"Loving someone can sometimes cause you to loathe yourself."

— Forbidden Love

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

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Marinette didn't know what was more frightening: practically walking into a game of monopoly– where the actual cat and her played the role of the mice, and Chat Noir's fiancé and father played the role as the devil himself– practically ready to devour anything in their paths to get what they wanted. Or the fact that she was relying on her hold to Chat Noir's arm as her stability and comfort.

Since when did she ever need a man to make her feel safe?

If Chat Noir was just as nervous as she was, he didn't bother to show it. He looked straight ahead, eyes locked heavily on his destination, and head held high in determination. If anything, the more strides they took down the long corridor, the longer it seemed that their strides would never end. Marinette could practically feel the sweat droplets running down her forehead as the entrance to the royal dining area neared closer and closer.

As if sensing her uneasiness, Chat Noir paused in his strides, causing Marinette to halt right next to him. Bewildered on why they had stopped, Marinette looked up to meet his eyes, already to find he was staring down at her– his emerald eyes for some reason sending shivers down her spine.

What in the world?

"You are tense," he said as if it were blatantly obvious– which it probably was. "Try to relax."

"Trust me, I am trying." replied Marinette, her shoulder slumping from being so exhausted from her worry. "It is not as easy as it looks."

Placing one of his hands on her shoulder for comfort, he sent her a look she cannot quite read. But if she had to guess, she would say it was a look of pity. "You know you can always back out, right?" And this time, Marinette can see the concerned worry swarming in his eyes. Just staring deeply in them could get her lost, and that was something she deeply worried about. What if this whole ordeal was sending mix feelings, to not only Chat Noir, but to herself? The last think Marinette wanted was to beginning feeling some sort of romantic feelings for Chat Noir.

Or was she always beginning to feel them?

Either way, Marinette could not allow such feelings to be known, even if they did exist. Chat Noir could never find out, and she certainly was not going to tell him. She had never felt so close to someone before in her life; someone who she could easily relate to. But what she was playing was a dangerous game. She vowed she would never marry. And that was a vow she would keep.

"I know, but you need my help." With a timid smile, she reached up to pat his hand which was still resting against her shoulder. However, he made no attempt to remove his hand, and in all honesty, she was not exactly sure if she wanted him to.

"That is true," he admitted, shrugging as he did so. "But you are not required to help me. Again, you are free to say no, and I will just go to this dinner alone."

And then he released her shoulder and stepped back, allowing her to once again confirm her decision. Gulping, Marinette's eyes went astray from his and met the door at the very end of the corridor; the wooden mass separating them between the king of this land and a-wanna-be queen named Chloé. It was clear that she only wanted to be with Chat Noir for his money and power. Why that bothered Marinette so much, she didn't know. Either way, she felt like she needed to prove that she could do this. That she was strong. Even though Chat Noir had admitted many times at how he admired her bravery, strength, and determination, she felt that if she backed out now, it would change his whole view of her.

And Marinette was not about to look weak in front of a man.

"I say yes." Said Marinette, the look of determination returning to her features. She was not about to shy away and quit. She would attend this dinner and chase Chloé away.

And it was not just because she didn't like the girl, but merely so that Chat Noir could be free. Because that's really all that she wanted for herself.

Nodding, he extended his arm out to her again, and she took it with ease. When she looked up at him again, however, she frowned slightly when she saw the fake smile he practically glued to his face as he pushed open the double doors; the double doors that would lead either to her doom or her destiny.

"Kitty!" Came a loud, horrid, feminine shriek as soon as the doors had been pushed open. Marinette was for certain her eardrums would have burst and bled at the sound. However, before she could even make any sense of the situation, Marinette had been shoved away from Chat Noir, and instead, another female (who she assumed was the horrid Chloé herself) had practically pounced on Chat and attacked him with sloppy kisses all over his face. Just by the way Marinette could see his frown that had appeared on his face proved how displeased he was, and how much he disliked this Chloé character.

Mumbling something Marinette couldn't even make out, Chat Noir shoved the woman off of him. The look of disgust was written across all his features. "Miss Chloé, please. I have a date, can you not see? Please keep whatever you wish to set free onto me in your pants."

Marinette just about choked on her own saliva.

"Pardon?!" With another screech, her head practically whipped to the side to catch a glimpse of the ravenette, and when she did, Marinette almost felt as if the demon could see right through her disguise. "You brought her as your date to a dinner where you are meant to meet your bride?!! Which is me by the way!"

Rolling his eyes, Chat Noir shook his head. "I never wanted to marry you, Chloé. Ever. We had this discussion before my father even invited you here, tonight."

Completely ignoring what he had to say, Chloé continued on with her complaints. "Who even is she? I have never seen her in my life!"

"Does it matter?" retorted Chat, the look on his face clearly unamused. "I did not know I had to come introduce every woman in this kingdom to you."

Laughing almost bitterly, Chloé shot Marinette with one of the evilest glares she'd ever seen. And that was coming from someone who'd mastered in sending evil glares to her aunt on a daily basis. Marinette knew a thing or two about glares– in fact, she could even teach a class about them if she wanted. "Wait until you father arrives to dinner and sees what a disgraceful and improper son he has." Chloé barked, "He will not let you marry anyone but me!"

"Then I will never marry!" Chat noir growled, "If that is what it must come down to."

Just as Chloé tried to reply with some other retort, another set of double doors opened from the other side of the room, and Chat Noir's father made his entrance into the dining hall with a few maids and a guard by his side. Immediately, Marinette met his eyes, but what she found was the king's eyes widening as large as saucers at the sight of her. His gaze moved to his son and Chloé, who were practically having a stare down competition.

"What in god's name is going on here?" Bewildered, the king continued to make his confused glances between Chloé and Marinette, whom he'd never seen before in his life. "Son, who is this fine young lady...?" He gestured towards Marinette. "...and why is she here?"

"Your lord highness," Chloé took a curtsy before Chat Noir could even reply to his father's question. The blonde cat-woman sent a sinister smirk Marinette's way, as if this was all a contest to see who was better, more polite, and more ladylike for the king. Unfortunately for her, she would lose by the end of the night. "I am afraid something terribly awful has occurred."

"Is that so?" The king turned to meet his son's gaze, confusion written all across his features. However, Chat Noir showed no emotion upon meeting his father's eyes, and the stoic expression on his face confused Marinette. Why was he not standing up for himself? Or better yet, why hadn't he begun their plan?

If Chat didn't say something soon, Marinette would carry out their plan herself. Or better yet, carry out her own devised plan.

Chloé nodded, her head bobbing fiercely up and down to add to her exaggerated lie. "Indeed," she again somehow met the gaze of the ravenette once again, and Marinette simply returned the look with a raised an eyebrow. Two could play this game. "Your son, Chat Noir, has brought another woman to dinner, as his date."

The king's eyebrows raise high at this, his shocked gaze meeting his son's which practically read "what the hell are you doing?"

But Chat Noir held his stand, and his stoic expression, and instead reached out for Marinette's hand; a sense of comfort riding out his nerves when he felt her slide her hand into his. "Father, I would like you to meet the woman I actually want to marry, Marinette."

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