𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐄 𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐈𝐄

** FORTY-EIGHT **

“Love is that condition in which the happiness of another person is essential to your own.”
– Robert A. Heinlein

****

             
DESPITE GOING TO bed late and all the drama that happened the previous day, Chinecherem still woke up early just like she used to.

A throbbing headache greeted her just as she sat up on the bed. She rubbed her forehead and decided she needed a cold shower.

So, quietly, not to wake Yasmine up, she climbed down from the bed and went into the bathroom.

She stopped right in front of the mirror to wash her face but her eyes got drawn to the reflection staring back at her.

For a few minutes, she stood staring at herself in the mirror.

She looked miserable with a swollen face and red eyes. She could still see the remnants of tears on her face, a stark reminder of the incident that had unfolded the previous day.

As she gazed at her own reflection, a mixture of emotions washed over her.

She felt a mix of gratitude, shame, heartbreak, and determination all at the same time.

Heaving a sigh, she decided within herself to move past everything. After almost dying from her unsuccessful suicidal attempts, she knew dying wasn't the way out.

Yeah, she was hurt and broken, but she chose to move past it.

Though her heart remained broken, a glimmer of hope began to rekindle within her. Redemption washed over her like a gentle tide, renewing her spirit.

At that moment, she made a silent promise to herself never to let herself be in such a vulnerable position again. She vowed to prioritize her own safety, well-being, and self-respect above all else.

With a newfound determination, she decided that she would no longer allow the words and actions of others to define her. Most especially her sister.

Although her heart ached for the love that seemed out of reach, she would not allow her sister's hurtful words to define her or undermine her self-worth.

She resolved to find solace and redemption within herself, nurture her own self-esteem, and surround herself with positivity. She would no longer allow the negativity of others to seep into her soul, tarnishing her sense of self-worth.

As she gently wiped away the last traces of tears from her face, she saw a glimmer of hope flickered in her eyes.

No one needed to tell her that the path to healing and self-empowerment would not be easy, but she was determined to embark on that journey.

With each passing day, she would become stronger, more confident, and more unapologetically herself.

She took one final look in the mirror, a renewed sense of purpose radiating from her. And with a deep breath, she walked away from the mirror and went to take her bath.

After taking her bath and changing into comfortable clothes, she went to the kitchen to find something to eat.

Her stomach kept rumbling while she had been taking her bath. That was because she hadn't had anything since the previous day - lunch.

So, she decided to make something light for herself before breakfast would be prepared. She settled on cereal.

She was still in the process of making the cereal when she felt a presence in the room. She lifted her eyes to the doorpost. And Jaime was standing there with a phone on his ear.