Red Lace

Chapter 23

NICHUME TSHAWE MNGUNI

The statement leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. Dad looks at me. It's not disappointment on his face, but a mixture of emotions, just like myself. Adeyemi has ruined my life in the worst possible way. I have university, I can't have a child now.

"What's the next step?" Dad asks. I look at him, shocked, because he did not just ask me that. Can I at least process it first?

"I want to see him," I say, and Dad shows no reaction to my demand.

"Get dressed and let's go," He says, standing up from the bed. I look at him, shocked, because why is he not opposed to this demand?

"Will you not stop me or tell me I'm crazy?" I ask him and he shakes his head no.

"You not crazy and I will not stop you. He did this to you. He's the only one that can undo it." Dad says. I don't respond and wear a jacket and walk out with him.

"And mom?" I say, and he shrugs his shoulders.

"We can head home today after seeing this boy," He says and I let out an exasperated sigh. Mihlalikazi blows things out of proportion.

"For you to fall pregnant or whatever and for the manipulation to run as deep, you need to have felt something for the Immortal that made you fall pregnant," Dad says, stealing a glance at me. I don't know what he is implying, but it's false!

"I don't know what you are talking about, dad," I retort, because how dare he suggest I felt something for that man?

"Alright, no need to be mad at me. I just hope this won't be another case of Stockholm syndrome." He says, returning his attention to the road and increasing the volume a bit. We get to this deserted place that's by the harbor with a lot of transportation crates. He parks the car and we head off. After all the crates, there's a warehouse I'm assuming because it looks like it. He opens the door and we walk in. It's not as busy as I would have expected it would be, I guess. I don't even know what I imagined because I only ever see such in movies. I believe this is the moment where it sticks that my father is a dangerous man. The few people around greet us as we head over to Adeyemi, I assume. He opens the door, and there he is, tied up with his hands over his head, kneeling on the concrete floor all beat up with his eyes closed.

I thought of everything except this moment. I never imagined what it would be like to see him again for the first time after what he did to me. Looking at him and how helpless he looks, I find myself being overcome with anger and pity. The anger I understand, the pity, makes no sense to me because why do I pity the same man that raped me and made me pregnant?

ADEYEMI PRINCE IBRAHIM

I never imagined she would want to see me after everything that happened, but she's here. I keep my eyes closed because I don't want to open them and find out her scent is nothing but a figment of my imagination. Even though I hear her shallow breath, it's not enough to convince me otherwise, because why would she want to see me? Another reason I am keeping my eyes closed is that I understand how much I have hurt her, and I am scared to see the hate she has for me in her eyes. I feel a hot slap on my cheek. The hand is soft and smaller, so I have no doubt that it's her slapping me.

"Look at me!" she demands, spitting venom. I have never heard her sound this angry and confident. Usually, when she speaks, she has this shaky voice despite her confidence, but this time around, her voice is not laced with any kind of fear. Perks of being with daddy, I guess.

"Hello little dove," I say and she snarls, looking at me with disgust, "Still hate me, I see. I'm assuming that this is not a social visit? You glowing since the last time I saw you. You are either happy to be home or you are carrying my parting gift," I say proudly and I see Khaya taking a step closer to me with visible anger. It's definitely not the first, so it has to be the latter. "Wait, are you pregnant with our child, little dove?" I ask. I'm surprised honestly. I didn't think she'd fall pregnant easily. I never imagined she was fertile, especially because she got off the contraceptives a week before we released her. Interesting.