4. Tensed Breakfast.

Ezinne looked like a miniature version of me. I used to be slim before I got married, but after I gave birth to her, I put on some weight. However, I wasn't fat—just plump and round. My breasts were fuller now, and my waist was rounder.

I had stretch marks on my legs, hands, and stomach, and Cletus didn't like them at all. Because of him, I had tried my best to remove them using homemade methods, but nothing I did worked. Cletus never gave me money, not even to go to the market—he did that himself. So, I was too broke to buy any cream to help fade them.

I had naturally fair, smooth skin, thanks to my beautiful mother's genes, so I didn't need cream to maintain my complexion. Otherwise, it would have been obvious how much I was suffering. Funny enough, people thought that since my husband worked in an oil company, I had it all. I chuckled at the thought. My daughter smiled, thinking I was happy.

I can assure you that it is quite hard to pretend in front of my daughter, so I always found something to distract myself, and that something was usually just thinking.

"Oh! Daddy returned immediately after you slept. He was very sad that he didn't come home when you were awake. He said he loves you and kissed you goodnight," I finally replied, hating myself for lying as the words came out of my mouth.

That had been part of my duty since I married Cletus—lying to cover up his wrongdoings. Whether it was to my friends, the world, or even my daughter, wherever I went, I left a long trail of lies behind me, all for Cletus.

The only friend who knew a little of what I was going through was Gozie, and that was because she had been my only friend since I returned to Nigeria. She was the only one who stood by me through the drama with my family, and she remained my friend through the years. Sadly, now I even hid most things from her so she wouldn't think I was more stupid than she already believed me to be.

After dressing Ezinne for school, I carried her to the dining room. We both sat in our usual seats while we took turns praying for the food and for a new day. Ezinne wasted no time eating—she was a heavy eater, which was why she was plump and round like me too. I, on the other hand, ate like a bird. I couldn't afford to gain any more weight.

She had a good height for her age, and her cheeks were plump. Hugging her felt like hugging a fluffy teddy bear. Some of the mothers in my church and the teachers at her school always praised me for keeping her healthy and beautiful. It made me very happy. Being a good mother was my biggest priority right now since I had lost everything else.

My daughter was one of the reasons why I couldn't abandon Cletus. I needed her to grow up with a father figure, no matter how abusive he was to me.

"Mummy, this stew is very delicious," she purred. "Yum, yum."

"Thank you, but eat slowly, Ezinne; nobody is taking the food away from you," I cautioned. I tapped her spoon with mine so that some of the extra rice fell back onto the plate. She was scooping way too much rice onto her spoon, and I didn't want her to choke on it.

"Yes, Mummy," she obeyed.

She stopped swallowing the rice whole and started chewing. She also stopped overloading her spoon. I smiled at her and gave her a thumbs-up. I loved her so much, and I would kill for her any day.

Just as I was about to take a sip of water, Cletus came downstairs.

His grey suit contrasted beautifully with his rich chocolate skin and broad shoulders. His neatly trimmed beard and low-cut hair framed his face perfectly. It hurt me to know that he was putting in all this effort to look this good—not for me, but for other women.

His tall, toned frame was impossible to ignore, and the veins on his muscular arms were visible even beneath the fabric of his suit. He carried himself with effortless confidence, a presence that commanded attention. Maybe he was just too perfect for me.

I had always been just average—not drop-dead gorgeous like him or his ex. Maybe it was what I deserved for going for a man above my league.

 I was staring so hard that the water went down the wrong pipe, and I started to choke.

I started coughing and immediately had to put down the cup. Ezinne ran to my side and caressed my back.

"Mummy, sorry," she kept saying until I finally stopped coughing.

Cletus looked at me disdainfully, hissing. He didn't even bother to tell me sorry. It was as if he was satisfied by my choking.

I felt very sad about this but chose to ignore it. After all, I was already used to his callous attitude towards me. It wasn't new.

He took his seat at the other end of the dining table without saying a word to either me or Ezinne, even though we were both sitting to his right. The stairs were behind the dining area, and the kitchen was opposite. I left the kitchen door open just in case Cletus requested something extra, like meat or salt.

"Daddy, good morning," Ezinne greeted, but he didn't answer. He only nodded, then looked at me angrily.

"Am I going to have to beg you first before you serve my food, or don't you have common sense?" he roared.

I jumped up from my seat in fear. "So… sorry," I stuttered.

I took the flat plate in front of him and hurriedly dished out his food, scooping from the big plate in the middle of the glass dining table.

I placed it in front of him before taking my seat. The stew was on the rice, and I made sure to give him the biggest piece of meat. The dining table became so quiet and tense that one could drown in it.