When I got home, I was welcomed with filthy papers, boxes of cigarettes, and food crumbs on the floor. There had a foul odor that blew past my face, and I felt I wanted to puke, then I quickly opened the windows. “When will Efe know how to be smart?” I thought to myself then sighed. While I was thinking, a chirping sound came from his phone. He quickly took a look, and I thought he would answer it, but he silence the chirping sound quickly before he looked at me with a smile.

“Sorry, my angel, but I have to go,” he said, then he kissed my cheek and grabbed his jacket and stormed out.

I wondered who it was that he didn’t want me to know about. I suspected that it was one of his side chicks. I came back to reality and shook my head feeling annoyed. I was only gone for few days, but our home was turned to a pigsty. I quickly rushed to my bedroom to rest a bit, but it was even worse in there. There were clothes on the floor, and wet mud footprints everywhere.

“He will never change. Anyway, it’s my job to clean after him,” I thought, then sighed deeply while dragging my big body to fetch a broom and mop.

I removed everything on the bed and made sure I removed dust from the sheets and duvet, and that was when I saw a red g-string. My anger boiled up. How could he sleep with a woman in our bed? I had bought the bed, duvet, and sheets. How could be not respect my house like that?

I was boiling with anger and I clutched my palms tightly. He might have built the house, but it was still in my name. I held off my rage, but then I saw two used condoms on the floor. The angrier I got, was the more I wanted to punish him. But how? I thought he should sleep outside, but it wasn’t a good idea. He might go and never come back. He didn’t care about how much pain he put me through when he cheated.

I opened the windows to let the chilly wind in because my anger made me feel hotter than I needed to. I then took a seat outside after a hour of cleaning. The house was too hot and small for me, and I was suffocating inside. I thought of why he wouldn’t change, and what I had done wrong in order for him to need another woman.

“In my house? Efe doesn’t respect me,” I thought, then I clicked my tongue. “Why couldn’t he be faithful at me for once?”

Efe arrived soon after I took a breath in the sun.

“How was your day?” he said, sounding like he cared.

I didn’t reply, but I faked a smile. He then dusted his shoes on the mat and entered the house. I followed him in order to confront him. He sat on the bed, and I slammed the door behind me.

“Do you want to break the door?” he shouted while cursing me.

Instead of answering, I walked slowly into the bedroom while shivering. I had fear clouding my mind. My stomach clinched tightly, and I knew that it was now or never. I should voice my complaints, or he would think I approved of his behavior.

“Why are you still cheating?” I asked gently while hiding my anger, but sounds of anger and dissatisfaction kept raising like a chorus.

“What makes you think that?” he replied unconcerned. He thought he was clever.

“I saw her g-string and used condoms, so don’t you dare lie to me,” I shouted and walked closer to him. He then stood up patiently, waiting for what I would do next.

“Do what you want to,” he spoke calmly.

The anger in me boiled up, and I smack on his chest. I couldn’t fight him because I was just a weak girl.

“Why are you doing this to me?” I screamed, but before I knew it, a hard slap flew on my face and I went blank.

“I’m a man, and I do what I want. This is my body,” he said while pulling me with my neck.

After speaking, he threw other slap, then another. I could barely see, so I remained still with my body feeling the pain of the ground I fell on. He then pulled me by my neck and stared at me with devilish eyes. I was scared he would do more harm than that, and my body shivered in fear.

“Don’t you ever ask me again, do you hear me?” he threatened me, and I nodded. I held back my tears and hyperventilated, and I felt sickened by him.

He was breathing heavily, and his arm looked like he was going to launch another slap. I felt a pain on my face, so I touched my eye. It was swollen, and he had spat on my face with his disgusting saliva, then stormed out. I didn’t know whether to cry or call for help. I was between a rock and a hard place, and I felt lonely. I needed someone to comfort me, but I couldn’t go to my parents for help. Zoryll wasn’t an option either. I imagined the shame I would feel, so I just returned home and left again. I threw my hands on my swollen and bruised face, and I drowned in tears.

My sadness felt private, words scared me, and my throat had run dry. I couldn’t keep telling people about my problem because it now sounded like a broken record.

Tell us: What do you think the main character needs to do now?