“Mom, we have something to tell you,” Cole said uneasily. The boys both knew their mother would not agree to their proposal, but they were bent on having their way.

“We’ve been thinking, mom, and we’ve decided that we want to take up John’s offer to buy the land.”

Olive’s spoon, full of soup, had been halfway to her mouth when she heard the statement, and that’s where it remained as she stayed frozen, staring at her soup as though there was a war going on in it.

“I’ll never sell this land,” she said coldly, lowering her spoon back to her plate.

“If we do it now, we stand to gain a lot, mom,” Elijah said. “Things are not going well right now and we really need that money.”

“I’ll say it again, this land is not for sale!” she yelled, then got up and left.

“We know that dad left the land in our names, mom. We visited the lawyer on our way here,” Cole replied. “As such, we can decide to do with it whatever we want.”

The following day, Olive was thrown out of her home by her own children, who told her to go and stay with her siblings. However, they all turned her down when she called to ask for the favor. They all seemed to have an excuse or the other for why they could not help. So Olive had to go to a homeless shelter.

What her relatives did not know was that Olive would soon become a millionaire.

Years passed, and Olive kept to herself in the homeless shelter, quietly observing the world outside while holding on to her principles. She heard snippets of news now and then, about developments in the area where her land stood. Speculations arose about the potential value of the land, especially with the growth of the nearby city.

Then, one day, there was a knock on the shelter’s door. A lawyer stood there, holding out a document. “Are you Olive Tanner?” he asked.

“Yes, that’s me,” she replied, puzzled.

“You’re the sole owner of a piece of land that’s become incredibly valuable due to recent developments. Developers are offering millions for it.”

Olive’s heart skipped a beat. The land she had fought to protect, the same land her children had sought to sell, was now her ticket to freedom.

With the help of the lawyer, Olive navigated the legal processes, ensuring she got the best deal possible. When everything was settled, she emerged from the shelter not as a destitute woman but as a wealthy landowner.

News of Olive’s newfound wealth spread like wildfire. Suddenly, her relatives who had turned her away came knocking at her door, asking for handouts. But Olive remembered their rejection when she needed help the most.

Instead, she used her wealth wisely. She donated to charities, set up scholarships for underprivileged children, and even started her own foundation to help the homeless, knowing firsthand the struggles they faced.

As for her children, they tried to reach out to Olive, hoping to reconcile and get a piece of her fortune. But Olive remained firm. She had weathered the storm alone, and she would enjoy the fruits of her labor in her own way.

In the end, Olive Tanner proved that resilience and integrity could turn even the most challenging circumstances into triumph. And as she looked out over the land that had once been the source of conflict, she felt nothing but peace and gratitude for the life she had lived.