I did not see the revelation that Afoke's own mother, Drizella, is the monster behind the mine's dark secrets coming; until, Afoke thought her dad's resistance could have something to do with her mom.

To think that a mother would be willing to sacrifice her own child for the sake of regaining her beauty and freedom - it's almost too much to bear.

Yet, I could sense the deep and conflicted emotions that Drizella must be battling with. Her love for Oak drove her to make this bargain, and now she is torn between her desire for freedom and the maternal instinct to protect her child.

And poor Oak - torn between his love for his daughter and his past with Drizella. He must be wracked with guilt, knowing that his actions decades ago have led to this heartbreaking moment which is why he kept everything from his daughter and tried to keep her off the Mine.

As for Afoke, I can only imagine the kind of emotions she must be feeling - betrayal, confusion, and certainly a deep sense of loss. To discover that the mother she never knew is in fact a monster willing to sacrifice her, it must have been very hard to bear.

I enjoyed reading this. Thank you for sharing.