Chapter 1

49,672 wordsRestocked 2026-10-05

Andrea had nothing else in the world except for her daughter. Literally, nothing else. Betrayed and abandoned by her husband, her life was a daily struggle to survive and earn money to feed her baby. However, everything changes when she meets the owner of the company where she works. Zack Keller was the kind of man who could only be described as a hurricane, arriving hot and wild and sweeping everything in his path. At thirty-two, he was a magnate in the sports industry, owning one of the largest representation agencies in America. Yet, his perfect world came crashing down after discovering on the same day that his girlfriend was pregnant and had purposely lost their baby. Unfortunately, Zack had already shared the good news with his sick father, so it was something he couldn't take back. When he must return to the Swiss Alps to spend Christmas with his family, his life becomes a desperate race against time to find a "fake" family. "Urgent Notice: Magnate Rents Family for Christmas." What Zack doesn't imagine is that he will find help in a woman going through the hardest time of her life and still refusing to give up on her little baby.

A Christmas journey. A wounded man. A distrustful woman. A five-month-old princess. How long can you fake love before it starts to become real?

CHAPTER 1. More than one way to break a heart

**JANUARY SEATTLE**

"How could you do this?!" Zack Keller's furious roar stopped his girlfriend right at the door as soon as he saw her arrive.

Giselle saw a piece of paper in his hand and had no idea what he was talking about, but she had never seen him so upset as he was at that moment.

"I don't know what you're talking about..."

"Of course you do! You aborted my child! You lost it on purpose!" he accused her angrily. "Did you at least have the damn intention of telling me anything?!"

The woman in front of him turned pale.

"How... how do you know...?"

Zack threw the paper in her direction and looked at her with disappointment.

"Do you forget you're on my company's health insurance?" he spat, approaching her. "As soon as your last name appeared in the payment records, they notified me. Imagine my joy when I found out the insurance had paid for a pregnancy test and then for an ultrasound!"

Giselle stepped away from him, her face red with embarrassment, but Zack was not one to give a break. At thirty-two years old, a multi-champion of winter games, moderately wealthy, and owner of one of the largest sports representation companies in America, he had learned to deal with anything but lies.

"It's not easy to explain, Zack..." she said, trying to find an excuse.

"Yes, it is! You were pregnant with my child!" he yelled at her. "You were pregnant, and like an idiot, I kept quiet because I thought you were looking for the best way to surprise me! Damn, I even called my father, my sick father who almost had another heart attack but this time from joy, because I told him I was going to give him his first grandchild!"

Zack was so disappointed that anger was his only defense.

"You shouldn't have told him anything!" Giselle replied. "It wasn't the right time..."

"It was never going to be the right time because you didn't plan on having it, and you weren't even going to tell me!" he shouted, his eyes full of tears. "It was my child too! I had the right to know, Giselle! And instead, I come home and find a message from your doctor reminding you about a follow-up appointment! But oh surprise, it wasn't a pregnancy follow-up, but a follow-up for an induced abortion! You lost our child!"

Giselle looked at him with cheeks drenched in tears.

"I'm not ready to be a mother... I'm too young, I have a career I want to succeed in!" she stated as she broke down in sobs. "It was a very difficult decision for me, Zack, but later on, we can..."

"You weren't ready to be a mother? It was a difficult decision? Do you think I'm an idiot? If it had been difficult, you'd at least be depressed, you wouldn't have gone shopping for our trip to Cancun!" he hissed with contempt because he couldn't believe his girlfriend of three years had deceived him like that. "It was my child, you should have at least told me!"

Giselle wiped her tears and seemed to muster the courage to stand tall.

"No, I didn't have to," she stated. "It's my body, and it's my decision."

Zack was speechless for a second, as if she had slapped him with those words, then he approached her.

"Get out of my house," he spat.

"What...? Zack...! You can't..."

"Yes, I can!" he roared. "It's my house, and my decision! And I want you out of my house and out of my life in an hour."

"Zack!"

"Whatever you haven't taken in a damn hour, I'll burn!" he warned her as he grabbed his coat to head out into the cold winter of a January in Seattle. "Get out!"

He left there with more than just a broken heart. He left with the desperation of having to take away from his sick father that joy, and he didn't know how he was going to do it.

And by the time he returned home, he realized he was completely alone.

**JULY VANCOUVER**

Andrea opened her eyes, dazed. Her whole body ached, especially her abdomen. She touched it, scared, and found it flat and empty.

"Help...!" was all she could shout, her voice coming out hoarse and cracked. "Help me... please...!"

By the time a nurse reached her, her face was already drenched in tears, and she clung to the nurse's arm desperately.

"My daughter... please, my daughter...! What happened to her? My baby..."

Luckily, the nurse was prepared for this question.

"Your daughter is fine, Mrs. Brand," she said softly. "She is out of danger and has already been taken to special care. Do you remember how you got here?"

Andrea couldn't hold back the tears as she closed her eyes.

She had a terrible argument with her husband Mason over excessive expenses just when the baby was about to arrive. She still had three weeks left before her daughter was due, but the contractions had started right there, and he had taken her to the ER... or so she thought.

"How long... how long has it been...?" she stammered, scared.

The nurse smiled gently.

"They had to perform an emergency C-section four days ago. Your baby was born healthy but small because she was premature. However, the operation had more consequences for you... you've been in a coma since then," she explained and watched Andrea hold her breath. "Is there any family member we can notify?"

Andrea's eyes widened in fear.

"What... what family...? My husband! My husband brought me to the hospital. Where is he?"

The nurse pressed her lips together and shook her head.

"I'm sorry, we only managed to identify you from the documents in your wallet. But no one came to inquire about you... and no one stayed either."

Andrea clutched her chest in desperation. How could it be? Had Mason not come to see her and their daughter all this time?

She tried to sit up, but the pain pierced through her.

"My daughter," she sobbed, looking at the nurse. "Can I see her...?"

"Of course," the nurse responded sweetly, and shortly after, she returned with the baby. "She is a beautiful little girl."

Andrea held her with all the love she had. Her baby was safe, and that was all that mattered at that moment.

However, the anxiety soon returned. She tried to contact Mason in every possible way, but to no avail. Two days later, when they were discharged from the hospital, an even harder blow struck Andrea.

"I'm sorry, but we can't let you leave until you pay the remaining balance of your medical bill," the director said.

"The remaining balance...? I don't understand, I have health insurance," she replied.

"Your insurance covered the C-section, but not the other hospitalization costs for almost a week, nor the medications for you and your daughter."

Andrea felt a lump in her throat, a mix of uncertainty and fear.

"And how much is the bill?" she asked.

"Eighteen thousand dollars," the man responded, and she closed her eyes.

She had twenty thousand in her account, all she had managed to save over the past three years, thinking she would need it someday to have her baby. When she finished paying the hospital bill, she would be left with very little... but she had no other choice.

She nodded, and the director handed her the hospital's account number while she sat down. She took out her phone and checked her bank account, but she didn't expect to see that absolute zero.

"No...! No, no, no!" she exclaimed desperately, her heart pounding and tears streaming down her cheeks. "This can't be... this can't be...!"

Her account was empty! Completely empty! Someone had taken all her money, and unfortunately, the only name that came to mind was him, her husband, Mason.

Andrea stood there, paralyzed and not knowing what to do.

"I don't have... I don't have money to pay you... my account..."

The director looked at her with compassion, understanding she was in a very difficult situation.

"Don't worry," the man said. "If you can't pay the bill right now, we can arrange for you to pay the hospital in installments. It will take you a few years, but..."

Andrea looked at him with tear-filled eyes and nodded. The director handed her a promissory note to pay back the remaining medical expenses in installments. Even though the interest would add a lot to the debt, it was the only way to leave the hospital that day. With no other options and a broken heart, Andrea signed the debt and hugged her little girl, finding solace in her warmth and the love she felt for her to get through that tough moment.

She barely managed to take a taxi and went to her apartment. Struggling, she inserted the key into the lock, but when she opened the door, she was speechless. She couldn't believe her eyes. The apartment was empty! No furniture, no clothes, nothing to indicate she had ever lived there. Everything was gone!

Mason hadn't just taken the money from her account - now she had no doubt it was him! - but he had also sold everything in the apartment. Everything Andrea loved and her entire life had disappeared in seconds. It was as if he had wanted to erase all traces of her and their daughter.

Not even the crib was left!

The only thing he hadn't sold was the apartment itself because it wasn't theirs; it was rented.

Andrea couldn't believe it. How could he have been so cruel? How could he abandon her like this, with nothing, nowhere to go?

Tears started streaming down her cheeks, and she collapsed on the floor, crying bitterly and not knowing what to do.

She was alone, with no one to turn to, with a newborn baby in her arms, and without a home.

CHAPTER 2. Something is Very Wrong...

**NOVEMBER. VANCOUVER**

"Andrea! To my office! Now!"

The shout from her boss, a middle manager at SportUnike, made her jump in her seat, anxious because she knew he was in a very bad mood that day.

"Is this a damn joke?" he growled, throwing a folder of documents at her face. "I clearly told you I needed the budget reports for the water sports division from last month!"

Andrea's eyes widened.

"But... Mr. Trembley... I'm sure you said you wanted this month's reports..."

"Don't argue with me, you useless idiot!" her boss snapped. At fifty years old, Peter Trembley was as unpleasant as his bulging belly, but Andrea had to endure him because she had barely managed to get a job as his assistant, and she and her daughter depended on it to survive. "Don't you realize what's happening? SportUnike is gone! A Swiss bastard bought it, and now we'll just be a part of his company! Do you know what that means?"

Andrea knew. The arrival of a new owner had created an atmosphere of uncertainty and concern. News of imminent layoffs had spread like wildfire, creating a climate of anxiety and tension among the employees.

"I'll print last month's reports right away, Mr. Trembley," she murmured, lowering her head.

"You'd better get a grip, Andrea! The new owner is coming with a full team of sports representatives, and heads are going to roll in this company. You better make a special effort to ensure yours isn't one of them!"

Andrea nodded with her head down and went to print the reports. She always tried her best to complete her tasks quickly and skillfully, but Mr. Trembley had never been kind to her. Or rather, he was, in the most unpleasant way possible, and often threatened to fire her. But now he seemed more agitated than ever.

She handed over the reports, and he looked at her with that vulture-like stare. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a fifty-dollar bill, which he tossed onto the desk.

"Take this. Go get some good coffees for the morning meeting, because the machine coffee here is terrible," he ordered with superiority, knowing that the coffee he considered terrible was the only breakfast the woman in front of him could afford. "Go on, get moving, what are you waiting for?!"

"Yes, sir."

Andrea took the money and hurried out. The meeting was in fifteen minutes, and all the sports representatives always attended—twenty coffees to prepare.

She rushed out and crossed the street to the coffee shop across the way, hopping from foot to foot anxiously while they made the coffees. When they handed her that five-story tower of coffee containers, Andrea prayed none of them would spill.

She moved as slowly as she could, looking around carefully, even pushing the stairwell door open with her hip to enter the building... but her mind was lost in Mr. Trembley's harassment and the terror of being fired. And it seemed luck wasn't on her side, because just as she was about to climb the first step, a man coming out of one of the side doors collided with her head-on, and those eight liters of hot liquid wobbled between them before crashing to the floor.

Andrea stifled a scream and covered her mouth with her hands.

"He's going to kill me! Now he's really going to fire me!" she babbled as her eyes filled with tears.

She didn't have fifty dollars to replace those coffees! Trembley would kick her out as soon as she returned, dirty and empty-handed.

But that word made her choke on a sob. "Dirty." She looked at the man in front of her, a giant of about six foot three, with clear eyes, sexy, handsome... but all Andrea could think about was how impeccably dressed he was, and she had just made him dirty.

"Oh my God! Sir, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to...!" she exclaimed desperately, trying to reach him. "I didn't mean to, I'm sorry...!"

She tried to clean him with a napkin, but before she could touch him, a large, firm hand closed around her wrist.

"First of all, calm down," he said in a deep, husky voice. "Nothing happened to me; coffee doesn't kill. Are you okay?"

Andrea's lips trembled, and her eyes filled with tears. She couldn't remember the last time someone asked if she was okay, but she finally nodded, wiping her face.

"Yes... yes, of course. I'm sorry..."

And Zack didn't believe that lie for a second. He observed her closely; she was small, with poorly maintained blonde hair, clothes that must have been three sizes too big, and too much anxiety. An incident like this warranted shock, annoyance, even yelling, but not tears... until he remembered her words.

"Who’s going to fire you?" he asked, and she wrung her fingers.

"My... my boss. He sent me for the coffees and I... it's just..." She didn't want to say it, too embarrassed to admit she didn't have money to pay for twenty more coffees, but he seemed to understand.

"You know what? This was my fault," he stated seriously. "I should have looked before opening that door. How about we go and buy more coffee?"

Andrea immediately shook her head.

"Of course not, I can't accept that..."

"Would you rather lose your job?" he asked, leaving her speechless.

How could someone be kind and hurtful at the same time? She didn’t know, but this man was. So she ended up mumbling a "Thank you," and the two of them headed to the coffee shop.

Back at the building, Zack considered going to change his clothes, but it was better to escort the young woman to her destination before she suffered another unfortunate accident.

"Um, where are you going in the building? I don't want to bother you," she murmured.

"To the Nexa Sport Representation branch. I understand it's on the fourth floor," Zack replied.

"Oh! That's where I work!" Andrea said. "The owner and more representatives will be arriving soon. Are you here to work as well?"

"I just bought it," Zack thought, but instead, he simply said, "Yes, to work."

It was actually his first day at the new Vancouver branch, and Zack wanted to meet the staff, introduce himself, and sort out some matters. However, as soon as he accompanied the young woman to the conference room, the first thing that greeted them was a shout.

"Andrea!" Trembley barked as he approached her. "Do you see what I mean?! You're useless! I sent you for coffee, not to build a damn rocket!"

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Trembley, it's just that they took a while at the coffee shop and..." Andrea tried to explain.

Zack could have sworn by those clenched fists that she was holding back from punching him. He knew that if it had been him, he would have already done so.

"I don't care!" Trembley growled, furious. "We need to prepare for the arrival of the Big Boss, and he'll probably want us all to bow down to him, so start practicing those knees, sweetheart. Now get out and print what I asked for, so I can make sure the new owner can make sense of these damn numbers."

Andrea stepped back, holding back a look of disgust, but as soon as she crossed the door, Trembley noticed the man standing in the doorway.

"Who the hell are you, and what are you doing here?" he spat with disdain, and Zack clenched his teeth, forcing a smile. He had a dog in front of him, but as much as he would have liked to show him who was boss, he decided that wasn't the right strategy.

"I'm Zack, sir," he said, extending his hand. "I'm part of the new team of sports representatives. Nice to meet you."

Trembley looked him up and down as if he were a cockroach.

"Well, we'll see how long you last here!" he said without shaking his hand. "Go to Human Resources for your badge and then come back for the meeting."

Zack buttoned his jacket and left. He went down to his car for a moment and changed his dirty shirt, about to head back up when his phone began to ring.

"Has the king arrived in his new domain?" asked Ben, his best friend, with that cheerful accent he was known for.

"The king is going to play the commoner for a while, because the domain is aimless, and I suspect the current manager is trying to pull a fast one on me," Zack replied. "So I presented myself as one of the representation team members, not as the owner."

He heard a long whistle from Ben and imagined him smiling.

"You know what you're doing, but I'll be there in ten days. If you're still not the owner, I'll claim I am," he threatened.

"Noted."

Zack went straight to Human Resources and provided the necessary information to get his company ID. He planned to spend a few days undercover there and knew he had made the right decision when he saw the terrible management of the athletes.

For starters, Trembley was not just a dog, but a worm. Acting like a despot was the least of Zack's concerns, after all, he had bought that small company in Canada to expand his own sports company. What he needed to be correct were the numbers, the finances... he couldn't allow any errors there.

However, he couldn't help but notice that it was a terrible place to work. The girl from the morning... Andrea? Was that her name? He had passed her desk twice, and each time he had heard Trembley insulting her over the intercom.

Finally, he saw her enter the boss's office near the end of the day and hesitated before approaching the door.

"Oh, Andrea! What am I going to do with you?" Trembley hissed, and the girl tried to back away. "You don't deserve the position! Really, you don't! Life would be so much easier for you if you just paid attention to..." he paused for a moment, and Andrea followed his gaze directly to his crotch, "...everything I say! Don’t you realize you could lose your job tomorrow?"

Andrea wanted to kill him! But she had no choice but to stay quiet.

"Mr. Trembley... please..."

"I’ve let you get away with many mistakes, Andrea. Don't you think it's time to pay me back?"

"Boss!" The door flew open, and the fat Trembley jumped when he saw the newcomer.

"What the hell do you want? Didn't anyone teach you to knock?" the old man growled.

"I need a moment with you... alone!" Zack stated, and saw the boss give a silent signal for Andrea to leave.

Zack talked nonsense with him for the ten minutes left until five o'clock, then left, watching the coffee girl hurry away, running towards the stairs as if the devil were on her heels.

"Something is very wrong in this place...!" he thought. "Very wrong!"

CHAPTER 3. A Possible Ally

But if Zack thought something was wrong with the company, his instincts went on high alert when he went down to the parking lot and saw the woman leaning against one of the walls. She was trying to change from high heels to low sneakers, but her hands were shaking.

He was tempted to go talk to her, but something in him still resisted getting involved in other people's problems. He had a new company to run; if he wanted Andrea to feel better, he just had to fix his company, not the woman's personal life.

Finally, he saw her adjust her coat and step out into the cold street.

He watched from a distance and saw she didn't take a taxi or a bus, so she probably lived nearby. He had no idea how wrong he was because Andrea didn't live remotely close; she simply couldn't afford any form of transportation.

For forty minutes, the young woman walked through the cold of a Canadian winter, and by the time she finally reached her building, it was almost dark.

"Good evening, Mrs. Wilson," she greeted kindly the nearly seventy-year-old lady who took care of her daughter. "How was your day? How did my little princess behave?"

Andrea lifted her daughter into her arms and showered her with kisses, hugging her as if only that could ease all the pain in her heart.

"Everything went well, dear," Mrs. Wilson said. "Adriana is a very good girl and has behaved like an angel. It's just that... you know... we are hungry at this hour."

Andrea smiled gently. "Don't worry, Mrs. Wilson, I'll make dinner right away."

Margaret Wilson was also a kind of angel. She had no family and lived off her pension, but there were already many things she didn't have the strength for. She lived next door, and when Andrea was left alone, she had been the only one to help her. Now, she took care of little Adriana during the day in exchange for Andrea helping with all the housework, so as soon as she got home from work, Andrea took care of everything: cleaning, cooking, washing, running errands...

So Andrea started making dinner while her daughter kicked the air at hearing her sing. She didn't have many reasons to do it, but Andrea didn't want Adriana to forget her voice for spending so much time without her.

Soon, the small apartment was filled with the smell of a stew made with a lot of love but little meat. After eating, she said goodbye to Mrs. Wilson and took her daughter to their small apartment. The rent had been paid for a year, so she still had a couple of months left to figure out where they would live next.

She gave her daughter a warm bath and sang to her and rocked her, trying to convey anything but the sadness that gripped her soul. As soon as Adriana fell asleep, she laid her in her bassinet on the only mattress she had. It had been given to her by the nearby church, but she had no bed to put it on, so it was on the floor. She knew it wasn't even a comfortable home, but at least she could provide warmth and a roof for her and her daughter.

She reviewed the bills and tried to hold back tears, seeing that she wouldn't make it to the end of the month. Between the monthly hospital bill and the expenses for the baby and the house, she barely had any money left.

"I can't sacrifice electricity or heating..." she murmured. "And certainly not Adriana's formula and diapers... Oh God, what am I going to do...?!"

For a long minute, anguish overwhelmed her, and she allowed herself to cry, but then she made the decision that seemed most logical: she had to buy less food for herself. There was coffee and pastries at the office... she could eat that.

The next day, she made her walk back to the company, but she couldn't even take her first sip of coffee because as soon as Trembley got off the elevator, he started yelling at her.

"Didn't I tell you to deliver the reports from last month!?" he berated her, and Andrea almost dropped her cup because she had handed them in the day before, and he had thrown them in her face. "Don't look at me like that, or I'll believe you're even more of an idiot than you already are, Andrea!"

She froze but forced herself to look up at Trembley.

"Sir," she said in a trembling voice, "I already delivered those documents yesterday. If there's a problem, don't blame my work, you were the one who told me you wanted this month's!"

"Well, now I want them again!" Trembley didn't want to hear anything. "So to make sure you don't mess up anymore, today you pull all the reports for the year, from all divisions, and that's that!"

"But... pulling all the reports will take me all night..." she started to say, but Trembley had already turned on his shoes to leave.

"Well, that's your problem, Andrea. You stay after hours, and if you can't do your job, then you'll have to fix it somehow... or start cleaning your desk so someone else can come."

Andrea nodded in silence, though her heart was breaking at the thought of having to stay late. For one, if she got home late, she couldn't spend as much time with her daughter as she wanted, but the most annoying part was that she knew why her boss wanted her to stay.

For a long second, she clenched her fists and held back tears, telling herself she couldn't afford to lose that job, and as soon as Trembley disappeared into his office, she grabbed the laptop and ran to the copy room. There were seven printers there; if she hurried, she might be able to finish before the end of the workday.

She didn't even realize that sharp eyes were watching the scene. Eyes that saw her running around all day and especially noticed that she had everything needed to be a good ally.

Zack had spent the entire day reviewing the athletes' representation contracts, but that wasn't enough; he had to dig deeper, and for that, he needed special access, access that Andrea had.

It was already past noon when he headed to the copy room, but the first thing he saw was a woman staggering and trying to reach the floor without falling.

"Andrea!" he exclaimed as he wrapped an arm around her waist to support her, seeing her react nervously.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" she murmured, trying to grab one of the printers to support herself.

"You're fainting; there's no need to apologize," he stated in a deep voice. "Are you okay?"

She pressed her lips together and nodded.

"Yes... my sugar must have dropped..." she lied. "It'll pass with a coffee..."

But as if her body wanted to contradict that statement, her stomach growled loudly, making her look at it in horror.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... this is completely inappropriate..."

"That's for sure," he replied, and Andrea paled. "Being hungry is the most inappropriate thing in the world. You should hear how I get when I'm hungry."

And although there wasn't a hint of a smile on his face, Andrea felt like it was some kind of... empathy?

"You know what? I don't know anyone here. How about I take you out to eat and you explain a bit how this place works? Because I've been a sports agent for a few years now, and I swear I don't understand this company!"

Andrea hesitated, looking at all the work she had, but she was also very hungry.

"Okay... thank you."

Zack opened the door for her, and soon after, they were sitting in the cafeteria. Andrea tried to eat slowly, but luckily the man in front of her didn't seem particularly delicate, so they both ended up eating those burgers like bears after hibernation.

Suddenly, Andrea's phone started ringing, and she excused herself, moving a little away, but Zack could still hear what she was talking about.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Wilson... can you wait for me until seven today?" the young woman pleaded. "It's just that my boss wants me to stay later... I know... I'm very sorry, but I promise I'll make you the best dinner... Yes... Thank you, Mrs. Wilson, I have no way to repay you..."

Andrea hung up, and Zack didn't miss the way she swallowed hard. The lunch ended with a lot of gratitude from Andrea and a lot of curiosity from Zack, which made him stay when the clock struck five in the afternoon.

While everyone was leaving, Andrea was still toiling in the copy room, trying to pull every report generated in the last year. It was complete madness, but when she felt the door to the room open, she had no doubt why Trembley had asked her to do it.

The man advanced towards her, and Andrea made an involuntary gesture to move away.

"Well, aren't you a hardworking little thing, Andrea?!" Trembley said with a mocking smile. "If only you were as diligent in everything else!"

Andrea felt a shiver run down her spine.

"I don't understand..." she murmured, trying to move away even more.

"Come on, don't be shy," he said, approaching. "I'm sure all this effort you put into your work might work better if you applied it in a more ... intimate area".

Andrea felt her breath quicken and her heart race faster. She swallowed and tried to stay strong.

"I don't know what you mean," she said in a cold tone, leaning against the wall.

"Don't you?" he asked, grabbing her chin between his fingers. "I think you do. In fact, I think you could give your career a real boost if only you were willing!"

Trembley got even closer, locking eyes with her and placing his hand on her shoulder, moving it in a subtly sexual manner.

"I think you're mistaken, Mr. Trembley. I'm very content with the job I have... I don't need anything more..."

"I don't believe that," the man said with a cynical smile. "Why resist? I can help you improve your situation."

"I told you I don't want..."

Andrea felt him grab her arm tightly and looked desperately towards the open door, thinking about the possibility of escaping. But when the old man's grip tightened, that imposing figure stood against the light from the entrance.

"Andrea? Where do I leave these reports?" hissed Zack's cold, deep voice, and Trembley turned, furious, to see the newcomer interrupting him for the second time.

"What the hell are you still doing here?!" Trembley spat, and Zack glanced at the hand gripping the woman's arm.

"Me? I'm waiting for Andrea to take her home," he stated. "And you?"

CHAPTER 4: This is War!

Trembley's face visibly reddened, and the hardness in his eyes remained.

"Waiting for Andrea?" he growled. "Are you trying to be funny, or do you not know that interpersonal relationships are prohibited in this company?"

"Well, I'm a slow learner, but I tend to imitate," Zack replied sarcastically. "Maybe I got confused when I saw you climbing on her like a lizard needing sunlight."

The old man clenched his teeth and released Andrea abruptly before walking up to Zack.

"Don't get in my way, kid. You're just a newcomer, and I can..."

"What? Fire me?" Zack interrupted with a cold voice. "Well... you can try, but you'll find my job here doesn't depend on you. I belong to the team of the company owner, and only he can fire me. I'm sure he wouldn't look kindly on a manager trying to dismiss me without justified cause."

Trembley clenched his fists and glared at Zack with a malevolent, defiant expression.

"Maybe your job is safe," he spat, "but hers leaves much to be desired. Maybe because she's busy whoring around with the newcomers instead of working."

Zack took a step towards him and looked down at him from his height.

"First of all, I kindly recommend you watch how you talk to your staff. That's no way to treat anyone, and secondly, I suggest you listen to me while I'm still being polite," he growled with evident annoyance. "You're right, I'm new here, and since I have a lot to learn, starting today, I'm going to work closely with your assistant to make sure I don't miss anything. Oh! And make sure to put these extra hours on her payroll!"

Trembley looked at him with a mix of disgust and hatred and quickly left the copy room. He had spent months working on Andrea, finding ways to undermine and control her without causing a scandal, and now this idiot newcomer came to her defense. He had to find a way to get rid of him!

Andrea took a deep breath, not sure if she felt relieved or terrified. She knew Zack had tried to protect her, but she had a feeling he had only succeeded in provoking the monster that was Peter Trembley.

"Alright. Now, back to work," Zack said as if nothing had happened, and they both quickly got back to finishing the printing of those reports.

Zack not only helped with the copies but also took the opportunity to dive into the books and examine every transaction. But he couldn't be meticulous and thorough, ensuring that all finances were in order unless he did it calmly.

Half an hour later, they finally managed to print everything by working together, and Zack discovered that the finances were as bad as he had feared.

"I don't get it," Zack murmured. "I thought Unike Sport had better numbers. They don't represent bad athletes... though not the best ones either."

Andrea nodded, showing him a special folder.

"Well... there are several factors at play," she commented. "The athletes are good, but the boss focuses on what they can achieve, not what they can sell."

Zack frowned and looked at the contracts Andrea showed him.

"He gets the athletes into competitions and events. That's not bad," he murmured.

"I know. But this is Canada," Andrea replied. "The Winter Games are once a year; meanwhile, they can only train, and what do they live on? How do they save?"

"I know how the Winter Games work," replied Zack, who had been a champion in a few.

"Then you know they don't make much money from them," Andrea said. "Many of our athletes are young, they have fans, thousands of followers on social media; they could sell ice if they wanted to! But Trembley refuses to get them advertising contracts."

Zack pondered this. Nexa Sport Representation had a deal with KHC Group, the biggest advertising company in the United States, which secured spectacular contracts for their athletes. Zack was very aware that being a winner in a sport wasn't enough to make money.

"It takes a lot more to turn a great athlete into a significant figure," he remembered.

"Exactly," said Andrea. "You need to get them good sponsors, good advertising contracts, good events. But Trembley wants the athletes to work for him, not the other way around, as it should be. He just makes them compete and takes a percentage of their earnings for representing them. That's it. So I predict you're in for a tough time because the entire team of representatives here is very poorly trained."

Zack frowned for a moment.

"How long have you been working here?"

"Four months," she replied.

"Were you a sports representative somewhere else?" he asked.

"Who, me?" Andrea laughed. "Of course not! Nothing so glamorous, I was a teacher."

Zack thought for a moment. The woman didn't have bad ideas and knew the company's finances and reports well. She seemed worth exploiting her potential.

"Well... if you want, I can teach you. You already have the basics; I can train you in the more complex aspects so you can be a sports representative."

Andrea was speechless for a moment and then looked up at Zack.

"Do you think they'd take me seriously?" she asked, a note of sadness in her voice. "I was just a teacher... even if I knew everything, Trembley would laugh in my face just for applying."

"And who cares what Trembley says? There's a new owner coming, right?" Zack muttered angrily.

"Yes, one who will soon realize I'm just a fraud," she murmured, shaking her head. "No... I could never do something like that. People would probably laugh at me and trip me up..."

There seemed to be nothing more to say, and Zack sighed. He understood Andrea well, knowing the system from the inside and knowing that sometimes it was hard to get others to give you a chance. But that was true in any aspect of life. Some decided to fight, and others decided to give up.

"The way I see it," he finally said with a tired voice, "you don't need anyone to trip you up; you do that perfectly well on your own."

Andrea pressed her lips together and lowered her head, and Zack rolled his eyes before standing up. There was less self-esteem in that woman than in a box of cookies, and he didn't understand why that exacerbated him so much.

"We'd better get going," he declared, grabbing his jacket. When they reached the ground floor, Zack stopped her. "It's already dark, I can take you home."

"There's no need, really," she replied. "I don't want to bother you."

She started walking before he could say another word, but Zack knew he wouldn't be at ease letting a woman walk home alone at night, so as soon as he got into his car, he followed the direction he had seen her take earlier and quickly found her.

He followed her at a distance, discreetly, just to make sure she got home safe; but a quarter of an hour later, she was still walking briskly, and finally, forty minutes later, he saw her stop, breathless, in front of the ugliest building Zack had ever seen. Andrea climbed the stairs, and he stayed there, wondering why on earth someone would walk for forty minutes from work to home in that unbearable cold... unless they had no other choice.

"Damn it, Zack! You're just complicating your life!" he growled, turning around and driving away.

He had no idea that in that building, Andrea was kissing and hugging her little girl, then working at Mrs. Wilson's house, doing all the chores until she dropped from exhaustion.

The next day, Zack stopped on the first step of the building's lobby, then turned around and went to the cafeteria. He bought coffee and cupcakes for everyone, which the cafeteria staff delivered immediately, but he made sure to personally put a coffee with milk and a bag of delicious pastries—not the stale ones they had in the office—in front of Andrea.

"I want you to think about what I offered you yesterday," he ordered rather than asked. "This company needs people with brains."

But before she could open her mouth to respond, Trembley's unpleasant figure appeared at the door of his office.

"Andrea! Bring all the reports to my office! Now!"

Zack watched her lower her head and nod as she started to carry those folders filled with uselessly printed reports. His eyes met Trembley's for a second, and he realized that this... this was war! He had already seen the reports, now he wanted to know how much Trembley would be able to change them... and if Andrea was going to help him with that.

CHAPTER 5. Difficult Decisions

Furious… no, but definitely frustrated. He couldn't understand why she was so submissive to a guy who was utterly despicable. Sure, he was the boss, but God strike him down if he ever treated any of his employees like that!

Andrea not only tried to do her best, but she did it well. You'd have to be blind not to see that the idiot Trembley minimized her just to keep her controlled. Zack didn't know why it angered him that she allowed it, but it bothered him that she was so docile with her boss.

As soon as he saw she was less watched, he followed her to the copy room and closed the door behind him.

"Hey, were you born with a neck problem?" he asked, stopping her. Andrea looked at him, confused.

"Excuse me?" she murmured, not understanding.

"It's just that your head only moves up and down to say yes. I haven't seen you move it sideways even once to say no!" Zack hissed, and the girl pressed her lips together, her cheeks flushing.

"Because it's not easy..." she whispered vehemently. "Do you think it's simple to fight against such a bad boss?"

"But there's no need to let him trample you! You don't have to let him treat you badly. You must have some shred of dignity left, right?"

Andrea pulled away from his hand and breathed unevenly while shaking her head.

"Dignity? Will dignity put food on the table? If I talk back, who do you think the company will defend? I've only been here four months, and he's been here for years, he practically owns this place..."

"No, no, sweetie! Peter Trembley is far from owning this place," Zack hissed, annoyed. "Did he ask you to alter the reports?"

Andrea looked down but shook her head.

"Of course not, it's not something he would ask someone as insignificant as me..."

"Or maybe he would because he has no idea that you're not insignificant and you're actually very smart," Zack replied. "Don't help him, Andrea, I'm warning you kindly. I've already seen those reports, and I won't let Trembley deceive the new owner."

Andrea hugged herself.

"I couldn't do that... but I can only speak for myself," she said, leaving. Zack had no choice but to stay, stewing in his frustration as he watched Andrea work like a desperate bee.

She was like that all day, and although he always made sure to leave Trembley's office door open, Zack knew the fat bastard would make another move sooner or later.

He could easily get involved, but firing Trembley wouldn't solve Andrea's problem because there would always be a boss who would take advantage of her docility to mistreat her. And that was something she had to be able to face on her own.

"Damn it, Zack, you can't fix the world!" he told himself, and a few minutes later, he felt his phone ring in his pocket.

He looked at the screen and unconsciously smiled because it was his best friend. Benjamin Lancaster and he had been inseparable since childhood, both athletes, and then adventurers around the world until they found their place in that company. Ben was the silent partner because he hated responsibilities, so he always presented himself just as another representative, while Zack carried the weight of management and, of course, most of the shares.

"Let's go have lunch. Right now, I'm starving!" was Ben's greeting.

"I thought you wouldn't be here for a few more days!"

"Wrong, I said I wouldn't show up to work for a few more days, but my body won't suffer from adapting to the environment, so here I am."

"Alright, I'll see you in half an hour. I'll send you my location."

They met at a nearby restaurant and embraced warmly.

"How's everything with the new branch? Have you become the undercover employee of the year?" Ben asked.

"No, and it's actually a mess. The manager is a repressed Mussolini, but you'll find out when you set foot there on your first day," Zack replied. "Let's talk about better things."

His friend looked at him doubtfully, and Zack gulped down the drink he was holding.

"What's wrong, Ben?"

"Giselle went looking for you at the New York branch," he replied. "She wanted to know if you were more... accessible."

"That's something she asks every damn month," Zack growled. "After the tenth time she was kicked out of my office, she should know my answer."

"She says she loves you."

"A woman who doesn't love her child, loves no one," Zack replied. "I will never forgive her. Never!"

Ben took a deep breath and confronted him.

"Well... since we're on the topic... when are you going to tell your father?"

Zack ran his hands through his hair in a gesture of impotence. His father suffered from a chronic and dangerous heart condition.

"I don't have the courage to do it," he murmured. "I haven't talked to him in months just to avoid upsetting him, and with my mother, I avoid the subject as best I can..."

"But you know that's not the solution, Zack."

"I know, but Dad has been fighting his illness for years, and the doctors have told me his health is deteriorating slowly," he murmured, pinching the bridge of his nose. "He's excited, hopeful that he already has a grandchild, and I can't drop that bomb on him and be the one to give him the heart attack that will kill him. Do you understand?"

Benjamin nodded sadly, but he understood Zack's position and knew how much he adored his father. He didn't have the heart to give him such a blow.

"You don't have many options," he reminded him. "In just over a month, it will be Christmas, and you have to go see your family. What are you going to do then? Keep lying to them? Tell them the truth? Stop going...?"

"I don't know, Ben! Maybe I'll hire a couple of actors and be done with it! It'll only be for a few days, right?"

Ben rolled his eyes.

"Damn idiot! You've really thought about that," he groaned, throwing his arms up. "I can already see the ad: 'Baby wanted. Millionaire rents family for Christmas.'"

Zack grumbled a few times but didn't say anything else as Ben continued to laugh at him.

After lunch, they said goodbye, and Zack returned to the office, only to find Andrea with wet eyes and a red nose. Obviously, Trembley must have scolded her for something again, but he couldn't even imagine that the old man had gone much further than just scolding her.

"You have until tomorrow to get rid of that leech, Andrea," Trembley had told her, and they both knew he was referring to Zack.

"No, Mr. Trembley, you're mistaken," she had murmured. "I really have nothing with Zack, he's just a coworker..."

"Colleague my ass! That guy wants to screw you!" the old man spat rudely, and Andrea clenched her fists.

"Sure, it's very different from what you want to do to me," she thought with disgust.

"I'm only here to work..." she tried to say, but Trembley got too close to her, making her step back.

"Well, you're not showing it much, little Andrea. And you better be on your toes, girl, because I know you have a lot to lose," he hissed. "Do you think the state will let you keep your little girl for long if you don't have a job?"

Andrea turned pale and stepped back.

"Don't you dare mention my daughter!" she growled through clenched teeth. "My baby is none of your business!"

"No, not mine, but Social Services, yes!" Trembley laughed mockingly. "So you better do everything you can to keep this job, Andrea, or you're going to have the saddest New Year of your life."

Andrea couldn't help but cry, and having Zack's accusatory eyes on her didn't help much. No one could understand her, no one could put themselves in her shoes. She walked home in the cold, thinking, fearing...

Her life was a mess, but at least she had someone to fight for; she confirmed this for the thousandth time when she saw her daughter's smile again. She adored her; she was the most beautiful creature God had given her, and Andrea would do anything for her, even if it meant working to exhaustion.

"Thank you for the meal, Mrs. Wilson," she said, hugging the old lady before heading to her own apartment.

Her heart broke at seeing it so empty when she had worked so hard to furnish it and have it ready for her baby. The urge to cry was unbearable, but seeing her daughter sleeping, behaving so well despite sleeping on a sad mattress on the floor...

Yes, something broke inside Andrea every day, but her daughter put it back together every night. Finally, seeing her sleep like that, she understood she had to muster the courage and make all the sacrifices she hadn't yet made to protect her.

The next day, she did the two most important things as soon as she left her baby with Mrs. Wilson.

The first was calling City Hall to ask one question: "How can I get a divorce if my husband abandoned me and I don't know where he is?"

The explanation was brief, and the paperwork was extensive, but she couldn't keep avoiding it.

The second was going to the coffee shop and stopping in front of the menu. She reached into her pocket and counted the coins she had left. Her paycheck was due in a few days, but she was almost out of money, barely enough for that coffee, the simplest one, a weak Americano, but the gesture mattered, right?

She stifled a sigh when she realized she was a few cents short of even the simplest one, but as she was about to leave, the barista called her.

"Wait, don't go... You buy a lot of coffee here. It's on the house."

Andrea looked at him in amazement and then shook her head.

"It's not me, it's my company..."

"It doesn't matter," insisted the barista. "What do you want?"

She hesitated for a second and put the coins back in her pocket, her throat tight. "Well... the Americano, please," she asked.

The guy quickly prepared it in a to-go cup, and Andrea thanked him many times before leaving. As soon as she crossed the door, the barista gave a thumbs-up in a "mission accomplished" gesture, and across the street, a man did the same.

Zack watched her head to her building with that coffee in her hands like it was a little treasure. It churned his stomach that someone who worked so hard had to count her coins and still came up short for a simple coffee.

But if he already felt bad, when he got to the office and sat at his desk, he felt much worse; because at that moment, Andrea approached with that coffee and placed it in front of him like an offering. She had bought that coffee for him!

"Please, teach me," she begged. "I promise I'll put in the effort and study hard and... I'll study everything you say... but please... teach me."