Shattered Foundations

The hospital room was eerily quiet, save for the faint beeping of the heart monitor. Sarafina sat at the edge of the chair, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as she listened to Solana's incessant rambling.

"I mean, Sarafina, you should just let it go," Solana said, her tone dismissive as she brushed invisible lint off her designer shirt. "So your husband's been acting distant. It's not like he's actually done anything wrong."

Sarafina's chest tightened, the knot in her stomach growing heavier. "He deleted messages, Solana. Messages to another woman saying he loves her. How is that not wrong?"

Solana rolled her eyes, her perfectly manicured nails tapping against the armrest. "Men get bored, Sarafina. It's not a big deal. You should focus on making him happy instead of snooping around."

Sarafina stared at her friend, struggling to mask her disappointment. She had known Solana for years, but lately, her so-called advice felt more like poison than support.

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Years ago, Sarafina's life had been filled with promise. Born into a wealthy family, she is a young attractiive woman ,with black curly hair, shiny caramel skin,blue eye and an unrelenting work ethic, she was the perfect reflection of her parents' legacy. They had raised her to be diligent and hardworking, instilling values of perseverance and integrity.

But tragedy struck in her early twenties when her parents died in a car accident. The grief was unbearable, but Sarafina didn't let it stop her. She stepped into the role her parents had left behind, taking over the family business and striving to uphold their vision. For years, she poured her heart and soul into the company, sacrificing personal happiness for success.

Her hard work should have been enough, but her uncle had other plans. She still remembered the day he walked into her office, flanked by lawyers and brimming with arrogance. His words were like knives, cutting through the foundation of everything she had built.

"You're not capable of running this company," he had declared, his voice cold and unyielding. "And you're not even the true heir. This company belongs to me."

Despite her relentless dedication, her uncle manipulated the board, using her financial struggles as leverage to seize control. He stripped her of her birthright, leaving her with nothing.

Now, Sarafina worked as a full-time head of department manager at a prominent UKay company. She had rebuilt a semblance of stability in her life, working alongside boyfriend friend,But even this stability felt like a fragile illusion. Caleb, the man she had once believed to be her partner, was distant and deceitful. And Solana—her longtime friend—seemed to revel in offering advice that undermined her confidence.she is now aa advanced gastric cancer patient laying on the hospital bed receiving treatment. She has been a cancer patient since two years ago. Even though she could bear children which made this a great conflict between her and her mother in law.

Back in the hospital room, Sarafina stood abruptly, the chair screeching against the tiled floor. "I can't do this anymore, Solana," she said, her voice trembling with determination. "I can't keep pretending everything is fine."

Solana raised an eyebrow, a sly smile playing on her lips. "What are you going to do? Leave him? You'll lose everything, Sarafina. And for what? A fantasy of independence?"

Sarafina met her gaze, her heart pounding. "Maybe I will. Maybe losing everything is better than losing myself."

As she walked out of the hospital, Sarafina felt the weight of her past pressing down on her. Memories of her parents, her company, and the life she had lost swirled in her mind. But for the first time in years, she also felt a spark of hope—a glimmer of the strength she thought she had lost.