Helen relaxed in the hall, her eyes sparkling as they landed on the concert tickets she held tightly. When Christina emerged from the office, Helen exclaimed, “Christina, guess what? We’re finally going to see them perform live!”
Christina paused, her face shadowed by concern. “Helen, I have some bad news. I can’t go.” Avoiding Helen’s gaze, she added, “I have something important to do.”
A playful suspicion arose in Helen. “Oh, is it a mysterious date you haven’t mentioned?”
Christina laughed softly. “No, it’s not a date.”
Growing more serious, Helen persisted. “So what’s the reason? We’ve been looking forward to this.”
“Please, let’s just leave it at that,” Christina said, shifting uncomfortably. However, Helen’s curiosity was insatiable. When Christina stepped away to get some water, Helen noticed a medical prescription on the coffee table. She couldn’t resist and glanced over the paper. Mrs. Emily Foster, she whispered. Emily was Christina’s ex-husband’s mother.
On Christina’s return, Helen questioned her. “Why are you still helping your ex-husband’s mother, Christina? You’ve been divorced for a long time.”
Christina remained silent for a moment. With a gentle smile, she replied, “Emily’s always been good to me. Right now, she needs someone, and that someone is me.”
Helen sighed. “I just think you deserve better. You’re so caring, and you’re still alone.”
Christina softly replied, “Caring for Emily brings me a different kind of happiness, Helen.”
Helen and Christina’s friendship seemed genuine on the outside, but hidden beneath their interactions was a bond built on manipulation. Christina, ever the kind and trusting soul, often overlooked Helen’s actions. Whenever they stepped out together, Helen ensured she stood out, from her carefully selected outfits to her attention-grabbing comments. The concert tickets were a prime example; Helen had bragged about securing tickets to the hottest concert in town, yet she never thought of whether it aligned with Christina’s musical preferences.
The deeper sting for Christina was during their social outings. Helen would often make unsolicited comments about Christina’s single status, parading her around and introducing her to any single man present, her voice dripping with pity as if Christina was a project needing intervention. Christina often felt like a mere accessory in Helen’s social game.
As they approached the bridge, the point where their paths would diverge, Christina gathered her thoughts. “Helen, I truly appreciate your concern for me. I believe that someday, I’ll find the right person. Please, go on and enjoy yourself. I need to head in a different direction today.”
Christina inhaled deeply, the crisp cold air filling her lungs. Her thoughts quickly turned to Emily. On a normal day, Emily would have started the furnace by now, but if she was having one of her painful episodes of migraines and high blood pressure, she’d be confined to bed. With a growing sense of urgency, Christina quickened her pace towards the bus stop. She decided to drop by the pharmacy for some much-needed medication.
“Christina, dear, how are things with you and Emily?” Margaret, the kind-hearted pharmacist who had been Emily’s neighbor for years, greeted her warmly.
“Hi Margaret. Everything’s much the same,” Christina replied.
“Dear Christina, Emily is truly fortunate to have you. Despite all that’s happened, you’ve stayed by her side.”
“Emily is like family to me,” Christina responded softly.
Margaret shook her head with a mixture of disbelief and pity. “I’ll never understand how a woman as good-hearted as Emily could have raised such a son.”
Collecting the medications, Christina left, her heart heavy. She had always been a firm believer in serendipity. The day she bumped into her ex-husband, Stephen, at a local coffee shop, their eyes locked, and it felt as though the universe had conspired for that very moment. Six whirlwind months later, they were engaged. However, she couldn’t help but point out that she hadn’t even met his parents yet.
Stephen took her to his mother’s house the following weekend. Emily greeted them with a warm smile, and Christina quickly bonded with her. A few weeks later, Emily called Christina, asking her to visit. Over tea, Emily took a deep breath and shared a shocking revelation: Stephen had been married twice before.
“He’s my son and I love him,” Emily began, “but I don’t want to see your heart get broken.”
Although taken aback, Christina expressed that Stephen had always been kind and loving. Their conversation concluded with an embrace, but as Christina left, her mind was clouded. The subsequent days were filled with introspection. She decided against confronting Stephen, holding on to the belief that everyone deserved redemption. Time flew, and soon they were exchanging vows.
Christina often thought back to that pivotal moment. Their quaint home stood as a reminder of what once was. Stephen, with his lofty ambitions, had convinced her to sell their apartment and put the money into a seemingly promising business idea. Worse yet, he had persuaded his unsuspecting mother to do the same. As the days unfolded, Stephen came clean. Not only had he lost every penny, but he had also dug them deep into debt.
Within the first year of their marriage, the pressure of not conceiving started to create cracks in their bond. Stephen’s patience wore thin, his reluctance to consult a doctor driven by fear and old-fashioned notions. One chilly evening, his bottled-up emotions erupted. “Perhaps you’re the reason we can’t start a family,” he spat out. The final straw came when Stephen revealed he was seeing another woman, hoping she would provide him with the family he yearned for. Christina’s world fell apart.
Emily was beside herself with anger when she learned the truth. “How can you walk away from someone so genuine?” she demanded of Stephen. Yet Stephen, blinded by his desires, just turned his back and left, eventually marrying his new flame. The sting of being abandoned by her son and ignored by his new wife left Emily grappling with immense loneliness.
Christina could see the pain in Emily’s eyes. After her pause, Emily gestured for Christina to sit beside her and began to share a tale from her past. “Christina, when I was about your age, I was engaged to a kind man named Howard. I thought of him as the love of my life. I also had a close friend named Lucy, or so I believed.” As the wedding preparations were in full swing, she learned that Howard had fallen for Lucy. To make matters worse, Lucy became pregnant with his child. Heartbroken, Emily watched as they moved away.
However, a couple of years later, she received an unexpected call from a distraught Lucy, who confessed that Howard had left her. Lucy’s health deteriorated rapidly. Realizing she had limited time, she asked Emily to care for her son, Stephen. Emily willingly accepted, having grown genuinely fond of the boy. Christina listened, tears welling in her eyes, realizing the depth of Emily’s compassion and the intricate ties that bound their shared history.
Christina was heartbroken seeing how Stephen’s neglect affected Emily, making her fall ill frequently. Eventually, Emily had a stroke. Many suggested that Christina move Emily to a specialized care center, but Christina’s mind was made up. She was going to care for Emily.
When the shuttle reached her stop, she started her walk home. The sight of smoke billowing from her chimney brought a momentary sense of relief; it meant Emily had managed to light the stove. But that relief was short-lived. An ambulance stood outside their house. Panic rolled up inside her. Rushing inside, she learned that Emily had suffered another stroke.
When Emily finally regained consciousness, her words didn’t come out clearly. Christina looked up, her eyes full of warmth. “Don’t worry,” she said, her voice as soft as a feather. “The doctors told me you might have trouble talking for a bit, but I’m here with you.”
Despite the advice from her colleagues, Christina left her job. She wanted to be there for Emily, no matter what others thought. Over time, Emily began to regain her strength. Christina was her rock, cheering her on during speech therapy, holding her hand as she took her first shaky steps.
Upon returning to her job, Christina discovered a new management team. Eddie, the new owner, had a keen interest in understanding his employees. Word quickly spread about Christina’s dedication to an elderly lady, and Eddie was deeply touched by her compassion. However, he didn’t realize that the elderly woman was Christina’s mother-in-law.
Christina’s quiet commitment stood in stark contrast to Eddie’s other employees. Her personal life remained a puzzle. Then there was Helen. If the office was a beehive, Helen was its most buzzing bee. While most found Helen’s vibrant nature infectious, Eddie sometimes felt overwhelmed by her constant chatter.
One busy day, a critical project landed on their desk. Without hesitation, Eddie handed the most demanding parts to Christina, trusting her proven track record. As the deadline loomed, the office’s atmosphere grew tense. One day, Eddie found a distraught Helen in the kitchen. “I’ve fallen behind, Eddie,” she admitted, teary-eyed. Just then, Christina entered. “I can chip in after I’m done with my part,” she offered, surprising both of them.
When Christina handed in her portion, Eddie was amazed. She had meticulously completed her tasks and added thoughtful recommendations no one had considered.
Then, on a particularly stressful day, a vibrant bouquet of flowers appeared on Christina’s desk. The card read, “For the light you bring, even when you’re not aware,” but there was no name. Helen, always in the loop, was stumped. The office buzzed with speculation. The constant attention was becoming too much for Christina.
A few days later, a courier delivered another extravagant basket of flowers. Helen’s envy was palpable. “Another surprise for you, Christina? Did you order these for yourself, maybe to pretend someone’s interested?”
Every day, a fresh bouquet appeared. The office was abuzz. Feeling isolated, Christina needed to discover who was behind this.
One day, as she was about to head out for lunch, a man in a chauffeur’s uniform held the main door open for her. He walked her to a sleek sedan and opened the passenger door. “You’ll find out soon enough, Madame,” he said with a warm smile.
The car made its way to one of the city’s most elegant restaurants. A smiling waiter motioned for her to follow him to a secluded spot. Before she could ask anything, the man at the table turned around. “Hello, Christina. Please, join me.” To her astonishment, it was Eddie.
When Eddie first learned of Christina’s heartwarming actions, he found it hard to believe. Wanting to verify the story, he visited Emily while Christina was at work. When he met Emily and realized all he’d heard was true, his respect for Christina grew immensely.
Eddie had a personal reason for wanting to learn more about her. For years, he had remained single, lamenting how many people seemed to prioritize material wealth over genuine connections. Christina’s selfless actions deepened his intrigue.
During their lunch, Christina chuckled, “You really went overboard with all those flowers, didn’t you?”
Eddie looked slightly embarrassed. “I apologize. I just thought you deserved something beautiful every day. Honestly, I didn’t know how to approach you directly.”
During their lunch, Christina felt the need to be open about her past. “Before things progress further,” she said, “there’s something I need to share. I was married once before.”
Eddie looked at her with understanding. “I already know about it. Your past is a part of you, but it doesn’t define our present. We all have stories, Christina.”
Eddie and Christina began spending more time together, a slow exploration. Having navigated a failed marriage, Christina was wary of diving in too quickly. They decided to keep their budding relationship under wraps.
However, secrets have a way of unraveling. One day, a colleague spotted them in an intimate moment. The rumor mill went into overdrive. When Helen caught wind of the gossip, she was livid. Envy consumed her, and she hatched a plan, spreading fabricated tales of Christina’s past.
One day, Helen stormed into Eddie’s office. “I can’t believe you’re seriously considering a relationship with Christina! Do you even know her past? She was married and sold their apartment, causing her husband to run off!”
Eddie was calm, armed with the truth. “I’m aware that Christina was married,” he replied, walking toward the window. “I also know why her husband left her. He left her for another woman.” Eddie paused, his eyes locking onto Helen’s as he turned back around. “And that woman, Helen, was you.”
Helen was dumbfounded. She had underestimated Eddie. After speaking with Emily, he had tracked down Stephen and offered him money for the truth. The promise of quick cash loosened Stephen’s lips.
The room went silent. Helen’s schemes had caught up to her.
“To think you would betray your best friend like that,” Eddie murmured, shaking his head. “I won’t tell Christina about this,” he finally said, his voice firm. “She’s endured enough heartache. But you will leave her alone. No more schemes, no more rumors. And while I won’t dismiss you, I expect you to act professionally. Any harm directed at my family, and there will be consequences.”
Helen, once the chatterbox of the office, retreated into a shell. When she suddenly stopped coming to work, Christina asked Eddie, who shared that she had decided to move and begin anew.
Amidst all this, Christina had a significant event coming up: meeting Eddie’s mother, Grace. Since her own parents were no longer around, she brought Emily with her. From the moment they were introduced, the two women clicked. As the evening progressed, they exchanged stories, laughed together, and found comfort in each other’s company.
As Christina became more involved in Eddie’s business, their romance became known. One New Year’s Eve, as Christina wrapped up her final report, Eddie stepped out from behind a parked car, holding a huge bouquet of pristine white roses.
“Come on, it’s New Year’s Eve, work can wait,” he playfully chastised her.
That night, in the warmth of Eddie’s home, Emily arose from her seat, her eyes shimmering. She gazed at Christina. “I might have lost Stephen, but in his place, I gained a precious daughter and a wonderful son.”
Fast forward two months, Eddie and Christina were happily married. In another four months, they had joyous news: they were expecting a baby. Christina’s story was a testament to the power of resilience and kindness. Despite life’s challenges, she held on to the values her parents had taught her: to always lend a helping hand and to be kind. And as they say, kindness always comes back to you, sometimes even tenfold.