She Fired The Poor Elderly Janitor, Not Even Suspecting Who He Was And What Awaited Her Next…

The Accident

On his way home, the elderly janitor didn’t even realize that his life was already hanging in the balance. Mr. Johnson was frantically trying to come up with a way to warn Alfred of the scam his wife and her friend were planning. The worst part for Rupert was the fact that it was the mall owner’s own wife who was involved in this scam, as well as that strange man who looked like a hardened criminal.

Oh, Alfred, how could you be so successful yet so naive, the old man thought as he crossed the street.

The sound of a car approaching him at breakneck speed immediately pulled the man out of his sad thoughts. Realizing that the crash could no longer be avoided, the old man instinctively got into a defensive position and took the hit. Rupert’s mind immediately went hazy and before he knew it, the old man plunged into pitch darkness.

Before losing his consciousness, the old man only had time for one last thought: How foolish, they got me.

The driver of the car slowed down for a moment and, seeing the old man lying on the pavement, smiled contentedly.

“Well, that’s it. And I did offer you money, old man, but now you won’t need it anymore.”

Having made sure the man wasn’t moving, the stranger turned into an alley which led him to the highway where he could easily dissolve into the busy traffic. But the killer didn’t know that appearances can be deceiving and that Mr. Johnson had actually survived.

The Hospital Visit

The elderly janitor was in a coma for three days before he regained his consciousness. First of all, the old man asked to find Alfred Blake and tell him what had happened. The businessman turned out to be a good man and immediately responded to Mr. Johnson’s request. Having bought fruits and various juices for the old man, he came to Mr. Johnson’s room in just a couple of hours.

“Hello, Mr. Johnson. How are you feeling? You wanted to see me?” the businessman asked from the door.

“Well, Alfred, I’m not feeling all that great as you can see, but more on that later. I have some very important information for you,” Rupert Johnson said in a voice trembling from weakness.

Alfred Blake raised an eyebrow in surprise and prepared to listen. Mr. Johnson had always been a straightforward person and therefore he immediately laid out everything he knew just as it was. After the old man’s story, Alfred changed in the face while a spark of understanding flashed in his eyes.

“So that’s what it’s all about, and there I was thinking why Melissa had been pestering me for several days to sign the deal with some unknown firm from Chicago,” Alfred exclaimed, failing to restrain himself.

The old man grimaced but refrained from further comment. The thing was that he still didn’t know how to tell the businessman the most important thing and was very nervous about that.

“I’m very grateful to you, sir, but could you tell me please, why didn’t you take the money? They offered you an impressive amount, but instead you chose to risk your life and ended up in the hospital bed for it. Why did you do it?” the businessman asked eagerly.

The Truth Revealed

Rupert Johnson realized that the right moment had come. Embarrassed by his own frankness, he looked the businessman in the eyes.

“I did it because you’re my son, Alfred.”

The businessman looked in disbelief at the old man lying in front of him.

“What do you mean I’m your son? That’s impossible. I don’t have a father. My mother raised me alone. Then I studied economics in New York and took my first steps in business. I only came back to Iowa 10 years later. You must be confused or something,” he said in a trembling voice.

Rupert Johnson expected this kind of reaction and continued smiling.

“Your mother and I got divorced when you were just one year old. We realized that we weren’t good together because we never agreed on anything. After we separated, I married a woman with a child and lost sight of you for many years. And recently I accidentally found out that you opened a shopping mall on Main Street. So I got the janitor position to be close to you. I didn’t need money, I had enough, but I wanted to have the opportunity to see you every day, son. That’s why I did what I did.”

The businessman’s eyes filled with tears when he realized that the old man was telling the truth.

“God, I’ve been living my entire life thinking that my father had died long ago and it turns out that you were so close all this time,” Alfred Blake whispered, squeezing the old man’s hand.

“Forgive me, son. I should have found you sooner, but I was ashamed to look you in the eyes. I know I messed up, but I’d like to ask you to find it in your heart to accept me into your life. Please give me a chance to be there for you for whatever time I have left,” the old man said, ignoring the tears flowing down his cheeks.

A New Beginning

Of course, Alfred forgave his father, knowing full well that no one is immune to making mistakes at some point in their lives. He informed Melissa that he was filing for divorce on that same day, and according to their prenup, the scammer wouldn’t be getting a single cent.

With the right treatment and care, Rupert Johnson made a quick recovery. Meanwhile, Alfred came to visit him at the hospital every single day. The father and son talked a lot and shared the most intimate secrets with each other. Looking at the relationship that developed between the successful businessman and the frail old man, the nurses couldn’t hold back their tears. They had no doubt that these two men would be fine.

Ultimately, they were right. Rupert Johnson was discharged from the hospital a month after the accident. He was still limping slightly, but he refused to use a cane, preferring to lean on his son’s arm instead.

When Mr. Johnson recovered completely, Alfred appointed him head of security, knowing full well that his father wouldn’t let him down in difficult times. Rupert Johnson was honored to accept the position offered by his son and got to work, sparing no effort to make sure that his son would never know the bitterness of betrayal, not only from his business partners but also from those closest to him.