A tale of obsession

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Kate started dating Stanley about 5 years ago.
And all through these years, it's been one trouble after the other. Most of it settled by me. The day Kate met Stanley, she came home from the mall, with smiles on her face and head in the clouds. She kept telling me how she had found the one for her.

Stanley actually swept her off her feet. He was loving and petting and pampering and saying all the right words and doing all the right things, spoiling her silly with different kinds of expensive gifts.
I am someone who prides herself in seeing through people, but even I, was blinded by all these tender-loving-care and went ahead to certify Stanley as "the one!".

The first fight came six months into the relationship. She missed three of his calls and he would not have any excuses. He kept accusing her that her attention was drifted away from him, that's why she missed his call, even though she tried to explain that she left the phone in the room while she went outside to buy something.

Stanley became very obsessive and possessive of Kate, such that he always wanted to see her everyday. She had to be at his house before he returns from work, then he may later walk her down to her house. She spent her weekends at his house, he tells her everything and i mean, everything, including how many times he went to the loo, what his colleagues wore to the office, and so on. At first, she felt it was nice of him to share his daily experience and gist with her. But when in the course of, maybe calling to give the gist, she misses his call, there will be trouble in the house. So she tried to stop the daily gisting by feigning lack of interest. That also, brought it's own quarrels.

Eventually, it graduated from verbal abuse to physical violence. He wanted to have total control over her. He questioned every outing she had, every call she made, every friend that looked suspicious. But ofcourse, he couldn't get rid of me. Sometimes, he would even make surprise visits to her lecture halls with the excuse of just being in the area and wanting to check up on her. But we all knew better. He just wanted everyone around Kate to know he was the man in her life and no one else stood a chance.
One day, he paid his improptu visit as usual but she saw him from afar as we were both strolling from class to the cafeteria. She quickly tapped me and ducked behind a car. I did same and we both watched him from there as he frantically searched for Kate. When they later met that evening, every excuse she gave fell on deaf ears. To him, she was not in school and had gone out with another guy. That evening, he beat her up until she slumped and was taken to the hospital. He later came to beg her with gifts and chocolates. Even paid the hospital bills!

Four years into the relationship, Kate decided she could take it no more. She wanted to call it quit. According to her, they quarrelled every week and he had hit her several times but she kept forgiving him. She consoled herself in the fact that at least, he had never cheated on her.

When she told him about wanting to break up, he begged her and even went as far as proposing to her. At that moment, she forgot her troubles and accepted his proposal. Alas! That was the beginning of more trouble. Stanley became more possessive and would use every opportunity to remind her that she was his wife-to-be.

After one year later, just a week to their wedding, an old friend called Kate to wish her happy married life in advance. Unfortunately for Kate, she was with Stanley when the call came in. After She dropped the call, Stanley began to question who called and who he was and why would he still keep in touch. Before she could give a good explanation, he landed her a very hot slap, right at the restaurant they went to have dinner!

That was it! There and then, Kate knew she was about to sign her death warrant if she dared to marry that man. She quietly removed the engagement ring, dropped it on the table and walked away. She quickly took the next available taxi, called her mum and told her the wedding was off. She called me also to inform me she would be leaving town that evening and she would change her phone number too. She promised to call when she gets to wherever she would go to. And that was how she walked away from Stanley and never looked back.