At my words, Yohann's face darkened with frustration. "What kind of attitude is that?" he snapped. "This trip was ruined because of your cowardice. We missed out on so many activities because of you. Don't you think you owe us an apology?"
His words struck a nerve, and anger flared inside me.
"I never agreed to do those extreme activities," I shot back. "You wanted to do them, so go ahead. I didn't stop you!"
He opened his mouth to argue but then paused, his expression softening slightly. "I just wanted to help you build some courage," he said, his tone resigned. "You're scared of thunderstorms, Ysha. What will you do when I'm not around?"
Before, I might have taken those words as a sign that he cared for me. Now, they felt different.
It all felt ironic now.
The truth was, he never really thought about me—he was always thinking of himself. Not once did he ask me what kind of person I wanted to become. Instead, he was too busy trying to shape me into the person he envisioned.
I was a humanities major in college, studying education. Yet, Yohann expected me to handle things like fixing the plumbing or electrical issues around the house. He even had me install new ceiling lights. He would guide me through my struggle, one step at a time.
Whenever something broke in the house, I was expected to fix it. He always said that women should learn to be independent and not rely on men for everything. So, most of the time, I just ended up figuring things out on my own.
For a while, I thought that's what relationships were about—learning from each other and growing together. But now, when I looked back, I felt a deep sense of absurdity.
I turned to him, trying to stay calm, and asked, "If something goes wrong, I can call the police, the fire department, or my parents. Why should I only rely on you?"
"Or do you think you're more capable than any?"
Yohann's face flushed with anger. "That's just ridiculous! Do you really think someone will always be there to help you when something happens? Your family spoils you, and that's why you've developed such naive ideas!"
He breathed, then continued, "Have you forgotten the struggles I went through when I started my business? I'm teaching you how to deal with the real world!"