CHAPTER 141. As long as I can“Time and space?” Chiara growled as she picked Adriana up in her arms. “Did the idiot really ask you for time and space?”“Tell me you gave him a watch and a spaceship to go to hell!” Noémi grumbled, leaving Andrea stunned for a moment. The twins had arrived to spend the weekend with their parents, and the first thing they did was pick up the baby to take her with them.“I thought you guys didn’t curse,” she murmured, trying to hold back a laugh.“True, we don’t,” Chiara muttered, elbowing her sister. “But it’s not fair! Zack fought so hard for you, it’s stupid for him to leave now.”Andrea took a deep breath and sank onto the sofa, burying her head in her hands.“Your brother is a good person,” she murmured openly, because the twins and the Keller boys already knew. “And for good people, it’s hard to accept that they were capable of hurting someone. If he needs to be alone and… process everything that happened, then that’s what he should do. Honestly, it

CHAPTER 142. The Best and the WorstZack smiled in desperation. “Of course I miss her, Ben…!”“Then find your player and get back home before you find it empty, Zack, don’t push your luck!” Ben warned him.Zack took a deep breath and looked at the star-filled sky. “You’re right, as soon as I close this deal, I’ll come back. If I’m lucky, I can negotiate a contract with Ambasi tomorrow or the day after and then head home,” he decided.“Alright, keep me informed,” Ben requested, only to hear Zack explain why he definitely wouldn’t be informing him of anything. The next day he would head to small towns and remote communities where communication would be more difficult.At that same moment, the twins were saying goodbye to their mother. Only Mr. Nikola hadn’t been informed of everything that had happened in Canada, but now the Keller boys and the twins were keeping a close eye on Andrea and the baby.Chiara and Noémi returned to Andrea’s house with the baby already fed and asleep. They kn

CHAPTER 143. We need to find him now!Zack's brothers—all four of them—looked desperate as the situation became more complicated.“Mom’s staying with the baby, right?” Loan asked anxiously.At least she was in good hands while they took care of Andrea.“Yes, and she’s also been trying to find Zack all night, but the idiot isn’t even answering his phone,” Chiara replied.“None of his assistants at his many branches have been able to locate him either,” Noémi added.Ever since Andrea had gotten sick, they all sensed that things would worsen if Zack wasn’t there. Despite their best efforts, none had succeeded in contacting him.Finally, the doctor entered Andrea’s room with her test results.“She has a severe bacterial infection in her lungs,” he explained.“But… how? We saw her early yesterday and she was fine!” Milo exclaimed in desperation.“She may have seemed fine, but these types of bacteria incubate for weeks and don’t manifest until they suddenly appear,” the doctor replied.The

CHAPTER 144. A Determined WomanHe said goodbye to everyone and promised Adriana that he would soon bring her emotionally stunted father back. He boarded the private jet, and before he even had time to realize it, he was already landing on the west coast of the Netherlands.Finding the courthouse wasn't difficult, nor was getting information from the CIA's Director of Organized Crime, but actually getting to it was a very different matter.“I need to speak with John Hopkins,” he told one of the guards, but the guard shook his head.“Mr. Hopkins is busy right now, you need to make an appointment.”Chiara looked beyond the barrier; the man who seemed to be giving orders was imposing, clearly knew how to command, and was extremely attractive. But he wasn’t just a handsome man, no. He carried sexiness in his soul, along with darkness and a certain degree of strategic evil that Chiara recognized all too well.“Go and tell him there's a woman who urgently needs him, please.”“I already told

CHAPTER 145. How could this happen?Chiara stepped off the plane with elegance, her eyes bright and her head held high. Not a single strand of hair was out of place, nor was there a wrinkle on her clothes. John, on the other hand, leaned against the door of the plane looking like a tornado had just hit him, with his tie askew, hair tousled, and face flushed as if he’d been given a couple of good slaps. It was more than clear who had climbed on top of whom… and it definitely wasn’t him who had won that round.But he barely had time to process what had just happened to him before his phone started ringing in his pocket. He paused for a moment and saw that the message was from one of his tech team members, giving him the information he needed about where Zack might be.He quickly looked at Chiara, who nodded as if she had been expecting that information, and without a word, they headed to the parking lot. The two moved swiftly and soon found a car waiting for them.“I’ve got an address.

CHAPTER 146. Please, wake up…Meanwhile, Zack was already walking through the hospital doors, his body vibrating with desperation. It didn’t take him long to find Andrea’s room, and he almost stopped breathing when he saw her lying there.He ran to her and gently took her hand, caressing her fingers and kissing them while trying to hold back his tears.“Sweetheart… my love,” he pleaded in a broken voice. “Please, wake up…”Zack caressed her cheek, trying to get her to respond.She opened her eyes slightly and smiled at him, although her lips moved slowly, trying to say something. Not even ten seconds passed before she fell back asleep, and Zack clenched his fists, terrified. A couple of nurses came in to see what was happening, but when they saw his face, they understood the situation and immediately went to fetch the doctor.A minute later, the doctor arrived to talk to him; he explained the details of the diagnosis and what they were doing to treat her. Seeing the concern in Zack’s

CHAPTER 147. I’m so sorryIt had been a while since the sun had set when Zack pulled into the driveway and turned off the car. The house was lit up in the darkness, and he could see the silhouettes of the furniture through the windows, illuminated by the soft yellow glow of the lamps. He opened the car door and got out, his shoes crunching on the gritty asphalt, his heart heavy in his chest. He was only there for a quick shower; there wasn’t time for more before he had to return to Andrea’s side. The doctor had been clear: if he wanted to be with her, he needed to get rid of the dust from Africa.He tried not to take too long and then stopped by his parents' house to give Adriana a kiss, who was already asleep in her crib.When he got back to the hospital, his siblings took the opportunity to rest as well.“You should go too; you’ve been traveling for hours,” Zack told Chiara, and she nodded.“I will, in a bit, but first I want to make sure you’re okay,” his sister said, stroking his

CHAPTER 148. I Shouldn’t Have LeftZack nodded with a sigh. He knew exactly where Andrea had contracted that illness, and what hurt him the most was that they were still paying for Mason’s hatred.The doctor left, and Zack spent the entire night there, praying as he rested his forehead on Andrea’s hand, repeatedly telling her how much he loved her. Nurses came in periodically to check on her until, almost at dawn, one of them hurried out and returned with the doctor.Zack felt his heart leap into his throat as they rushed him out of the room, and shortly after, the doctor came out with a somber expression.“Is she okay?! Is Andrea okay?!” Zack demanded.The doctor nodded slowly, but Zack could sense the bad news.“Your wife is fine... but what we were expecting has happened. She’s started bleeding, and we just confirmed it: the embryo has detached,” the doctor informed him. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Keller.”Zack clenched his lips and fists as he tried to process the news, but his consolat

CHAPTER 149. You leftIt took a long time for Zack’s breathing to return to normal, but even after he fell asleep, he never stopped holding her in his arms. Andrea gently stroked his face and gave him a kiss. Recovering physically from everything that had happened to her was the first step. The second was to get Zack back once and for all, but to do that, she had to bring back the man she had once known. If he wouldn’t let her help him, then she would have to force him.The Keller siblings came by throughout the day. Mrs. Luana also stopped by to bring Adriana, and Andrea cuddled with her baby for a while, listening to the comforting words that only a woman with Luana’s age and experience could offer.“The doctor says I might be able to take you home tomorrow afternoon,” Zack murmured that night. “The rest of the treatment will be in pill form, so you’ll be more comfortable at home.”Andrea smiled softly. “I’ll be comfortable anywhere that has a mattress. I feel... weak,” she murmured

CHAPTER 150. Runner.“Just tell me what I need to do... anything. Please, Andrea, just tell me what I have to do to keep you from leaving...,” he begged, holding her hands and kissing them.“It’s just that I’m not going anywhere,” she stated, and Zack looked at her, confused. “Those are your suitcases, what’s left of your things... you’re the one who’s leaving.”Zack’s lips opened and closed several times as he tried to process the news.“Um... are you... are you kicking me out?” he asked, stunned.“I wouldn’t use that word, but yes, you’re not going to stay with Adriana and me anymore,” she said.Zack stood up and ran his hands over his head. His life was truly a cruel irony; just when he most wanted to stay, she was putting his bags at the door!“Andrea, I love you... At least you know that, right? That I love you?” he murmured desperately. “I don’t want this to end, Andrea. It’s true that I tend to run, but that’s because I feel it’s better than confronting someone I love... And I