Chapter 3 – Chains of Control
Daisy had already lived with many silent wounds. But with time, the control of George grew stronger. It was not only about words now. It was about power. George wanted to rule every part of her life.
When Daisy wanted to visit her old friend, she said gently, “George, can I meet Anna’s mother tomorrow? It has been so long.” George shook his head. “No. You don’t need friends. A good wife stays home.” Daisy’s lips trembled. She wanted to say, “I only want to see someone who cares for me.” But she stayed quiet. Her heart whispered, “Even my freedom is not mine.”
Money became another chain. George kept the wallet always with him. He spent on his own things. New shoes, new jackets, dinners with friends. But when Daisy asked, “George, can I buy a book?” he snapped, “Why do you need books? I earn. I will decide.” Daisy lowered her eyes. She thought, “I gave him my youth, my body, my years. Yet I must beg for a small thing.”
One afternoon Daisy said softly, “George, I need some money for medicines.” George frowned. “You already ask too much. Don’t waste money.” Daisy’s eyes filled with tears. She thought, “Even for my health, I must ask. He holds the key to my life in his hands.”
George also controlled what Daisy could wear. When she tried to dress nicely, he laughed. “Why are you acting young? Stay simple. You don’t need to look good.” Daisy’s heart broke. She thought, “He looks at other women with kind eyes. He praises them. But when I try, he mocks me.”
At family gatherings, George was different. He laughed, he spoke with charm, he made other women smile. But with Daisy, his face was cold. One relative once asked Daisy, “Why is George always so kind to others but not to you?” Daisy forced a smile and said nothing. Inside she thought, “I am invisible to my own husband.”
The control was not only outside. It was inside the house too. George decided when they would eat, when they would sleep, even when Daisy could talk. If she spoke while he was reading, he said, “Shut up. Don’t disturb me.” If she asked, “Can we sit together for tea?” he replied, “I don’t have time for this nonsense.” Daisy felt her voice had no value.
One day Daisy tried again. She said gently, “George, can we go out for dinner, just you and me?” George laughed loudly. “Dinner outside? Do you think I am made of money? Stop dreaming.” Daisy’s heart sank. She thought, “He spends on himself, but not on us. He can give to others, but not to me. Why am I not worth even one meal outside?”
The children also noticed. Michael once asked on the phone, “Mom, do you have money for yourself?” Daisy smiled sadly. “I’m fine, dear.” Anna too asked, “Mom, do you ever go out?” Daisy lied, “Sometimes.” She wanted to hide the truth. She thought, “If they know, they will feel pain. I cannot break their hearts.”
But Daisy’s own heart was breaking every day. She was chained not by walls but by control. She was alive but not free. She whispered to herself at night, “Marriage should give love, not prison. Why do I feel like a bird with broken wings?”
The more George controlled, the smaller Daisy felt. The more he decided, the more she lost herself. She thought, “If this is marriage, then where am I? Who am I? I am not a partner. I am a servant with no choice.”
These chains grew heavy with time. They cut her spirit and made her weak. But deep inside, Daisy still had a small fire. It whispered, “One day, these chains must break.”
