The Strength in Me :My Untold Stories

at a marketing firm, and my brother started college. We all found our feet again. That's when I met Joseph. He was a colleague at the marketing firm, and from the moment I met him, I was dra

urance. He had a way of carrying himself that commanded attention, and his blue piercing eyes seemed to bore into my soul. But it was his smile that caught my attention - warm, genuine, and infectious. We would talk for hours about everyth

flowers, and a box of artisanal chocolates. He would plan surprise dates - a sunset picnic in the park, a wine-tasting tour, and a co

notice little things about Joseph that gave me pause. He would get irritated if I didn't answer his calls or texts immediately. He would question me about my whereabouts and interactions with other men, his eyes narrowing with suspicion. He would make jokes about my clothes,

ould ask me about my interacti

is eyes narrowing slightly. I would explain

oo close to anyone else." I felt a surge of frustration, but I bit my tongue. I didn't want to start a fight. These small incidents started to pile up, making me feel like I was walking on eg

aise an issue and hit me. It started with a slap, then a push, and eventually, full-blown physical assaults. I became trapped in a cycle of abuse and didn't know how to escape. I became afraid of Joseph and even afraid of

w to play his cards so I never suspected. And I couldn't back out because I was already three months pregnant for him so I decided to hold on to the relationship. I wanted to believe

ave finally found a sense of purpose. But my mom was wary, she was the only one who knew what I was going through. She knew that Joseph's behavior was not sustainable and t

eavily, and would often sleep outside, leaving me to care for our baby alone. He made bad friends,

n't take it anymore. I knew I had to make a decision, for my sake and the sake of my child. So, when my baby was just a year old, I made the brave decision to leave Joseph. It wasn't easy, but I knew it was necessary. I packed my bags, took my daughter but before I left