A WEB OF DECEIT

chapter 14

Thelani
---

After buying groceries, I returned to my apartment, enjoying the feeling of having my own space and things. It felt liberating and a bit surreal.

I cooked a nice meal, using a recipe I found on YouTube. As I tasted it, I was excited; it actually tasted good. I felt a sense of accomplishment and was eager for Lucas to try it.

After cooking, I headed to the shower. I'd bought a nice mini dress at the mall and wanted to wear it for dinner. I imagined how impressed Lucas would be, and I felt a flutter of anticipation.

When I got out of the shower, I almost slipped and fell when I saw Lucas sitting on my bed. My heart skipped a beat-I hadn't expected him so early, and I was half-naked. The door was locked, or at least I thought it was.

"Lucas! You scared me," I exclaimed, clutching my towel tightly.

"I'm sorry, babe. I let myself in. I didn't want to disturb your shower," he said with a charming smile.

"Oh... uh, okay," I replied, trying to sound casual, even though my mind was racing.

Lucas's eyes lingered on me, and I could feel his gaze taking in every inch of my still-wet skin. He approached me, his presence both thrilling and intimidating. My heart pounded in my chest as he grabbed my waist and pulled me closer, his lips meeting mine in a kiss.

I didn't see this coming. I wasn't ready for it. But as the initial shock wore off, I found myself kissing him back. A part of me was exhilarated by the unexpected intimacy, while another part felt a flicker of unease at how quickly things were moving.

In that moment, I realized how much my life had changed in such a short time and wondered if I was ready for everything that came with it.

Nkosikhona

---

As I sat down, the tension in the room felt like a silent storm brewing, each second stretching out like an eternity in a staring contest.

"Are you gonna stare at me, or are you finally going to tell me what the hell you want?" I broke the silence, my voice sharper than intended.

His gaze was a mixture of accusation and fury, cutting through the air. "Why did you kill her? Did the fact that I scored bruise your ego that much?"

His words were a dagger, each syllable twisting deeper into my gut. The audacity of it all-the betrayal, the smugness-ignited a fire in me. I wanted to launch myself across the table, wipe that self-satisfied look off his face with a single punch.

The warder intervened just as I made to rise, holding me back.

"Calm down, man. I just want to know why you killed my woman, bro!"

"I didn't kill Ayanda!" I shot back, my voice shaking with a mix of anger and disbelief. "I thought you knew me better than this. The fact that you think I did shows me we were never friends."

"Friends? Friends, my foot!" He spat the words with venom. "You really thought I could be friends with a snob like you? Always flaunting your billionaire daddy's wealth, rubbing it in my face!"

"Sipho," I said, struggling to keep my voice steady, "why are you here?"

"To look you in the eyes and tell you not to get too comfortable, my G," he sneered. "I'll be waiting for you to get out of here and avenge Ayanda's death. You killed my son, you bastard!"

He lunged, throwing a punch that caught me off guard. The warder stepped in, separating us with practiced ease, but the damage was done.

As I was led away, I felt the weight of Sipho's words settle heavily on my shoulders, leaving me with a chilling sense of isolation and a new resolve to uncover the truth.