A rich man began to play with and teach the son of his housekeeper, and the boy loved it. After a few years, they moved away, but the boy came back as an adult, and the rich man gave him something he never expected.
When Vanna started taking her son Walter to work with her, she told him, “Okay, so don’t bother Mr. Richards while I’m working.” She worked as a housekeeper for one of the wealthiest men in town. Even though Walter was almost a teenager, she hated leaving him alone in their house.
So, she asked her boss about it and decided to start bringing him to work. Mr. Richards didn’t mind because he was also a father, but he didn’t see his daughters very often because their mother lived in another state.
But Vanna never thought that her son and her boss would become friends. On his first day, Walter was out in the big yard enjoying the snow when a rich man came over and started talking to him. They found out that they both liked some school subjects, but then they started playing in the snow when Mr. Richards brought out a sled.
“NO!” Victor went on, and this is how the conversation went on for a long time.
They made a snowman, threw snowballs at each other, and laughed all day until they were too cold. After they got inside and Vanna made them hot chocolate, they went to Mr. Richards’ office. In the end, they talked about books and how to use the computer. Mr. Richards told the kid about his life and how he started his business, which is now worth a billion dollars.
Walter’s whole view of life changed after he met Mr. Richards. The rich man talked about going further, getting out of your comfort zone to succeed, and doing everything you can to protect your family. On the other hand, Victor, Walter’s father, was happy with his job at a canning factory.
He had to work long hours, so when he got home, he mostly ignored his son and wife and said he was tired from his long day. But even on the weekends, he went out to see his friends and didn’t care about spending time with his family.
Victor would say, “As long as a man takes care of his family, he can do whatever he wants,” and Walter always thought that was a man’s job in a family… until Mr. Richards came along.
The rich man missed his daughters very much and still got along well with his ex-wife, even though they were no longer together.
“Even if he can’t be there in person, a man has to be there for his family. When I first started my business, I sometimes worked 16-hour days, but when I got home, I kissed my wife and tried to read my daughters stories if they were still awake. My partners and I also gave each other days off to spend with their families. “We all thought it was important,” Mr. Richards said at one point.
The almost-teen asked the rich man, “But why did you get a divorce?”
“My ex-goals wife’s were different. She got her dream job in New York, but my company made me stay in Washington. We broke up on good terms instead of giving up on our dreams because I couldn’t leave. Sometimes you have to do that for the people you love. I will never stop loving my ex-wife. She gave birth to my children. But now we’re just friends,” Mr. Richards said as simply as he could, and Walter nodded.
But he had no idea that his own family would have to make the same choice many years later.
Four years after Walter met Mr. Richards, his mother finished her night college class, got her degree, and got a job in New Jersey that could change her whole life. But Victor did not want to move.
“We cannot go. What about where I work? “One night, after she told him the news, Walter heard him arguing with his mother.
“This is my dream, Victor. I’ll no longer have to work as a cleaner. I can work on my career and move up the corporate ladder, and Walter could have a better life. Isn’t that awesome? ” Vanna replied. Walter couldn’t see what they were thinking, but he knew his father was sad.
“NO! It isn’t interesting. I’m the man of the house, and I say we’re not going anywhere! I want to keep my job. We can all eat, and this house is already paid for. We feel at home here. It’s just right! ” Victor said in a tone that was firm and final.
“Excuse me? You can’t tell me what’s good and what’s bad. We’ll talk about it because this is too good of a chance to miss, Vanna said, and Walter saw that she crossed her arms.
“NO!
” Victor went on, and this is how the conversation went on for a long time.
The next day, Vanna went to Victor with Walter and asked for a divorce. During the breakup, Mr. Richards did what he could to help them move quickly to New Jersey. He also wrote the kid letters and emails all the time, telling him to study, get scholarships, apply for internships, colleges, etc., and encouraging him to do all of these things.
Walter, on the other hand, didn’t hear much from his father because he was too proud to reach out and say he was sorry. The man also hated that his son had decided to move away with his mother. Walter had learned from Mr. Richards that Victor was petty and did the opposite of what Walter saw him do. He told himself then that he would never be like Victor.
After many years, Walter moved back to Washington because he got a job as a manager at Mr. Richards’ company after applying for the job.
The rich man, who was much older now, knew him right away and made him feel like an old friend. Walter tried his hardest at work. Mr. Richards always praised him for the many ideas he had to improve and grow the business.
After one of their meetings, the rich man said, “You’re like the son I never had.”
Walter couldn’t have been happier with how well he did. He wanted and respected Mr. Richards because he was like a father to him. When he finally met one of his daughters, Mia, he fell quickly in love with her. After a few years, they got married and began a family.
Walter was so happy when his mother moved back to town and he could be near the people he loved the most.
But when Mr. Richards got older and decided to retire, he asked Walter to become the CEO and take his place on the board. The younger man couldn’t believe what he heard.
“Are you sure? Other senior executives want the job. So what about your daughters? “I know Mia doesn’t want it, but Lucia might,” Walter told him after he was shocked for a few seconds.
Mr. Richards said, “I already told Lucia about it, and she thought it was a great idea for her brother-in-law to take over my part of the business.”
“Walter, you’re my brother. Even before you married Mia, you were my family. I always knew you would do great things when I saw how curious, smart, and driven you were when you were young. But you did better than I thought you would. The way you treat my daughter, the rest of the family, and your mother only makes me more sure of my position.”
Walter couldn’t find the right words to show how thankful he was. After meeting the rich man, it was everything he had hoped for. Everyone loved him because he had become what he had promised himself to be.
What does this story teach us?
Kids need to meet a lot of different people so they can find the right person to look up to. Walter used to think that the way his father thought was normal, but when he met Mr. Richards, he found the perfect role model.
You can’t stop yourself from loving someone. When Vanna got a great job offer, Victor tried to keep her from leaving, unlike Mr. Richards with his ex-wife. She did her best for herself and her son, which was a good thing.
Tell your friends about this story. It could make their day and give them ideas.