Susan landed herself a job interview in just two days of searching and she decided to tell her husband about it. That evening, Susan told Femi about her plans.
"My love, I have a job interview tomorrow," she said, trying to contain her excitement. "I was wondering if you could do me a huge favor."
Femi's expression remained stoic, giving away nothing. Susan's excitement began to falter, but she pressed on.
"I don't have any money for transport to get to the venue tomorrow," she said. "Could you please drop me off?"
Femi remained silent, his eyes fixed on the TV. Susan's anxiety grew as she waited for his response.
"My husband, say something," she urged, trying to break the awkward silence.
Femi slowly turned to face her, his expression unreadable. "What's the job?" he asked finally, his voice low and even.
Susan's heart skipped a beat as she launched into an explanation of the job and the company. Femi listened intently, his face a mask of indifference.
Femi's words cut deep, his tone venomous. "So you want the whole world to call me an incompetent husband, right?" he sneered, his eyes flashing with anger. "I see, your plan is to ruin my good name."
Susan felt like she'd been slapped, her face burning with shame and hurt. "That's not what I meant, Femi," she tried to explain, but he cut her off.
"Why do you want to work?" he demanded, his voice rising. "Are you hungry? Are you the one paying for our children's school fees?" He laughed, a cold, mocking sound. "You contribute nothing in this house, so what's your problem?"
He gestured to the store, which was filled with food items. "Tell me what else you want," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "Or do you want an excuse to go out and visit your numerous lovers?"
Susan felt like she was being torn apart, her emotions raw and exposed. She couldn't believe Femi would say such things to her, things that were both hurtful and untrue. She tried to defend herself, but Femi's words had already struck a chord, leaving her feeling wounded and vulnerable.
Femi stood firm, his face set in a stubborn expression. "You're not going to take a job," he said, his voice cold and final. "I forbid it."
With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Susan feeling stunned and hurt. As soon as he was gone, she burst into tears, overwhelmed by a mix of emotions.
She couldn't understand what had come over her husband. He was acting like a different person, one she didn't recognize. The man she had married years ago would never have spoken to her like that, would never have forbidden her from pursuing her dreams.
"Femi doesn't listen to me anymore," Susan thought, her mind racing with tears. "He's just like a different person entirely. He's no longer the same man I married years ago."
Despite Femi's disapproval, Susan decided to go ahead with her plans of getting a job. She hoped that once she had a job, Femi would see the benefits and change his mind.
With a newfound determination, Susan wiped away her tears and began to make plans for the next day. She would go to the interview, no matter what Femi thought. She would take control of her life, and she would make her own decisions, with or without her husband's approval.
Four weeks later, After several Job interviews, Susan's hard work paid off, and she landed a good job. But her excitement was short-lived, as Femi's reaction was explosive when he found out.
"So you went ahead and disobeyed me," he spat, his face twisted in anger. "You defied my order, and now you've shown your true colors." His words dripped with venom, and Susan felt a chill run down her spine.
"I see that I can't control you," Femi continued, his voice rising. "You have no regard for me, no respect for our marriage." His eyes blazed with fury, and Susan knew she was in for a tongue-lashing.
"Let me tell you something," Femi sneered. "You've just dug your own grave. To the whole world, we're a married couple, but to me, you're no longer my wife. It's over between us." His words were like a slap in the face, and Susan felt like she'd been punched in the gut.
Femi's anger was palpable, and Susan tried to reason with him, to explain why she had taken the job. But her efforts were futile. He wouldn't listen, wouldn't even try to understand her perspective.
"To hell with you," Femi snarled, his face red with rage. "I don't care what happens to you. From today, you're not related to me." His words were a cruel blow, and Susan felt like she was reeling from the impact.
As Femi stormed out of the room, Susan was left standing alone, feeling shattered and broken. She had never seen him so angry, so hurtful. She wondered if their marriage was beyond repair, if the love they once shared was truly gone.
Femi's threats had become a harsh reality. He stopped eating the meals Susan prepared, refusing to even glance at her. He abandoned their matrimonial bed, opting to sleep elsewhere. And as the days turned into weeks, he gradually stopped returning home.
Susan was shattered, her heart heavy with grief. She felt like she was losing her husband, and she didn't know how to stop it. In desperation, she turned to people Femi respected, hoping they could reach him.
Her father-in-law, a man Femi admired, was one of the first people she approached. She poured out her heart to him, explaining the situation and begging for his help. But despite her pleas, Femi's heart remained unmoved.
In a last-ditch effort to salvage their marriage, Susan made a painful decision. She quit her new job, hoping that Femi would see her sacrifice and return home. But even that wasn't enough.
Femi refused to budge, his anger and resentment still simmering. He wouldn't take Susan's calls, wouldn't even acknowledge her existence. Susan was devastated, trapped in a dilemma she couldn't escape.
She was torn between her love for Femi and her own sense of self-worth. She couldn't understand what had gone wrong in their marriage, what had driven Femi to this point. All she knew was that she was losing him, and she didn't know how to get him back. The silence between them was deafening, and Susan felt like she was drowning in her own tears.