Three journals left behind by Gabriela, after her untimely death, for her daughter, Sarita, a young adult, become windows into the past. The past then becomes alive, as Sarita reads through the journals, and learns more about the life of Gabriela, an illegal immigrant from Mexico, who seeks the American Dream, and Dante, an artist, who seeks redemption. Both are united and divided by a crime syndicate, Nada Mas, and eventually, what binds them back together is a child, Sarita. It is after both Gabriela and Dante break ties with Nada Mas that Gabriela is abducted, held captive, and forcefully deported back to Mexico, and Dante, who is seeking refuge in Mexico, takes Sarita with him, from New Jersey, cross country, to Mexico, and back, all while two separate branches of the FBI are pursuing Dante, along with Nada Mas. In the end Sarita learns about her true origins, and Dante and Gabriela, discover truth.