Spots Off 🐞 (A Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction)

18- Blackmail

Mayor Bourgeois' POV

"Chloe, please, darling. You need to start treating the waiters with respect!" I try to reason with my daughter as she throws a glass of orange juice across the room. "They are people, too!"

"Yeah, people who don't know how to get my order right!" Chloe screeches, huffing and puffing at her fresh manicure. "They should be fired for their incompetence!"

I love my daughter, but she can be a bit too much sometimes. "Chloe, why don't you take my card and go shopping?" I slide over my card, hoping she'll take it and leave. I don't like disturbing my guests. "Anywhere you want! Buy anything you like!"

"Are you for real?" Chloe asks, eyes widen. "Obvi! Yes. Thanks, Daddy." She grabs the credit card and pecks me on the cheek before running out of the hotel, Sabrina in tow.

"Oh my..." I whisper to myself, standing up and leaving the dining area. "I'm getting too old for this." I take the elevator up to my office, greeting a few guests I see in the hallway. There's a note taped to the door. "What's this?" I ask, opening it.

You need to follow this girl. Do everything I say and your daughter is safe. Refuse and she'll pay. Make the right choice.

There's a picture of Chloe's classmate, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. "This has to be some joke," I whisper, entering the office. I drop the letter on the table. "No one threatens me or my daughter!" As I pick up the phone to call Officer Rodger, a video starts playing on my computer. It's live footage of Chloe and Sabrina climbing into the limo. Suddenly, a hand appears, along with a gun the man's holding. A message pops up.

Unknown: You have five minutes to decide. What will it be, mayor?

"No! Chloe!" Angry, I glare at the computer screen, catching my reflection. I have to do this. I have no choice. What does this guy want with Marinette Dupain-Cheng, anyway? "Fine! I'll do it!" Another message appears.

Unknown: Under your desk, you'll find what you need. Be at the park at 1PM. Don't be late. Stick to the shadows and don't get caught. Get the cops involved and there will be a price to pay.

I bend down and look under the desk. There's a box with a camera and a note, telling me to take pictures of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. If Chloe's life weren't on the line, I'd take this to Officer Rodger immediately, but I can't. Sighing, I grab the camera, the keys to my backup car, and sneak out through the back exit. I successfully avoid guests as I jump into the black car. Who is this person and why are they targeting me and my family? Why Chloe's classmate? It doesn't make sense. I stop a good distance from the park and wait. It's one PM now. I don't see Marinette anywhere, just a group of Chloe's other classmates. My phone dings.

Unknown: Look up.

I do, and there she is. Marinette Dupain-Cheng walking with Gabriel Agreste's son, Adrien. He let his son out of the house? From all the years I've known Gabriel, he's been very strict with that boy. I watch Marinette as she walks over to her friends. They all start talking and eating snacks. I use the camera to zoom in, feeling guilty as I start taking pictures. What does he want with these pictures?

Unknown: Good job so far. Chloe's safe. Just don't get caught.

Angry, I toss my phone aside, clicking fast on the camera to get more pictures. Marinette takes her phone out and reads it. The expression on her face terrifies me. She looks like she's seen a ghost, starting to look around the park. What happened just now? She starts walking, screaming something, and her friends walk over to her. I don't know what anyone's saying, but I know a fight when I see one. Chloe's had plenty of those with Sabrina.

Marinette and Adrien leave the park, crossing the street together. Just one more photo and I'm gone. I can't do this anymore. As I take the last picture, I see Marinette looking in my direction, burning her gaze through me. The camera slips through my hand and the flash goes off. Her eyes widen and she alerts Adrien, pointing over to me. They start walking over. Oh no. I've been caught. I have to go before they realize it's me, or he'll hurt Chloe. Panicking, I start the car, pushing forward and immediately slam on the brakes when Adrien throws himself in front of the car. Good thing I stopped in time or Gabriel Agreste would have my head.

"Get out of the car, you coward!" Adrien starts smacking the hood of the car. "Get out!" I lock the car doors as he walks around, thankful the windows are tinted. "Really? It's gonna be like this? Get out!"

I check my phone as it rings again.

Unknown: I warned you, mayor.

"No!" I scream, banging my phone on the starring wheel. "Don't you dare hurt my daughter!"

Adrien starts punching the window. Is this kid on steroids or something? I cover my face as the glass breaks and his arm flies through the window, a tight grip on my shirt as he drags me out of the car. The road skids my face and I stare up at the blonde boy. He stops his punch mid-air. "What the hell? Mayor Bourgeois?"

Marinette runs around and gasps. "Mayor Bourgeois? What are you doing?"

"I-I can explain!" I start, slowly standing up. My head starts pounding. "Please, give me a chance to explain."

"Why are you taking pictures of Marinette?" Adrien screams, stepping forward. "What other excuse could you have except for being a creep?"

"That's not why I was taking the pictures! Honest! I swear." I take in a deep breath. "I'm being blackmailed."

"What?" Marinette and Adrien ask at the same time.

I nod fast. "Yes! I received a note in my office telling me to come here—" I gesture to the park. "—and take pictures of you. At first, I refused. I wasn't going to, but then someone threatened to hurt Chloe. I didn't have a choice."

"So that's why you didn't hit me with the car," Adrien whispers, pouting. "You didn't want to hurt me."

"Who told you to take pictures of me?" Marinette asks, grabbing the camera. "Do you have a name?"

"No! I don't know a name. All anonymous. Here. I'll show you." I hand them my phone as proof. "I wasn't supposed to get caught, but I accidently set the flash off and you saw me. I fear he's going after Chloe now!"

Marinette and Adrien share a look.

"You should alert all the officers," Adrien tells me as he hands me my phone. "Have them patrol over Paris. Find Chloe."

"You're absolutely right." I press the button on the back of my phone, which immediately sends an alert to all officers on duty. Another text comes.

Unknown: Deliver the photos to me and your daughter will return home safely.

I look up, hands shaking, and realize Marinette is still holding the camera. "Marinette, dear, I really need that camera back."

"What? No way!" She shouts, stepping back. "There are pictures of me on here! I'm deleting them!"

"You can't! I have to give him those pictures if I want to see Chloe again!" I beg, holding my hands together. "He'll kill Chloe if I don't give him that camera."

Marinette glares at me. "I'm sorry, Mayor Bourgeois, but there's no way I'm handing these over. Over my dead body!" Before I can stop her, she throws the camera on the ground, destroying it.

"NO!" My heart breaks with the camera and my eyes widen. "What have you done? Chloe could be killed now!"

"We can't give in to the blackmailers!" Adrien starts, coming to that stupid girl's defense. "He can't have all the power."

"You stupid brats!" I yell, stepping forward with raised arms. They jump back, scared. "My daughter is in danger and it's your fault!" I shove my hand into Marinette's shoulder as I push her and she falls down, gasping.

Adrien shoves me. "Hey! You have no right to put your hands on her!"

Marinette sits up. "Adrien..."

"If this monster does anything to Chloe, I will personally have you two arrested!" Storming back to the car, I climb in and speed off, driving back to the hotel.

Nothing can happen to my sweet Chloe. Nothing.