The Shocking Revelation
When the man told Susan how much the necklace was worth, she was in total disbelief. She stood frozen, pale, clutching the necklace tightly in her hand.
It had been the hardest week of her life, but now, it seemed like everything had changed. Her husband had left her over money, and now, she was on the verge of becoming a millionaire.
A Life Forever Changed
Susan would never forget the moment she signed the final divorce papers. For years, she had believed John was the one, imagining a future where they'd grow old together and start a family.
But now, it was all over. That future wouldn’t happen. Sitting at her dining room table, she tried to hold back the tears that had been flowing for weeks. She had no choice but to start a new life.
The Necklace's Secret
As Susan sat in the small house they had shared for years, her fingers traced the necklace hanging from her neck. John had always hated that necklace. He would call it cheap, ugly.
He never understood why it meant so much to her. That misunderstanding had been one of the many reasons their marriage had failed. How could she have stayed with a man who didn’t get her?
Memories and Regrets
Silent, Susan replayed all the harsh words John had spoken over the years. Every insult, every snide comment. She needed to escape these thoughts.
Without warning, she stood, pushed her chair back, and grabbed her car keys. She didn’t have a destination in mind, but she had to leave. She had to clear her head.
The Appraiser's Shop
Eventually, Susan found herself at a strip mall near her home. She wasn’t sure why she had come here, but as she walked past store after store, something caught her eye—a small appraiser’s shop she hadn’t noticed before.
She absentmindedly touched the old necklace around her neck. It was time to find out if it was truly as worthless as John had always claimed.
A Memory of Love
Susan would never forget the day she met John Davis in Cleveland. It was at a company Christmas dinner, and the moment she saw him, she was smitten.
John had curly hair and bright eyes, the most handsome man she’d ever seen. Confident at 23, Susan didn’t hesitate to walk up and tell him how she felt.
The Charm of a New Romance
John was charmed by Susan, and they spent the rest of the evening talking and dancing. Their relationship blossomed quickly from there.
As a successful businessman, John treated her to fancy dinners, daily flowers, and extravagant dates. Who could have known that their whirlwind romance would end the way it did?
Dreams of Forever
Soon, John and Susan were engaged and living together. It was then that John asked if she wanted to stay home, knowing how much she disliked her job. For Susan, it felt like a dream come true.
She quit her job, and for the first few years, their life together was everything she had ever hoped for.
The Perfect Life
John and Susan settled into a beautiful home in Ohio. They had a great circle of friends and spent weekends at fancy resorts, exploring their city.
Their early years of marriage were perfect. Susan imagined a future with John—growing old together and starting a family. But over time, things began to change.
Work Comes First
The change started when John began spending more time at the office. He’d leave for work at 7 a.m. and often didn’t return until after 9 p.m.
This bothered Susan, but when she asked him about it, he explained that a major contract deadline was approaching. She accepted his excuse, believing he was just working hard to provide for their life while she enjoyed the freedom at home.
Months Passed
This carried on for months. Eventually, John even started working on the weekends, which bothered Susan. Suddenly, their old routines of going to fancy new places and trying expensive restaurants had come to a halt.
Now, Susan was spending most nights alone at home, eating whatever dinner she had made while John went on "business dinners" with his colleagues. At least, that's what he told her.
Behavior Changes
But it wasn't long before his behavior started to change while he was at home. In the past, John had always been the sweetest man. Every day, he showered his wife with compliments and told her that she was the most gorgeous woman he had ever met.
But as the months went by, she noticed his personality shifting. Suddenly, he was impatient, always watching his watch, waiting for her to stop talking so he could go to work. But one day, everything came crashing down around her.
Home Early
That afternoon, Susan was confused when she heard her husband's car pull up to their driveway in the middle of the workday. He said he wouldn't be home until much later.
She peeked out of the window, and that's when she noticed it. John was walking toward the house with a box in his hands. The box contained the things he once kept on his desk at work. That afternoon, he came clean to his wife.
Unbelievable
Susan couldn't believe it when John revealed that he had been fired from his job after his boss found out that he had been cheating with his wife. Suddenly, John came clean about everything that had happened in the last few months.
He held Susan's hands with tears in his eyes as he finally came out with the truth. All along, he had been spending those late nights and weekends with another woman. His boss's wife.
A Mistake
"I am so sorry, Susan," he said with tears pouring from his eyes. "I made a mistake. It happened so suddenly, but it has taught me how much I truly love you. You are the only woman for me. I am going to fix this," he said.
Susan was heartbroken, and for weeks, she stayed in their bedroom, sitting in bed, wondering where she was supposed to go from there.
Nowhere To Go
How was she supposed to leave? She had no job, no experience after spending years tending to their home while John provided for them. She had nowhere to go, no money of her own. She was trapped.
Susan didn't want to stay with a man who had hurt her in such a way, but what else could she do? For weeks, she tried to forgive John while he looked for a new job, trying to fix everything he had broken. But it didn't work.
Looking For A New Job
John was struggling to find a new job that would pay as well as his previous position, and being the stubborn man that he was, he refused to settle for anything less.
The next few months were difficult. Slowly, Susan could feel her love for John fading as he turned more and more agitated by the day. She needed a way out. But one day, something strange happened.
The Jewelry Box
That morning, Susan was sitting on the bed in their bedroom, sifting through an old jewelry box her mom had gotten her. That was when John walked in, eyeing the box suspiciously. "What are you doing?" he asked.
"Thinking of selling some old jewelry, just to put some food on the table," she said, removing one of her mother's old necklaces from the box.
Sign Here
John chuckled, rolling his eyes. "You'd barely get a penny for that old piece of garbage," he said in a condescending tone. "Anyway, here, sign there," he said, tossing a stack of paper on the bed.
Susan reached for the paper, reading it with a strange look on her face. "You want a divorce?" she asked, confused. Secretly, she was grateful that something was giving her the push she needed.
How Much It Was Worth
That all led to Susan showing up at the appraiser that day. The man held that same necklace in his hands, his eyes growing wide. "This is magnificent. Your mother left you with some real treasure," he told her.
"Do you know how much it's worth?" Susan asked, hopeful that it could at least help her out with the uncertainty she was now facing.
Life-Changing
That was when the man revealed that the special necklace was worth millions of dollars. Susan fell to her knees suddenly, with tears pouring down her face. This was exactly what she needed.
She couldn't believe her luck. That was the day Susan's life changed. She was able to start her own company with that money and set herself up for life. But years later, she bumped into John again.
The Grocery Store
She was at a local grocery store when she suddenly felt a hand on her shoulder. She turned around, stunned when she saw the man she once loved.
"Susan, it has been so many years," he said. She was stunned. He looked nothing like his old self. He was no longer wearing his fancy suits. His hair and clothes were a mess, and secretly, that made her happy.
Seeing Him Again
"You look incredible," he said, his eyes trailing over her new dress and gorgeous shoes. Then, his eyes landed on the designer bag hanging from her shoulder. "I assume you found a new man to give you everything you wanted," he said.
"No," she grinned. "I mean, I have started dating something new, but this is all my own. Bought it myself," she said.
She Was Set Up
John was confused. "You remember that garbage necklace you said no one would pay for? Well, let's just say it set me up for life," she grinned.
John looked shocked, his eyes wide as he shook his head. "That is wonderful, I'm so happy for you," he paused. "Would you want to get dinner sometime? You look fantastic."
No, Thanks
It took all of Susan's strength to keep the friendly smile on her face. She shook her head politely, mumbling a quiet, "No, thanks," before taking a step away from him.
She took one last glance at him, wanting to cringe at the state he was in. "It was nice to see you, John," she said with a smile before heading on her way.