CHAPTER 72

CHAPTER 72

There is a small argument between Sno and Kholiwe before they hop out of the car. Snothando's cleansing ceremony went well, and she feels refreshed, spiritually clean, and ready to strike again. She believes nothing can stand in her way now.
As she pushes her car door open and walks toward the house, she adjusts her handbag on her shoulder, still thinking about her plans.
The moment she steps inside, she freezes.
Her portraits are down, broken.
The frames are shattered on the floor, glass scattered everywhere. She stands there for a second, unable to move. Her heart starts pounding fast and hard against her ribs.
No… No.
This is not right.
She slowly walks down the hallway, her heels crunching softly over broken glass. Her breathing becomes shaky. With each step forward, her fear grows stronger.
When she reaches the lounge, she gasps loudly, her mouth falling open. She quickly covers it with her hand in shock.
The sofas are roughly pulled out of place. The cushions are on the floor. The drawers are wide open, hanging awkwardly. Everything turned upside down.
"What happened here?" Kholiwe asks from behind her, her voice full of panic. She steps further into the lounge and looks around wildly. "Oh my God… we've been robbed!"
Snothando blinks rapidly, trying to process what she is seeing. Her perfectly arranged lounge is now a disaster. Her television is gone. The sound system is gone. The small decorative pieces she loves are missing.
Everything valuable is gone.
Her throat feels dry.
She rushes toward the kitchen, almost slipping in her heels. She switches on the light.
The same chaos.
Cupboards are wide open. Plates and cups are scattered on the floor. Some are broken. Others are just thrown around carelessly. But nothing seems stolen from here. It looks like someone only wanted to destroy and search, not take.
Kholiwe storms in behind her, cussing loudly.
"They broke the windows! That's how they got in!" Kholiwe hisses angrily, pointing toward the shattered kitchen window.
Snothando turns sharply, staring at the broken glass.
"But how?" she snaps, irritation rising quickly. "The alarm was supposed to alert the security guards. They were supposed to inform me immediately!"
Her voice shakes slightly, not from weakness, but from frustration and disbelief.
This is impossible.
Her mind starts racing. Who would do this?
Was this random? Or was this targeted?
There are hardly any robberies in this area. Security is tight. Guards patrol day and night. This cannot be happening to her. Not here. Not in her house.
"You should call the police and report this," Kholiwe says quickly, her voice shaking with panic.
Snothando does not respond.
She ignores her completely.
Instead, she turns and rushes down the hallway toward her bedroom. Something inside her already knows. She can feel it in her bones.
They went there too.
Her bedroom door is wide open.
The lights are on.
Her steps slow down for a second, like her body is afraid of what her eyes are about to see. But then she pushes forward.
The moment she steps inside, she screams.
The room is destroyed.
The bed sheets are pulled off and thrown on the floor. Pillows ripped. Drawers hanging open. Her perfume bottles smashed against the wall, the scent heavy in the air, making her sneeze a little.
"No! No! No!" she shouts, her voice breaking.
She rushes to her closet.
Her heart pounds even faster as she pulls the sliding door open fully.
Everything is on the floor.
Her clothes are scattered everywhere. Dresses she carefully arranged are now crumpled and stepped on. Her shoes are thrown around carelessly. Some heels are broken.
Her jewellery boxes are lying open on the floor.
Empty, completely empty.
Her hands start shaking as she kneels down quickly and grabs one of the boxes.
Nothing inside.
They took her jewellery. Just like she feared.
A loud cry escapes her mouth again, louder this time. It echoes through the messy room. Tears rush to her eyes, but they are not only tears of sadness, they are tears of anger, humiliation, and disbelief.
She slowly sinks onto the floor among the scattered clothes and broken glass.
Her breathing becomes heavy.
Her beautiful house.
Her safe home, Violated in complete mess.
"Every room is a mess. Call the cops or the guards," Kholiwe says as she walks into the bedroom. She stops for a moment and lets out a low whistle when she sees the destruction.
Snothando grunts softly, her face dark with anger.
"I'll kill them," she curses under her breath, her voice shaking with rage.
"How?" Kholiwe asks, folding her arms. "They are long gone by now. And I'm sure they're not even from around here."
Snothando clicks her tongue in irritation and slowly pushes herself up from the floor. Her mind is racing again.
Her first suspect is the maid.
Yes, It has to be her.
The maid knows the house very well. She knows the layout. She knows where everything is kept. She has seen the jewellery before. She even complimented it once, smiling too much while looking at it.
That fake smile.
Snothando's eyes narrow.
"She must have told someone." Sno mutters to herself angrily.
She stands in the middle of her bedroom, scanning everything carefully now. The bed base is still in its place. The mattress is slightly pushed aside roughly, but not completely removed.
She stares at it for a long second.
Then she quietly exhales in relief.
No one saw the basement.
No one touched it. That secret is still safe.
Her shoulders relax just a little, but the anger remains burning inside her.
She quickly walks out of the bedroom and heads toward her study. That's where she keeps most of her important things. Documents. Personal files and private information.
The moment she steps inside, her breath catches.
She starts crying again. Her computer is gone.
Her desk is turned upside down. Papers are scattered everywhere, thrown across the floor like trash. Important files are opened and stepped on.
"Fuck!" she shouts loudly, kicking her chair with force. The chair slides across the floor and hits the wall.
Now she is confused.
This is not just about jewellery anymore.
Why is this happening? Her thoughts begin to spiral.
Didn't the healer say she was cleansed? Didn't she promise that no bad luck or negative spirit would follow her anymore? Didn't she say everything blocking her path was removed?
Snothando slowly lifts her head, her breathing becoming faster.
Her eyes widen suddenly as something clicks in her mind.
"The patio…" she whispers under her breath.
Without wasting another second, she runs out of the study, her heart pounding wildly as fear and realisation crash into her at the same time.
.
.
.
She starts pacing up and down on the patio. Her whole body is shaking, not only from anger, but from fear.
Her patio is a complete mess.
The broken pots, the overturned chairs.
The scattered soil. None of that matters.
What matters is that Ndumiso's things are gone.
Her breathing becomes fast and heavy. She presses her hand against her head as if trying to stop her thoughts from exploding.
"Are you sure you didn't remove them before we left?" Kholiwe asks, looking confused and worried at the same time.
Snothando quickly shakes her head.
"No, Ma! You saw me bury them there!" she says, her voice cracking. "You were standing right there. I dug the hole. I covered it myself."
Her eyes move to the disturbed soil again.
The spot is clearly dug up, empty.
"How did they know?" she asks, her voice breaking completely now.
She cannot have those things in the wrong hands. She cannot.
Her breathing becomes heavier. She pauses for a second, trying to think clearly.
Who saw her? Who was watching?
Her neighbors? That is highly impossible. The fence is high. The cameras face the street, not inside her yard.
Her eyes suddenly widen.
Slowly… she turns to look at her mother.
"Nike," she whispers at first.
Then her face hardens.
"Nike took those things," Sno says angrily, her voice rising.
Kholiwe frowns immediately and shakes her head slightly.
"Nike? That's impossible," Kholiwe says, trying to reason.
Snothando gasps softly in disbelief.
"She's the one who saw me burying those things!" Sno says, her voice shaking with anger. "She was there that day. She got curious. She must have come back to dig them up. She took them, Ma!"
She is hissing now, her eyes burning.
"I doubt that," Kholiwe replies calmly. "Nike is not that vicious. Maybe someone saw us from outside. Maybe we didn't notice."
Sno suddenly screams in frustration.
"No!!!" she shouts loudly. "She took my things and stole from me! She has nothing, ma! She's jealous of me! She wants everything I have!"
Her hands are shaking as she points toward the empty ground.
"She's going to pay for this," Sno says firmly, her voice turning cold. "She will pay."
No one else saw her. Nike did.
And she will regret it.
"Snothando, you need to calm down and think," Kholiwe says gently but firmly. "Let's go inside."
Sno glares at her mother, hurt flashing across her face.
She cannot believe this.
Her own mother is defending Nike.
How could she? After everything.
Without saying another word, Sno follows her mother back into the lounge. The destroyed furniture makes the atmosphere even heavier.
"I know you are scared," Kholiwe says, turning to face her. "But now we cannot use emotions. We need to use logic."
She speaks slowly and clearly.
"First, we call the guards. Then we check all the street cameras. After that, we will know who entered this yard," she adds.
Snothando shakes her head stubbornly.
"Nike did this," she says again, her voice low but full of hatred. "I'm telling you, Ma. She did."
Her eyes are burning with rage now.
"And she's going to pay."
There is something cold and dangerous in her expression.
She already knows what she wants to do next.
Her mind is no longer confused.
It is focused on her goal.
"Snothando, we won't do anything until the guards get here," Kholiwe says firmly. Her voice carries authority now. "After that, we can decide how to handle this. Maybe this is a blessing in disguise."
Sno slowly turns her head to look at her mother, confused and irritated at the same time.
"A blessing?" she repeats bitterly.
"Yes," Kholiwe continues. "Whoever took those things will be the one in trouble when everything comes out. When the truth explodes, it won't fall on you. It will fall on them. Now let me call the guards. Calm down." She walks away while already dialing the number.
Snothando grunts softly in frustration.
A blessing? Her hands curl into fists.
Those things were never meant to disappear like this.
They were meant to be used. They were meant to be planted on Nike, carefully.
They were supposed to frame her for murder.
It was the perfect plan. Evidence hidden in plain sight.
Evidence that would "mysteriously" be found.
Nike would look guilty, Nike would look evil.
Nike would look dangerous, and Snothando would stand back, innocent and clean.
But now? Now those items are gone.
Out of her control.
Her breathing becomes shaky again.
She cannot have that. She cannot allow someone else to control the narrative.
She cannot let the wrong person open that box and connect the dots.
Nike must pay. It has been long overdue.
Too long. In Snothando's mind, Nike has always escaped consequences. Always walked freely. Always smiled like she is untouchable.
That ends now.
"She belongs in jail," Sno whispers to herself, her voice dark and steady.
Or worse.
Her eyes slowly drift toward the hallway that leads to her bedroom.
To the bed, to the hidden entrance.
"To my basement," she murmurs quietly.
Her expression changes completely.
The fear is gone, the panicking is gone.
What remains is cold determination.
If the plan failed once, she will create another one, bigger, smarter and more painful.
Nike thinks she is safe, Nike thinks she is loved. Nike thinks she is protected.
But Snothando is done playing small games.
If she cannot frame her easily…
She will destroy her slowly.
And this time, she will not make mistakes

•••

[KUKHOKONKE]

I need to meet up with the new owner of that construction company. He asked us to meet, and I also think he wants to see how far the workers are with the house. It is coming along very well now. The walls are strong, the roof is properly placed, and the finishing is almost neat.
But I already told them not to rush anything.
I don't want shortcuts. I don't want mistakes.
I want that house to be safe to live in without any problems. A house must protect the people inside it. It must not collapse because someone wanted to finish quickly and impress a client.
There is too much on my mind lately.
I also need to find a way to go and see Diamond's father's situation. The man is dying. And him dying without facing his consequences will not sit well with me. Some people think death washes away everything. I don't believe that. If he hurt people, he must face it. Even if it is at the last minute.
And then there is Khanyisile.
I need to find her.
There are too many loose ends in my life right now. Too many unfinished matters. It feels like everything is piling up at the same time.
But what worries me the most is Nikky.
I don't know when she will lose her baby.
I don't know when it will happen.
And that thought alone disturbs me deeply.
I need to go see her and give her this plant.
I look at the small plant beside me and sigh heavily.
What if she loses the baby while I am gone?
What if it happens before I give her this?
How will I explain myself then?
How will I tell her I had something that could have helped her? I promised that woman that no one would know.
No one, so I cannot inform Diamond.
If Diamond finds out, she will panic. She will ask questions. She will run to Nikky and spill everything without thinking. And we cannot have that.
This must be done carefully and quietly.
I will call Nikky and arrange to meet her alone.
I will give her the plant as a simple gift.
She won't suspect anything.
And I will hide a message somewhere underneath the pot. A small note. Something she will only find when the time is right. When she needs it the most.
That way, I keep my promise.
And I protect her without exposing anyone.
Khulekani was supposed to come today or tomorrow. I am not sure anymore. He has been distant. His calls are short. His voice sounds heavy and tired.
Something is wrong.
I don't know what is really going on with him, but my gut is telling me he is in big trouble. The kind of trouble that traps a person and leaves them with no clear way out.
I just hope when he arrives, he will tell me the truth. Because right now, secrets are everywhere around me.
And secrets always explode when you least expect them.
As if my thoughts just invited trouble, my phone suddenly rings.
I glance at the screen. It's the security at the gate.
For a second, I just stare at it. My heart begins beating faster. Nothing good ever comes from unexpected visits.
I answer.
"Hello," I say politely, trying to keep my voice calm.
"Hello, Konke," the guard responds. "There's someone here to see you."
I frown immediately.
Someone? At this time?
"He says he's your brother-in-law," the guard adds.
I slowly rise from the sofa, confusion washing over me.
Brother-in-law?
My mind quickly runs through names.
"Brother-in-law? Zenzele?" I ask softly, surprised. Zenzele would have called first. He is not the type to just show up without warning.
A sudden thought crosses my mind.
Are his parents dead? Has something happened?
"No," the guard replies. "He said his name is Sokhulu. Do you know him? We won't let him in without your confirmation."
Oh fuck. Sboniso.
My grip tightens slightly around the phone.
Of all people. Of all days.
"Yes," I say quickly, forcing calm into my voice. "I know him. Please let him in."
There is a short pause on the other side.
"Alright. We're letting him through now," the guard confirms before ending the call.
I slowly lower the phone from my ear.
This is not how I imagined meeting Sbo.
Not like this, not unannounced.
Not when my mind is already full.
I run my hand over my face and exhale slowly.
Why is he here? Did something happen?
.
.
.
I make my way to the door slowly.
Diamond did tell me that Sbo can be a little crazy sometimes. She even laughed when she said it, but there was seriousness in her eyes. Hopefully, he won't be a menace once he gets in here.
I unlock the door and pull it open.
Before I can even greet him, a hard fist lands straight on my face.
Everything happens so fast.
I stumble backward, losing my balance. A sharp, piercing pain spreads across my cheek. My head spins slightly as I struggle to stand properly.
He chuckles loudly as he steps inside and pushes the door closed behind him like he owns the place.
"You're a seer," Sbo says, still laughing. "But you didn't see that coming."
This crazy guy.
I blink several times, rubbing my aching cheek. The pain is real.
But suddenly, everything around me shifts.
The house disappears.
The walls fade away.
And I see myself standing on a long, empty road in the middle of nowhere.
There are no houses, no people.
Just dry land stretching endlessly under a blue sky. I slowly turn around.
A truck drives past me, It moves a few meters ahead and then stops.
I blink again, shocked. This is not normal.
I sigh softly, trying to calm myself.
Where am I? Is this a vision?
Is this connected to Sboniso?
My heart beats faster as I walk toward the truck, my feet moving carefully on the dusty road. I need to see what is happening.
The driver's side door opens slowly.
A man hops off the truck.
He looks ordinary at first glance. Tall and quiet, Serious.
But then I notice something else.
Behind him… there is someone.
Or something. A figure.
It does not move like a normal person. It feels lighter, almost like a shadow that does not fully touch the ground.
A spirit.
My pace becomes faster as I try to follow them. I feel urgency rising inside me. I don't know why, but I feel like I need to see where they are going.
The man and the spirit walk side by side toward the mountain ahead.
They are both silent.
No words, no gestures.
Just walking.
I slow down slightly, trying not to be noticed, even though I am not sure if they can even see me in this state.
The mountain looks dark and cold, standing tall like it is guarding something.
My breathing becomes shaky.
What is this place? Why am I here?
And why does it feel like this vision is not random?
As I continue following them slowly, I realise this is not just a scene.
This is a warning.
And it might have everything to do with the man who just punched me in my own house.
I shift again, and suddenly I find myself in a cave.
I frown, looking around. I hear the faint rattling of a chain. My heart starts to beat faster. I follow the sound, moving deeper into the cave. Candles flicker along the walls, casting eerie shadows on skulls and stretched animal skins. Goosebumps rise all over my arms.
The chain rattles again. I turn my head to the left, following the shaky moaning. I walk slowly toward the noise, my stomach tight with tension.
I gasp loudly.
A naked man is chained up, trembling.
I bend closer, unsure whether to touch him. My hands hover, hesitant. Every nerve in my body screams at me to be careful.
Suddenly, water drips onto my face. I close my eyes, and when I open them, the cave has vanished.
Sbo is standing in front of me, looking at me strangely.
"Damn, dude, are you okay? I thought I might have killed you or something," Sbo says, his voice low, filled with shock.
I exhale slowly, trying to piece everything together. My mind is racing. Diamond once mentioned that Sboniso's father went missing years ago. He was a truck driver. Could that man I saw chained in the cave be Sboniso's father? Or am I just grasping at straws?
I just nod quietly.
I need to talk to Diamond. I need answers.
.
.
.
The new owner looks very young.
I expected someone older, maybe a man with grey hair and years of experience written on his face. But this will do. Maybe he is just a hardworking young man who built himself from nothing.
"You must be Konke," he says, stretching out his hand confidently.
"I'm Siyabonga Mlambo," he adds.
I shake his hand and give him a polite smile.
But the moment our hands touch, I freeze.
Not this again. Please, not now.
I feel it. That shift. That pull.
I blink… And I am no longer standing in front of the construction site.
I see Siyabonga standing on a cliff.
The wind is strong, blowing against his clothes. He looks small compared to the huge drop behind him. For a second, it feels like he is planning to jump.
Is he about to commit suicide?
My heart beats wildly.
Then I feel a familiar energy brush past me.
Nikky?
I frown in confusion.
She walks toward him and stands right next to him on the edge of the cliff.
"Don't do it, please," she says, holding his hand tightly.
Siyabonga's face looks broken. Really broken. His eyes are full of pain and betrayal.
"My life has been a lie," he says, his voice shaking.
Nikky shakes her head quickly.
"No, it is not," she pleads desperately. "Please don't jump. Your father won't survive this."
Her voice cracks as she begs him.
How does Nikky even know this boy?
I step closer, trying to understand what is happening.
"But he's not my father," Siyabonga says, staring at her with anger and hurt.
"No, that's not true," Nikky insists. "He is your father."
Siyabonga slowly turns around to look at her properly, still holding her hand.
For a second, everything feels still.
Then.. His foot slips.
It happens so fast. He loses his balance.
And because he is still holding Nikky's hand,
He pulls her with him. They both fall.
I shout loudly, my voice filled with fear.
I run toward the edge of the cliff, my legs moving without thinking.
"No!" I scream.
I reach the cliff and look down.
My breath stops.
Below, I see their bodies hit the flowing river.
The water is fast and violent, carrying them away quickly.
I stand there frozen, horror washing over me.
Why is Nikky in this vision?
What connection does she have with Siyabonga?
And what kind of secret is about to destroy lives?
Suddenly, I blink again, and I am back, still holding Siyabonga Mlambo's hand.
Standing in front of him.
My heart racing. My palm slightly sweaty.
He is looking at me, confused by my silence.
"You okay?" he asks casually.
But I am not okay.
Because I just saw him die.
And he didn't die alone.

•••

[DIAMOND]

I was able to read about three of Snothando's journals.
And that alone was enough to make my hands shake.
All her confessions. All her planning. Everything written down clearly as proof. She did not even try to hide how evil she is. It is all there in her handwriting.
She even has an entry about how she pursued Sphephelo. How their affair started. How she slowly inserted herself into his life. How she manipulated him.
And the worst part? She wrote about how she and Sphephelo killed Nikky's cat.
She described it like it was nothing.
Like it was just another plan.
Another move in her sick game.
She also wrote about how she lied to Sphephelo, telling him that Nikky and I were in a relationship. She lied again and said Nikky was cheating on him. And because of that lie, Sphephelo refused to take Nikky to culinary school.
She destroyed Nikky's dream on purpose.
I have not even finished reading all the journals yet.
I need to get back to them after work.
That stupid gremlin is Nikky's biggest enemy. She planned all this just to see Nikky mentally destroyed. She wanted her confused, heartbroken, doubting herself.
And of course, I will do the same to her.
I will mess with her mind. She thinks she is smart?
She has not met me properly yet.
Sboniso gave TK that phone and the gun. Soon we will know who it belongs to. And once we find out, we will get to work on destroying her carefully.
She wanted me dead, for crying out loud.
DEAD!!!
Nikky has been giving me the silent treatment.
And honestly, it hurts.
I need her to know I am sorry for what I did to her. I feel extremely horrible. I have never gone this long without talking to her. It feels strange. I feel incomplete without her.
"You zoned out." That's Aunt Thembi's voice pulling me out of my thoughts.
I asked her to meet me for a quick lunch. I am still at work, but I needed someone to talk to before I explode.
I sigh softly.
"I got into a fight with Nikky, and she's angry," I say quietly. "We were fighting about Ace and Nomvula's evil plan," I add.
"Oh, my baby," she says gently. "I'm sorry. I'm sure you can sort it out."
She pauses before continuing.
"I did talk to your father and Nomvula. I told them to stay away from you, or I will inform the cops," she says, her voice calm but firm.
To be honest, this whole situation stresses me out.
What if I am a match? And he dies anyway?
Will I be able to live with that guilt?
"How is he?" I ask carefully.
She sighs before answering.
"The doctor mentioned dialysis. It might help in the meantime while we look for a donor."
Dialysis? It means his kidneys are really failing. It means machines.
Long days in hospitals.
"But listen," Aunt Thembi continues softly, reaching for my hand. "You don't have to test. You don't have to give him your kidney. Whatever happens, happens."
She squeezes my hand gently.
"I'm really sorry too, for forcing you to come to that family meeting. I know this situation hits you harder than all of us."
I look down at our hands. It does hit me harder. He is my father.
Even with everything. Even with the pain, he caused.
"You have a beautiful life ahead of you," she says kindly. "Focus on that. And forget about Ace. I don't want you stressing about that at all."
I nod slowly.
Before I can even say anything else, my phone vibrates on the table. I quickly pick it up and check the screen.
It's Konke.
I open the message.
We need to talk about Sboniso's father.
I blink. Sboniso's father?
Why? What about him?
I stare at the screen for a few seconds, confused.
Before I can reply, my phone starts ringing.
It's Sbo.
Why are they both contacting me?
I quickly answer.
"Sho, Dee!" he says loudly on the other side.
His voice sounds excited.
"We know the owner, is Ndumiso Zikalala," he says.
I frown deeply. Ndumiso?
"Ndumiso?" I repeat, shocked.
"Yes," Sbo continues quickly. "I think he is the guy she killed."
My heart skips.
"What?" I ask, my voice dropping.
"I'm serious," he says. "The phone and the gun? They are linked. The owner is Ndumiso Zikalala. And I think that's the man Snothando killed."