FORGIVENESS IN MARRIAGE IS FREEDOM
Episode 3
I looked Alex straight in the eyes.
“I would rather die than abort this child.”
“If you truly want me to leave, then take me back to my parents yourself.” He folded his arms.
“No. Pack your things and leave.” I refused. That decision cost me dearly.
Despite knowing I was three months pregnant, Alex beat me that day with a level of cruelty I never imagined he was capable of.
“The two of us can’t continue living under the same roof,” he said angrily.
“Either you leave… or I will.” For the next two days, neither of us spoke much. Deep inside, I knew I couldn’t return to my parents. They had warned me not to marry Alex, but I chose love over their advice.
How could I face them now?
On Tuesday morning, I woke up and realized Alex wasn’t beside me. I searched every room in the house. Nothing. At first, I assumed he had stepped out to buy something. Hours passed. He still didn’t return. I tried convincing myself he had gone to work without telling me.
As evening approached and the house remained silent, fear began to settle in my heart. I picked up my phone and called him. His number was switched off. My hands started trembling.
As I paced around the room, I noticed an envelope lying on the table. It had my name written on it. With shaking fingers, I opened it. Inside was a short letter.
“Jane,”
“I told you one of us would leave this house.”
“I’ve traveled, and I won’t return until after you give birth.”
“Don’t waste your time looking for me or trying to call me.”
That was all. No explanation. No apology. No money. Nothing.
I sank to the floor and cried until I had no tears left. For the first time in my life, I understood what true loneliness felt like.
I was pregnant. Hungry. Abandoned. And completely alone.
Questions filled my mind.
How would I feed myself?
How would I pay my bills?
Who would take care of me if I became sick?
I had no answers. Desperate, I searched everywhere for work. But every employer looked at my growing pregnancy and turned me away.
“No vacancies.”
“We’ll call you.”
“We need someone who can work full-time.”
Those words became all too familiar. With no other option, I began asking strangers for help. Some people ignored me. Others pitied me enough to give me a little money. I saved every naira I could until I had enough to buy a few bags of sachet water.
Every morning, I carried them under the scorching sun, selling from street to street. Some days I sold everything. Some days I barely made enough to eat. But I refused to give up.
Five months later, another problem arrived. Our rent expired. The landlord came demanding his money. With tears in my eyes, I explained my situation.
“I don’t have it yet. Please give me more time.” He showed no sympathy. Two days later, he returned with a quit notice.
“You must leave before next month.”
Not once did he consider that I was heavily pregnant. When the deadline came, I packed the few belongings I still had and left. With nowhere else to go, I found shelter inside an abandoned, uncompleted building.
The place had no doors. No windows. No electricity. At night, every strange sound made my heart race. Still, it became my home. During the day, I continued selling sachet water. At night, I prayed that both my baby and I would survive.
Life became harder than I ever imagined.
Then one night… Just after midnight… Something happened inside that abandoned building that changed my life forever.
To be continued…
