I was very young when I met this guy, about 18 or 19. I had just finished my ND. While we were dating, there was this girl living down his street who was always calling, and he kept lying that they were just friends. Later, I found out they were dating, and he broke up with me. Two years later, he came back, begged, and I accepted him. Later on, we started living together. He would beat me up for the slightest mistakes, and I was the one mostly doing the feeding in the house.
Even while he was beating me, I never told his family because they believed things were fine between us. I have scars in some places on my body. Sometimes he would drive me out to go find money on the street just for us to feed. I used my money for his traveling and was the one spending on him the most. After four years of dating, I got pregnant, and he sent me out, saying, “Why are you forcing the pregnancy on me? I have someone I love, please go.” I called my family, and they asked me to leave. I was depressed.
I gave birth to my child, and while she was six months old, he didn’t show up. Only one of his six aunts showed up. My child was in an incubator for three months, and he didn’t show up or call. I was always going to the hospital to cater to my child. My mom called him every day, but he kept saying he was broke. Fast forward to when my child was discharged, I saw a video and pictures of him and his girlfriend, who had come from the USA, going to hotels and the beach. I cried and cried because I lost everything but didn’t lose myself. I went to learn hand-skilled jobs and currently make shoes.
I heard they went for a registry, got married, and had a child. One day he called me, saying people were telling his wife he has a child outside and that I should stop telling people I gave birth for him. Now he is in the US with his wife and child, while I am here in Nigeria with my child. My child is four years old now. Some days ago, he sent someone to me saying he is ready to take care of his responsibilities for his child alone. I need advice because I am depressed.