The next day, Adrien goes to see Marinette!  He smiles when he sees her through a window to the hotel.  He thinks, Wow!  I think she is stunning!  He blushes at the thought.  He has no idea as to how he will tell her how he feels.  It is not like he ever felt this way before about anyone.  He sighs.

        Marinette is hard at work as usual.  Alix is as well.  Chloe decides to show up to inspect the work.  She takes a look at  it. She snears.  She is not to happy.  Not  one bit.

    "What are you two up to anyway?"  Chloe ask.

   "What do you mean, Miss Bougerious?"  Marinette says.

   "Yeah, Miss we are working!"  Alix says. She is angry with the boss lady for being so harsh with her best friend, Marinette. 

     "Marinette will you tell me then?"  Chloe says.

      "Tell you what boss?"  Marinette says.

       Chloe knocks Marinette down and kicks her in the shin.  "Get up, now!  Now, you piece of worthless trash!"  Chloe says.

       "Yes, Miss Bougerious!"  Marinette says.  She stands up in pain from the abusive behavior shown to her by the boss lady.  She dares not to say a word about it to anyone though.  She is too afraid of her to do so.

       "Marinette you really should not let her get away with it!  Why she should not treat you so!"  Alix says.

         "Alix, do not worry about me.  I will be just fine.  Besides, she can do as she pleases, she is the one who pays me.  Miss Bougerious is right, I have been late to much this past week.  I need to be here on time more."  Marinette says.

      "Oh, but do you not see, best friend, that she is just jealous of your beauty?  Why anyone can see you are so much nicer and prettier than her any day!"  Alix says.

      "Alix, that is not true!  I am not pretty!  I am as she says a nobody, but a maid."  Marinette says.

      "But Mari!  It is simply horrid how she mistreats you on  a daily basis!"  Alix says.

   "I wish to speak to Marinette alone is that clear?  As for you, Alix, go work on some ironing or something!  Now, be a good girl and scat!"  Chloe says.

   "Yes, Miss Bougerious!"  Alix says.  She leaves to go clean up elsewhere in the hotel.  Alix gets to work on some ironing as the boss said to do so.  All the while she is angry with Miss Bougerious, because the woman hurts Marinette.  Marinette is to nice to stand up to her though.

  After Alix leaves Chloe turns to Marinette, "Now as for you, I will not have you in company of this Alix girl anymore!  Also, you are not to speak to her again!  You are not to associate with this boy in the cat suit either!  Got it?"  Chloe says.

   "What?  Alix has done nothing wrong and neither has Adrien!"  Marinette says with angry in her tone and her facial expressions as well.

     "I think you heard me just fine."  Chloe says.

   "In fact, if you do not do as I say, I will fire you!  Then, where will you be?  I mean it is not like anyone else wants to hire some stupid, orphan girl like yourself."  Chloe threatens her.

    "Fine, I will not spend any more time with Alix!  She is my best friend, but I will do as you say to please you.  I will not say a word to her ever again not even so much as an hello!"  Marinette says.  She feels tears try to form, but manages to keep them at bay.

  "I will not have any disrespect from you!  You are a nobody!  A mire, maid!  So, you will not talk back to me, got it?"  Chloe says.

   "Yes, Miss Bougerious! You are right!  You are the boss! I  promise never to talk to Adrien either which should be easy as no one likes a maid anyway."  Marinette says.

    "Well, now that is much better!"  Chloe says.  She reaches out and slaps Marinette hard across the face.   Not just once either, but twice.  She glares at her.  She walks away.

     After Chloe leaves, Marinette can no longer stop the tears, nor does she want too. She is hurt because of the years of abuse from her boss and now she has to loose her best friend no thanks to same horrid boss. She thinks, what choice do I have?  I am an orphan, and no one hires them just like Chloe says.  She wipes her tears and gets on her knees. She dips the scrub brush into the soapy water and scrubs the floors.  

     What she does not know is that  Adrien who spies on her for a bit, saw the entire thing!  He is furious!  He thinks, how dare she!  She hurt Marinette!  How could this Chloe person do such a horrible thing to some one, so kind as her?    He  frowns.  He scratches his head as he tries to think of a way to get her out of there.  There must be some way, but how?

     Adrien leaves and goes back home. The rest of the day the scene of Mairnette with her lovely face  as Chloe hits it can not seem to get out of his mind.  He is hurt.  He feels like he has a wound.  Some how he feels sorry for the woman with the blue hair because of all the pain she must be in right now.  He feels like some how he is to blame for his ignorance about her  terrible  circumstances.  He sighs.  He bows his head in shame.  

    Natalie notices Adrien is rather quiet.  She thinks maybe it has to do with the maid he is crazy about.  It is rather obvious my boss loves this Marinette girl!  Why he chose a maid of all people to fall over heals in love with is beyond her comprehension.  She just knows that he does.  

     "Adrien, is everything alright sir?"  Natalie says.

   "No, if it were would I be upset?"  Adrien says.  He slams his fist on the table.

     "Well, what is it that troubles you so much then, boss?"  Natalie says. She suspects she knows the answer, but ask him anyway.

      "It is Marinette!  I went to talk to her today, but she was busy with her work.  Only her boss came in and sent the other maid out of the room.  Next, the boss looks like she raises her voice and she hit her!  She did across her face.  How could this Miss Bougerious, call herself a lady when she abuses Marinette?  I  am not sure how to explain it, but I felt like my face my explode and my blood would boil, after I saw such a horrid thing happen to her."  Adrien says.

     "Hmm,  I suggest you come up with a plan to help her, sir!  You may as well since you have taken an interest in her!"  Natalie says.

     "Wow, Natalie!  I am glad you agree then!  We must find a way to help her, but how?"  Adrien says.

    "How should I know?  I am secretary, not a creative mind.  Sir, that is where you come in, Adrien Agreste!  You will have to figure this all out on your own."  Natalie says.  She walks away when she finishes talking to him.

     Outside in the village square,  Alya keeps on with her speech!  She does not  know not everyone was at the meeting.  Nor does she know the bad conditions the maids work under daily.  If she were to find out she would be furious!  She does want all the citizens to be treated kindly and to be given the justice they need whenever a crime is committed against them no matter how small, or great it may be.   She talks about how she thinks,  cameras should be installed in every room in every hotel to assure the security guards are able to see the goings on in them to make sure everyone is safe. The bathrooms should be the expection because everyone needs their privacy after all.

     to be continued in Chapter 5  Adrien Has a Chat with Miss Bougerious?