During their divorce, a wealthy husband decided to leave his wife an abandoned farm in the middle of nowhere. But a year later, something happened that completely caught him off guard.
“Nigel, you know I dont need you here, right?” said Emily firmly. “I suggest you go back to the city.”
“What city are you even talking about?” he replied, exhausted. Shed been betrayed by the person shed trusted most, and she didnt have the energy to argue. Theyd started from scratch, sold their flat, and poured everything into their business. Nigel had only contributed a tiny room in a shared apartment, while Emily had been the driving force behind their success with her smarts and hard work. Theyd lived modestly, hopping from one rental to another, but eventually, theyd built something stable.
Over time, Nigel started acting like he owned everything. Sneakily, he transferred all their assets into his name, making sure Emily would get nothing after the divorce. Once he had full control, he filed the papers.
“Do you really think this is fair, Nigel?” Emily asked, disappointed.
He just shrugged. “Dont start this again. You havent contributed in ages. I do everything, and you do nothing.”
“You told me to take a break and focus on myself,” she replied calmly.
Nigel sighed, annoyed. “Im tired of these pointless arguments. By the way, remember that old farm I inherited from my former boss, Mr. Thompson? He passed away and left me that worthless plot 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 realised shed been living with a stranger.
“Fine, but on one conditionthe farm has to be legally in my name.”
“No problem. Saves me on taxes,” Nigel said with a mocking grin.
Emily didnt say another word. She packed her things and moved to a hotel, determined to start overwhether it was an abandoned farm or just an empty field, shed find out when she got there. If it wasnt worth it, shed return to the city or find another way to rebuild her life.
She loaded her car with just the essentials, leaving the rest behind with Nigel 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 only seen a few times, seemed more arrogant than clever.
Nigel handed her the paperwork with a smirk. “Good luck.”
“You too,” Emily replied quietly.
“Dont forget to send me a picture of the cows,” he laughed.
Without responding, she shut the car door and drove off. As she left the city, tears streamed down her cheeks. She didnt know how long shed been crying when a gentle tap on the window snapped her back to reality.
“Are you alright, love? My husband and I noticed youve been sitting here a while,” asked an elderly woman kindly.
Emily looked at her, then into the rearview mirror, where she spotted a bus stop. She managed a small smile.
“Im fine, just feeling a bit overwhelmed.”
The woman nodded understandingly. “Were just coming back from the hospital. Our neighbours there all aloneno one visits her. Are you heading toward York by any chance?”
Emily raised her brows in surprise. “York? Thats where the farm is?”
“Yes, though its hardly a farm now. The owner passed, and no ones taken care of it. Just a few kind souls still look after the animals out of love.”
Emily chuckled softly. “What a coincidencethats exactly where Im going. Hop in, Ill drive you.”
The older woman took the front seat, and her husband settled in the back.
“Im Emily,” she introduced herself as she drove.
“Im Margaret Wilkins, and this is my husband, George,” the woman replied warmly.
On the way, Emily learned all about the farmwhod been stealing supplies, 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. Shed turned the abandoned farm into a thriving business. It hadnt been easyshed sold her jewellery to buy feed and spent her last savings. But now, sales were booming, and her products were in demand even in neighbouring counties.
One day, a young woman named Charlotte brought her a newspaper ad about refrigerated trucks going cheap. Emily recognised the phone numberit belonged to Nigels company. With a sly smile, she asked Charlotte to call and offer 5% above the asking price, on the condition that the trucks werent shown to other buyers.
When Emily went to inspect them, she ran into Nigel, who looked stunned.
“Youre buying them?” he asked, disbelieving.
“Yes, for the farm you gave me. Its doing wonderfully, and were expanding,” she replied coolly.
Nigel 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 her improve the farm. Together, they celebrated their daughters christening, while Nigel could only watch from a distance as his own life unravelled.
