My inspiration

"Love promised light, but in its shadow, Anne discovered wounds that cut deeper than silence." This was when Anne began to experience mystery and misery in her life. Anne's healing had begun, but love was the next test of her resilience. She craved affection, the warmth of belonging, the comfort of being seen. Yet the love she encountered was not always gentle. It carried shadows — moments of tenderness entwined with betrayal, promises that dissolved into pain. At first, love felt like a balm. A smile, a hand held in secret, the thrill of being chosen — these were the sparks that lit her heart. She wrote poems about it, verses filled with longing and hope, believing that perhaps love could mend what cruelty had broken. But shadows crept in. Love was not always kind. It demanded sacrifices she could not afford, and sometimes it mirrored the rejection she had known all her life. The very thing she thought would heal her left scars of its own. Anne confided in me one evening...

Whilst Anne was staying with her cousins, her aunt became pregnant with their third child. During this time, Anne was treated with cruelty. Her cousins and aunt never liked her, and her uncle would beat her with an iron cable—those strong, old ones that left marks. Sometimes the aunt would bring nice food, but she and her children would lock themselves in the bedroom to eat, sending Anne outside. When they returned, they pretended nothing had happened. Anne endured it all in silence. One holiday, Anne visited her mother's younger sister, who gave her some clothes she no longer needed. Anne was excited to show me. Anne:   "Guess what, my bosom friend—I got some clothes from my mom's sister that she didn't want, and they fit me!" But her smile faded. Me:   "What's wrong now? Shouldn't you be excited you got new clothes?" Anne:   "Yes, I know... but my aunt took the pink tights I got. They had a nice floral design, you know how I love those. Sh...