CHAPTER 21 – PHASE TWO:
Félix looked at his watch. It was almost four o'clock. If Nathalie was right, in the next half-hour his cousin would have recovered enough to speak. It would not be long before his deception was discovered. He needed to start the next phase of his plan.
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a phone that he had flinched from an unexpecting student at school during lunch. He breathed on the screen, then quickly traced the pattern to unlock the phone.
The night before Félix had edited the video of him kissing Chloé. The brotherly kiss was gone. All that could be seen now was the kiss of passion, and Félix's words assuring Chloé of her feminine allure. He used the stolen phone to send the video to his unsuspecting accomplice. Then he sent her a message:
"Dear Lila. Only you know how to use this little snippet to its full potential. Have a look at the date and time signature. If you are clever, you can deal with Marinette and Chloé in one swoop. Your secret ally."
Félix smiled. He knew he could leave things in Lila's safe, manipulative hands. He put the phone into his bag.
-000-
The screen was still lit when the Félix put the stolen phone into his bag. Plagg quickly read the message to Lila. His stomach sank as he did so. Félix's behavior suddenly made sense.
"There are going to be a lot of very upset people very soon," he thought to himself. "Hawk Moth is going to have a field day!"
Plagg burrowed down through the bag, into the seat of the car before emerging underneath it. He flew under the car until he was sure nobody was watching and then headed off towards the Agreste mansion. He had the feeling that Cat Noir was going to be needed rather soon.
-000-
Alya's phone beeped twice. She glanced down at it. Two videos from Lila on the class WhatsApp group. She opened the first video. It was a selfie of Lila, who looked particularly upset.
"Dear classmates. Just now someone anonymously sent me the most shocking video. I was tempted to keep it to myself because it is just too horrible, but then I realized that two of our classmates are being played for fools and that I couldn't allow them to be strung along any longer. Regrettably this video will hurt them, but they have a right to know and put an end to this horrible charade.
To Chloé, I know you see Adrien as a brother, but let me tell you, no brother treats his sister like that. He's playing you! He just wants to get into your pants! Wake up and smell the roses.
To Marinette, I know you and I have not always seen eye to eye, but I would not wish this on my worst enemy." Lila paused.
"I'm so sorry Marinette. Look at the time stamp. This was taken AFTER Adrien asked you out."
The screen went blank.
Alya hesitated, her finger hovering over the second video. Whatever it was it couldn't be good. Then her journalistic curiosity took over. She stabbed her finger down.
The quality of the second video was not great, but there was no doubt as to what was being shown. Adrien almost looked like he was eating Chloé, so passionate was his kiss.
"Chloé. That kiss should leave you in no doubt as to the woman that you are. Confident. Beautiful. Sexy. You can turn any man to water. Never doubt your appeal."
Alya's vision turned red. "Adrien Agreste, you are a dead man!"
She frantically dialed Marinette.
"Please let me get through to her before she sees the video," she thought.
-000-
Chloé was having her nails done when her phone beeped twice. Sabrina held the phone up for her and played the first video. "What on earth was Lila going on about?" she thought. "He does love me as a sister!"
She understood completely though when she saw the second video. Heat flashed across her face as she remembered the kiss. But it was being taken completely out of context! Adrien loved her as a sister … didn't he? Where was the rest of it?
Her phone beeped again. And again. And again. Messages of condolences flooded in for Marinette on the group. Someone called Chloé a slut. Someone else called her a home-breaker. The conversation on the group turned very ugly very quickly.
Chloé burst into tears and ran inside, leaving Sabrina standing dumbstruck, the phone in her hand.
-000-
Normally Marinette would have ignored anything that Lila posted. But she was in such a good mood after her afternoon in the park that she tapped on the first video. "What was "Liar-la" up to now?" she pondered.
Her good mood slowly evaporated as she watched the video. What was Lila on about? What was she saying about Adrien? It was almost certainly a lie … she tapped the second video, anger consuming her.
As she watched the second video her anger evaporated … to be replaced with utter despair. Her hand flew to her mouth as she heard Adrien's voice: "Chloé. That kiss should leave you in no doubt as to the woman that you are. Confident. Beautiful. Sexy. You can turn any man to water. Never doubt your appeal."
Marinette glanced down at the date and time stamp and let out a small cry of anguish as her eyes confirmed what Lila had said. She dropped her phone and ran up to her room where she collapsed in a heap on the floor, crying bitterly. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rocked herself gently as tears streamed from her eyes.
She had never felt like this before. It was as if someone had physically kicked her. Her heart felt dull and dead in her chest, the walls of her room felt like they were going to collapse in on her. A dark cloud descended on her and such was her despair that she didn't hear even her phone ringing downstairs.
-000-
Nino was enjoying listening to his gift when his girlfriend thrust her phone into his face, the second video playing. As he watched the video he slowly lifted his headphones off of his head.
"My dude, what have you done?" he asked, disbelief in his voice.
"Your best buddy is a dead man," she said. "You are coming with me to Marinette's to see if we can save her from Lover Boy."
Nino nodded as he got to his feet.