CHAPTER 61. TomorrowAndrea had no words to describe those days. They often went home to see Adriana, but it seemed like the baby was delighted with Zack’s parents. The cabin was perfect in every way, and what was supposed to be two days extended to almost the whole week.Each day, Zack and Andrea went out together to different places to explore. They talked about the world around them, family, their dreams and aspirations, about anything that wasn’t painful, and above all, they tried not to talk about their future together.Every night, they sat together on the terrace to watch the stars, embraced, and stayed there until one of them dragged the other inside, where they made love with as much passion as if it were the first time.In those moments, Andrea felt she had found something special. Zack not only made her feel desired but also safe and protected. When they were together, she couldn’t help but think about how incredibly lucky she was to have someone like him in her life.But f

CHAPTER 62. “Go!”“What the hell are you doing here!?” she spat angrily, seeing Mason on the threshold.“I promised I would come back for you, Andy, for you and the baby,” he replied confidently, and Andrea looked at him confused, as if he were speaking another language.“It’s too late for that!” she hissed. “We’re not yours anymore, Mason.”He lowered his head and clenched his teeth but ended up entering the apartment, even pushing the girl aside.“I know I made many mistakes in the past, but now I’m determined to make things right. If you give me a chance, I promise I will do everything I can to—”“Shut your damn mouth, Mason!” she snapped. “Save your explanations and your breath because I don’t care about anything you have to say. I don’t want to get back with you, and neither does my daughter. We’re fine here, and we’ll continue to be, so stay away from us.”Mason was silent for several seconds before speaking.“You need to know why I left—”“I don’t care!”“A deal went bad, Andy!

CHAPTER 63. A debtAndrea wanted the ground to swallow her up as she dropped off her little daughter at daycare. From there, she had to go to Zack's office and ask him for the money he owed her from the Christmas contract. She hated having to do it, but at that moment, paying off the hospital debt before it doubled was the priority.As soon as she entered the office, he looked up and met her eyes. The atmosphere felt tense even though Zack tried to smile, maybe because she was the one feeling bad about it.“Hey, Thorcito,” she murmured, approaching and giving him a soft kiss on the lips.“Hey, Pastelito. Everything okay? How’s the baby?” Zack asked, and Andrea felt her cheeks redden.“Yes, everything is fine.” She tried to maintain her composure, but she was very embarrassed. She had agreed to that Christmas contract with Zack, but now they were together, and many things had changed. “Thorcito... I’m really embarrassed to ask you this...” she whispered, staring at the floor, “but I ne

CHAPTER 64. Where is Zack?All afternoon, Andrea felt uneasy, as if a bad omen loomed over her, and the moment she heard a knock on her door, she rushed to open it. She hoped Zack had come to see them, but the person at her door at nine o'clock that night was, once again, not who she expected."Wasn't I clear yesterday?!" she hissed, glaring at Mason. "Didn't I say it in the right language? I don't want you near me!""Calm down, Andy," he smiled as if her aggression meant nothing. "I just came to see if you paid off the hospital debt.""Of course I paid it, and not thanks to you!" she spat."I see... I suppose I should thank your boss for clearing the way for me," he hissed. "Anyway, now that particular matter is settled, let's talk about us. I just bought a house in a nice area of the city, so I came to take you both there."Andrea looked at him as if he had grown another head."Are you an idiot, or are you pretending?" she shot back. "I'm not going back with you, Mason! The divorce

CHAPTER 65. A lawsuitAndrea's heart was pounding as if it were going to leap out of her chest."How... how did he leave, Ben...? Why?"She tried to find a reason in her head, but it seemed impossible. Had he really left? Had he abandoned her? How...? Why...?"Do you... do you have any idea why he left?" she asked, tears filling her eyes and her voice choked by the lump in her throat.Ben frowned, worried. He would have preferred not to answer that question, but it was inevitable."I don't know," he confessed. "He just got on the plane and left. Did something happen between you two?"Andrea couldn't hold back her tears as she shook her head. She felt helpless, hurt, and disappointed."No... I have no idea what... what could have happened. I didn't think Zack was that kind of person.""And he's not. He didn't say anything to me, but I assure you he's not a bad person!"Andrea nodded, though she was very frustrated. She couldn't understand how someone so important in her life could disa

CHAPTER 66. December was over"But he has never been there for her... I have always been the one to raise and care for her!" she said desperately as tears streamed from her eyes. "He can't take my daughter away from me!""It depends on the case," the lawyer said coldly. "We'll see you in court in two days, Mrs. Brand."He turned his back, and Andrea stood there at the door, stunned, unable to speak. Mason had said he now had money, and this lawyer seemed very distinguished. Did she stand a chance against him? No, perhaps she didn't, but someone else might, and she couldn't let them take Adriana.Andrea sat on the floor for a moment, crying and cursing her luck. This was the last straw for her broken heart. She didn't know how she would survive if they took Adriana from her, but she wouldn't leave any stone unturned.She changed the baby in an instant and left the house. During the time she had been with Zack, she had heard where Ben lived, so three buses and an hour later, she was at

CHAPTER 67. DesperateHow could Zack hurt more than Mason?As Andrea returned to her apartment, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. But the truth was that it wasn’t Mason or Zack who hurt her; it was the disappointment, the broken trust, the helplessness of not understanding why they were such complete jerks.The following two days were pure torture. Andrea desperately searched for a lawyer who could help her, but the state didn’t provide public defenders for cases like these. She knew she couldn’t afford a good lawyer, but she tried calling some because she knew there were always those who took on pro bono cases. However, the response was disheartening: at least at that moment, no one was taking cases for free.Her next option was women's aid foundations, but the two in the city told her the same thing.“I’m sorry, we can help you with many things: clothing, food, jobs... but we don’t have lawyers.”By Monday morning, Andrea was on edge and felt like she hadn’t slept in two days. Th

CHAPTER 68. No proofThe tests were quick, and another week passed. A week in which Andrea cried every single day and worked desperately to secure a good contract: a contract meant money, money to pay for a lawyer.The next hearing before the judge was to read something she already knew perfectly well."According to the DNA test results, Mr. Mason Lee is the biological father of the minor, therefore the custody claim is accepted," the judge declared."In that case, we will hear statements from the parties."The judge called the opposing lawyer, and Andrea felt her heart sink. She had done her research: Basil Gagnon was a well-known lawyer with a reputation for being ruthless. He began presenting his case, listing all the reasons why Andrea was an unfit mother; and Andrea felt the anger and frustration bubbling inside her, but she remained silent. She knew this wasn’t her moment to speak."Therefore, the conclusion is obvious," she finally heard him say. "My client is in a better finan

CHAPTER 69. A suitable environment for a childThe apartment was clean, very clean, but that was the only positive thing to say about it. When Andrea opened the door, the tall, thin woman beside her, about fifty years old with a stern face and firm gaze, momentarily looked surprised. She carried a clipboard, and Andrea felt a chill when she saw her write something down."I thought I was coming to evaluate an apartment... but I see there’s not much to evaluate," she said with concern.There were no rugs, no furniture, no pictures, nothing to soften the starkness of the room. The walls were bare, the windows had no curtains, the floor was cracked, and the light was dim. Andrea felt a wave of panic wash over her. She knew it was the kind of place no one would want to stay in for long, especially not with a child.The woman inspected the apartment with a critical eye, taking notes as she went along; Andrea followed her with a pounding heart."How long have you been living like this?" she

CHAPTER 70. A month in hell“His mother.”“Excuse me?” Andrea couldn’t believe it. “His mother?”“Mrs. Stormhold is a widow and acts as her son's representative. She has never let an agent near him,” Ben explained. “So, no one has ever been able to represent him.”Andrea pondered this. The company gave bonuses for securing difficult athletes, but no one seemed to want to tackle this particular one.That night she went home thinking about it, but the next day she forgot everything as soon as she had to sit in the courtroom. She was nervous because she knew that day could determine her daughter's future. She took a deep breath and tried to remember that she was a mother and the state should help her raise her daughter, not take her away.The judge immediately called the social workers to testify.Mason's social worker was full of praise, saying he had all the conditions and comforts to care for his daughter since he lived in an exclusive area of the city.Then they called Andrea’s socia