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Maya believed that leaving her hometown to start over in California would bring her much-desired peace. However, everything changes when she meets Zack, a mysterious man tormented by past traumas, on a casual night at a nightclub. Fascinated by Maya, Zack embarks on a frantic quest to uncover the secrets she holds. While secrets are revealed and passion arises between them, Maya finds herself involved in a plot of intrigue and mystery, questioning whether it is worth facing the dangers that surround her, in order to finally live this love.
Chapter 1 Prologue
Go to college? This wouldn't be within my reach if I didn't fight to get it myself. I grew up in a strict home, surrounded by religion and doctrine that tend to blind people with all those prohibitions and such.
In addition to a strict home, I can say that I was also sexist. I went to third grade in the small town of Winslow, in Navajo County, Arizona. I excelled in every class, ranking first for grades and everything. I applied to several universities in hopes of getting accepted to one.
For someone who never had family support in anything he did, this had been the best decision I had ever made. It would certainly cost me consequences, but what to do? I never had anyone's support.
The worst disappointment I had with all of this was realizing that I was accepted to several universities because of my exemplary record and grades, only to find out in the end that my mother had burned several university letters that had arrived for me, and had answered the phone from our house several times saying that I had given up my job.
When I questioned her, I couldn't believe my ears. I remember the day in question. I had found one of the letters in the trash. It had been torn in half. I picked up that piece of paper where it said I had been accepted to L.A. University, one of the best colleges in Los Angeles.
I strode into the house to find her in the kitchen doing something while my dad was sprawled on the couch in the living room, watching a game.
- Could you explain to me what this is? - I confronted her, showing the letter from the university in my hands, without thinking about the consequences.
- How dare you raise your voice at me, Maya? I'm your mother and I demand respect. What is that in her hands? Give it to me, now, stop digging through the rubbish. - she said, taking the pieces of the letter from my hands.
- How can you do that? You are my mother. Here it says I was accepted, and what do you do? Tear it up and throw it in the trash. Tell me, how many times did you do the same? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME I WAS ACCEPTED? I asked, getting upset again when I saw the sarcasm on her face.
"Because no matter how many universities you get accepted to, you won't go to any of them. Don't you realize you're not good for that? Your brother does. He does have a great future ahead of him, but you? Look at you, you don't even hold a candle to him, Maya. It will be just another one, do you know why? Because women were made to serve, our place is here in the kitchen, men are in charge in the house and you must accept that, the Bible says that we must be submissive to our husbands. The man is the head and you must accept that. she said in a stern tone, making me gape at her response.
"I will not let your fanaticism ruin my future. I'm not a slave, I don't want to live to satisfy a man. I'm sorry, Mom, but you're very wrong if you think I'm going to do what you want, not this time. - I ended up getting excited when I heard those words coming from those who should support me the most. I didn't realize how loud my voice was until I felt the heat on my face and the tears welling up in my eyes like waterfalls.
After that slap, everything turned upside down. The next day, my father showed up with a man at our house; he must have been around fifty years old. My parents announced that I was no longer their responsibility, that from that moment on I would be the responsibility of that man I barely knew. According to them, I would be a great wife, this at sixteen, for a man older than my father and whom I had never seen in my life.
A month later I ended up marrying that man, I thought that would be the end of me. But in reality it was just the beginning of a new life, Santiago will treat me like a daughter and the marriage was just a facade, so that my family would not suspect.
Everything went smoothly for two years, until one fateful day Lia and I found Santiago dead in the living room, Lia was my best friend, she and her parents were the family I never had if I may say so.
After Santiago's death, I ended up inheriting his entire fortune. But my life turned upside down, I was already older so I decided that I would leave everything behind and start over. My place was still open at my dream university, so why not go after what I wanted.
It's been over a year and a half since I left Winslow, and since then a lot has changed, my parents didn't look for me and I'm glad for that. I'm sure I left a weight behind when I got on that plane to California.
Lia is currently in New York, she is studying Designer fashion, her dream course. I, on the other hand, am studying Psychology, I have always been fascinated by the human mind.
I recently got a part-time job at a diner near campus. Yes, I have all the fortune left by Santiago, not to mention the company and some assets.
But I don't let that go to my head, I like to get my stuff through my work, using my inheritance only when necessary. My past remains hidden for those who know me today, it's good, I prefer it to stay that way.
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