Marinette's lungs tried hard to keep breathing. Her bluebell eyes were filled with shock and disbelief…

This….this is what he thinks of her?

Realizing his involuntary words, Adrien immediately gasped out, "Mari, it was a mistake. I wasn't in my right mind, okay? Please forgive me…. I didn't know what I was rambling. Look at me, please?"

Marinette refused to meet his eyes.

She breathed in and out deeply for a few times, her chest heaving painfully with each effort.

"I can swear on it... But I won't… Whatever you said when you 'weren't in your right mind'," she made air quotes, "They kind of sounded true, you know. Just FYI, I loved you with all my heart. "

His heart broke on hearing the word 'loved'.

She continued, "But... If you want me to confess that I have loved you for your money... Okay then, I will, if that's what you want to hear... I'll tell you. Yes, I have indeed loved you for your mask. I have loved you for your perfection. I confess that I have loved you for your money. Yes, I'm a greedy and calculative and a manipulative b*tch. "

Looking at her extremely calm eyes, Adrien was horrified, "Marinette, stop-"

"No, wait. I have more confessions to mak-"

"You don't have to do this!"

"Yes, I do. I'll tell you everything. Yes, I have LOVED YOU FOR YOUR CONNECTIONS TO THE FASHION INDUSTRY!!! " Her voice rose higher.

Suddenly, everything was silent.

She panted heavily while he stood silently.

After a few seconds, he asked in a low voice, gesturing between themselves, "This? What will happen to this?"

She laughed in a low self-deprecating manner.
"This was nothing between us. You loved Ladybug and I loved your connections. That's all."

Adrien felt worse, "Mari, you don't have to disrespect what we had!"

She stopped laughing, "Disrespect? Disrespect what? Do you suffer from short term memory loss? I just said something. I clearly pointed out that you, Monsieur Agreste, you love Ladybug and I love your good fortune. Isn't that true?"

Adrien's face hardened, "Marinette! You're acting like a fool. "

"Fool, huh? Maybe I'm one! An idiotic romantic fool. I'm a fool for believing in fairy tales, for believing in soulmates, for believing in love at first sight, for believing that you and I are destined to end up together."

"Mari, y-"

"Don't call me Mari! You're just my boss' son now, Monsieur Agreste. The nickname seems a bit too inappropriate. " She snapped.

Marinette held out her hand and looked at the pink diamond on her hand.

All those emotions came back rushing. Tears welled up in her eyes as the memories flashed by. She looked at the ring intently. So many entanglements with the man in front of her. Back in high school, Adrien as the most important person in her life, with whom she had experienced all sorts of emotions - first love, infatuation, hate, jealousy...

She suddenly remembered the pin board she had of his pictures, stalking him, his daily schedule that she had, the time when she confessed to him on a voicemail and had to go to great lengths to erase it; Marinette couldn't help but smile a little at her own antics.

All of her youth captured in one ring. Was she really ready to let everything go?

She hardened her heart and pulled off the ring from her hand. She looked up at a frantic Adrien who looked at her with widened eyes,
"M-Marinette, don't do this! It is a simple misunderstanding. Let's calm ourselves down now and talk later on. We aren't in our right minds. " He panicked.

"Adrien, this has nothing to do with this misunderstanding. Even if we make up tomorrow, this question will always be there between us. It will haunt me forever. I don't want a half-hearted relationship. It's better to break things off now than to delay it. It's best for both of us, Adrien..."

"Please, don't do this. "

"I have no choice, " she teared up.

"Yes, you do. Just give me another chance? "

She chuckled dryly, "Another chance? How many chances do you want, Adrien? You've broken my heart two times. Not one, two times! Are you enjoying messing with my emotions?"

"I-I'm..."

"I hope you understand that our relationship will be simply platonic from now on. "

Adrien's eyes were damp, "Do we really have no other choice? "

"N-no. We don't. We aren't meant to be." She could feel her heart breaking as she uttered those words. A small part of her heart was condemning her, 'What are you doing? Why are you pushing away the man you love?' But her brain told her otherwise, and she knew she needed to listen to her brain this time.

"Just... just leave, please… I need some time alone. "

"But, c-can I visit the twins after this? Please, don't let our baggage affect them. " His voice was nearly inaudible.

She nodded, "Of course. They admire you and... I would like it to be kept like that. " She gulped down the burning lump in her throat.

"I-I'll come tomorrow. Maybe we can figure things out. "

"Don't..... Please don't!," She shouted out in fear. In fear that she'll forgive him if she waited for even a second. "We are over. Nothing's going to change that." Her voice wavered but she was resolute in her decision.

"Oh. " Tears threatened to spill from his emerald eyes.

Marinette knew that this would haunt her all her life, but she needed to let go. It's best for both of them... She couldn't let him believe that he loved her, when he was in love with Ladybug.

Adrien took her hand and kissed it for the last time, thinking about all the times he had done the same and how this one was the last, looking in her bluebell eyes those were brilliant with tears, "Goodbye, princess. Be happy, okay? No one deserves it more than you. But... don't forget, I'm keeping one little piece of your heart for myself. If you ever want it back, you know where to find it. "

Marinette was crying by now and she clenched a fist on her mouth, to stop it. It didn't.

She knew that Adrien loved Ladybug, the brave and perfect version of herself, not the clumsy and stupid person she actually was.

She loved him so much. Why can't he love her the same way?

Although, she was hurting, she knew that it was for the best. For everyone...

Adrien did his very famous two finger salute, with tears circling in his eyes.
She couldn't help but smile.

He turned around and walked out, his steps heavy and unwilling...

Marinette finally let go of herself. Her legs couldn't support her anymore and she fell down on the floor, crying out loud.

Today was an emotional rollercoaster.

Getting engaged and then breaking up. Being with the man she loved, to cutting off all ties between them, hurting both of them in the process.

But it was necessary...

She couldn't let herself live in a delusion that he loved her and lie to herself all her life.

Suddenly, a small figure came to her sight.

"Mommy? "

She quickly wiped her tears off and smiled at her daughter, "Yes, honey? "

"Why are you crying? Where's Handsome Adri? Why were you shouting at him?" Ames was confused. She had fell asleep for a while after the story and was rudely awoken by Blue. When she had angrily demanded an explanation, Blue had very seriously told her that their mommy and Adrien were fighting and he needed her to comfort mommy after Adrien left.

As she trusted her bro very much, she didn't question him and simply walked to the balcony, where she saw them fighting.

She could see Adrien walking away and Marinette crying loudly.

Marinette pulled her close to her chest and hugged her tightly, the unique scent of her daughter soothing her pain a little.

"Mommy, has he hurt you? " Ames said in a serious tone.

"No, baby. We just decided that we will not marry as we are not compatible.... I mean, good for each other. It was my decision, Ames. "

Ames looked sad, "Will you not let him see us anymore? "

"Of course, I will. What we have between us shouldn't affect your relationship with him. He'll visit you like he normally does. But, you should probably stop expecting much from him, hmm? "

Although disappointed, Ames understood that what her mother decided is best for everyone.

But, she couldn't help but ask, "Mommy, but Aunt Alya told that you guys are soulmates. Aren't you supposed to live happily ever after?"

Marinette stood up and patted her daughter's head, before smiling, "I'll tell you when you get older, baby. You won't understand right now. Go to bed. It's very late. You don't want to be late for school tomorrow, now do you? "

Ames nodded and left, only after hugging her waist and kissing her goodnight.

Marinette turned around and looked at the night sky. It is filled with stars.

Tikki flew out from the door behind which she was hiding and asked her gently, "Give him a chance, Mari. And also, now, this may sound childish like Aimée, but, you guys are meant to be together. You are soulmates! "

Marinette dryly smiled, with pain laced in her eyes, looking at the vast midnight sky filled with twinkling stars, watching over Paris.

After a while of peaceful silence, she slowly said, her eyes reflecting the stars, "Soulmates aren't real, Tikki. They are just an excuse for falling in love, you know?"

"And when… we finally realize that, it had already damaged us in all the ways a person can be damaged. Loving someone without them loving you back..." She trailed off, with a distant expression on her face.

"It hurts..."

"And.... T-that's not even the worst part, you know, Tikki. The worst thing is that even after getting our hearts broken, and getting bruised thousands of time and learning what life is, learning that this is reality, we still can't help but hope for a fairy tale ending to our own stories..."

"And now, that is a real tragedy."

Tikki didn't respond.

The cold breeze blew against her face and she closed her eyes, feeling the soft caress.

Somewhere, a clock struck two at the morning. It echoed throughout the asleep Paris and she wondered if Adrien could hear it right now too...

He did. From the private room of a bar, he heard it clearly. Drunk on pain and beer, he couldn't care less about it... But it reminded him of her… Almost everything did, really...

When her eyes looked at the sky again, they were glistening with tears.
"Soulmates, huh? "

Paris was deep asleep, but a small star, in the darkest patch of the sky, quietly watched over her, shining brightly and twinkling.

I'll be here with you, honey.

A silent promise that even death can't break...
-----------------------------------

A/N: The book ends here! Haha, bet you guys were super surprised when I broke then up. It was just what it felt right, you know. Anyway, swipe for the epilogue.

Stay pawsome!! 🐾