I used to believe that silence meant peace. That when he ignored me for days after a fight, it was just his way of processing things. But the truth is, it wasn’t about processing—it was about punishment.

He would withdraw completely, making me feel invisible, making me desperate for him to speak to me again. I would apologize—even when I wasn’t wrong—just to get rid of the crushing loneliness he made me feel. And every time, when he finally acknowledged me again, it felt like a reward.

Looking back, I see it for what it was: emotional manipulation. He knew exactly how to control me, how to make me feel small. And I let him. But not anymore. Now, I know that love doesn’t disappear in silence. Real love communicates. Real love doesn’t punish.

                                 - Kate