Prologue

ANA

The engine of my Maserati roars to life, the loud sound impressive. The car was given to me by my father shortly after my nineteenth birthday. A beautiful red and waxed until smooth and glossy, the vehicle curves in all the right places like a perfectly shaped woman, and the noises it makes would turn the heads of all the boys my age. Make that all men, no matter what age, actually. A thing of lust, for sure.
I mean, who doesn't want a brand spanking new Maserati in the finest condition available?

Too bad I hate it.

As I sit behind the wheel, the stitched material smooth beneath the touch of my hands and the leather cushioning of the car seat wonderfully comfortable beneath me, I don't feel any pleasure in what is mine. None whatsoever.
It only reminds me of my father, and that is no good thing.

I push my negative thoughts away and focus on where I'm about to go. To see my mother, my lovely, delicate, yet brave mother. To have tea with her and catch up after being away for so long. I smile when I think of her warm eyes and soft brown hair, the way she always wants to know how I'm doing before she even says one word about herself. She's everything a girl could ask for in a mother. We agreed to meet at a restaurant that is a mutual favourite of ours, and it would be an understatement to say I'm eager to see her. It's not often I can get mother alone without father.

The drive to my destination is fast and uneventful. I park and make my way to the restaurant's door, only to stop just outside the entrance. There are screams and shouts coming from within and someone yelling about calling 911.

What is going on?

"Excuse me?" I address the doorman. "What happened?"

The dark-haired man turns to me, his face grim. "It's a lady, Miss. Apparently she fell to the floor and passed away right on the spot."

I frown. "That's awful. May I come in?"

He looks at me, confused. "You still want to eat here?"

I don't answer him, instead I push my way past him before he can stop me. Inside, there's a big crowd surrounding something. Someone. I make my way to them, muttering apologies as I shove some aside until finally I arrive right in the middle of the ring of human bodies that has been formed around the crumpled heap that is causing so much chaos.

I take in a sharp breath at what I see.

"Mom!" I shriek, as I quickly kneel down besides her still figure that lies on the ground. Her hair has come undone and spills onto the floor. "Wake up, mom."

I shake her, willing her chest to rise and fall again, the way it should. But her eyes don't open and her body is stiff. "No," I whisper. I grip the collar of her dress tightly until my hands turn white.

Someone grabs me from behind and tugs me away. I think something is said about someone trying to help me, probably the person dragging me from my mother, but I can't be sure because all I hear after that is myself screaming.