CHAPTER 78

CHAPTER 78

[MNOTHO]

Nikky is so warm. My arms are wrapped around her waist, and my head is resting on her stomach. Her hands move gently through my hair and beard, slowly rubbing and soothing me. The touch is soft and comforting.
I can feel my eyes getting heavy. Sleep is slowly pulling me in, making my body relax more and more. But I can't fall asleep now. It's already morning, and I need to wake up and start the day. I try to fight it, forcing my eyes to stay open even though my body wants to rest in this peaceful moment with her.
After Nikky saw Genesis two days ago, I thought everything was going to fall apart. I honestly believed she would have a mental breakdown or be triggered by seeing him again. I prepared myself for tears, panic, or even anger. But none of that happened.
Instead, she looks fine.
She is calm, quiet, and completely okay, almost as if nothing happened. Anyone else would probably believe that she has moved on and that everything is normal again.
But I know Nikky.
And because I know her, a small part of me is still worried about her. Something about how calm she looks makes me wonder if she is hiding something deep inside. Maybe she is just being strong. Maybe she doesn't want anyone to see her pain.
Even though she looks peaceful, I can't stop thinking about it.
I'm still a little worried about her.
But I guess I will see how things go. Maybe she will fall apart later. The way she fainted that day still shows that she is deeply traumatised by that man and his family. Even if she is acting strong now, I know that pain does not disappear overnight.
"What time is it?" I ask softly.
She giggles quietly, the soft sound vibrating gently under my ear.
"Just sleep a little more. It's still early," she answers. Her hands continue rubbing my head slowly, her fingers moving through my hair in a calming way.
I wish I could do that.
"I want to do that, but I have two meetings. The other meeting is out of town," I say, holding onto her a little tighter, enjoying the warmth of her body.
"You should be the one sleeping. You're not busy today, right?" I ask, just to be sure.
She sighs heavily, and I can feel the movement through her stomach under my cheek.
"Yeah… but I want to go see my mom. I need to talk to her about what happened," she says, her voice still soft and calm.
I frown slightly.
I know she has to do it eventually. She can't ignore this forever. But isn't it a little too early to confront that woman? Things are still fresh, and emotions are still high.
And also… My plan to take down Genesis will start in a few hours.
"Are you sure?" I ask quietly. "You'll be alone with her, since your aunt went back to KZN."
I'm not trying to control her. I'm just worried.
"Nothing will happen," she says gently. "I can't ignore this forever, you know. I have to talk to her and understand why she allowed those people to come into our home and be that comfortable."
I sigh and lift my head slightly so I can look at her.
Her eyes are closed, but her face looks serious, like she has been thinking about this for a long time.
Honestly… I also want to know why that woman allowed those people into the house.
I even tried asking Lunga about this whole situation, but all she said was that she will sort it out. She didn't give me any real answers.
"I don't want you to get hurt, Peaches," I say gently.
The last thing I want is to see her cry again. And I also don't want to end up going to that woman and saying something I might regret later… because no matter what happens, she is still Nikky's mother.
"Well baby… I can't avoid it," she murmurs quietly. "I will be hurt. That's just how it will be."
The unfortunate truth.
"And I want to ask her about the key before heading to Konke and asking him to help me out," she adds softly.
I frown slightly at that.
I shift a little and move my head, resting my face against her breasts so I can see her clearly.
From this angle, I can study her face better.
Her hands continue moving gently through my hair again, slowly rubbing my head in a calm and comforting way. The soft movement makes me relax even more.
Some men say a man should never rest his head on a woman like this.
They say if a woman is rubbing your head while you lie on her chest, she is taking control. They believe it means the woman is slowly taking over your authority, making you weak, making you soft. According to them, a real man should always stay strong and in control.
I've heard those things before.
Old men talk about it sometimes. Even some younger guys believe it too. They say a man should never allow himself to be in a position where a woman can calm him down like this.
But right now… I don't care about any of that.
Because when I'm here with Nikky, resting like this, I don't feel weak at all.
If anything, I feel at peace. I feel safe.
And more than that, I feel loved.
My arms tighten slightly around her waist as I breathe in slowly. Her warmth around my body, and the way she touches my hair feels natural, like this is exactly where I'm supposed to be.
Maybe other men would feel uncomfortable like this. Maybe they would pull away, trying to prove they are still in control.
But I'm not those men.
With Nikky, I don't mind being vulnerable.
In fact… I like it.
Because loving someone also means trusting them enough to see you when you're not trying to be strong all the time.
And with her, I don't feel like I have to pretend.

Bangizwe would probably faint if he found me in this position. He would definitely call a family meeting and say I need to be cleansed. In his mind, this would mean I am bewitched or that someone has taken control of my spirit.
I can already imagine his face if he walked in and saw me resting like this on Nikky.
Talking about Bangizwe… I already gave him a heads-up about the ceremony we should do at home. He will probably have to come here to Johannesburg, or maybe I will just go back home myself so we can discuss everything properly.
I blink slowly, suddenly realising that my mind drifted away for a moment.
"Why don't you do all these things tomorrow?" I ask softly, trying to continue the conversation we were having. "You're supposed to be resting."
"No, I can't," she says gently. "Even though I know how to drive, I still need to familiarise myself with all the road rules."
She pauses for a moment before continuing.
"My grandfather had a car," she adds quietly. "A family car. It was a car all of us used. It's the same car my dad used to teach me how to drive."
I've always been curious about who actually taught her how to drive.
"My grandfather used to steal livestock," she suddenly says, laughing a little. "Cattle, goats, and sheep."
I laugh too, surprised by the confession.
"Did he ever get caught?" I ask curiously.
She giggles softly.
"No. He would plan the whole heist and then disappear for months. People didn't suspect him at all," she says before sighing.
"Even though it was a crime… he made sure all his children went to school and got educated," she continues.
Her voice becomes softer as she keeps talking.
"After my dad graduated, he struggled to find a job. One day he told my grandfather that he had gone to an interview but wasn't sure if he would get the job."
She pauses slightly before continuing the story.
"Of course, my grandfather went out and stole cattle again," she says quietly. "He took two cows to the owner of that company and offered them to him so my dad could get the job."
I raise my eyebrows, listening carefully.
"And funny enough… it worked," she says with a small laugh.
"After that little negotiation, my dad got the job." Her voice drops a little, almost like she still finds the whole story unbelievable.
I gaze up at her. Her face is still calm, but I can hear the emotion behind her words.
"In the same company?" I ask.
"Yeah," she answers softly. "He started working in the small branch in Newcastle, and after a year they moved him here, to Johannesburg."
I nod softly against her breast as I listen.
"So, after all this drama about my funds…" she continues slowly, "I'm sad that my dad didn't see me as fit to get his money. The same money his own father helped him get."
My heart sinks a little.
I know where this conversation is going, and I know she has been thinking about this for a long time.
"When Aunt Lunga told me what my dad said to her," she continues quietly, "it made me realise something."
She pauses for a moment.
"Maybe… maybe he didn't love me as much as I thought he did."
Her voice becomes softer.
"We were best friends. I was much closer to him than I was to my mom. Mom was always angry."
I sigh heavily and hold onto her a little tighter.
I hate hearing her doubt herself like this.
"I wasn't even a troublesome child," she adds. "Yes, I used to beat up a few boys here and there, but…"
I suddenly burst into laughter, cutting her off.
She giggles softly too, and her hands stop brushing my head for a moment.
"Stop laughing, Mnotho," she says, still giggling.
Her voice sounds playful now, even though the topic was heavy just a moment ago.
I laugh softly and try to compose myself again. After a moment, I sigh deeply.
"Why… Did you beat up boys?" I ask, but I can't help laughing a little while saying it.
"There was this boy," she begins, smiling to herself. "He looked so frail and fragile. He had a crush on me. So when I got back from KZN for the school holidays, I found him being bullied by some other boy."
She giggles softly.
"And I had to help out."
I chuckle under my breath.
"I wonder where he is now," she continues thoughtfully. "He was cute."
I frown slightly and raise my head so I can look at her properly.
"Cute?" I repeat slowly. "Huh?"
I narrow my eyes playfully.
"Are you also going to beat me up if I don't like him?" I ask.
She opens her eyes and laughs softly.
"Stop being jealous, Mnotho," she says, still smiling. "It was years ago. I haven't seen him since then. He doesn't even stay in Pimville anymore."
I shake my head slowly.
"I told Pinky the same thing," I say with a small laugh. "Why would I bring home a woman who can wrestle, not knowing I'm the one who will end up getting beaten up in this relationship?"
I glance up at her again, still smiling.
"Now look at me… resting here peacefully, hoping you won't suddenly remember your fighting skills."
She gasps loudly.
"So, you talked to Pinky?" she asks in disbelief.
I sigh softly and rest my head back on her breast.
"No," I say calmly. "It was that time when you and her had a fight. Since she wanted to be Mrs. Mlambo so badly, I told her something. I asked her why I would marry her when she is the wrestler. I said she would probably beat up my whole family."
I shrug slightly.
"Looks like I judged the poor woman unfairly. The real wrestler is you here," I tease.
She laughs softly.
"Come on," she says. "I was just being a nice person."
She sighs heavily after that, her fingers slowing down in my hair.
"Now I just hope whatever truth I find about my dad… it won't break me," she says quietly. "Sometimes I even ask myself if it's worth it to know the truth. Am I really ready for it or not?"
Her voice sounds curious, but I can hear the pain behind her words.
"Whatever you decide to do," I say gently, "I'll support you, my queen. I'm here for you."
I mean every word.
Her hands begin brushing my head again.
"I know," she whispers. "And thank you."
I close my eyes for a second. I just hope whatever she finds will not destroy her heart.
"So… about Genesis," I start to say.
Before I can finish, I feel her gently pushing me off her. I frown slightly as we turn and face each other.
"Mnotho… please stay away from that man," she says seriously. "He is dangerous. That's why I want to go see my mom and warn her too."
She looks troubled.
I sigh quietly. Part of me doesn't know if I should feel offended that she thinks I cannot deal with a man like Genesis.
"Peaches," I say carefully, "I'm not going to do anything to that man. I was just… saying."
The lie slides easily out of my mouth.
She sighs with relief.
"Good," she says softly. "Those people once killed their competition and came back home to tell us women that the job went well. They killed everyone… even the children."
Her voice becomes weak.
"No… I don't want to mourn you, Mtho and Bonga. I wouldn't survive if something happened to you, knowing I'm the one who brought this trouble into your life."
My investigator told me about that story. People said Genesis never killed that family, that it was just a rumour.
But now Nikky is confirming it herself.
That information is very useful.
"Nothing will happen to me," I say calmly. "Or to the boys. I promise you that."
She nods slowly.
"Good."
Then she sighs again, frustration appearing on her face.
"I'm also annoyed at Nomsa," she continues. "Yes, she was sweet and nice, but she was an enabler. She allowed all the bad things her husband and sons did."
She pauses, thinking deeply.
"I don't even know if I was sleepwalking sometimes… or maybe what I saw was real," she says slowly.
I look at her carefully.
"Pearl… Genesis's daughter-in-law… they were sleeping together," she whispers.
I frown slightly.
"It was like I was in the same bedroom with them. They were really busy in bed."
Her voice is quiet and embarrassed.
I sit up slightly.
"You… you weren't dreaming?" I ask.
She sighs.
"Maybe I was," she admits. "Because they never saw me or noticed that I was there."
She pauses.
"But one night, when I thought everyone had gone to sleep, I saw them again. In the car."
She shakes her head slowly.
"They were busy again. At first I thought maybe Genesis was forcing himself on Pearl. But… it didn't look like that. Pearl looked like she was enjoying every minute of it."
I stare at her.
Genesis… that old snake.
"And the son?" I ask quietly. "Did he know?"
She shrugs.
"I'm not sure. Maybe he did. He was always rude to Pearl, but strangely he became a little nicer to me."
She sighs.
"I think that's why Pearl hated me. That girl really hated me. Even when I cooked food, she never ate anything I made."
She shakes her head slowly.
"That family was weird. Very weird."
She pauses again.
"And now that I think about it… maybe Genesis was planning to come after me once I married his son."
Her voice becomes quiet.
"Because now it makes sense why he was so angry when I told them I was leaving."
My anger rises slowly inside me.
That bastard.
"Don't worry, Peaches. Nothing bad will happen to us," I say softly.
I lean forward and kiss her forehead gently. As I pull back, something suddenly comes to my mind.
"Oh, by the way," I say, remembering.
"I found a good spa place for you. They do massages, hair, and all those things you women do when you want to pamper yourselves," I say softly.
Her eyes immediately light up with surprise.
"I thought you would need it, especially since your life will be really busy," I continue. "I know how hard it is to be a chef, standing all day in the kitchen."
She giggles softly, clearly amused.
"I'm not a chef yet," she says.
"In my eyes, you already are," I reply honestly.
I smile a little.
"I have already registered you there and paid for this month's fee. Every month you can go there, relax, get all pampered, and I'll take care of the payments," I say calmly.
Her eyes soften as she looks at me.
"Wow… I really did find a gold mine in you," she teases.
I burst into laughter and hop out of the bed.
"Sleep," I tell her gently. "I'll leave their pamphlet on the table."
I grab my clothes and shake my head with a small smile.
"Let me go and slave away for you, Your Majesty," I add playfully.
Before leaving, I lean down and drop a quick kiss on her lips.

••••

[DIAMOND]

I haven't laughed like this in a long time. As the laughter dies down, a sharp pain shoots through my shoulder and I flinch a little.
"Are you okay?" Sbo asks immediately, his face full of concern.
"I'm okay… I think," I say softly, trying to relax again. "I just laughed too much."
That must be the reason.
He nods slowly, though he still looks worried.
"So… what's their next move? We still need that million," I say, letting out another small laugh.
Sbo laughs too, shaking his head.
"She said she will give us the money. She needs to borrow some from her friends," he explains. "I also heard her saying that if that picture gets out to the public, Sphephelo won't be very happy. She might even die from the shame."
I shake my head slowly.
"We can't have that," I say firmly. "She can't die. That would be too easy."
I lean back slightly.
"We will just scare her with that picture first before we move on to another plan. This is only the beginning."
Sbo nods in agreement and hands me a phone.
"It's connected to those cameras and listening devices," he explains. "Since you'll be here for a few more days, I thought this might entertain you a little. You might even pick up a few things I missed."
I take the phone with a small smile.
"Kholiwe didn't go look for the body because Snothando fainted," he continues. "But I think tonight or tomorrow she will go. And I also need to go there and watch her."
He shrugs slightly.
"And about Mnotho?" Sbo asks. "Should we inform him… or let him deal with it himself?"
I smile slowly.
I knew Snothando was going to go after Mnotho the moment she found out about him.
"Don't worry," I say calmly. "She won't succeed with Mnotho. That man doesn't trust anyone… except his Peaches, of course."
I shake my head slightly.
"So let's see how it plays out. If she decides to take extreme measures, then we will tell him."
I pause before continuing.
"The problem with Mnotho is that he will want to kill Sno. And I don't want her dead."
My voice becomes colder.
"I want her to go mad. I want her to lose her mind. I want her to run naked in these streets of Johannesburg."
Sbo simply nods, understanding exactly what I mean.
"All the journals you needed are here," he says, standing up.
"Happy reading. I need to go talk to TK. I'll need another pair of hands when I follow Kholiwe to where they left the body."
I nod.
TK can be trusted. And he loves Nikky too, so he will definitely help.
Tumi did come earlier. She doesn't know that I know about the betrayal. Honestly, I have already moved on from that heist situation. The job is supposed to happen next week anyway.
Hopefully TK won't go there and cause trouble.
Just as I start thinking about it, the door suddenly swings open.
Nikky walks in.
She looks beautiful, as always.
Her eyes land on Sbo first, and she sighs softly.
I hate this so much. I really do.
I miss how close those two used to be.
"Hi, Sboniso," she says quietly before sitting down on the chair.
"Nikky… hi," Sbo replies.
He pauses for a second, then adds with a small awkward smile, "And bye."
He looks at me.
"I'll call and check up on you," he says.
With that, he walks out of the room.
I turn and look at Nikky.
Sboniso is the one who should fix this situation. He is the one who went behind my back and never told me about his plan, and now look where we are.
"You look gorgeous," I say, giving her a compliment.
She smiles softly.
"Thank you, love. And you don't look bad yourself," she says, giggling quietly. "How are you feeling today?"
"I'm okay," I reply honestly. "It's just the medication that makes me drowsy. I'm always sleeping."
And it's true. I'm always sleeping or feeling sleepy.
Especially when Konke is here.
That part makes me a little sad.
He told me he found Khulekani, but the man was in a very bad state.
"The medication will help you," Nikky says gently. "It will also help with the pain."
She pauses before continuing.
"I'm sorry I didn't bring that soup I promised. I was really tired… and after all the drama with my mother and Genesis, I just couldn't."
I frown immediately.
"Genesis? What happened?" I ask quickly. This is the first time I'm hearing about this.
She smiles slightly and shakes her head.
"Don't worry about it," she says softly. "Just focus on healing. And I saw Konke in the parking lot. He will be here soon."
No.
Now I'm worried.
What drama happened between Sylvia and Genesis?
"I'm worried now," I say quietly. "Please tell me. Even a tiny bit of information… please."
I look at her, almost begging.
She sighs.
"I'm meeting Snothando later," she begins slowly. "Then I'm going home. My mom invited Nomsa and Genesis to the house."
She pauses.
"I was shocked when I saw them… and I fainted. Luckily, Mtho and Bonga were with me."
I gasp softly.
What the hell?
Sylvia is really getting on my nerves now. No… no… this is too much.
"Sphephelo's parents?" I ask, completely confused. "Those people?"
Before she can answer, the door suddenly swings open.
Konke walks in, holding flowers and a basket.
He smiles at both Nikky and me.
Nikky quickly stands up from the chair.
"I'll see you tomorrow… later," she says softly. "And Aunt Thembi told me she will move into the flat to take care of you."
I frown slightly.
Aunt Thembi never mentioned that to me.
But I nod anyway.
Nikky walks toward the door. As she passes Konke, she nods politely at him before walking out of the room.
.
.
.
"I'm so happy to find you fully awake," Konke says happily as he holds my hands.
I nod slowly. I'm happy too.
"I'm glad too," I say honestly. "I thought maybe I wasn't going to be able to see you again."
He smiles warmly at me.
"I'm here now, thembalami," he says softly. "How are you feeling now?"
As he asks, he places his other hand gently on my cheek.
I sigh deeply.
"I'm okay… still a little shaken up," I admit quietly. "I didn't think Minenhle would be capable of doing something like that. I didn't think she despised me that much."
Nomvula never hid her hatred for me. I always knew she wanted nothing to do with me.
But my siblings?
I had hope.
I know it sounds stupid, but I really believed that maybe one day we would get along. Maybe one day we would act like a real family.
But now… that hope is gone.
Everything has crashed.
We will probably never be close again.
"I'm really sorry," Konke says gently. "I truly am."
He squeezes my hands slightly.
"But I don't want you to worry too much about what will happen next," he continues softly. "Just focus on getting better. That's all that matters right now."
I nod slowly, blinking back the tears in my eyes.
"So… how is Khulekani?" I ask, changing the subject. "Is he settling in well?"
Konke sighs tiredly and lets his hand fall back onto mine.
"He will be fine," he says. "He went through a cleansing ritual, and he should recover well."
He pauses before continuing.
"And I'm just waiting for Fanele now, so we can discuss the business matters."
I nod quietly.
That's good.
At least focusing on work will help take his mind off everything he has been through.
He suddenly turns serious.
"I want to ask you something, and please don't get mad," Konke says softly.
I frown, confused.
"What do you want to ask?" I ask, feeling uneasy.
He sighs and holds my hands tighter.
"I love you," he says seriously. "I know the day we met we hated each other. But my life has been very good with you in it. I have never felt this way about anyone else."
My heart skips a beat.
"Kukhokonke… what's going on?" I ask quietly. Now I'm starting to feel worried and a little scared.
He gives me a small reassuring smile.
"Don't be worried," he says softly. "I just need you to be honest with me. Something was shown to me regarding you, so I need you to be as honest as possible."
His eyes are pleading with me.
Oh my God.
"What are you doing behind my back?" he asks gently. "Is there something you are hiding from me? Look… I won't get angry. I just want to know what is happening when I'm not watching."
My breathing becomes heavy.
What is he talking about? What was shown to him?
I blink slowly as my mind starts racing through different possibilities.
Then suddenly I freeze.
No… it can't be. Or did he see it?
Was he shown my other life?
He once saw me getting shot in a vision, but TK got shot instead.
Is this what he is talking about?
I look at him quietly. I always knew this day might come.
But I also know I can't lose him.
I can't.
"Uhm…" I pause, biting my lip nervously.
He keeps looking at me, waiting patiently for my truth.
"Love… there is something you need to know," I say softly. "However… Can we talk about it after I get discharged?"
My voice shakes slightly.
"Maybe we can talk about it when we go on that vacation you suggested."
He studies my face for a moment. Then he slowly smiles and nods.
"Okay," he says gently. "I'll accept that for now."
He squeezes my hand.
"Since you're here with nothing to do, you can start planning our vacation."
He smiles again before standing up.
Then he leans down and kisses my lips slowly and passionately before moving down to my neck.
I gasp softly.
"I missed you so much," he murmurs.
I missed him too.
He pulls away slightly, and when I look at him, his eyes are filled with desire.
"We only have thirty minutes," he says quietly.
Then he walks to the door and locks it.
My heart sinks.
Because after that vacation… This might be the last time he looks at me like I am such a rare jewel.