Several black cars pulled up and Nathaniel felt fear creep up his spine.

He was here.

Prince Adrien was here.

Not wanting the Prince to see the fear written on his face, Nathaniel plastered a fake smile onto his lips and went to greet his guests.

"Prince Adrien!" Nathaniel exclaimed as the Prince got out of the car, accompanied by two other people; a woman and a man. "What a pleasure to have you here!"

Adrien ran his eyes over the redhead and could practically smell his fear. The thought of Nathaniel being scared of him made him smirk. 'This will be easier than I thought.' He ran his through his hair and down his face before smiling. "It's a pleasure being here! I would love to chat, but I am tired. Would you mind showing us to our rooms?"

Adrien did not like Nathaniel and it hurt him dearly to pretend to like him.

Nathaniel nodded and snapped his fingers. Almost immediately, a guard with dyed tips made his way to stand beside him. "Couffaine, escort the Prince's friends to the rooms set up for them. I'll take him to his room."

The guard answered with a "yes sir" and lead the Prince's friends into the mansion.

The redhead lead Adrien into the mansion and tried to make slight conversation.

"We got off on the wrong foot. I was harsh towards you and you were harsh to me, but I totally understand why you were hostile towards me," Nathaniel stated and Adrien nodded, his eyes roaming the halls. "I hope now we can put all that behind us and you know, be friends."

"I agree. We were extremely immature a few months ago. I'm glad to see that both of us changed," Adrien muttered, not really caring for this conversation. Why would he want to be friends with his wife's kidnapper? Right now, he was restraining himself from beating the dumb redhead senseless.

Both came to a stop in front of a mahogany door and Nathaniel turned to the now silent blond. "Here we are. If you have any requests, my maids and guards are here. Later, after you get your rest, we will have dinner and talk a bit. I'm leaving for a little bit, I have some business to deal with on the other side of the island. I'll be back by dinner time."

Adrien cocked his head to the side. "If you don't mind me asking, what type of business?"

Nathaniel got defensive. "Something that doesn't concern you!" Adrien gave him an amused look as the redhead's face matched his hair. "I-I'm sorry. I can't tell anyone about what needs to be done. It's confidential."

"I understand," Adrien was curious. 'is he talking about Mari?'

Nathaniel bid Adrien farewell and made his way down the hall.

Adrien shook his head before stepping into the room.

* * *

"Stop!" She shouted, snapping her eyes closed.

Screams of pain and agony met her ears. The smell of burning flesh filled her nose making her feel sick. Her parents' burning bodies...

She couldn't do anything. She couldn't stop him.

"Please stop!!" She sobbed, struggling against the hold of the guard. She refused to look at the gruesome scene before her.

The screams suddenly stopped. Marinette forced her eyes open and gaped at the what she saw.

A blooded, lifeless Adrien layed on the floor. She felt her heart stop.

The guard that held finally let her go and she rushed over to her husband.

She kneeled on the floor and pulled his blooded, beaten head onto her lap. Several cuts were scattered across his face and his breathing was slow.

"Adrien," She gasped, tears pouring from her eyes. "Please don't leave me."

"You're finally mine, love," The disgusting voice of Nathaniel invaded her mind. Blood coated his hands and were splattered all over his clothes. He did this. "There's no one left to take you away from me. No one..."

Marinette hugged Adrien's head to her as she bawled. She rocked back and forth clutching onto Adrien for dear life while muttering, "Don't leave me too. Please..."

"Marinette."

"Adrien?" She looked hopeful.

"-ke up, Mari."

"What?" She was confused.

"WAKE UP!"

Marinette's eyes shot open. Her breathing was harsh and she was drenched in sweat.

She lifted her eyes and met Juleka's worried ones.

"Are you okay, Princess?" Juleka asked, concern written all over her face. "You were screaming in your sleep."

Marinette looked around the room and realised she was in a different room from the other one. Chloe sat on the bed across from her, looking equally concerned as Juleka.

"I'm fine," Her voice was lower than a whisper. "It was just a bad dream."

"It's not the first it happened though," Juleka stated. "It's happened several times before, Princess."

'she noticed?' Marinette was shocked. She didn't know that anyone noticed.

Ever since Nathaniel had whipped her, she had been getting nightmares. It was a long and painful process and most times she wants to wake up, but can't.

Marinette lifted her hands to her wet cheeks and wiped away the tears before giving Juleka a smile. "Don't worry about me. I'm fine. We're going to get out of here and I'll be okay. It was just a silly dream."

Marinette's gaze made Juleka and Chloe let it go.

"Are you guys hungry?" Juleka asked, rising to her feet. "I'll go make something for you."

"I'm not hungry," the blunette stated and the other girls looked at her in disbelief.

"Marinette, you haven't eaten in two days! What do you mean your not hungry?" Chloe was truly concerned for the girl. What has gotten into her?

Marinette turned her back to them as she layed on her side. "I'm just not hungry." She then let out a yawn. "I'm going back to sleep."

Juleka and Chloe didn't bother her after that and she was grateful. She wanted time to herself.

'There's no way in hell I'll go back to sleep,' She thought, curling into a ball. 'I don't want to see that dream again.'

Silent tears fell down her cheeks as she sobbed.

* * *

"What is it Lila?" Nathaniel asked immediately after he pressed the phone to his ear. The last time he spoke to Lila was when she told him that she had a 'date's with Adrien. "It's been a while."

"Yeah," Lila's voice came out shaky. "I think Prince Adrien suspects me."

Nathaniel's heart dropped. "What?"

"The date that I told you I had with him didn't go too well," She said, she sounded terrified. "He threatend me, Nathaniel, and I'm so damn scared."

"You don't need to be scared, Lila.  He can't do anything unless he has proof," Nathaniel said, sounding like a true hypocrite. He was shaking in his boots earlier.

"You don't understand, Nathaniel!" Lila exclaimed, startling Nathaniel. It was the first time that she sounded not confident. "He knows that I own Royal Spice. He can destroy me! All those comments I made about him and his wife can be used against me! The higher heads won't even care what happens to me after they get the evidence. I'll be done for Nathaniel. My career will be over and it's all because you don't have the skills to woo a fricking girl so you kidnapped her!!"

"Shut up! You don't know anything, Lila!"

"He also said something, Nathaniel," She said, her voice cracking.

"What was it?" Nathaniel asked hurriedly.

"He said that if he finds out that I have anything to do with Marinette's kidnapping, I and whoever else who is involved will die a gruesome and painful death."

Nathaniel felt his heart stop as the colour drained from his face.

* * * * *

Finally! An update!

I decided to update before my exams begin officially.

Exams start tomorrow and I have yet to open a book to study. Yep, I'm doomed.

But meh.

Math is the first exam I have😭! I'm gonna die😭!

Anyways, what are your thoughts on this chapter?

While writing this chapter, I kinda shipped Adrien and Nathaniel. Why? I don't know. Don't judge my brain. Adrienette is still my baby. AdriAth shall crash and burn.

What will happen next?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

Bye bye little butterflies 🦋🦋🦋.