Next Chapter: The Woman Who Rose from the Ashes

The city lights shone and glimmered like scattered diamonds across the night but to Jaiye, even the brightness of Lagos felt feeble. She had everything she wanted, yet loneliness took over even in the corners of her heart. She was a woman in her mid-thirties, charming, brave, and the CEO of her own company.

She would walk confidently into her office, her voice commanded respect even in the boardrooms during meetings, yet, she longed for something her achievements couldn't buy. She needed to overcome the loneliness her life brought and wanted more. She desired a man who would love her for who she truly was.

She had encountered several men who only wanted to sleep with her and then leave. She wasn’t satisfied with that.

Her friends would often tease her about being too selective. “Jaiye,” Gloria would say, “life isn’t waiting for you. You don't have to figure it all out. Come out, enjoy yourself and have some fun!” And then there was Rebecca, always the outspoken one, who would add, “Babe, with all this money and beauty, how can you not find a man?”

They were the souls who made her life bustle as long as they were around her, but upon introducing her to a few wealthy men, she still wasn’t satisfied because there’s always one thing about Jaiye — her instincts never failed her.

She trusted her gut more than anything, and it had never disappointed her until love proved otherwise by wearing the perfect disguise several months later.

She finally met Clinton. He wasn’t like the others. He wasn't intimidated by her success. He had this sweet way of talking that swept Jaiye off her feet anytime she listened calmly. He was humbled and knew how to treat a lady respectfully.

Jaiye found herself happy again. Clinton, though an average person who was content with what he had, seemed to carry his own kind of confidence. But he had his intentions.

This was as a result of a past argument with James, a long-time ex of Jaiye whom she had dated in the past but left unannounced. This hurt the guy and he decided to deal with her. James met with Clinton and paid him to help him get back on Jaiye. Perhaps she didn’t know the past would come back to haunt her.

Jaiye had buried that part of her past long ago but karma never forgets. It came at her door unexpectedly. She had forgotten about everything and now wanted a man she would spend the rest of her life with. Clinton played the role so perfectly that there was no way to find out until after two years of being married.

Clinton successfully willed all her wealth to his name without her knowing, and she thought everything was fine until one evening she returned from work exhausted, and then she didn’t meet him at home.

The house was quiet and the door wasn't locked. She called out to him but there was no answer. As she took steps in, she noticed something had happened because it was unlike him not to be at home at that hour and even if he wouldn't be home, he would have informed her.

Before then, Jaiye had been pregnant, but he had asked her to abort the pregnancy so they could wait another year when they would be able to take care of their children. But for now, they needed to focus on their business first. She had no choice but to listen to him because she wasn’t ready to let him go.

As she bent to remove her shoes, she found a letter placed on the table with the flower vase settled by its side so it didn’t flip off but a way she could see it quickly and there read the letter from him:

“Dear Jaiye,
I want to let you know I wasn’t the man you thought I was. Remember James, your long-time ex? He paid me for this service to teach you a lesson. I don’t know what transpired between you both but I want you to know that I am gone and I have done all I needed to do. Don’t bother looking for me because you will never find me. Goodbye and have a good life.”

Upon hearing that, she staggered like a drunkard, then supported herself with the cushion beside her as she slowly sat down to think about everything. "Am I dreaming?" she asked, pinching herself, but here she was - her reality. Her exhaustion left immediately, then she went inside to check again; perhaps it was all a lie.

But getting into the bedroom, she noticed something on the floor - the broken vase that had been scattered on the floor, which Clinton had packed quickly while ransacking for her documents to all her investments, but some remnants were left. She was quick to notice that something had happened because the vase was placed right beside her small shelf. She opened it and discovered everything was gone.

Her hands trembled as reality hit her - her investments, her future, gone in an instant. She broke down in tears as she dropped to the floor. The tears were uncontrollable, then she picked up her phone and decided to call Gloria, her best friend.

“Gloria…” she whispered through the sobs, “he took everything. Everything is gone.”

She managed to pass through the whole drama that night and the following morning, she'd develop a headache that made her head bang so hard. Luckily, Gloria came as early to check on her but found her lying helplessly on the bed. Immediately, she was carried to the hospital.

Everything came crashing down on her when the news was told to her by the doctor, who informed her that her womb had been tampered with and could no longer give birth. She found out her womb had been removed, unknown to her, by a doctor who was paid by Clinton to remove it.

For the next two months, she was in deep agony and thanks to Gloria, who stood by her all this time.

Her mansion became like a hell and she couldn't stop herself from the quiet sobs that echoed in her heart. But then, something in her keeps telling her it's not the end of life. She realised nothing would be done about what had happened, and she only needed to brace herself up and start a new life.

“Maybe the end of love is not the end of living,” she told herself one morning.

A new chapter began when her only saving grace was with the cryptocurrency app on her phone, where she had stacked lots of dollars of crypto, and that was how she was able to start a new life, but now, doing something fulfilling.

She joined an NGO and started sharing her experience with the young women who cared to attend the program organised to help educate women not to experience the same thing that happened to her.

Her story gave her strength and voice, her scars became her message, and her next chapter, the one she never anticipated became the beginning of her healing.

---

_{Images are generated from Quillbot}