Our daughter got sick for a very long time. At one point, we thought we were going to lose her. The medical bills kept piling up. We’d pay for something today, and tomorrow we’d have to pay more than we had paid the previous day. We couldn’t keep up with the bills. My account was drained to zero. My husband was puffing and huffing, but nothing could come from the west or the east.

FOLLOW US ON WHATSAPP CHANNEL TO RECEIVE ALL STORIES IN YOUR INBOX

Our last resort was to borrow from friends and family. Some did their best. Others also gave us excuses. Even those who did their best for us couldn’t get their money back when they needed it, so we had to make excuses while we looked elsewhere to borrow more.

We got to a point where no friend or family member would give us a loan, so we had to go out there and talk to people we heard could lend us money. Most of the loans we secured, I used my name and face to collect, with the agreement that we were going to repay them together.

God being so good, our daughter eventually got better and was discharged. By the time we got home, we did the math and realized we owed GHC10,000 to six people. I told my husband we needed to do everything within our means to pay what we owed so we could have peace in our lives.

We started with the loans he had taken in his name. When I received my salary, I contributed a portion, and he added some to it, and we paid those people off. Eventually, we paid the two people he had borrowed from in his name. We were left with the four people I had borrowed from in my name.

That was when the problem started. Anytime I asked my husband to send his share so I could add mine to it, he gave me excuses. Either his salary had delayed, or he owed some people he had to pay. These excuses came every month, so with the little I had, I would pay Creditor A one month, and the next month I would give a little to Creditor B.

Some of these creditors were running out of patience, so they would come to our house and create a scene. They would hurl insults at me, and some of them would go as far as cursing me. My husband would be there, listening to all this, and do nothing about it. My heart was broken. Some nights I would cry. Some months, I would give everything I had to creditors while he told me, “I still haven’t been paid,” or, “I had to send money to my mom. She has been sick.”

Some of the people we owed would meet my husband in town and ask him about me, and he would tell them I was at home. Some of these people whose calls I hadn’t picked because I didn’t have anything to give them would end up coming to our house because my husband directed them there. It was money I had borrowed with him to pay our daughter’s medical bills.

One day I told him, “I know you have no desire to help me repay the money, but know this: once I have no peace outside, I promise you’ll never know peace in this house.”

So one afternoon, I dipped my hand into his pocket and found about GHC1,000. I called one of the people I owed and gave her the money. When I came back, I told him, “I looked inside your pocket and found some money. I’ve used it to pay part of the loans we took.”

This man started screaming, “What have you done? Do you know who that money belongs to? Do you want to kill me? I swear, if you don’t bring back the money, you will have me to contend with.”

What could he do? Nothing. Even when I asked him to do his worst, he said he wasn’t going to give me housekeeping money until he’d recovered the value of his money.

Another day, he forgot money in his wallet. I took it. He asked me about it the next day, and I told him I had taken it. Another fight. Another threat. It ended there. He stopped bringing money home.

I spoke to a TV repairer and asked how much I would get for our 55-inch TV. Once I realized the offer was good, I brought him home and asked him to take the TV away.

He came home and saw the wall bare. He asked, “Is the TV spoilt?” I answered, “I’ve sold it.” He laughed. “You’re joking, right?” I didn’t say a thing.

He called my mom and told her I was going mad. He told my dad I was selling our property. When I told my dad the whole story, he became quiet. He simply said, “Come home tomorrow.”

When I was going home, I carried the microwave and sold it on the way. My dad gave me some money. I thanked him and promised I would return it in no time.

I sold the fridge. I sold the home theater. I told a neighbor we were relocating, so I was selling my bed frame and mattress. She came home with a car to take them away. My daughter asked, “Mom, where is she taking the bed?” I answered, “We are leaving this house.”

He came home and saw the room empty. He asked, “What next? Are you going to sell me after selling everything?” The next day, his office laptop was gone. That infuriated him so much that he hit me. I didn’t fight back. I wasn’t even angry. If anything, I was very happy because that money helped me pay the last amount I owed.

He left home and didn’t return for days. I didn’t call to ask about his whereabouts. On a weekend, while he was still away, I left the house with my daughter. I collapsed in my father’s arms when I got home. I handed him his money and said, “I’ve paid everyone I owed. I’m here to start from the beginning.”

Five years ago, our marriage ended. I’m a very hardworking person. I can sell everything, including my own soul. I worked like crazy. In five years, I haven’t gotten it all back, but if you saw me today, you wouldn’t think I was the woman who once owed everyone money. I built a house in my father’s compound so I wouldn’t have to rent. Ask me where my ex-husband is. Sometimes I feel all those curses the people we owed poured on us affected only him.

I Called My Girlfriend And Another Man Answered The Phone

Now he drinks with the little money he has and stakes bets with the rest. He still lives in the same house I left, and it will surprise you to know he still hasn’t been able to replace some of the things I sold. I’m not gloating. I’m happy I made the decision to walk away from a husband who enjoyed watching strangers disgrace me right in front of him.

—Sarah

This story you just read was sent to us by someone just like you. We know you have a story too. Email it to us at [email protected]. You can also drop your number and we will call you so you tell us your story.

******