I grew up in a large family in rural England, the second eldest of ten children. From a young age, I was expected to help around the house with all sorts of chorescooking, washing clothes, looking after my younger siblings, working in the vegetable patch, and tending to the animals. The work never seemed to end and I was forever exhausted, often nodding off the moment my head touched the pillow. When I turned eighteen, my parents began to nudge me towards marriage, seeing me as another mouth to feed who ought to be settled.
My own wishes werent consulted. Instead, they arranged for me to marry a man named Edward, who was twenty-seven and lived in the nearby town with his bedridden grandmother. After the wedding, I moved into their home and soon realised that not much had changed for meexcept now I was caring for Edwards grandmother instead of my little brothers and sisters. Edward became the breadwinner, but he treated me terribly, constantly shouting at me and flinging insults for no reason. Six months later, his grandmother passed away, leaving just the two of us.
It wasnt long before we had a daughter and a son. My daughter showed me kindness and affection, while my son quickly picked up Edwards harsh manner towards me. Still, I clung to a small comfort Id discovered on televisionmaking candles at home. I threw myself into this hobby, spending whatever money Id managed to save on wax and moulds. Edward sneered at my efforts, but my candles caught on, and soon I was earning a bit of my own money.
As the years wore on, my children grew up. My daughter remained loving, but my son became more like Edward, barely concealing his contempt. My candle business was thriving though, and I began to put real savings away. The turning point finally came one evening when Edward mocked me for buying a plain skirt for myself. That moment, I realised how utterly tired I wasof him, of it all.
By then, my children were in their thirties, and I was not yet fifty. I gathered my savings, rented a modest flat in Oxford, filed for divorce, and focused on expanding my candle business. More than anything, I wanted a peaceful life, free from daily cruelty. There was no bitterness leftonly the quiet hope for something better.
