Anna returned home from the cafe, packed her belongings, and drove to her grandfather’s house in the countryside. It was a small blue cottage with a wooden door, very different from Anna’s in Cleveland, but here she could find peace and a well-deserved break from housework and, especially, Edward’s lies.
The woman creaked open the gate upon arrival, but as she took a step forward towards the front door, she noticed a man lying unconscious in the yard with a shovel beside him. Blood had covered every square inch of the shovel as if someone had hit him on the head with it.
Anna called 911 right away and rushed the man to the hospital. Fortunately, they made it in time, and the man was out of danger. But when she got home from the hospital, she had another surprise in store for her. Her dear husband Edward was waiting for her at the cottage.
“I have been searching for you the whole day, Anna! You just disappeared without a trace. Where have you been?” Edward inquired.
“Because you were so preoccupied with your work and ‘client meetings,’ I decided to take a vacation with my baby,” Anna said indifferently. “It’s not as if I have to ask you for your permission for everything. Anyway, what are you doing here?”
Edward’s tone abruptly shifted. “Are you upset about something, honey? Do you want me to get you something?”
“No, Edward,” Anna retorted. “Right now, all I need is sleep. So, please move. And, yes, I’ll be sleeping alone, so you can sleep outside on the couch!”
Anna went to bed, but her thoughts kept returning to the man she’d discovered unconscious in her yard. What exactly was he doing here? Was she on the lookout for something? Is he familiar with me? And how did he get a head injury? Her head was racing with questions.
Anna fell asleep while trying to find answers for her inquisitive mind and was awakened by the sun the following day. It was mildly cold, so she reached out for the blanket, but she couldn’t find it.
She awoke, irritated, and was about to yell at Edward if he’d pulled it to his side when she realized she’d been sleeping alone.
However, as Anna looked around the room, she noticed it was in a terrible state. The blanket had been thrown on the floor, her room’s cupboard had open drawers, and her luggage had been opened and rummaged through.
If this is you, Edward, I swear you’re dead today! Anna was furious as she dashed into the living room. But that space was in no better shape. It was even messier than she’d found it when she first entered the house, and Edward was nowhere to be found.
She was about to go outside and check the yard for him, but just then, her gaze was drawn to a crumpled sheet of paper on the ground. When she picked it up, she discovered it was a blueprint for her cottage with a red circle at its center.
She dashed to the loft as it came under the circled region and discovered that, too, was messed up. Edward had vanished as if he didn’t exist, and the yard had been dug out in one corner.
Worried, she was about to call him, but just then she heard a voice from behind. “I’m sorry, but I hope I didn’t disturb you!” it said.
Anna turned around and discovered the man she’d saved the previous day standing at the doorstep. “Oh, it’s you! Are you all right now?” she worriedly inquired.
The man sighed as he looked around Anna’s house, which was in a state of disarray. “I was taken to the hospital on time thanks to your assistance,” he said. “By the way, my name is Andrew. Can I come inside, if you don’t mind? I’d like to speak with you about something…”
Anna offered tea to Andrew, and that’s when he started telling her the whole story. Andrew turned out to have cared for Anna’s grandfather in his final days. So, before his death, her grandfather told the kind man about the treasure hidden in the yard near his house.
“He also gave me a letter,” Andrew explained, “and it was addressed to you to an address in Florida. I went there, but you’d already left, so I waited until you came back so I could give it to you. I wasn’t there on his funeral day; otherwise, we could have met that day.”
Anna opened the letter and began reading it.
“Dear Anna, I hope you’re doing well,” the letter began, “I know it might come as a shock to you, but I have a box hidden in my yard, and there’s a map to it.”
“My grandfather gave it to me before he died, and I wanted to give it to you on your wedding day, but I’m sorry to say that your husband already has his eye on it. Edward is not who he appears to be. He came to see me after you two got married and overheard me talking to Andrew.”
“By the way, Andrew is the man who will most likely deliver this letter to you. The brooch you’ll find inside the box is worth millions of dollars, and it is a relic of our ancestors that has been passed down to us. Edward will not find it as long as he does not obtain the map. I hope you find it and keep it in a safe place. Love, Grandpa Silas.”
As Anna finished the letter, she showed a picture of Edward to Andrew. “Have you seen him around, or do you know him?”
“Oh, yes, he’s the man who comes here often. When I came here that day to clean the yard, I found him here, and he hit me over the head with a shovel.”
When Andrew said that, it all made sense: Edward’s sudden appearance at the cottage and his sudden disappearance. Anna immediately called the police and informed them of the situation. In no time, Edward was apprehended, and he confessed to the theft, and Anna was able to recover the brooch.
After the incident, Anna decided to cut all ties with Edward, who’s serving time in prison, and she and Andrew are now raising her son, Brandon, together.
What can we learn from this story?
You can’t escape karma. Edward decided to flee with the ancient brooch, but he was apprehended and punished for his actions.
Everything in life happens for a reason. If Anna hadn’t caught Edward cheating on her that day, she would never have found out the truth about Edward.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a young mother who found an old crib on her doorstep with an envelope inside.
Pregnant Taxi Driver Takes a Homeless Man to the Hospital, Next Morning She Sees a Motorcade of SUVs Outside Her Window
On a rainy night, a very pregnant taxi driver stops to help a homeless, injured stranger, offering him a free ride to the hospital. But the next morning, she wakes to find a convoy of SUVs outside her house, with suited men waiting to share a truth that would change her life forever.
Cleo had been driving taxis for two years, and by now, she’d seen it all: late-night partiers stumbling home, families racing to catch flights, and remorseful businessmen smelling of cocktails and secrets. She’d heard countless stories, dried her fair share of tears, and learned to read people before they even stepped into her cab.
As she navigated the foggy streets, her back ached, and her unborn baby’s kicks pressed against her ribs—a reminder that her night shifts were becoming unbearable. But bills didn’t stop for anyone, so she whispered to her belly, “Just a few more hours, love. Then we can go home to Chester.” She imagined her orange tabby, Chester, sprawled on her pillow at home, shedding fur everywhere as her only true companion.
Her mind drifted back to the heartbreak she’d endured only five months ago. She had excitedly shared the news of her pregnancy with her husband, Mark, only to learn he’d been unfaithful with his secretary, Jessica, who was also expecting. Within weeks, Mark left and drained their bank account, leaving Cleo to work endless shifts to provide for the baby alone.
Late one night, just three weeks before her due date, Cleo’s attention was caught by a lone figure struggling along the highway’s shoulder, drenched by the rain. Even from afar, he looked injured and desperate. He staggered in tattered clothes, one arm held to his chest as he dragged himself forward. Cleo knew she should keep driving, especially at eight months pregnant, but her instincts overruled caution. Rolling down her window, she called out, “Are you okay? Need help?” The stranger, visibly shaken and bloody, pleaded, “I just need to get somewhere safe.”
Without hesitation, Cleo unlocked her doors, and he collapsed into the backseat. She quickly realized they were being followed as headlights flooded her mirror. The stranger urged her to drive faster, and Cleo’s adrenaline kicked in, navigating the winding streets with the skill of a seasoned driver. Finally, she lost the trailing car and brought her passenger to the hospital. As he thanked her, she thought little of her good deed, returning home exhausted and ready for a quiet morning.
But that morning was anything but quiet. Cleo awoke to the rumble of engines outside and peeked out her window to see a dozen sleek black SUVs lining her street. Men in suits formed a perimeter around her home, and Cleo’s heart raced, wondering if she’d unwittingly helped a criminal the night before. Opening the door cautiously, she was met by a man in an expensive suit who introduced himself as James, head of security for the Atkinson family.
“Last night, you helped their son, Archie,” he explained. The name Atkinson meant little to Cleo until she realized they were the Atkinsons—the billionaire family with a tech empire. Their son had been kidnapped three days earlier, and the ransom set at 50 million dollars. She had saved Archie on the side of the road without knowing it.
Archie explained, “They moved me last night, and I saw my chance to escape. But I wouldn’t have made it without you. I owe you everything.” His father, overcome with gratitude, handed Cleo an envelope with a check that made her knees nearly give out.
“Please, sir, this is too much,” she stammered, but Mr. Atkinson insisted, “It’s a small thank you for saving our son.” He glanced at her belly and added gently, “No child should enter this world with a mother who has to worry about providing.” Tears filled her eyes as Archie leaned forward, proposing that she lead a new community safety initiative for their family’s foundation—an effort to foster more people like her, who aren’t afraid to help.
As Cleo accepted their offer and watched the convoy leave, she felt an unfamiliar lightness, the burdens of the past few months finally lifting. She glanced down at her belly and whispered, “Did you hear that, little one? Mommy’s night job just got a big upgrade. And we did it by just being human.”
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