CHAPTER 117

Francesca

I look in the mirror as I remember how I ended up here.

I, a shy girl, coming from the suburbs of Florence, without a father, disowned by her grandparents, raised by a struggling mother who braved the world to give me life, am here.

I've made it to the top.

I have men at my feet, a considerable fortune, I am a renowned professional in the field I love, and I have a fiancé I have always loved, even though I denied it for a while.

I conquered everything I wanted and today I can say that I am happy and fulfilled.

"You won, Francesca Diana Garrotti. You've won, Francesca Diana Zucalli," I say to the mirror as I smile victoriously.

- Goddess, are you ready? George asks, entering the dressing room. "The club is booming, we had to close the doors because we couldn't accommodate people who want to see the famous Diana, the huntress, one last time. We were forced to put the screen outside to calm down the people who were threatening to come in anyway.

"That's good... Suzi, are you ready?

"That's it, goddess, and I bet my collection of Gucci bags, which I love so much, that no one will know when one or the other will be on stage. This presentation will be epic. He claps his hands, happy with his life.

"And your new star of the night in Florence?" You're very mysterious, George. Not even for Gio, your partner, did you reveal who is the chosen one.

"It will be a surprise, but I tell you that she is more than ready. Of course, it doesn't reach the feet of Diana, the huntress, but it's a diamond that will be cut and reach the top soon.

"Not even your pseudonym, can you talk?"

"Well, ten minutes, goddess, and the stage will be yours, I mean, yours and Suzi's.

I smile at him as he leaves the same way he entered, in a burst.

Today one goddess leaves the scene, to make room for another, thus beginning a new cycle in the night of Florence.

Let's go to the last presentation to close this cycle with a golden key.

I get up from my chair, put on my mask, and then walk out of the dressing room towards the stage.

The dancers who have accompanied me for the years are lined up in the aisle and as I walk, they clap their hands as I thank them with a nod.

As soon as I approach the stage, I receive a bouquet of red roses and thank everyone by making a reference.

I hand the bouquet to Gio backstage and stand behind the curtain. Suzi then walks over and it feels like I'm standing in front of a mirror, where I see my reflection.

Yes, Suzi is just like me, clothes, hair, mask, everything, after all no one can even imagine that we are two different people, playing the same role.

I hear the audience call my name, I feel a shiver down my spine and butterflies in my stomach.

I always feel that way before I step on stage.

I hold Suzi's hand and smile at her.

"Good luck to us. Let's rock it," I say smiling.

- Let's go!

The curtain opens, so I step onto the stage and run my eyes around the venue. I smile when I meet my love, who doesn't take his eyes off me.

I give him a disguised wink, and he smiles.

Your father is next to you, drooling, but I know he thinks I'm Suzi, so I blow him a kiss, after all I can't give him a flag.

Lorenzo frowns at his father's comment, but soon returns to normal because he knows he has to join the staging.

I start dancing and during my performance, I switch places with Suzi who dances with grace and lightness, continuing the choreography.

As soon as the performance ends, I receive the applause, the light goes out and I switch places with Suzi who then receives the applause of everyone too, after all she deserves to be recognized as much as I do.

George takes the lead and then says to everyone:

"And this, my dears, was the last performance of our goddess, Diana. Those who saw her perform during these years were graced and will have in their memory moments of the purest magic.

"We thank our goddess, who has honored us for a few years with her majestic presence on this stage.

"We know she is unique and will be missed in the evenings of Florence."

Suzi leans in and thanks me as I clap her hands, following the others in the audience.

I look in Lorenzo's direction and realize that he is not at the table, he is certainly waiting for me in the dressing room.

Suzi leaves the stage and heads to the dressing room to meet her fiancé, my father-in-law, as he is getting up and heading towards the backstage venue.

"Now, my friends, we can't drop the shuttlecock. A great goddess leaves us today to make room for a rare new gem. With you, Helena, the goddess of beauty," George says and extends his hand to a masked blonde.

She enters the stage in a red lace bodysuit that stands out against her white skin and starts dancing, charming everyone around her.

I watch her smooth movements, her elegance and I know that she will walk a path of success if she follows George's precious advice and does not fall into the traps that this world of entertainment has.

I can say that the temptations are numerous, but you have to have a firm hand to deny and remain firm in your purpose.

I'm lost in Helena's dance steps, when I feel hands hugging me from behind.

I smell the perfume I know very well and smile.

- It was beautiful, amore mio.

"I danced for you. I turn toward you and kiss your lips.

"I knew very well when it was you and when it was Suzi, no matter how similar they were. But I confess that it was hard not to want to break the faces of a dozen guys who wanted what is mine and that kiss they sent to my father, I didn't like it at all.

- You said it well, it's yours and no one else's, no matter how much you want to. As for the kiss, he couldn't act like he didn't exist, he didn't want a fight between him and Suzi. It was with respect, after all he is my father-in-law.

"I understand, but that doesn't say I agree. - Pout and smile.

- Now, this stage of my life is over, Fez, and I am completely and exclusively yours.

We kissed, thus sealing a new cycle in our life, without any ties from the past, free to be happy.

Here died Diana, the huntress and thirsty for revenge to make way for Francesca who loves above all her Lorenzo Fernando Rocatelli.

The difference is that the girl has given way to a woman who knows what she wants and fights for it.