My friend, you deserve better. You were surviving before you met him, and remember, a relationship is not a do-or-die affair. I'm afraid to say that if you continue with Jeff, one day he may harm or kill you, and nobody may be able to help. Senator Bernard's influence is widespread, and your family can't stand against him. If you'll listen to my advice, cut all ties with Jeff and run for your life. Yes, run as fast as you can," Linda urged, her voice filled with concern.

"As for your father and his concubine, don't worry about that. Just be strong for yourself for now. No one can cheat nature. I'm sure one day your father and even the said lady will go down on their knees to apologize for all their wrongs. You see what I'm telling you now, it will not be long, and your success and fate will hasten it. Trust me," Linda encouraged her friend.

Noticing her friend's tears once again, Linda reached out and said, "Hey, come here, don't cry. He isn't worth it."

Stella rested her head on Linda's shoulder as she cried, finding solace in her friend's comforting words.

Stella returned home after seeing her friend off. The door to the well-lit master bedroom flew open with great force as Stella stormed in, slamming it shut with all her might. It closed with a deafening bang that reverberated throughout the house.

She was seething with anger, her hands clenched into fists as she paced back and forth in the room, her teeth gnashing in frustration. She ran her hands through her hair, as if she wanted to rip off her expensive wig forcefully.

She sank into one of the sofas positioned at the foot of the bed, then she let out a wail and got up, moving to and fro again.

Still pacing about, she ran her eyes through the room, obviously searching for the next available object to avenge her anger on. Her quest was satisfied when she forcefully laid her hand on the empty glass jug on the bedside table. Quickly, she reached out to it and flung it across the room. It hit the wall and smashed into pieces on the floor.

It was as if a beast had entered into her; she couldn't stop thinking about the damages and how naive she had been towards Jeff. Adding to that, life seemed to be unkind to her. She felt so agitated.

She was willing to borrow leftovers from Treasure's story, and she found solace in Linda's advice and encouragement.

In her heart, she felt a sense of joy and relief. "This advice is all I need to follow if I want to live a long life," she told herself. At that moment, Stella was determined to prioritize peace over fame. She longed for a sense of belonging, not to be stuck with someone like Jeff who believed he could mistreat and humiliate her, thinking gifts could make up for it. Stella resolved not to go down that road with him again.

The more she remembered the whole traumatic experiences she received from Jeff, the angrier she became. She wished she could skin Jeff alive. Still agitated by Jeff's ill manners, she forcefully stood up to start packing up her things.

Realizing Jeff wouldn't let her leave if he was around, Stella began packing her belongings before his return. An hour later, she was ready to leave, taking all her possessions with her.

While she was still packing, she pondered the fate of her staff at the supermarket and the key. "But what will be the fate of my staff in the supermarket if I eventually drop the keys?" she asked herself, trying to find answers to move forward.

A thought crossed her mind to address them on social media. She quickly opened a WhatsApp group chat and added all the staff into the chat, calling everyone to log in.

Stella then proceeded to update them on the new development.

"Good day, everyone. I understand that each of us here has many questions, eagerly awaiting answers," she began, ensuring everyone was attentive.

"I regret to inform you that the news you are about to hear is unsettling. It's something none of us desired, but we must embrace it with resilience," Stella said solemnly before continuing.

"Stelyz Supermarket, which is mine, will be under lockdown for an indefinite period, possibly indefinitely, until it is purchased by another individual," she announced.

The senior staff, particularly the manager, had been skeptical of Stella's statements and quickly voiced their objections. "Excuse me, ma'am. What exactly is happening? Is this another way of informing us that all of us will lose our jobs abruptly?" the manager inquired, patiently awaiting Stella's response.

Two other staff members echoed similar concerns with their questions. Meanwhile, the rest of the staff struggled to accept the situation.

"Well, your questions are insightful and commendable," Stella acknowledged, nearly in tears. However, she composed herself quickly.

It appears there's no other option, but since your salaries are due today, I will try to provide a little extra for everyone," Stella assured them.

Some expressed their gratitude, while others remained silent due to their anxieties.

Stella concluded by instructing them not to report to work again.

This single directive sparked clamor, and they all began to complain bitterly about being relieved of their jobs. Some accepted their fate immediately, while others wished something could be done.

A few hours later, Stella arrived at the supermarket to conduct a thorough check on every single item and her cashbook. Afterwards, she instructed the staff to surrender anything in their possession before finally locking up the supermarket.

After the meeting with her staff on the WhatsApp platform, she contemplated whether to truly abandon everything for Jeff. She began to soliloquize.

"Yes, I understand he bought the supermarket and the car for me, but I can't just abandon everything like that. What about my efforts, my labor? Will they all just go to waste?"

Although she came to a conclusion to forsake everything for Jeff and avoid him completely for good.

Stella reasoned that she didn't want him to return tomorrow to flaunt his purchases in her face. She wanted to avoid Jeff and everything associated with him.

As she prepared to leave, she realized that leaving a letter would be a brilliant idea. She grabbed her pen and paper and began to write.

"By the time you read this, I will be gone. Jeff, I can no longer endure the abuse. I am tired of being mistreated and humiliated. While I appreciate everything you've done for me, I cannot continue this relationship. I have left the keys to the supermarket and the car. Don't bother looking for me. It's time for us to move on. Goodbye, Jeff. Have a nice life.”