Prologue
Lagos never sleeps. Beneath the neon lights and honking of danfos, stories of love, betrayal, and survival weave through its streets. In the heart of this restless city, a young man named Emeka found love—only to realize it was a prison he never saw coming.
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Chapter One: A Love Like No Other
Emeka was no stranger to struggle. Fresh out of university, he hustled through the chaotic streets of Lagos, doing everything from digital marketing to running errands for high-end clients. His dream was to build a business empire, but for now, he barely scraped by.
Then, he met Teniola.
Teni was everything a man could want—beautiful, confident, and wealthy. She came from a privileged background, but heartbreak had taught her that love was a battlefield. She had been deceived before, played by men who saw her beauty as a ticket to an easy life. When she met Emeka, she saw something different: loyalty, potential, and a love untainted by materialism.
Emeka was captivated. He had never met a woman so breathtaking, so invested in him. It felt like fate, like destiny had finally smiled on him.
But destiny had other plans.
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Chapter Two: A Love Too Strong
Teniola loved Emeka intensely—too intensely. She showered him with gifts, helped him financially, and even introduced him to business opportunities. But beneath her love was fear. Fear of losing him, fear of betrayal, fear that history would repeat itself.
One night, she made a decision that would change everything.
She sought out Mama Olokun, an infamous spiritualist in Lagos. "I don't want to lose him," Teni whispered, her voice trembling.
Mama Olokun studied her carefully before speaking. "Then you must bind him to you. But remember, once a heart is chained, it can never truly be free."
Teniola didn't care. She was willing to do anything. The rituals began—a small cut on her finger, a whispered incantation, a charm slipped under Emeka's pillow. The love she craved was now hers.
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Chapter Three: The Chains Tighten
At first, Emeka noticed nothing. He was deeply in love, obsessed even. He couldn't look at another woman without feeling sick. His business dealings with female clients mysteriously crumbled. Every opportunity involving a woman slipped through his fingers.
Then, the dreams started—dark, suffocating visions of being trapped, of hands pulling him into an abyss. His once-promising life began to spiral.
It was his mother who first saw the signs. One evening, she sat him down, worry etched across her face. "Emeka, my son, I had a revelation. The woman you love has tied your destiny."
Emeka laughed nervously. "Mama, you don't understand. Teni loves me. She supports me."
His mother shook her head. "Love should lift, not enslave. Go and ask her."
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Chapter Four: A Terrible Truth
Emeka couldn't ignore the nagging feeling in his chest. That night, he confronted Teniola.
"Teni, tell me the truth. Did you do something to me?"
Teniola's face darkened. "Why are you asking?"
"Because nothing in my life is working. Because every time I try to leave, I can't. Because my mother said she saw something—"
Teni sighed and folded her arms. "Yes, Emeka. I did something. I made sure you'd never leave me. You are mine, and I won't let you go."
Emeka felt his blood turn cold. He had expected denial, excuses—anything but this raw, unapologetic confession.
"You... you trapped me?"
Teniola stepped closer, her eyes desperate. "I did it because I love you! Every man I've loved has left me. I couldn't let you be another one."
Emeka staggered back. "This isn't love. This is madness!"
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Chapter Five: Shackles of Love
Emeka tried everything—prayer, deliverance, even visiting traditional healers—but nothing worked. He was still bound to Teniola. His frustration grew into resentment, then into hatred. He wished he had never met her.
One night, Teniola disappeared. She fled Lagos, leaving only a letter behind.
"I know you will never forgive me, and I am afraid of what you might do. But even in my absence, you are mine. No other woman will ever have you. I made sure of that."
The words burned into Emeka's mind. He was free from her presence, but not from her curse.
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Epilogue
Years passed, but Emeka remained trapped. Every relationship failed before it even started. Every business venture involving women collapsed. It was as if an unseen force pulled him away from any opportunity to move forward.
Teniola was gone, yet her shackles of love remained.
Some prisons have no walls. Some chains are invisible. And some love stories never truly end.
THE END.