Q. You mentioned feeling a lot of pressure to get married. Can you tell us more about it?
My mum would constantly remind me that I was getting old and still unmarried. It was tough, honestly. I know she was concerned, but sometimes it felt like that was all she ever talked about. Every time we spoke, it was, “Precious, all your friends are married!” or, “When will you get married? Some of them even have kids already.” I could feel the weight of her expectations, and it was overwhelming.

Q. How did you meet your partner?
I met this guy who was way below my standard, but I was desperate to find a husband quickly. I decided to give it a try, and everything seemed to be going smoothly at first.
A few months into our relationship, I introduced him to my mum. She was overjoyed and immediately started planning our wedding.

Q. That sounds like things move pretty fast. What happened next?
The pressure only intensified. My mum kept calling, asking when his family would come for the introduction. She wanted to know what date to pick, what venue to use, and who to invite. It felt like I was in a race I didn’t even sign up for.

Q. What kind of person would you say your partner was?
He was kind, respectful, caring, and loving. He was the sweetest man, always showering me with love and attention.

Q. What happened next?
Eventually, I gave in and got married. A few months into our marriage, I got pregnant and gave birth to my beautiful daughter, who looked exactly like her father. He bonded with her really well, but I became distant.

The problem was, he wasn’t providing, and I felt overwhelmed having to take care of my daughter while also providing for the family. Over time, he became toxic and abusive, accusing me of "flexing my money" because he couldn’t contribute financially.

The marriage grew cold. I was battling postpartum depression and resented him deeply. He wasn’t helping—he was adding to my problems. No matter how much I tried, I couldn’t bring myself to love him. I realized I didn’t marry him out of love; I married him because I needed to get married and escape my mum’s constant pressure.

Q. How did your mum react when you told her?
She told me to endure it because “marriage isn’t easy.” She said I wasn’t submissive enough and advised me to avoid doing anything that might upset him.

I wasn’t surprised by her reaction—it was expected. She had forced me into this marriage in the first place.