CHAPTER 44

CHAPTER 44

[DIAMOND]

I pause at the door, my whole body shaking with anger. My eyes drop back to Konke's picture. No.
I can't let these fools know that I know Konke. I can't put him at risk like that. Not now, not ever. The reason I'm even here is to make them pay on what they did to him, I can't expose that.
I turn around quickly and bend down, gathering all the pictures from the floor with shaking hands.
"Dee," Tumi whispers as she walks in. "What's going on?" she asks softly.
"Look," I snap quietly, my voice filled with rage. "This girl has pictures of men. Many men. And one of them is my man," I say, anger burning in my chest. "She will answer me. She has to."
Tumi takes the pictures from my hands and studies them carefully, one by one.
"This girl is crazy," she whispers.
Yes. Very crazy.
"She pasted her face to hide the people standing next to these men," Tumi continues, whistling softly. "Which one is your man here?" she asks curiously.
"The one holding the award," I answer quickly.
My mind races.
How stupid is Mehluko? Did he not notice this?
Or did he know all along?
What game are they playing?
"Oh wow," Tumi says softly. "What a handsome man."
That snaps me out of my thoughts.
I frown hard under my balaclava.
"Of course my man is handsome," I snap, irritation flooding my voice. "That's not the point. What I want to know is, what the hell is this bitch doing with his picture?" I ask, boiling with anger. "I'm going to demand answers. Now."
I snatch the pictures back from Tumi.
She grabs my arm firmly.
"Dee, wait," she whispers urgently. "We need to be smart about this. I understand you're angry, I really do but we have to think."
Smart?
I want to knock Sne's teeth out right now.
"What are you suggesting?" I ask, my voice low but cold.
Tumi exhales slowly.
"We show her boyfriend all the pictures," she says carefully. "Every single one of them. Including the one of your handsome man. We demand answers and blame her for the break-in," she explains.
I blink.
"Blame her?" I whisper.
"That boyfriend will believe us," Tumi continues calmly. "Just look at the pictures. They speak for themselves."
I stare down at the photos in my hands again.
Sne is playing a dangerous game.
And she has no idea who she's dealing with.
I groan softly. I came here to make Mehluko and Mafika pay, to beat them up too, but instead I've walked straight into more trouble.
"I'll handle the questioning," I say quietly. "You and Sika, take everything here. We don't have time."

We head to the lounge, and I find all three of them tied up, trembling, sobbing softly. Tumi walks out, probably to get Sika so they can steal the bed and the rest of the furniture.
I walk closer and crouch in front of them. Slowly, I lay the pictures on the floor.
"Mehluko," I say, lowering my voice, making it deeper. "I found these pictures in your girlfriend's drawer."
I spread them out so he can see.
"Who are these men?" I ask calmly. "Huh?"
I turn to Sne. She's shaking her head violently, tears streaming down her face. Maybe this is her hustle. I could even respect that. But Konke? No.
If I hadn't found Konke's picture, maybe I wouldn't care this much. Maybe I would've just laughed and moved on. But I won't let anything touch him. Not even something that looks small or harmless. Nothing.
Sne is the danger I'm stopping tonight.
"You scream or make a sound," I warn her, my voice cold, "and I will shoot your boyfriend. Do we understand?"
She nods quickly as I reach forward and slowly remove the tape from her mouth.
Sika and Tumi return, ignoring us as they move around, focused on their job. I think briefly that I should've brought a silencer. This gun is loud, and I want this clean.
"Who are these men?" I ask again, my voice calm but firm. "And why do you have their pictures?"
She sniffs, glancing at Mehluko. His eyes are wide with shock and fear.
I chuckle softly, darkly.
"You didn't know," I say, turning my head slightly toward Mehluko. "Did you?"
He shakes his head repeatedly.
I tighten my jaw. How did Konke ever become friends with this fool?
"Lady," I say, turning fully back to Sne, my patience gone. "I asked you a question."
She sobs harder, sniffing, shaking. I don't have time for this.
I lift my gun and press it against Mehluko's forehead.
This will make her talk.
Sne breaks the moment the gun presses harder against Mehluko's forehead.
"Please!" she cries, her voice cracking. "Please don't shoot him!"
Her whole body is shaking now, snot and tears running freely down her face. I don't move the gun. I don't blink.
"Then talk," I say coldly. "Start now."
She nods fast, sniffing hard. "We don't hurt anyone," she says in a trembling voice.
I frown.
"We?" I ask, my voice still deep and low.
"My sister and my friend," she says, choking on her sobs. "We target rich, working men…" She pauses when Mehluko starts moving aggressively, trying to say something. I guess I expected that, so I use my other hand to rip the tape off his mouth.
"What?" Mehluko snaps, coughing slightly. "Who are these men? And why is Konke's picture here?" His voice is shaking now, filled with confusion and anger.
Sne flinches at his tone.
"I'm sorry…" she whispers, crying harder.
"Sorry?" Mehluko snaps. "Sorry for what? You were using me too? Huh?" His voice breaks. "I trusted you!"
Sne shakes her head quickly.
"No, no… I wasn't using you," she cries. "I love you, Mehluko. I swear. The one I was targeting was Konke. We saw him at the business awards ceremony. My sister was working there as a photographer. She took his picture and…"
I don't even know what comes over me.
My fist lands hard on her cheek.
She cries out louder, sobbing uncontrollably.
"So?" I snap, my blood boiling. "So you target these men? Men with money? You date them, sleep with them, then cry rape and demand thousands from them?" My voice is shaking with rage now. "And when you're done, you take a red marker and cross their pictures like a victory list?"
She nods repeatedly, crying harder.
"We don't hurt them… just…" she sobs. "I'm sorry, Mehluko. I stopped long ago. When you introduced me to Konke, I couldn't go through with it anymore."
I scoff silently.
This crazy bitch.
"My sister edits the pictures," she continues quickly. "She pastes my face over the person standing next to them. Or makes it look like we're close. Like we're together."
My stomach twists.
"And then?" Mehluko pushes, his voice low.
"Then we create fake stories," Sne sobs. "Fake chats. Fake connections. Sometimes we contact them, pretending we already know them. Sometimes we wait for the right moment."
Mehluko looks like he's about to throw up.
"And the red crosses?" he asks calmly, like he can't believe what he's hearing.
She completely breaks down.
"That's when the job is done," she cries. "When the man pays. When he's scared enough. When he gives us money to protect his name. We threaten scandals… accusations… rape claims."
Mehluko scoffs, shaking his head in disbelief.
"So that's what you were planning to do to Konke?" he asks quietly. "Or to me?"
I clench my jaw hard.
I don't even like men that much, but what they are doing is sick. Twisted and Dangerous.
And Konke… Konke almost found himself deep in trouble because of this nonsense.
I lean closer, my voice low and deadly.
"You were going to destroy him," I say slowly. "A man who did nothing to you."
She shakes her head violently.
"No! I swear, I stopped," she cries. "When Mehluko introduced me to Konke, I couldn't go through with it. I couldn't do it to him."
I laugh coldly.
"Give me your sister's number," I demand. "And your friend's too."
She freezes.
"Now," I snap. "Before I decide if you're lying or not."
Because this doesn't end here.
Not when innocent people are being hunted like this.
Not when my man was almost next.
I huff heavily, suddenly remembering something.
I left their phones on the bed.
I shoot up quickly, my movements fast and impatient, and glare at all three of them.
"If any of you scream," I warn, my voice low and deadly, "I will shoot you. No hesitation."
Their heads nod immediately, fear written all over their faces.
Mafika has been quiet this whole time. Too quiet. He's sitting there trembling, eyes glued to the floor, sweat rolling down his face.
I turn slowly and stand right in front of him.
This fool.
This is the same man who pushed Konke that day.
The one who laughed while chaos broke loose.
The one who thought it was funny.
I lift the gun and smash it hard against the side of his head.
He cries out and falls sideways, groaning in pain, whimpering loudly.
"That's for touching what doesn't belong to you," I say calmly, my voice cold. "Next time, I won't use the gun like this."
The room falls dead silent again.
I click my tongue and snap my head toward Sne.
"Give me your sister's name and your friend's name," I demand. "I'll unlock that phone myself."
She sniffs loudly.
I'm sick and tired of her crying like she's the victim here.
"My sister's contact name is Lisa," she says shakily. "And my friend's contact name is Vika."
I tilt my head slightly.
"Vika?" I ask. "Is that a man?"
She looks at Mehluko, then back at me, and nods slowly.
I let out a bitter laugh.
"He's the one who spots these men," she adds quickly. "He lures them to us."
Wow.
Mehluko shakes his head in disbelief, pain and anger written all over his face.
"You are unbelievable," he says, his voice breaking.
"Ginger, here are the phones. We're done," Tumi says behind me.
That was fast.
"Should I stay," she asks softly, "or will I meet you outside?"
I stay quiet for a moment, thinking. My mind is loud, running in all directions. I honestly don't know what to do anymore. This was supposed to be a simple break-in, a scare. Now it's ugly and Twisted
This whole thing has ruined the thrill of it. The fun of it.
Should we call the cops and tell them about Sne and her dirty games?
Or should I handle this myself?
I could blackmail them. I could find those men.
I could make Sne, Mehluko, and Mafika pay, including that friend and sister of hers.
I could even lie to those men and tell them they were part of it. Part of the syndicate. Ruin everyone equally.
My jaw tightens.
"No," I finally say. "Let's pick up all these pictures."
Tumi nods and bends down with me. We start collecting every printed photo scattered across the floor. Faces of powerful men. Smiling. Completely unaware of how close they came to destruction.
I straighten and look at the three of them sitting there shaking, terrified.
"Listen carefully," I say, my voice cold and firm. "If you call the cops about this break-in, I will personally make sure every one of these men knows where you live. Where to find you."
Their eyes widen in fear.
"And I'll blame everything on all of you," I continue. "I'll tell the police the three of you are part of this syndicate. Guess what happens next? You get arrested. You lose your jobs. Your lives fall apart. Everything."
Silence.
"We won't call the cops," Mehluko begs quickly. His voice shaky. "Please… just leave us alone. Mafika is bleeding."
My eyes snap to Mafika.
I don't care.
I hand the rest of the pictures to Tumi without a word. My grip tightens around the gun.
Before either of them can react or say anything, I hit Mehluko hard on the head with it. Then Sne. Both cry out, collapsing forward.
"Shut up," I warn. "All of you."
I click my tongue and turn away, already done with them for now.
I don't even look back. I don't care to see their fear anymore.

Outside, I find Tumi already waiting for me, her arms folded tightly around herself. Her eyes search mine, checking if I'm okay.
"We didn't take the wardrobes," she says quietly. "They're stuck to the walls."
She then hands me Konke's picture, her fingers brushing mine.
"I'll get into the other pictures maybe tomorrow afternoon. I really need proper sleep after this. I have to be up early in the morning," she adds, then lets out a small, nervous giggle, like she's trying to release the tension sitting heavy in her shoulders.
I nod slowly. My head feels full. My thoughts are racing.
"I know things didn't work out the way we expected," she continues, her tone turning serious now. "But we found the truth. Your handsome man won't be the next victim."
She pauses, then shakes her head slightly.
"I don't trust that girl," she says firmly. "She didn't stop. I doubt she even loves Mehluko. She's using him to get close to your man."
Exactly.
I don't trust Sne either. Not even a little.
Tumi exhales and looks up at the dark sky.
"As weird as this sounds," she adds softly, "I think we were meant to be here."
I stare ahead, holding Konke's picture tightly in my hand.
Maybe she's right. Maybe this break-in wasn't about fun.
Maybe it was a warning, maybe it was protection.
She sighs softly, tired.
"We're waiting for your answer, Dee," she says quietly. "Are you in or out?"
I know exactly what she's asking about.
The heist, the risk.
The line I'm about to cross.
I bite my lip softly, my thoughts racing. My heart is still pounding, my body still tense, but my mind is made up. I won't let Konke's vision come true.
"Yeah," I finally say, my voice calm. "I'm in."
I'll make sure Konke's vision doesn't come true. I'll get that money, and I'll do it without getting shot. Without getting hurt.
.
.
.
.
I feel someone shaking me gently. I slowly open my eyes, close them again, then open them once more. I'm greeted by Nikky's face. She looks confused. I sit up slowly.
I'm in our lounge.
Fuck. I passed out here.
At least I changed from my criminal clothes into my night dress.
"What time is it?" I ask, my voice still heavy with sleep. I don't even know if calling in sick will help at this point.
"9 a.m. You're late," she says.
Nine a.m.?
I'm very late.
"I overslept too. I was going to wake you up. Sorry," she adds, already walking to the kitchen.
I groan softly. There's nothing I can do now. I'll call in sick. I just need to go to a doctor and get a sick note.
I hop off the couch and follow her into the kitchen, sitting down on one of the stools. I'm exhausted. I only got here around 3 a.m.
"Why did you pass out on the couch?" she asks curiously.
"Coffee?" she adds.
I nod.
I need to lie again. Honestly, I'm in the right profession. I lie like it's nobody's business.
"I was on a call with Konke," I say. "I guess I passed out while talking to him."
She giggles softly.
"So when am I meeting him?" she asks playfully. "Or should I do what you did, go look for him and threaten him?"
She's joking, but her tone is serious.
My heart sinks.
What I did was wrong. I know that. But I had to be sure. I had to warn Mnotho, only to find out he's way scarier than I thought.
"I'm sorry, Nikky," I say sincerely. "I shouldn't have gone to him."
I pause. "And as for Konke, you'll meet him soon. He's still busy with some spiritual work."
"Mmh," she hums. "I'll hear from you."
She turns back to the counter.
"I need to go get a dress for Sno's dinner later. I couldn't yesterday because I was busy with my oils and sauces."
"Oh yeah," I say. "I saw the pictures on your WhatsApp status. The background, the packaging, it screams luxury brand."
She turns to me with a smile.
"Yeah, it does," she says proudly. "Mnotho gave me his card to get everything I needed, and I went crazy." She giggles softly.
I laugh too.
"As he should," I say. "He should give you his bank card."
She sighs and steps closer to me.
"Well," she says gently, "he wants me to go to culinary school. He said he'll pay for my fees. He thinks I should drop out and stop working at the clinic."
I blink, shocked.
"You know the story about me trying to go to culinary school," she continues. "The Zwane family disappointed me."
Oh, fuck them.
"Fuck that family," I snap. "Sphe was scared you'd become independent and leave his stupid ass."
She nods slowly.
"Yeah, but it wasn't him. Someone made him change his mind. I still wonder who it was. But it doesn't matter now. I need to think about Mnotho's offer. I still want to go to culinary school. It would give me peace of mind… some happiness."
"It will," I say firmly.
"Then say yes," I add. "That man loves you. He'd do anything for you. He even…"
I bite my tongue, almost spilling the truth about my last encounter with Mnotho.
"I mean," I rush, "he even took you on vacation. He gave you his card."
She frowns slightly.
"Even Sphephelo did that," she says carefully. "I'm not saying they're the same. I'm just saying… I'll think about it and get back to him."
She turns back to the stove.
Good. As long as she's considering it, there's hope.
"By the way," she says suddenly, turning back to me, "I need your help with digging something."
I almost choke on my saliva.
"Digging?" I ask, shocked.
She nods, her face serious.
"It's about the company my dad worked for over thirty years," she says firmly.
"I need to know if it ever went bankrupt or not."
Oh.
"After matric, when they were supposed to pay for my fees, I was told they couldn't," she continues. "They said the company went bankrupt."
I remember her telling me this, but only vaguely.
"But the day before yesterday," she says, her voice soft, "I went home to drop groceries and fetch my files. I found a letter from my father's company."
She swallows.
"It was addressed to my mother. It said that all Futhi's tertiary fees would be paid. She just needed to pass matric well."
I blink, stunned.
"What?" I ask. "What kind of scam is this?"
"Yeah," she says sadly. "It was just a formal letter, but still… so I hope this doesn't make me sound jealous or…"
"No," I cut her off quickly, shaking my head.
"No, it doesn't. You deserve to know the truth."
I lean closer.
"What do you want me to help you with?" I ask.
"I want you to dig," she says, her voice low. "Find out if there was ever a bankruptcy. Or if something else happened."
She sighs.
"My gut is telling me something big is going on. Ntobe and Futhi were both considered… but I was left behind. I need to know why."
My heart breaks for her.
"Oh, I'll find out," I say quietly.
"Don't worry, my angel," I add softly. "Just give me all the information about your dad. I'll call them myself and find the truth."
I will get to the bottom of this.

••••

[KUKHOKONKE]

Josh borrowed us the boardroom.
Mr Motha is here alone, of course, sitting quietly and reading Pule's notebook.
He's been reading for a long time now, slowly and carefully, his reading glasses resting low on his nose. His face is hard, serious, like every page is heavier than the last. I caught a brief glimpse of the notebook earlier, and my heart sank. The handwriting looks like a child's. Not even a teenager's. A child's.
There is so much I still need to understand from that notebook. So many answers sitting in those pages. I just hope that when he is done, he will talk to me. I need to know what Pule was trying to say. What he was trying to survive.
As for the phone, it will be taken to someone Mr Motha knows. Someone who can hack it properly. It has been too long, and that phone might be the final key. I am praying it holds something, anything that will help us finally take Tsietsi to jail.
I told Mr Motha everything. Every detail. What I saw in the vision. How I got this safe. How Tsietsi appeared. How clear it all was. He was visibly shocked. Truly shocked. I could see it in his eyes when the truth finally settled in.
Tsietsi killed his own brother.
Not his brother or wife, as he suspected.
Not anyone else. Just Tsietsi.
I don't know what happens after this truth fully comes out. I don't know if I will still be needed, or if Mr Motha will choose to deal with this alone. A part of me feels like once the truth is complete, my role might be finished.
I think they did some kind of cleansing for Pule. Spiritually. I feel it. But I also feel like Pule isn't fully at rest yet. All he ever wanted was justice. He wanted the truth to come out. He wanted someone to see what really happened to him.
Lately, in my dreams, I keep seeing the same things over and over again.
Fruits. And water. Nothing else.
I don't know what it means. Maybe that's what he wants. Maybe it's an offering. Maybe it's a final request before he finally lets go of the physical world. I honestly don't know. I'm still trying to understand.
And Mr Motha, What will he do?
Will he take his older son to jail?
Will he choose justice over blood?
Or will he let it go and live like nothing happened?
His wife already has. She knows the truth. She has always known. And yet she continues to live her life to the fullest, as if nothing was ever broken, as if no son was ever lost.
That hurts the most.
A loud thud snaps me out of my thoughts.
Mr Motha has just placed the notebook down on the table. He is done reading. Slowly, he removes his glasses and places them beside the notebook, as if they suddenly became too heavy for his eyes.
"Sir… are you okay?" I ask softly, concern on my voice.
I know it sounds like a stupid question, but I need to hear something. Anything.
He sighs deeply, tired. He shakes his head slowly.
"Oh, ngwanaka," he says softly, his hand brushing over the notebook. "I think you deserve to know what has been happening in my house… especially after everything you have done for me," he adds.
I nod quietly. His voice sounds broken and defeated.
"Firstly," he continues, "thank you. Thank you for helping me uncover the truth. This notebook…" he taps it gently, "it has everything I needed to know. Everything."
He looks at me. "Your gift is powerful. And I will show appreciation , to you, and to your ancestors."
I nod again, my throat tight.
"Tsietsi and Pule…" he pauses, swallowing hard. "They are not my sons."
I gasp loudly, shock ripping through me.
He closes his eyes for a brief moment, as if gathering strength, then opens them again.
"Yes," he says quietly. "Both of them are not my children. I cannot have children of my own. My brother… stepped in and made children for me."
My mouth falls open. I cannot speak.
"I think," he adds, looking at my stunned face, "we will need a drink for this."