Restaurant Owner Pretends to Be Homeless after Seeing Waitress Taking Out Leftovers – Story of the Day

After two failed marriages, Michael had lost all hope of finding a woman who wouldn't want him for his money. But one day, an employee at his restaurant did something extraordinary. He decided to test her, and something remarkable happened.

"Two divorces… what a failure," Michael muttered to himself as he sipped a bit of soda at home. His love life was nothing like he imagined as a young boy. He might be successful in business, mainly because he already took over his late grandfather's restaurant franchises, but when it came to love, it was a complete disaster.

At first, he got married at 19 to Sarah. Their engagement lasted only two months, and their marriage was only six-months-long after he discovered that she only wanted money from him.

April saw a homeless man holding the kitten. | Source: Shutterstock

After a couple of years of dating around, Michael met Mary, who was from a wealthy family just like him. It seemed the perfect solution. She grew up with money and was set to inherit millions of dollars so that she wouldn't want anything from him. But he was wrong.

One night, he got home, and Mary didn't notice when he eavesdropped on her phone conversation with a friend. Apparently, Mary had only married him to escape from her family's clutches, and she was waiting for Michael's grandfather to die so she could file for divorce and get more money in the end.

Therefore, Michael filed for divorce before his grandfather got any sicker and expedited the procedure as much as possible despite Mary's objections.

His grandfather died a year after his second divorce, and Michael felt more alone than ever. He knew how to run a business. He was a keen entrepreneur who learned everything from the old man, but it didn't seem worth it when he couldn't make his love life work.

Michael thought hard about his life. | Source: Pexels

"What's the point of having money if you can't share it with someone?" he asked himself as he finished his soda. He went to bed for the night with that thought in mind, but he was looking forward to tomorrow and working some more.

***

Michael drove up to one of his locations in downtown Chicago and chose to park at the back. There was a back entrance that most of his cooks and employees used. It was simply more convenient. But perhaps, something else made him go there.

As he was parking his car, he saw a new waitress with a bowl of something in her hands. "Is she stealing food?" he wondered aloud. It was odd because this place offered its employees breakfast, lunch, and dinner, depending on their shifts.

He saw the woman pour whatever she took into an old box on the floor, then rush inside. After parking his car, Michael got out to investigate and heard a tiny "meow" coming from the cardboard box.

It was a kitten, and it was devouring the food the woman brought outside. "What a kind gesture," he whispered to himself and remembered the look of tenderness the woman had on her face. "It takes a remarkable person to care for such a defenseless creature."

He saw a kitten in the box. | Source: Pexels

And that's when Michael had an idea. He rushed back to his car and went home to change his clothes.

***

April exited the restaurant through the back like she did the past few days. Someone had abandoned a kitten in a box, and she was feeding it leftovers from the day. Hopefully, no one had discovered her yet.

She was moving apartments and couldn't take the kitten with her just yet. But it liked to stay safe inside that box, so she planned to bring it to her new place soon. For now, leftovers would work.

But when she went outside for the second time that day, the kitten was nowhere to be seen. "Oh, no. Kitty, kitty, kitty," April started to call and looked around.

Suddenly, she saw the tiny cat in the arms of a man who was dressed in poor clothing and wearing a hoodie.

"Hello, there. Is this your cat?" the man asked with a kind smile.

"Technically, no. I found it a few days ago, and I've been feeding it secretly. Don't tell my boss," April laughed and petted the kitten in the man's hands.

April stepped outside and saw the kitten in a man's arms. | Source: Pexels

"I think it wanted some cuddles too," the man added.

"Yeah. I'm planning to take him home soon. But I'm moving apartments right now. I had to drop out of college to help my mother, and now, she's gone… I'm sorry. I'm rambling. By the way, I'm April," she said.

"Michael. Pleased you meet you," he responded, staring at the woman who seemed to have a heart of gold, although he knew only a few basic things about her.

"Well, let's get this kitten something to eat," April stated, grabbing the animal from his hands and putting it back into the box so it could eat some leftover tuna.

They watched the kitten for a while until April stood. "Listen, are you hungry? I can get you something," she offered with a grin.

"Oh, no. I couldn't," Michael tried to refuse.

But April wouldn't hear of it. "Wait here," she interjected and rushed inside. She came out with a nice sandwich and drink for Michael, who didn't know what to do except take the food.

April smiled brightly at him. "You can leave the cat there. I'm sure I'm taking it tomorrow with me. I have to get back to work. Nice to meet you!"

He looked up at her and smiled. | Source: Pexels

Michael watched her go back inside and then stared at the cat for a long time, thinking.

***

April was wiping the bar the following day when her manager, Mr. Cornish, came up to him. "The boss wants to see you. What did you do?" he asked, seemingly angry at her.

"What? I haven't done anything. You mean the owner?" April replied, panicked.

"Yes, Mr. Sandhill is here, and he asked to see you in his office. No one goes in there unless Mr. Sandhill wants to fire someone. You're in trouble. Go fast!" Mr. Cornish demanded and pushed her towards the big boss's office.

April entered with shaking hands and was shocked by the person behind the desk. "Michael?" she breathed.

Michael was dressed in an expensive suit and looked nothing like the man she met yesterday. He looked up from his computer and smiled at her. "Look," he said and pointed at the chair next to his desk. The kitten was sitting there, sleeping peacefully.

"What's going on?" she asked, shocked by this turn of events.

Michael explained himself and said he wanted to test some of his employees by dressing like a homeless person. He saw her being kind to the kitten and wondered if her niceness extended to people.

They started dating eventually. | Source: Pexels

"That's a tricky game," April laughed breathlessly.

"I was also wondering… would you like to have dinner with me?" Michael asked, looking at April hopefully.

"That's why people go on dates," he jested, grinning.

"I don't know. You're my boss," she hesitated.

"Fair enough," Michael decided and let her go back to work.

They talked every once in a while, and eventually, April said yes to a date. They got married two years later, and Michael never had to worry about her. April didn't care about his money. She was genuine, kind, and the most profound soul he had ever met.

She restored his faith in love, and it was magical to make a family with her.

What can we learn from this story?

• Don't lose faith in love or people. After two bad experiences, Michael had lost hope that he would find someone to share his life with, but then he met April.
• Not everyone is interested in money. Although money runs the world, not everyone thinks it's the most essential thing. Some people are genuinely content with a simple life.

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