A WEB OF DECEIT

Chapter 66

Thelani

Mbali turned to me the moment Nkosikhona stepped out of the house, her eyes flickering with concern. I could see that look—she wasn’t just worried, she was analyzing, trying to piece something together. Something she wasn’t saying out loud yet.

“Chomi,” she began, her voice low, “have you noticed how Nkosikhona keeps having business to deal with? Always working late, disappearing to meetings?”

I frowned, leaning against the kitchen counter as I stirred the pot on the stove. “What are you trying to say, Mbali? You know Nkosikhona has businesses.”

“I know, but what type of businesses?” she pressed, crossing her arms over her chest. “Look at this house, Thelani. This place costs millions. It’s bigger than his last house, and even that one was fancy. The furniture, the artwork, the interior design—everything here screams ‘money’ like nothing I’ve ever seen before. And it’s not just the house. Have you ever wondered why he has so many laptops lying around? Or why he’s got all this equipment that looks like it belongs in some high-tech IT office?”

Her words stung, I felt doubt I hadn’t allowed myself to feel until now. I stirred the pot more aggressively, trying to keep my voice steady. “He owns properties, Mbali. That’s serious business. You know how much money that can bring in—rentals, developments. There’s a lot of money in real estate.”

Mbali raised an eyebrow, unconvinced. “Sure, chomi, but even people in property don’t have this kind of lifestyle overnight. And they don’t keep tech gear lying around like it’s nothing. I’ve seen how he moves. There’s something more going on, and I just want you to be careful.”

I sighed, the tension creeping up my spine. “Mbali, where are you going with this? Why are you asking so many questions?”

She shook her head, pushing her braids over her shoulder. “Nothing, chomi, I’m just… curious. I love you, and I don’t want to see you get caught up in something dangerous without even knowing.”

The doubt lingered in the air between us, and I hated it. Nkosikhona had given me no reason to doubt him—yes, he was secretive at times, but we all had our private battles, didn’t we? He was a good man, a man who had come into my life at a time when I needed him. He had rescued me from my own dark path, from the ghosts of my past.

But Mbali wasn’t done. She leaned in closer, her voice soft but serious. “Listen, chomi, I’m not trying to scare you. But I’ve seen things. I’ve heard things. You can’t just trust someone blindly, especially when they move in certain circles.”

I crossed my arms, defensive. “Mbali, we have more serious matters to worry about right now, like Lucas.”

She grimaced, her whole demeanor shifting. “Yeah, chomi, I think that man is obsessed with you. I mean, after everything that happened between you two, he’s still hanging around. What’s wrong with him?”

“I honestly don’t know, Mbali,” I admitted, my voice dropping. I hadn’t wanted to talk about Lucas, but she was right—he was a problem I couldn’t ignore. “He doesn’t take no for an answer. It’s like the more I try to push him away, the more determined he becomes to stay in my life. It’s… it’s suffocating.”

Mbali shook her head in frustration. “He’s not just obsessed. This is dangerous, Thelani. You need to do something, fast. The longer you wait, the worse this could get.”

I ran my fingers through my hair, anxiety gnawing at me. “I don’t know what to do, Mbali. I thought marrying Nkosikhona would be enough to make Lucas back off, but it feels like he’s always watching, always waiting for me to slip up. It’s like he believes I belong to him.”