My Secretive Wife

IDENTICAL

Athena entered the elevator and thought of a way to trap Benjamin Baltazar. CamZ was supposed to trap him using his partner, but the plan is not possible anymore.

Ding!

Her thought was interrupted when the elevator reached its destination—the ballroom was on the hotel's fourth floor.

"BB is in," A1 reported as soon as he saw Benjamin Baltazar entering the lobby. He stayed in the hotel's cabin to access the hall to the ballroom.

"I'm outside the ballroom," Athena replied, informing him of her position.

"Copy," he said. When Benjamin Baltazar's elevator door closed, he quickly followed discreetly. He planned to get in together with him in the elevator, but he was with his three bodyguards. He doesn't want to give them a chance to suspect him, so he opts to go up when they're gone. A1 was cautious not to get anyone's attention.

Athena entered the ballroom and saw the waiter walking around with wines. She walked in his direction and asked for beet wine. It is a non-alcoholic alternative since she cannot have natural wine; beet wine is perfect.

"Yes, Ma'am, I'll deliver it to you," the waiter replied respectfully. She stood still and waited for the waiter to come back. Two minutes later, the waiter handed her the beet wine.

"Thank you," she said with a smile. She then turned around and found a place where she could easily spot Benjamin Baltazar when he entered the ballroom.

She scanned the room, trying to find Marco so that she could avoid him. She saw her husband and his assistant in the middle of the ballroom. His assistant seemed to be introducing the man in front of them to Marco. 

Marco appeared to be not interested. Athena never saw him with that look until today. She did not know that his serious expression was intimidating. 

Marco felt weird, so he looked around to see why. He thought that someone might have been keeping an eye on him. He looked around far and near to see who had been watching him.

Athena quickly lowered her gaze and pretended to fix her dress. She then slowly lifted her head and acted like she was looking around. When her eyes landed on the ballroom's entrance, Athena caught the sight of Benjamin Baltazar. It's her first time seeing him again after more than ten years. He was in his mid-forties in her memory, walking with his big beer belly. But the latest image in the picture they received is a man in his late fifties with a smaller stomach. He was the same as the picture, with an older face and a smaller belly.

One of his bodyguards was walking ahead of him, and the other two were behind him. Athena stayed in her position and watched him covertly. 

Marco's assistant whispered to him when he saw Benjamin Baltazar entering the ballroom. They were able to get the latest picture of Mr. Baltazar through their extensive contacts. 

Athena glanced in Marco's direction once again but was caught red-handed. He looked at her with furrowed eyebrows and seemed to have a complicated expression. She tensed up, and her heart was beating fast. 

She took a deep breath and pinched her hips, reminding herself that CamZ did an excellent job changing her look. 'You can do it, Athena.' She cheered herself and walked confidently.

Marco noticed her back when he was looking around the ballroom. He thought it was his wife, Bea, but the hair color differed. His wife has black hair, and the woman at the party has brown hair. He doesn't know how long he waited to see her face. But not long after, when Mr. Baltazar shows up, he notices that she is secretly paying attention to Mr. Baltazar.

He sensed trouble but didn't want to alert anyone. He wants to see what this woman is planning to do. The woman turned around and looked in his direction, which surprised him. He observed her and saw the uneasiness in her movements. Then he saw her walking boldly. The anxiety that he noticed earlier was gone.

Marco was bewildered by her sudden confidence. 'Hmm, interesting,' he thought but suddenly frowned. No one interests him aside from his wife. He took his cellphone and sent her a text message thinking of Bea.

Athena stopped where the pastries were and took a small piece of a cinnamon roll. She tried to keep a decent distance from Benjamin Baltazar not to get their attention. 

Athena suddenly felt her phone vibrate inside her silver glittered purse. She looked around and saw Marco holding his phone as if waiting for something. She got nervous and found a hidden place to see Benjamin Baltazar still.

She saw a pillar not far away. She hurriedly walked towards the post and leaned her back. Athena took her cellphone out of her purse and saw a text message from Marco.

"Babe, I missed you. I saw a woman not long ago, and I thought it was you," Athena's heart almost jumped out of her chest at his text. Her hands were shaking while trying to respond to his message.

"I missed you too, Babe. I'm sorry I wasn't able to accompany you tonight. I'll make it up to you, promise," she took a deep breath after sending her response. 'No wonder he was looking at me earlier,' she thought. Her phone vibrated again, and she saw that he replied.

"How are you going to make it up?" She blushed at his reply. She hasn't thought of how she will do that, but she knows how addicted he is to her scent.

"Think of me for now, and I'll take care of it later," she teased. She can imagine Marco's expression right now, and that made her smile, and she forgot how nervous she was earlier.

"Ugh, Babe, you deserve a punishment," he replied with a wink emoji. "Rest babe, you need it," he said in another message with the same emoji in it.

"I will. I love you." She replied and waited if Marco would respond. After waiting for two minutes without receiving a reply from Marco, Athena heaved a sigh of relief. She put her cellphone back in her purse and checked if Benjamin Baltazar was still in his previous location. And she was relieved when he was still standing where she last saw him. 

She has to finish her task tonight, so she can go back to their room before Marco returns. She can't afford to get sidetracked again. 

Athena saw Benjamin Baltazar talking to his two bodyguards. He seemed to be giving them instructions. They both nodded and turned around.

'This is it,' she said to herself. She composed herself and walked in Benjamin Baltazar's direction. 

Athena tripped on her steps and fell on Benjamin Baltazar's chest, but before Benjamin Baltazar held her, Athena stabilized herself.