"Well, you know how it is Marinette. If she found out, we can't guarentee she won't tell anyone else, and the media and press will be all over it, and not to mention the paprazzi constantly following us to get a scoop", Adrien explained.
"I see, but hopefully we can let some people know", Marinette asked.
"Not now", Adrien insisted.

A few more years passed, and Marinette had really worked hard to get the Gabriel brand exclusive deals to better their company, making it the top brand again, after it took a fall with Gabriel's imprisonment. Even thought Adrien seemed to getting more distant from her, she still had hope that it would all get better. She stared at her ring, the symbol of her hope. 
Flashback
"Yes! Yes! Yes!", Marinette screamed.
Adrien was on one knee holding out a ring. She had almost asked to take a break from their relationship due to how distant he was and not treating her like his girlfriend, but she felt relieved that it was because he was planning to ask her to marry him. 
"Surely we can tell people now? How about an engagment party? We can invite the class is well!", Marinette exclaimed excited. 
She wasn't close with them, and hadn't spoken to them in years, but she was hoping she could reconnect with them. And maybe since she was engage to Adrien, they wouldn't dismiss her dislike towards Lila as jealousy. 
"No. Remember what I said? The press? The media?", Adrien reminded her, "If we tell them now, sooner or later there's going to be artlices coming out that I'm cheating on you".
Marinette looked back at Adrien in surprise.
"Are you?", Marinette asked.
"What? No! Of course not! You know I've loved Ladybug for a long time! I was just using that as an example. Who knows? Maybe they might write an article about you", Adrien said.
End flashback
Marinette was having mixed feelings about the engagement. She loved Adrien dearly, but his actions in the past few months has really started to bring up some suspicion. It had been days since she had properly spoken to him. The last time she had a proper conversation with him was right after she got them a outstanding deal with one of the top investors, not just in France, but the whole world. 
"Adrien, are you alright?", Marinette asked.
"Of course I am, why do you ask?", he replied.
"Well, its just that you've been acting weird. You stay at work later, you're always on last minute business trips that I'm not aware of, and so on.", Mari listed.
"Work is just getting a bit busy. We need to make sure that the Gabriel brand is always at the top", Adrien explained.
"Maybe you can let me desi-", Mari started.
"Marientte, we already talked about this. You're style is different to what we want to sell. And everyone like what's being sold right now. And plus, you're my sectretary, not our company's designer", Adrien huffed, slightly getting annoyed.
"But, the ones being we're making right now are very similar to the summer flower theme i designed last year, which you said won't be in fashion", Mari responded, realising that Adrien was definitely hiding something from her. He couldn't be using her for her designs and passing them off as his own, right?
"Look, these flower designs were made by my top designer! We will not be discussing this anymore!", Adrien yelled, causing poor Marinette to stumble back in fear.
"I understand", Marinette whispered, tears in her eyes. Then she realised something. "Who is your top designer? You never mentioned their name to me, nor have I seen them". 
"That is none of your business. I'm your boss, remember. You work for me", he warned.
And I'm your soon-to-be wife, remember?, Marinette thought, but she knew it was better to stay quiet. 
Over the next few weeks, it got worse and worse. Her days at work were starting to decrease, as Adrien's began to increase. She barely saw him. He would come in late night and leave early, or not come in at all.
"What did I do wrong?", Marinette asked Tikki, as she sat on their couch with a bowl full of ice-cream, scrolling through her social media.
"You did nothing wrong Marinette", Tikki comforted her owner, her best friend.
"Sugar cube is right. He's the one hiding something", Plagg agreed. Over the years, Plagg had come to dislike Adrien. 
"I'm sure we'll figure it ou-"
Marinette stopped and stared at her phone screen. Plagg and Tikki were scared as she had just stpped mid-sentence and was still like a statue. Her movements frozen, her eyes locked on her screen. The two kwamis flew over and were shocked at what they saw. It was a photo of her class at their reunion, and Adrien was there!!
"I can't believe it", Marinette chuckled, as tear drops rolled down her cheeks. "The class had a reunion without me, and Adrien didn't even tell me about it".
She kept swiping to see another photo, and in the background you could see Adrien with another woman. It wasn't clear, but Marinette knew that man was Adrien.
"He's been cheating on me".
Marinette broke down then and there. What was happening? Why was this happening? 
The two kwamis tried their best to comfort their beloved guardian, the other kwamis, who were upstairs in Marinette's studios, heard their Ladybug's cry and flew down to comfort her. Marinette felt a little better thanks to the kwamis' kind gestures.
"I'm gonna have a word with him when he comes back", she told them.
*********************************************************************
I managed to get the first chapter done!! Yayyyayayayayayyayy!!
lemme know what you all thinkk
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and if you're interested in other salt stories, do go check my other oness :))
- Marshmallow c: