His confidence didn't take long to rebuild after Marinette's public scene, where she dumped him in front of everyone on his side of the family, and everyone on her own as well. Of course, after she stormed off with her friend at their "magical" wedding day, he was left speechless.
It was awkward to have to explain what had just gone down to the audience. What Fabio told everyone was that Alya gave Marinette the wrong idea, and he misheard her saying that he actually wanted to get her sketchbook so he could get someone who could help her achieve her dream.
No one really knew he was lying.
That lazy afternoon was the time he decided he would try to salvage what he could of their broken relationship. He thought it could take a while to build her trust, but Fabio felt that his plan could work.
Even if he couldn't manage to fix what their broken had, he could at least try to grab her sketch book and sneak it out. At this point, Fabio wasn't sure where she had left it, but he assumed it would be in the same place he'd remembered she kept it back when they lived together.
Knocking at the door, Fabio cleared his throat and adjusted his tie. With a rose in his hand, he prepared a regretful facial expression in hopes that Marinette would take him back.
Already having woken up after sleeping all morning, Adrien spent the rest of the day watching movies with Marinette.
"I'll get it for you," Adrien told the girl sitting beside him on the couch as Marinette lowered her TV's volume.
"Thank you, Adrien! Hurry back before the commercial break ends and the movie continues!" She smiled as he stood to get the door.
When he opened it, Marinette curiously peeked her head up from above the couch to see who was there, but she couldn't clearly tell who stood in front of Adrien. Lazily, she sunk back into the couch and continued to watch the foot cream advertisement she and Adrien had previously been waiting to finish before the knock came.
The blonde's eyes suspiciously narrowed on the slightly taller man who stood before him.
"Can I help you?" Adrien asked with a low growl, stepping outside and closing the door behind him as he stood to shield Marinette's apartment.
"Adrien Agreste? Why are you in my fiancé's apartment?" Fabio asked, his tone filled with annoyance.
"Last I recall, Marinette told me she broke off contact with the moron who was using her for her fashion designs. What exactly do you want with her?" Adrien felt a surge of protectiveness burst throughout his body for the girl he'd become so close to in the past few days.
"I would never have done that to such a sweet girl. Alya just had it out for me and she wanted to make sure we didn't marry, so she lied to her supposed best friend and painted me as the villain," Fabio told Adrien, keeping straight eye contact with the blonde model. His voice exaggerated as if he was bringing sarcasm into play.
"Right," Adrien rolled his eyes, "So believable."
"And what happened to being Daddy's little model? Did he fire you?" Fabio gave a teasing pout, obviously trying to push the boy's buttons. Having a more tall, muscular build, he looked down on Adrien condescendingly.
"Alya would never lie to Marinette. She only cares about her best friend, and I can definitely see why she didn't like you so much. For your information, I resigned from modeling, Fabio. The reasons are none of your business," Adrien made clear, speaking through gritted teeth at a low volume to keep Marinette from knowing that her crappy ex-boyfriend was here. He didn't want to upset her with this dingbat's arrival.
"I would like to speak to Marinette, and you have no business with anything she and I have to do with one another. By the way, you are wearing my shirt," Fabio snorted, rolling his eyes as he placed a finger on a blue roll-up buttoned shirt that belonged to him. He pushed Adrien out of the way and kicked open the door in his familiar fashion, but that didn't last long seeing as Adrien yanked him back outside by the arm, using most of his strength.
"You have no right to enter my lady's property, so get out!" He snarled his lip, pushing the disrespectful man away from her front door.
"Adrien?" Marinette's voice rang from the living room with concern.
"Don't worry, Mari-Pie babe! Fabio is here!" Fabio yelled, pushing Adrien back away from the door before he entered the apartment. Marinette rolled her eyes in disbelief, grinding her teeth in annoyance.
"Fabio?! Don't even think about calling me that again! What are you doing here?!" She asked angrily, standing up to walk to where he stood.
"Leave her property immediately!" Adrien told him, seeing as Marinette was starting to get agitated.
"You can't tell me when to leave, you wimpy model! I live here and I have ownership over half these things!" Fabio argued, raising his temper to drown out Adrien's volume. He continued to walk forward, acting as he belonged there.
"Don't you dare call the Adrien Agreste a wimpy model again!! When I left the wedding, I left you, so you're kicked out! We are no longer together!" Marinette asserted with her newfound authority, taking Fabio by surprise a bit. He hadn't remembered her to be so... assertive. It was probably something Alya taught her, the man assumed. He cringed at the memories of Alya's constant interference with many of his previous plans.
"Babe, don't be irrational here. I know Alya said some crazy things, but I would never do that to you! I love you, Mari-Pie," he brought his hands up to cradle her face in, like he had done previously when they began to date. She shoved his hands back and stood by Adrien, crossing her arms.
"I don't believe you, you lying dingbat!" She furiously stomped her foot on his again, only without the one-inch wedding heel.
Still, the girl happened to stomp hard, and it hurt just as much as it did the first time. True, he was trying to use her for her designs, but he found it was hard not to find himself falling for her.
"I promise you. I'm sorry I was so rude to you before. You never deserved any of that crap I made you put up with. One thing for sure is that I would never do that again, my Mari-Berry," he told her, biting back the pain in his foot.
"I'm not your Mari-Berry! Don't call me any of those dumb nicknames, and you were wrong to treat me like that! I learned what a real gentleman is like, thanks to Adrien. I could love him a thousand times more than I would ever even consider thinking about you!" Marinette told the dimwit with rage steaming from her ears and heating her face with red. She was done with that pinhead and there was no way she would even reconsider marrying him.
"We exchanged our I-do's already, Mari. You already agreed to be with me in life and death," Fabio reminded her, causing Adrien to steam with anger toward the man making her uncomfortable.
"If it weren't for Alya, I would be stuck as your wife! You would always rush me to cook faster! You would never let me stroll around stores when we'd go shopping! Worst of all, you only wanted me for my designs... I'm sorry, but I can't love a person who doesn't care about me as a person, me as your wife!!" Marinette exploded with rage, after her teeth grinding again as she squeezed her hands into fists.
"You did all that to Marinette?! She has been nothing but kind and considerate to everyone, and yet you took advantage of her for being a fashion designer! You have the nerve to show up to her apartment, even after she discovers what you intended to do, and beg her to forgive you?!" Adrien yelled at him, stepping forward in front of Marinette as he raised his fist. Marinette's face softened at Adrien's words.
After sending a disgusted glare to Adrien, Fabio put on the smoulder which caused Marinette to roll her eyes.
"Technically, we're already married, Mari-Pie."
"Yuck! No we're not! I left you before it was official!" Marinette argued, angry tears beginning to brim at her eyes. She looked away, crossing her arms as she was starting to become really frustrated with him.
"Leave her property, now!! I will call the police on you!!" Adrien threatened as he picked up the phone.
"How about you leave? You're cheating with my wife," Fabio growled.
Before he knew it, Marinette karate-kicked Fabio where the sun didn't shine. Adrien's eyes landed on Marinette's suddenly gleeful ones and it was right then that he knew he had never been more proud.
"You're amazing, Marinette," Adrien smiled.
"Thanks, Adrien!"
To say the least, Fabio needed to take a trip to the doctor for a quick checkup.
A/N: Fabio is not nice.
Also self-defense is important! Please don't forget that!
On a quick note, my normal update schedule is Friday through Monday, so that's when I try to get at least one update per book out.
Hope you guys enjoyed! 💖 Thank you guys so much for your supportive comments and votes! They help inspire me to continue writing!