Chapter 3: Shadows and Secrets

The grand ballroom was winding down after a long evening of mingling, laughter, and opulent displays of wealth. Most guests were drifting out toward their rooms, but Marinette and Felix lingered, taking advantage of the last whispers of conversation to blend in and observe. As guests exchanged glances and murmurs over drinks, the two spies exchanged more than a few heated looks of their own, each aware of the unspoken friction hanging between them.

The gala's opening had gone flawlessly from a mission standpoint; they'd established themselves in Hawkmoth's elite circle without a hitch. But there was still a thick, unspoken tension between Felix and Marinette—a tension that seemed to grow with every whispered interaction, every practiced smile, and every touch of Felix's hand on Marinette's waist.

Just as they prepared to make their exit, Olivier Moreau—the former intelligence agent and right-hand man to Hawkmoth—approached them again, an unreadable expression on his face.

"Mr. and Mrs. Duval," he said, giving a slight, respectful nod, though his gaze was suspiciously intense. "Hawkmoth has personally asked me to invite you both to a private evening in the estate library. It's a rare honor, as he hosts only a select few of his... favored guests."

Felix's eyes narrowed slightly, his mind calculating the risks. A private invitation to Hawkmoth's inner sanctum was an invaluable opportunity to gather intel. But it was also dangerous territory; one wrong move and they'd lose their cover.

Marinette, ever the picture of elegance, smiled with practiced ease. "We would be delighted," she replied, her tone smooth and enticing.

Moreau gave her a slight bow, looking pleased with her response. "Wonderful. Please follow me."

As they walked through the grand marble corridors toward the library, Felix leaned close to Marinette, his voice a barely audible whisper. "Try to keep your charm in check, darling. He's more dangerous than he looks."

Marinette's smile never wavered. "Then try to keep up, dear. I'd hate for you to get outshone."

He shot her a sidelong glare, a spark of irritation flashing in his eyes, but there was no time to respond as they reached the library doors. Moreau opened them with a flourish, revealing a room filled with leather-bound books, high-backed velvet chairs, and a roaring fireplace that cast long shadows over the shelves.

But when they stepped inside, they realized Hawkmoth wasn't there.

Instead, Moreau held the door as two of Hawkmoth's guards stepped in behind them, closing it with a quiet, ominous click.

Marinette's eyes flicked toward Felix, her smile never faltering. Felix returned her glance with a look of cool control, though she could see the slightest tightening around his eyes.

"Where's our host?" Felix asked smoothly, his tone hiding any trace of suspicion.

Moreau's smile widened. "He will join you shortly, of course. But first, he has requested a small... security measure. Standard procedure for our valued guests, you understand."

The guards approached, each holding a scanner. Marinette kept her expression cool, but her heart pounded as the guards started to pat them down. She felt Felix's gaze on her, and she knew they were both thinking the same thing: any one of their hidden gadgets could give away their true identities.

The guard's scanner beeped when it passed over Marinette's bracelet—a seemingly ordinary piece of jewelry that doubled as a communications device. The guard's gaze narrowed, lifting the bracelet to examine it.

Marinette shot Felix a warning glance, then quickly laughed, placing a light hand on the guard's arm as she pulled her wrist back. "Careful! My husband had this designed just for me," she said, her voice lilting with playful charm. "A custom piece from Paris—it's terribly delicate."

The guard hesitated, glancing toward Moreau, who gave a slight nod. Felix slipped into the act immediately, stepping close to Marinette and giving the guard an indulgent smile. "As my wife said, it's one of a kind. I'm sure you understand."

After a moment, the guard backed away, handing Marinette her bracelet. She smiled sweetly, though her pulse raced as she met Felix's gaze, each of them silently acknowledging how close that had been.

But Moreau wasn't finished. "One last thing," he said, gesturing toward the velvet seating area by the fireplace. "You'll be staying here tonight."

Marinette's composure almost slipped. She glanced at Felix, who looked equally taken aback. Staying overnight in Hawkmoth's library wasn't part of the plan—and they both knew it would make any chance of accessing the estate's critical intel impossible.

Felix cleared his throat, his voice smooth but edged with steel. "I'm afraid that's not necessary. Our suite has everything we need."

Moreau's expression darkened, his gaze unyielding. "It's what Hawkmoth has requested. You're welcome to object, of course. Though I wouldn't recommend it."

Marinette placed a hand on Felix's arm, her grip almost imperceptibly tight. "Darling, don't worry," she said, her voice sugary sweet as she looked at him, her eyes flashing a silent warning. "I think we'll be quite comfortable here."

For a moment, Felix didn't move, his jaw clenched tightly. But he finally nodded, pulling his expression into a reluctant smile. "Of course. Anything for my lovely wife."

Moreau nodded approvingly, then left them alone, the library doors locking firmly behind him. The guards remained stationed just outside, their shadows visible beneath the crack of the doors.

Marinette exhaled, dropping the act the moment they were alone. "Perfect. Just what we needed—a prison in paradise."

Felix ran a hand through his hair, tension radiating from him. "If you'd kept a lower profile, maybe we wouldn't be here."

She rolled her eyes, crossing her arms. "Oh, please. That was hardly my fault. You just can't stand that someone else has a way of handling things."

He bristled, green eyes narrowing as he stepped closer. "Your 'way of handling things' nearly got us caught. You need to think before you start improvising."

"I did think," she shot back, stepping forward to meet his challenge. "Unlike you, I trust my instincts. Not everything is about brute strategy, Felix. Sometimes charm actually works."

They were close now, too close. The anger between them simmered, but there was something else—a sharp, restless energy that neither of them seemed able to ignore.

"You know what?" Felix said, his voice low, a dangerous edge in his tone. "Maybe that works on everyone else, but it's not going to work on me."

Marinette's eyes flashed, and she leaned in, her voice barely more than a whisper. "I wouldn't dream of it."

They stared at each other in charged silence, each daring the other to back down. But finally, Marinette turned away, muttering under her breath as she paced across the room. Felix watched her, his gaze hard but his expression unreadable.

The night stretched on with uncomfortable slowness. With no way out and guards posted outside the library doors, any attempts to investigate were out of the question. They sat in tense silence, each trying to ignore the other as they waited for a hint of dawn.

Hours passed, and fatigue set in. Marinette leaned back in one of the velvet chairs, her eyes half-closed as she glanced toward Felix, who was still seated across the room, arms folded, his gaze locked on the door.

"Are you actually planning to stay awake all night?" she asked, her voice low.

Felix glanced at her, his expression unfazed. "Some of us don't sleep on missions."

Marinette rolled her eyes, though she hid her exhaustion with a smirk. "Fine. Suit yourself."

She closed her eyes, intending to ignore him, but the quiet stretched on, filled with the soft crackling of the fireplace and the muffled sounds of the guards shifting outside. Despite her best efforts, her mind kept wandering back to Felix's intense gaze, the way his eyes had darkened when he'd spoken to her earlier, how close he'd stood...

No. This is ridiculous. She shook off the thoughts, irritated at herself. She'd already had enough of Felix's smug attitude and infuriating insistence on control. They were stuck here, forced to wait until dawn with nothing to do but glare at each other across the room.

When morning finally came, they exchanged nothing more than curt glances as they exited the library and made their way back to their suite. Tension crackled between them, a simmering frustration that neither could shake.

As they entered the suite, Felix glanced back at her, his gaze cold. "Try not to get us in any more situations we can't handle."

Marinette smirked, brushing past him. "Likewise, darling. You might find out that not everything is under your control."

Without another word, she disappeared into the bedroom, leaving Felix alone, more frustrated and unsettled than ever.

Hey guys! Phew! That was a long chapter, I think I have a hand cramp. Anyways, thanks for reading so far! You no idea how much it means to me, this is my first time writing on Wattpad, and so far, so good! Tsm!

ILY-Nattie