A WEB OF DECEIT

chapter 22

Nkosikhona

Vusi came through a week later, just like he promised. I could tell by the look on his face that he had something big. He walked into the visitation room with a large envelope in hand, his expression unreadable.

"Man, I got a few things here for you," he said, placing the envelope on the table between us.

"What's this?" I asked, feeling a knot form in my stomach.

"Open it," he replied, leaning back in his chair.

I tore open the envelope and pulled out a stack of photographs. My breath caught in my throat as I flipped through them. The first image showed Ayanda's mother, Mrs. Mthembu, walking out of Ayanda's apartment. The timestamp on the photo showed it was taken just a minute after Ayanda's death.

"What's this, man?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper. "That's Ayanda's mom... Why is she-"

Vusi didn't let me finish. "That's the woman who killed your wife," he said flatly.

"No... no, but this is her mother," I stammered, my mind struggling to make sense of what I was seeing.

"I know," Vusi said, his tone steady. "But here's the kicker-this lady isn't even her biological mother. Ayanda was adopted. I dug around, and it turns out there's more to this story than you thought."

I stared at him, trying to process his words. "What do you mean?"

Vusi sighed and leaned forward, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone. "I don't have all the details yet, but from what I've gathered, this whole thing was a setup from the start. The Mthembus wanted millions from your family. Ayanda's death and framing you for it? It's all part of their plan. When they pin the blame on you, the life insurance policy kicks in, and all that money goes straight to them."

"No... no, it can't be," I muttered, shaking my head in disbelief. My heart was pounding in my chest, and I felt like the walls were closing in around me. "Her own mother? How could she...?"

"I know it's hard to believe," Vusi said, his voice softening slightly. "But this is the evidence. I don't know why exactly she did it yet, but it's likely tied to the money. People will do anything for that kind of cash."

I felt like the ground had been ripped out from under me. Everything I thought I knew was a lie. Ayanda's mother, the woman who had comforted me at the funeral, who had looked me in the eye and blamed me for her daughter's death-she was the one who had killed her. The betrayal cut deeper than anything I'd ever felt before.

"Thanks, man," I muttered, my voice hollow as I handed the photos back to him.

"Keep them," Vusi said, pushing the envelope back towards me. "You might need them."

I nodded, though I wasn't sure what I'd do with them. My mind was racing as I made my way back to my cell, the weight of what I'd just learned pressing down on me like a ton of bricks. How could someone do this to their own child? What kind of sick game were the Mthembus playing?

But one thing was for sure-they had another thing coming. I wasn't going to let them get away with this. Not after what they'd done to Ayanda. I didn't know how yet, but I was going to make them pay.

As I sat on my bunk, staring at the photos, I felt a surge of determination rise within me. They thought they'd won, that they'd destroyed me. But they were wrong. This was far from over.

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Thelani

Thelani felt a wave of unease as Lucas removed his shades, his eyes now fixed intently on hers. His voice was firm, carrying an undercurrent of something unsettling.

"When I call you, you need to answer, okay? Don't ignore me."

Thelani's breath caught in her throat, her heart pounding as she tried to respond. "I... I'm sorry. My phone was on silent."

Lucas stared at her for a moment before replying, "Fine."

The car stopped outside her apartment, and they went inside in silence. Thelani's thoughts were racing with concern for Mbali, but she hesitated before asking, "Where is my friend? Is she okay?"

"She's home, don't worry about her," Lucas replied casually. "We need to talk."

Thelani nodded, anxiety gnawing at her. She wasn't sure what to expect.

"About yesterday," Lucas began, his tone softer now. "I thought you were experienced. If I had known, I would've handled things differently."

Thelani felt numb, the words barely registering as she nodded mechanically.

"I want to make it up to you, okay?" Lucas continued. "How about we go to Cape Town this weekend? I'll make it special."

"Cape Town? What's the point?" Thelani's voice trembled. "What happened... it can't just be undone by a trip."

Lucas frowned, surprised by her resistance. "You don't want Cape Town? Fine, pick any place you want, my love."

"Lucas, you're not understanding me," Thelani said, her voice growing steadier.

"Understanding what?" Lucas asked, confusion etched on his face.

"Yesterday... I tried to stop you, but you didn't listen," she said, her voice wavering.

Lucas seemed even more confused. "What are you saying, Thelani?"

"Nothing," she replied quietly, exhaustion weighing heavily on her. "I'm tired. I need to rest."

"Talk to me," Lucas insisted, his voice tinged with desperation.

But Thelani had already started to walk away, needing space, needing to get away from him. As she moved toward her bedroom, her footsteps felt heavy, the air thick with unspoken tension.

"Don't walk away from me!" Lucas shouted suddenly, his voice harsh and startling. Thelani stopped in her tracks, fear gripping her as she turned to face him.

"Do you think everything I've done for you was out of generosity? No, Thelani, it's give and take. You owe me. Now, stop crying and smile."

Thelani looked at him, fear and disbelief swirling inside her. This wasn't the man she thought she knew. This was someone different, someone who saw her as something to be owned rather than cared for.

Shocked and struggling to process what was happening, Thelani felt the room closing in around her. She realized, with a sinking heart, that she was truly in a dangerous situation.

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