The next morning, Nneka woke up before Olu again.
She didn't lie there watching him.
She didn't wait for him to wake up.
She didn't even wonder where he had been the previous night.
She simply got up, washed her face, tied her scarf, and started her day.
No tears.
No questions.
No begging.
Just silence.
And sometimes, a woman's silence is the loudest sign that she's changing.
⸻
The Shift He Didn't Expect
By the time Olu woke, Nneka was already dressed and leaving the room.
He looked at her strangely.
"You're going out?" he asked.
"Yes," she replied calmly.
"For what?"
"To work."
He scoffed.
"You're forming busy wife now?"
Nneka didn't answer.
She simply walked out — leaving him staring after her, confused by her calmness.
He had broken her heart many times…
but this was the first time he felt something slip from his hands.
And even he couldn't explain why it bothered him.
⸻
The Shop That Became Her Refuge
When Nneka reached her shop, she opened it with a deep breath.
This little space — with its shelves, perfumes, scarves, and earrings — was the only place she still felt like herself.
She arranged her items slowly, wiping the table even though it was clean.
Then she sat down.
Her heart wasn't peaceful…
but it was no longer shaking.
After a while, Ngozi walked in with bread and eggs.
"Nneka, you haven't eaten," Ngozi said softly.
Nneka looked up, eyes tired.
"Thank you," she whispered.
The moment Ngozi sat down, she grabbed Nneka's hand.
"My friend… you look empty."
Nneka smiled sadly.
"I'm learning to be empty," she whispered. "Maybe emptiness is better than heartbreak."
Ngozi shook her head, tears in her eyes.
"You deserve joy. Not emptiness."
Nneka looked at the shop entrance as if staring at her future.
"I will find joy," she said calmly. "But I need to rebuild myself first."
⸻
A Message From the Other Side
Just as they finished eating, Nneka's phone vibrated.
A message.
From a number she didn't save.
When she opened it, her heart froze.
"This is Ada. I hope you know you can't stop him from seeing me."
Another message followed:
"He loves me now. Let him be."
Ngozi grabbed the phone, shocked.
"This girl is mad! Nneka, block her!"
But Nneka just stared at the message quietly.
No tears.
No shaking.
No anger.
She simply whispered:
"She wants a fight… but I'm done fighting."
Ngozi nodded slowly.
"You're stronger than you know."
Nneka replied softly:
"No. I'm just tired."
⸻
When He Returns Home
That evening, Nneka returned home earlier than usual.
Olu was sitting on the sofa, eating fast food.
He didn't look up when she entered.
"You didn't cook?" he asked casually.
"I wasn't home," she replied.
He frowned slightly.
"You're behaving different."
Nneka didn't respond.
She walked straight to the bedroom and began folding her clothes quietly.
Olu followed her and crossed his arms.
"What's going on with you?" he asked.
"Nothing," she said.
"Don't lie," he snapped. "This your new attitude — I don't like it."
Nneka kept folding.
"It's not an attitude," she said softly. "It's acceptance."
Olu blinked.
"Acceptance of what?"
She looked up for the first time, straight into his eyes.
"Acceptance that I can't force this marriage to work."
Olu's expression flickered — anger, guilt, confusion, pride — all fighting inside him.
"You want to leave?" he asked sharply.
"No," she replied calmly.
"Not yet."
"Then what is all this?"
Nneka smiled sadly.
"I'm taking my heart back."
Olu stepped back, as if her words hit him harder than he expected.
"You're talking nonsense."
"No," she whispered.
"For once… I'm not."
Then she turned away and continued folding her clothes.
Her silence shook him more than her tears ever did.
⸻
The Whisper of Strength
Later that night, while Olu slept, Nneka sat outside on the bench again.
The moon was bright.
The air was soft.
But her heart felt different.
Stronger.
Calmer.
Awake.
She whispered into the night:
"God, if you're preparing me for something new… give me the strength to finish this."
She didn't know when she would leave.
Or how.
Or what life would look like afterward.
But one thing was certain:
The woman who used to beg, cry, and hope blindly…
was gone.
A new woman was rising.
Quietly.
Slowly.
But powerfully.
And even she didn't know yet how strong she was becoming.
⸻
End of Chapter 12