“Take,” he said with a smile. “This is my raffle draw ticket.” “I want you to have it, mama.
You will become a millionaire soon.” Naomi’s mother took the ticket and whispered to herself, “Just like that.”
She didn’t believe it, but something inside her made her keep the ticket. Some days later, as Naomi’s mother was on her way back from helping women in the market fetch water so they could earn some money to feed, she passed by a raffle drawer shop.
Her eyes caught the sign and she suddenly remembered the ticket the man she had met on the street some days ago had given her.
She walked slowly into the shop just to check the results without expecting anything. The shop owner looked at the paper and suddenly shouted, “Wait, Ma, this is the winning number.”
Naomi’s mother was confused. “What do you mean?” “You’ve won. You won the jackpot,” the man said, jumping with excitement.
“You’ve won 100 million, Naira.” Naomi’s mother stood there frozen. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing.
“100 what? 100 million?” The shop owner repeated, “You’re a rich woman now.” Naomi’s mother began to shake.
Her knees felt weak. She sat on the nearest chair and held her head with both hands.
Tears began to fall from her eyes. God, that man is God-scent. Is this really happening to me?
She cried. Tears of shock, tears of pain, and tears of joy. Everything had turned around in a moment.
No more hunger, no more shame, no more sleeping outside. 15 years passed. Naomi was no longer the little girl who once cried by the roadside because she lost her school fees.
She had grown into a beautiful, elegant young lady. Her steps were confident and her heart was full of dreams.
She was now the only daughter of a billionaire. After her mother won 100 million naira that day, everything changed.
They moved into a big house, started a business, and from there the money kept growing.
Naomi didn’t waste the opportunity. She worked hard, went to school, and studied business. After university, she started her own company.
It didn’t take long before her business became one of the fastest growing companies in the country.
She became known for her smart ideas, humble attitude, and kind heart. But there was something Naomi never forgot.
The man who helped her. Every year on the same date, she would sit quietly in her office and remember the day the man who gave her his last money.
She searched for him many times, but no one knew where he had gone after his shed was demolished.
Still, Naomi never gave up hope. She kept saying to herself, “One day I will find him.
I must find him.” Meanwhile, in a small town far away, Johnson and his grandson Andrew were still struggling.
Life hadn’t been easy. The money his friend Simon gave them helped for some time.
But after that, they went back to starting over again and again. They lived in a small room at the back of an old compound.
Johnson opened a small shoe stall by the roadside. His back achd now and his eyes were not as sharp as before, but he kept pushing.
Andrew had grown into a handsome young man. He was respectful, hardworking, and full of dreams, too.
He had graduated from the university one year ago, but job hunting was hard. He had applied to many companies, attended several interviews, but nothing came through.
So, he did petty jobs, sometimes helping his grandfather in the shoe making business. Each morning, Andrew would wear an old apron, sit beside his grandfather, and make different shoe designs, a skill he had learned from him.
Some days, they sold enough to eat. Other days, they returned home empty-handed. “Grandpa, don’t worry,” Andrew would say.
“I believe our story will change one day.” Johnson would smile weakly and nod. “I know, my son.
God is watching.” But inside, he worried. He wished he could give Andrew a better life.
One evening, as the sun was going down and they were packing their goods, Johnson sat down and said, “Andrew, do you still remember that little girl that was about your age?”
“The one I helped so many years ago.” Andrew smiled. “Yes, Grandpa.” “You’ve told me that story many times.
I wonder where she is now,” Johnson said softly. “I hope she’s doing well.” It was a bright Saturday morning.
Johnson had gone to the market to buy more leather for a customer’s order, leaving Andrew at the stall.
He sat quietly, polishing a customer’s shoe, when suddenly a sleek black car rolled to a stop a few feet away.
The tinted window slid down, and a well-dressed woman stepped out gracefully. Her perfume lingered in the air, mixing with the smell of leather and shoe polish.
She looked elegant in a flowing black and gold CF tan with floral patterns and a golden inner layer, gold earrings, and gold high heels that clicked sharply against the rough ground.
One of her shoe buckles had come loose. She sighed softly and walked toward his small stall.
“Good afternoon,” she said in a calm, refined voice. Andrew looked up quickly, surprised. “Good afternoon, Ma,” he replied, wiping his hands on a small rag and smiling politely.
