A WEB OF DECEIT

chapter 9

Thelani
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Fear settled in the pit of my stomach, gnawing at me with every step I took. What was I really getting myself into? I knew sex was part of the deal, but the thought of an older man being the one to break my virginity filled me with dread. I tried to push the thought away, but it kept coming back, haunting me with all the unknowns.

*What if this man is my father or someone related to me?* The thought made me shudder. The truth was, I had no idea who my family was. I was left at the orphanage door when I was just two weeks old. Whoever left me there must have really hated me. The lack of family connections had always been a burden, making me feel adrift in a world where everyone else seemed to know where they belonged.

“Fuck it,” I muttered to myself. *I need to do what I need to do to survive. Let me just get this over and done with.*

As I tried to steel myself for the evening, my phone buzzed with a call. It was Mr. Mkhize, the businessman I had met. I took a deep breath before answering.

“Hello, Mr. Mkhize,” I said, hoping my voice sounded steadier than I felt.

“Thelani, good evening,” he replied, his tone courteous and businesslike. “I wanted to let you know that I’ve arranged for a car to pick you up and take you to the hotel. It should be there shortly.”

“Thank you, I appreciate that,” I replied, trying to keep my voice calm.

“It’s no trouble at all,” he assured me. “I’ll see you soon.”

As I hung up, I felt a strange mix of relief and anxiety. On one hand, everything was going according to plan. On the other, I felt like I was about to step into an entirely new world, one that was both terrifying and uncertain.

I glanced around my room, trying to distract myself with anything other than my own thoughts. The walls seemed to close in on me, reminders of the desperation that had driven me to this point. This wasn't what I had imagined for myself when I first started university, full of dreams and ambitions.

The car arrived just as the sun was setting, casting long shadows on the pavement. I took one last look in the mirror, adjusting my dress and taking a deep breath before heading out. Sonto gave me a supportive nod as I left, her confidence in me a small comfort.

As the car drove me to the hotel, I stared out the window, watching the city lights blur by. I wondered if anyone else felt as lost as I did, caught between survival and self-worth. But this was the path I had chosen, and for now, I would walk it with my head held high.

Tonight would be a turning point, and I hoped that somewhere on the other side of it was the freedom and stability I so desperately needed.

Ayanda's parents

In the dimly lit living room, Mr. and Mrs. Mthembu sat across from each other, a bottle of champagne chilling in a bucket nearby. The room was filled with an air of celebration and triumph. They clinked their glasses together, smiling as they sipped the bubbly drink.

“Here’s to a job well done,” Mr. Mthembu said, setting his glass down with satisfaction. “Ten million rand, can you believe it?”

Mrs. Mthembu laughed, a cold, calculating sound. “It worked even better than we planned. The Mkhizes were desperate to save their family name. They were willing to pay any price to make this scandal go away.”

“I still can’t believe we pulled it off,” Mr. Mthembu continued, his voice filled with a mix of disbelief and pride. “The timing, the execution—everything went off without a hitch.”

Mrs. Mthembu leaned back in her chair, swirling the champagne in her glass. “Ayanda was always too naive. She never suspected a thing. Even when we told her to take the gun, she thought it was just a game, a way to protect herself.”

“A game,” Mr. Mthembu repeated, shaking his head. “Poor girl had no idea what we had in store for her. But she had outlived her usefulness, especially after getting pregnant by that garden boy, Sipho. She was a disgrace.”

“She was supposed to marry into the Mkhize family and secure our future,” Mrs. Mthembu said, her voice turning icy. “But when that plan fell through, we had to think of something else.”

Mr. Mthembu nodded, a satisfied smile playing on his lips. “And what better way than to make the Mkhizes pay for their loss? They were more than willing to compensate us for taking their ‘only child’ away from them.”

“It was all about the money,” Mrs. Mthembu added, her eyes glinting with greed. “Adopting Ayanda was the first step. When we realized she couldn’t bring us wealth by marrying into their family, we had to find another way.”

Mr. Mthembu raised his glass again. “To our future,” he toasted, a cruel gleam in his eyes. “With the money we’ve gained, we can live the life we’ve always dreamed of.”

“To our future,” Mrs. Mthembu echoed, clinking her glass against his.

The room was silent for a moment as they savored their victory, their minds already plotting their next moves. The plan had been executed flawlessly, and now, with the money safely in their accounts, they could leave the scandal behind and start anew.

As they continued to celebrate, the world outside their lavish home was unaware of the treachery that had taken place. Ayanda was gone, her life sacrificed for their greed, and Nkosikhona sat behind bars, wrongfully accused of a crime he didn’t commit. It was a perfect crime, and they had gotten away with it—at least for now.

**Ayanda’s Death**

Ayanda drove back from the restaurant, her mind racing and her eyes blurred with tears. The confrontation with Nkosikhona had been a disaster. He had discovered the truth—that the baby she carried wasn’t his. Her parents had assured her they’d take care of everything, that the doctor would provide false results to secure their future. But now, everything was falling apart.

Her hands gripped the steering wheel as she navigated through the city streets, the world around her a hazy blur. Thoughts tumbled chaotically in her mind. How had things spiraled out of control so quickly? She had tried to play the role her parents expected, but now she was trapped in a web of deceit.

When Ayanda finally reached her apartment, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. She hoped her mother would have a plan to fix everything, to reassure her that this nightmare would end. But as she stepped inside, she found her mother sitting on the couch, her expression unreadable.

“Ayanda, what happened?” her mother asked, though her voice lacked warmth or concern.

Through her tears, Ayanda recounted the disastrous meeting at the restaurant, how Nkosikhona had confronted her with the truth. “He knows, Mom. He knows the baby isn’t his. I think my marriage is over,” she said, her voice trembling with despair.

Her mother looked at her, a cold, calculating expression on her face. “You were always so dumb and naive, Ayanda.”

Ayanda recoiled at the harshness in her mother’s words, confusion and hurt mingling with her fear. “But Mom, you promised you’d handle the situation,” she pleaded, searching for some reassurance.

“Oh, I am handling it,” her mother replied, a chilling calmness in her voice.

Before Ayanda could process her mother’s words, a gunshot echoed through the room. Ayanda’s eyes widened in shock as pain exploded in her forehead, and she crumpled to the floor, her world fading to black.

Her mother stood over her, emotionless, as she placed the gun beside Ayanda’s lifeless body. She looked around the apartment, ensuring everything was as planned. The scene had to look convincing, the final piece in their elaborate scheme.

Without another glance at her daughter, she left the apartment, closing the door quietly behind her. As she walked away, she felt no remorse, only the cold satisfaction of a plan executed flawlessly. Ayanda had been a pawn in their game, and now, she was no longer an obstacle. The path to their fortune was clear, and nothing would stand in their way.