In a quiet, dimly lit room, Chioma slowly slid off the delicate gold ring she had worn since June. Though it wasn’t worth much, less than $200, its significance was immeasurable, representing countless memories and emotions.
Today, she decided to go bare-handed, a symbolic gesture to remind herself of how happiness can sometimes be elusive, hidden behind walls of pain and misunderstanding.
Chioma’s partner, Chinedu, had a way of cutting deep with his words. “You’re a bad mother, a bad partner, a burden,” he would say in the heat of their arguments.
These words stung like venom, and though a kiss would follow, it felt like a hollow attempt at reconciliation.
Did she truly forgive him, or did she let these words fester in her subconscious, turning into scars?
Chioma noticed a change within herself. She started to withdraw, believing that all men were the same.
Her partner’s harsh words had seeped into her mind, making her doubt her worth as a mother and as a person.
She even began to question her happiness. Would earning more money change things?
She doubted it. She knew that if she earned more, Chinedu would accuse her of arrogance. It had happened before and would…
