Lisbon, Portugal:
Sofia Mendes was a brunette with brown hair and a stunning figure. She was smart and intelligent. She was living with her mother Anabella and younger brother Lucas in Baixa, Lisbon's oldest downtown area.
Her mother, a housewife, raised them by working in a mall since her father Jacob left home one night and never returned. Sofia didn't know the reason behind her parent's frequent quarrels since her childhood. However, later she learned from her mother that there was another woman in her father's life and he left them for that woman.
Sofia started detesting her father since then, otherwise, she had a good tuning with him and he also loved her a lot and never hurt her. Sofia's brother Lucas was a kid when Jacob left Anabella.
She had grown up watching her mother struggle for their day-to-day living as her father didn't leave much money for them except for the house which was in Anabella’s name in which they were living currently of which loan was almost paid. The remaining small part of the loan was later repaid by Anabella.
Sofia gave up her studies and started working as a chef to earn bread and butter to help her mother. Both had now a responsibility to raise Lucas. Both worked to fulfil Lucas' education needs, as he was very brilliant in his studies.
She decided then that she won't marry. She also lost faith in any permanent relationship with men. She met Franco Felix in the hotel where she was working as a chef. She was a good cook only because of her mother. Franco was a gentleman and with initial hesitation, she became friends with him. She started to see a ray of hope in him in terms of her future partner as he helped her family a lot including financial help.
Sofia was fond of travelling since childhood, however, couldn't complete her dream. She remembered once her father took her and Lucas to Madrid when he had some work there. She enjoyed her stay with her father there and visited lots of tourist places.
One day her mother got half paralysis and got bedridden and complete responsibility fell on Sofia's shoulders.
By then, Lucas' education was almost complete. But he decided to go to the US as he got an opportunity there and he left them one day despite opposition from his mother and sister.
He never came back. No phone call. Nothing.
One day an earthquake shook the area and destroyed their house. Sofia's mother was buried under it and died when Sofia was away at work. Sofia couldn't even have the last word with her mother. She felt very sorry for her mother.
Everything for Sofia was lost. The only hope was Franco. She called him and told him everything. He promised to meet and support her as he was in some other town at that time.
She waited for days, and he didn't return. He never came back. No phone call. Nothing.
His parents were hiding from her something and couldn't talk to her with eye-to-eye contact. Anyway, it was not their fault. She thanked herself that, at least she used protection every time when she had sex with Franco in the past. Later she learned that her boyfriend also had got some other girl. And he left Sofia for her.
Further, she also tried to get help from some of her relatives in nearby cities but no help.
That day she lost faith in men. All of them. Her father, brother, and her boyfriend all were treacherous.
"All men are like that", she thought.
She got some amount from home insurance and some compensation from the government for the earthquake victims. Also, she had a good amount of savings in her bank account out of her job.
She lived in a hostel for a few days. With time, her sorrows and griefs faded.
However, she no longer enjoyed the city and her work. She wanted to become free from all the painful memories. The injured corner of her mind decided not to get involved in any relationship with any man in future.
Then, she decided to leave the city of Lisbon and go to London to try her luck for a better opportunity as a chef and further fulfil her dream as a traveller. A solo traveller. She started a new journey of life further which had no destination but had a definite purpose.
