Sandra, Gabriel’s daughter, fled him and her stepmother Harlee, cutting all relations with them. Then, nearly seven years later, fate led Gabriel to his granddaughter, Charlie, who was homeless and in the middle of the road. How did she end up there?
Millionaire businessman Gabriel Williams owned one of the largest textile companies in Mexico, and there was no dearth of riches for him. However, his wife of 3 years divorced him for another man, citing she felt inferior in his large community where other people’s wives came from distinguished backgrounds and she did not.
Gabriel had custody of their two-year-old daughter Sandra because his ex-wife didn’t want his blood to tag along with her, but he also wanted to be in love again. However, he wasn’t sure if Sandra would accept a new woman in his life, so he waited until she was older to process everything and married Harleen Chalamet when Sandra was 15.
Harleen assured him that she’d win over Sandra in no time, and they’d be a happy family. But quite the opposite transpired.
Gabriel met his granddaughter in the middle of a street. | Source: Shutterstock
That year, both Sandra and Harleen were pregnant at the same time. While Harleen’s pregnancy brought Gabriel delight, Sandra revealed her pregnancy only after her baby bump became visible, which infuriated Gabriel. He couldn’t bear it that his teen daughter kept her pregnancy a secret from him the entire time!
“How in the world did this happen, Sandra?! And why didn’t you tell us earlier?” he yelled at her.
“Don’t act like you don’t know what lovemaking leads to!” she sarcastically retorted. “I love Rick, and we’re going to raise our child together! And by the way, aren’t you too busy celebrating your own pregnancy?”
“But honey,” Harleen said. “You shouldn’t have made the decision in haste. You should be confident that the man you like is capable of caring for you and your child. Is Rick—”
“Well, I don’t think I solicited your opinion on this,” Sandra retorted. “And, yes, I know you’re happy that my father and I are fighting like this! Isn’t that what you want? To live alone in his mansion and enjoy his wealth? GREEDY HOMEWRECKER!”
Sandra hated Harleen. | Source: Unsplash
At that, Gabriel lost his cool. “Don’t forget she’s your mother, Sandra!”
“No, dad!” Sandra lashed out. “SHE IS JUST YOUR WIFE. THE WOMAN YOU PICKED UP FROM A RANDOM STREET AND THE WOMAN YOU PREFER OVER ME! So let’s do it that way. I’m leaving this house for good. Enjoy your life with your wife and her child, who will be a sweet poison like her!”
With that, Sandra left their house and vowed never to turn back. Gabriel was furious with his daughter’s decision, and he loved his daughter too much to let her go. However, he could do nothing.
Several years passed. Gabriel tried to get in touch with Sandra several times through calls, emails, and even letters, but he never got a reply. Once, he hired a detective and found out Sandra and Rick were married. He visited them at their house, but she called the police on him.
After that, they never met or spoke again. Gabriel yearned for her, and Harleen felt helpless. They had their daughter, Lily, whom Gabriel adored, but Sandra’s absence would never be compensated for in Gabriel’s life. Harleen knew that, and she respected that.
On Lily’s birthday that year, Harleen had thrown a massive party at their mansion. Lily was turning 6! Gabriel was excited, and he’d paid particular attention to ensure that the party was Hello Kitty inspired, just how Lily wanted.
Gabriel and Harleen organized a Hello Kitty-inspired birthday party for Lily. | Source: Unsplash
Gabriel finished his work early and was on his way home with a huge Hello Kitty plushie for Lily, looking forward to the grand celebration at their mansion. He silently grinned as he gazed at the toy seated beside him in his car seat, imagining Lily would love the gift.
Suddenly, his driver slammed on the brakes. With a lurch, the car came to a halt, and the stuffed toy almost slipped from the seat.
“Peter!” he screamed. “What in the world are you thinking? Keep your eyes on the road! Do you intend to kill me? You almost ruined my daughter’s birthday present!”
“I’m sorry, Mr. Williams,” Peter said. “But there’s a child in the middle of the road.”
“A child? On a highway, all alone? Wait, let me have a look.”
Gabriel stepped out of his car and approached the small child. In the dense fog surrounding them, he couldn’t see the youngster’s face clearly, but he could tell the child was shivering due to the cold. He walked closer to the child, and what he saw made him go all pale!
“Jesus! Charlie? What are you doing here, sweetheart?” He was taken aback by his granddaughter’s disheveled appearance, the deep circles under her eyes, and her sorrowful expression. He’d seen her images on Sandra’s Facebook page countless times, but she looked like such a happy kid in them! She drew the cap she was wearing over her ears, the one he’d crocheted for Sandra once, and stared at him.
Gabriel couldn’t believe his eyes when he saw Charlie. | Source: Unplash
“Honey, where’s your mom? Oh god, no, come with me first.” He scooped her up in his arms and ran to his car. “Peter, take me to the police station. Sandra’s daughter is here! Something happened to her…I don’t feel right.”
As Peter started the car, Grabriel covered Charlie with his coat. “Charlie, sweetheart? Where’s mommy? What are you doing alone?”
“Who are you?” she asked, teary-eyed. “Please leave me alone! I need to go!”
Gabriel couldn’t answer that. How would he explain to a 6-year-old girl why his daughter had abandoned him? So he told her he was a family friend who could assist her.
When Gabriel spoke to the cops at the police station, he learned that there was an accident weeks ago in which Sandra’s husband had died and that she was hospitalized. Charlie was placed in an orphanage after that, but she’d run away, and they were looking for her.
Gabriel told the cops about him being Charlie’s grandfather, but they didn’t believe him until he called his lawyer and got everything verified. Then he went to the hospital where Sandra was, unconscious after a painful surgery and all covered in bandages. The doctors told him there was a slim chance of her survival, and it was better to prepare for the worst.
Gabriel was heartbroken after seeing Sandra’s condition. | Source: Pexels
Gabriel arrived home late that night after Lily’s party had ended. Harleen was irritated with him and had called him several times. She was prepared to shout at him when he returned home, but then she saw Charlie in his arms, and her heart fell. “What is she doing here, Gabriel?”
Harleen’s heart sunk as Gabriel sobbed and told her the entire story. Somehow, she convinced Grabiel that everything would be alright, although she felt deep inside that it might not be.
Nonetheless, Gabriel decided he would go to any length to help Sandra recover. He paid the best doctors to look after her and monitor her condition, and he visited her in the hospital every day. But nothing worked. Gabriel began to lose hope when Sandra didn’t wake up.
Then one day, when he was feeling particularly helpless, he sat beside her bed, reading her The Little Prince, her favorite book. He cried through the book, holding her hand in his near his eyes. Suddenly, he felt something move – her fingers!
“Doctors! Nurse!” He quickly summoned the medical staff, who were equally taken aback. “Mr. Williams!” exclaimed the doctor. “What a miracle! Her body reacted… I’ve never seen anything like it in medical science! SHE’LL BE ALL RIGHT!” And so it happened.
Sandra got well. | Source: Pexels
A week later, Sandra was in a wheelchair, awake and smiling. Things were different now – much better. While she had lost Rick, she had also reconciled with Gabriel, forgiving him after discovering how he had stayed by her bedside every night, hoping she would wake up. She couldn’t immediately accept Harleen, but she promised to soften her heart to her for Gabriel.
When Charlie arrived with Lily and Harleen to pick her up, she couldn’t keep her tears in check. “Charlie…my baby,” she screamed, hugging her, and then she embraced Lily, kissing her cheeks lightly. She didn’t have much to say to Harleen other than thank you. But this was not the end of the story. This was the start of Sandra and Charlie’s beautiful life.
What can we learn from this story?
- Life always gives you a second chance; it’s up to you to seize it. Sandra was given a second chance to reunite with Gabriel, and she was wise enough to accept it to reclaim the people who loved her.
- Better be late than sorry. Sandra realized her family was her greatest power much later in life.
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