the love of her life used her for money ritual

The chipped porcelain teacup trembled in Ada's hand, the floral pattern blurring through her unshed tears. Rain lashed against the windowpane, mimicking the storm raging inside her. Just hours ago, she'd been basking in the incandescent glow of Olu's love, believing their future a shimmering tapestry woven with laughter and shared dreams. Now, the threads were unraveling, leaving behind only the bitter taste of betrayal and the chilling stench of deceit.

Olu, her Olu, the man who'd swept her off her feet with his charming smile and promises of forever, had used her. Not for his affections, not for companionship, but for money. A money ritual, the babalawo had called it – a dark, ancient practice whispered about in hushed tones in the marketplace. Ada had scoffed at the rumors, at the superstitious whispers that followed Olu's sudden acquisition of wealth, his transformation from struggling artist to overnight millionaire. She'd chosen to believe in the man she loved, the man who'd sworn his heart belonged only to her.

The truth, however, was far more brutal. It arrived in the form of a crumpled note, a confession scribbled in Olu's familiar, elegant hand, found tucked between the pages of a worn Yoruba folklore book. He'd needed a virgin's blood, a sacrifice to appease the gods of wealth, the note explained. He'd chosen her, the woman he claimed to adore, the woman he'd promised a life of comfort and happiness. The thought twisted a knife in her gut, a relentless, agonizing pain.

The chipped teacup slipped from her numb fingers, shattering on the polished wooden floor, the sound eerily mirroring the fragments of her shattered trust. The rain continued its relentless assault, washing away the last vestiges of her naive optimism, leaving behind a chilling emptiness where once a vibrant, passionate love had bloomed. This wasn't a story of a happily ever after; this was the beginning of a descent into a darkness she never imagined, a darkness born not of fate, but of deliberate, cruel betrayal. The question now wasn't how to rebuild her life, but how to survive the devastation left in Olu's wake.