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Andrea couldn’t say exactly how she felt, but that mixture of fear, helplessness and desperation didn’t leave her. The supposed nurse who had been the cause of giving the baby a bad milk was no longer around the house when they arrived, but she made sure to tell Zack about it in a message. Despite the terrible situation she was in, she couldn’t forget anything she could use against Mason. She didn’t sleep that night, she couldn’t, but looking out the window and seeing him sitting inside the truck, attentive to any movement, could give her some peace. Unfortunately, Andrea wasn’t the only one who saw him, and at four in the morning, in the middle of a hellish cold, Zack felt a pair of knuckles knocking on the car window. He took a deep breath when he saw the two police officers and had the courtesy to get out. “Officers. How can I help you?” “I’m sorry, sir, but you can’t be here,” said one of the police officers. “Why not?” asked Zack in a friendly tone. “I’m not on private land.” I’m not bothering anyone, this is a public road and I’m a respectable citizen. Legally there’s no reason for you to ask me to move. The policemen looked at each other a little stunned because they didn’t expect that answer. “Well… it’s that one of the neighbors is uncomfortable with your presence,” one explained, “it’s your right to file a complaint.” “I understand, and I know perfectly well who filed the complaint, so let me explain clearly what’s going on,” Zack said firmly. “My girlfriend’s daughter is in that house and she’s there taking care of her, so I’m here making sure nothing happens to either of them. I know Mr. Lee’s civil rights, but his right to move his arms ends where my nose begins, so I’m not going to move from here and if you’re smart you’re not going to move either. Because if something happens to that mother and her daughter, your names will be the first to appear on the front page, Officer… O’Grady,” he said reading the policeman’s badge. The officers looked at each other again and Zack smiled. If Mason was going to play that card, he had no problem turning it against him. Thanks for reading at LeeNovelas.com. “Well… I guess we can stay a little longer,” the policeman muttered. “In that case, can I buy you two a cup of coffee?” Less than ten meters away, on the corner of the street, there was a small family-run coffee shop that was open twenty-four hours a day, and Zack bought coffee for everyone, but he never took his eyes off that window. “Hey… if it’s not too indiscreet, is that lady important?” asked the other officer, Byren. “To me? She’s the most important thing in the world,” Zack smiled, leaning back against his truck. “To the rest of the world? Well… she’s Baby Storm’s manager.” The policemen’s eyes widened in excitement and Zack told himself that it was a blessing that Canadians were all hockey fans. So those autographs,T-shirts and seats at a couple of games bought him company for the rest of the night. Remember. Read this novel only at LeeNovelas.com, not on other sites. By seven in the morning Zack already had a copy of all the documents he needed on his cell phone and was just waiting for Andrea to want to leave. “Where do you think you’re going?” Mason’s growl made her take a deep breath. She hadn’t even showered or changed her clothes. It had barely been dawn when she had just packed Adriana’s things, unlocked the lock, and headed for the front door. “I’m going to work, Mason, which is what I do every day.” “Of course not! You don’t need to work, for that you have a husband to support you!” he growled and Andrea pressed her lips together. “To start with, you’re not my husband, and to continue, I’m not a prisoner, so get out of my way because I have to work.” “The girl is sick, you’re not taking her anywhere!” Mason growled as he approached her, but Andrea stood up to him. “My daughter was discharged and had a very good night’s sleep,” she replied. “So she’s going to daycare as the judge ordered. Get away from the door.” Mason clenched his fists in rage. “Who the fuck do you think you are? You’re my wife, the child is my daughter, and you’re not getting out of here until-!” But that whole tirade ended the moment there was a loud knock on the door. She tried to ignore it, but the voices didn’t take long to come. “Vancouver Police Department. Open the door, Mr. Lee.” Mason glared at her, but went to open it. “What the hell is going on?” he snapped. “Lieutenant O’Grady and Lieutenant Byren, at your service. We’re here for Mrs. Brand.” Andrea didn’t even bother to care because across the street she could see Zack leaning against his truck, arms crossed and an enigmatic smile. “Excuse me? What do you mean, they’re coming for her?” —The judge’s order is clear. The girl must go to daycare and Mrs. Brand to work. We’re just making sure the sentence is properly carried out —answered O’Grady. And as furious as he was, Mason had no choice but to step aside to let Andrea out, and in the process he had to swallow his threats because there were two law enforcement officers present. Andrea didn’t even make him repeat it, she hurried out and as soon as she reached the street Zack opened the back door of the truck for her to get in. —Don’t worry. We have the night shift in this area said the officers shaking Zack’s hand —. We can stop by whenever we need to. They left their numbers and Zack thanked them before taking Andrea out of there. They arrived at the company building and Zack made sure they were seen entering, just so that idiot Mason wouldn’t think of bothering them. However, fifteen minutes later they changed cars in the building’s parking lot and left in Ben’s car. —Won’t this cause problems? —Andrea asked worriedly. —No, I already consulted Gazca.The judge’s order doesn’t say you can’t take Adriana out of daycare, we just have to make sure we get her there before five,” Zack replied. “Besides, you need to rest, we still have a few sleepless nights ahead of us.” They stopped by Andrea’s apartment, but Zack wouldn’t let her stay. “Just pick up what you need, you’re not staying somewhere that wasn’t approved.”At least today we’re going to my apartment. Tomorrow we’ll see,” he told her and Andrea was so tired that she only gathered the essentials in a handbag and went with him without protest. Zack’s apartment was as neat as ever and as soon as they entered Zack took Adriana from his arms. “Okay, this beautiful princess comes with me so I can pet her and her mom can take a bath because it smells like goat,” he smiled, making faces at the little girl who was immediately laughing with him. “Hey, more respect,” Andrea protested. “Right, sorry… like goat then.” “Very funny!” she grumbled but a second later he pushed her into the bathroom and Andrea got under the shower as if the water could take away everything bad. There was already breakfast ready when she came out and Zack took advantage of the fact that she was eating heartily to take a bath too. “Okay, now to bed,” he said fifteen minutes later when he saw her clean her plate. —You still don’t earn that, Zack, don’t get excited. —Go to sleep, Andrea, you have to sleep — he clarified, rolling his eyes and picking up Adriana —. We know that tonight you’re going to be there again, and you’re going to spend the night awake again. Andrea sighed helplessly. —You haven’t slept at all either, she murmured. —So don’t worry, I’ll get reinforcements in a little while — he declared confidently and saw her nod without conviction. Andrea really wanted to get out of all this on her own, but it was like asking God to save her from a storm in the middle of the sea and rejecting all the rafts. If Zack had to be her raft at that moment then so be it. She curled up in her bed and tiredness took its toll on her. Sometimes she half woke up dazed and felt the weight of Zack lying down next to her or Adriana’s little hand pulling on her hair, but she couldn’t open her eyes. Finally Zack moved her and a soft kiss on the cheek made her open her eyes. “I hate to do this, babe, but it’s four o’clock, you have to wake up,” he told her. Andrea sat up in bed fighting that headache. There was something she couldn’t deny: if she had been able to sleep half a day it was because she trusted him to take care of Adriana, and that was something that was rooted deep in her subconscious. Suddenly she looked around. “And Adriana?” “In the living room.” Andrea was about to ask if he had left her alone when she heard the voices, voices she already knew. She got dressed and went out to be surprised. In front of her, jet-lagged but melting with the baby, were Milo and Loan. “Hello sister-in-law!” Milo greeted her with a hug and then Loan approached. “Hello, princess, how are you feeling?” Andrea gulped and looked at Zack. “The reinforcements,” she remembered and saw him nod. “Do they… know?” “Yes, they know everything,” Zack said with a confident gesture. “And they’re here to help.”