The Obedient Wife Episode 1

Caleb was sitting in the living room when his wife, Linda, walked in with excitement all over her face. She dropped her bag and ran to hug him. “I got the job, baby!” she shouted. “They called me back from the hospital. I’m starting next Monday!” Caleb smiled faintly and nodded. “That’s good,” he said calmly. After a short pause, he added, “Now that you have the job, remember what we discussed. I trained you. I paid your fees in nursing school. I took you from Nigeria and brought you here. So from now on, your salary belongs to me.”

Linda stared at him, not sure how to respond at first. Caleb repeated himself clearly. “You will submit your full salary to me at the end of every month. You won’t keep any of it. I’m your husband, and I made you what you are today in USA. It’s my right.” Linda slowly nodded. “Okay,” she said in a low voice. She remembered how Caleb had indeed paid for her schooling and taken care of her since they came to America. She didn’t want to argue. She just wanted peace in her marriage. She went to the kitchen and started making dinner.

Her first day at work was smooth. Linda wore her nurse uniform proudly. The hospital was big and well-organized. Her supervisor praised her after her first shift. By the end of the month, her salary dropped. It was $30,000. She was shocked when she saw the amount. She had never seen that kind of money in her life. But she remembered what Caleb said. She transferred every penny to his account. He didn’t even say thank you. He just looked at the alert and nodded. “You did well,” he said. Linda smiled a little, hoping things would stay peaceful.

As the months passed, Linda kept working hard. She gave Caleb her salary every month as he instructed. She never kept any part of it. But things were not easy for her. Caleb gave her no money of her own. He controlled everything. If she needed new clothes or even money to buy pads, she had to ask him first. Sometimes he gave, sometimes he refused. Linda tried to stay humble and obedient. “This is marriage,” she told herself. “My husband is the head. I must follow him.” But deep inside, she started to feel like a stranger in her own life.

One Saturday morning, her phone rang. It was her younger brother from Nigeria. “Mummy is very sick,” he said quickly. “We took her to the hospital yesterday. The doctor said she needs surgery. Please, send us money.” Linda was worried. “How much?” she asked. “$800. Please, do something fast.” Linda promised to talk to her husband. After the call, she went to Caleb and explained everything. “Please, help me send some money to my family. My mother is dying.” Caleb looked up from his phone. “I don’t have money to waste. Tell them to find help elsewhere.”

Linda tried to explain again, but Caleb cut her off. “You don’t have a mother anymore. You are my wife now. You belong to me. Your family is not my business. And don’t ever mention this again.” Linda went quiet. She walked to the bedroom and lay down. That night, she couldn’t sleep. She turned from one side of the bed to the other. In the morning, she dressed up for work without saying a word. As she walked out of the house, her eyes were red. She tried to stay strong, but pain followed her like a shadow.

At work, Linda struggled to concentrate. Her hands were slow. Her head felt heavy. One of her coworkers noticed and asked, “Are you okay?” Linda smiled and nodded. She couldn’t tell anyone what she was going through. She felt trapped. Her mother could die. She had money in her name, but no power to use it. That day, during her lunch break, she went into the restroom and sat in one of the toilet stalls. She cried quietly. The cleaner knocked after a while, and she wiped her face and came out. Nobody knew what she was carrying inside.

Two more days passed. Linda heard nothing from Nigeria. She was too afraid to call. One evening, Caleb was sitting with his legs crossed, watching a movie and drinking juice. Linda stood beside him. “Can you please just send part of my salary to my brother?” she asked. “They’re not asking you for money. They just need help from me. It’s my mother.” Caleb paused the movie and looked at her slowly. “You’re beginning to talk too much,” he said. “I warned you before. Don’t test me. I own that salary. If you try to be stubborn, you will regret it.”

Linda turned away and walked into the bedroom. She sat on the bed and stared at the wall. For the first time since she married Caleb, she felt completely empty. The man who once promised to protect her now treated her like a prisoner. She thought about her mother, lying weak in a hospital bed in Nigeria. She imagined her siblings struggling to raise money while she had $30,000 coming in every month. But she could not touch a single dollar. She worked long hours, cared for patients, smiled at strangers—but had no power over her own life.

At the hospital the next day, she received another call. Her younger brother’s voice was quiet. “We lost her,” he said. “Mummy is dead.” Linda didn’t respond. The line stayed silent for a while. Her brother ended the call quietly. She stood in the hallway, not moving. Her hands were cold. One of the senior nurses passed by and called her name. She turned and walked into the changing room. She sat down and stayed there till her next shift. Her body was moving, but her mind was frozen. That night, she went home and didn’t say a word to Caleb.

She sat on the floor of the bedroom and looked at the ceiling. Her heart was full of thoughts, but she didn’t know where to begin. She had obeyed Caleb. She had submitted every kobo. She had stayed humble. But in the end, her obedience had cost her everything. Her mother had died without help. And she, a nurse in America, could not send money for medicine.

“I will continue to obey my husband. This is marriage. It is for better for worse.” She said as she continued crying.

The Obedient Wife Episode 2

Linda sat on the bed for a long time that night. She had thought of leaving, but her heart was heavy. “Marriage is for better for worse,” she whispered to herself. “I promised God and my husband that I will stay no matter what.” She wiped her face and stood up. Early the next morning, she went to Caleb who was eating bread and tea in the dining room. “Good morning, baby,” she greeted softly. Caleb looked up without smiling. “Morning,” he replied. Linda spoke to him respectfully. “I’m not angry anymore. I understand everything. I will always obey you.”

Caleb raised his eyes and watched her quietly. Linda continued. “You trained me. You brought me to America. I will never forget that. I will keep giving you my salary. I won’t argue with you again. I’m your wife, and I will remain loyal.” A small smile appeared on Caleb’s face. “That’s how a good wife should behave,” he said. “You’re lucky I married you. Some men won’t even allow their wives to work at all. But me, I opened the door of blessing for you.” Linda nodded slowly. Deep down, her heart was sad, but she didn’t show it.

From that day, Caleb became even more relaxed. Linda continued to submit her full salary every month without fail. $30,000 entered his account, and he spent it how he wanted. He started sending money back to Nigeria—not to Linda’s family, but to his own brothers and cousins. He bought new clothes, ordered expensive shoes online, and even changed his car. He no longer saw the need to work. “What am I working for?” he asked Linda one evening. “You’re earning enough. I’ve worked all my life. Now it’s time to enjoy.” The next week, he resigned from his job.

Caleb stayed at home every day watching TV, eating, and relaxing. Linda still cooked, cleaned, and went to work. She barely had time to rest. Her hours at the hospital were long, and her body was always tired. Sometimes, she would come home and find Caleb sleeping on the couch with food wrappers around him. Other times, he would be online, shopping for himself. He never asked if she needed anything. And Linda never complained. She reminded herself of her wedding vow. “I said I will stay through hard times,” she thought. “God will bless me for being faithful.”

After some months, Linda started noticing her clothes were wearing out. Her shoes had holes, and her underwear were old. She didn’t have a single new dress. All her nurse uniforms were faded. She had given Caleb her salary for nine straight months, but she had nothing to show for it. One evening, she gathered courage and went to Caleb. “Please, I need new clothes,” she said politely. “All my things are old. Even my work shoes are torn. Can I get just $2000 to buy some things?” Caleb didn’t even look at her. He kept scrolling through his phone.

“Don’t disturb me with this nonsense,” he said. “You’re a woman. What do you need new clothes for? You have enough. Just manage what you have.” Linda stood there quietly. Caleb looked up and continued, “Do you think money grows on trees? Everything you’re earning, I’m using it to build something meaningful. You’re not a small girl. Learn to manage.” Linda went back to the bedroom without saying another word. She sat on the bed and looked at her reflection in the mirror. Her blouse had a tear under the sleeve. Her skirt zip was broken. Yet, she was a nurse in America.

The next day at work, one of her colleagues noticed the tear in her uniform. “Linda, you need new scrubs,” the woman said kindly. “Your clothes are worn out.” Linda smiled and nodded. “I’ll get them soon,” she lied. That day, she worked in pain. Her shoe was hurting her feet, and her b.ra strap kept cutting into her shoulder. When she got home, she removed her clothes and sat on the bed, rubbing her legs. Caleb was lying on the couch watching football. “You should cook rice tonight,” he said. “Add more meat. I’m very hungry.”

Linda cooked and served him without complaint. She didn’t eat much herself. That night, she cried quietly under her blanket. She remembered how she used to dream about life in America. She thought it would be sweet and comfortable. But now she was living like a stranger. No money of her own. No respect. Just work and more work. But every time she thought of leaving, her heart pulled her back. “He’s my husband. I must not shame him. I must keep this marriage together.” But her body was tired, and her soul was empty. She felt like a shadow.

Weeks passed. Her uniforms got worse. One day, her b.ra hook broke while she was dressing up. She had to use a safety pin to hold it together. Her only winter jacket had a hole in the armpit. She had no money to buy another one. The cold entered her bones. That morning, as she stood at the bus stop, the wind blew her thin skirt. She held it tightly and looked down, ashamed. People passed by wearing thick coats and boots. She stood there shivering. She wanted to cry, but she held it in. “Just endure,” she whispered to herself.

At the hospital, she bent over to lift a patient and heard a soft tear. Her uniform had torn again. She quickly tied a sweater around her waist to cover it. Her supervisor called her aside. “Linda, please see the HR office after your shift,” he said. Linda nodded. At the end of her shift, she went to HR. The woman there looked at her with concern. “You’re doing a great job,” she said. “But we noticed you’re always wearing the same uniforms. And today, your trousers were torn. Is everything okay at home?” Linda smiled and nodded. “Everything is fine,” she lied.

That evening, she sat quietly in the living room. Caleb was laughing at a comedy show. He had just finished eating pepper soup. Linda looked at him and then looked at herself. Her dress had faded to grey. Her slippers were almost flat. She felt like a housemaid in her own home. She thought of calling someone for help, but she didn’t know who to talk to. Everyone back home thought she was enjoying. Nobody knew she was suffering in silence. She stood up and went to the bedroom. That night, she slept in her old clothes, feeling both tired and forgotten.

The Obedient Wife Episode 3

Linda was doing laundry when her phone rang. It was her younger brother calling from Nigeria. “Aunty Linda,” he said. His voice was low. “Mama’s burial has been fixed. It will hold next month. You’re the first child. We need you to come home.” Linda held the phone tightly, her heart beating fast. She missed her mother so much. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she replied, “I will try to come.” When the call ended, she went straight to Caleb who was lying on the sofa. “My mother’s burial has been fixed,” she said. “I want to travel for it.”

Caleb did not even look at her. “So?” he asked. Linda stood quietly, then said, “Please, I need money to book a flight ticket. I must attend the burial. I’m the first daughter.” Caleb turned off the TV and faced her. “There’s no need to waste money on burials,” he said. “Your mother is dead already. Going there won’t bring her back. This is America, not Nigeria. We don’t waste money like that.” Linda’s hands trembled. “Please, it’s important to me,” she said again. But Caleb stood up and walked away. “I said no,” he replied without any pity.

Linda sat on the floor and cried bitterly. Her chest was heavy. She had hoped Caleb would understand. She just wanted to pay her last respect to her mother, the woman who raised her with love and sacrifice. But now, she couldn’t even travel home. She cried alone that night, wiping her tears with her wrapper. The next morning, she still cooked and cleaned as usual. She told herself again, “Marriage is for better for worse.” She carried her sadness to work, greeting her colleagues with a fake smile. Nobody knew what was going on in her life.

A few days later, her brother called again. “Since you cannot come, please send money to assist with the burial,” he said. “We are struggling to buy the coffin and cook for visitors.” Linda nodded and promised to try. That night, after dinner, she went to Caleb again. “My family needs money to arrange the burial,” she said gently. “They need help.” Caleb looked annoyed. “Why are they disturbing you? Didn’t I say you’re not going anywhere? Now they want money too? Let them bury her however they want. I don’t have money to waste.” He left the room without listening further.

Linda was speechless. She stood by the wall, holding her chest. She felt like a tree with no roots, broken and dry. Her mother was being buried, and she couldn’t attend or help in any way. She went to bed quietly and cried into her pillow. She wanted to scream, but she didn’t. The next morning, she went to work like a robot. At the hospital, she spoke less and moved slowly. Her smile was weak. Her body was at work, but her heart was far away. Her colleagues noticed she had changed, but nobody knew what was wrong.

One evening, as she walked home from the bus stop, her old phone slipped from her hand and landed on the ground. When she picked it up, the screen was cracked badly. She tried to switch it on, but it didn’t respond. That night, she showed Caleb the phone. “My phone is damaged,” she said. “Please, I need a new one to keep in touch with my family.” Caleb laughed. “What do you need a phone for? Are you a president? Don’t disturb me with all this nonsense. You’re not a child. Live like a mature woman and stop complaining.”

Linda turned away slowly. She went to bed without a word. The next day, she had no phone to use for alarm. She woke up late and rushed to work without eating. At the hospital, she moved like a shadow. She forgot things easily. She almost gave a wrong medication to a patient, but a doctor nearby noticed and stopped her. “Linda!” the doctor shouted. “What are you doing? You almost gave this patient the wrong injection!” Linda was shocked. She stood there frozen. The doctor shook his head and said, “Come to my office after your shift. We need to talk.”

After her shift, Linda walked into the doctor’s office. He looked at her carefully. “Are you okay?” he asked. “This is the second time you’ve made a mistake this week. You’re not yourself. If something is wrong, please talk to me. We can help.” Linda forced herself to smile. “Nothing is wrong, sir,” she said softly. “I’m just a bit stressed. Maybe I just need some rest.” The doctor sighed. “Take care of yourself. Don’t carry too much alone.” Linda nodded and left his office. As she walked away, her eyes were filled with tears. She wanted to scream for help, but she couldn’t.

When she got home that night, Caleb was on the phone, laughing and talking. He didn’t even ask how her day went. She went to the bedroom, changed into her worn-out nightgown, and sat on the bed. Her heart was weak. Her mind was tired. She felt like she was slowly disappearing. She remembered her mother again, buried without her presence. She looked around and saw no picture of her family in the house. No connection to home. Only obedience and silence. She wanted to call her siblings, but her phone was still dead. She sat there, feeling empty and alone.

Despite everything, Linda still told herself the same thing. “Marriage is for better for worse.” She continued to obey Caleb without question. She still gave him her salary at the end of each month. She still cooked and cleaned. She still smiled when people were watching. But inside, she was broken. Nobody knew the battle she was fighting. Not her coworkers. Not her church members. Not even her neighbors. She looked fine outside, but her soul was wounded. Her silence was her shield. She kept her pain locked inside, hoping one day things would change, or at least, peace would come.

The Obedient Wife Episode 4

Richard, the hospital supervisor, had been watching Linda closely for weeks. She was no longer the happy and hardworking nurse she used to be. Her steps were slow. Her face always looked dull. Her uniform was faded, and her shoes were worn out. She avoided conversations and looked lost even during work. Richard had seen cases like this before. He knew something was wrong. One afternoon, after her shift, he called her into his office. “Sit down, Linda,” he said calmly. “I want to talk to you. Don’t worry, you’re not in trouble.” Linda sat down and looked at him.

Richard looked into her eyes. “Linda,” he began, “I’ve noticed the change in you. You don’t talk much anymore. You look like you’re carrying the whole world on your shoulders. I want you to tell me the truth. What is going on?” Linda quickly shook her head. “Nothing, sir. I’m fine,” she said, forcing herself to smile. Richard didn’t believe her. “Your shoes are torn. Your uniform is faded. You almost gave a patient the wrong drug. You barely smile. You’re not fine, Linda.” She looked down. “It’s just stress, sir,” she whispered. But Richard knew she was hiding something.

Richard sighed. He stood up, went to his cabinet, and brought out two new pairs of scrubs and a box with shoes. He placed them in front of Linda. “Take these,” he said. “Also…” He opened a drawer and brought out an envelope. “This is $5000. Use it for yourself. I don’t want you walking around like a beggar again. You deserve better, Linda.” Linda looked at the envelope in happiness. “Sir…” she stammered. “Please take it,” Richard insisted. “I’ve seen women go through this before. I may not know the full story yet, but I care.”

Linda couldn’t resist. Her eyes filled with gratitude. She took the clothes, the shoes, and the money. “Thank you, sir,” she said quietly. That night, she got home and hid the envelope under the mattress. She didn’t tell Caleb anything. The next morning, she wore one of the new scrubs and the new shoes. As she looked in the mirror, she smiled for the first time in a long while. She looked neat and confident. At the hospital, people noticed the difference. “Linda, you look beautiful,” her colleague said. She just smiled. She knew Richard’s kindness had touched her heart.

After work, she went back to Richard’s office on her own. She stood at the door and knocked softly. “Come in,” he said. When he saw her, he smiled. “How are you feeling today?” he asked. Linda walked in slowly and sat down. “I came to thank you again,” she said. “And also to talk.” Richard leaned forward. “I’m listening.” She paused and began to talk. She told him about Caleb. About how he made her submit her salary every month. How he refused to give her money for her mother’s burial or to buy a phone.

She told him everything—how she had no clothes, no savings, and no joy. Richard was shocked. He shook his head in disbelief. “This is wickedness,” he said. “You work hard, and yet you live like a prisoner in your own home.” Linda nodded. “I’ve always told myself marriage is for better for worse,” she said. “That’s why I’ve endured everything.” Richard leaned back. “Marriage is not slavery. You are a human being. You have the right to live well. What your husband is doing to you is wrong.” Linda looked down. “Thank you, sir,” she whispered. “You’re the first person I’ve told.”

From that day, Linda started visiting Richard’s office often. Sometimes, she would just sit and talk. Other times, he would buy her lunch or give her small gifts. He never asked for anything in return. He just wanted her to be okay. Linda began to feel alive again. She laughed more. She worked better. Her mind became free. Richard’s kindness was like water to a dry plant. Slowly, her heart began to open. She looked forward to seeing him every day. He became her safe space. Someone who saw her, listened to her, and cared for her without judgment.

As days passed, their bond grew stronger. Richard treated her with so much respect. He didn’t force her to do anything. He didn’t shout or complain. He encouraged her to take care of herself. He even gave her tips on saving money. “You must start saving something secretly,” he advised one day. “A woman should have something for herself.” Linda nodded. She had already kept the five thousand dollars safe. Each time she talked to him, she felt stronger. She started dreaming again. She wanted more out of life. She began to see that love doesn’t have to come with pain.

Soon, their feelings became deeper. Richard began to look at her with soft eyes. Linda noticed it too. She blushed when he complimented her. One day, she brought food to his office. “I cooked jollof rice last night,” she said, placing the plate on his desk. Richard smiled. “Thank you, Linda,” he said. As he ate, they talked and laughed. For the first time in a long while, Linda felt like a woman again. She didn’t feel like a slave. She felt respected, valued, and cared for. Richard didn’t touch her or pressure her. But love was growing between them.

At home, Caleb didn’t notice anything. He still sat at home every day, enjoying her salary. He still refused to buy her things. He didn’t even ask why she looked better or smiled more. He was only interested in her money. Linda watched him silently. She didn’t argue. She gave him the money as usual, but her heart was no longer with him. She no longer saw him as her everything. A new light had entered her life—someone who treated her with kindness, someone who believed in her. Richard had opened her eyes to what love should look like.

Linda knew her life was changing. She no longer lived in fear or sadness. She felt stronger every day. She still wore her ring. She still cooked for Caleb. But inside her heart, she had moved on. She knew now that obedience didn’t mean suffering. Love didn’t mean silence. She didn’t know what the future would bring, but she knew she had found something special. A man who saw her pain and chose to help. Linda was no longer just the obedient wife. She was becoming something more.

To be continued…