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If there was ever a good time for the earth to open up and swallow him, it was definitely that time for Zack Keller. They hadn’t had a long conversation, but there were words from Andrea that wouldn’t leave his head: “Mason took my daughter from me because I didn’t want to go back to him.” “I don’t even have a bed to sleep in, Zack! Where the hell was I going to get money for a lawyer?!” “I just want you gone.” “You didn’t ruin anything, you were just… inconsequential.” Maybe that was the worst of it all, that after having promised to help her, to protect her, he hadn’t been there to make any difference. Andrea had lost her daughter, and no matter how much she repeated that it wasn’t her fault, Zack couldn’t stop thinking that it was. Ben was startled when he came home early the next day and found him in the office, pacing back and forth like a caged lion. From his disheveled appearance it was obvious that he hadn’t slept all night and his eyes were tired from worry. Ben approached slowly, scared as a question floated through his mind: “What are you doing here, Zack? When did you get here?” Zack looked at Ben with overwhelming sadness and walked over to greet him. Thank you for reading on LeeNovelas.com. “I got here last night. I’m here to look for Andrea and… well, I found the news.” “News?” Ben asked cautiously and his friend frowned, surprised that Ben didn’t know. “Andrea’s ex-husband who took the girl away,” he said and Ben’s eyes widened. “Really!?” Those words surprised Ben, raising the hair on the back of his neck. “You didn’t know? Remember. Read this novel only on LeeNovelas.com, not on other sites.” “I didn’t even know she was married!” Ben replied, dropping his suitcase. “Andrea is very reserved, she doesn’t go around telling her things.” “Well, yes, she was… she was married to the father of her daughter,” Zack told him. The guy had left them, but when we got back from the New Year’s trip, he was already here… Staring into space, Zack began to tell him the story from the beginning; from what had happened to Andrea, Mason’s visit and the debt that had made him believe him and leave there. “Now I’m even doubting that the whole debt thing was true, but… why would Andrea want the money?” Zack muttered, pulling at his hair. “To pay a debt,” Ben said and Zack frowned. “Do you know anything about that?” Ben took a deep breath and turned his desk around before sitting down to type on the computer, hurriedly. “You gave her the money the same day you left, right?” he asked and Zack nodded confused. “Since you left me in charge of this branch, I was renewing the workers’ health insurance, because the one the previous company had was disgusting, and this information popped up.” Ben showed him the screen and a file on it. —What is that…?—Zack felt like he could choke on his own tongue. —The previous insurance company sent me the settlement of Andrea’s payment. She had a debt with the hospital,eighteen thousand dollars in hospital bills from six months ago, when her daughter was born,” Ben explained. Then everything made sense, Andrea had asked him for money to pay the hospital debt and not to keep Mason close. “According to the document they sent, Andrea paid fifteen thousand dollars from that account the same day you left.” Zack sat down in the nearest chair feeling an emptiness in his chest. Andrea had asked for the money to pay the hospital debt. He felt devastated when he realized the sacrifice Andrea made every day to get out of that chaos, taking on responsibilities and burdens that were ultimately not only hers. “How can so much brutality fit in a single body…?” he murmured bewildered. “She never asked me for more than… more than necessary.” “Don’t blame yourself…” “Don’t blame me, Ben?!” —Zack’s eyes filled with tears as he came to the realization: Andrea had asked him for the money that day with such desperation and he had only believed the word of a scum who had already proven that she was worthless. If I had known… if I hadn’t left like I did, Adriana would still be with her! I would have found the best lawyer for her, I would have bought her a damn house if that was what was necessary, but I wouldn’t have allowed them to take the baby away from her! —he shouted desperately, getting up—. The only reason, the only reason this happened is because I didn’t ask, I just… I let myself be carried away by my first impulse, as always, and I left! He shook his head with a mixture of frustration and helplessness as he looked out the huge window, and as karma has its own way of doing things, he saw her down there, standing on the sidewalk, rubbing her arms over her trench coat to try to bear the cold. She looked agitated and nervous, looking around, and soon Zack understood why. A luxury car pulled up in front of the building and out stepped a well-dressed Mason and a nurse carrying the baby in her arms. Andrea quickly grabbed her and cradled her against her chest. “Ben… do you know any good private investigators?” she asked suddenly. “I can get one. Why?” her friend asked. “Because it seems too strange to me that a man who had to steal his wife and daughter six months ago, now drives up driving a top-of-the-range Mercedes-Benz,” he replied angrily. “I need everything there is of that man, Ben, even the color of his damn underwear!” He quickly walked away and trying to contain his emotions he headed for the door. He had to find Andrea; he had to apologize for having abandoned her and tell her that he would help her, that he would move heaven and earth to put Adriana back in her arms permanently, but first he had something to do. He took the stairs because with Adriana in his arms Zack was sure that Andrea would take the elevator, and as soon as he reached the first floor he realized that she was no longer there. He didn’t even have to go out,It was enough for him to reach the door for Mason to stiffen and stare at him with a serial killer expression. “What are you doing here?” he growled through gritted teeth as he approached.This is my company, it’s where I’m supposed to be, the question is: was the money I gave Andrea enough to pay off your debt and also buy you a Mercedes? —Zack replied sarcastically. Either Mercedes are really cheap lately or you lied to me to get me away… —Don’t blame me—Mason smiled with satisfaction—. You were the one who fell for it. —I don’t blame you, you’re right, but I’m here now, and I’m not going to rest until we get Adriana back—he said. —Don’t you think the plural is a bit much for you? Andrea isn’t going to do anything with you! She’s my wife, the mother of my daughter, and out of two bastards, she can only forgive one—he snapped with a smugness that made Zack’s blood boil—. Besides, I have a lot of money now… —And you think that will help you in any way, idiot? Zack laughed with that threatening tone as he approached him. He was at least six inches taller and the black trench coat gave him a dangerous air. “The problem is that people like you think expensive cars impress. Those who have real money don’t show it off or flaunt it. Do you think your “big money” will do you any good?” He laughed in her face before his face darkened. “Then you have to know that if you’re going to measure your dick with me, you better go find a doctor to adjust it, because you’re very green when it comes to having power over people.” He turned his back on her and walked back into the building, because what he had to say had already been said, however Mason was the least of his enemies; the greatest was his own stupidity and he knew that helping Andrea would be harder than he imagined. As soon as he reached the company floor he passed by the nursery, and his soul tightened when he saw her sitting in one of the rocking chairs, trying to calm Adriana, who was crying inconsolably. “Is the baby okay?” —Zack asked one of the nurses who had come out when she saw him. —Yes… but every day is the same. Adriana isn’t sleeping at night because she misses her mom, so at this time she’s always grumpy and sleepy, the nurse explained. —In a while she’ll surely fall asleep. Zack nodded and asked her not to bother her, but Andrea was able to see his shadow moving away down the corridor. Her heart was beating very hard, not only because she was more worried about Adriana every day, but because she couldn’t deny that the fact that Zack was there could make her life easier… or much harder. It hurt her that he had left, but it hurt her more to know why he had left. Half an hour later, her baby was finally falling asleep peacefully in her arms, and she had barely left her resting in one of the cribs when one of the girls from the company approached her. —Andrea! Hurry up, go to the desk in front of the reception desk, a man is looking for you — she said and Andrea frowned. —A man? —Tall, handsome, handsome… if he isn’t your boyfriend, pass him to me! —the girl smiled and hurriedly headed towards the desk, because she had no idea who it could be.