The thought that Olivia knew nothing about finances gave him an idea. I can try to buy her shares for peanuts before she figures it out, the thought flashed in his mind. Victor quickly dialed her number and heard the short rings.

  • “We need to talk,” he said sharply when she answered.

It had been almost a month since Olivia had left her husband. She hadn’t waited for him to return from his “business trip”; she packed her things and decisively walked out of the house. Irene, the psychic, had offered her a place to stay in her small, dated apartment on the outskirts of the city. Life in the cramped one-bedroom in Astoria was tough, but Olivia felt safe and needed there.

Danny was overjoyed when he learned that Olivia would be staying with them. Now he wouldn’t have to say goodbye to his favorite friend, and they could spend their evenings listening to her stories late into the night. When Victor saw the conditions his wife was living in—a wife who hadn’t even insisted on splitting their assets—he felt a fleeting pang of guilt. But only for a moment.

He quickly suppressed the feeling, telling himself that Olivia had made her own choice. No one had kicked her out; they could have continued living as they were if she hadn’t made a scene. Composing himself, Victor began:

  • “Liv, sweetie,” he started, his tone uncharacteristically soft, “I was going through some old papers and remembered you have some shares my father left you. They’re basically worthless, some old paper he bought for sentimental reasons. But I need them for a business filing. How about I buy them from you? Just to make it official. I’ll give you a few thousand for your trouble.”

Olivia thought for a moment, then shrugged. Why not? she thought. She really needed the money right now, and if her husband himself was offering, maybe there was nothing suspicious about it. She picked up the pen to sign the documents Victor had helpfully laid out on the table in front of her. But just then, a stern voice came from behind her:

  • “Don’t sell.”

Olivia turned around. Irene was standing there, staring daggers at Victor.

  • “Don’t sell, Olivia,” the old woman repeated. “He’s tricking you again. He’s hiding something, I can see it.”

Victor flared up.

  • “What is this nonsense! The old woman’s completely lost her mind! Just sign here, and here,” he continued, pointing to the signature lines.

But Olivia suddenly frowned and pushed the documents away.

  • “No, Victor. I’m not signing anything. Irene is rarely wrong. I’m going to have this checked out first, and then I’ll decide.”

Victor scowled.

  • “Who are you going to listen to?!”

Olivia replied calmly:

  • “Who else should I listen to? You? You lost my trust a long time ago.”

Victor had no response. Clenching his jaw and shooting a venomous glare at the old woman, he was forced to leave empty-handed.

Irene had saved Olivia from a disastrous deal. It soon turned out the shares were worth far more than Victor had let on. The resulting sum was so substantial that it covered Danny’s surgery and his entire rehabilitation. Without a second thought, Olivia used the majority of the funds for the boy’s treatment; there was no room for greed in her heart. She felt she couldn’t have done anything else.

Thanks to her late father-in-law’s generous gift, she was able to pay for the operation at one of the best clinics abroad, as well as all of Irene’s living expenses during their stay.

When it was time for them to leave, the elderly woman hugged Olivia, tears streaming down her face.

  • “You’re like family to us now!” she said, her voice a mix of laughter and tears. “Come live with us! Danny adores you!”

Olivia smiled and replied:

  • “I love Danny very much too, and I’ll definitely visit every day when you get back. But I have some news. Leo and I have decided to live together. I’m moving in with him.”

Irene smiled warmly.

  • “He’s a good man. You’ll be happy with him.”

And Olivia truly felt happy. She had never experienced so much love, care, and understanding from a man before.

Her biggest worry was being unemployed, but Olivia tried to stay positive. She assured herself that everything would work out. They can’t keep me on this blacklist forever! And I can always find some kind of job, even if it’s not in my field. At least Leo is working—we’ll manage for now, she told herself.

However, her bright hopes for a peaceful future clashed with a harsh reality. Nicholas, his pride wounded that Olivia had chosen another man, proved to be incredibly vindictive. For him, this wasn’t just a lost rivalry—it was a personal insult that he was determined to avenge.

One evening, Leo came home from work earlier than usual. He sank onto the sofa, covering his eyes with his hand in exhaustion.

  • “I quit,” he said quietly.
  • “What happened?” Olivia asked, anxiously sitting down next to him. “You always said you loved your job.”

Leo gave a bitter laugh.

  • “It’s Nicholas. He can’t leave us alone. Turns out my former captain is an old buddy of his from the academy. He’s been making calls, spreading poison. He called me into his office and laid it out: either I resign quietly, or they’d find a way to bury me in internal affairs complaints and fire me for cause. I had no choice.”

He gently pulled Olivia into an embrace, holding her close, and added softly:

  • “I’m sorry, Liv. I’ll figure something out. We’ll get through this. I won’t let anyone hurt you.”

But their situation grew more difficult. Their money was running out, and Leo couldn’t find a new job. It seemed that Nicholas’s influence had effectively blacklisted him from any law enforcement or high-level security positions in the tri-state area. Every potential employer seemed to shy away from him.

After seeing Leo off to another interview, Olivia, with a heavy heart, took out her small collection of antique trinkets. Going through them one by one, she set aside a few of what she considered the most valuable pieces. Tomorrow, she planned to visit an antique shop owned by an old acquaintance of Leo’s and try to sell them to get by for a little longer. On her way back, she’d stop by the local convenience store—she’d seen a ‘Help Wanted’ sign for a cashier yesterday. In their situation, they couldn’t be picky; they needed any job they could get.

When she showed her treasures at the shop, the elderly man behind the counter, wearing thick-lensed glasses, glanced at her items with a dismissive smirk.

  • “I’m afraid you won’t get much for these. Maybe enough for a couple of coffees.”

But then his eyes landed on the antique box. His expression instantly changed. He grabbed the box with both hands, as if it held some incredible secret.

  • “Olivia, this…” his voice trembled, “this is a different story altogether!” he said with excitement, examining it closely through a magnifying glass.
  • “My God, could it be?” he whispered, lost in thought.

Olivia held her breath, watching the expert, waiting for his final verdict.

  • “You know,” the man finally said, his excitement palpable, “I believe this box is the work of a very famous master craftsman. This is a truly priceless artifact.” He paused for a moment, took off his glasses, and wiped his brow, then broke into a wide smile. “No, it’s more than that—this is an astronomically expensive piece. Collectors will be fighting over it!”

His voice shook with anticipation.

  • “If the appraisal confirms its authenticity, Olivia, you could be a millionaire…”

Passengers from the international flight streamed out of the terminal, eager to catch a cab and get on with their day. In the bustling crowd, Olivia immediately spotted Irene walking hand-in-hand with Danny. The boy was laughing happily, clearly amused by one of his grandmother’s stories. Olivia waved her arms, calling out:

  • “Danny! Irene!”

When they saw her, they headed in her direction. Olivia joyfully hugged the boy, who looked completely transformed—he had a healthy color in his cheeks, and his eyes shone with life.

  • “Oh, Danny, I’ve missed you so much!” she exclaimed, holding him tight.

Irene was nervously looking around, overwhelmed by the chaotic airport atmosphere.

  • “Liv, let’s hurry! Our bus is over there, we’re going to miss it!” she urged them.

Olivia smiled mysteriously.

  • “We’re taking a car,” she said, and seeing the surprise on the old woman’s face, she added, “we have a surprise for you.”

During the drive, Olivia filled them in on everything that had happened in the past few months. She told them about the deal with the antique dealers, which had brought them a significant sum of money. With it, they had bought a new house and finally moved. In the meantime, Leo had started his own private investigation agency, and she had decided to open her own pharmacy. With these funds, they could finally realize all their long-held dreams.

Olivia also told them about Victor. His attempt to invest the money from the sale of his shares had ended in disaster—he lost almost everything. And his new wife, quickly realizing the lavish lifestyle was over, had left him for another man, unwilling to settle for an ordinary life.

  • “Everyone got what they deserved,” Olivia remarked with a faint smile.

Meanwhile, their brand-new, gleaming sedan smoothly pulled into a driveway through automatic gates. A manicured lawn spread out before them, with a modern, two-story house at its center.

  • “This is where we live now, all of us together,” Olivia announced proudly.

Irene was in shock, not daring to get out of the car. But Danny jumped out first and began to run around the yard joyfully.

  • “Hooray! Hooray! I love it here! I want to live here!” he shouted, excitedly racing through the huge house, where everyone now had their own cozy room. Only Leo and Olivia shared a bedroom—after all, they were newlyweds.

Irene walked over to Olivia, put an arm around her shoulders, and whispered:

  • “Liv, you’re glowing from the inside. I noticed it at the airport, but I wanted to tell you in private. You’re pregnant, I can feel it. And I am so happy for you.”

They embraced, and tears of joy streamed down their cheeks.

  • “I guess if you want something badly enough, it really does happen,” Olivia whispered, smiling through her tears. “Though not always in the way you imagine. Sometimes it feels like fate takes a wrong turn, but then everything falls into place.”

Irene nodded in agreement.

  • “Everything that happens,” she confirmed, “really is for the best.”