The circumstances surrounding Mercedes' birth were mysterious and the subject was always avoided. An unexpected package prompted her to revisit the past, retracing her journey littered with a roller coaster of challenges. Mercedes was not the typical girl, growing up poor in a third world country. She was determined to live a better life beyond the shores of her little fishing village. She was resourceful and highly intelligent. She would walk for miles, crossing mountains and rivers to attend the closest schools to her village. When World War II erupted, it marred her childhood, witnessing unspeakable atrocities but she remained steadfast to her goals. Two men from the most affluent families in the country would fall in love with her. She would experience discrimination, corruption and deceit. Driven to survive, she relied on her strongest assets: her tenacity and intelligence. With one decision, she changed the course of her life.