CHAPTER 33: INVESTIGATE

Athena was able to stop CamZ from buying many clothes for her baby. Though CamZ wasn't happy and satisfied about it, she listened to the mom-to-be.

Athena urged CamZ to go home since they'd been out for a while, and she was getting tired. They are not in the mood to cook, so a takeout would be best for their dinner instead of making noodles. They decided to stop by at the restaurant close to their home and ordered takeout.

They changed their clothes when they were back home and ate dinner. When they are resting in the living room, Athena's phone rings. She looked at the caller, and it was a restricted number.

"Hello?" Athena answered. She knows that the call is from the organization.

"Hey, Baby A, someone's running a background check on you," said the man in the other line. He is one of the computer wizards in their organization. Their computers receive notifications 24/7. There are three of them who are working on three shifts.

"Do I need to worry?" Athena asked. It doesn't bother her because the agency has secured all their information since joining it. They can only find the lead since she was born until she was fifteen.

"Nope, Baby A. We got this. I'm just letting you know," the man in the other line replied.

"Well, thank you." Athena's mind wandered and asked herself who was searching for her information. She can't rule out that Benjamin Baltazar found something and is looking for her record. Marco might be looking for her too. Athena rubbed her belly and talked to her baby internally, "Baby, you think daddy found the clues in my computer? You think he's looking for us now?"

Chavez's Mansion

"Is there any news about Francis?" Marco asked. When Francis left his office hurriedly and went to the hospital to operate on someone, they didn't hear anything from him again. He suddenly disappeared, and no one knew his whereabouts.

But Marco has an idea that it might be related to his grandfather. His grandfather is a high-ranking military officer. He sent Francis to military school and became an army doctor. He's been asking Francis to marry his comrade's daughter, but he has declined because he doesn't want to get married yet. Francis' grandfather threatened to send him to a war-zone area when they argued about it.

"Sir, he was indeed sent to the war zone because they lacked doctors. But he is about to return in a few days." Anthony replied.

"Okay, let me know if he arrives," Marco pinched the bridge of his nose and leaned his head on the chair.

"Yes, sir. We have everything set up for his arrival and will bring him directly to you." Anthony said, heaving a sigh of relief. He's been walking on a bed of nails these past few months when Dr. Francis left without a word. Luckily, his boss stayed home most of the time during these past months, giving him space to breathe. But each time he calls him, he feels like hiding somewhere far away.

"Any other news?" Marco asked sternly.

Anthony knew what other news he was talking about, and he was glad that their hackers just sent him an email regarding Athena Cruz's information. "I have the information you want, sir. I will email it to you right away." Anthony forwarded the email to Marco as soon as he mentioned it.

"Okay," Marco hung up the phone and turned on his laptop. He immediately opened the email Anthony forwarded to him and printed it out. The first page was all the data they had gathered.

Name: Athena Cruz

Age: 25 years old

Birthday: March 5, 1996

Birthplace: City B

Parents: Abel Cruz (deceased) and Feliz Alonzo (deceased)

Address: Moonlight Hills, City B until she was 12 years old, Happy Smile Orphanage from 12 to 15 years old. Athena Cruz left the orphanage when she was about to be adopted by a foreign couple.

Anthony can't find other information after the age of 15.

Marco turned to the next page and saw pictures of her when she was about five years old. Athena was smiling brightly with her fishing rod. In the other picture, it should be her birthday. She was wearing a pink princess dress with a crown decorated with pink diamonds. The following image saddened Marco. Athena had swollen eyes, and tears were flowing on her cheeks. She looked older in the picture, so he figured it might be the time when she became an orphan. The last image was a group picture. It shows in the banner behind them that they took the photo in 2011. She must be fifteen in this picture, he thought. She has a faint smile, and it seems someone forced her to smile for the image.

Her appearance from ten years ago didn't change much. She only became more beautiful and taller.

It's a mystery why there's no available data after she left the orphanage at fifteen. Many questions hang in Marco's head, but he has no one to answer the questions. He was sad and disappointed with the result, but seeing a few pictures of her when she was younger gave him consolation and ignited his perseverance. Marco picked up his phone and called Anthony.

"Hello, Sir," Anthony answered his phone on the first ring. He was expecting that his boss would call him immediately.

"Send someone in City B to investigate," He said in a resolute tone. If she was the woman he saw at the party a few months ago, it might be related to Benjamin Baltazar. "Also, investigate Benjamin Baltazar, check if he's from City B or has been in City B in the past ten years or so." Marco squeezed the paper tight as he mentioned Benjamin Baltazar. If his intuition is correct and related to that person, he will make sure that he'll pay for it three-folds.

Three days later

Marco forced himself to stay in the company longer to review important documents before signing them as he waited for Francis Guzman's arrival. Anthony personally picks him up in the military base camp.

At the sound of a knock, Marco lifted his head and stared at the door. "Come in." He said in a stern voice, masking the tension inside him. He felt like dragging Francis inside his office and forcing him to start watching the video and analyze the person's appearance. But he can't do that. He needs to be more patient.

"Sir Mar-," before Anthony finished his words, Francis suddenly pushed the door open.

"Marco! It's not my fault; grandpa kidnapped me right after the operating room door opened!" Francis explained. Thinking of the VVIP card for the resort, Francis was aggrieved. He swears that if Marco takes back on his word of giving him the VVIP card, Francis will hold a grudge against his grandfather, and he won't get married no matter what.

"Sit down," Marco tried to calm himself down. He was furious when he disappeared, but Marco pitied Francis when he discovered his grandfather designed it. Marco thinks that Francis's family is meddling too much in his personal life. He was glad that his parents were not like that when they were alive. He's been living alone since he started working in their company. And his grandparents never interfere in his personal life.

Francis sat down on the couch, fidgeting. "Is the VVIP card still valid?" He asked. He's been wanting to have that card when its door opened to the public. Now that he has a chance of having it, he won't let this chance go away.

"It depends on your performance," Marco replied. He already has the VVIP card ready for Francis, but he's not going to give it to him until the result of his analysis comes out.

Francis understands that Marco will turn him into slavery before getting that card. 'Stingy capitalist!' He muttered.

"Are you saying something?" Marco looked at him without blinking his eyes.

"Ah, that, I said, I should be a capitalist like you," Francis smirked and opened his backpack. He was still wearing his military uniform. "Can I refresh myself before you put me to work?" He asked Anthony to send him home to refresh himself, but he ignored him. 'Hmph! He is like his boss Marco!' Francis mumbled.

"Hmm..." Marco focused his attention on the documents again and ignored Francis. He's eager to know about the woman, but this man can ruin everything if he is uncomfortable. And it will annoy him too because Francis has the habit of squirming if he's not comfortable.