A WEB OF DECEIT ✔️

chapter 44

Nkosikhona

Life had been good to me lately. I swear, having money really does make the world go round. I'd built connections with some solid businesspeople, made a few investments, and bought some property. I was in the process of renovating a few apartments, almost ready to rent them out. It felt good to be building something again, to have a place to call my own. I'd even bought a house-a real home. That was something I hadn't felt in years.

A few days ago, Duduzile had called, asking me to come back home. Now they cared? After everything, they suddenly wanted me back. I didn't have time for that. I wasn't about to let them reel me back in, so I blocked her number and kept it moving. I had bigger things on my plate.

One of those things was Thelani. We had become good friends, maybe even closer than that, but it wasn't enough for me. I wanted more. I could feel the chemistry between us, the connection, but she wasn't ready for anything serious. I could tell she'd been burned before, had some bad luck with love. It showed in the way she pulled back whenever things got too close. But I wasn't going anywhere. I'd wait, hoping she'd see that not all men were like the ones who'd hurt her before.

Businesswise, Thabo and I had been doing well. We'd ventured into the food industry, buying a well-known franchise that was making us more money than we could've imagined. It was a smart move-a clean front to launder some of the cash we'd gotten through other means. We had to play it safe. We couldn't keep hitting big scores without covering our tracks, and the franchise gave us a way to do that. Our latest hack had pulled in R35 million. It had been a rush, the thrill of getting away with it, the surge of adrenaline... But we knew when to take a step back and let things cool down.

But tonight wasn't about the money or the business. It was about Tee. When she called me, her voice shaking with fear, I dropped everything. I didn't care about the apartments or the deals-I just needed to get to her. When I found her, stranded on the side of the road, I could see the fear in her eyes. She hugged me tight as soon as I reached her, and I held her just as tight. I never wanted to see her that scared again.

As we drove back to her place, we were quiet. She was lost in thought, and I didn't push. When we arrived, though, things went from bad to worse. There was an eviction notice on her door, and her face crumbled as she realized what it meant. She hadn't paid rent, and now she was being kicked out.

I looked at her, tears welling up in her eyes, and it broke me. When we pulled up to my house, I could see the surprise in her eyes. It wasn't your typical bachelor pad. The walls were sleek, painted black, and everything was modern and minimal. I didn't flaunt my wealth, didn't need to. But I could tell she hadn't expected this.

"Wow," she breathed as she stepped inside. "This is where you live?"

"Yeah," I said, smiling as I led her through the house. "Make yourself at home."

She looked around like she was seeing me for the first time. "This is your house?" she asked, still in disbelief. "You own this place?"

I chuckled softly. "Yep. This is home."

She was still in shock, but I could see her start to relax. I went to the bar and grabbed a bottle of wine. I wasn't much of a wine drinker, but I kept a bottle around for guests.

"Would you like some wine?" I asked, holding up the bottle.

"Yes, please," she said, still glancing around.

I poured her a glass and led her to the guest room. "So, this is where you'll be staying tonight. It's not much, but it's clean and quiet. You'll have some privacy."

She sat down on the edge of the bed and smiled weakly. "It's perfect, Nkosi. Thank you."

I could see the weight of the day still hanging heavy on her shoulders. She was trying to be strong, but I could feel the sadness radiating from her. I sat beside her, placing a hand on her back gently. "Don't worry. It's going to be okay, beautiful. I promise."