CHAPTER 53

CHAPTER 53

[DIAMOND]

I'm awake, though I have no idea what time it is. I want to stretch my arm and check my phone, but Konke has his arms wrapped around me, holding me close, almost like he's afraid I might disappear if he lets go.
I don't complain.
I actually love being held like this.
I stay still for a moment, listening to his breathing, feeling the warmth of his body behind me. It makes me feel safe. His presence is so calm and peaceful.
Today, I'll be at the office.
My small investigation into Funani's company didn't go as planned. When I went there, I was told the manager is on leave. I asked for his personal number, but they refused to give it to me. Apparently, company policy.
Still, I managed to get the secretary's number. I plan to call her later and check if the manager has returned. I'm not giving up that easily.
Nikky couldn't help with the manager's contact details either. She told me she burned the file a long time ago, phone numbers and all. I didn't even ask why. I could hear the pain in her voice.
The only thing that helped is that she remembers the manager's name. That alone made things a little easier. At least now I know where to start.
I sigh quietly, careful not to wake Konke. My mind is already racing, planning my day, replaying conversations, connecting dots.
There's something here. I can feel it.
And I won't stop until I find it.
If Nikky is not Funani's daughter, then Sylvia will have a lot to answer for. To me… and to life itself. I just pray and hope those people don't contact her about this so-called lawyer asking questions about her late husband. If they do, everything will explode.
This whole situation makes me feel both sad and uneasy in a strange way.
Sylvia carries herself so highly. A church woman. A respected woman. The kind everyone admires. The kind with a "perfect" life and a "perfect" family. She's well respected in the community and in church too. People trust her. They look up to her.
And yet, none of them know her little secret.
On the other side of my heart, I'm deeply sad for Nikky. What if Funani is really not her father? What happens to her then? Where does she go from there?
And where do I go from here, knowing I'm the one digging for the truth?
Once that hard truth lands on my desk, what do I do with it? How do I sit Nikky down and tell her that the man she loved, the man she looked up to, the man she believed was her father… is not her blood?
This is not something you just say and move on from.
This will turn her life upside down. Completely. And once she knows, there is no undoing it. No taking it back. No pretending it never happened.
This is hard. It's really hard.
Funny enough, Funani thought it was enough to give Nikky his surname, but not his money. A name without support. A father on paper, but not in real life.
I am thankful I am not alone in this. Mnotho is here, helping me think clearly and stay strong. We keep telling ourselves we will find a way to handle this without hurting Nikky but that is not true, that's wishful thinking, She will get hurt. There is no way around it. All we can do is be there for her when the truth comes out.
That family I once believed was perfect was never real. It was all a lie, nothing but a carefully maintained façade. A picture made to fool the world. Sylvia, standing proudly as a church woman, respected by everyone, hiding a secret no one knows about. People praise her, but they do not know what she has done.
"Are you awake?" Konke asks in a sleepy voice as he pulls me closer.
"Yes," I say softly. "But I'm still tired and sleepy."
He kisses my shoulder.
"Did you have a bad dream? Because of that plant?"
That strange plant again.
"No," I answer. Then I ask, "What are you going to do with it? You never told me what you saw in your dream."
I remember how I found him on the floor, choking, gasping for air. I thought he was dying. It scared me deeply.
He sighs and relaxes his hold on me.
"You know I can't tell you," he says jokingly. "What if I lose my sight or stop talking?"
I turn to face him even though it's dark. I can't see him, but I know he is looking at me.
"Please stop joking about that," I say quietly. "Some things are not funny."
He goes quiet. He shouldn't joke about losing his sight or going mute. Not about something like that. I feel his fingers moving softly along my cheekbone.
"I'm sorry, Thembalami," he says gently. "I can't tell you… because I don't even understand what's happening myself."
He sounds sincere. And honestly, I don't really need to know. What he does is sacred. He sees people's lives and their secrets. I let out a soft sigh.
"It's okay, love," I say quietly. "As long as you're okay. You scared me earlier. You were gasping, choking."
His fingers move again, slowly sliding down to my arm, comforting me.
"I'm okay," he says. "Things like this will happen a lot. I just need to learn how to handle them."
He pulls me closer to him. His breathing changes. His hand slides over my body, firm and gently, making my breath hitch.
"You are beautiful," he murmurs. "You know that, right? You should've been a model. People would worship you."
I almost laugh. I once entered a pageant competition, but I dropped out. I hated it.
He squeezes my breast gently, then leans in and kisses my neck. I shiver, my body reacting instantly.
"Konke… check the time," I whisper. "What if.."
His lips find mine, silencing me. The kiss is deep and slow, full of hunger. His hand never leaves my breast, his touch confident, possessive. I gasp softly into his mouth.
His hand slides down, slipping under my panties. His fingers move gently, knowing exactly how to touch me. My body moves toward him, a soft sound escaping my lips as he kisses me harder.
His fingers keep circling me slowly, deliberately, making my breathing shaky.
"Am I doing it right?" he whispers against my lips.
I don't even answer with words. My heavy breathing says enough. He smiles softly, like he already knows, and continues, slow and gentle again. Heat spreads through my body, a shiver running through me, uncontrollable. Our intimacy has always been like this; natural, intense and sweet.
"I love you," he murmurs.
The words are softer than his touch. I hold onto him, fingers digging into his shoulders, pulling him closer. He kisses me again, this time slower, deeper, like he's pouring everything he feels into that kiss.
He slowly gets on top of me and pulls away from the kiss. I breathe heavy, my lips slightly open.
"You're shaking, thembalami," he whispers near my ear, his voice slow and seductive.
Of course I'm shaking.
"Let me make you feel good now," he says softly.
His finger slides deeper inside me, hitting all the right places, stroking every sensitive spot. He moves slowly, in and out, unhurried, teasing me on purpose.
My eyes roll back.
"Yes…" I whisper, my voice weak, my body trembling.
He giggles softly, his lips still brushing my ear, enjoying every reaction.
The pressure builds fast. My body tightens, my walls clenching around his fingers, my whole body shaking uncontrollably.
"Yes, sweetheart," he whispers. "Come for me. Let it all go."
He nibbles my ear gently, and that's when it happens.
I come hard on his fingers.
My body finally relaxes, my breath coming out rough and shaky, my chest rising and falling fast. My eyes close as I gasp, completely undone. God.
I am so weak for this man.
"3 a.m.," Konke says after a moment.
I open my eyes. The lamp next to the bed is on. He leans down and kisses my lips gently.
"You should sleep, thembalami. I'll wake you up later, run you a bath, and make you breakfast," he says warmly.
I smile.
"It's still early. Where are you going?" I ask as he gets off the bed.
"I need to clean you up and do some prayer and meditation," he says.
I giggle.
"After doing such unholy things here, your ancestors are going to punish you," I say, still laughing.
He chuckles softly.
"So now I can't please my wife? They'll have to understand," he says, leaning down to drop another kiss on my lips.
"Sleep now. As your unemployed man, I'll take care of everything in the morning," he adds before turning away.
"I love you," I say, and I really mean it.
"I love you too," he replies as he disappears into the bathroom.
I giggle softly like a schoolgirl, kicking my feet in the air. I've never been this in love before. And knowing that this will be my life from now on makes my once stone-cold heart melt.
.
.
.
He kept all his promises. I'm smiling like a fool here, having my breakfast. I should marry this man after getting my money from the heist. He can cook too, but I need to learn as well, so I can cook for him. What will his family or his mother, say once they hear I can't cook for their son, especially since he has sisters too? I'm not ready for that kind of judgment.
"By the way, I'd like to meet your friend tomorrow, if possible," he says, sliding into the chair next to me. I blink.
"Nikky?" I ask, surprised.
He nods.
"Yes, I know I said I should wait, but I think it's time. And Friday you're going to Durban, and I might go home soon to sort out the Yibanathi situation," he explains.
"I see. I'll ask if she's free tomorrow. She usually knocks off late though," I say, sipping my coffee.
"We can meet at your flat. I'll order food for us. My life will be very busy now," he says with a shrug. That worries me a lot.
I place my cup down and turn to look at him.
"You know, I respect your spiritual work, right? As much as it's scary to me… I'm scared," I start. He gazes at me, waiting patiently for me to continue.
"Won't it… demand too much time from you? Like… take you away from me and drift us apart? Soon you'll go do your initiation underwater, and it might take days or months… who knows? I just… I fear it will be too much, and it will take you away from me," I say, stumbling over my words. I'm not even sure I'm making sense.
He gives me a soft, reassuring smile and holds my hands gently.
"I'm scared that while you're answering your calling, I'll be left behind, waiting, wondering trying to be strong on my own. I'm scared that your world will become bigger, heavier, and more important than us."
I sigh slowly.
"I don't want to stand in the way of who you're meant to be," I add quickly. "I just fear that one day I'll wake up and realise you're no longer fully here with me. That I've already lost you… without ever getting the chance to fight for us." My voice breaks a little.
"I don't even know if I'm making sense. I just know I'm scared of losing you."
"I understand, Thembalami. I understand your fears," he says sincerely. "But you don't have to worry. My ancestors understand too. We will find a way to work together, to find balance between my spiritual work and my life here."
I smile.
"And you won't lose me. That will never happen," he continues gently. "Yes, this journey won't be easy, but I will always come back to you. I will always choose you, and you will always be number one to me."
I swallow hard as I listen.
"I love you so much," he adds, gazing at me with so much warmth. "Nothing will happen to us. I'll make sure of it."
He squeezes my hands softly.
"Ever since I met you, things have been moving smoothly in this journey. I'm no longer stressed or afraid, because I know you are here. You keep me calm. You support me all the way," he adds, then gently kisses my hands.
"Don't worry, future Mrs Kukhokonke," he says softly, a small smile playing on his lips. "We will live a beautiful life."
He looks at me seriously now, his voice low and full of promise.
"Yes, witches will come and try me. They will test me," he continues. "But for you… I will mess up the whole spiritual realm. For you, I'll mess up timelines if I have to, just to keep you safe and happy."
My heart skips.
"So I understand your fears," he says gently. "And I assure you, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
.
.
.
Rape cases are always the hardest. I'm reading through this file, and honestly, rich men get away with too much. I put the file aside so I can give it to Nicole later. I hope she won't take this case. Men like that deserve prison. They deserve to be dealt with properly.
My morning is moving slowly today. Maybe it's because I was spoiled with a midnight snack, aftercare, and a good breakfast by Konke. That man really knows how to take care of me.
He told me about leaving his job because of Paul. Paul had taken pictures of him sleeping at his desk. That's how vile that man was. I shake my head just thinking about it. Thank God for Mnotho. At least we won't have to deal with that fool anymore.
I sent Nikky a quick text about meeting Konke. She said she'll get back to me soon. And of course, Sno agreed to come with us on our little getaway. I knew she wouldn't say no. This will also give Sboniso time to plant all those devices quietly, without anyone noticing.
Seeing how serious my relationship with Konke is, how real it has become, I know I need to inform Sbo. I just hope he doesn't go into his overprotective, annoying-brother mode.
My phone rings just as Nicole sits on my desk.
I answer quickly.
"Sbo," I say.
"Aunt Thembi is in the hospital," he says fast. "I'll send you all the details," he adds, then hangs up without waiting for my response.
I freeze.
Shock hits me all at once. I struggle to breathe, like the air has choked out of me.
No… no.
I can't lose her.
.
.
.
The moment I reach her ward, I'm breathing heavily. I've been running. I meet Sbo standing outside the door.
"What happened?" I ask quickly, worried and scared.
He sighs softly.
"She's fine. Her blood pressure was high, she wasn't taking her medication," he says. "Nothing to worry about," he adds.
My shoulders drop in relief. This woman will really kill us with worry.
"Thank God," I say with a small smile.
Sbo nods.
"Stubborn woman… I need to leave," he says just as I'm about to open the door.
"By the way, your father and stepmother are inside," he adds and walks off.
I groan softly. What the hell are they doing here? I take three deep breaths, open the door, and walk in. Yeah, the demons are here. I ignore their stares and rush to Aunt Thembi, who rolls her eyes.
"They called you? I told Sbo I was fine," she says. I attack her with a hug, holding her tight.
"Oh, you gave me a scare, Auntie," I say, pulling back slightly.
"Stop worrying, I'm okay. I just forgot to take my medication, that's all," she says. I scoff softly.
"You mean you stopped taking your medication," I point out, raising an eyebrow.
"I told her to never do that," my sperm donor says. I ignore him completely. I pull out a chair and sit, holding Aunt Thembi's hands.
Someone clears their throat. That will be the stepmother.
"Get well, Thembi. We'll come back and check on you," she says and walks off.
I hear the door close. I raise my head. The sperm donor is still there. He wants to say something but stops himself.
"See you later, Sisi," he says, and walks off too.
Mxm. I turn to my aunt with a smile. She frowns.
"You should talk to your father," she says.
Hell no.
"I'm not here for him. I'm here to see you. I was so scared," I say honestly, my voice soft.
She smiles, brushing my hair.
"I'm fine. I'll have to go back to my medication," she says, her voice reassuring. I nod, dropping kisses on her hands.
"You… are glowing," she says after a moment of silence.
Of course I'm glowing. I smile widely.
"Should I prepare to meet my future son-in-law soon?" she teases.
I giggle.
"Yeah… something like that," I say shyly.
She gazes at me for the longest time, a smile not leaving her lips.
"I really hope he's a good one," she says, eyebrows raised.
"He is. He is Auntie. And please… take your medication, because I really want you to meet him someday. You'll love him," I say.
She laughs a little.
"Look at you blushing! I really need to meet this boy soon," she says. "He's treating you right? Not abusing you in any way?"
I nod.
"He's a good man, Auntie. You'll see. I'm happy, and… who knows? You might even attend my wedding soon," I say, still blushing.
"So, take care of your health. I don't want to walk down the aisle without you," I add, my voice breaking. I mean it. I won't be able to do this alone without her. She's both my mother and father too. And I want her to be the one giving me away to Konke, not that sperm donor.

•••

[NIKEZINKOSI]

I hate the person who introduced Zola to Candy Crush. Her responses are just one word, and then she goes back to her phone. I even asked how Hlumelo is doing after the breakup with Sno, but all Zola said was that he'll be fine, he's a man, and he'll learn. I didn't press further because the person who broke his heart is my best friend.
I've already found a really nice guest house for our getaway, near the beach. It even has a jacuzzi! Diamond will love it. I hired a kombi or actually, Mnotho hired it for us, to take us to Durban and bring us back. I told him I want this to be a proper road trip. Her last gift will arrive today, and I just know she's going to love it. It's a fresh start for her career.
It's true what they say, when you pray for a job, also pray for a good work environment. Pinky is here, facemask on, still sneezing and coughing. She's on silent mode again, ignoring me even when I talk. Her fever is still knocking her out. She used to like me… hey, maybe she still does. Her new favourite person seems to be Kamo now. Honestly, I don't care. She can do what she wants.
I did see Brenda earlier. She was fine, no weird vibes from her, even though she's apparently Mnotho's ex. She was just warm and welcoming, like always. I guess Pinky is the one who had feelings for Mnotho.
We've set up a meeting with Ndumiso for next Saturday morning. I want to meet him during the morning hours, not at night. We can't do weekdays because I finish work late. He agreed, so I'll be meeting my first client this year. I told Sno and thanked her. I hope what I'm doing for Ndu will bring in more clients.
Bonga also told me that all my chili oil and sauces are finished at Maphisa Medic. Their workers love them and want more. I'll have to take stock from the batch I was planning to send to my mother and her church friends, they don't pay me anyway. I'll ask for money, and my mother will come up with excuses, so Bonga will take that stock and I'll get paid. I'm tired of giving my stock to those church ladies for free.

I don't know how long I've been stuck in this toilet. Most patients had a few complaints about the noise, so they're scarce. There's no real work happening, and I'm not needed at the front desk anyway. Pinky, Kamo, and Zola are there. But I should go back before someone accuses me of favoritism.
Mnotho told me to forget about the flowers, and I did, maybe I misplaced them and accidentally threw them in the trash. As I step up to flush, I hear the door opening. Someone's coming in.
"Are you sure Nikky isn't here?" That's Kamo's voice. I pause and sit back down on the toilet.
"No one's here. That slay queen is probably upstairs in the ward, talking to her sugar daddy," Pinky says, her voice hoarse.
Slay queen? And Mnotho is my sugar daddy? Wow.
"She was worried about her flowers, I had to lie," Kamo says softly.
Wait, what?
Pinky laughs a little.
"You did good," she says, clicking her tongue. "Those damn flowers gave me allergies and a fever," she adds.
I quickly raise my hand to my mouth to stop a laugh. These bloody fools.
"Well, next time don't steal them. She'll catch on, and I don't want to lose this internship, I need this job," Kamo says, her voice a little worried. "She can make our lives difficult, since she's dating that.."
"Fucking not dating! Mnotho will never date such a lowlife girl. Mnotho deserves a woman, one his age, who understands him, not her," Pinky spits.
My heart pounds. I can't believe this.
"Mnotho is just blinded by this young girl, and I'll show him, prove to him, that he's dating a gold digger," Pinky adds.
My ears must be deceiving me. This can't be Pinky saying such hurtful things about me.
"So, what's your plan since you already dragged me into this?" Kamo asks.
Pinky coughs a little before answering.
"Oh, I'll show him. Prove to him that he made a mistake," she says.
I hear a door opening again.
"Pinky? Why did you call me here? I'm busy," Brenda's voice says. Oh wow, they're dragging this sweet woman into their mess.
"Woman, you need to take your man back from that slay queen," Pinky says.
"Slay queen?" Brenda asks, confused.
"Nikky," Pinky says quickly.
"Oh no, I'm not going to lose my job. I don't even like Mnotho. I have a grandchild on the way, Pinky," Brenda says firmly.
"Come on, you need a man who'll take care of you and stop stressing about money. Mnotho is that man, wake up, lady," Pinky argues.
My god. It's getting messy.
"No. Brian warned me that if I give Nikky a hard time, he won't be nice. So you should stop this, Pinky. If you're concerned about Nikky and Mnotho that much, why don't you fight for him yourself?" Brenda says. Then I hear a door opening and closing.
Oh, Brenda is smart.
"Yoh, drop that thing, it won't work," Kamo mutters.
"Actually, Brenda has a point. I should fight for him," Pinky says, giggling.
I should have recorded all this. Fuck.
"Don't give me that look, Kamo. Every woman deserves to be spoiled, and Mnotho can do that. I'll need to plan this perfectly, get Mnotho to my house soon, and bye-bye to that slay queen," Pinky says, giggling again.
Oh… so she likes him.
"Come, let's get back to work before someone walks in here," Pinky says as I hear footsteps and the door open and close.
I chuckle silently.
I'm going to deal with this woman, not because of Mnotho, but because she disrespected me. And she just called me a lowlife.

••••

Konke checks the meat in the oven and smiles. Just a few more minutes and he can take it out. Nikky and Diamond are coming tonight. He will finally meet Nikky, a woman so important to Diamond, and a woman so connected to the visions he's been having.
They chose his apartment because it's bigger, so dinner would be here. All the salads, rolls, and uphuthu for himself are already in the bowls on the counter. He has showered and is waiting for the ladies to arrive.
As he picks up his phone to check where they are, a sound from the balcony makes him frown. He puts the phone back on the counter and walks toward the balcony. He prays the plant won't do that weird thing again.
The moment he steps out, he freezes. A woman stands there, badly beaten. She looks at him and smiles. He knows immediately, this is a spirit. No one can just appear on his balcony.
He notices a huge scar on her left shoulder. He steps closer, but not too close.
"Who are you?" he asks gently, sensing that the spirit isn't hostile. "What happened to you?"
The woman smiles.
"I've been receiving my child's beatings," she says, picking up the strange plant. Konke doesn't stop her.
"You won't need this anymore," the woman says, looking directly at him. "I'm here for payback."
"What?" Konke asks, confused.
"When your people give you all your gifts, I'll be back," she says, smiling, and drops the plant to the floor. Konke's eyes widen as he watches it turn to smoke.
The woman is gone. He steps closer and sees two cards lying where the plant had been. He bends and picks them up.
"Tarot cards?" he whispers. "Justice… and the Wheel of Fortune?" He frowns. He knows nothing about tarot cards. He sighs, shaking his head.
"Love, we're home," Diamond's voice snaps him out of his thoughts.
The minute he steps back into the lounge, the cards have disappeared.