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
CHAPTER 71. A debtZack looked out the enormous window of his office in the heart of Manhattan. It had been two days since that phone conversation with Andrea, where she had asked just one question and he hadn’t even known if she had heard his answer because all he could hear after that was Ben yelling at her not to leave.He would have liked to say that he hadn’t been able to sleep since that moment, but the truth was he hadn’t been able to sleep since the moment he boarded that plane to leave Canada. The shadow of Mason Lee standing in his doorway kept returning to his mind. The unpleasant introduction, the threats he didn’t care about at all, and then that declaration.“You can ignore everything, but the reality is that Andrea and I will never be apart because there is a child involved,” Mason had hissed with satisfaction.“A child you abandoned!”“That doesn’t matter, it doesn’t change the fact that I was Andrea’s husband for years while you’ve only been with her for two weeks. Ha
CHAPTER 72. I want to see my granddaughter“But less sick than your father’s,” his mother explained. “They would perform two surgeries in one, the transplant and the repair of a valve in the new heart... I know it’s complicated, but his doctor says it’s our only chance to have him with us for a few more years,” Luana explained. “Please, you need to come. He’ll already be in surgery when you arrive, but I need the family together. Please.”Zack took a deep breath. Any chance to have more time with his father, he would take without hesitation, so he simply nodded.“I’ll head out right away, Mom.”An hour later, he was flying to Zurich, and indeed, when he arrived, his father was already in surgery. The worry and anxiety about the operation made it easier to avoid questions about Andrea and the baby with a simple, “They’re fine,” but deep down, he knew that sooner or later, he’d have to face that conversation with his father.Hours passed until a doctor finally came out.“He’s in critica
CHAPTER 73. A Desperate AttemptPeople might take a day to cry, but Andrea didn’t give herself even a minute; she couldn’t, because all she wanted was to get her daughter back. The social worker accompanied them to Mason’s residence that afternoon, and Andrea felt like vomiting at the sight of the mansion he lived in and the car he drove while she only had a crib for her daughter.Of course, the social worker didn’t miss the impact, nor the pain of having to leave her daughter in the arms of Mason’s nurse, because the moment he held her, the baby started crying desperately.That night Andrea felt like she was dying without her daughter. She could only think about how she was probably unable to sleep because she was with strangers. The next day, Andrea couldn’t even drink a coffee while anxiously waiting at the building’s entrance until Mason arrived in his Mercedes, and the nurse, looking haggard and tired, handed her the baby.Andrea hugged and kissed her daughter as if she hadn’t se
CHAPTER 74. The person on the other side"I don't have business cards, Mrs. Stormhold. I'm not that important. And if I did, you wouldn't call me. You're just trying to get rid of me politely. But we both know you wouldn't call, which is why I asked for five minutes of your time."The woman stared at her in silence for a long moment, then looked at the rink where her son was practicing and nodded. "Let's go outside; I don't want to distract him."Andrea followed her out of the stands, and Mrs. Stormhold stopped in front of her in one of the deserted hallways."Alright, what did you want to tell me?""Mrs. Stormhold, I am an apprentice to a representative at Nexa Sport Representation, an American company newly established in the country, although it already represents many Canadian athletes," Andrea said firmly. "I'm here to offer my services. I would like to be your son's agent."The woman in front of her was very well-mannered, so she simply shook her head gently. "Thank you, but my
CHAPTER 75. What happened?”Andrea felt her heart stop for a second when she saw him there. He was wearing a long black trench coat, a turtleneck sweater, and his hair was as impeccable as ever. His expression was tired, as if it was a burden for him to be there. He was still seductive, still attractive... and suddenly, it was as if all the butterflies she had felt for him had turned into rats trying to devour her stomach from the inside.For days, Andrea had wished to see him appear at that threshold, but now... now it was very different.Zack discreetly glanced inside and was surprised that absolutely nothing had changed there, but he refrained from saying so. By that time, he expected Mason to have moved back into the apartment and to have to negotiate with both of them.“Hi,” he said with his usual softness.“Hi,” murmured Andrea, but her hand didn’t move from the handle and her body continued to block the door.For a long minute, neither of them spoke. She looked at him with a bl