The Bait

Everything about her was just bothered him so much.
Since the first time he saw her step into this place, Blaze's common sense seemed to have evaporated somewhere. He didn't believe his own eyes. He also didn't understand why the woman looked exactly like how she dressed in one of his wildest dreams. Something that had disturbed his sleep for the past few nights.
'This doesn't make any sense at all. Just like how she suddenly appeared in my company a few days after the incident on Gozo Island, it feels so impossible for something like this to happen. This can't be real.'
However, no matter how hard he thought about it, he still couldn't find the flaw in her trick. It didn't have the slightest logical basis at all.
'Did she charm me? No. That's even more impossible in this era. I am not someone who believes that. But how can this happen? Am I really losing my mind?'
How excruciating it must have been for him to wonder about that during this important occasion. There were times when he wanted to ask the woman directly, but stopped himself. He didn't even know where to start. He also believed one hundred percent that Lillianne wouldn't admit it either and it would only make the dilemma in his brain getting worse. Thus, he finally had to keep swallowing it again and again.
Seeing her with Mr. Bolton didn't make it any better. No, he wasn't feeling jealous at all -- he needed to emphasize this. It was just that with all this confusion, it felt so annoying to watch. Moreover, he was quite familiar with the character of Jake Bolton who liked to flirt with any woman he met. He knew very well that the man was trying to hit on his secretary this time.
Sitting here, watching the two of them flirt with each other bothered him a lot. Not to mention how the woman's clothes kept reminding him of that strange dream. It put him in the most complicated state ever.
That was why, after repeated denials, he tried to take the initiative for the first time. When Jake Bolton finally left Lillianne, and the woman was in the corner of the room enjoying her champagne, he approached and initiated the conversation with her. He started by asking about her discussion with Jake Bolton while dancing earlier.
'But why is her reaction so strange and awkward?'
He couldn't ignore how nervous she was at his simple questions. She didn't even dare to look him in the eye and stuttered the whole time. Something was wrong!
'No way, Is she tempted by Jake Bolton's words? Don't tell me that she will meet him secretly even though I have warned her about him.'
"I am sorry, sir, but I have to go to the restroom for a moment. It's urgent."
Just as he was about to talk about it again, the woman made an excuse like that and immediately walked away from him. As if running away, she didn't even dare to look back.
‘What is wrong with her?’
His assistant, Theo Greg, finally approached at that moment. He seemed to have finished accompanying one of the important staff of the Black Coal Group who had been with him earlier.
"Is there any problem, sir?" asked the assistant to him.
“No. Nothing.”
No matter how much he trusted Theo when it came to work, it was a different matter. He also didn't want to be seen as a loser who was attracted to his new secretary after maintaining his charisma and work ethic in front of him the whole time.
"It's only about twenty minutes before this event ends. I want you to make sure everything goes nicely, because I am going to home right away. Evelyn is waiting for me at home," he said instead.
"Yes, sir. I will check everything before leaving."
The CEO was silent for a few minutes to think, but then he spoke again, "Are you going to drive yourself home? As usual, you don't look like you've been drinking at all."
"That's right, sir." Theo answered quickly. "I brought my car. I also did this on purpose so I could stay focused until the end of my work."
"Good. That's the reason why I like you so much." Blaze paused for a moment after that. He thought again, looking hesitant, before finally adding, "Then you should take Ms. Guinn home with you. She seems to have been drinking quite a lot since earlier. After all, she is our co-worker, make sure she gets home safely."
"Umm, actually I had offered that to her, sir, but she refused."
Theo's statement surprised him a little. "Really? Why?”
"She said because she didn't want to bother me. She would take a taxi instead," answered the assistant.
Little did he know, it was also something Theo had secretly agreed with Lillianne as part of her plan.
It seemed to work. The look on the CEO's face immediately looked different after hearing that. Somehow, it looked darker.
‘Don’t tell me, she…’
***
'I wonder if he is tricked now. Theo even said that he had told him about our plan, though. I wonder if he really caught my bait.'
Lillianne thought so as she waited in a taxi. She was only a few hundred meters from the hotel earlier. She monitored every vehicle that was left the place.
'Anyway, he came home at eleven o'clock. But does he really go home after everything that happened? I hope my plan works, though.'
She kept waiting and wondering, ignoring the taxi driver who was starting to wonder why they were just waiting without doing anything there. Then, after seeing Theo Greg's car leaving the place, a grin appeared on her face.
'It's the time!'
"Sir, let's go back to the hotel," she said as he took out some makeup tools from her bag. She then retouched her face with powder.
“Pardon?" The driver looked unsure.
"It's okay. I will even pay you a bonus for wasting your time. Please take me back there," Lillianne said before fixing her lipstick.
“O-Oh, okay, Madam.”
'Let's see if I succeed.'
After paying for the taxi, Lillianne walked into the lobby which she had only departed about fifteen minutes ago. She even passed the reception desk just like that. Instead, she took out her cell phone while waiting for the elevator to arrive.
[I am back, Mr. Bolton. I will meet you soon at Royal Suite 1 as you said earlier.]
Only a few seconds after the message was sent, she immediately received a reply, just when she had just finished pressing the elevator button.
[THE OLD FROG: Good. I have been waiting for you here. I can't wait to see you, beautiful.]
Lillianne held back her disgust again. Her eyes carefully looked out the transparent walls of the elevator, trying to find someone familiar. Her nose also kept sniffing, hoping to find the most distinctive smell she wanted. However, there were no visible signs at all.
'Won't he make it?'
Ding!
It was a call that she had reached the 33rd floor. Lillianne walked out the steel door as it opened not long after.
‘Come here, Babe. Come on make a move!’
She passed several large doors around her, until, her eyes finally found the said room.
'So, you won't come?'
Just as she was about to reach for the doorknob, she suddenly started to feel the presence of her beloved. She could smell his scent mingling in the air as the sound of his footsteps was heard approaching. It wasn't long before someone suddenly grabbed her hand from the door leaf.
"What the f*ck are you thinking?!"
She heard to the screams of annoyance and frustration from the person she was waiting for. Her plan worked. Blaze Davies caught the bait.
***