Peter, 62, had spent most of his life building his wealth. He had never had a wife or children and, for a long time, had focused solely on his business.
He had always been brilliant as a child. By the time he was 18, he had opened his first company and dropped out of his first year of college to concentrate on his business full time.
One day, Peter went to see one of his old abandoned properties. He had several in the city, but this one was particularly special, as he had inherited it from his grandmother.
When he inherited the house, he was already wealthy and never felt the need to visit it, let alone live in it. However, he was planning to sell the house, so he had to check what repairs were needed before it went on the market.
The truth was that he was still a little reluctant to sell it, so he thought spending a little time there would help him make the decision. Peter and his grandmother were very close, so he also wanted some time to remember his precious moments there.
When he entered the house, he noticed that it was much worse than he had left it. The ceilings were badly damaged by mold, and when entering through the front door, there was a smell of dampness. It was a complete mess.
As he walked through the house, he recalled the various Christmas and family gatherings he had spent there with his family.
Unlike Peter, his grandmother had always cared about her loved ones and was one of the main reasons her family managed to survive all their hardships over the years. She knew a way to bring people together and bring light out of dark circumstances.
When he walked into her old bedroom, he noticed something that took him by surprise. On her bed, he found an old, tattered wedding dress. As he examined it thoroughly, he suddenly heard a soft voice from the next room:
“Who’s there?” the voice said.
Peter stepped out into the hallway and found a young pregnant woman looking at him fearfully while holding a baseball bat, ready to strike. The young woman looked homeless; her clothes looked dirty and old.
“This is my home. What are you doing here?” asked Peter.
“Oh! I’m sorry,” said the young woman, dropping the bat, feeling embarrassed. Then, suddenly, she burst into tears.
“I’m so sorry, sir. I just needed a place to sleep. I thought this house was abandoned,” Angie said.
“It’s okay. I don’t live here. It was my grandmother’s house. Is that your wedding dress in the bedroom?” asked Peter, helping her up.
“Yes. It was my mother’s,” Angie explained.
“It’s fine. I think there should still be some coffee around here. How about we share a cup? Then you can explain why you were about to hit me with a baseball bat in my own house,” Peter said with a comforting laugh.
“Excuse me,” Angie replied, joining Peter in momentary, soft laughter at the irony of their situation.
Peter and Angie sat in the kitchen drinking coffee while she explained the recent turn of events in her life. Angie was an orphan. The dress was the only thing she had, and she was supposed to wear it to her wedding a month ago.
However, her wealthy fiancé left her when he discovered she was pregnant, leaving Angie with nothing. He had been cheating on Angie with another woman and had called off their wedding at the last minute to be with her. He kicked Angie out of his house and moved in with the woman.
When Angie told Peter all this, he began to cry.
“I’m sorry, sir, did I say something wrong?” asked a confused Angie.
“No… No, it’s just that you remind me so much of my ex-girlfriend. I was also a fool like your ex-boyfriend. I left the love of my life when I started making a lot of money. I don’t know… I guess I felt like life had just begun, you know? That I was going to lose my freedom,” Peter said, embarrassed.
“Did you know she was the love of your life at the time?” asked Angie, grabbing his hand to comfort him.
“No. When I realized it was too late. After that, I never found true happiness. My relationships after her never really worked out, and I’ve never seen her since.”
“It still breaks my heart to this day,” Peter confessed, despondently.
“Don’t worry. I know I’m probably not the right person to give you this advice, but you can always find happiness. Even though things have been difficult for me lately, I still believe there is light in the darkness,” Angie said, hugging Peter.
That night Peter invited Angie to stay at one of his lofts in the city. Peter decided not to sell the house and preferred to renovate it. After a couple of months, the place looked brand new.
Peter helped Angie get back on her feet and gave her a job in one of his companies. Angie loved her job and even took a liking to one of Peter’s employees.
Peter completed the renovations to his house at about the same time Angie gave birth to a beautiful baby boy whom she named Peter. He felt this was divine timing, as he had always intended to give her the house once the renovations were done.
Angie was delighted when Peter showed her her new home. Peter was happy to have found happiness in his life through Angie and little Peter.
Years later, Angie married a loving man, an employee of Peter’s, and he had the honor of walking her down the aisle.
