"Nathalie please! I didn't mean to hurt you so bad! You know it's just that this girl came and she-...I don't know she totally-"

"No Martin it's fine!" The assistant interrupted not being able to hear a single word more of what he had to say about someone else "...you don't have to explain yourself! You love who you want to love, and that's fine! I-I'm just being weak!"

"But I-...." For a second he thought and when Martin realized that he was about to say "I want to make you happy." then he suddenly noticed that he put Nathalie first once again, and became selfless once again.

"But you?" Her voice brought him back which had the brown haired man shake his head vigorously and then begin with:

"I-...I want you to be happy but I don't know if I can do that anymore...I don't think I can be the one who 'makes' you happy."

"Oh..." she sighed. "...t-that's alright-...I-I mean  of course you're not 'meant' to make me happy and you don't owe me anything-...but it still sort of hurt, you know?"

"I guess-...and I'm sorry about that. I really didn't want things to end like this. I simply came to Paris to find you and tell you that even after years I love you, but now-...somehow magically that all changed. Now I don't feel stuck anymore, now I feel like I have another chance at love and-"

"I GET IT!" Nathalie shouted completely shutting up her friend who most certainly didn't expect the woman to work herself up over such a simple thing.
It almost seemed as if the assistant would've been mad at Martin's happiness.
And surely enough she was, absolutely furious.

-

Absolutely furious exactly like Adrien right this moment as he had just found out that his mother was alive all along and the woman he let go of such a long time ago was actually his aunt.

"M-my mother?!?! S-she's alive?!?"

"Yes son." Gabriel nodded "You've asked this question at least five times now."

"OH WELL SORRY, IM SIMPLY A BIT SHOOK THAT MY DEAD MOTHER IS ALIVE!!"

"She was never dead in the first place-"

"I DIDNT KNOW THAT!!" He cut his father off "DAMN IT IM JUST CONFUSED."

"That's alright son, we'll get through it together. Or does that sound very cringe? Anyways, you get what I'm trying to say! This is new to the both of us since I found out not so long ago, therefore if you need any help to process or understand this then I'll-"

"NO!" Adrien shouted "No father why are you being so supportive and nice?!?! Shouldn't you be l-like-...s-shocked? Scared even? H-how the fuck are you s-so-...understanding?!?!"

"Well first of all language Adrien! You won't get far in life with no manners so work on it! Second, I am indeed very scared and shocked, in addition, because Nathalie just 'ran away' I'm also insanely frustrated, but since I wouldn't want to worry you and also because I don't want to worry myself I try to imagine that everything is fine. So I just keep repeating this one dumb stupid line in my head which doesn't help at all and I want to cry, shout and scream b-but-...b-but for your sake I'm keeping it t-together."

The grey haired man forced a smile onto his face, greatly scaring the child who didn't know if his father would start shouting or sobbing.
But he didn't.
In fact Gabriel didn't show any type of emotions.
He just sighed and then turned the car to the right.

"S-so-...y-you w-won't y-yell?"

"No. No Adrien, at least one of us needs to act fine. Otherwise if we're both lost in emotions than I'm pretty sure we wouldn't make it far."

And by saying that the designer completely shocked his son who was almost sure that his dad would begin yelling the second he spoke.
However to his own surprise the man contained his emotions pretty well.-

-Or at least he did until they got to Martin's house.

Then after the two Agrestes entered the apartment Gabriel couldn't keep it together anymore.

The exact second he saw his Nathalie talking to the brown haired man, he didn't hesitate to rush over there and push Martin out of the open door way just so that he could get to the assistant who was standing inside the apartment completely frozen whilst sadly looking her old boyfriend leaving.

"NATHALIE!!" The designer grabbed onto her arm. "Nathalie please forgive me! Just give me another chance I beg you!"

"Yeah, do that!" Martin interrupted all of a sudden "Gabriel is actually a really great person. He's awfully affectionate and caring, trust me I saw when we were on that 'mission' to save you. I bet he wouldn't ever purposely mean to hurt you. It's all just accidents. I mean look at him, doesn't he look so obsessed with you? Nathalie he loves you!"

"I-...t-thank you?" The grey haired man awkwardly mumbled not quite sure of what to think at the sudden behavior change of his rival.
Martin was supposed to be hating Gabriel, and fighting him for Nathalie.
However as of right now the brown haired man 'recommended' his rival to the young woman which really confused the designer.

"You're welcome, it was simply the truth I was speaking. You're a good person at heart Gabriel. And definitely the best person for Nathalie. I would never be able to do the same, not even in a million years. And though I've loved this woman all throughout my life now I'll have to give up. She's all yours."

"R-really?"

"Really. Now if you don't mind me asking-...your daughter is single right? Because I know she has two kids but the father of those boys-"

"Oh I see." Gabriel chuckled "You're 'moving on' huh...but yes she is single. The 'father' is-...well I don't know but apparently they didn't have the best relationship so-...I'm sure though that you'll be able to love her like she's meant to get loved, right?"

"I'll try my very best. She's a lovely person after all." Martin smiled whilst thinking about Alice and how he'll see her soon. But he couldn't keep thinking of her for long because before he knew it the grey haired man interrupted with a laughing voice:

"Well of course she's great. Like father like daughter."

"R-right, t-that's e-exactly what I meant."

"Okay can we not!" Adrien's voice suddenly broke into the middle of his father's and his rival's conversation. "Nathalie is still not well and you two are discussing dumb nonsensical shit!"

"Son language!"

"I don't fucking care right now damn it! I need your attention anyways so this should get it, and if I get into trouble, well fuck that! Help this woman first!"

And so before Gabriel could've scolded his son he realized that once again the young boy was right. Therefore without even telling him off the grey haired man rushed to help his (hopefully still) girlfriend.

"Nathalie is everything alright? You look pale darling."

"Y-yeah." She whispered, barely audible "I-...I feel a bit-"

But before she could've given a proper answer the fragile woman collapsed causing everyone to gasp and immediately call for help.

Adrien called the 'trusted doctor' whilst his father carried his assistant home and in the meantime Martin would've loved to help but this time he couldn't.
He had to go.
He had to meet Alice.

...

Later, once everything had calmed down, and even the teenage boy got his scolding, then Nathalie awoke into total silence and peace.

It was almost as if she would've been in heaven.

But she wasn't.

She was simply in the comfortable bed of her boss who as of right now wasn't in the room but making himself a drink.
He really needed it, definitely after this chaotic day.

And so after Gabriel got his alcoholic beverage he went back to his bedroom where he found the dark haired woman awake.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed, occasionally attempting to stand up, but since her legs weren't strong enough to support her body she couldn't.
Therefore there were a lot of falls.
But of course the designer almost immediately rushed to her aid, and in an instant sat beside his assistant.

"Nath!" He grabbed onto her waist in order to catch her before another miserable fall "Please sit back down! There's absolutely no need to work yourself up!"

"I'm not! I'm simply standing! Or at least I'd like to if I could."

"Well-...the doctor did say that you fainted because you have been overwhelming yourself with too many different emotions. And now this might sound silly, but if you stress yourself out too much very frequently then-"

"It's not good for me, I know! But how am I meant to handle you still loving your wife, even after all this time! I-I-"

"What do you mean??"

"Oh please? Do I look dumb to you?"

"W-wha-"

"You obviously didn't just say goodbye. You did something more I wouldn't even want to think about."

And by saying that the room immediately became deadly silent.

In fact even the silence in there got loud, and so Gabriel had to break it.

"I-...damn it." He sighed, depressed "You know I didn't mean it-"

"But you did it anyways...you still-....y-you s-still had that a-affair. A-and trust me I heard everything! I-it was e-embarrassing! Humiliating to call you my boyfriend whilst I could clearly tell that you were screwing that other woman!"

"Nathalie I-"

"No don't even! Please don't talk now, don't apologize, what's done is done...b-but can you imagine how I-...how I felt...knowing damn well that you were just p-playing along?" She asked with a crying voice that the designer couldn't bare to hear, especially not when he knew he got her into such a state "I-it was pretty good for the most part-...you are a great actor and convinced me very well that you loved me...but I knew all along, and that really hurt me...seeing your 'fakeness'." The assistant sighed "So tell me-...who do 'you' want more...and don't lie this time."

Gabriel shook his head as he couldn't reply to that question.

He honestly, without hesitation would've replied that he loved her now, but knowing that there was no way the dark haired woman would forgive him, the designer weeped.

"I'm sorry...I know I can't fix anything anymore and I'm only destroying your trust in me more and more but I-...I guess I'd like to start over. Of course I won't expect you to forgive me or love me ever again, but just so you know-...I'm trying...I really am."

Nathalie smiled a bit before shifting to the side and off of Gabriel's lap who then felt incredibly lonely, even though the young assistant was right next to him.

That still wasn't enough.
He wanted her to love him, but obviously that wouldn't be a possibility anytime soon.
Not unless Nathalie would be really selfless and completely sacrifice herself to this relationship.

"Well I'm glad to hear that sir...I'm happy to know you're trying to become someone better. However I will need to take a step back and once again simply only be your assistant. Therefore we are no longer dating.
But don't worry, I still give you a chance.
Just not now, I need some time for myself. Like the doctor said."

"H-how did you hear what he said-"

"I was awake the whole time, I just didn't bother to get up. This bed is, and was, too comfortable. But otherwise I know everything he said to you and Adrien. I know I need to rest and not stress myself out. But I do want to work again soon, because that's my only escape from reality."

To be continued-