Felix, a single father in his mid-30s, sat in his worn armchair, half-heartedly watching TV as the laughter from a sitcom filled the small living room. Since the tragic loss of his wife seven years earlier, life had become a routine of quiet solitude. Raising his daughter Alice and working as a janitor gave him moments of happiness, but the weight of his past still lingered heavily.
One afternoon, a noise from outside caught Felix’s attention. He glanced out the window and saw his elderly neighbor, Mrs. White, struggling with her lawnmower. Known for her fierce independence, it was clear she needed help. Without hesitation, Felix rushed over to assist. “Let me help you with that, Mrs. White,” he said, taking over the task. They worked silently under the warm afternoon sun, side by side.
Afterward, Mrs. White smiled warmly at Felix, gratitude evident in her eyes. “You’re always so kind, Felix. You never ask for anything in return.” Felix, ever humble, brushed it off. “It’s nothing, Mrs. White. Just happy to help.”
Determined to express her thanks, Mrs. White tried to offer him an ornate antique box. Felix hesitated, feeling uncomfortable with such an extravagant gesture. “I can’t accept this,” he said. Instead, she handed him a bag of apples for Alice, which Felix reluctantly accepted before heading home.
Later that evening, Alice found the ornate box hidden among the apples. “Daddy! Look what was in the bag!” she exclaimed, holding the mysterious item. Though intrigued, Felix quickly decided they couldn’t keep it. “This isn’t ours, Alice. We’ll return it to Mrs. White,” he said firmly, though curiosity gnawed at him.
Determined to do the right thing, Felix returned to Mrs. White’s house, only to find an unsettling silence. After calling out and receiving no response, he entered and discovered Mrs. White lying motionless on her couch. Shocked, Felix froze, clutching the box. Unsure of what to do, he left the house, burdened with the weight of the discovery.
At home, the box seemed more like a curse than a gift. Felix couldn’t resist researching its gold and diamond embellishments online. His heart raced when he discovered similar items were valued at a quarter of a million dollars. The potential windfall was tempting, but his conscience weighed heavily on him.
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