Chapter 1

Sasha's POV 

"Here are the divorce papers, I've signed them. I'm grateful that my marriage with you has finally come to an end," I flung the papers at Harvey as he emptied the bottle of whiskey he was holding into his mouth. "I never wish to ever have anything to do with you again."

Tears pooled up in my eyes and began to find their way down my cheeks.

I loved Harvey. I loved him with everything I had and this… this… this was how he paid me…

I wonder how that mouth was once the sweetest thing I've ever tasted. I've done everything humanly possible to revive the spark between us. 

But, I've had enough. 

Today was the day I was going to leave Harvey. I've endured for too long, I cannot endure anymore. He killed the very hope that was holding us together. 

O! My poor Daniel. Harvey killed him. 

"Where do you think you'll go? You don't have anywhere to go, remember? I'm all you've got in your fucking miserable life," He paused and dropped the whiskey. "O- I've always known you were a prostitute before I brought you out of the street."

This was the exact thing he said to me the day I caught him in pants with two naked women on my bed. The very bed my dad bought for me.

I don't mind anything he was going to say, he has said worse before.

Moreover, he never met me in the streets. I was never on the street except if my father's house was the street he was referring to. 

"I can't believe I've wasted five years of my precious life with you…" I pursed my lips as I grabbed my box and began to head out of the house.

He should be grateful this wasn't America where I'm allowed to own a gun.

I stopped when I got to the door. There was no way I would have peace if I left Harvey like this after everything he did to me. 

I turned abruptly and glared at him. 

"I knew you can't leave, bitch. I bet you'll hardly make it through a day on your own. I can still forgive everything you have said just now if you agree to fuck my new boss," he smirked and leaned back into the sofa. 

What kind of a husband tells his wife to sleep with another dude? It has to be Harvey and him alone.

He left our son to die because I refused to sleep with my boss just to secure himself a promotion just like he sold out our other son.

"Do you acquiesce to sleep with Mr Godwin?" He asked, and let out a belch.

I toted closer to him and grabbed the empty bottle on the table and smacked his head, "This is for Daniel." The bottle broke into pieces.

He was tipsy and was completely vulnerable. This was something I should have done for a very long time.

Blood began to glide out of his head. "Wtf! Sasha! I'll kill you…" he tried to stand but before he could gain his feet, I smashed another bottle on his head and he fell back into the couch. 

Hurriedly, I carried my boxes and left, leaving him groaning in pain. I knew that he wasn't dead because, well, why would he die so easily?

He deserved to suffer…

*****

I stood with my boxes in Stanka Parmaca Street, under a tent because it was raining heavily like an African mother scolding her child. 

I had nowhere in mind precisely. But I knew for sure where I came from – the place I have sworn never to return.

It has been almost two hours since I have been standing underneath this tent. I thought the rain would not fall for this long. Perhaps it was just my bad bad augury that was manifesting again.

It was not supposed to rain. The weather forecast said it would be sunny today.

"Why did it take me so long to leave?" I muttered to myself as tears coursed down my eyes. If only I had left earlier than this, perhaps my Daniel would still be alive.

After so many years of being a punching bag for Harvey to showcase every new boxing skill he learned every day; so many years of telling myself tomorrow would be different; so many years of enduring his gaslighting.

I only wished I found this courage years ago. I  regretted thinking marriage was full of ups and downs and that I had to endure, like the soil absorbing water.

Just when I thought that God had chosen to reward my suffering by giving her a child, I let him slip away. 

It should have been me but who would Daniel be with? Harvey? Hell no!

Hot tears welled from my eyes and coursed down my cheeks freely, it was all my fault. I brought the poor child with the hope that things would get better.

I would have made sure Daniel grew up to be a nice gentleman.

It was still drizzling when suddenly, a car flashed its lights at me, it was a taxi. I waved at it and it came.

"Good evening, ma'am. Where are you going," the driver asked as he parked beside the road and lowered his side mirror.

"Take me somewhere far away from here. To a hotel outside this town. Just take me out of here." My voice was trembling. 

Without asking any questions, he came down and packed my boxes into the boot. I got into the car. As we drove away, the driver peeped at me a couple of times through the rearview mirror. "Is there anything I could do to help you, ma'am?" The driver finally asked.

"No, there's nothing you can do to help. I don't need anybody's help. Just take me out of here." I was sober again.

"I want to know that God is with you. He's always with you. He is there for us, has always been, through our darkest parts; with us in the dungeons of hard times and will see us through to better days." The least I wanted right now was to listen to someone preach to me. What was God thinking when he let me marry Harvey knowing I was going to suffer? 

Where was God when I needed him the most? Why had he given me Daniel if he wasn't going to let me have him? 

Life had its ways of murdering faiths, mine had been buried together with my child.

About thirty minutes later I saw a sign board that read: Welcome to the city of Split. 

The driver drove through the streets and in no time, we were at the front of a two-story building which I assume was a resort.

It was not a luxurious hotel but it was not a bad place either. I came down, and the driver did too and helped bring my boxes out of the boot.

He offered to help me take them into the room I would be lodging in but I refused. She was never going to trust any man in my life again, not even my own dad if he was to reawaken from the grave.

"How much? I asked as I sniffed a deep breath and brought out my wallet to pay him.

"Your money is ten pounds, ma'am," he replied smiling. Although I have never been here before,  I knew it was going to cost more than ten pounds to get there. So I opened my wallet and brought out a fifty-pound bill and handed it to him.

"I asked for ten pounds." He drew my attention to the money I'd given him. Perhaps he thought I made a mistake in giving him that amount. 

"Keep the change, for the stress I've caused you."

"Thanks, ma'am." He tucked the money into his trouser pocket and quickly turned to his car and brought out his business card and he handed it to me, "Call me when you need anything."

I accepted the card. "Thank you," I muttered. I was not going to call him. It just wouldn't seem nice of me to reject his kind gesture. 

I did not move from where I  dropped my luggage until I was sure he had driven out of sight. I dragged my boxes into the hotel. 

Luckily, there was a vacant room.

When I finally booked into the room, I showered and sat on the bed. Earlier, I had not had the time to mourn my child. Now that I was alone, it was the best time to do that. 

"Rest in peace, Daniel. I would do the same if I had the courage to. This life is not worth living." I mustered between.

There were times when I thought of suicide, to run into a speeding car, jump over the bridge into the river, or even, hang myself. 

I needed more than just the thoughts. Thoughts don't kill people.