Chapter 10: The Unraveling.
The apartment felt like a quiet storm had settled into every corner. The weight of the silence was different now. It wasn't oppressive anymore; it was almost.... empowering. Ezinne stood by the window, the low glow of the streetlights casting faint shadows across her face. It was a night like any other, but it felt like the world had shifted beneath her feet. She could feel it—the power that the woman in white had spoken about. It had seeped into her like a slow-burning fire, igniting something she had buried deep inside. For the first time in what felt like forever, Ezinne wasn't afraid. The haunting thoughts, the anxiety that had clung to her for so long, were replaced with a stillness. It was the calm before the storm. She had been walking in a fog of fear for so long, but now, it was clear. She wasn't running from this fight anymore. She could still hear Ogechi's words echoing in her mind: "Are you sure about this?" The doorbell rang, slicing through the air like a blade. It was time. Ezinne turned away from the window and moved toward the door. Every step was measured, deliberate. She had prepared for this moment. This was the moment she had been building toward. She opened the door, and there he was. Chike. His presence was as imposing as ever, but it didn't faze her. Not anymore. His eyes roamed over her, a slow, calculating look that seemed to check for weakness. But there was none. "Ezinne," he said, his voice smooth, as if everything between them was still the same. He stepped forward, close enough to make her feel the weight of his presence. She held her ground, letting him linger for a moment. He had always come to her like this, with that false calm, like he could charm her back into submission. But this time, it wasn't working. "I knew you'd come around," he continued, his voice thick with entitlement. "I told you, you'd never leave me." Ezinne's heart pounded, but it wasn't out of fear. No, it was something else—a deep, quiet anger that had built up over the years. She didn't flinch. She didn't recoil. She wasn't the woman he had broken. "I didn't come around, Chike. I came to end this," she said, her voice low but firm, each word cutting through the tension that thickened the air. His face darkened, his mouth curling into a mock smile. "End it? You think you can end me?" There was no humor in his eyes now. Just cold, calculating rage. He took a step toward her, his presence suffocating, but Ezinne didn't step back. She didn't flinch. She met his gaze, unwavering. "I'm not afraid of you anymore," she said quietly, her words grounded in something new. Something she hadn't had before: power. His eyes narrowed, a flash of disbelief crossing his features. For the first time, he seemed unsure. "You're still the same woman I left behind. You think you can survive without me? Without my help? You think you have what it takes?" Ezinne felt a rush of clarity. He had always made her doubt herself, but not anymore. She had fought through so much—alone, without anyone to hold her hand, without anyone to save her. But she didn't need saving anymore. "I've always had what it takes, Chike. You just never saw it." For a long moment, neither of them moved. The room was thick with tension, but something shifted. The fear inside her had been replaced by something stronger—a resolve that had solidified in her chest. She was done with him. Done with his control. Done with living in the shadow of his cruelty. "You think this is over?" he sneered, taking another step toward her. "You can't just walk away from me. I'll destroy everything you've built. Everything you care about." "I've already lost everything," Ezinne said, her voice calm now. "But I'm not losing anymore. Not to you." His breath caught in his throat, his confidence cracking. He hadn't expected her to stand her ground. He hadn't expected her to fight back. But that's exactly what she was doing now. Before he could respond, the phone in her pocket buzzed. The sudden sound was jarring, but she didn't react. She didn't need to. She knew what it meant. She didn't look at the phone. She didn't need to. Chike noticed it too, his eyes flicking toward her phone, a flicker of confusion crossing his face. She could see the wheels turning in his mind. He was waiting for her to back down, to get nervous, to break. But it wasn't going to happen. "Do you really think you can trap me like this?" Chike asked, his voice tinged with frustration now. "I don't need to trap you, Chike," she replied, her words firm, cutting through the growing tension. "You're already trapped. You just don't know it yet." He took another step forward, reaching out, his hand brushing against her arm. The contact was cold, like a reminder of everything she had endured, but Ezinne didn't pull away. She didn't need to. She took a deep breath, and then, without saying another word, she turned toward the door, walking away from him. She could hear him behind her, his voice rising in frustration, but it didn't matter anymore. She was in control now. The trap had been set, and Chike had fallen right into it. Ezinne opened the door to the other room, where Ogechi was waiting, silent but expectant. Ogechi's eyes were wide, as if she knew everything had shifted. "I did it," Ezinne whispered, her voice quiet but filled with something deep, something that resonated inside her. Ogechi's face softened with relief, but there was a new understanding between them. No longer just two women fighting to survive. Now, they were fighters in the truest sense, ready for whatever came next. "I'm done running," Ezinne said softly, the power in her voice undeniable. She had taken control. And this was only the beginning.