And when he did come home, he kept his phone angled away from her. He laughed at texts and didn’t share the joke. He changed his password.
One night, Nyla tried to reach for his hand in bed.
Terrence pulled away. “I’m tired,” he said.
But his phone lit up again.
A message. A heart emoji.
Nyla saw it. Terrence saw her see it—and he didn’t even care.
“What?” he snapped. “You about to start again?”
Nyla’s voice shook. “I just… I just want us to be okay.”
Terrence sat up and looked at her like she was desperate and annoying.
“Maybe if you could give me a child, we’d be okay,” he said.
Those words hit Nyla harder than any slap.
Then Ivonne struck again—this time with humiliation wrapped in help.
The following Sunday, Ivonne announced she had invited someone special.
When Nyla walked into the living room, she saw a man sitting in the corner wearing a long robe and shiny shoes, holding a bottle of oil like it was a weapon.
Ivonne cleared her throat proudly.
“This is Prophet Lionel Briggs,” she said. “He’s known for breaking curses.”
Prophet Briggs smiled like he already knew Nyla was guilty.
Nyla’s stomach dropped.
Terrence didn’t stop it. He didn’t question it. He just sat down like this was normal.
Ivonne pointed at Nyla. “Tell him what’s wrong,” she demanded.
Nyla’s voice came out small. “I’ve had losses.”
