"Right now, I'll tell you of a position that I consider an interest for you- actually here comes the person I was waiting for. He'll explain it better than me."
Adrien smiled at the group in front of him. "Good evening."
"I present you Dr. Adrien Agreste. he'll question you." Judge Dupain said looking at the group.
A guy with dark hair rolled his eyes "what for?"
"He'll do a psychological test on you." Judge Dupain replied back.
That made the group argue even more. Suddenly, Adrien saw someone in the group that he didn't expect to see among them. He walked over to her "Elsa. What are you doing here?"
"As you can see they stopped me with the group." She replied motionless.
Judge Dupain walked to him "you guys know each other?"
Adrien nodded not believing that she was there "yes, she's my cousin."
Judge Dupain stares at him "I hope this doesn't influence anything in the case."
"No of course not" Adrien looks at him "don't worry Judge Dupain."
Mathew ran to Mari's house and knocked on the open door "can I come in?"
Fu looked at who it was before smiling "yea of course come in."
Mathew walked in the house out of breath "hi Fu do you remember me?"
"Good evening yes of course I remember you the painter hands." Fu laughed as Mathew looks at him confused "sorry but that's what Mari calls you, and you know how modern girls can be. Take a seat."
Mathew took a deep breath "no, I'm fine...its just that I came to tell you that Mari is in the delegation."
Fu was drinking tea but after hearing what Mathew said he spits it out. "She's what?!"
"Everything was set Adrien assured me that you two were going on a trip."
Chloe paced around the room as her mother sat on the bed. "And I went all happy to plan everything with him but then Judge Dupain called him, and he immediately left leaving me opened mouth."
"The truth is your husband is very inconsiderate." Her mom shook her head.
"I can't stand him mom." Chloe sits on the bed "especially because what makes me mad is his indifference, his coldness." She plops on the bed "I protest, yell, threaten, and he is like nothing. Sometimes I have the desire to kill him."
Her mom stares at her "girl your very altered."
Chloe sits up "what I am is fed up, and I just made a decision."
Her mom raised an eyebrow "what decision?"
"I'm going to divorce Adrien."
The secretary tried to calm the group down, but it was for no use for a while before they finally did.
"Thank you, guys I want to do a serious investigation to achieve important conclusions. I ask for total discretion, and I ask for confidence from the youth and the not so youth." Adrien said looking at the group.
"Look for other Guinea pigs Mr. Crazy. We are bad people." A guy with glasses said making the whole group laugh.
"None of us well answer your questions Adrien. Better just let us go and don't think I'm just trying to influence you because of our blood line. Though I expect you not to tell my parents any of this." Elsa said glaring at him.
"And why are you talking for everyone Elsa? I am okay to be interviewed." A guy said holding a tissue over his bloody nose. This made everyone complain at him.
"We don't have a necessary to do it Jake" a girl wearing a cap replied.
"I believe so Roxie." The guy known as Jake replied.
"And what well we win by doing this?" The guy with glasses asked.
"If you cooperate, there will be a few considerations." Judge Dupain said to them.
"My little girl. Why did she go to the club? Since my time, the clubs were terrible places. What do I do to get her out of there?"
Fu was sitting at the table worried sick for Mari. Mathew sat across from him. "I imagine that they'll let them go tomorrow. I just came to tell you so you wouldn't worry if Mari didn't come to sleep the night."
Judge Dupain looks at them "what do you guys decide?"
The dark-haired guy replied for everyone. "Fine we accept."
The girl known as Roxie nodded "when do we start?"
"Alright please give us the pleasure in heading to the other room." Judge Dupain said leading the group to the other room. Adrien followed behind when he saw a young woman with jeans and a red shirt staying behind.
"Why aren't you going with the rest?"
The woman stood up straight, "please help me with all your heart, please help me sir. Save me."
Adrien looked at her for a moment "I recognize you. Who are you?"
She took a deep breath "my name is Mari, I'm the one to deliver teas to your house. We saw each other this morning."
The memory of this morning flashes in front of his eyes as he remembered.
"No mom I won't regret divorcing Adrien. What I don't want is to be weak I won't let time pass by I'm young I want to live my life. I'll tell him tonight I'll wait as long as necessary to tell him." Chloe had a determined look on her face.
"I beg you, please help me."
Adrien put his suitcase on the secretary's desk as the young woman known as Mari begged him to help her. "How can I help you?"
"Take me out of here and that's it. Just tell them to let me go." She had a sweet sad look.
"I can't do that." Adrien looked at the sad look in her eyes.
"Why not?"
"Because you were with the group you committed the same crime as the rest." He said gently.
She shook her head and stuttered. "Its just that I...its just that I'm not part of the group. I wasn't with those people I don't even know them."
Adrien tilted his head slightly. "Weren't you where the fight occurred?"
She looked down "well yea I was there."
"So?"
She looked up at him. "It was just by chance I went to that club to give a guy who works there a message. He's a friend who's my neighbor. He works there as a waiter. I just went to tell him that his wife was in labor when suddenly I got stuck in between the fight that started, but I had nothing to do with it. I swear."
He looked at her "really?"
"Really, it's the truth. It's only how I told you. You need to help me. Look how late it is. They're waiting for me at home. My parents and poor Fu must be worried for me. They must be thinking that I was ran over by a car or that I was raped or that...that I don't know that I'm not going home to sleep. I just want to go home." She starts crying and buries her head on his chest. Adrien hesitates to put his hands around her in a hug as she cries. "Just let me go. Tell the police to let me go please." She continues to cry as Adrien process everything she said.
"I can't wait anymore I'm going to the delegation."
Fu stood up, and Mathew stood up with him. "I doubt that you'll achieve anything Mr. If you want I can stay longer with you until you calm down."
Fu shook his head. "You think that if that girl doesn't arrive all night I'll be here relaxed like nothing is going on? No I can't I'm going over there right now."
Mathew sighs. "If you want I can accompany you but only to the door. They might get me."
"However you want let's go." The two left the house.
"Mari don't cry anymore." Adrien gently moved her away from him. "It wasn't all your fault plus you will have time to explain everything that happened to your parents."
She looked at him with tears in her eyes "they might not believe me. Please help me sir, so they can let me go. Be kind with me. I promise you that I'm innocent. Please do it for the great teas Fu has given you. When you just sit drinking your tea as Fu works all day to be able to have your tea ready every single day-"
"Alright Mari." Adrien put a hand on her shoulder trying to stop her rambling.
"So you'll ganna let me go?" She looked at him hopeful.
"Well, that's not for me to decide."
She looked stunned "so what then?"
He sighs. "Wait here I won't be long."
He goes to find Judge Dupain. Once he finds him. He asks him to come with him because of a certain girl. They walked back to the room Mari was in but stayed a few feet away as they whispered among themselves.
"It has to do with that young lady sir."
Judge Dupain looked at Adrien "what is she doing here? Why isn't she with the rest?"
"She doesn't belong with the group they brought her by mistake at the moment of the fight she was at the club by pure chance." Judge Dupain raised an eyebrow "yea, she went to give a message to a waiter because it seems that his wife was about to give birth." Judge Dupain looked at the girl "she is freaking out sir she even thinks that her parents will hit her. She seems like the type that isn't used to go home late. Also she is family to a man who prepares tea for my wife."
They walked up to her as Judge Dupain analyzes her "so you had nothing to do with the fight in the club?"
She shook her head no with a soft smile. "Keeping in mind that she is innocent we could let her go don't you think sir?"
"Of course Dr. It would be unfair to keep her here but are you sure that she doesn't belong to the group?"
Adrien shook his head "no sir, she doesn't even know them."
She smiled "so what? Will you guys let me go?"
Judge Dupain smiled "yes young lady you can go."
She smiled big and shook Judge Dupain hand. "Thank you sir thank you. Thank you to both of you God bless you." She runs off as both men watch her leave.
"The poor thing was very scared."
Judge Dupain nodded "she probably never had been in this kind of trouble."
"She seems like a humble and shy young lady." Adrien faces Judge Dupain with a bright smile "it warms your heart to know there are still youth like her in the world don't you agree sir?" Judge Dupain nodded with a smile.
As Mari runs out she bumps into an officer whom she knows. "Sorry Kim."
Kim fixes his cap as he looked at her. "Mari what are you doing here?"
"Nothing Kim just being around here. Well see you later." She runs off leaving Kim confused.
Mari runs for a while before stopping for air. Out of breath, she leans on a tree to rest. "I almost slept in a cell, but I saved myself. Let the others have the consequence since they were making fun of me and cheering on Roland to mess with me." She cross her arms as she takes deep breaths "let them pay for that." She starts thinking about the doctor for crazy people. "The doctor was handsome a husband like him would be to die for, but I remember the huge fight he had with his wife and how he was yelling at her that's not right. For me, every man is the same none can save themselves, not even him." She takes a deep breath and continues to run home.
"Maybe I should look for father Carlos, so he can accompany me."
Fu and Mathew were walking down the stairs to the entrance to the neighborhood. Mathew looked at Fu "you think that he will be able to do something about it?"
Fu nodded "yes, he always helps us. He's a saint and no one like him to defend Mari. He says that she is an angel. Pour thing she must be depressed."
Just when they walk out of the entrance, Mathew and Fu see Mari ran towards them. Fu gasps "Mari!"
Mari looks at Mathew "gezz bro you ran as fast as lightning out of the club."
Mathew shrugged "I was lucky that's why I came to inform Fu."
"What about you did you escape from the delegation?" Fu had a worried look on his face.
"They let me go."
Mathew raised an eyebrow "only you."
Mari smiled "Yes Mathew the truth is that I saved myself by telling them a made up story and they believed me. Can you imagine? I grabed someone who arrived and asked him to help me."
Mathew rubbed the back of his head. "I can't believe it."
Mari crossed her arms. "You know what painter hands the truth is that everyone made fun of me in the club, and I didn't want to be there with them since they all cheered Roland as he tried to mess with me. You even saw it with your own eyes."
"Yea but now you're here, and I'm on my way. Good night and see you tomorrow at the painting session."
Mari smiled "alright then."
Fu smiled "good night and thank you."
Mathew nodded and walked away. Mari went over to Fu, and together they walked to their house.
"Why don't you just go to sleep, and tomorrow you talk with your husband."
Audrey looks over the railing as her daughter paces back and forth in front of the stairs. Chloe stops and faces her mother. "No mom I need to talk to him this very night."
"And if your husband arrives at three in the morning?"
"Than I'll talk to him at three in the morning." At that moment, the sound of the front door is heard. "He's here please us alone mom." Chloe whispered and waves her hand at her mom telling her to go.
"I recommend you to be calm and prudence. Think of everything you can loose."
Chloe nodded and continued waving her hand at her mom. "Fine hurry up mom." Her mom leaves just when Adrien walks in the main hall.
Adrien looks at Chloe confused. "What's up Chloe? Why aren't you in bed yet?"
Chloe's hands were on her hips. "I was waiting for you to talk with you."
"What's wrong?"
"I want to get a divorce. I don't want to live like this anymore. I want to recover my freedom." Chloe said sternly.
"Chloe I don't think it's the appropriate hour to talk about such a dedicated matter."
She nodded "well, it isn't the appropriate hour for you to return home either."
"You know I was working Chloe." His voice raised a bit.
"Of course your work interests you more than me. That's why it's better that we separate that way you can dedicate your entire time to your important events." She crosses her arms.
"Look maybe we should have this discussion tomorrow don't you think?" He starts to walk up the stairs.
"No! No I don't think so!" She walks ths same steps as him. "It has to be now! Plus there is nothing to decuss the divorce is more than decided."
"If you want to talk now than let's please go to the library because with your yells we are going to wake up the whole world." Adrien climbs down the stairs and walks to the library Chloe following behind. They walk inside the library Chloe walks ahead of Adrien before turning to face him crossing her arms. Adrien put his suitcase on a chair. "Chloe you can't make such an important decision like that. I also need to agree to it which I am not."
She raised her hand. "You have no right to decline. You abandon me; you have me lock in these walls I'm losing the best years of my life. I want to take advantage of them. If you don't care for me anymore than give me my freedom!" She pointed at him angerly.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry, but I can't give you your freedom! As much as you insist I won't give you the divorce." Adrien broke and yelled back at her.
Chloe sighed and turned around before facing him again. "Why! Give me one reason one!"
"Our marriage Chloe I don't want to throw it over the edge. When I married it was for forever Chloe. There are things you need to respect, save even if difficulties occur. C'mon Chloe we have a house a daughter-"
"That's why you're doing it. For Maya, to cover appearances. Not for me! Not because you love me!"
"Chloe you're overreacting."
"It's because you're stressing me out!" She starts hitting his chest as Adrien grabs her arms trying to stop her, but it wasn't really helping.
"You know what? I am a bit ashamed in lying to the crazy cue doctor, but I had to do it to save myself. If not, I would've slept in a cell. poor thing.
Mari was in her bed talking to Fu who was in his bed. He raised an eyebrow "why poor thing Mari?"
"Because he has no luck with women. I told you yesterday that his wife put him down, and now I lied to him until I got exhausted. Of course yesterday, he was yelling at his wife but with me; he behaved with such kindness."
Fu yawned "ah Mari go to sleep it's very late."
"Alright but first my blessing Fu."
He smiled "of course dear." Mari bends in front of him, and he blesses her then kisses her head. "Goodnight sweetie have good dreams."
"Thank you Fu until tomorrow." She goes back to her bed. As Fu turned off the lights.
A few minutes later, Adrien is sitting on a chair his head rested on his hands as he looked down. Chloe bends down in front of him resting her head over his and spoke softly.
"It's just that...I can't take it anymore Adrien I swear that I can't take it anymore."
"Why do you think that I don't care for you Chloe?"
Tears fall down from her eyes. "Because you don't show it."
"You know very well that I haven't acted differently around you. I have always been the same way."
She puts a hand on his cheek. "But you act differently around others."
He sighs "they need me Chloe."
"I also need you."
"I have given you my whole life isn't that enough?"
She turns around "lies! Lies! You married me, but you dedicate your days to others. Same for your time, interests, passion everything. You put everything in your work and crazy patients but nothing for me. You never take care of me."
He takes a deep breath "I feel obligated to do what I'm doing Chloe."
"Why tell me why."
He stands up making sure not to knock Chloe over and took a few steps. "It's a form to redeem myself for something I did a long time ago."
"What did you do?"
"An ennoble action that I'm embarrassed of."
Chloe stands up surprised at what he said.
'Gezz He's very handsome. He's not like the other guys in the group that look okay also he looks more decent but why does he fight with his wife could it be that he doesn't love her or what? Hm he must have his reasons. He seems like a nice guy, but he must be a jerk just like every other man.'
With that thought Mari falls asleep.
"I always knew that there was something you were hiding from me."
Adien walked pass her. "I never told anyone and the last person that I want to know about it is you."
"It has to do with a woman right it has to do with a woman." Chloe walks closer to him arms crossed.
"Yes."
She knew it. "Who?"
He sighs and turns around. "A teenager I met a while ago."
"What happened?"
He faces her. "I can't tell you."
"Why not?"
"Because you will despise me afterwards."
Chloe raised an eyebrow. "It's that bad?!"
"Yes it's that bad! So much that it marked my life."
Chloe walked to him. "Tell me, tell me Adrien." She grabs him by his suit and starts shaking him. "Tell me I have the right to know. Tell me who that girl was. What did you do tell me! Tell me I can't live not knowing!"
"I can't tell you Chloe!" He moves her hands away.
"You have secrets from me?"
Adrien takes a deep breath and calms down. "Forgive me, I might tell you one day but this won't free me from my guilt and you..." he walks away from her before facing her. "Just forget we ever had this conversation."
"You think I would be able to forget Adrien?"
He looks at her before walking to her. "Please let's go to sleep Chloe."
"No."
"Please I beg you." She stares at him before walking to the door Adrien following behind.
The next morning Mari rides her bike through the park enjoying everything to see there. Then she rides on a sidewalk, but suddenly she had to stop because she got stuck, she unstuck herself and when she turns her head to the side she sees Roland walk out from a store and stops seeing her.
"Hello good morning coward street rat."
Chloe walks to the back garden where her mom was having breakfast. "Good morning mom." She kissed her mother's cheek.
"Good morning dear."
"How did you wake up?" Chloe sits beside her at the table.
"Anxious to know how it went with your husband last night." Natalie, who was a few feet away from them preparing Chloe's breakfast, walked to the table and put the plate in front of her. "Natalie please leave us alone we will serve ourselves."
"How you prefer Mrs." Natalie's tone was motionless.
"Natalie that's not how you speak with my mother."
Natalie forced a smile "as you wish Mrs." She walked away.
"Did you talk to Adrien about the divorce?"
Chloe sighs. "Yes."
"And what did he tell you?"
"That he won't give it to me" Chloe grabs a toast.
Audrey nodded "of course Chloe, where will he find another woman like you."
"It's not for me mom. It's to cover up appearances, for Maya." She puts her fork down and looks at her mother. "But there's something very important. Something that he confessed to me. I was right. There's another woman in Adrien's life."
"You left and abandoned us just like Mathew."
Mari rolled her eyes. "I had to look after myself not after you guys. Plus you guys deserved it. You are the one to blame for the fight Roland, trying to mess with me and of course the rest made fun of me."
"What's going on is that you are still not involved with our fun." Roland touches her bike, but Mari moves it away.
"And I'll never be I might be poor, but I'm decent and if I did not stop talking to painter hands is because I need the money he gives me but if he tries to touch me, I'll also lose contact with him."
"Mari no one has kissed you before?" She just looks away. "So you wouldn't like it if someone kissed you for love? I know you're afraid to fall in love right? Nevertheless, it's necessary in life Mari."
She looked at him. "I don't like the love you're looking for."
"Okay then what kind?"
"Well love from a mom a dad a friend just that."
"Fine since you don't like me like a man can I be your friend?"
She shook her head "no."
"What can I do for you to not reject me?"
"Understand don't mess with me don't touch me and that's it."
"Fine fine look I promise that I won't do it again but why are you afraid of a man's love? Is it that something happed to you?"
"So he didn't want to talk about it?"
Chloe just told her mother what happened, and that was her reaction.
Chloe shook her head. "No and it seems that it's very embarrassing for him."
"You should have demanded him to tell you."
"That's what I did mom I swear there was no way. He's such a traditionalist and conservative that's why he defends marriage so much, but if he could get rid of me without scandals, he would do it like this." Chloe snapped her fingers.
"No dear I'm not sure about that."
She sighs "look I'll see how the trip goes, but it's the last chance I'll give him." She looks at her mother "mom I want to ask you for a favor. I would like to make a party a reunion tonight."
Audrey looked surprised "today?"
Chloe nodded
Fu was sweeping in front of the house when he sees father Carlos walking up the stairs, and he didn't seem happy.
"Good morning father."
"Not so good Fu." Fu raised an eyebrow at father Carlos's bad mood.
"Are you in a bad mood?"
"Yes." He stops a few feet away from Fu. "Where is Marinette?"
"She left like every day to earn money."
"But where?!"
Fu continues to sweep. "I'm not sure probably to the house of the guy who paints, but I don't know where he lives-"
"You should always know where Marinette is and with whom she is with. That way, you would prevent her from being taken to a delegation."
Fu stops and looks at him. "What?"
"Yes that's right to a delegation."
"Nothing happened to me Roland. I don't know why you're asking."
That made her so mad that she threw her bike to the ground.
"Fine if you don't want to tell me than don't tell me, but I'm sure that something happened to you." Mari picks up her bike and starts walking away from him. "Fine from now on, I'll just be your friend good friends. Well, you shake my hand as a sign of peace?" He extends his arm out. She turns to look at him and quickly puts her hand with his and moves it away before he could grab it. "That's what I like you see this is better. We are starting to understand each other."
"You have most of the blame of what Marinette does."
At this point, the two men were inside the house drinking tea. Fu raised an eyebrow "me father?"
He nodded "yes."
"But how?"
"When you brought her to your house you took a serious responsibility with her Fu."
Fu puts his tea cup down. "Look father I found Mari a long time ago like a stray cat. I gave her a roof food and also care, and so you know I was the only one to open the doors of my house and heart to her so please don't lecture me."
"That's not enough Fu. You should have guided her in life. Inculcate principles, moral concepts help her form her mind and soul."
He sighs "I don't just lay around all day I have work to do. Look at all this tea orders that I do by myself."
"I understand."
"Plus what should I do tie Mari's leg to her bed with a rope?" Fu shook his head.
"No Fu just talk to her to tell her about the good and the bad. Marinette is like an innocent animal without knowledge of what's good or bad. We need to teach her, so she can learn the difference."
"Well I'm not a teacher just a tea seller."
Father Carlos finished his tea. "Well I will talk to her and teach her."
"The guest will arrive at 9 tonight so the waiters that will come and you guys should be ready a half-hour early got that Natalie?"
Chloe was telling the servants what to do for the party tonight.
"Don't worry Mrs. Chloe everything will turn out perfect."
Adrien's little sister Ruby walked down the stairs. "We're going to have a party Chloe?"
"Yes Ruby a little reunion motivated with the trip I'm taking with your brother."
Ruby smiled happily. "What trip Chloe?"
"We are going to Miami."
"Maya must be happy and excited." Ruby smiled
Chloe smiled softly "Maya is not going only Adrien and I."
Ruby's smile fades a little "well at least, you will bring her a gift from your trip. I'm going to study in the library excuse me Chloe." Ruby walks pass her.
"Did I tell you that Chloe invited me for dinner at your house tonight?"
Adrien and Edward were in the gym working out.
"Yes I know she organized it last minute as a farewell for the trip we are doing."
Edward nodded "hay you haven't told me how it went with the rebels in the delegation."
"Some were unstable others calm." Adrien stops doing the bike and uses a towel to wipe the sweat off. "In the end, I psychologically examined everyone even the not so youth."
"Well let's see what conclusions you get." Edward looks at his watch. "Well I should go take a shower I have an appointment. See you tonight and this time I'll take my girlfriend so you can meet her."
Edward started to walk away, but Adrien stops him. "You know what Edward from the group that was in the delegation last night, there was this girl who didn't belong in the group and had nothing to do with the fight, so we let her go. It shamed me to see her there so scared and powerless begging me to help her. I don't know why I'm so glad that she doesn't belong with the group of rebels. Plus with all of this, she has an original name."
Edward raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah what's her name?"
Adrien smiled "Mari."
That night Mari walked to the church and saw father Carlos standing outside. She went to him with a smile.
"Hi father Carlos give me your blessing please."
Mari put her hands behind her back as Father Carlos started giving his blessing to her. Suddenly, he grabs her arm where it was and dragged her into the church.
"Ow! Father Carlos what the heck!?"
"Do me the favor of coming with me. We have a lot to talk about."
"It hurts."
"Deal with it."
"Well its not your arm. Let me go please." He lets her go once inside. "Why are you so mad father?"
"And why do you do bad things Marinette?"
She raised an eyebrow. "What did I do this time?"
"I know that you were taken to a delegation yesterday."
Chloe and Adrien were greeting the guest though Adrien's tone was not so happy. After a while, Chloe sighs. "You could sound nicer you sound like your not happy to receive them."
Adrien sighs. "Chloe you know reunions are not my thing."
"I'm going to check things are going well." She walks away before facing him. "Try to receive the upcoming guest kindly."
"Something else?"
She shook her head. "Nope that's it." She walks away.
"And that's how things happened, but it wasn't my fault that's why I made that story to that guy, and he let me go."
Mari was sitting on a chair as father Carlos was sitting st his desk.
"That is called treason Marinette. You should have had the same luck as your friends."
Mari crossed her arms. "Why father after they made fun of me and also cheering Roland on in messing with me? I don't think so. What happened to them, they deserve for being jerks."
He sighs "your something else Marinette."
"Well, you always tell me that I'm an angel."
"Yea a broken angel."
She stood up smiling. "Well, the important thing is that I didn't stay in jail."
"Understand that you lied."
She sits back down "I was going to beg God to forgive me. I was on my way there when I bumped into you. I just didn't want the laughter to overcome me because if I remember what I told the crazy cue doctor it's game over."
"Crazy cue doctor?"
"Yea the person I was talking about. The demander yea one of those doctors who cues those that are crazy, but since he helped me get out he's in my good side."
"This time we are not absent Adrien."
Adrien turns to see Edward walk towards him. "Good thing you came Edward." They give each other a bro hug.
"I present you my future wife Elsa Castle."
There standing next to his best friend was his cousin Elsa Agreste Castle.
"Please forgive me for what I did God. You know I had to lie I had no other choice. Please forgive me. Amen."
After she preyed, she left the church and walked home.
Adrien sat on a table away from the reunion. He just sat there thinking until he heard footsteps coming toward him. He turned to his right and saw his cousin sitting next to him.
"What surprises you have given me lately Elsa."
"You're not going to unmask me to Edward right?"
As Mari walked home, she heard a weird noise. She looked deeper into the shadows and saw a weeping puppy.
"Hay what are you doing here all by yourself?" She bends down and pets him. "You must be starving they abandoned you huh? It's obvious you're all dirty you might not even have a name poor thing. You're a stray right?"
"So you're the famous girlfriend of Edward?"
She smiled "yup Miss Agreste Castle the daughter of the powerful banker Christopher Agreste and his wife Ciel Agreste Castle, I'm your cousin."
"Yes a different cousin than who was in the delegation yesterday right? What's the real mask the one from yesterday or today?"
She smirked "you should know aren't you a psychiatrist?"
He stared at her "how did you dare come here Elsa?"
She smiled "I couldn't decline you can't imagine how many times I tried to avoid it, but it had to happen one day the bad thing was from last night."
Adrien looks behind him where Edward was before looking back at her. "Why are you cheating on Edward?"
"I have my reasons cousin."
"What are those reasons to cheat on someone?"
"I can't tell you right now."
He frowns "you also lied to me."
She laughed softly "no, I didn't lie to you who lied to you is Mari."
He looks at her shocked. "What are you saying?"
"Mari mocked you. You felled for her lies like a fool."
"Mari had nothing to do with you guys."
She laughed "that's what you think? Even though she isn't from our status, she's always everywhere with us."
Mari walked inside the house with the puppy in her arms. "I'm back from the church Fu."
"Good- what's that?" He looks at the puppy.
"Can't you see it's a puppy who came to live with us."
"What?" He looks shocked.
"What you're saying can't be true. You're lying to me Elsa."
She smiled "such a psychiatrist and a street rat lied to you like a fool."
"Mari told me that she was with you guys by chance that her parents were waiting for her and that they would yell at her."
She laughed hard. "Her parents to start with Mari is an orphan."
"That dog is...not so good looking."
"No Fu." Mari bends down letting the dog go. "He's very handsome. Even if he was ugly I wouldn't stop caring for the poor thing."
"Plus he's dirty."
"Right now but tomorrow I'll give him a good long bath, and you'll see how handsome he'll come out."
"Tomorrow? He's staying over night?"
"Wasn't I telling you that he's going to live with us. Please Fu let me stay with him. Surely some jerk abandoned him. He was out there starving, and I should know how that feels. This animal doesn't know what being loved feels like. He must've been mistreated just like me. I feel bad for him don't tell me to kick him out to the streets. Let me keep him, so I can care and love him."
"Well it's another mouth to feed, and he has a lot of teeth."
Mari stands up holding the puppy in her arms. "I'll prepare his food. I don't know how but I'll do it. He'll get fat and his fur well grow." She plays with his fur. "And I'll put some perfume, so he doesn't smell that bad. You'll see what an amazing puppy we will have. You'll let me keep him right?" Fu thinks about it. "C'mon Fu."
"The money is barely enough for us to live now a dog? Fine."
Mari smiled "you have a home teddy now what name shall we give you? What should it be teddy?"
"Teddy?" Mari looked at Fu confused as he repeated himself. "Teddy."
Mari smiled "of course duh that's what I have been calling you. You have someone who will love you Teddy."
Fu smiled watching her.
Chloe sat next to Adrien on the bed and kissed his cheek. "Thank you for pleasing me love. You can't imagine how much fun I had with our friends. I'm going to brush my teeth it's late, and I need to sleep." She stands up and walks to the bathroom. "I'll be more beautiful for you."
Adrien just sat there thinking about what Elsa told him at the reunion and what Mari told him last night. He took a deep breath. "It can't be...but Elsa knew her name. I'm a fool that Mari tricked me."
The next morning Mari and the kids of her neighborhood were outside getting ready to give Teddy a bath. The kids were excited since they never had a dog in the neighborhood before.
"Okay help me bathe Teddy. Make sure you guys have water and soap." The only girl of the group handed her a bucket of water. Mari smiled and poured water on Teddy before handing it back to her. "From now on, you'll pour water on him."
"Here comes my husband now Adrien."
At the moment, Adrien was in the Dupain mansion. He was talking to Sabine in the living room as they waited for Tom. When he got there Adrien stood up to greet him.
"What a surprise Adrien I wasn't expecting you. You didn't tell me you would come yesterday at the reunion." They shook hands.
"Well I'll leave you two alo-" Tom stops Sabine from leaving with a hand on her shoulder.
"Stay love." He looks at Adrien. "Take a seat please."
"Thank you." He sits down "it's just that I needed to see you Judge Dupain."
"You're going on the trip tomorrow right?"
"Yes but before I wanted to put you on update about a mistake I made."
"You?" Adrien nodded "what mistake?"
"It's about the young lady from the delegation. The one I asked you to let go because she was innocent."
Tom raised an eyebrow. "Was she not Dr. Agreste?"
Adrien shook his head. "No she lied to me. She told me a drama, and I believed her. You can't imagine how mad I am with myself. It irritates me how someone betrayed my trust like that and how I professionally failed. Judge she assured me that she didn't know the group. That she was with them by mistake."
"And how did you learn the truth?"
"By another person...she seemed so honest."
Sabine spoke up. "Who is she Dr.?"
"Her name is Mari and it seems that she is an orphan."
Sabine looked away. 'an orphan...an orphan.'
Teddy shook himself wetting Mari snd the kids.
"Teddy! You need to take a bath Fu won't let you in the house if you're not clean." They continue to give him a bath, but he won't stay still in the end everyone was soaked by the time Teddy was clean.
"Thank you for understanding sir but in any case, I need to find that girl." Adrien stands up.
Judge Dupain stands up too. "Don't worry about it Adrien it's not a big deal. Plus if that Mari is in that rebellious group sooner, or later she'll fall again."
"Well excuse me." He nods at Sabine before walking to the door Judge Dupain follows him.
In the car Adrien puts his ear piece on and calls his house. Natalie was the one to answer.
"Natalie do you know who Mari is?"
"Yes sir her guardian is Fu who sells and makes the tea of Mrs. Chloe."
"Tell me where I can find her."
Mari was walking around the neighborhood. Enjoying the beautiful day. She passed a man who sells balloons he gave her a blue star balloon, and she thanked him. Suddenly as she was walking she was grabbed by the arm and was turned around with a force. The force was so strong that she let go of her balloon. "This time you won't escape from me." In front of her was Adrien Agreste the psychiatrist.
