CHAPTER 19

CHAPTER 19

Bonga sits quietly in the backseat of his father's car, the early morning chill seeping through the windows. His father had woken him earlier, insisting they see a healer and get him cleansed. As cold as it is, Mnotho says it's the perfect time of day to remove all the lingering energy that Richard left on his son.

Bonga feels lighter now. Talking to his father is different this time, no shouting, no scolding, no lectures weighed down with expectations. For once, Mnotho just listens, truly listens, without forcing his beliefs on him. That makes a difference. He still isn't ready to tell his mother. He knows her well. Once she finds out, she will broadcast it to the whole family, and everyone will know what almost happened. He shudders at the thought of that humiliation. Maybe keeping it to himself, at least for now, is the best thing for his mental health.
"I need to talk to Brian. You can't keep waking up this early," Mnotho says, turning to Nikky as he drives.
Bonga chuckles softly, hiding it under his hand.
"No, you won't do that," Nikky replies, her voice low and unimpressed.
"How did you even survive winter? It's so dark," Mnotho continues, the sadness still lingering on his face. Bonga sees it, and he understands it. If it were up to his father, Nikky would just quit her job, settle down, and be a stay-at-home girlfriend or wife. He shakes his head at that thought.
"Taxis. Or a CAB. If I made huge sales on my chilli oil or sauce," Nikky answers tiredly, her voice calm but firm.
Mnotho scoffs softly, disbelief and a hint of amusement in his tone.
"You have a side hustle too? And you didn't tell me? What's wrong with you, woman?" he says, perplexed, as if trying to process the fact that Nikky has a whole life and ambition outside of him.
The car slows to a stop, and they pull up in front of Nikky's building.
"I'll be quick," Nikky says, jumping out of the car without even answering Mnotho's question. Her quick movement makes Bonga chuckle quietly, shaking his head.
Mnotho turns to look at him, frowning.
"What?" he asks, eyebrow raised, a mixture of frustration and curiosity etched across his face.
"Baba, you're not helping the situation. Let her be," Bonga says with a grin. He knows his father too well; any small secret or omission sets Mnotho's mind racing. Nikky is new to their lives, and Bonga understands that he can't expect her to spill everything immediately.

Mnotho's jaw tightens, but he says nothing, his eyes following Nikky as she disappears into the building. Bonga watches him carefully, noticing that protective, almost fierce energy that always radiates from his father when it comes to people he loves. But beneath that fire is something softer, a quiet vulnerability that only shows for those few he cares about deeply.
The sight pulls a small smile from Bonga. It's good to see his dad like this, calmer, even happy in his own rough-edged way. It also makes him think about Mtho, still sitting somewhere with Uncle Bangizwe, waiting for Alfred who still hasn't shown up. Bonga's chest warms with gratitude. He's lucky to have a father who shows up, who fights, who tries. Not everyone gets that.
He blinks as a sudden thought hits him, something small he remembered about Richie.
"Uhm… baba, can I ask you something?" he asks softly.
Mnotho turns, his eyebrows pulling together in confusion. "Mmh?"
Bonga bites his tongue. Maybe if he mentions that this question came from Nikky, his father won't explode. Or maybe he will. It's hard to predict with him.
"Well… it's about Richard," Bonga starts, voice uncertain. His father simply watches him, waiting.
"Nikky was… curious if you… also do what Richie does. I mean his… things."
Bonga stutters through the words, embarrassed and slightly curious himself.
Mnotho gasps dramatically, then lets out a bitter laugh as he turns back toward the windshield and bangs his palm on the steering wheel.
"Oh, fuck that bastard," he mutters. "Now Nikky thinks I'm a weirdo too with vile fantasies. Great." He clicks his tongue in irritation. "No, Bonga, I am not like Richie. Never have been, never will be. Shit, man, now I have to go fix that with Nikky."
His reaction makes Bonga laugh, a mix of relief and amusement. His father's dramatics could fill an entire movie.
A sudden knock on the window startles him. Mnotho rolls it down, and a security guard stands there, expression polite but tense.

"Good morning. Miss Nikky went up," the guard says.
Mnotho offers a small smile. "Yes. Did you want to give her a message?"
Bonga tilts his head, leaning closer, sensing something strange in the guard's tone.
"Well," the guard begins, lowering his voice, "there's something I've noticed the past two days, a car that's been following you and her. It waits until she enters the building, then leaves. At first I thought it was you or someone you knew."
Bonga's heart skips a beat, hard. Fear shoots through him like ice.
Is it Richie?
Did Richie see Nikky when he fetched him?
His mind spins, panic curling in his stomach.
"Did you see the driver?" Mnotho asks, his voice tight, calm only on the surface.
"No. It was parked far, windows closed. But I managed to take a photo and the number plate when I approached the car." The guard already has his phone out.
Bonga's fingers start trembling. This is all my fault. I brought this danger to her.
"Mmh… thank you," Mnotho murmurs as he takes the phone, his voice low but lined with urgency. "Let me send it to my phone."
The guard nods. "Yeah. It waits here in the morning and at night when you drop her off. Very creepy."
He keeps talking, but neither Bonga nor Mnotho responds. Their hearts are pounding too loudly. The danger that has followed Nikky, followed them, is now staring them in the face.
"Here is your phone. I added my numbers too. If you notice something strange, please contact me. And please do not tell Nikky. She will not feel safe," Mnotho says. The guard nods and steps back as he notices a car approaching the gate. Mnotho sighs and slips his phone into his jacket.
"Baba, I am so sorry," Bonga says, his voice trembling. "Nikky was the safest person to call that night. I did not mean to put her life in danger." His chest sinks with guilt, fear still clinging to his bones.
Mnotho only nods, his anger reserved for Richard, not his son.
"No worries, Bonga. I will sort this out and no one will hurt you or Nikky. I promise," he says calmly. There is a quiet steel in his voice, the kind that never breaks. Bonga can only nod and trust him.
"By the way, after we come back from the healer you are not going to work. I want you to change the locks and the security codes. Bangizwe is too suspicious for not wanting them in my house," Mnotho says and lets out a short laugh. "I think it is too early to introduce Nikky to them."
Bonga smiles a little. He knows exactly what his father means. It is better for them to enjoy this peaceful moment before the storm of family opinions comes crashing in.
"Do not worry. I will deal with it, Dad," he says with a soft smile.
He hesitates, then asks quietly, "What are you going to do with Richard?"
"I will kill him," Mnotho says, low, steady, terrifyingly certain.
Not a tremor. Not a doubt.
Bonga only nods, because a part of him believes Richard deserves every bit of what's coming.
Richard has destroyed lives and karma has finally found its way back to him.
The car door swings open, snapping Bonga out of his thoughts.
Nikky slides into the seat, completely unaware of the storm she just walked into.
"Let's go," she says, not noticing the tension inside the car. Maybe it's better that way.
Mnotho starts the engine. That's his only response.
Nikky turns to Bonga and smiles.
"You should get some sleep. You look exhausted," she says gently.
Bonga lets out a small, tired smile.
"I will. I just hope no one forces me to drink snake blood again," he jokes.
Nikky's head snaps toward Mnotho, eyes wide.
"He's going to drink snake blood?" she asks, horrified.
Mnotho shoots Bonga a look through the rearview mirror, frowning.
"Bonga is lying, Peaches. That's not true," he says with an annoyed sigh.
Nikky still looks disgusted.
"Anyway… Bonga, there's food I cooked for you. So you won't go hungry," she says.
Bonga's heart skips with happiness. He really appreciates that. He loves Nikky's cooking.
"Thank you so much. I'll save money on takeouts," he says gratefully.
But the moment he turns to the window, reality grips him again.
His chest gets cold. Because he knows what's waiting for him in the future.
There's going to be a day when someone asks him to choose
between his mother's food and Nikky's.
His mother still drops dishes for them sometimes.
But with a new woman in the house, that might have to stop.
The thought twists his stomach.
This is going to be a long year. Maybe long years.
Because deep down, he knows something no one wants to say out loud:
No one is going to accept Nikky.
Not his family. Not the elders.
No one.
And he loves his mother. He will always choose her.
But he also loves Nikky in his own way, because hurting her would be the same as hurting his father.
And he could never do that.

••••••••

[KUKHOKONKE]

Paul's glare… if looks could kill, I would've been dead already. We're sitting in Josh's office. Josh hasn't said much, just typing on his phone, eyes glued to whatever he's busy with.
Meanwhile, my mind is everywhere.
His brother-in-law is ready to sell me that plot of land, and Ndleleni already approved it, that snake he sent was his sign. Now I'm just waiting for the bank to tell me how much I qualify for on my home loan.
And this part… I don't even know how to say it without sounding like a lovesick idiot. Diamond and I are officially dating. I'm happy. Truly.
It might sound foolish, but being with her feels… peaceful. Right. belonging.
Ndleleni promised she would be my support system, especially since my parents are still blinded by greed and money. My uncle even told me the Zungus didn't make it through the gates at home, they were chased by crows, and Mqapheli saw something at the gate that drove him insane.
They won't let this go. I know them. So I need to deal with them once and for all, free those spirits trapped in that royal palace, and see how they survive once all the spirits leave them.
I'm not doing revenge. The spirits will handle that part.
As much as they piss me off, they're still Celo's family.
Later, I'm meeting Mehluko for lunch. We haven't seen each other since Sne ran her talkative mouth. I'm not angry anymore, hey. Life moves.
Josh finally puts his phone down.
"Well, gentlemen, sorry about that," he says, rubbing his hands together before leaning forward with a serious expression. "We need to talk about what happened."
He turns straight to Paul.
"Mr. Maseko, what you did was uncalled for. You stormed into his office and…"
"So I'm the one getting blamed? You heard what this jerk said to me!" Paul snaps, cutting Josh off. Josh's frown deepens as he glares at him.
"I'm addressing you, not him," Josh bites out. "You went to his office and attacked him. What do you think will happen if he opens an assault case?"
Actually… I should do that. Paul is full of shit.
Paul scoffs loudly, completely shocked that his friend is actually disciplining him.
"He took.. He said something about my dad, and I didn't appreciate it," Paul argues. He wants to say I 'took Diamond' from him, but he won't dare say that out loud here.
Josh turns to me.
"Well, I wasn't lying," I say calmly. "I saw his dad dying. Paul should be arranging the funeral already."
His eyes widen.
"And this bastard attacked me because I took his ex. He punched me," I add.
"You bastard!" Paul screams, springing up from his chair.
"Enough!!" Josh roars, slamming his hand on the table.
Paul is huffing and puffing like he's about to lay eggs, loud, dramatic, breathing like a frog that lost a boxing match.
"Sit down," Josh warns.
Paul drops into the chair, jaw clenched, eyes
glued to the floor. But you can feel it, the anger rolling off him, thick and heavy.
Josh exhales. "Now, explain yourself. Properly. No screaming."
Paul stays quiet for a moment.
Then something snaps.
He slams his hand against his chest.
This man is crazier than I thought, why is he beating his chest like that?
"He took everything from me! And now he's taking my dad too! Are you going to kill my dad now?" Paul shouts, pointing at me with wild, furious eyes.
I huff and shake my head, already getting tired of his theatrics.
"He took what from you?" Josh asks, his voice firm but curious.
Paul groans loudly, dragging both hands through his hair. Then he suddenly stands up, pacing like someone possessed.
"I took Diamond. That's why he's mad," I say, unapologetic.
Josh's eyes widen at that revelation. He clears his throat quickly.
"So all this drama is because of a woman?" Josh asks. "A woman you don't even like, Paul?"
"This is not about Diamond!" Paul snaps, voice rising. "This fool got a vision from his demons and told me my dad is dying! Well, sucker, my dad won't die, you hear me? Tell your little tikoloshes that my dad is not going anywhere!"
Oh no. That's it.
I'm beating his ass.
I stand up so fast the chair scrapes backwards. I grab Paul by his collar and shove him against the wall, gripping his neck tighter. His eyes widen in fear.
"What did you say?" I snap, my voice low and deadly. "Never disrespect my ancestors like that. Ever."
Before I squeeze harder, a strong hand yanks me back. Josh wedges himself between us.
"Stop it! Both of you!" Josh roars, pushing me back and holding Paul in place with his other arm.
I'm still shaking with rage. My blood is boiling.
I will deal with this bastard, one day he will eat the words he just spit out.
And honestly?
I hope whoever is coming to collect his father's soul calls me first so I can laugh. That man ruined lives, destroyed families, killed without mercy… and now it's his turn.
He calls my ancestors tikoloshes while his father is the one who uses them.
Trash.
"You two are going to piss me off!" Josh shouts again. "Enough!"
He turns sharply to Paul.
"And you? Diamond?" Josh scoffs. "What about Nelly? You think her father will let you break his daughter's heart just because you got jealous? He is a mayor, for Christ's sake!"
Paul looks away, jaw tight, eyes burning with jealousy and shame.
"Just stop it, stay away from Diamond, you promised Nelly marriage," Josh says. Wow, nice one Paul… promising another girl marriage while chasing my girl. Nx.
Paul turns with a glare and huffs, nodding his head.
He points at me, his finger shaking with rage.
"I want him gone, Josh. I want this bastard gone," he spits out in disgust.
I scoff silently while Josh's eyes widen in disbelief. It's happening.
"No. I won't fire him because you don't see eye to eye with him," Josh says, voice full of disbelief and shock.
Paul gives a devilish smirk, eyes locked on me.
"I want him gone, or I will call the board, Josh. I have a say, remember? I want this wizard, or whatever you call yourself, gone from this company," Paul says, his voice cold. He shoots Josh one last look and walks off, banging the door behind him.
Josh sighs and closes his eyes, exhausted.
Paul isn't angry because his father might die, that's not what's eating him.
He's angry because I took Diamond from him. A girl he never loved.
A girl he used, then covered his guilt with gifts, like cheap compensation for the respect he refused to give her.
He hates that someone else sees her as a woman worth loving.
He hates that he can't control her anymore.
Nelly is perfect for his image, the mayor's daughter, polished and presentable but even she isn't enough to satisfy whatever twisted fantasies he hides beneath his jealousy.
And now Diamond choosing me bruises his ego more than anything else.
"Go home… we'll talk tomorrow," Josh says as he moves to his table. He's drained.
I just nod and walk out. Home is definitely where I'm going.

.
.
.
I put my bag on my shoulder as I walk out of my office and lock it. I can't trust that crazy man, he might mess my things up. I ignore my colleagues' curious eyes; they can say whatever they want to gossip about.
As I get into the elevator, I meet Swazi. She's a cleaner here. She smiles and nods at me, then suddenly turns serious.
"I told you, your time here is up," she says, tilting her head.
I frown. I'm not close to this woman, and I've never talked to her for more than two minutes, but now…
"Don't look at her like that. You need to start building your house. What's wrong?" she asks.
I sigh, laughing as I realise who it is.
"Mkhulu, you can't just possess people like this. What will their ancestors say?" I ask in disbelief.
Ndleleni scoffs, shaking his head.
"Her ancestors, both maternal and paternal, are fighting. That's why it was easy to access her. But you will help her when the time is right. Her mother wants her child to be at peace," Ndleleni says, voice low.
Oh, poor kid. I'm sure she's around 24. She applied for a learnership but ended up getting a job as a cleaner instead. I guess it was meant to be so our paths could meet and I could help her.
"I understand. On the house issue, I'm waiting for the bank to approve my loan. It is expensive to buy land and build at the same time," I tell Ndleleni. Things are different from our realms, he should know that. I need 100k for the deposit for that land so they can start with the paperwork. And I think I should just take some of my savings and investments.
The elevator doors open, leading me to the parking lot.
"Look, I told you I won't let you suffer. You will build your house," Ndleleni says calmly.
I love his calm and happy self. I wonder sometimes, how was his life? His goals and dreams? Everyone has dreams, all of us do.
"4, 7, 35," Ndleleni says with a smile.
I frown. "What?" I ask in disbelief.
"4, 7, 35."
With that, the elevator doors close, leaving me confused.

.
.
.
I wonder who this plant is meant for. It hasn't grown at all, still stuck. I should go see Cothoza to learn more about it. It wasn't meant for Diamond; it's for someone else, maybe Swazi. Yeah, maybe her. I water it anyway. In case I meet the owner, I've crammed those three numbers Ndleleni gave me into my memory, still not sure what to do with them. I close my eyes, still thinking, what could they mean? Is he into numerology? Anything is possible with that bloody shapeshifter.
My phone rings loudly in the kitchen. I quickly make my way there. Maybe it's Mehluko; he's smart, he might help. Oh, I smile as I see who it is.
"My Diamond," I say, a smile spreading across my face.
She giggles softly.
"Hey, how are you doing?" she asks, voice soft and low. I sigh and take a seat on the stool.
"I'm okay. And you? How's work?" I ask.
"That's good. I was worried about you; I felt like something was going on with you," she says, sounding happy now. I chuckle softly. Oh, Ndleleni, this is all your work.
"I'm okay, no need to worry," I assure her. I can't tell her about Paul's tantrums, no need to stress her beautiful self. If she didn't stay with her friend, I would've gone to her place later.
"Good. Well, work is fine, busy with numbers. Hate them," she says. That makes me blink rapidly.
"Numbers? You know, someone gave me random numbers, and I'm not sure what to do with them," I say truthfully. I really don't know.
She laughs a little.
"Play the lottery. Maybe it's numbers from your ancestors or God," she says, still laughing. I don't laugh, though, thinking back to my conversation with Ndleleni, who told me he wouldn't let me suffer. Could it be him giving me lottery numbers to play and win? I've never played the lottery in my life.
"I've never played the lottery in my life. Where do I even begin?" I ask. She giggles softly, amused.
"Go to the nearest supermarket or do it with your banking app. They have those lottery things," she says. Oh, the banking app? I didn't know.
"Thank you. Let me try it. If I win, I'm taking you to an island," I say and chuckle softly. I still owe her a dinner date.
"Oh, you better. Let me get to work. We'll talk later," she says softly and hangs up.
I smile as I stare at my phone, my heart skipping uncontrollably, chuckling like a fool. "You'll meet her at the place where money flows", and I met her at the right place. Money does flow every day at the mall. Ndleleni is a good ancestor when he wants to be. Let me open the app and play some lottery.

••••••

[AT 8HEAVEN HOTEL]

Thabang has given his men a week to come up with the report about Bonga and his girlfriend that Richard asked to be followed. He's drowning himself in alcohol, ignoring all calls, especially from Paul, who is suddenly blowing up his phone. Paul never calls unless he's in some kind of trouble, but tonight Thabang isn't in the mood to save him, not now, not when Richard is out to ruin two more lives. He had watched Richard go through everyone, leaving them bleeding and crying, and Thabang had to step in and clean up his uncle's mess.
He prays and hopes Mnotho never finds out what Bonga did. He isn't in the mood to deal with men from the hostels or the taxi industry; those people have no mercy. They live and breathe killing, and just thinking about it twists his gut. He knows Bonga went behind his father's back to open an illegal gambling operation and even went to Richard. Thabang knows Bonga won't talk now, at least not while Mnotho is around. His father would never allow his son to work with or get close to Richard, a known demon of the streets.

He finishes the last glass, grimacing. He needs to go to Richard's suite and tell him the news. Paul keeps calling and annoying him. Apparently, Paul asked Thabang to help him find a decent woman from a rich family, and Richard pulled some strings to deliver, a mayor's daughter.

As he walks toward the reception area, a receptionist calls out.
"Sir, you have a package," a lady at the desk says. A man stands nearby with the package, heavy, sitting on one of those wheeled carts.
Thabang sighs, motioning for the guy to follow him. He's a bit drunk to be pulling this heavy package. Maybe it's from Paul, he thinks, stepping into the elevator with the man.

.
.
.

Thabang thanks the man and closes the door behind him. A sharp, painful sound cuts through the room. Someone is vomiting violently in the bathroom.
"Malume, are you okay?" he asks, his voice tight, scanning for a scissor to open the massive package. No answer comes. He shrugs and starts rummaging through the drawers, stumbling over random items until he finally finds the scissor.
He kneels beside the box, straps the scissor in his hand, and rips the tape. Setting the scissor down, he lifts the lid. Black plastic bags stare back at him. He shakes his head in disbelief. Bloody Paul, what the hell is this?

Before touching anything else, his eyes catch a white piece of paper on top. He picks it up and reads the words written in sharp, deliberate letters.
"If you are so interested in my family, why don't you ask me?"
Thabang frowns and drops the note on the floor, stomach tightening. He rips open the first black plastic bag, and what he sees makes his blood run cold.
A bloody head, one of his men, peering up at him.
He screams, a raw, throaty sound that fills the room. His breath catches, lungs burn, and it feels as if the air has been ripped away. He stares at his hands and realises they are soaked in blood.
Shock takes him. The room spins violently. His knees buckle. He collapses to the floor, the world goes black, the horrific sight burned into his mind.