A homeless and poor Brandon offers his last $2 to an elderly man in need at the gas station store and inherits his company the next day. Brandon thinks this is the start of a new life for his family.
Brandon clutched his paper cup with change as he shuffled into the gas station store. He was near an aisle when a loud voice distracted him. He saw a queue of angry shoppers waiting behind an elderly man who had difficulty hearing.
“I’m sorry, what did you say about the water being funny?” the elderly man asked the cashier.
“Money!” she groaned. “I said you don’t have enough money, sir!”
“Yes, it was a sunny day!” replied the man with a frown.
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“You need more cash! For the water!” A younger guy standing behind the man grabbed him by the shoulder and yelled into his ears.
Brandon noticed everything. He was tempted to step in, but he didn’t want to attract the shoppers’ ire. Meanwhile, the elderly man explained he didn’t have enough cash, asking if he could get a smaller bottle of water as he needed to take his pills.
“If you can’t afford to pay, you’ll have to go!” shouted the cashier.
“I can go?” He smiled and turned to leave, but the cashier snatched the water bottle from his hand. “Just get out, old man!” she hissed. “You’re way too much trouble!”
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The elderly man requested that he needed to take his pills, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.
Brandon had had enough. He marched to the cashier and offered to pay for the old guy.
“Have a heart, lady,” he said and emptied his cup on the counter. The woman looked at him in distaste before she counted the money.
“That’ll cover it,” she said, taking all the money, including his last $2. “Now step aside. You’re holding the line.”
Brandon abandoned his can of beans on the counter as he offered the water to the older man.
“Here you go, sir. I got you water,” he spoke slowly and clearly, ensuring the man could see his face if he needed to lip-read. And the man thanked him. They left the store together, and Brandon headed to his tent on the bare patch of ground adjacent to the station, but the man stopped him.
“Wait!”
Brandon turned around.
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“Why did you help me when you obviously needed the money?” asked the older man.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from being homeless, sir,” said Brandon, “it’s that the world works when people are kind to each other.”
“But what are your kids going to eat? You left the beans on the counter.”
“We have the last of yesterday’s bread,” Brandon replied. “We’ll get by.”
The man walked away but with a frown. Brandon noticed he got in a gleaming SUV and wondered why a man like him couldn’t afford a bottle of water.
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The next day, while Brandon was dividing cold fries among his kids, a silver sedan pulled up near his tent. A man in a fancy suit approached.
“Morning, sir. Mr. Grives’s last wish was for me to deliver this to you,” he said, extending an envelope.
Brandon wiped his hands and took it. There was a letter inside.
“Dear sir,
Yesterday, you proved yourself to be a man of good character when you spent your last few dollars for me. Your kindness and belief in doing good for others have inspired me to repay your goodness with the greatest gift I can give you: my business.
My time in this world is coming to an end. I have recently become apprehensive about leaving my company to my son, as I’ve come to see that he is a selfish man with a heart of stone. It would greatly ease my conscience if you inherited the company instead. All I ask is that you ensure my son is taken care of and can continue to live a safe, comfortable life.”
“Is this a joke?” Brandon looked up at the man.
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The man produced a stack of printed papers and a pen. “Mr. Grives was quite serious. And the moment you sign these papers, it’ll be official.”
“But I just met the guy yesterday. And now he’s dead and leaving me everything?” Brandon asked as he studied the documents.
“I understand your concerns, sir, but these papers were drawn by the finest lawyers. All we need to do is fill in your name, and the lawyers will proceed with the rest.”
This was his chance to provide his kids, so Brandon signed it. Then, the man drove him and the children to their new home.
As they arrived, Brandon stared up at the massive mansion.
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Brandon could barely believe it himself. But the moment he pushed the double doors open, he sensed something was wrong. The house was a mess—a table lay on its side in the hallway, and a closet had been toppled over.
Brandon dumped the luggage, ran after the car, and told the driver to call 911. A few hours later, he stood among slashed sofas and broken furniture, speaking to the cops.
“We’ve examined the entire house and found no sign of forced entry, sir,” the officer said. “This, combined with the fact that the security system appears to have been overridden using the correct code, suggests that whoever vandalized this place had a legitimate means of gaining entry.”
“Like a key? So, the person who did this just walked in here?”
“I’d suggest you change the locks, sir,” the officer nodded.
As the cops left, Brandon suspected the elderly man’s son.
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The next day, Mr. Grives’s secretary arrived early. She took Brandon shopping and got him cleaned up at a barber before taking him to the company. In the office that once belonged to Mr. Grives, Brandon was about to go through the files on the computer when the doors burst open.
“You must be Brandon!” A middle-aged man in a dark suit entered the office. “I’m Christopher, one of Mr. Grives’s former business partners, and I’m here to save you from a whole heap of trouble.”
“I’m sorry?” Brandon asked.
Christopher explained he handled the sales for one of Mr. Grives’s ‘specific’ businesses. Brandon quickly understood it was something illegal. He refused to continue it, but Christopher was having none of it.
“Listen up, you moron! Grives owed me $2 million for handling the illicit side of his business! You’re now responsible for that,” he snarled. “And if you don’t pay up, I’ll go to the police and tell them everything. Furthermore, as the company’s owner, you will be liable for all damages. So, I’ll be expecting my $2 million by Saturday.”
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“What? This is extortion! You can’t be serious!” Brandon retorted.
“Yes, it is. And just in case you think I’m not deadly serious…” Christopher pushed back his suit jacket and placed his hand on the butt of a gun holstered at his side. “…rest assured that if you cross me, Brandon, I’ll make you disappear.”
Brandon said nothing and agreed to Christopher’s demands. But he wondered if Christopher was scamming him. So Brandon searched for any hints of this illicit side of the business.
By that evening, after reviewing the data from all the other departments, Brandon was convinced Christopher was lying. But then, he noticed the filing cabinet tucked into a corner of the room. Brandon unlocked it with the keys he’d found earlier on his desk. And the first thing he noticed was an old-fashioned file box tucked into the drawer.
Inside it was a ledger with entries written in some kind of shorthand, and Brandon realized Christopher wasn’t lying. In despair, he opened a drawer to find some bottles of scotch handy, and found nothing but a photo.
It showed Mr. Grives standing with…a younger guy. Brandon’s eyes bulged in horror when he realized how similar they looked. The young man was Christopher, Mr. Grives’s son!
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Things started making sense to Brandon. He couldn’t believe a kind man like Mr. Grives would be involved in illegal business practices. So, most likely, Christopher was using his own shady dealing to blackmail him, Brandon reasoned.
A stroke of luck and a terrible twist that threatened to take it all away – everything was happening way too fast. Luckily, Brandon was not unfamiliar with the whirlwinds of the business world.
That Saturday, Brandon met Christopher in the underground parking lot but with a counteroffer.
“I’ve got to keep my word to your old man,” Brandon said, “so I’ll give you 49 percent of the company while I keep the remaining 51 percent. That’ll be enough for you to live lavishly, right? And I’ll reserve the right to manage the company like your father wanted.”
But Christopher refused. “I’m not a fool! I deserved all of it, not some token! Let’s talk when you come to your senses!” he hissed and left.
Brandon went back to the office. He decided to pay Christopher his $2 million and be done with this but found the company’s money was tied up in assets or allocated to monthly expenses. Brandon was helpless.
He returned home, dejected, where another trouble awaited him. As he opened the front door, he found his kids’ nanny tied to a chair and gagged.
“He took the kids! He said to tell you that this should be your wake-up call!” she cried as he freed her, and Brandon knew who she was talking about.
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Brandon called Christopher and agreed to hand over the company, begging him not to hurt the children. They decided to meet at noon. But Brandon also called the police, and in the next half an hour, he was sitting with an FBI agent.
“Just follow my instructions, and we’ll have your kids back…” Agent Bates assured him.
That noon, Christopher was chilling by the poolside of a hotel he’d rented out. He’d locked Brandon’s kids in a closet and dismissed all hotel staff except the manager, whom he had paid handsomely.
“Excuse me, sir,” the manager interrupted him. “You have a package.”
When Christopher checked the envelope, he grinned. He strode to his room and signed the paperwork he found inside the envelope. The company was finally his! Then, he freed Brandon’s children. “I’m sure a bunch of ragamuffins like you four can find your way. Now, get lost!”
]Christopher finished getting ready. Suddenly, he heard a click behind him. Although soft, Christopher instantly recognized the sound of a gun’s safety selector.
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“FBI! Put your hands in the air! You’re under arrest.”
Meanwhile, Brandon held his children close on the sidewalk. Thanks to Agent Bates’s idea of putting a tracker in the documents, Christopher was caught.
Brandon took the children home, ready to make everything right. And when the FBI’s fraud division showed up with a warrant, he handed over the evidence—the copy of the company’s records and the ledger he’d found in his office—to the agents, knowing that by the time the investigation was over, he wouldn’t have a penny to his name. But he’d be free.
“Daddy, are we going to leave our home…just when Mommy died?” Kelly asked him.
Brandon got down on one knee and hugged his kids.
“Listen, you four, we’re going to be okay. You want to know why?”
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Kids looked at him earnestly and nodded.
“It’s because the most valuable thing we have is right here, in my arms. So long as we stick together, we’ll always be rich in the most important way: love.”
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TERRY CREWS AND HIS STUNNING WIFE STUN FANS WITH GORGEOUS FAMILY PHOTOS
Terry Crews is a proud family man who has been married to his wife, Rebecca King-Crews, for over 30 years. They have a large family and are about to become empty nesters soon.
Recently, broadcaster Hoda Kotb shared a beautiful photo of Terry and his family on Instagram. Many of her followers commented, praising Terry and Rebecca for their lasting love and strong relationship.
In the photo shared by Hoda Kotb, Terry Crews is seen smiling happily with his wife, Rebecca King-Crews, and their kids. They are all wearing matching maroon sweaters and jeans, looking cheerful and united. After the post went live, fans flocked to the comments section to share their admiration for the family.
One user wrote, “Perfect woman and husband,” while another commented, “What a beautiful family, so blessed.” A third person gushed, “They are a very sweet couple!! He truly loves his lady and vice versa!!” Another fan praised Terry as a role model, saying, “One of the best, if not THE BEST male role models in Hollywood.”
The photo of Terry Crews and his family was shared after Terry appeared on “Today with Hoda and Jenna” on June 10, 2024. He was joined by his wife, Rebecca, and they talked about his career success and their family life.
Terry and Rebecca have been married for 35 years, since they tied the knot in July 1989. They have four daughters—Tera, Azriel, Wynfrey, and Naomi—and their youngest, Isaiah. During the interview, Terry openly spoke about Rebecca’s selflessness, revealing that she put aside her own dreams to support their family and help them pursue theirs.
Back then, Rebecca was pursuing a career in singing and acting, but she chose to pause her dreams to support Terry and their family as they got started. Now that Terry has achieved success and their children are grown and following their own paths, Rebecca has decided to pursue her own dreams again.
Rebecca got emotional as she thought about how much the kids have grown. She shared that their son is about to leave for college, calling it “the end of an era” but expressing how proud she is of all her children. “They’re all just amazing people. Beautiful people. I’m proud of that,” said Rebecca.
She explained that giving up her career began when she had her first child. She decided to focus on being a mother instead of trying to balance a career with raising her family.
Rebecca, originally from Michigan, chose to focus on her marriage with Terry and stay at home. It was only ten years ago, when their children were older, that she started to pursue her own interests again. “So, I don’t regret it,” she said, reflecting on her decision.
In a June 2015 interview, Terry talked about their early life and praised Rebecca for teaching him how to be a good father. He shared, “I spent years being the ‘Fun Dad’ to my five children, but they always seemed to respect their mother more. It turns out they needed more than just my love.”
Terry has been embracing fatherhood since he was 20. His journey began in 1989 when he married Rebecca, who already had a two-year-old daughter, Naomi. Terry and Rebecca met when he was 18, and they quickly formed a deep bond, deciding to spend their lives together.
Now, as grandparents to Naomi’s daughter, Miley Crews, Terry and Rebecca continue to support their children in whatever paths they choose. Terry believes that true success comes from family, not just career achievements.
Terry said, “The movies and all the things I’ve done? They’re not my legacy. It’s really my son, and my daughters, and my family. That’s the legacy.”
Even though Terry and Rebecca are proud to show off their family, their journey together hasn’t always been easy. They’ve faced many challenges, but they continue to support each other and remain close.
Being in show business is challenging, and people often admire celebrity couples who manage to balance their careers and marriage. Terry and Rebecca are one of those couples. Despite the difficulties and ups and downs they’ve faced, they have worked through them together, showing that their love and commitment can overcome the obstacles.
Terry and Rebecca first met in the 1980s. At that time, Rebecca had just been crowned Miss Gary Indiana and was attending Western Michigan University to pursue a career in music and theater. Terry was also at the same school, playing football.
Rebecca has shared that it wasn’t love at first sight. In an interview, she explained that they started off as
friends and almost stayed that way. She said, “He almost got stuck in the friend zone. He was a little too nice.”
Eventually, the friendship between Terry and Rebecca turned into romance, and they began dating. By 1990, they were married, and that same year, they welcomed their first child, Azriel.
Terry and Rebecca have faced many challenges throughout their marriage. They’ve dealt with career changes, watched their children grow up, lost their home, and confronted depression.
One major difficulty that nearly tore their marriage apart was Terry’s addiction to adult content. In a May 2021 interview, Terry admitted that being a celebrity made his addiction worse. Despite these struggles, they have worked hard to overcome their problems and stay together.
Terry Crews, known for his role in “Everybody Hates Chris,” described how success became a refuge where he hid his problems. He said that Hollywood’s indifference only made his addiction worse. Terry struggled with his addiction in secret for a long time, which allowed it to grow more severe.
He revealed, “It became a thing where I didn’t tell anybody. It was my secret, nobody knew, and that allowed it to grow, and it got bad. If day turns into night and you are still watching, you probably got a problem, and that was me. I didn’t tell my wife, didn’t tell my friends, nobody knew.”
Two years later, Rebecca is cancer-free and in good health. She and Terry are happier and stronger than ever. Despite all they’ve been through, Rebecca remains grateful. She has noticed a positive change in Terry, seeing him as a softer, gentler, and kinder version of himself.
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