The answer to your question is 'B,' and Paul is saying that God did exercise patience.
Paul is known for asking questions, often rhetorical, and most of the time, he answers them. His mission was to get the Greeks (the Gentiles) to believe in Christ. For the most part, the church in Corinth was Greek. Like the ancient Greeks that came before him, Paul uses questions to provoke people to think. This is exactly what Socrates did. The Socratic method is a little different than what Paul is doing because Paul is answering his own questions, but keep in mind, this is a letter. Paul wants the church on the straight and narrow path so he asks them question after question, in order to prove his point. Sometimes, he answers with more and more questions but even when he does that, the new questions are asked in such a way that his answers are clear.
From Chapter 9, KJV:
"What shall we say then? Is their unrighteousness with God?
God forbid." (v 14)
"Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who has resisted his will?
Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? (v 19-20)
Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus?
Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honor and another unto dishonor?" (v 20-21)
Back to your verse:
"What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And
that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, (v 22-23)
Above, Paul is saying that God is capable of absolute power (the way the flood in Noah's time destroyed everything) and yet God is refraining from using that power because of God's mercy (patience) in waiting for those who have faith. What if God endures suffering that God doesn't have to endure? (v 22) God endures for those with faith. (v 23) Paul reaffirms this answer (below), specifically with Gentiles that have faith over Israelites without faith.
"I will call them my people which were not my people; and her beloved, which was not beloved. And it shall come to pass that in the place where it was said unto them, Ye are not my people; there shall they be called the children of the living God." (v 24-26)
Regarding "bore" -it's not used in every translation and it's not used in the Greek. But you're right that the phrase is in the past tense and "bore" is an excellent word to explain Paul's point.
"What if God, although choosing to show his wrath and make his power known, bore with great patience the objects of his wrath -prepared for destruction." (NIV)
It's fair to argue that Paul's comments here apply to us in the present tense because what he is saying is a universal theme. That said, Paul is speaking in his lifetime, and in this verse, he's using the past tense. So it's accurate for Paul to say that God bore the patience, bore the suffering, bore the hell it must have been to have watched people turn away from God and never come to faith. That's why the Gentiles have God's mercy and glory -because God bore through that suffering and patience. If there was no bearing of suffering and patience, who would be able to come to faith? It takes time to come to faith, as Paul knows best of all. It's also almost like a pregnancy. "Bore" is used in pregnancies throughout the bible. A woman bears the pain and lack of comfort being pregnant for nine months, and then she bears the pain of labor, but she does it because she knows that it will bring about something good. This is how Paul is referring to God.