During their divorce, a wealthy husband decided to leave his wife with a derelict farm in the middle of nowhere. But a year later, something happened that left him utterly stunned.
“You know I dont need you here, right, Nicholas?” Emily said firmly. “Why dont you just go back to the city?”
“What city are you talking about?” he replied wearily. She had been betrayed by the person she once trusted most and no longer had the energy to argue. They had started from scratch, sold their flat, and poured everything into their business. Nicholas had only contributed a small room in a shared flat, while Emily had been the driving force behind their success with her intelligence and dedication. They had lived modestly, moving from one rental to another, but they had eventually built stability.
Over time, Nicholas began acting like the sole owner. Cleverly, he transferred all assets into his name, ensuring Emily would get nothing in the divorce. Once everything was under his control, he filed for divorce.
“Does this seem fair to you, Nicholas?” Emily asked, disappointed.
He shrugged indifferently. “Dont start this again. You havent contributed in ages. I do everything, while you do nothing.”
“You told me to take a break and focus on myself,” she replied calmly.
Nicholas sighed irritably. Im tired of these pointless arguments. By the way, remember that old farm I inherited from my former boss, Mr. Thompson? He died and left me that worthless piece of land. Its perfect for you. Take it or get nothing.”
Emily smiled bitterly. She knew exactly what he was doing. After twelve years together, she realized she had been living with a stranger.
“Fine, but on one conditionthe farm is legally transferred to my name.”
“No problem. Saves me on taxes,” Nicholas replied with a mocking grin.
Emily said nothing more. She packed her things and moved to a hotel, determined to start over, no matter what awaited heran abandoned farm or just barren land. Shed find out when she got there. If it wasnt worth it, shed return to the city or seek another way to rebuild her life.
She loaded her car with only the essentials, leaving the rest behind with Nicholas and his new girlfriend. If he thought he could still rely on her experience and intelligence, he was sorely mistaken. His new partner, whom Emily had seen only a handful of times, seemed more arrogant than clever.
Nicholas handed her the paperwork with a sneer. “Good luck.”
“And to you,” Emily replied evenly.
“Dont forget to send me a picture of the cows,” he laughed.
Without answering, Emily closed the car door and drove off. As she left the city, tears began rolling down her cheeks. She didnt know how long she had been crying until a light tap on the window snapped her back to reality.
“Are you all right, love? My husband and I saw you sitting here for a while,” an elderly woman asked kindly.
Emily glanced at the woman, then at the bus stop in the rearview mirror. She managed a small smile.
“Im fine, just feeling a bit overwhelmed.”
The woman nodded sympathetically. “Weve just come back from the hospital. Our neighbors all alone thereno one visits. Are you heading toward York by any chance?”
Emily raised her eyebrows. “York? Thats where the farm is?”
“Yes, though its hard to call it a farm these days. The owner passed away, and no ones looked after it since. Just a few kind souls still care for the animals out of love.”
Emily smiled slightly. “What a coincidencethats exactly where Im going. Hop in, Ill give you a lift.”
The older woman took the front seat while her husband settled in the back.
“Im Emily,” she introduced herself as she drove.
“Im Margaret Wilson, and this is my husband, George,” the woman replied warmly.
Along the way, Emily learned much about the farmwho had been stealing, who still cared for the animals, and how run-down the place was. When they arrived, she saw empty fields and a nearly collapsed barn with just twenty cows. Still, she decided to stay and fight for a fresh start.
A year later, Emily watched proudly as eighty cows grazed peacefully on her lush green fields. She had turned the derelict farm into a thriving business. It hadnt been easyshed sold her jewellery for feed and spent her last savings. But now, sales were growing, and her products were in demand even in neighbouring regions.
One day, a young woman named Lucy brought her a newspaper with an advert for refrigerated lorries at a good price. Emily recognized the phone numberit belonged to Nicholass company. With a sly smile, she asked Lucy to call and offer 5% more on condition the vehicles werent shown to other buyers.
When Emily went to inspect them, she ran into Nicholas, who looked stunned.
“Youre buying them?” he asked in disbelief.
“Yes, for the farm you gave me. Its become a great business, and were expanding,” Emily replied coolly.
Nicholas was speechless. While his life was falling apart, Emily had left the past behind.
In the end, Emily found true love with John, a mechanic who helped improve the farm. Together, they celebrated their daughters christening, while Nicholas could only watch from a distance as his own life unravelled.
