Anxiety surged through him. This box could change everything for him and Alice, but he feared it could also bring trouble. His internal debate was interrupted by a phone call.
“Good evening, is this Felix?” a formal voice inquired. “I’m Jonathan Pryce, Mrs. White’s attorney. We need to meet immediately to discuss something important.”
Felix’s heart raced. “Uh, sure. When and where?”
“Café Lorraine tomorrow at 10 a.m. It’s important,” the lawyer replied, his tone grave.
The next day, Felix arrived at the café, where he met Mr. Pryce and, to his surprise, Mrs. White’s son, Henry. Felix hadn’t known Mrs. White had family.
Henry wasted no time. “I know you were at my mother’s house yesterday,” he began, accusatory.
Felix stiffened but remained calm. “I was helping her, like I often did.”
Henry narrowed his eyes. “My mother had a valuable heirloom—a box that’s gone missing. You wouldn’t know anything about that, would you?”
Felix took a deep breath. “She gave it to me, but I didn’t take it. She offered it as a gift before she passed.”
Henry seemed unfazed. “I need that box back. I’ll give you $1,000 for it, no questions asked.”
Felix shook his head. “It’s worth more than that. I didn’t steal it, and I’m not giving it away for a fraction of its value.”
Seeing he couldn’t win with money, Henry’s expression darkened. “Fine. But I will get that box back, one way or another.”
Felix left the café feeling uneasy but resolute. He had no intention of keeping something that wasn’t rightfully his, but he wouldn’t let Henry intimidate him.
The following days were filled with tension. Felix decided to auction the box, thinking if Henry wanted it, he could bid on it like everyone else. But before the auction could take place, things turned dangerous.
At the auction house, experts began asking questions Felix couldn’t answer. The situation escalated, and talk of involving the police arose. Fearing accusations of theft, Felix fled, leaving the box and his plans behind.
Back at home, Felix realized he couldn’t keep running. The box had become a symbol of everything wrong in his life. He needed to protect Alice, even if it meant making sacrifices.
In a moment of desperation, he sent Alice to her grandmother’s house with the box, instructing her to keep it safe. Then he called Henry, telling him the truth: the box was no longer in his possession.
Henry, furious, threatened legal action, but Felix was ready to face the consequences to keep Alice safe.
Months passed, and Felix was eventually arrested. Just when things seemed bleakest, Alice returned with a letter from Mrs. White revealing the truth: the box had indeed been a gift—Mrs. White’s final act of kindness toward Felix and Alice.
With proof in hand, Alice secured her father’s release, and they were reunited, ready to face the future together.
As they walked away from the prison, Felix hugged Alice tightly. “We made it,” he whispered. “And we’ll get through whatever comes next, together.”
Their troubles weren’t over, but for the first time in a long while, Felix felt hopeful. He learned that sometimes, the greatest treasures aren’t those locked in boxes, but the people who stand by your side, no matter what.
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