that, the community would never see it.

The second drawer provided even less comfort and unsettling feeling. There was a folder with Marinette's name labeled in the corner. The first paper he pulled out was the document that Chloe mentioned. There, in a memo section Marinette's name written in ink.

Adrien closed the folder not bother to look through the rest of the paperwork; seeing that Chloe had been right shattered him enough. He didn't need to keep breaking his heart by reading the details for how Marinette used him. She used him and toyed with his emotions. The phone buzzed.

Marinette: Where are you?

He shoved the phone back in his pocket. Right now, he didn't trust what he would text back. The competition was still an hour away; he would have time to talk to his father and get some answers and make it on time to see Marinette win. He tucked the folder under his arm. If Nathalie caught him stealing the folder, then word would get to his father before he could reach them.

"Nathalie, I'm going to go ahead and meet my dad at the office." Adrien didn't wait for a reply before running out of the door.

This was it — a combination of months of hard work. The air filled with electricity and excitement. Marinette couldn't help but look around at her competition. Some of them had been participating in this contest for years, but never managed to place. She couldn't allow herself to think like that, the peanut butter/ chocolate combination was terrific enough to win.

"Marinette, are you ok?"

Tikki's voice grabbed her attention; she hadn't realized that she had zoned out. A light dusting spread across her cheeks at being called out. "Sorry, I was overwhelmed for a second. I can't believe that we're here."

"Not only that, but we're going to win," Tikki added.

The confidence was appreciated, but Marinette only hoped that it was enough to win first place. "Why don't you start unloading the car and I'll go check in."

It only took twenty minutes after registration for everything to be unloaded.

"Well look who it is, my two favorite girls with everything needed for delicious pastries."

"Plagg? What are you doing here?"

"I just came by from the station to drop of the calendars hot off the press and come by to wish you two luck." He leaned in and stole a kiss from Tikki.

Tikki smiled as he pulled away and then immediately started to flip through the pages with excitement allowing her gaze to linger longer on December's page.

"Did you happen to see Adrien while you were there? He was supposed to be here already."

"He wasn't there, sorry." Plagg ran his hands through his hair.

She didn't know what was going on, why would he go missing right before the competition? "Bakers, please head to your station. The competition starts in twenty minutes."
Marinette glances around the crowd still searching for her extremely late boyfriend. She dialed his number but met an instant voicemail. It wouldn't do any good to leave a message; he replied to her this morning. She looked to Plagg and Tikki and how blissfully unaware of how anxious she was becoming. Her fingers started to hover over the screen ignoring the urge to call again.

"Come on, Adrien," she whispered to herself, "where are you?"

By the time he reached the elevator, Adrien was sick of hearing, gasps, whispers, and his name. He couldn't remember the last time he had been to his dad's office, but it certainly didn't warrant this kind of attention. The second he made eyes with Gabriel's other secretary, he watched as her mouth start to quiver.

"M. Agreste, your father is in a meeting. He's not to be disturbed."

Adrien's eyes narrowed, no he wouldn't come this far only to turn away. His father always out the company over him, and this once, he wouldn't allow it.

"This is important." He walked past her desk with new determination despite her protests. His father needed to know he was serious. He pushed opened the doors gaining all eyes in the room.

"Adrien now is hardly the time"-

His father's face harden and caused his inside to seize before Adrien pushed through his fear.

"Did you bribe Marinette?" He kept his voice strong among the fear creeping up within him.

Gabriel whispered something to the gentleman, stood up and made his way out of the conference room grabbing Adrien's arm forcefully as he went.

"Michelle, conference room 2." He shouted. The words sprung her into action, Adrien almost felt sorry for her. Gabriel pulled Adrien until he was in front of him.

"I'll be lucky if you didn't blow my biggest client this year," he growled, "this better be important."

"Why did you buy a building that has Marinette's name attached to it?"

"You were snooping in my office?" His father shot back with one brow raised. "It seems I need to keep it locked when I'm away."

"That's not the point!"

"You're right! The point is maybe before you come in here yelling and pointing accusations, you would bother to dig further to save yourself the embarrassment."

His father's words drained his confidence as he took a step back. "What do you mean?"

"I sent Nathalie to try and convince Mlle Dupain-Chang to stay away. She reeked of a bad influence for you, distracting you from important meetings here and of responsibilities, but she declined. Instead, she seemed to be around you every time I turned my head."

She didn't take the money. Adrien's face paled and stomach twisted. How could he believe Chloe for even an instant? He actually thought that kind, and sweet Marinette had manipulated and used him. His father still had things to answer for, but now wasn't the time to make him answer for it.

He should have seen the clues, the one subject she was always fidgety with was his father. Now he knew why.

Marinette!

The competition.

He pulled out his phone, it had already begun, but if he hurried, he could make it there before it ended.

He muttered an apology to his father for interrupting his meeting and almost tripped over himself as he pushed into a full run.

Marinette could feel her stomach knots tightened. The poor map of the event didn't stand a chance in her nervous hands. She felt a hand clamp over hers, and she looked towards its owner and Tikki flashed her a smile.

"It will be ok, no matter what happens."

"I need to win to get the store on 7th; it's the perfect location and"-

"Marinette." Tikki commanded her attention, "it will be okay. We will figure it out."

Marinette had never been more thankful for Tikki than in that moment. Her eyes turned to the crowd and her heart sunk. There was Nathaniel, Plagg, her mom, but no Adrien. Plagg offered a shrug as if to answer her silent question; where was Adrien?

"Alright, the judges have made their decisions," the host announced in the microphone. "First off, I like to say you should all applaud yourself; it was super close this year. But in 3RD place, we have Casey from Casey's cupcakes." A round of applause burst out as a petite blonde girl out on stage to collect a ribbon. As thankful she was that she didn't get third place, on the other side of that only two spots remained.

"In 2nd place, if Mlle. Dupain-Chang from Ladybug boulangerie and pâtisserie!" Everything else suddenly stripped away. She didn't win. All her hard work and months to prepare and she didn't win. The announcer began speaking again, but everything muffled. Tikki must have accepted the prize on her behalf. Marinette was thankful because she couldn't move her legs if she wanted to. The world around her started to spin, and she only could excuse herself. The outside air didn't help at all. Instead, her lungs were on fire and tears began to flow.

She was a failure.

Her hands swiftly went to wipe away her tears. There was no time for that. She had to be the strong one; it's who she always was. If Tikki or her mother saw her in this state, then they would fuss over her for the rest of the day.

And if Adrien saw her like this— that didn't matter, her mind countered. He's not here.

"Guess we're not as much of a winning combination as I thought," she muttered glumly to herself. As much as she wanted to go home and sink her disappointment away in a bubble bath, it wasn't fair to Tikki to pack up the car. Marinette smothered any feelings that threatened to arise and started her journey back to her friends.

He was several kinds of late, and he knew it, traffic was horrendous. Not to mention the event was huge. He spent 15 minutes trying to find his way before asking for directions from a stranger. They couldn't help, which left him at square one. He was pretty sure that his phone was now dead in his pocket, he had used all its energy to guide him here.

It took another ten before he was in the right spot, just in time to see Marinette pull off in her car.

He had screwed up.

The worst part he had only himself to blame. He could have chosen to ignore Chloe and her theories, but instead, he chased them down the rabbit hole head first.

"Where were you?" Plagg's voice whipped him around.

"How was it? Did she win?" The energy it took to get there had officially winded him.

Plagg stood a frown plastered on his face. "Where were you?" He repeated with more force.

Adrien's face fell in disappointment and embarrassment. "It's a long story." He hoped it would be enough to persuade him to drop the subject.

"I'm listening."

Marinette hadn't said much of anything to anyone before she finished packing up her station and drove away. 2nd place and only enough money to pay for a repairman to fix their oven if the situation arose. What hurt worst was that she knew what she put before the judges weren't her best work. Her mind went to several other places during the baking process, but it all led back to: why didn't Adrien show? He beamed about how proud he would be when she won not even a week ago. Showing up late would be one thing, there was traffic, or he couldn't find the event tent, but not to show up at all? Not to mention not returning any of her texts.

There were plenty of people that came to support her, her mom, Tikki, Alya, and Nino. Even Nathaniel found out and at least stopped by to wish her luck.

Her feet dragged up the stairs, each step they turned more to lead to mimic her insides.

Marinette couldn't stop her mind from spiraling; there's no way she would be able to get the bakery spot now. By the time the money could be earned, someone would probably have rented it out. It would force her to start the process again from square one.

If you would have taken Gabriel's deal... Her mind trailed off into dangerous territory. What's worse, her emotions towards Adrien took over, and her mind entertained the thought. She would have her bakery up and running and successful. Crowds would be lining outside the door and-

No. She wouldn't give Gabriel the satisfaction that he ran her off. A distraction was what she needed; something not related to cooking or baking— her sketches. It was always her go to in these kinds of situations. It calmed her and kept her mind planted on the ground.

Marinette retreated to the bookshelf in her room and stopped when her eyes landed on the second shelf from the top. Her book wasn't there. It had to be; she didn't keep it anywhere else. Chest tightening and head spinning, Marinette frantically started to look everywhere it could be in her room.

Gone.

Her breathing started to shallow, room spinning. When was the last time she saw it? It was— when she showed Adrien.

"These are breathtaking," she watched him brush his fingers across the page. "If my father could see this,"

And Marinette's blood ran cold. No, he wouldn't do that to her. He knew how much the sketches meant to her. What other explanation was there for why the book wasn't anywhere in the house. Marinette slumped to the floor not holding back the tears any longer. For the second time that day, her heart split in two.