A complex wave of emotions washed over John. None of this had even been in the realm of possibility. He’d just been a guy helping someone out. Now, he was standing here being offered a life he had never even dared to dream about. He took a long, deep breath and met her gaze.
“This is… it’s unbelievable,” he said honestly. “But I don’t know if I can accept it. This is just too much. I didn’t do anything to earn this.”
Sarah shook her head, a gentle smile on her face. “It’s not too much. It’s what you deserve. I see exactly what kind of person you are. You’re decent, you’re hardworking, and you’re genuinely kind. In this world, people like you are overlooked far too often. Not this time, John. This time, your kindness is being seen and rewarded.”
John remained standing there, the envelope and keys feeling heavy in his hand. The offer was staggering, but it was also a massive, life-altering decision. It was terrifying. “I… I just need some time,” he said at last. “I need to think about all this.”
Sarah nodded, her expression full of understanding. “Of course. Take all the time you need. The offer isn’t going anywhere. It will be here when, and if, you are ready.”
He left the mansion shortly after, clutching the envelope and the keys. His mind was spinning so fast that the helicopter ride back to his own street felt like a complete blur. He walked into his small, modest living room—a world away from where he’d just been—and sat down, placing the envelope on the coffee table in front of him. He just stared at it.
He didn’t open it right away. He couldn’t. He had to let the reality of the last few hours sink in. A couple of days went by, and John did the only thing he knew how to do: he went back to work. He returned to the garage, to the familiar sounds and smells of his everyday routine.
But it wasn’t the same. Everything felt different. His mind kept drifting back to Sarah’s offer. The money was one thing—the sheer relief of it. But the job… that was something else. It was an escape. It was all so far beyond anything he’d ever hoped for that a part of him still wondered if it was some kind of elaborate joke…
