Turning Table

Part 179

*** The War He Created ****

🌹 Rosetta 🌹

I stood at my big office window and looked at what I had built, I still could not believe that I had come out of prison and created such a fruitful investment, I smiled "Hey, I did this!" I said to myself as I walked around my office. I can't believe that I acted on an idea less than a month out of jail when I had no real clue what I was doing or how to do it, I got on the fast track too fast. I thought it was the smart thing to do. Start a business, make money, and enjoy the martinis when evening comes. Except that I hadn't counted on the work. The sheer amount of office work that needed to be done on any given day was staggering - 24 hours was never enough. I could do this I told myself, perhaps for several hours a day or several days a week - but not day in day out for several months on end. It was kind of staggering.

I remember that I began to question my priorities, did I really want to spend my days working for maybe three months straight only to get a week's vacation, then do the same thing all over again? Working 10-hour workdays even on Saturdays and sometimes on Sundays. You see in my case you do not get to choose how your work gets done. It depends entirely on customer demands, supplier terms, and business obligations that schedule your calendar day, so I had no choice but to push on, and today I just felt this overwhelming feeling of looking at how far you've come, girl.

So yeah, I'm proud AF of myself right now, I'm proud of myself for taking the risk with zero clues if it would work, I'm proud of myself for being brave enough to change directions in my business mid-way through, I'm proud of myself for investing thousands of Rands turning a dump into up class market place for adult entertainment, I'm proud of myself for figuring shit out and launching it even when it's not perfect. So, yeah all of this is what led me to have my biggest, most successful monthly payout... ugh I could cry right now thinking about it. Guess what... I'm not done. There will be LOTS more moments coming my way where I'm going to have to buck up and do something uncomfortable and scary, but I know now that when I work through those moments, I will come out better, stronger, and more resilient on the other side, There will always be something to be proud of, If I can do this, create a profitable dream hustle with no sleep, take risks, mix dirty money with clean money, and still come out undetected damn I am ready for bigger deals, ready to swim with the sharks, ready for more challenges. I'm just a girl who will do whatever it takes to make it happen and that includes taking over the Oyamas empire and making my son tan times more powerful than his father ever was, it's going to be hard work I know but as the saying says Entrepreneurs are not marked from birth they are not born; they are made.

"Continue smiling like that and I might just think you had a hand in your husband's death" I turned around and held my mouth," Mehlo" Her: don't act shocked you did this remember " She made her way to me, and we shared a hugged Me: Mfethu it's just good to see you nje " Her: it's good to be out " Me: mmmm "I said taking my cigarette and tapping it on my palm after we broke the hug Her: a bit sooner than I expected though? " Me: sounds as if you are complaining " I looked at her with a raised eyebrow Her: I know you and I know that I was no use for you inside that is why you wanted me out, that is why you worked tirelessly, and paid god knows how much to that lawyer to get me out so out with it ... ufunani kumina?" Me: I need you to be my business partner " She laughed "I like this place, but don't you think it a bit too small for the both of us to run " Me: who said anything about this business, Look Mehlo, Oyama left all of his estates to me, I'm the only sole beneficiary in his will, his body will be released tomorrow, and many people will show their true colors once word gets out that I Rose to hold the keys to his empire " Her: So, you need protection? " Me: that I got" She looked at me with her head tilted to the side Me: Only thing I need is your skills" Her: what skills, last time I checked I was only good at stealing and killing" Me: just the skills I need " Her: hyboo! Rose, are we forgetting I just came out of jail?" Me: not all of Oyama's business are legit and for that I need you to run that side of the business for me "I said ignoring her statement Her: Hallo! I said I just got out of jail Rose " Me: correction, Mehlo I got you out of jail! "I said with an annoyed tone in my voice, Mehlo has this tendency of finding joy in being begged for everything, damn I'm too old and smart to be her pussy, she needs to jump to this offer as in yesterday, I don't have the whole day to play this game with her Her: so, you are holding that against me? " Me: Mehlo all I'm doing is giving you bread and butter to survive " Her: so, you want me to take over Oyama's drug empire? " Me: drugs, guns, and car smuggling those are your main focus! Mehlo you got connection inside and outside, this right here is good business " Her: I might end up dead or in jail Rose did you consider that " Me: damn it Mehlo! Fuck this coward nonsense!!! I'm being serious here ... you are a born killer, and you are a dangerously smart woman I know, I choose you because you know who's who in this criminal world all I am giving you is a high-ranking seat " She bust out and laughed Her: I was hoping you going to say you chose me because I am your friend and you loooove me " Me: Mehlo!" She laughed again and walked close to me and put her hand on my shoulder Her: I'm kidding just lighten up will you and stop being dramatic and tell me how much you know about your dead husband's shady business " Me: I know nothing... but his attorney does, you have a meeting with him tomorrow at 12:00n pm, there is an office in the basement my security team will let you in, " She bites her lip Me: do you trust him" Me: no, that is why I need you to see if he can be trusted or not" She nodded Her: you know I was hoping to see my kids the minute I got out " Me: there is plenty of time to bond with Zimkhithi " She frowned I know I have pissed her off, by mentioning her daughter's name, her baby girl the most scandals and controversial woman in Mzansi, she has the worst dating history more like Kelly Khumalo mixed with Kim Kardashian's Dating History, and for that, I blame Mehlo's lack of parenting skills, she was an absent mother and allowed her money to raise Zimkhini no wonder she turned out like this. Her: So, you think you funny, wait till I tell that bitch of mine about Zuko " Me: what ... my son does not date trash " She laughed "My trash is gorgeous she has the body and brains be careful Rose, we might just end up being in-laws " She said walking to the door, Me: Mehlo you will not dare " She just laughed and when she opened the door, she bumped into Sy Sy looked at Mehlo from head to toe Mehlo: Simon, I heard you were in town "heard from who course I sure did not tell her Sy: Mehlo'amahle ... uuum they said ... " Mehlo: I was dead I know... such a shame you heard wrong" They shared the longest look which left me wondering what history these two have Mehlo: will call you later Rose" she said looking at Sy her voice was somehow flat I was about to walk her out and ask if she was ok, but My phone vibrated on my desk so I shifted my focus to it, I looked at it and sighed, I then looked at Mehlo and told her that I would keep her posted about the meeting tomorrow, she nodded and walked out making Sy close the door behind her Me: care, to explain that? "I asked Sy bringing him back to reality course he looked like he had seen a ghost Sy: I rather not say "he said with a heavy sigh "How do you know Mehlomahle ? "He asked making his way to me Me: I meet her in Prison " Him: Prison? Did you find her inside? or was she convicted after you were convicted? " Me: I rather not say "I said with a straight face, I know nothing about his relationship with Mehlo and to protect my girl I rather say less things about her as possible to this man " I got a call from the morgue they said Oyama's body will be released tomorrow morning," I said changing the subject Him: have you informed your in-laws?" Me: I told the forensic pathologist to contact them and gave them Ngozu and Ade's number" Him: mmm which means the burial will be done a day before tomorrow, look I need to advise you what to expect from the time they come to fetch you and Oyama's body to the minute you set foot in our village " Me: Oyama was not Muslim why will his funeral be so immediate?" I asked as I took my bag and phone and walked past him Him: because Ade is the only true blood relative to Oyama, born by the same mother and father, he may be young but he will want to bury his brother as per his belief, while Ngozu is a traditionalist and the rest of us are Christian will try to infuse our Customs into the funeral to give Oyama respectful sand out, but that is not for you to worry about course widows have no say in this or what's so ever, you will be seen and conceded brain dead since you lost a husband "