472 Ba
ch 73

Zack’s brothers, all four of them, looked desperate at how complicated the situation was getting. “Mom’s kept the baby, right?” Loan asked, worried. At least she was in good hands while they were in charge of accompanying Andrea. “Yes, and she’s also been trying to replace Zack all night, but the bastard isn’t even answering his phone,” Chiara answered. “None of his assistants in his many branches have been able to locate him either,” Noémi added. Ever since Andrea had gotten sick, everyone had a feeling that things would get worse if Zack wasn’t there, but no matter how hard they had tried, none of them had been successful in talking to him. Finally, the doctor came into Andrea’s room with the results of her examination. “She has a strong bacterial infection in her lungs,” he explained to them. “But… how? We saw her early yesterday and she was fine!” Milo despaired. —She may seem fine, but these types of bacteria incubate for weeks and are not detected until they suddenly appear —the doctor replied. The brothers noticed that his face reflected concern. Thank you for reading on LeeNovelas.com. —What are you not telling us? —Noémi rebuked him. —We can’t give her the antibiotics she has… because she is pregnant. The four of them were stunned while a shiver ran down their spines. —I will have to give her a different treatment said the doctor— But I can’t guarantee that it will work… She is not awake, so I need the authorization of a direct relative to give her the correct treatment. Who is her closest relative? The twins looked at each other, confused. —Well, we… we are all her brothers-in-law —Noémi murmured. Remember. Read this novel only on LeeNovelas.com, not on other sites. —I’m sorry, but it must be someone closer. You must inform your husband immediately, we need him here to authorize. They have twenty-four hours before the situation becomes critical. The doctor left and they stood with their hearts racing. Milo squeezed Andrea’s hand, who was still asleep and had a high fever. “Who’s going to tell her that Zack is not legally married to her because Andrea annulled the marriage?” he muttered. “No one!” Chiara intervened. “No one is going to tell the doctor that because we need to get her whatever it is that will help her! What we have to do is locate that idiot Zack, right now!” But it was a spiral of despair. How were they going to get that authorization if they couldn’t locate her brother? “Start calling everyone,” Loan said. “Everyone who might know him, his clients, everyone.” The twins got to work. They called all their friends and family, all their clients and advisors, but no one knew where Zack was. At one point, while Milo was talking to someone, he gestured for everyone to come closer and be quiet.On the other end of the line were Ben and the lawyer from the Canadian branch, Mr. Gazca. “Nigeria,” that word left them speechless. “Is Zack in Nigeria? If he wanted to be eaten by a hippopotamus, I could have taken him to the zoo!” Noémi growled. “He’s looking for a Nigerian athlete, Emil Ambasi,” Ben told her. “Maybe he’s still in unpopulated areas and doesn’t have coverage.” “Well, that’s no use! We have to replace him now, because Andrea is hospitalized and in serious condition. He has to be here!” Loan snapped. “Where exactly in Nigeria is Ben?” There was an uncomfortable, worried silence on the other end. “I really don’t know!” Ben murmured. “He only told me the athlete’s name…” “For God’s sake, Ben, remember something!” Chiara exclaimed desperately. “Andrea is pregnant. If we don’t replace him, Zack will never forgive himself for not being here!” Ben let out a helpless curse, but another, deeper voice was heard beside him. “Well, maybe we can’t locate him, but… I think I know someone who can,” Gazca told them. “Who?” A moment of hesitation on the other end and the lawyer cleared his throat. “Just one of you get on the phone, whoever is willing to travel to replace Zack,” he asked. Loan was going to make the gesture, but Chiara snatched the phone from her and left the room to talk to the lawyer. “My name is Chiara Marie Keller, you can talk to me,” she said decisively. “Look, Miss Keller. The same man who helped Zack with the unfortunate Mason Lee affair has unlimited resources,” Gazca explained. “I’ve been trying to locate him these days for legal matters and I was told that he’s in a trial in The Hague. He has a way to replace anyone in the world immediately.” Chiara thanked him for his recommendation and half an hour later she was ready to leave. No one said a word, after all she was the director of one of the largest banking conglomerates in Switzerland, so she could do anything perfectly on her own. She said goodbye to everyone, and promised Adriana that she would bring her emotionally stunted father back very soon. She got on the private plane and before she had time to realize it she was already landing on the west coast of the Netherlands. Finding the courthouse was not difficult. Finding out who was the CIA’s Director of Organized Crime was not difficult either, but getting to him was a very different matter. “I need to speak to John Hopkins,” she told one of the guards, but he shook his head. “Mr. Hopkins is busy now, he has to make an appointment.” Chiara looked beyond the chain, the man who seemed to be giving the orders was imposing, it was obvious that he knew how to command and he was extremely attractive. But he was not just a handsome man, no. The s@xy was in his soul, as well as the darkness and a certain degree of strategic evil that Chiara knew how to recognize very well. —Go and tell him there’s a woman who needs him urgently, please.—I already told him I can’t… —You’re three damn meters away! —she growled when she saw him move—. Tell him I want to talk to him! The man went and turned in a second, and only gave her another refusal. —He says he can’t now, you better go… —Evidently they weren’t going to let her get close and Chiara wasn’t going to let herself miss the opportunity. —I’m pregnant, Jhon! —she shouted as loud as she could—. How long are you going to keep denying me!? Or are you not going to take responsibility?! Every person in that corridor turned their head towards her, and above all, Jhon gave her a murderous look. She was a very beautiful woman, with long brown hair elegantly tied back and all the attitude of a queen. However, she was shouting a lie at him in the middle of the courtroom of the international court. He approached her with the instinct of the predator and looked her up and down with a lascivious look. —I’m pretty sure I’ve never slept with you, but I can do you the favor at any time—he murmured in a tone that made Chiara’s skin crawl, but she wasn’t one to be easily intimidated. —Fine, if you’re so needy I can let you climb on my leg on the plane, but now you’re going to come with me and you’re going to put all those resources you have into replaceing my brother—she replied with determination. Jhon looked her straight in the eyes. —Your brother? —Zack Keller. I understand that he was a great help to you a few days ago. Now we have a family emergency and I need to locate him in Nigeria, so I thought you’d be more than willing to help me replace him. Jhon narrowed his eyes suspiciously. —And exactly why are you so sure that I’ll help you? —he asked her, getting so close to her that if anyone hadn’t believed the pregnancy story, now, seeing how those two looked at each other, no one doubted that they could have something very intimate—. Answer me. What makes you think that I’ll help you? —I know you let Mason Lee die on purpose — Chiara replied and saw Jhon lose his composure. The shock lasted only a moment, but then he pulled her by the arm and pulled her out of there, heading with her towards the private parking lot. —What the hell are you talking about? — he asked nervously. —What you heard — Chiara declared. You are the director of Organized Crime, not a rookie. Zack put several cameras in the mobster’s house for you, they had everything ready to arrest him and you tell me that you couldn’t act five minutes before? Jhon approached her body dangerously. —You better not dare repeat that out loud anywhere — he warned her and felt something move inside him when he saw the haughty and firm look of that woman. —Don’t worry, I don’t think what you did was wrong, but I need urgent help, my brother’s wife is ill and I have to replace him, so I expect your kind cooperation… Jhon. He pressed his lips together and then a smile spread across his face. This woman was not afraid of anything. “Fine, I’ll go with you, let me get my boys to give me a location and we’ll be on our way. But I’m not sure my cooperation will be so… kind.” He pointed the way and when she swaggered in front of him back to the courthouse, Jhon couldn’t help but bite his lip with an imperceptible gesture when he saw her rear. “Will she really let me climb up those legs?” he thought.