[STORY] IT’S NOT LOVE (Episode 04)

Episode 04.

Being mistreated by the person you love, especially when physical abuse is involved, is one of the most frightening and traumatic experience that a woman can face, and it is hard to know what to do when it happens. A woman who is a victim of violence faces a particularly complicated dilemma. And that’s if she Should stay or go? Although this may seem to be an easy choice, but for a woman who is constantly abused, it’s difficult.

There are many issues that can make it difficult for a victim of domestic violence to leave. In the case of Bridget, she care so much about her honor and what people will say.

But the other reason that kept Bridget in that toxic environment, was her daughter and with the fact that her daughter was with Raphael made her more eager to go back home that evening. But her father told her to wait till the next day.

“My daughter, you need to relax, this is your home too, your daughter will be safe with her father, please relax and get some rest, first thing tomorrow morning, you can return to your matrimonial home, I have called your husband severally but his phones are off, he knows what he has done and I’m sure he knows that you are here with us, if it’s left to me, I will suggest you stay here with us till he comes here and plead for forgiveness but I know it’s because of your daughter, that’s why you want to return home and if that’s what you want, that’s okay” Bridget’s father entered and Bridget nodded her head sadly.

Her parents tried to cheer her up and they promised to tackle the issue and stop Raphael from abusing her. That evening
Bridget lost her appetite as she barely touched the meal her mother prepared, she kept reminiscing on the incident that happened earlier. She couldn’t believe that Raphael could beat her up in public.
She felt so defeated and at the same ashamed that Gideon witnessed everything.

Men like Raphael are not men, but boys masquerading as men. Bridget wonders “what happened to patience and maturity, he didn’t even wait, so I could introduce Gideon to him and I have told him alot about Gideon, he couldn’t even wait till we get home, before descending on me in public on Christmas day, oh this is so disheartening”

All through that night Bridget was lost in a deep thought, she doesn’t understand why a grown man like Raphael can’t just let a woman he claimed he was in love with, to have a social life of her own.
“Since when did it become a crime, to greet some one you know?” She thought in tears

She can’t wrap her mind around the fact that Raphael would treat her so inhumanely, she had always obeyed him, she was a submissive wife, she did everything for him but still he was not satisfied.
Bridget’s thought went back in time, to when they were still dating, Bridget remembered that Raphael would incessantly text her to know her whereabouts, and when an answer seems not forthcoming, he will resort to calling her friends too. And he was always throwing all sorts of wild accusations at her.

He always looked through her text messages, and checks the call log to see who has called her, Raphael had never trusted her word.
“I thought he loved me so much and that’s why I kept defending myself and proving my innocence to him, I never knew he would become abusive, now see, I’m in a big mess” she told herself with tears flowing from her eyes.

One thing that Bridget had learnt from her toxic marriage was that every relationship ought to be about mutual trust and respect.
Apart from that, Bridget had also discovered that Raphael was selfish too.

Raphael love hanging out with his friends but get really upset when Bridget catch up with her friends and family. Raphael was so selfish that he always force his decisions on her.
Bridget was not given freedom to choose, everything was always about him.

For five years, Raphael had been exercising control over Bridget and he gets wild and physically abusive if things do not work the way he wants.

On the other hand, growing up, Raphael didn’t have good relationship models. His father was a rude, arrogant and stubborn man and he was also a control freak.
There were frequent arguments between his parents. growing up, his parents loved each other but they fought a lot too. His parents had a love/hate relationship and he had witnessed his father beat up his mother on several occasions, no wonder he was doing same thing to Bridget his wife.

Raphael had too many limiting beliefs and he didn’t know how loving relationships worked.
He always looked for other people for his happiness and to validate him. He didn’t love himself and was not a complete person in himself.
Raphael’s parents were somewhat responsible for his odd and abusive behavior as they raised him in a toxic environment.

The next morning was on the 26th day of December, a day every one calls “boxing day”, it was usually a special day, as people tend to open their gift box and smile at the sight of the gift wrapped up in the box, Bridget found herself in front of the house that she had lived for more than five years, a house she still refers as her matrimonial home, her eyes were heavy as she didn’t get to sleep last night.

she knocked and knocked on the gate but no one responded.
She almost gave up but then she heard a familiar voice.
“Madam, oga say make I no open gate for you, madam please call oga” Musa their security man entered.
Right there, Bridget knew that her battle has just began, she had been feeling nauseous for days and she felt exhausted, she had even mentioned it to her husband, a day before and in his usual manner, he even volunteered to take her to see the doctor but with everything that was happening, Bridget felt more exhausted as she tried to sit on the bare floor, she didn’t know when she slumped on the floor and fainted.
Thank God, Musa saw her as he ran into the house to call Raphael.

Do you think Raphael will be bothered?
Why did she faint?
Find out.

To Be Continued….. . . .

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