Javier was born and raised in Mexico City. He was accustomed to comfort, viewing life through eyes that only valued money and status. When he married María—a sweet, simple girl from a small town—his friends mocked him, saying he had “brought home a country girl.” But since she was beautiful, hardworking, and loved him with all her heart, Javier agreed to marry her.

On the day of the wedding, María’s father, Don Pedro, a thin farmer weathered by the sun, traveled from the ranch and gave all his savings to support his daughter. But to Javier, this man was nothing more than “a poor, backward man.”

After the wedding, María would sometimes ask her husband to visit her father in the countryside, but Javier always made excuses:
—What’s the point of going there? Just dust, fields, and nothing interesting to talk about.

María would feel sad, but she never reproached him.

One day, Don Pedro unexpectedly arrived in the city to visit the couple. He traveled on an old bus and brought some sweet potatoes and grapefruits from his orchard as a gift. As soon as he arrived, María was excited:
—Dad! When did you get here? Why didn’t you tell me so I could pick you up at the station?

He smiled kindly:
—I didn’t want to bother you, daughter. I just brought a few things from the ranch so you wouldn’t forget the taste of home.

María was moved to tears. But Javier reacted differently. He was sitting in the living room looking at his phone; when he saw Don Pedro enter wearing worn clothes and old sandals, he frowned, greeted him coldly, and turned away.

During lunch, Don Pedro tried to start a conversation with his son-in-law:
—Javier, how’s work going? Is it really tough?

Javier quickly grabbed some meat and answered curtly:
—It’s normal.

The atmosphere became tense. Don Pedro, still smiling, spoke about the harvests and life in the village. Javier barely listened, nodding occasionally. Inside, he thought with annoyance: “A poor farmer, what could he possibly have to say? What does he know about modern life?”

María, seeing the coldness of her husband, suffered in silence.

In the afternoon, Javier had an important meeting with the director of a large company, someone he was hoping to partner with to save his business, which was in crisis. He rushed to get ready, leaving his father-in-law alone in the yard.

Shortly after, the doorbell rang. A luxury car stopped in front of the house. A middle-aged man, elegant and impeccably dressed in a suit, stepped out of the car. Javier rushed to greet him with a servile smile:
—Director! Welcome, please come inside.

But when the man entered, Javier froze. The visitor walked directly toward Don Pedro, who was sitting in silence, and spoke to him with great respect:
—Good afternoon, Don Pedro. I’m Alejandro Ramírez, CEO of ABC Company, and I came as agreed with you.

Javier was left speechless. The “director” he had hoped to partner with treated his father-in-law, the farmer, with total respect.

Don Pedro smiled and explained calmly:
—I didn’t want to brag, but for years I’ve invested my savings with a few acquaintances to build this company. Alejandro is the CEO. This time, I came not only to visit my daughter but also to talk about opening a new branch in the city. I thought I’d introduce you to him to see if you could collaborate…

Javier’s world crumbled inside. He remembered his indifference, the curt responses he had given, the disdain in his eyes. All that remained was deep regret. He stammered:
—I’m sorry, Don Pedro… I didn’t know…

The father-in-law sighed and said slowly:
—I don’t need you to respect me for my money. I just want you to love my daughter and value family. But today, I clearly saw what weighs most in your heart.

He stood up, grabbed his old bag, and prepared to leave. María broke into tears and tried to stop her father. Javier, on the other hand, remained pale, lamenting. The golden opportunity had slipped through his fingers because of his pride and disdain.

That night, the house was silent. Javier, defeated, realized that true wealth wasn’t in an elegant suit, a full wallet, or a luxury car, but in the kindness and dignity of people. And he understood that what he had lost wasn’t just a business opportunity but also his wife’s trust and his father-in-law’s respect—the humble farmer who, in reality, was the majority shareholder of the company he had long dreamed of working with.