CHAPTER 46

CHAPTER 46

Yibanathi is back home with their son. Zenzele has been visiting her often, checking up on her well-being. She is fine. She will be fine, both her and Celo.
Zenzele had made a deal with his ancestors, the same ancestors who want him to take over the throne. They accepted all his demands and requests. Because of that, he has no problem with taking over the throne. but not now. Not yet.
He knows that before anything else, he needs to go back to the Hadebes and ask for forgiveness for humiliating them and their daughter. That guilt sits heavy on his chest. He knows Konke will be a hard mountain to climb, but he is willing to do anything to get him on his side. Since Konke is a seer too, his help will be crucial.
Zenzele also knows there are certain boundaries he will have to cross to protect his throne, his future wife, and his children and he is willing to cross them.
He is angry at his sick father and mother. Angry and disappointed. But there is a small part of him that understands them. They believed they were protecting the throne. But their ways were evil. Cruel. And they destroyed many lives in the village.
Blood was spilled. People were killed. The youth's lives are broken, with no real future all because of his parents' actions. Now the burden is on him. He has to step up and undo the mess they created.
Konke warned him about the trapped spirits in the village. Spirits that were never allowed to rest. Once they are freed, the people of the village will take matters into their own hands and attack the royal family. That thought terrified Zenzele. It is the main reason he needs Konke's guidance to know how to appease these spirits and ask for forgiveness properly.
He is willing to do anything to keep Yibanathi and Celo safe from all of this.
He stands in the yard for a moment, lost in thought, then turns and walks back inside the house. He has called for a meeting with his parents and his father's advisor, Mqapheli. Just the three of them for now. Later, he will call the board and tell them about his plans moving forward.
As he walks down the passage, he bumps into Ntombi. She rolls her eyes at him. She is still angry about the party he cancelled, a party she had been planning for months. She walks past him without saying a word.
Zenzele doesn't stop her. He doesn't explain himself. He just walks straight to the lounge.
When he enters, he finds them already seated. His father coughs lightly, his sickness obvious. Zenzele bows slightly in respect before taking his seat.
"My family," he says softly, letting out a tired sigh.
His mother huffs, clearly annoyed.
"My family?" Bonakele asks rudely.
Zenzele frowns. He has long accepted that his relationship with his mother will never be okay again. It will never return to what it once was.
"I'm not here to argue with you," he says respectfully. He truly isn't. He has no energy for fights. He wants peace.
"How can we assist you, since you are the one who called this meeting?" Mqapheli asks calmly.
Zenzele nods.
"I will accept the throne," he says. "While I was passed out after being struck by lightning, I met three old men."
He pauses and looks at them one by one, searching their faces for any reaction. His parents give him nothing. No surprise. No curiosity. Only Mqapheli smiles slightly.
"And?" Bonakele asks rudely, impatience dripping from her voice.
Zenzele wants to roll his eyes, but he controls himself.
"I made a deal with them," he continues. "I asked for everything I wanted, and I told them how I want to rule this nation. They agreed to all my demands."
He breathes in slowly.
"First," he says firmly, "I will marry Yibanathi. Only her. There will be no polygamy nonsense. Only her."
Bonakele bursts out laughing, clapping her hands in disbelief.
"I also ask you kindly to go and inform that family of the princess you wanted me to marry that it will not happen," Zenzele continues, his voice calm but unshaken.
He pauses, then adds,
"And I want us to go to the Hadebes and ask for forgiveness. We must pay a fine for what we did to them. Because the two of you are guilty as well, not only me."
Bonakele, Phunyuka, and Mqapheli exchange shocked looks.
"What exactly did you ask from these three men you met?" Phunyuka asks slowly. "And are you even sure they were our ancestors?"
Zenzele lets out a bitter chuckle.
"You think I'm an idiot?" Zenzele asks quietly.
Everything about his father pisses him off. Everything.
"I didn't say you are," Phunyuka says, trying to sound calm. "I'm just trying to be cautious. After that… thing, we need to be vigilant. Some bad spirits can pretend to be our ancestors to lure us."
Zenzele frowns slightly.
"Thing?" he asks sharply. "You mean the monkey paw you stole? The monkey paw that vanished into thin air and made you sick?" Zenzele hisses.
"Don't talk…" Bonakele starts.
Zenzele raises his hand, cutting her off.
"I didn't come here or call this meeting to argue with you," he says firmly. "I'm not in the mood for that. Everything that is happening is your fault, Baba. All of it. And rightfully so, you are being punished for all your evil deeds."
Bonakele gasps in shock. Mqapheli blinks, stunned.
"I don't even want to mention that you wanted to sacrifice your own son and grandson just so you could live," Zenzele continues, his voice shaking with anger. "I will never forgive you for that. Never!"
Silence fills the room.
"I know what I want to do," he adds. "I know how to deal with the pressure that comes with this throne. I don't expect your support or your approval. But we need to go to the Hadebes soon, before you die, because your time is up, Baba."
"You are being disrespectful now," Mqapheli says, clearly displeased.
"Disrespectful?" Zenzele asks, genuinely confused. "How? For stating facts?" He shakes his head. He knows this trick well. When elders are confronted with the truth, they call it disrespect.
"Well…" Bonakele says irritably, "we can't go back to the Hadebes. We were attacked by birds."
"Yes," Phunyuka adds quickly. "I saw horrible things at the gate. We can't go back there. They don't want us there. Why are you forcing this on us? Just marry the princess. We will take your son, and you and your wife can raise him together."
Zenzele blinks, feeling the anger rise from deep in his chest.
"What?" He shakes his head firmly. "No."
"I told you," he continues, his voice hardening, "I will not marry that princess. I will marry Yibanathi."
He leans forward slightly.
"We will go as a family. The Zungus will go to her family, apologise, and pay a fine. We will give Kukhokonke a piece of land, as the brother of my bride."
He pauses, his voice turning cold.
"I am not asking you. I am commanding you, as your next chief."
"Excuse me?" Bonakele asks, baffled.
"This is what the ancestors want," Zenzele says. "This is what I want. And this is a small thing compared to what I'm about to do."
He straightens his back.
"I will be sitting on that throne while cleaning the mess you created. I need to make sure that when your secrets come to light, the villagers stand with me."

•••••

Mtho stands up quickly when he sees his uncle and Nikky coming down the stairs. He thought he was done for the day. That's what Nikky told him when they got back from the mall.
He actually enjoys being Nikky's driver. Their conversations are short. Nikky is quiet most of the time. And he likes that. He prefers it that way. Nikky doesn't nag him or ask too many questions.
"Mtho, I'm taking your aunt to the hospital. We'll be quick," Mnotho says.
Mtho's face sours immediately. Nikky didn't mention being unwell.
"Are you okay?" Mtho asks gently, looking at Nikky with concern.
Nikky smiles and nods. "I'm fine," she says calmly. "Your uncle just thinks I'm not. He's being dramatic, as always," she adds, rolling her eyes slightly.
Mnotho blinks in disbelief and tilts his head. "It's just a simple check-up," he says quietly, his voice softening. "Peaches, it won't take long. Just an hour," he adds, almost pleading.
Mtho presses his lips together, trying not to laugh. Bonga wasn't lying. His father really does turn into a different person when Nikky is involved.
"You'll find me in the car," Nikky says to Mnotho, and gives Mtho a small wave and walks away.
Mtho watches as his uncle keeps his eyes on Nikky until she disappears from sight.
Mtho chuckles softly. The sound makes Mnotho turn and look at him.
"It's nice seeing you joyful and happy, nephew," Mnotho says, his voice slightly sarcastic.
Mtho doesn't mind. He actually finds the whole thing amusing. Funny, even. Nikky has completely turned his uncle into a soft bear.
"By the way…" Mtho starts, his tone suddenly serious. "Is she okay?" he adds gently.
Mnotho sighs heavily, his shoulders dropping as if the weight of the world is sitting on them.
"I'm not sure," he admits quietly. "I hope I'm not exaggerating the issue, but I'll know when we get to the hospital," he adds, sounding tired and drained.
Mtho wants to push, to ask more questions, but he doesn't. He can see his uncle is stressed. He decides to wait until Mnotho is ready to talk.
"When we're done, can you come fetch her?" Mnotho asks with another soft sigh. "I don't know if after this trip she'll go back to her flat or come here. You know how stubborn she gets."
Mtho knows exactly what his uncle means. He has seen it. He has experienced Nikky's stubbornness himself. He doesn't fight her or argue with her. He simply lets her be.
"Okay. You'll text me," Mtho says. "Are you going somewhere after the hospital?"
Mnotho nods. "Yes. I'm meeting those truck drivers who were hijacked. I need a few details from them before I drop this issue completely," he explains.
That makes Mtho frown slightly, confusion crossing his face. He knows his uncle. Mnotho is not the kind of man who drops things like this without finding the person behind it.
"Just like that? You won't find who did it?" Mtho asks, shocked. He remembers Uncle Bangizwe saying it had to be someone who knew their routes.
Mnotho smiles knowingly. "They'll slip. I know it," he says calmly. "I've already set a trap for them. And I'm working on getting more contracts. I have a beautiful woman to take care of."
Mtho laughs. "Malume, you have enough money to take care of her and your future great-great-grandchildren," he says, still laughing softly.
"I know," Mnotho replies with a laugh of his own. "But I need more. I'm a greedy bastard."
They both laugh.
"By the way," Mnotho continues, his tone suddenly serious, "they'll be sending Nikky's gift. Since she's going to be part of the family, she needs to have the family stone."
Mtho's eyes widen, completely caught off guard.
"What?" Mtho blurts out.
"I'm serious about her," Mnotho adds calmly when he notices Mtho's shocked reaction.
Mtho doesn't know whether to be shocked, scared, amused, or impressed. He knows his uncle is happy and in love, but he did not expect this. Not so fast, not so deep.
"Sthembile didn't even get it," Mtho says carefully, testing the waters.
Mnotho huffs.
"Well, she wasn't the one," he says bluntly. "And thank God I didn't even think of giving it to her. Your grandmother would have haunted me," he adds cockily.
Then he glances at his watch.
"Let me get going. I'll text you when we're done."
With that, Mnotho walks off, leaving Mtho standing there in shock.
Mtho exhales slowly, shaking his head.
"What the hell did you do to my uncle, Nikky?" he whispers to himself.
.
.
.
The time says 4 pm, and his uncle hasn't texted him yet. Mtho cuts himself a slice of the banana bread Nikky had baked for Bonga. He shakes his head, thinking about Bonga, he probably likes Nikky, but Mtho knows it's mostly because she cooks everything while she's here.
He cuts a slightly bigger slice just to annoy Bonga and pours himself some lemonade. As he's about to sit on the stool, the intercom rings. He groans softly. Maybe it's the people here to deliver Nikky's gift, he thinks.
Dragging his feet, he approaches the intercom. There's one in the kitchen, one by the door, and another in his uncle Mnotho's study. As he reaches the screen, the camera turns on. His eyes widen. Julia is standing at the gate.
It was only a matter of time; he knew the pastor's wife would make her appearance. He stands, watching her struggle to enter the password, shaking her head in frustration. Mtho laughs darkly. He needs to hear what this woman wants here. He presses the speaker button.
"I'm coming," he says rudely, leaving the kitchen with quick, deliberate steps. As he steps outside, he can see Julia is still at the gate. A wicked grin crosses his lips as he approaches slowly, taking in her presence.
Julia raises her head and freezes when she sees him.
"Mrs. Lebese, what a lovely surprise," Mtho says calmly, crossing his arms.
Julia blinks, confused.
"When… what are you doing here?" she asks, her voice low. Her question makes Mtho scoff bitterly.
"What am I doing here? I should be asking you that question," he pauses, stepping closer to the closed gate. "Mrs. Lebese," he adds, raising his eyebrows.
Julia gasps, shaking her head.
"What? No one told me you were staying here," she says bitterly. "Mnotho didn't tell me… or Bonga didn't…" she adds.
Mtho laughs softly.
"Why? Why should they inform you? Things happening in this house don't concern you, Mrs. Lebese," he says, his tone sharp.
Julia chuckles, gasping, unable to believe this.
"Is Mnotho or Bonga in? Why did they change the password?" she asks, her voice turning rude.
Mtho sighs softly.
"I did. I told Malume to change the password. He has a woman now. We can't keep having women coming in and out of this house as they please," he says, his voice cocky. "There's a new sheriff in town now. How about you take yourself and your friends and leave?" His face hardens. He notices a car parked outside; clearly, Julia didn't come alone.
Julia grits her teeth.
"I will call Mnotho! You're so rude!" she spits.
"Good luck with that. I hope I don't see you here again. Go back to your family and your husband," Mtho replies, turning around and leaving Julia cussing behind him.
He frowns to himself. Doesn't she know the security guards patrolling here will make her leave while she's busy cussing?

•••

Mnotho had asked the doctor to do a full body scan on Nikky and run some blood tests too. Just to be safe. Just to make sure Nikky is fine and that no organ has been taken from her body.
Nikky is still angry that Mnotho brought her here. She still believes all of this is caused by memory loss or depression, nothing more. But Mnotho's gut tells him differently. Something has happened, something he knows that, if uncovered, will make all hell break loose.
He sits quietly in the consultation room, waiting for Nikky. She has gone to the bathroom, and the doctor will arrive shortly with her results. He knows this scares Nikky too. He wishes he could have done this secretly, but that would make him no better than the people who harmed her. He is her safe space, and he wants to keep it that way.
The private investigator hasn't contacted him about the second company yet. It isn't a funeral parlour, it is something else entirely. So he knows that even if the PI brings back results, they won't lead him to Sphephelo. His last hope is Brian. Brian knows Nikky's brother-in-law, and the brother-in-law knows about that family.
He just hopes Brian will cooperate, at least for now, Brian is a fan of Mnotho at this moment. Julia has been blowing up his phone, and he ended up switching it off. He's not in the right state of mind to talk.
The door opens, snapping him out of his thoughts. It's Nikky. He smiles warmly as she steps in and settles next to him.
"An hour has passed, baby," she says softly. "I thought you said it would be quick," she adds, her voice calm but careful.
Mnotho's heart aches. He knows this is an act, she's scared. He pulls her closer to his chest and kisses her forehead.
"Don't worry. The doctor will arrive shortly. We want no mistakes," he says gently, holding her tighter. He wishes she could tell him everything about these people, reassure her that nothing will happen to him. He knows Nikky is afraid that Sphephelo's family might harm him like they did her father.
After a moment of silence, he continues kissing her softly on the forehead.
A soft knock at the door pulls them out of the moment.
The doctor steps in, a folder in hand.
"Good afternoon," the doctor says, nodding politely to both of them. "Thank you for waiting. I have Nikky's full-body scan results and blood tests here."
Mnotho exhales slowly and nods. He had made it clear this was an urgent case, and he knows the owner of this private hospital personally, he helped make sure everything moved as fast as possible.
The doctor opens the folder, flipping through the pages carefully. "Everything looks… normal," the doctor says, glancing at both of them. "No missing organs. No signs of surgical tampering. Blood work is clean. She's physically fine."
He and Nikky sigh in relief; he feels the tension ease from her body, but to him, this is just the beginning.
.
.
.
The doctor leaves them alone in the consultation room. Nikky turns to him, her eyes soft.
"You see? Nothing happened to me," she says gently.
He wants to argue, but instead he leans in and kisses her slowly. His lips press against hers, warm and tender. He cups her face gently, letting the moment stretch, wanting her to feel that he's here, that he'll protect her.
Nikky pulls away, her hand covering her mouth, eyes wide with shock. Mnotho frowns, confused, staring at her.
"I know we can be… freaky sometimes, but I didn't think you'd want us to do it here," she whispers, giggling mischievously.
Mnotho blinks and then bursts into laughter. He leans back on the couch, shaking his head, grinning. "You're unbelievable," he says, still laughing.
"I'm sorry… let's go home," she says, leaning closer to him.
Mnotho composes himself and exhales slowly. "I'm sorry for dragging you here. I know it might have frightened you… forgive me, my love," he says quietly, meaning every word. He never intended to scare her by bringing her here.
Nikky nods slowly. "It's okay, I understand. But I'm fine, I promise, nothing happened to me," she replies, smiling. "But… you know how you can make it up to me," she adds, playful and winks.
Mnotho's grin deepens, his heart racing. "Oh, I think I'll hold you to that," he murmurs, leaning closer to nip her cheek lightly. "Don't worry… when I get back from work, daddy's going to make sure you're very well taken care of," he adds, his voice low and teasing.

.
.
.
.
He finds Pinky at the receptionist desk. Zola has probably knocked off, it's already 6 pm, their usual time. Brian is still here. He did call him earlier and asked to see him, and after being rude, he finally agreed.
"Ma'am," Mnotho greets Pinky.
She raises her head and sucks her teeth. Mnotho blinks, stunned.
"Is this how you greet people who walk in here for help?" he asks, perplexed by her attitude. He hadn't confronted her before because Nikky asked him to leave her alone.
"Mr. Mlambo, how can I assist you?" she says, dripping with attitude.
Mnotho chuckles coldly, leaning closer.
"Listen here, I'm not your friend. Just because I'm being nice to you doesn't give you the right to speak to me like that. I'm still your boss," he says firmly, keeping calm, though he can't believe her nerve.
"Oh, boss," Pinky sneers. "Busy dating or sleeping with your employees? I thought we don't do that here. Remember your words?"
Mnotho's eyes narrow. He remembers those words, he had said them because they were pushing Brenda on his damn throat.
"You…"
"Mnotho, let's go," Brian's voice cuts him off. Mnotho glares at Pinky.
"I'll deal with you," he mutters, following Brian out.

••••

[DIAMOND]
I'm resting on Konke's chest. We are cuddling, that's all we're allowed to do.
I knocked off work and came straight here. I missed him, and I also wanted to check if Mehluko has contacted him or not.
Tumi is busy tracking down those men. I managed to unlock her phone and found Lisa and Vika's numbers. So when all those men are found, they'll deal with Sne and her crew themselves. We have a serious heist we are planning, Sne is the least of our problems right now.
About Nikky's issue, I'll tackle it tomorrow. There was so much paperwork waiting for me since I got to work late. I need to help her with this one. She gave me all her father's details, so tomorrow I'll start digging.
I lift my head slightly and realise Konke has fallen asleep. I pray he doesn't dream about me… or about this livestock heist.
And deep down, I promise myself, this will be my last heist.
There is a development on Sno's issue. I do have listening devices I got from Sika. The problem is, Zola won't be able to go to Sno's dinner with us. Apparently, Sno and Hlumelo broke up. I was shocked when I heard that. Zola told me Hlumelo is not taking it well because he saw Sno kissing her new man. The nerve of this girl.
So Zola will be with her brother and niece. She is actually very thrilled that they broke up. I guess it will just be me and Nikky. And I am determined to expose that bitch.
I might as well doze off too. I'll wake up a little later and drive back to my place.
Suddenly, Konke's phone rings loudly.
I groan softly and lift my head. Konke is fast asleep, I doubt he even hears the loud ringtone. I stretch my hand and grab his phone.
It's an unknown number.
I answer and place the phone to my ear without greeting.
"Hello, Konke?" a soft voice says.
I frown, blinking rapidly.
"It's Sne."
Of course it's her. This bitch.
I want to use my normal voice instead of a deep one, but I'm too heated, too angry to speak.
"I'm sorry for calling like this. Mehluko needs you," she says.
I click my tongue harshly and drop the call. I stare at Konke's phone, wanting to scream and throw it against the wall.
Tumi was right. This bitch thinks we're bluffing. I'll show her.
"Is that Mr Motha?" Konke's sleepy voice asks, almost making me drop the phone.
I turn to look at him. He doesn't look angry at all, just tired.
"No, love," I say honestly. "It was Mehluko's girlfriend."
He needs to know these parasites are trying to crawl back into his life.
"What? What did she want?" he asks, his voice low and heavy with sleep.
I shrug.
"Something about Mehluko wanting to see you," I say, my voice slightly irritated.
He huffs and slowly sits up, taking his phone from me.
"Forget about them. I'll block Sne's number," he says.
That won't work. That bitch will just call from another number.
Actually… This might be useful.
If I want to take her to jail, I could send Konke's picture to the police along with the other men's pictures. Konke can tell them Sne has been harassing him.
But my face falls.
That would be too much for him.
"I thought it was Mr Motha," Konke says quietly. "I just had a horrible dream about him."
I tilt my head, studying his face.
"What did you see?" I ask gently.
"I…"
He's cut off by his phone ringing again.
It better not be that bitch.
He answers.
"Mr Motha, how are you?" he greets politely.
Wow. He actually did call.
Konke listens closely.
"Oh, really?" he says, his voice filled with shock and disbelief.
My heart sinks.
I hope that old man is safe, Jesus.
"Okay, we can meet tomorrow," Konke says after a moment. "I knock off early on Fridays."
He pauses.
"Okay. Bye."
He hangs up and places the phone down. His face is still shocked, frozen.
"What is it?" I ask.
He shakes his head slowly.
"Mr Motha is fine," he says. "He wants us to meet tomorrow. He wants his construction company to build me a house, for free."
His voice is full of disbelief.
I blink.
"Wow… that's nice," I say.
It really is. All that labour for free. A blessing. No bank loans and no waiting.
"I just can't believe it," he says softly.
He better believe it.
This gift is opening the door to even more abundance for him.

•••

[NIKEZINKOSI]

I look at myself one last time in the mirror.
This dress is so perfect. It fits my body like it was sewn just for me. I didn't add any makeup, I'm avoiding breakouts. I grab my bag and walk out of the bedroom.
Diamond texted me to say she's six minutes away from Mnotho's house. She's already mad that I even slept on this side and wants to fetch me, even though I have a man with a car. No. Tonight is my time with my friends. Mnotho can go see his friends at the hostel or visit Brian if he wants to.
As I walk down the stairs, I hear someone clapping.
Of course. Bonga.
"My stepmommy," he says proudly. "Look at you."
I stop next to him, already in a hurry.
"Where's your dad? I need to leave," I say quickly.
He smiles and grabs my hand.
"He's in the lounge," he says, pulling me along.
As we step into the lounge, Mnotho is sitting alone, busy scrolling on his phone. He hasn't noticed us yet.
"Baba," Bonga says loudly, grinning. "Your wife is leaving."
I roll my eyes at Bonga, embarrassed.
Mnotho looks up. And freezes.
His phone slowly drops onto his lap. His eyes move over me slowly, from my face down to my dress, then back up again. He blinks once. Twice. Like his brain needs time to catch up.
For a moment, he doesn't say anything.
"Wow," he finally breathes out.
He stands up slowly, like he's afraid if he moves too fast, I'll disappear. His eyes are dark.
"You look…" He pauses, shaking his head softly. "You're a walking distraction."
I laugh nervously.
"Really?"
"Yes," he says, walking closer. "Very dangerous too. I should lock you inside this house."
"Ew!" Bonga groans.
Mnotho doesn't even look at him. His attention is fully on me. He reaches out and adjusts the strap of my bag, his fingers brushing my shoulder.
"You didn't warn me," he says quietly. "How am I supposed to let you walk out looking like this?"
I shrug. "You'll survive."
He smiles, but there's hunger in his eyes. Pride too. Like he can't believe I'm his.
Bonga clears his throat loudly.
"I'll… go check something in the kitchen," he says and walks away, shaking his head.
Mnotho steps closer and lowers his voice.
"Come back to me," he says softly. "Don't stay out too late."
I nod. "I will."
He leans in and kisses my cheek slowly, lingering just enough to make my knees weak.
"Go," he whispers. "Before I have another panic attack."
I gasp lightly, turn around, and walk away.
.
.
.
It is already buzzing outside when we hop out of Diamond's car. There aren't too many cars, maybe less than six.
"Oh, my angel," she whispers softly, holding my hand as we walk into the house. "I called your father's company. The person I spoke to was rude. Next week, I'll go there in person."
"Okay, love. Thank you," I say gratefully. I need to know what that company is hiding.
A waitress approaches and hands us glasses of champagne.
"Where's the lady of the house?" I ask.
"Oh, she's busy with someone at the patio," the waitress replies before walking off.
Diamond and I make our way through the house, bumping into people as we head toward the patio. Just as we're about to step outside, we both freeze.
"Sbo?" Dee gasps loudly.
I blink, shocked.
We've just caught Sbo and Sno kissing.