Title: Torn Between Love and Hate
Episode 3: A Mother’s Pain
Amaka sat in the bedroom, staring blankly at the wall. Obinna’s words echoed in her mind. You are the reason I lost my mother.
She couldn’t believe it. Was that why he had been treating her with so much hatred all these years? Did he really blame her for Mama Obinna’s death?
Tears streamed down her cheeks. She had tried so hard to be a good wife and daughter-in-law. Yes, she and Mama Obinna had their differences, but she had never wished her harm.
The sound of laughter outside broke her thoughts. She peered through the window and saw Obinna playing with the children in the garden. He looked happy, free. With them, he was warm and loving.
But with her, he was ice.
She wiped her tears and walked outside, determined to talk to him again. She couldn’t let things remain like this.
“Obinna, please,” she called, her voice soft.
He tensed immediately, but because of the children, he forced a smile and patted Kamsi’s head. “Go inside, kids. Mummy and I need to talk.”
The children ran off, unaware of the tension thickening in the air.
Obinna turned to Amaka, his face hardening. “What do you want now?”
“I need us to talk,” she pleaded. “Obinna, I am not responsible for your mother’s death. She was sick, and we all did our best to take care of her.”
Obinna scoffed. “Don’t act innocent, Amaka. You never respected her. You argued with her, you—”
“I never disrespected her!” she interrupted, her voice shaking. “She was difficult at times, but I always tried to make peace.”
He clenched his jaw, unwilling to hear it.
Amaka stepped closer. “You’re holding on to so much anger, Obinna. But I am not your enemy. We are supposed to be partners.”
Obinna’s eyes flickered with something—pain, conflict—but it was gone in an instant. He took a deep breath and shook his head. “I will never forget what happened. And I can never love you again.”
Amaka’s heart shattered.
She watched as he walked back into the house, leaving her standing in the evening breeze, broken and alone.
But as she wiped her tears, a new determination filled her. If Obinna refused to heal, she would find her own strength.
She would no longer beg for his love.
—
Stay tuned for Episode 4!
Title: Torn Between Love and Hate
Episode 4: A Silent Wa.r
Days passed, then weeks, but the distance between Obinna and Amaka only grew wider. He spoke to her only when necessary, treating her more like a housekeeper than a wife. Yet, in front of the children, he remained the perfect father.
Amaka had stopped trying to win back his love. If Obinna had chosen to live in the past, then so be it. She would focus on herself and her children.
One morning, after dropping the kids at school, Amaka went to the market. She had started a small business selling fabrics, something to keep her busy and independent. If Obinna no longer cared for her, she wouldn’t sit around waiting for his affection.
While arranging her fabrics at the shop, she heard a familiar voice.
“Madam Amaka! Long time!”
She turned and saw Emeka, her childhood friend. He had been her neighbor when they were young, but life had taken them in different directions.
“Emeka?” she said, surprised. “It’s been ages!”
They talked for a while, catching up on old times. Emeka had just returned from Abuja, where he had been working. He smiled warmly at her.
“You still look as beautiful as ever,” he said.
Amaka laughed. “And you still have that sugar-coated tongue.”
They exchanged numbers before he left, promising to stay in touch. It felt good to talk to someone who saw her as more than just a mother or a wife trapped in a loveless marriage.
But that evening, as she returned home, she met Obinna waiting for her at the doorstep. His face was like a storm cloud.
“Where have you been?” he asked coldly.
Amaka sighed, stepping past him. “I was at my shop.”
“With a man?” His voice was sharp, accusing.
Amaka froze. “Excuse me?”
“I heard you were laughing and talking with some man today,” he said, his tone bitter. “You barely respect this marriage, Amaka.”
She turned to face him, fire in her eyes. “Respect?” she scoffed. “You stopped treating me like your wife a long time ago, Obinna. You ignore me every day, yet now you suddenly care about who I talk to?”
Obinna clenched his jaw. “I may not love you, but I will not have my wife disgracing me in public.”
Amaka’s heart pounded. “I have endured your hatred for years, Obinna. But one thing I will not do is let you control me while treating me like a stranger in my own home.”
She walked past him into the house, leaving him standing there, fists clenched.
For the first time in years, Obinna felt something other than hatred—jealousy.
But was it too late?
—
Stay tuned for Episode 5!
