Valeria Torres and the Midas Vault

Author's note

[Theme song above- Written in the Stars - Tinie Tempah ft. Eric Turner]

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Note: her name is pronounced:

Vah-Larry-ahh

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Hello everyone!

Finally got around to making a more official note before you begin Valeria's story. First, and foremost, I wanted to thank the staff at Wattpad for selecting Valeria's story as one of the winners of the 2020 Watty Awards! (For Sci-Fi) To recap, they picked her story because:

"It's super original, and dang, it's got so much heart. We love all the characters and their relationships. The plot covers difficult topics, but handles everything so well. You can't not fall in love with this story. We love the LGTBQ2+ and Hispanic main character as well!"

I'd also like to thank all the people who helped shape Valeria's story into the one you're about to read. I have to thank @TeaNHeartache, my Watty Bootcamp Mentor, whose suggestions really helped redefine the maturity level and voice of the protagonist. I'd also like to thank @Fallynsinclair and @VeraAnneWolf, two of the original Beta readers, who also helped Valeria find her voice. This is one of the most important aspects of this story, as voices like Valeria's are often misunderstood, marginalized, or disregarded.

While I do understand that some of the mature topics of this story might trigger some readers, I think it's important to realize that there are teenagers out there who have the same experiences as Valeria. While these traumatic experiences are part of Valeria's story, they do not define her, or stop her from becoming an unstoppable force throughout the story.

I have included some formalities below, but ultimately, I hope you enjoy her story!

-CML

1. Do not repost this on any other sites. This story belongs on Wattpad and no where else. If you find this story on another site, it is most likely a pirated version and should be avoided.

2. While the story mentions issues of racism and sexism, no racist or sexist comments will be tolerated and will be deleted.

3. This story overtly addresses issues of racism and sexism and drug use (marijuana, no hard drugs), while discretely addressing issues of abuse and addiction. These topics may be triggering for some readers – you have been warned.

4. None of the images in the chapter headings are my own. I have mainly borrowed generic images from google, while the cover art is a deviant artwork by NanFe.