When Katie stumbled across a gold necklace on her doorstep one day, she thought a neighbor might have accidentally dropped it. However, upon further investigation, she realized an unknown woman was intentionally leaving jewelry at her doorstep. What she found next turned her life upside down.
My friend once told me someone had been leaving flowers on her doorstep, and she later found out it was one of her secret admirers. They later ended up dating each other. Cute, right?
But what I experienced wasn’t anything cute. Instead, it led me to a world of deceit I never knew existed.
It all started about a month ago when I was leaving for work. It was around 8 a.m., and my husband, Matt, had already left.
I picked up my bag, grabbed the car keys, and had just opened the front door when my gaze landed on a shiny gold necklace sitting right beside our welcome mat.
I immediately placed my bag on the floor and knelt to examine it closely.
“What the…” I muttered as I picked up the necklace. Its weight and texture confirmed it was REAL GOLD!
I looked around for a note or something that could explain how it ended up there, but I found nothing.
That’s strange, I thought. That’s super strange.
I quickly slid the necklace into my bag and left for work because it was already getting late.
Later that evening, I pulled the necklace out of my bag and placed it on the kitchen table. I was certain it belonged to one of our neighbors because I couldn’t find any other logical explanation for its sudden appearance.
So, I took a clear photo of it and uploaded it to our neighborhood Facebook group. I wrote, Hey, found a necklace on my doorstep, anyone missing it?
I thought I’d wake up to a few message requests on Facebook from people claiming the necklace. I even planned to ask for proof of purchase to ensure I gave it to the rightful owner. But that never happened.
I woke up to zero message requests and a few kind comments from Mrs. Smith and Mrs. Jonathan saying they’d pray the owner finds it soon. Nothing else.
So, I just kept the necklace in my jewelry box and went on with my life, hoping to give it back to its rightful owner one day. I had no idea the person who bought the jewelry was someone I knew very well.
The following day, I was leaving for work as usual when I stumbled across another piece of jewelry on my doorstep. Gold earrings.
However, this time, I felt scared. What was going on? Was it a prank? Was someone watching me? Was this the beginning of something sinister?
I walked toward the street and looked around to see if someone was there, but I couldn’t find anyone.
What am I supposed to do now? I thought as I picked up the earrings and put them on the kitchen counter. I had no idea what to do with them.
The following day, I found a gold ring on the mat. The next day, another ring. And then a diamond-studded brooch. I was so occupied with work during those days that I didn’t get the time to investigate this properly.
Then, on Friday night, I told Matt about it.
“I have no idea who’s leaving the jewelry on our doorstep but we need to do something about it,” I said. “It’s so creepy!”
“Oh, c’mon Katie,” he said, still glued to his phone. “Doesn’t sound like it’s something bad. Maybe you’ve got a secret admirer.”
He laughed it off like it was a joke, but I was sure something was off. This wasn’t normal.
So, I decided to install a camera on our doorstep hoping to catch the generous person leaving gold jewelry on our doorstep. I was shocked when I saw the footage a few days later.
It was around 5 a.m. when a woman, dressed in a black shirt and a matching cap, appeared on our doorstep with a gold necklace in her hand. The footage showed how she looked left and right before quietly placing the necklace on our mat.
Then, she walked away like nothing had happened.
I couldn’t believe it. Why would a woman leave jewelry on our doorstep? Who was she?
Curious, I decided to wake up early the next morning. I quickly made myself a cup of coffee and sat by the window, waiting for the woman to appear at our doorstep. Sure enough, just as the sun started rising, I saw this mysterious woman tiptoeing across our driveway with another piece of jewelry in her hand.
I opened the door right when she placed it on the mat.
“Hey! Stop!” I shouted before she could walk away.
She froze and stared at me with eyes wide open.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” she said, dropping the bracelet on the ground as she raised her hands.
“Who are you?” I demanded. “And why are you leaving all this jewelry on my doorstep?”
She looked at the bracelet on the ground before her gaze landed on me again. This time, I could see a slight disappointment on her face, like I had said something she wasn’t expecting.
“You had to know the truth no matter how horrible it is,” she began, fidgeting with her fingers nervously. “I’m Tara, and I have been dating your husband, Matt. I had no idea he was married.”
I couldn’t believe my ears. I couldn’t believe the man I loved the most was cheating on me. I had heard of cheating stories, but I never thought it would happen to me.
“I’m so sorry,” she continued. “I had no idea he was married until I saw your picture on his phone last week. He told me he was single. I swear I didn’t know.”
I could feel a cloud of anger rising within my chest. I was angry, but not at her. I knew she was as clueless as me.
It was Matt who had betrayed me.
“So, what’s with the jewelry?” I asked, trying to stay calm.
Tara took a deep breath and leaned against the wall.
“This is all the jewelry he gave me,” she began. “I couldn’t keep it, so I decided to drop it here because it belonged to him. I didn’t know what else to do.”
I should’ve been furious, but instead, I was impressed by this woman. She returned the jewelry without creating a scene despite Matt’s manipulation.
I sensed she wanted revenge, so I devised a plan that would benefit us both.
“I have an idea,” I whispered. “But you’re going to have to trust me.”
She raised an eyebrow.
“What is it?” she asked.
That’s when I told her the plan and she agreed to execute it with me.
Later that night, I wore the bracelet Tara had dropped that day, but Matt didn’t notice or recognize it. Then, as Matt began to get ready for bed, I went to the living room and sent him a message from an unknown number, pretending to be Tara.
I wrote, Hey, I miss you. Can we meet tomorrow?
As expected, he took the bait and replied, Sure. Same place as always?
The trap was set.
The next day, Tara and I went to the restaurant where Matt thought he was meeting his lover. We picked a table at the back of the restaurant, ensuring it was hidden from the entrance. After a few minutes of waiting, I saw Matt entering the place with a smile.
He scanned the room for Tara, and his face lit up when he saw her approaching. But his smile vanished when he noticed me walking behind her.
“Surprise!” I exclaimed sarcastically.
“What’s happening?” he asked with wide eyes.
“Oh, I was just having lunch with your wife,” Tara smiled. “You never told me about her, did you?”
“I… I… uhh,” Matt stammered. “This isn’t what it looks like, Katie. Let me explain, please.”
“Explain what?” I snapped. “That you’ve been cheating on me for months, giving away jewelry like it’s candy, and lying to both of us?”
“No, I—”
“Don’t bother, Matt,” I cut him off. “We’re done. The jewelry you thought my secret admirer was leaving? That was from Tara. Did you really think you’d never get caught?”
Matt was speechless. I can never forget the look on his face.
“Oh, and one more thing. Here’s your engagement ring,” she said as she threw the ring at him. “Turns out, I’m not the only one who’s done with you.”
At that point, the entire restaurant was staring at Matt, and it looked like he wanted the earth to tear apart and swallow him. As planned, Tara and I walked out of the restaurant, leaving Matt to suffer in shame.
And that was the last time I saw my ex-husband, Matt. I immediately filed for divorce after the confrontation, and soon, I was free as a bird. I didn’t have to worry about a man cheating behind my back.
Greedy Brothers Mock Younger Sister Because She Only Inherited an Old Umbrella — Story of the Day
She was dedicated to her grandparents and sacrificed her future to look after them but all they left her was an old umbrella. But there was something hidden in it.
Lesley, George, and Wilson Farrel’s parents had died in a car crash when they were children, and their grandparents stepped forward to raise them. George had been eleven, Wilson nine, and Lesley just five.
Their grandparents had carefully stretched their parent’s insurance money to pay for the older boys’ education, but when it was time for Lesley to go to college, her grandmother became very ill.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
There was no way Lesley was going to turn her back on her beloved grandparents, so she enrolled in the local community college and attended classes when she could.
Unfortunately, her grandmother passed away, but Wilson and George didn’t come to the funeral. They sent regrets and flowers, but they were clearly not interested in taking on responsibility for the man who’d raised them.
God’s justice moves slowly but it never fails
So Lesley took care of her grandfather, and when two years later she met William and decided to get married, she moved into a small house down the street. She continued to cook and care for her grandfather right up until his last days.
At no time did her brothers, now both wealthy successful men, ever ask if she or her grandfather needed help, financial or otherwise. “It’s not that we need them,” Lesley told her husband, “but it just shows such ingratitude!
“My grandparents were in their seventies and they took on three kids. Instead of enjoying their retirement, they took on the work and responsibility and my brothers don’t seem to care!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“Hun,” William said tenderly, “what goes around comes around. God’s justice moves slowly but it never fails!”
Lesley shook her head. “I don’t believe that!” she said. “They are nasty ungrateful men and we are struggling, how is that justice?” But William just shook his head and told her to be patient.
Lesley’s grandfather became frailer and frailer, until the sad day when she came in to bring him breakfast and found that he’d passed away in his sleep. Lesley was devastated.
She called her brothers and distant family and made the arrangements for the funeral. She thought her brothers wouldn’t come to her grandfather’s funeral but they surprised her.
That afternoon, Lesley understood Wilson and George’s willingness to attend: they wanted their share of the inheritance. Their grandfather’s lawyer had asked them to meet him at the old house.
Wilson and George looked around appreciatively. “This house will be worth quite a bit on the market!” said George.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“Yes,” said Wilson. “Especially if we market it as a potential bed & breakfast!”
But the lawyer shook his head. “I’m afraid your grandfather has left the house and its contents to the Children’s Association,” he said. “As a shelter for at-risk children.”
“What?” cried Wilson angrily. “What about US?”
“Yes,” said George, “We’re his flesh and blood! Didn’t he care about our welfare?”
“Stop it!” cried Lesley. “Grandpa did everything he could for us, everything! It’s his house, and it was his right to dispose of it as he wished.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
The lawyer said, “Your grandfather did leave some tokens of his affection,” he said, and he placed an ornate silver pocket watch, a silver chain with an antique cross, and an old dark green umbrella on the table.
Wilson picked up the pocket watch greedily. “The old man was holding out on us!” he said. “This watch is from the time of the Civil War. It might be worth something!”
“As per your grandfather’s instructions, you will each choose an item according to your age: so George, you choose first, then Wilson, then Lesley,” the lawyer explained.
Wilson frowned crossly as George picked up the pocket watch, then he stepped forward and claimed the silver cross. “Looks like you get the umbrella, Lesley!” he said.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Lesley picked up the umbrella and touched the heavy wooden handle lovingly. “This was grandpa’s favorite, you know. He said it was the best for a rainy day!”
George laughed cruelly. “Let’s hope it still works,” he said. “It’s raining now!” Lesley peered outside. It was pouring!
“In that case, this umbrella is just perfect,” Lesley said and walked to the front door. She opened the door and unfurled the umbrella and something fluttered down and stuck in her hair, then something else…
Lesley stared in astonishment as dozens of bills fell out of the folds of the old umbrella. Geoge scoffed. “So that was the old man’s rainy day fund?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Lesley picked up a note and gasped. “This is a $1000 bill! I’d never seen one before!”
“What?” Wilson stepped forward and bent to pick up a bill but the lawyer stopped him.
“The umbrella and its contents belong to your sister,” he said coldly. “You and your brother made your choices.”
George was furious. “But there are dozens of $1000 bills! That’s a lot of money!”
Lesley was looking at the bills closely. “They look brand new as if they’ve just been printed!” she said.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“Your grandfather and your great-grandfather collected those bills for decades, Lesley, up until they were withdrawn from circulation in the late 1960s,” the lawyer said. “These mint-condition bills are collector’s items. They are each worth between $10,000 and $12,000…”
Lesley was stunned! Her grandfather had left her a valuable legacy after all. With the money from the sale of the bills, she and William paid off their house, bought a new car, and started their own rainy day fund.
Meanwhile, Lesley’s grandfather’s old house became a shelter and helped many sad and lonely children find happiness. As for Wilson and George, they were outraged and declared that Lesley had cheated them out of their inheritance.
What can we learn from this story?
- Greed can lead to bad judgment. Wilson and George’s greed led them to mistakenly pick out the least valuable item.
- God’s justice moves slowly but it never fails. Wilson and George got what they deserved and Lesley was rewarded for her kindness.
Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a young mother who finds an unexpected windfall inside a second-hand stroller she bought for her baby.
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