Giovane gasped, glancing around to see where he was. The surroundings were shrouded in darkness, and he could see nothing but himself.
Is this what it's like when you die? he wondered. He stood and began walking through the endless void.
Suddenly, a blinding light seared his vision. He winced, shutting his eyes, but the brightness vanished as quickly as it appeared. Slowly, he opened them again.
A familiar face stood before him.
"Giovane," said the voice he instantly recognized—it belonged to his second mother, Bella.
Next to her were his two siblings, Ellese and Felisa.
Ellese's sharp gaze still scrutinized him, but after a moment, she simply sighed and extended her hand.
"Come on," she said simply.
Giovane let out a dry laugh. "Are you here to take me to hell?" he asked.
Ellese glared. "You've committed many sins—sins you regretted when your memory returned. You're the child of Aunt Bianca's sister, aren't you?"
Felisa stepped forward, offering her hand. "Come, so you can remember what happened back then."
At her touch, his mind was flooded with images—taking him back to when he was only five years old.
On the way home to Regondo, his family's vehicle crashed. His parents died before reaching the hospital. Giovane, barely clinging to life, was left at the scene until someone came to his aid.
That someone was a couple expecting twins at the time. While he recovered, he couldn't remember who his parents were or where he came from. The only thing he recalled was his name.
"Giovane Mendoza—Roman."
The couple exchanged glances, but Bella, wanting to protect his innocence, kept the truth from him until he was old enough to understand.
Before that day could come, young Giovane's mind began to be poisoned—shaped into becoming the heir to the Fuego fortune. Bella tried to stop it, but fear for the child's safety restrained her.
When Giovane turned seven, Bella gave birth to the twins, Ellese and Mikaela. She knew that inside the boy, a battle raged against the seeds Bernard had planted.
Around that time, Giovane met a boy his age—Felix Tejero-Blanco, who was visiting town. Felix was the son of one of Bella's friends. The two became close, sharing moments and conversations about the past. But their friendship was brief; Felix left for school in a nearby town.
Giovane also met his cousin Jake, another Roman descendant, though they never grew close.
Later, Bella had another daughter, Felisa. Giovane loved her deeply, treating her as his own sister.
One day, his supposed father sent him to a warehouse. There, Giovane witnessed something no child should see. That day marked the turning point—Bernard's influence fully took root. Giovane's mind fractured, and Bernard's vision of him became reality.
By the age of twelve, Giovane had learned to kill without hesitation, eliminating those who betrayed his father, his eyes devoid of pity. His inner child faded into darkness.
Even as Bella tried to keep her distance for safety's sake, she could not stop caring for him. But eventually, Bella passed away. Bianca then stepped in—fully aware of Giovane's true identity. She kept a close watch, quietly trying to reclaim the boy's past. Yet Bernard's grip was too strong.
The memories overwhelmed Giovane. He gave a broken laugh.
"I have killed many with these hands," he whispered, staring at his palms, as if seeing blood dripping from them.
"No wonder I suddenly remembered Felix… I knew him back then." He laughed again, this time convulsively.
"Take me to hell," he told the siblings. "I didn't save you back then, so it's only right that you don't save me now."
Bella pulled him into an embrace. "Giovane, forgive me. If only I'd had the strength to take you home back then, your character and innocence wouldn't have been lost."
When will I ever feel a mother's embrace again? Giovane thought.
"Come, child. You're free now—free from the darkness your father created. They're waiting for you there." Bella pointed toward the radiant light.
Giovane shook his head. "I don't deserve a peaceful place. I've killed too many, wronged too many."
"Even if you have committed many sins," Ellese said softly, "if you truly regret them… even if the families of the women taken by the organization can't forgive you… we can. We also seek peace. And for that, we've forgiven you, Brother Giovane."
Felisa smiled faintly. "Come on, your real parents are waiting."
"Ellese, come with me," Giovane urged.
But she shook her head.
"Why not?" he asked.
"She's waiting for someone. Don't worry—your sister will be back soon," Felisa reassured him.
"Brother," Felisa continued, "we are all victims of greed in this world. And here, there is only forgiveness."
He had never believed forgiveness could exist for someone like him.
Then, as if a judge's voice filled the space, he heard his verdict—not eternal damnation, but a chance to correct his sins. He would live again, reborn in another form.
Before that, he saw his real parents. They embraced him tightly, and his soul rejoiced in their warmth once more.