Ramona, an ordinary girl from the village, once married Alexander, a successful and self-confident man who was used to being the center of attention. He worked in a large company, wore expensive suits, and organized parties in the best restaurants in the city. Despite his apparent ease, his life was full of high ambitions and expectations of others.

“In those old shoes again?” Alexander said with slight irritation, noticing how carefully Ramona left the house, trying not to get her shoes dirty.

“These shoes are my favorite, they are comfortable,” she replied calmly, not paying much attention to her husband’s words.

Alexander sighed. “If you want to impress people, you have to look better.”

Ramona remained silent, knowing that Alexander often found her simplicity irritating. She loved her life, but increasingly she felt her place in the world becoming less and less clear.

Each day with Ileana, her mother-in-law, became more and more challenging. Ileana never hid her contempt for the village girl and often reminded Ramona that she should be “like everyone else”—part of the high-class city society.

“Did you make the soup too salty again?” Ileana pushed the soup away and shook her head. “What can you expect from a village girl? She can only cook potatoes.”

“Mom, I really tried…” Ramona said quietly, not knowing how else to justify herself.

“Did you try?! You’d be better off going to work on a farm!” her mother-in-law blurted out, not hiding her contempt for Ramona.

Alexander, sitting next to her, just smiled. “What can I do, she’s from the village…” he said, and as always, it was a blow to Ramona.

With each passing day, her life became more and more closed. She went out less and less, and every family dinner became an ordeal. Ramona could not find common ground with Alexander’s family, and her feelings towards her husband began to change. She felt that her life was limited not only by his expectations, but also by his family.

One day someone knocked on their door. It was a stranger, a lawyer who had been looking for Ramona for over a year.

«Mrs. Ramona?» asked the man.

“Yes, it’s me. How can I help you?” she replied, not understanding who it was and what he wanted.

“I am your father’s lawyer,” he said respectfully. “I have some sad news to tell you. Your father died two years ago.”

Ramona felt her legs go weak. She hadn’t seen her father since she moved to the city, and now she understood that many things in her life were still unclear.

“Why are you looking for me?” she asked heavily, trying to gather her thoughts.

“Your father left you an inheritance,” the lawyer replied, pulling some documents out of his bag. “He left you not only the land he bought in the country, but also significant investments, including stocks.”

Ramona couldn’t believe her ears. Her father, whom she had always considered a simple farmer, turned out to be a very wise and far-sighted man.

“But why didn’t he tell me anything?” Ramona could barely hide her emotions.

“He tried to contact you, but your husband and mother-in-law wouldn’t let him. He wanted to leave you free and protect you,” the lawyer continued, handing her the letter. “Please read it.”

Ramona trembled as she opened the envelope and began to read the letter from her father. Her hand trembled and tears ran down her cheeks as she learned that her father was proud of her and wanted her to be able to become independent.

«You loved me,

If you are reading this, it means I am gone. I am sorry that I never told you everything I managed to accumulate. I wanted you to build your own life, not letting money affect your future.

I knew how hard it was for you, and I often tried to find a way to help you, but my attempts were thwarted. You deserve more than what you had to endure.

Ramona, unable to continue reading, wiped her eyes and looked at the lawyer again.

“Is this inheritance really mine?” she asked, trying to understand that her life was now changing dramatically.

“Yes, all the documents are in order. The inheritance belongs only to you. The law clearly states that it is not joint property in marriage,” the lawyer replied.

When Alexander and Ileana returned home, they found Ramona in the company of a lawyer. Alexander, not expecting such a turn of events, immediately became interested in what was happening.

“What’s going on here?” he asked, dissatisfied, looking at the lawyer. “Who is this man?”

Ramona stood up, no longer feeling fear. From that moment on, she knew her life would be different.

“This man is my father’s lawyer. And now I know that I have inherited three million euros,” Ramona said, looking into her husband’s eyes.

Alexander froze for a moment, and then his face changed. He tried to smile, but it was forced.

“My dear, that’s great news! We must celebrate!” he exclaimed, trying to bring the situation back to its usual framework.

But Ramona felt the strength growing inside her. She turned to the lawyer.

“No, it’s not for your family. It’s for me.”

With these words, Ramona took the first step towards a new life. She enrolled in business courses, began working on her independence, and soon established a foundation to help women from the village discover their talents and learn to build their lives without losing their dignity.

Ramona finally realized that her power wasn’t in money, but in the ability to choose her path and live the way she wanted. She filed for divorce. This step was just the beginning of her journey to true freedom and self-discovery.

Now, with a new perspective on life, she began to build her career and help others who, like her, needed support and understanding.