On Christmas Eve, her heart raced as she received his call. "I've arrived," John said warmly, his voice crackling over the line. She was overjoyed—this was the moment she had been waiting for. After months of phone calls and sweet nothings exchanged across the distance, she was finally going to meet him in person. Her excitement bubbled over as she imagined spending Christmas together, introducing him to her family, and creating unforgettable memories.

When she rushed to the airport to pick him up, her anticipation was palpable. She greeted him with a wide smile, her cheeks flushed with happiness. “I got the perfect Airbnb for you,” she announced, eager to impress.

He nodded approvingly. “Great! I’ll pay you back for it as soon as we settle in,” he promised.

The first crack in the dream appeared that evening. He didn’t make any move to reimburse her for the Airbnb. She hesitated, unsure how to bring it up without ruining the mood. Maybe he’d forgotten? She decided to let it slide, reassuring herself he’d make good on his promise.

The next day, they went out for dinner. As the check arrived, he leaned back casually and said, “You’ll pay for this, right? I haven’t exchanged my dollars to cedis yet.”

Her stomach sank. She hadn’t budgeted for these expenses, but she forced a smile and paid, brushing off the discomfort. But it didn’t stop there. Outings became routine, and every time, she found herself footing the bill. She started to feel the weight of his presence—a financial burden she hadn’t anticipated.

One evening, as they were getting ready to leave a café, she finally said, “Give me the dollars, and I’ll exchange them myself.”

John frowned, almost offended. “Why? Do you think I’m running away with your money? Relax, I’ll give it to you before I leave.”

Her patience was wearing thin. “And when are you leaving?” she asked, her voice sharp.

“On the 30th,” he replied nonchalantly.

Her jaw dropped. It was only the fifth day of Christmas, and he’d already drained over 2,000 cedis from her. She clenched her fists, her Christmas spirit waning with every passing day.

He promised that they’d visit his family and later hers, but those promises remained empty words. Instead, his focus seemed fixed solely on her wallet. By the ninth day of Christmas, her frustration had reached its peak. That morning, he turned to her in bed, his face lit with excitement.

“Tomorrow, I want us to go to Royal Senchi,” he said, grinning. “I’m hiring a car.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Have you changed your money to cedis now?”

“Oh no,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about that. Just pay for the car hire. Trust me, I’ll pay you back handsomely. Don’t be sad.”

Her heart pounded as the truth finally dawned on her. She wasn’t going to see a single coin from him. That night, while he slept soundly beside her, she lay awake, a storm of thoughts swirling in her mind. Something didn’t add up.

In the dark, she crept to his bag and began searching. Her hands trembled as she pulled out his passport. Her blood ran cold—it had no stamps. He’d never been abroad. All this time, he’d been chatting with her from Ghana, spinning lies. She rummaged through his wallet next. Not a single dollar in sight. Her heart sank. She had been thoroughly deceived.

Desperation mixed with anger. Her gaze fell on his phone—a sleek, expensive model. An idea took root in her mind. Quietly, she picked it up, her resolve hardening. If she couldn’t get her money back, she’d take something of equal value. She packed her things, slipped the phone into her bag, and bolted.

The next morning, she didn’t look back. On the tenth day of Christmas, she sold the phone to a willing buyer for a handsome sum. With the money, she wiped away the bitterness of the past week and threw herself into the remaining days of Christmas, celebrating with joy and relief.

She learned her lesson the hard way, but as she sipped champagne on New Year’s Eve, she couldn’t help but smile. Sometimes, reclaiming your power is the best gift of all.