A WEB OF DECEIT

chapter 61

Thelani

I closed the door to my office with shaky hands,  as if that would somehow keep the fear from rushing in. My whole body trembled as the reality of what had just happened sank in. Lucas was losing his mind. What had started as a tense encounter had quickly spiraled into something far darker. He wasn’t just jealous—he was possessive, dangerous.

Tears blurred my vision, and no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t stop them from streaming down my face. The weight of it all—Lucas’s threats, the wedding, the baby—was suffocating me. My phone rang, Nkosikhona’s name flashing across the screen. I stared at it, my breath catching in my throat. I couldn’t talk to him. He’d hear it in my voice, the fear, the panic. What could I even say? That his father had just tried to kiss me, that he’d claimed me as his?

No. I let the call go to voicemail and tossed my phone onto the desk, burying my face in my hands. What was I going to do?

A soft knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I wiped at my face, trying to hide the evidence of my tears, but it was no use. The door creaked open, and Mbali’s concerned face peeked in.

“Bestie,” she whispered, stepping inside and closing the door behind her. “What’s going on? Who was that man? You’ve been in here for hours, and you look—” She paused, her eyes wide with worry. “Babe, are you okay?”

She fired questions at me, one after another, her concern palpable. But I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t find the words. My hands were trembling, my heart still racing. Finally, I took a shaky breath and looked up at her.

“That was Lucas, Mbali,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.

Her eyes widened in shock, her hand flying to her mouth. “Wait, what? *The* Lucas? Your ex? Your... your *father-in-law*?”

I nodded slowly, and her face twisted in disbelief. “Yes, Mbali. *That* Lucas.”

“Oh my god,” she gasped, rushing over to me and pulling me into a tight hug. “Babe, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know. I didn’t even know it was him. He used a different name when he came in—said he was a potential investor. I should have... Oh my god, Thelani, I’m so sorry. Is the baby okay? Are you okay? What did he say? What did he do?”

Her words came out in a rush, and I could see the panic in her eyes. She was as shaken as I was, but I could barely process her questions. My mind was still stuck on what had happened just moments before.

“He... he tried to kiss me,” I said, my voice breaking as I recalled the moment Lucas’s lips had brushed my cheek. I could still feel his grip on my arm, the way he had claimed me as his. “He told me I belong to him. That I’ll never marry Nkosikhona.”

Mbali’s eyes flashed with anger. “What?! He tried to kiss you? That bastard!”

I nodded, tears welling up again. “I don’t know what to do, Mbali. I’m scared. All of this—Lucas, the wedding, the baby—it’s getting more and more complicated. I don’t know how much more I can take.”

Mbali squeezed my hand tightly, her expression softening as she saw the fear in my eyes. “Chomi, I don’t even know what to say. This is... a lot. But you can’t let Lucas control you like this. You’re strong. Stronger than you think. And you’ve got people who care about you—Nkosi, me. You don’t have to go through this alone.”

I nodded, but the fear still gripped me. “What if he comes back, Mbali? What if he doesn’t stop?”

She bit her lip, her face serious now. “If he does, we’ll figure it out. You need to take care of yourself and the baby. That’s the most important thing right now.”