Tega had always believed that family should be looked out for. In fact, one of the things that drew her to Dayo was how deeply he cared for his people. He was generous to a fault, sending money home every month, never missing a request, no matter how small or big.

At first, she admired it. A man who didn’t forget where he came from. As the months passed, admiration turned to quiet concern. His entire salary flowed like a river back home, not just to his aging parents or struggling siblings, but to cousins she hadn’t even met. An uncle with a new “business idea.” A niece who needed a new phone. A younger brother, 30 and jobless, who still asked for pocket money like a child.

Dayo paid his sister’s rent, his cousin’s hospital bills, even contributed to his father’s friend’s burial costs.

Tega began to feel like a stranger in their own plans. Dates got postponed. Their joint savings account was always dry. Every conversation about boundaries ended in guilt trips and accusations of being selfish.

“You don’t understand what family means,” he once told her. But she did. She just didn’t think loving your family meant losing yourself.

Tega walked away, not because she didn’t love Dayo but because she was no longer in a relationship. She was in a charity drive and her needs were the forgotten cause.

Sometimes, love isn’t enough when you’re competing with an entire village for someone’s attention.