[Adrien's POV]

That outing with Marinette was just what I needed. Too bad we had to return home, luckily I have some of Marinette's sweetness stored with me.

I slide into my office chair and open up the mini-fridge that I have plugged in under my desk. I go to Marinette's so often and she gives me treats to take home every time so I invested in my own secret storage unit since my dad wouldn't like me keeping sweets in the house.

Someone knocks on my bedroom door.

"Adrien." Says Nathalie's voice from the other side.

I quickly close my mini-fridge and cover it up with a small blanket. "Come in."

Nathalie opens my door gently and steps inside.

"What's up?" I ask casually.

"Adrien." Nathalie says as she readjusts her glasses. "You are aware that as Mr Agreste's secretary I am required to keep track of all his accounting and financial files, among many other things."

"Er, sure?" I answer unsurely.

"Why did you purchase a mini-fridge?" Nathalie questions bluntly.

I sit there silently, not really sure how to escape this.

"Is it to keep all of your camembert in?" Nathalie continues. "Because I have also taken note of how much camembert cheese you have been purchasing. It is not healthy, Adrien. You could not possibly be eating that much cheese, and keeping it in your room will only bring smell, ants and filth."

"Okay, you got me. But I don't eat it." I say truthfully. "There's this neighbourhood cat that comes by my window sometimes and he likes camembert for some reason. Please don't tell father, it's so boring and lonely in this house. Mr Fluffles is my only friend!"

Nathalie raises an eyebrow. I try to look as genuinely sad as possible. She might be monotonous, but I know Nathalie cares somewhat for me. All I gotta do is play the pity card...

Nathalie sighs. "I'll ignore your cheese investments but my policy on food in the bedroom still stands. Please remove the fridge before your father finds it."

Yes!

As soon as Nathalie leaves, Plagg pokes his head out from my bag. "Mr Fluffles? That's my alias?"

I open up the mini-fridge and take out a peppermint slice. No way am I getting rid of this. Besides, how could my father find it when he is never even home, let alone interacting with me.

"Nathalie's computer is probably linked up to my dad's financial files." I ponder as I munch on my peppermint slice. "I'm wondering if we could tamper with it..."

"Sounds fun. Let's do it." Plagg replies simply.

I peek out of my room to see Nathalie on her tablet in the living room. Good, her computer is unoccupied. I sneak into Nathalie's office and begin clicking through my dad's payment history when something catches my eye. A property payment to an address I don't recognise.

"What is this?" I whisper to myself.

"Adrien." Says a stern voice from behind me. "What are you doing?"

I jump in fright and spin around to face my father. "F-Father, you're home."

"Yes, I came home last night. Perhaps you would have known if you hadn't mysteriously disappeared." My father replies coldly. "Care to explain where you were?"

Visiting Marinette in secret, fighting She-wolf and laying in the soil of a public garden—something tells me my father wouldn't care for that answer.

"Those reckless adolescents Ladybug and Cat Noir were out as well last night." Father continues. "You ought to be careful. I don't want you involved in such dangerous activities."

Does my father suspect me? My heart is racing. It feels as though I have a tennis ball lodged in my throat. I gulp down the dry lump and try to act calm.

"Wouldn't dream of it, sir." I answer.

My father looks at me for a moment as if he is going through a serious thought process.

"Come, Adrien." He says finally.

Without even waiting for a response, my father turns and leaves. Of course, I don't question him. I follow him quietly until we stop at my mother's portrait. My eyes shift to my father. Is he finally going to reveal the secret safe to me? But what if he notices the book is missing? Maybe that's why we're here. Maybe he knows that I stole it and lost it!

I flinch slightly when my father begins to speak.

"Adrien." He says as he gazes up at my mother's portrait. "I think it is time that I told you about your mother's death."

"Mum..." I say painfully. "You said it was an accident."

"There are no such things as accidents, only unfairness." Father replies. "Your mother deserved better, Adrien. She was once the wielder of the peacock miraculous. Do you understand? She was a hero and she died trying to save a hopeless world. Your mother gave everything she had— her strength, her compassion, even her life...but it is never enough. In this world, there is no such thing as justice and therefore no such thing as good or evil."

I feel crushed...as if my chest has collapsed in on itself. My heart has stopped. My lungs are barely releasing a shaky breath.

"I want you to remember what I have said today." My father concludes as he turns to leave. "I'll be leaving now. There is work to be done."

I hear the fading of his footsteps followed by the slow creek of the front doors. My legs are shaking. I feel weak. I slowly stumble my way to my room before collapsing onto the ground.

No such thing as good or evil...? But then, what is there to believe in? What is there to fight for?

Mum... She died trying to save this world. This world...took her life from her... Took her from me...

"Adrien?" Plagg says gently.

"Don't touch me!"

I remember the first time Plagg came to me. To think...my mum probably had a kwami just like him. A kwami that forced responsibility on her. A kwami that changed her life and consequently took it from her.

I look down at my ring. Vile anger boils in my stomach. Why am I sacrificing everything to help a world that has already taken so much from me...? I feel betrayed. Betrayed by my father, who kept this from me for so long, and betrayed by everything I once thought was good.

My vision is blurred by tears. I'm not really focused on anything, I'm too deep in thought. But when something black flutters in front of me, I get startled from my daze.

No!

The akuma has already seeped into my ring.

"Adrien..." Plagg wheezes.

I watch in horror as the life fades from his eyes. He falls to the ground as if his magic has suddenly run out.

"Plagg!" I call out.

A cold laugh echoes inside my head.

"Hawkmoth..." I growl. "Get...out of my head!"

"Don't fight it Adrien, I can help you..." Hawkmoth hisses. "There is no good in this world. How is it the people who stole your mother's life get to live on happily whist you suffer? I can help you... I can grant you my ability to infect the heart. My mothling, together we will make this unjust world pay."

It feels as though all the warmth in my chest is getting sucked right out of me. I can feel the cold darkness consuming my heart. My emotions are leaving me. My sense has disappeared. It's empty inside. All I can feel is the agonising sadness. The hellish anger...The desire to unleash it all.

"I can help you get revenge..." Hawkmoth whispers.

Revenge!