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Andrea looked around, confused, as if Zack had just hit her in the head with something blunt. “What are you looking for?” he asked, frowning. “The hidden camera…” she replied. “Or the straitjacket he must have lying around… because I don’t see him being very sane right now.” He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. “OK, sorry if I expressed myself badly, I’m just nervous…” “And I should! You don’t ask something like that of someone, rather of no one!” she said, opening his eyes. Zack stood up and walked around his desk to sit in front of her, in a chair closer to her. “Listen, I know this may seem crazy, but it really is an important favor for me,” he declared, looking into her eyes. My father is sick, very sick, and the doctor said that this might be the last Christmas he spends with us. My parents think I have a family, a girlfriend, and a baby, and I don’t want to get there and have to tell them that that’s a lie. Andrea’s brow furrowed and her mouth unconsciously made a worried pout. “I’m really sorry about your father,” she murmured. “But… why would your parents believe that you have a family?” “Because… maybe I… told them?” he replied and Andrea rolled her eyes at him. “It’s too long a story, if things had gone as they should have, I really would have a wife and a son now!” he exclaimed in frustration, pulling at his hair. “But nothing goes the way you want, right? If life was fair, I would have a family and you wouldn’t be alone with your daughter, right? Thank you for reading on LeeNovelas.com.” The woman’s lips trembled and she nodded. He was really right about that, but it didn’t justify her telling a lie like that. “I… can’t do it, Mr. Keller. I wouldn’t feel right deceiving anyone, much less good people like your parents should be and much less… Hey, this isn’t about any inheritance, right?!” -She asked and Zack laughed. -Get out of the soap opera, Corín Tellado, I don’t need my parents’ money, neither my brothers nor I, only my sisters are fighting over it, he replied. – Believe me, I’m not happy about deceiving them, but my father suffers from heart problems, last night he had a crisis, and if I show up there alone, or if I tell him the truth… I don’t want to be the cause of him getting worse than he is. Andrea’s heart sank, it was obvious that her father was very important to Zack, but even so… – It’s just that… -I’ll pay you! He told her. I’ll pay you a lot! Ten thousand dollars! You just have to come with me. Remember. Read this soap opera only at LeeNovelas.com, not on other sites. He saw her open her eyes wide and clench her fists with indecision suffocating her. Andrea didn’t want to trick anyone, but ten thousand dollars was a lot of money. With that and the bonus as a representative apprentice, she could almost completely pay off the loan with the hospital, and then start saving to give her baby a better life. “Let’s see, look at it this way,” he said, taking her hand.Do you have a place to spend Christmas? Not alone. Do you have family besides your daughter to be with for Christmas? – Exactly as expected, Andrea shook her head. – Then imagine that I am your friend and I will invite you to spend Christmas with me and my family, only instead of saying that you are my friend, we will say that you are my girlfriend. Just that! Andrea gasped in the middle of a laugh of disbelief. – And that seems normal to you? I mean… who is going to believe it? – she challenged him. – And why wouldn’t they believe it? – Zack asked. Andrea stood up and walked around the office, unable to find a way to say that. – Andrea, answer me. Why wouldn’t they believe it? – Because you are… – she pointed at him from top to bottom – You! You are like Thor, you just lack thunder and all that, and I am like the pirate version of Betty the Ugly… I be uglier! Zack’s face darkened and he crossed his arms. “Where do you get that stupidity from!?” he grumbled. “Thanks for the Thor thing, by the way… But who told you you’re ugly!?” Andrea looked down from her feet to her chest and then made a face as if it were obvious, she just needed to exclaim: Taraaaan! But he seemed to ignore that. “Look, just because for some reason you don’t feel pretty now doesn’t mean you’re not, it’s just that no one tells you and I’m not going to tell you either because you just reported Trembley for sexual harassment…” “Zaaack!” she exclaimed and he laughed because he knew that telling her that was going to have that effect. “Yeah, yeah! You’re a very pretty woman, you just forgot along the way,” he replied. “And you also have a very good heart.” Listen, Andrea, I’m going to do this anyway, I’ll pay anything to not upset my father, but since I’m going to do it, I’d rather it be with someone I trust. Please help me. Imagine that we’re just going to have a nice holiday, an adventure in Switzerland, and your baby is going to be surrounded by comfort and love for her first Christmas. Andrea pouted, her heart heavy, but she ended up nodding. Even if she wanted to, she couldn’t have turned down those ten thousand dollars. “Okay,” she whispered. “What do I have to do?” Zack sighed in relief. “Now it’s time for training!” he exclaimed. “I’ll treat you to lunch today and we’ll go over the details.” And boy were there details to discuss! When Zack later drove her to a nice restaurant and politely pulled out a chair for her, she felt herself getting smaller. “How about we start seeing each other after work?” he asked her. I need to spend more time with you two, or else my mother will realize that your baby doesn’t like me. I can bring you dinner today. Andrea pressed her lips together. The first time she hadn’t been able to control herself, but she didn’t want Zack to come to her house, she felt sorry for the fact that she couldn’t even invite him to sit down because she didn’t have… anything. -Well… Mr. Keller… -Oh, no! You can’t call me that anymore, if you run away in front of my mother we’re screwed. Better Zack.You used to call me Zack… – You weren’t my boss before! – And now I’m going to be your fake boyfriend so get your head around it, in fact, a pet name! – he exclaimed -. Find an animal name, add a diminutive and call me like that. – Like… Teddy Bear? – she murmured. – Nope, too worn out. Andrea gulped and felt like it was an exam. All she was missing was a cold sweat. – Well… bison… Zack narrowed his eyes and shook his head. – I don’t like it. – Umm… little gnome. – Neither! – Bambi. – Less than less! – he grumbled. – Hey, I’m trying to find you a big stud animal like you! – she defended herself. -And I appreciate it, but if you found me one without horns I would appreciate it even more! – he replied and she covered her mouth. A second later they both burst out laughing. – Better let’s see all that tonight. What food do you like the most? The next half hour they talked about food, but they had to start getting to know each other somewhere. Andrea didn’t know how to tell him that she was embarrassed that he was visiting her, but Zack didn’t even make a single slight to her poor apartment, on the contrary, he brought some slippers, they had Indian food in front of the fireplace and then he threw himself on the carpet to play with Adriana. It was easy to please a five-month-old girl, and Zack couldn’t help but remember that maybe he could have had his own baby that Christmas. He chased away that sadness with the girl’s laughter, but no matter how much he rocked her, he wasn’t able to put her to sleep that night. At his side, Andrea read page after page. Zack had brought the contract and they reviewed the basics, only the most gruesome details remained. -Well… what do we do with this? – Andrea read. – Sleep in the same bed when we’re at your parents’ house? – Well, there’s always the option of a sofa – Zack said – I can barely fit on one, so if not, I can sleep on the floor. – OK… – Andrea murmured and continued – What will we say about the baby’s last name? She’s registered under mine. – Well, to start with, no one has to see her passport, and if they do, we’ll just say that I’m waiting for Canadian citizenship to register her – he answered while rocking the baby. – Okay. Kisses, hugs and displays of affection in public? – the girl asked. – Those are necessary – Zack murmured as if nothing were happening. My parents know that I’m very affectionate, if they don’t see me give you even a hug, they’re going to start getting suspicious. Do you want to add forbidden areas? Andrea frowned. – Like the house? – Like the body, Andrea! – Ah! Yeah! Like if you decide to squeeze my pussy… – her voice was fading away as she said it and she turned red as a pomegranate – Well… we are adults and you are very respectful. Right? – Extra! – confirmed Zack. – Then let’s just say that public displays of affection are acceptable… – she murmured and they agreed on that and almost everything else. By eleven at night the little girl was already sleeping in her mother’s arms and Zack asked her to teach him how to put a baby to sleep as soon as possible. Andrea put the little girl to bed in her baby carriage and approached the kitchen counter to sign that contract for him. – Ready – she whispered, handing it to him. Zack took one of her hands and squeezed it with a gesture of gratitude. – It doesn’t matter that I’m paying you for this, you’re still doing me the biggest favor in the world. Thank you for that – she said. She nodded and walked him to the door, but when she was about to leave Zack turned around. “Hey, since we have to kiss in public, shouldn’t we practice? I mean… so it won’t be weird later,” he said and Andrea unconsciously looked at his mouth.She was too cute. Zack had thick, moist lips, framed by that soft, well-groomed beard. -Um… what if we rehearse tomorrow? I should go to sleep now! Zack looked at her for a moment and held back a laugh. He had never met a more nervous woman than that, but he bit his lip and ended up nodding with a single word, one that in that deep, hoarse voice seemed like a warning to Andrea. -Tomorrow.Belongs to (N)ôvel/Drama.Org.