This story starts right after the Ladybug episode, #19 in Season 3. It's not a follow-up on my earlier story entitled The Letter. This story relates to the events that could unfold going forward that I would like to happen.

NOTE: there are some spoilers for the recent episode that aired 10 Sept, entitled "Ladybug".

At the end of that episode, we see Marinette dumbfounded to see Adrien and Lila together on TV, and apparently going to do a photoshoot together.

This story is written in 3 chapters, each one will be posted daily.

1. I didn't agree to this

Adrien is in his room doing his homework when he gets a text message from Nino.

"Dude, what are you doing, getting all chummy with Lila after what she did to Marinette?" writes Nino.

Adrien texts back, "what are you talking about, I'm not getting chummy with her!"

Nino responds, "Oh yeah, have you seen the reports on TV that you're doing a photoshoot with her next week? And pictures of you and her getting all cuddly?"

"WHAAAT! What pictures? I'm not doing any photoshoot with her! where did you see this stuff?"

So Nino sends him the TV video. "Everybody has seen it, dude! Are you telling me you didn't know anything about it?"

"No, I don't, but I going to find out PDQ! We'll talk later after I find out what's going on!" Adrien ends the texting and goes in search of his father but finds Nathalie instead.

An upset Adrien confronts Nathalie. "Nathalie, what's going on? Did my father approve of a photoshoot with Lila Rossi? Did he approve of those pictures that were on TV, which by the way were photoshopped? I never posed with her like that!"

"I think maybe your father should answer those questions," she answers. "I'll see if he's available."

"You do that, and tell him also there will be no photo shoot with me in it until I get some answers!"

"As you wish," and off she goes.

A short time later, Gabriel Agreste appears in his son's bedroom. "I hear we have a problem," he says to Adrien.

"Yes, we do," replies Adrien. "Did you approve of a photoshoot of me with Lila Rossi?"

"Yes, I did. I thought it would be a good idea considering she's your girlfriend" says his father, but Adrien interrupts. "SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND, AND NEVER WILL BE! DID SHE TELL YOU THAT SHE WAS?"

Gabriel says, "Yes, she did, and she said you were okay with the photo shoot, and," but Adrien interrupts again. "Did she also tell you everything she did and said that were lies to get Marinette in trouble and expelled from school? Stole the answers from a test and planted it in Marinette's handbag to make her look like the thief, pretended to fall down the stairs and said Marinette pushed her? Put a piece of her jewelry in Marinette's locker and claimed Marinette stole it? Did she tell you that too?"

"No, I didn't know that, but," and again Adrien interrupts his father. "Why didn't you ask me first, before agreeing to any photoshoot? Did you also approve of those photos of me and her that were displayed on TV? Did you? Do you know they were photoshopped, those were doctored pictures, I never posed with her for any pictures, other than the selfies she took without my permission. Are you aware of any of that?"

And he continues, "You've been manipulated and lied to as well, father. Those pictures of us on the TV were photoshopped and displayed without my permission or yours. Isn't that a problem for you?"

"Yes it is, I was not aware of those pictures and didn't agree to their release. I thought the two of you were close and believed the best approach was to accept the relationship and get out in front of the story. I see that I was mistaken." Gabriel looks at his son and says, "I only want what's best for you, son."

Adrien confronts his father. "What's best for me is that you let me decide who my girlfriends are. I am not a fool, and I am smart enough not to have anything to do with manipulative liars and con artists. When I find the girl I want, I'll bring her home to meet you, but until then you're going to have to trust me not to make stupid mistakes. And if I do, we'll face them together. Are we clear?"

"Crystal clear, my son. The photoshoot with Ms. Rossi should still take place though, unless she backs out. No need to make a scandal out of this. Agreed?"

"Agreed, father, but one and only one photoshoot. No appearances, no interviews, no other pictures, agreed? Eventually, this story will die down and when at some point I appear with another girlfriend it will seem as being normal for a 15-year-old boy."

And as an afterthought, Adrien says, "we might want to find out where those pictures came from and who put them out there first. Whoever it was needs to know that the Agrestes do not take kindly to unauthorized pictures of a minor."

"Agreed." They look at each other for a few moments, then Gabriel gets up to leave. "I don't want to see you hurt. Be careful who you befriend."

Adrien gets up off the bed too. "Way ahead of you, father. Maybe sometime I can bring over a few of my friends and you can see for yourself who I associate with. They are people of good character."

"That might be a good idea, son. Goodnight." And with that, the conversation is over.

I am assuming in this story that Gabriel did approve the photoshoot, but not the pictures of his son and Lila. Which I think were photoshopped, since he doesn't really like her as much as the photos might indicate.