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ch 36

The apartment was clean, very clean, but that was about the only thing that could be said for it. When Andrea opened the door, the tall, thin woman in her fifties standing beside her, her face stern and her gaze steady, gave a momentary look of surprise. She held a clipboard in her hand, and Andrea felt a chill run through her as she watched her jot something down on it. “I thought you were here to evaluate an apartment… but I see there’s not much to evaluate,” she said worriedly. There was no carpet, no furniture, no pictures, nothing to soften the starkness of the room. The walls were bare, the windows uncurtained, the floor cracked, the light dim. Andrea felt a wave of panic wash over her. She knew this was the kind of place no one would want to stay in for long, much less with a child. The woman surveyed the apartment critically, taking notes as she went. Andrea followed, her heart pounding. “How long have you been living like this?” —she asked, going around the living room and looking into the rooms, but there was nothing to see there either. —Since Adriana was born —said Andrea confidently. When we got home from the hospital everything was empty, my daughter’s father, the same man who is suing me to take her away from me, sold everything I had. The woman looked at her with an impassive face while she checked the only piece of furniture in the house: the baby’s crib. —I know this is empty, but it’s just furniture, ma’am —Andrea murmured with wet eyes—. The only one that’s really necessary is Adriana’s crib and it’s there. This place has all the services, water, electricity, heating. There’s food in my fridge and if you check what I give my daughter it’s good quality. Plus she’s in daycare, I have a good job and… everything is going to start getting better. I’m doing what I can to make it a home again, but it’s been hard. The social worker nodded slowly and took a deep breath, writing down everything she thought was important. Finally, the woman opened her lips. “This is not what I expected to replace,” she said. “I have to be honest with you, this is not a suitable environment for a child.” “I understand,” she said. “But now that I have paid my debt to the hospital, I promise you that I will do whatever it takes to make this place suitable. Anything my daughter needs, I will get it for her. I promise you that.” Thanks for reading on LeeNovelas.com. “I understand that you have been through a difficult situation, so let’s look at the girl’s other environments,” the social worker decided. Andrea felt a lump in her throat. She had expected it, but it still hurt. She wanted her daughter to stay with her at all costs, but at that moment she could only close the door behind her and lead the social worker into the office building where she worked. The woman was pleasantly surprised to see that she worked for a major representation agency and how beautiful and perfect the daycare where the girl was.She talked to the nurses for a while and then said goodbye. Andrea knew that things didn’t seem to be going so well for her, but she had to have faith that the law would be on her side. In the meantime, she spent the next two days working, but with all that worry, her work wasn’t exactly going as she expected. Everyone in the representation department had been trying to get a contract with a new athlete to represent him, but the teams were fighting over the best players instead of doing something to get the contracts. Every day she talked to more people in the sports world, but they all seemed closed to the idea of ​​signing a rookie. Meanwhile, being Benjamin’s apprentice helped a lot, but it wasn’t enough either. Even so, Andrea kept trying. She spent her mornings sending emails to the teams of coaches, personal assistants and agents to try to change their minds. Sometimes she received positive responses or even some invited her to meet to talk about the subject, but nothing came to fruition. Remember. Read this novel only at LeeNovelas.com, not on other sites. Two days later she saw that almost all the names of the college athletes for that season were crossed out… and then there was him. Gideon Stormhold, better known as Baby Storm, a hockey player that no one wanted to recruit. “Why not him?” Andrea asked Ben curiously. “He’s a good player, I could even say he’s the best of his generation, but something is preventing him from signing the agreement.” “What?” “His mother.” “Excuse me?” Andrea didn’t believe it. “His mother?” “Mrs. Stormhold is a widow and acts as her son’s representative, she’s never let an agent get close to him,” Ben explained. “So no one has ever been able to represent him.” Andrea thought about that, the company gave bonuses for the difficulty of the athletes they got, but no one seemed to want to pursue that particular one. She went home that night thinking about it, but the next day she forgot all about it the moment she had to sit in the courtroom. She was nervous because she knew that day could define her daughter’s future, so she took a deep breath and tried to remember that she was a mother and the state was supposed to 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 that he had all the conditions and comforts to take care of his daughter, since he lived in an exclusive part of the city. Then they called Andrea’s social worker,Everyone in the management department had been trying to get a new athlete a contract to represent, but teams were fighting over the best players instead of doing anything to get the contracts. Every day she talked to more people in the sports world, but they all seemed closed to the idea of ​​signing a rookie. Meanwhile, being Benjamin’s apprentice helped a lot, but it wasn’t enough. Still, Andrea kept trying. She spent her mornings emailing teams of coaches, personal assistants, and agents to try to change their minds. Sometimes she received positive responses or even some invited her to meet to discuss the issue, but nothing came to fruition. Remember. Read this novel only at LeeNovelas.com, not on other sites. Two days later she saw that almost all the names of the college athletes for that season were crossed out… and then there was him. Gideon Stormhold, better known as Baby Storm, a hockey player that no one wanted to recruit. “Why not him?” Andrea asked Ben curiously. “He’s a good player, I could even say he’s the best of his generation, but something is stopping him from signing the agreement.” “What?” “His mother.” “Excuse me?” Andrea didn’t believe it. “His mother?” “Mrs. Stormhold is a widow and acts as her son’s representative, she’s never let an agent get close to him,” Ben explained. “So no one has ever been able to represent him.” Andrea thought about that, the company gave bonuses for the difficulty of the athletes they got, but no one seemed to want to aspire to that particular one. That night she went home thinking about that, but the next day she forgot everything from the moment she had to sit in the courtroom. She was nervous because she knew that that day could define her daughter’s future, so 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 was full of praise, saying that he had all the conditions and comforts to take care of his daughter, since he lived in an exclusive part of the city. Then they called Andrea’s social worker,Everyone in the management department had been trying to get a new athlete a contract to represent, but teams were fighting over the best players instead of doing anything to get the contracts. Every day she talked to more people in the sports world, but they all seemed closed to the idea of ​​signing a rookie. Meanwhile, being Benjamin’s apprentice helped a lot, but it wasn’t enough. Still, Andrea kept trying. She spent her mornings emailing teams of coaches, personal assistants, and agents to try to change their minds. Sometimes she received positive responses or even some invited her to meet to discuss the issue, but nothing came to fruition. Remember. Read this novel only at LeeNovelas.com, not on other sites. Two days later she saw that almost all the names of the college athletes for that season were crossed out… and then there was him. Gideon Stormhold, better known as Baby Storm, a hockey player that no one wanted to recruit. “Why not him?” Andrea asked Ben curiously. “He’s a good player, I could even say he’s the best of his generation, but something is stopping him from signing the agreement.” “What?” “His mother.” “Excuse me?” Andrea didn’t believe it. “His mother?” “Mrs. Stormhold is a widow and acts as her son’s representative, she’s never let an agent get close to him,” Ben explained. “So no one has ever been able to represent him.” Andrea thought about that, the company gave bonuses for the difficulty of the athletes they got, but no one seemed to want to aspire to that particular one. That night she went home thinking about that, but the next day she forgot everything from the moment she had to sit in the courtroom. She was nervous because she knew that that day could define her daughter’s future, so 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 was full of praise, saying that he had all the conditions and comforts to take care of his daughter, since he lived in an exclusive part of the city. Then they called Andrea’s social worker,not anywhere else. Two days later she saw that almost all of the college athletes’ names for that season were crossed out… and then there was him. Gideon Stormhold, better known as Baby Storm, a hockey player that no one wanted to recruit. “Why not him?” Andrea asked Ben curiously. “He’s a good player, I’d even say he’s the best of his generation, but something’s stopping him from signing the agreement.” “What?” “His mother.” “Excuse me?” Andrea didn’t believe it. “His mother?” “Mrs. Stormhold is a widow and acts as her son’s agent, she’s never let an agent get close to him,” Ben explained. “So no one’s ever been able to represent him.” Andrea thought about that, the company gave bonuses for the difficulty of the athletes they got, but no one seemed to want to pursue that particular one. She went home that night thinking about it, but the next day she forgot all about it the moment she had to sit in the courtroom. She was nervous because she knew that day could define her daughter’s future, so she took a deep breath and tried to remember that she was a mother and the state was supposed to 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 that he had all the conditions and comforts to take care of his daughter, since he lived in an exclusive part of the city. Then they called Andrea’s social worker,not anywhere else. Two days later she saw that almost all of the college athletes’ names for that season were crossed out… and then there was him. Gideon Stormhold, better known as Baby Storm, a hockey player that no one wanted to recruit. “Why not him?” Andrea asked Ben curiously. “He’s a good player, I’d even say he’s the best of his generation, but something’s stopping him from signing the agreement.” “What?” “His mother.” “Excuse me?” Andrea didn’t believe it. “His mother?” “Mrs. Stormhold is a widow and acts as her son’s agent, she’s never let an agent get close to him,” Ben explained. “So no one’s ever been able to represent him.” Andrea thought about that, the company gave bonuses for the difficulty of the athletes they got, but no one seemed to want to pursue that particular one. She went home that night thinking about it, but the next day she forgot all about it the moment she had to sit in the courtroom. She was nervous because she knew that day could define her daughter’s future, so she took a deep breath and tried to remember that she was a mother and the state was supposed to 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 that he had all the conditions and comforts to take care of his daughter, since he lived in an exclusive part of the city. Then they called Andrea’s social worker,And as Andrea watched in anguish, the woman described everything she had seen. “I’m sorry,” she said, looking at Andrea, whose eyes were filled with tears. “Your apartment is not fit for a child, if you cannot make the necessary changes, I am afraid I will not be able to recommend that your daughter stay with you.” “I am doing my best!” she sobbed, standing up and banging on the table. “If I have nothing, it is because of the same man who is suing me! How can they take my daughter from me to give her to him, to a man who does not even know her, who has never even held a child!” “Order, order!” the judge exclaimed, banging his gavel. “There is something I would like to add,” the social worker declared. “It is true that Mrs. Brand is not in the condition to have the child in her apartment, but it is also true that for six months her daughter has been healthy, fed and safe.” Mrs. Brand has a good job and no debt at the moment, and it is also true that the minor attends an excellent daycare and has a stable emotional environment. Therefore, I have a suggestion to make. That social worker was very senior and respected in the court, so the judge immediately gave his approval. “Of course, express yourself freely.” “It would not be healthy to remove the minor from her environment unless it is essential,” the worker declared, after all, the mother is the only one who knows her. I would recommend temporary custody, and to do this trial again in… a month? The woman looked at Andrea and she did not know what it meant, but the judge immediately agreed. He called for a recess and went to his office to deliberate with the social workers, and when he returned to the room he had already determined what would be done. “Very well! I declare that temporary custody of the minor Adriana Brand is granted to her father, Mason Lee,” the judge sentenced and Andrea fell into her chair, covering her mouth with her hands while crying. The mother will have full access to the child, and the child must continue to attend daycare, but she must remain at her father’s home. Mrs. Brand will be granted the right to appeal within a month… “Your Honor!” Mason’s attorney immediately stood up. “What would change in a month? Do you think Mrs. Brand can make the pigsty she lives in habitable in just a month?” he said with contempt. “Well, the child lived in that pigsty for six months until your client remembered that she had a daughter,” the judge replied angrily. “My job is to do what is best for the child, but don’t think I haven’t heard the rest of the statements. Mr. Lee will have to hire a competent nurse to care for his daughter, who will be approved by this court, pending proof of his ability to care for her himself. And in a month, if Mrs. Brand decides to appeal this decision, we will meet here again. That is my sentence. The court is adjourned!”The judge struck the wood three times with his gavel and Andrea hid her face in her hands, crying inconsolably, knowing that that night, when she went to sleep, she would no longer be able to rock or hug her daughter.