Prologue

Sicily, Italy

The leaves fall from the trees determined by autumn, without any choice as to their fate. These are laws that command the natural order of things, and with human relationships it is not much different. There are situations that we can only follow the course, without choice, because what is at stake, is what matters and nothing else.

“Are you sure you can trust this woman?”, Asks the apprehensive maid.

“ That would be foolish, Selina. She's a greedy woman and she can change sides at any moment, depending on who pays more”, Still my eyes are following the falling leaves, and just like the tree, I have lost a lot with the coming of the seasons. First my mother and then my father. 

Lorena was right. Danger is always lurking and one hour or another, your turn will come in the roulette wheel of death. I am no longer the innocent little girl who could not see the black and white of reality. I am one of the biggest leaders of the mafia and I don't deny that being able to continue the work of generations was satisfying until I learned that now a life depends on mine...

“ I need to take another direction in my life. I will run away in a week! I don't want my son to grow up here.”, It's my decision and there's nothing that will make me change it.

“ You have achieved so much, Francisca! No woman has ever come this far”, She insists.

" But not so much power was able to bring my family back.  And I don't want them to take someone important away again...", I run my hands over my huge belly and it gives me a chill to think that at any moment a child would be born from me.

I feel a little young compared to my old expectations about my future. However, if I consider how much I have matured to survive these past years, giving love to such a helpless being can't be that difficult.

“And Anthony?”  She reminds me of my biggest obstacle.

“ He has let himself be blinded by power. He will never know when to stop.”

“ He's coming for you, Francisca. Wherever you go!  You're his queen, he knows business won't be the same without you!”, She states the obvious that everyone knows, including Anthony himself.

It's all about business, not love. And the only one I feel will be able to give me, has just kicked my belly.

It will be for you, my son.

“ So the best thing is to eliminate all traces that he might have to follow me”,  My tone becomes harsh, coated with threat.

“ What do you mean, ma'am?”

“That I will start with you, traitor! “, I take the gun from my jacket pocket and fire a shot into his chest.  Your body goes to the ground with your eyes still giving signs of life and your mouth tries to mutter something.

“ Save your words for the final judgment that awaits you. You ridiculous spy!”,  I face the dying woman ceasing her last breaths.

Meanwhile, the noise causes the two security guards to open the door to the room. They are my next targets with two sharp shots to their heads and two more bodies go down. A quicker death this time. 

I don't have much time. I grab my small suitcase ready with the most essential things, the corridors are huge, but I grew up in this mansion. I know the secret passages that my innocence believed were for playing hide, hide. And that my father would never be the men who kill and gather groups of men either out of fear or out of fragile loyalty. 

In front of my eyes the illusion of my still child sister Lorena is running, encouraging me to keep looking for her towards the exit that would lead to the entrance of the vineyards.   The rain-scented air is the first sign of my freedom, which is threatened by the other men to the left. The only way is through the vineyards, an extravagant physical effort for my limited condition. However, there is no choice. I follow the course like a leaf being blown away by the autumn wind. There are many drops of sweat on my face, but they are no match for the liquid leaking from between my legs.

My son is coming! 

“ Calm down baby, it won't be long now!”

 Amelia's car is at the appointed point.  And I rehearse a few steps slower while trying to signal her to see me from the rear-view mirror. And it works, because the car door suddenly opens and she runs to meet me.

“ Francisca!”, She offers her shoulder for me to lean on. 

“ My son is going to be born! “,  Is a mixture of joy and fear.  Nothing guarantees that at any moment the men will realize that I have escaped, “ Let's get out of here, please!”

“ Come, I already have a midwife waiting for us”, She tries to calm me down although the being inside me doesn't accept delays.

We get in the car and everything is left behind, in the past. 

However, he never leaves us. He just arranges a new face to present himself as the present and settles the score using the future that is never the one we dream of....

━━━━━━✧♛✧━━━━━━

“ Go ahead! “, Shouts the midwife. 

But it's so hard. It's as if the bones break and wish they would come out along with the baby. 

“ There's only a few more to go! Push!”, She shouts again.

There is no hand for me to grab, Amelia remains distant, staring at me with a look I can't decipher. My vision is so blurred that everything is slowly getting darker.

“ Don't close your eyes, madam, please!”,  She implores.

However, it is a request that does not depend on my willpower.  But I surrender all the strength that may exist within me and have the feeling of hearing a cry until everything goes dark. 

✧♛✧

One hour later

“ Amelia? Where am I?”, Both my vision and my memories are slowly coming back.  “My son, where is my son?”

“ It was a girl!”, She answers.

“ Was it?”, I remain confused.

“ Oui, someone took the girl! I wasn't there and the lady was beaten. Poor thing!”

“I'm going to look for my daughter!”, I want to get up, but my legs won't obey me. 

“ No, Francisca, you need to rest. You'll never find her in this state”, She stops me.

“ It can only be Anthony!  He found out that I was going to run away before and not in a week like I made that slut believe”, I start putting the pieces together.

“ I don't doubt it's him either, but you can't fight him alone. You need to be on the same level. Let's continue with our partner, create a new business that is ours alone. I have the contacts and you have your experience. You promised to help me and I did my part.  It wasn't my fault it went wrong.”

“I know…”, I wipe my tears. “ Where are the documents? 

She opens her purse and takes out a passport.

“Chloé?”, I read the name on the document.

“French name!” - She comments.

“ I like it ... “ Also, it's not like I have any other option, “ So I will be Chloé, your new partner, and together we will build the biggest barracks Paris has ever seen …”