"You can't force someone to love. You can only help them find it."

— Forbidden Love

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⚠️WARNING: please be aware that this chapter contains very triggering content up ahead. Please read at your own risk.

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CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

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With a pounding headache, Marinette awoke to the sound of peaty little birds chirping loudly from her windowsill. Her eyebrows scrunched together in irritation, her eyes still sealed shut, and the pain in her head only intensified. Groaning, she flipped to her other side, her back now facing the retched songs of the birds, hoping the small-winged creatures would simply shut their beaks and comply to her silent pleads for them to be quiet.

But they didn't cease their chirping. No matter how many times she tossed and turned and covered her ears with her pillow, they seemed to have no intensions of ever shutting up.

Grunting, her frown only deepened. "Good god, shut the hell up with all your damn noise, will you?" she scolded the birds in a murmur, a yawn escaping her lips as she sunk deeper into the sheets. Taking a deep breath through her nose, she smiled into her pillow when the birds had finally ceased their chirping.

She took a deep breath, ready to fall back asleep amongst his warm sheets...

Until she realized... these weren't Chat Noir's bed sheets that she was laying in.

Shooting up into a seated position, Marinette was now fully awake and alert. The bedroom she was in was definitely not hers, nor was it Chat Noir's cottage. The bedsheets had an unfamiliar scent to them, and the sleepwear she was wearing was definitely not her own clothing.

Where was she?

And who in their right mind had changed her while she was unconscious?

Scanning her surroundings, Marinette pulled the sheets away from her body and swung her legs over the side of the bed. Standing to her feet, the ravenette rushed to the half-opened window where the birds had been singing away only moments ago.

What her eyes found outside was also an unfamiliar sight. Everything seemed unrecognizable to her, and nothing seemed familiar.

"Ah, I see you are finally awake."

In the blink of an eye, Marinette had turned around to meet the eyes of the red-headed man she had been trying to hide from, back in the Forbidden Forest. Nathaniel Logharth leaned against the doorframe of the bedroom, his arms crossed above his chest and his eyes scanning her figure seductively. She could've sworn that door was closed only moments ago, and how she didn't hear him open it just now was frightening. But that was beside the point. It was a sickening feeling to have a man you were beginning to hate having his eyes all over you, let alone be standing by your bedroom door like a predator ready to pounce on its prey.

"Sir Nathaniel?" Bewildered, Marinette was unsure of how to respond to his presence. A million questions began to fill her head. Why was he here? The last time she'd ever seen Sir Nathaniel was when he had come by her home months ago, requesting to have tea with her, and she'd politely declined the offer. Well... perhaps her response was not exactly polite. But it had been a clear no. Although... he had still defied Aunt's wishes by giving her freedom for the day. But why in god's name was she giving him praise?

The question still remained—why he was even here?—and Marinette soon found that anger was the only emotion she was feeling in that moment. "Where the hell am I?"

He smirked, as if he found the whole situation amusing. "You are in my manor, of course. Last night I rescued you from the Forbidden Forest, just before one of those hideous beasts could devour you." He explains, every word that left his lips portraying a lie. Her frown only deepened. Not only had Sir Nathaniel proven to be a liar and a manipulator, but he had also ridiculed Chat Noir—Marinette's very trustworthy and closest friend. Chat Noir was no hideous beast who devoured man's flesh. He was kind, gentle, loving and overall compassionate for others. If only she could tell him about these things in person, since the two of them had parted ways on such terrible terms and most of it was her fault.

"Then you passed out," The red head rambled on, more lies leaving his lips that Marinette cared not to hear. "And well, it kind of reminded me of the time I rescued you from the freezing weather, when you were locked on my balcony."

Her eyes shot up to meet his gaze (for they had wandered off sometime during his long rant of lies) and her eyebrows furrowed together deeply. "Go to hell. "Marinette spat at him. "What do you take me for, a fool? Do not lie to me."

Shrugging his shoulders as if her seething was nothing to be perturbed by, he slowly stepped further into the room, causing Marinette to take a cautious step back. "To be completely honest with you, Miss Marinette... I was really hoping we would be able to do this the easy way." Suddenly, the man she was beginning to trust less and less as she further grew to know him smirked almost deviously her way. "But I am beginning to see you prefer the more complicated way of things."

"What do you want with me?" She had to admit, she was slightly intrigued on what point Nathaniel was trying to make. She raised an eyebrow at him. The ravenette now knew for sure Nathaniel was nothing more but a sly and devilish fox, out to cause havoc to get whatever he wanted. She may not have known the whole purpose for why she was here, but she knew for sure it was not just to have a cup of tea.

Nathaniel's smirk never left his lips as he took another step further into the room, closing the bedroom door behind him. There was almost a shuddering feeling to every action he made. The door clicked shut, leaving Marinette's escape plan to ruins and her heart pounding in anticipation. Nothing about this situation was comfortable. "The only thing that I wish from you, my dear, is for you to be wed to me." He replied, his devilish grin almost reaching from ear to ear.

Scoffing, Marinette raised her chin in a challenging manner. "If you think for one second that I am just going to throw my life away to marry you, then you have completely lost your mind!"

But her words didn't scare him like she had hoped they would. He shrugged his shoulders almost carelessly. "Like I said beforehand, you seem to prefer the more complicated way of things." And when Nathaniel took another step closer, the ravenette took another back, keeping a safe distance between them. "Which is why simply asking or demanding you marry me is pointless and will not get me what I want."

"I hate to be a complete and utter stick in the mud," Marinette drew out, the sarcasm in her every word practically dripping off of her tongue. "But we do not always get what we want."

With a light chuckle, he took another step closer. "Hmmm, maybe. But I?" He paused, and Marinette stepped back as well, leaving her back to hit the far side of the wall. With nowhere else to turn to, Marinette stayed trapped between her bed and another wall—the bedroom door and window far from her reach. Nathaniel smirked at her predicament, almost leaning over her with how close he now was. "I always get what I want."

"Kiss my perfectly well-shaped ass, Nathaniel. I will never marry you!" barks Marinette, every word she spat dripping with venom as her eyes only narrowed in anger. What the ravenette would give to be by Chat Noir's side once again - to have him here with her, defending her and shielding her from such an evil and wretched man. But suddenly, realization struck her, and her brows furrowed as a thought came to mind. Had she just wished for Chat Noir to protect her when she had repeatedly practiced that she alone could protect herself? That women didn't need men. That women could be well capable of protecting and taking care of themselves?

If this was entirely true, why did she feel so frightened? Right now, she was trapped between a wall and a man she wretchedly hated and had no means of escape. If Chat Noir were here, he would have beaten the red-headed bastard to the ground, and she would feel safe once again because she knew Chat Noir was strong. But why did she not feel the same way about herself?

"I plan on doing much more, Miss Marinette. Much more."

Bewildered by his response, Marinette raises an eyebrow. Surely that sentence did not mean anything good, and the ravenette did not want to stick around to find out what it meant. Adrenaline suddenly struck her, and with her heart filled in determination, Marinette lunged for the window.

However, her attempt to escape failed and Nathaniel blocked her way, pushing her down onto the bed. Opening her eyes, Marinette found the red-headed devil hovering over her - his arms encasing her, keeping her in place. "Tsk tsk, where do you think you are off to?" he questions her, a mischievous grin spread across his lips.

Marinette's next plan was to struggle and hopefully break away from his gasp. However, her arms were bound by his hands, keeping them encased in the depths of the mattress, and restricting her movements. No matter how hard she struggled, there was no way she would be able to freely escape, for he was much stronger than she was. Curse her attractive, yet flimsy, little arms.

"You know, I did not want to have to do it this way, but you leave me no choice." he chuckles, his eyes piercing into her own. "You will marry me."

Struggling, she spits up at him. Pride consuming her soul when her spit reaches his cheek, and he flinches in response, clearly disgusted by the action. "I will not!" she barks through gritted teeth.

Amused, he wipes his cheek against his shoulder and leans closer, "Miss Marinette, do you know what the law states about marriage?"

Choosing not to respond to such an absurd question, she continues to struggle - though her energy is only wasted. He chuckles, "The law of marriage states that a woman must be wed to a man if she is bearing his child."

Scoffing at such a ridiculous statement, Marinette glares up at him. "That is the most absurd thing I have ever heard! And clearly, I will never have sexual intercourse with you! Ever!"

Seductively, he leans in closer, his breath fanning her face, "Miss Marinette, I do not believe you have a choice in the matter."

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