CHAPTER 131. GuiltThe next day, Andrea and Zack got into the car headed to Lucerne in silence. Zack drove with a grim expression. Andrea sat beside him, watching his profile with confusion. She wanted to ask him what was wrong, what was going through his mind, but something in his expression stopped her.“Are you okay?” she asked, but didn't get an immediate response.Zack just squeezed her hand and shook his head.“No… not really, but I will be when we get home.”After what felt like infinite minutes, Zack turned his head and looked directly into her eyes.“I don’t know what to do, Andrea,” he said sadly. “I feel like every option I have right now will hurt us.”“Why do you say that, Zack?” she asked with concern, but it was evident that he wasn’t in the best state to share.Finally, they arrived in Lucerne, and Andrea felt a sense of anticipation as they continued toward the hospital. She thought about Zack’s father, Mr. Nikola, who was so eagerly waiting for them.When they arrive

CHAPTER 132. Release“Hey, none of this was your fault!” Andrea murmured, slowly removing his clothes and gently running her fingertips over his skin. “You saved us from hell, both of us. You should be proud of that.”But how could he be proud when he had paid for a man’s death?Zack closed his eyes as she led him into the jacuzzi, submerging them in the hot water.“I’m sorry…” he murmured, and Andrea saw the storm of guilt in his eyes. “Baby, what I did…”But she didn’t let him finish. She pressed her body to his, their mouths meeting in an impatient, hungry kiss. Zack didn’t want to think, and Andrea didn’t want him to think, so the best thing to do was to feel and forget everything. If for a few minutes they could leave all the pain behind, then that was best for both of them.She wrapped her hands around his neck to pull him closer, and Zack felt her small, vibrant body pressing against his.“I want you,” she whispered.He lifted her to straddle him and gave in to the wet, demandi

CHAPTER 133. Another Side"Do you still want more?"It was a simple question. The answer, however, was too complicated. Did she want more? Yes, she wanted everything from Zack Keller, but she also knew there was much in him that needed to be released.Finally, she nodded wordlessly, unable to express what she felt at that moment.Zack nestled behind her and wrapped his arms around her shoulders to hold her tightly.“Then let’s do this anti-prince style,” he rasped into her ear, beginning to lick Andrea’s neck.The girl couldn’t help but moan loudly when he pushed his hips forward to enter her again. Her tightly clenched thighs only made her brush against him more; she felt full to the brim, and the sensation was wonderful.Zack's movements were precise and fierce, causing her to cover her mouth with her hands to keep from screaming.“More?” he asked in a husky voice, his hands sliding between her buttocks.“Yes,” Andrea replied, her breath quickening as a wave of pleasure surged throu

CHAPTER 134. You have to tell meZack moved relentlessly behind her, enveloping her in a passionate embrace as if time didn't exist for them, and she felt the world ignite just by seeing him in that mirror. They were completely immersed in each other, in every movement, in every thrust; those new sensations made her scream and beg for more. She was so overwhelmed by the passion Zack was unleashing within her that she could only keep her eyes on the mirror, lost in that sea of lust."Please, please!" she begged as Zack began to masturbate her, his thrusts growing stronger and more uncontrollable. The way he filled her to the brim made her cling to him more tightly.Andrea didn’t know how long it lasted while he stayed there, breaking her, swallowing her screams with kisses until finally, the pleasure overtook them both, plunging them into a shuddering climax. They screamed into each other with all their might and held each other before collapsing in the water.Andrea almost cried as sh

CHAPTER 135. GuiltFor a long minute, an infinite and terrible minute, Andrea closed her eyes and tried to accept it. She had to; there was no other choice. Zack was standing in front of her, consumed by guilt, and she was sure that would never leave him because he was a good man, a man with a good conscience, so forgetting that he had caused a death, even indirectly, would not be easy for him. So the only thing she could do was try to alleviate that feeling.She slipped into his arms and pressed herself against his chest."I know you only wanted to protect us. I know, Zack," she said softly as she clung to him and stroked his back. "This will never leave us, but you can't blame yourself because if I had been in your place... maybe I would have done the same...""Or maybe not," he murmured. Tears came out forcefully, and he sought refuge in her arms."You know what? Parents don't have a choice," Andrea said, playing with his hair. "You've taken responsibility from the beginning; you'v

CHAPTER 136. A Difficult Solution"Do that... I can't have any doubts, Gazca, not a single one," he murmured.He hung up the call and ran his hands through his hair, unaware that Andrea was watching him from a corner of the hallway, worried because she knew this would be one of the most difficult obstacles for both of them to overcome.They got ready in silence that morning and took Adriana to Nikola. The grandfather was improving a lot and might be able to come home in a couple of weeks. While Andrea chatted with him and played with the baby, Zack took some time with his mother to tell her everything that had happened."In a way, I’m relieved that your sisters have become more human," Luana stated. "And regarding everything else, I can only say that I’m proud of you, son. You did what you had to do, and no matter how hard it is, you will get through it. Now please tell me you're going to stay here for a good while."Zack looked up, and she was glad to see his eyes shining with more c

CHAPTER 137. Everything will passAndrea held her breath. The idea that Adriana might still be in danger was unbearable, but Zack's reluctance to share his solution with her was even worse.“What do you mean? Why... Why wouldn’t I like it?” she asked.“Well... the easiest way to legalize Adriana’s situation is for us to get married, for me to adopt her as my daughter,” he said without looking at her. “The Keller name carries a lot of weight in this country; we could have everything sorted out in a matter of days.”Andrea swallowed hard because Zack didn’t seem very convinced about what he was proposing.“I understand, but... are you okay with that? With getting married?” Andrea asked. At this point, she was willing to do anything to ensure Adriana’s safety.“Yes, yes, of course... But I know you don’t want to get married. I swear this would be just a legal thing, only to keep Adriana safe. You don’t have to see it as a real union if you don’t want to,” he tried to explain, and Andrea

CHAPTER 138. A Ghost LurkingAndrea knew that in some way, he was broken, and it wasn't good that he refused to talk to a professional about it, but she ultimately decided not to pressure him. Four days later, however, that small bubble of tranquility burst with a single phone call.“Gazca? What happened? Is everything okay?” he asked, seeing the time the man was calling.“Yes, everything is fine, but I'm calling to inform you of two important things,” the lawyer said. “First, the official documentation for the girl is ready; I can send it to you by official courier.”“That’s good news,” Zack sighed. “What’s the other?”“The court granted me an appointment to see Mason’s body. I'm in Montreal for that.”“Have you seen it already?” Zack asked, his heart skipping a beat.“No, I just got the appointment but haven't scheduled it yet. I’m calling because soon the body will no longer be under investigation and will be buried,” Gazca said. “If you want to convince yourself that he’s truly de

CHAPTER 139. “You’re leaving?”“Are you going to be okay?” Gazca asked when he saw Zack place a hand on the rail of the airplane stairs.“Yes...” Zack replied, but there was no conviction in his words. “I just need to get my thoughts in order.”However, his thoughts were much worse than when he had arrived. The image of Mason’s corpse wouldn’t leave his mind, and he thanked God and all the saints that Andrea had never had to see it.But that wasn’t enough, and she immediately noticed something was wrong when he returned from his trip, and the kiss he gave her on the lips was too fleeting. While she was dying to hug him, Zack handed her documents or unpacked the suitcase, occasionally giving her a hug that was lacking in passion.“Did everything go well?” Andrea asked while reviewing her daughter’s papers.“Yes, very well. With this, we can go to the courthouse first thing in the morning, and I’ll start the adoption process. It should be done in a few days,” he said while unpacking.An

CHAPTER 140. …With a different lookZack stared at her for a second. He knew all the resentment and despair Mason had put her through, but he couldn’t ignore what he was feeling, which was why he was determined to leave.“I’m really sorry. You didn’t deserve any of that, but I’m not okay. I need to get this out of my system somehow…”“And you can’t do that here!? You can’t do it with me? With Adriana?” she retorted.“Of course not! I can’t be like this around you. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I did because every time I see you…” Zack stopped himself, and Andrea stifled a sob because she already knew how that sentence was going to end.“Every time you see me, you remember that you had a man killed for me,” she finished and closed her eyes so she wouldn’t have to see the sadness in his.For a long minute, she turned her back on him and looked out the window. She couldn’t believe it was happening again, that she was going to be left alone because of the same man who, even in death