A WEB OF DECEIT ✔️

chapter 69

Nkosikhona

I gripped the steering wheel tighter as I pulled into the driveway, trying to push down the tension swirling in my chest. The iron gates of my estate slid shut behind me, a false sense of security settling over the property. No matter how high the walls or how many guards I had, it never felt enough. Not now, not after seeing Celani standing on the side of the road, pregnant and tired. Her words echoed in my head, taunting me.

_“I’m pregnant. And it’s yours.”_

How the hell could that be possible? It didn’t make sense. But in the pit of my stomach, I knew she wasn’t lying. That night was a blur, fragments of memory slipping through my fingers like sand. I had been drugged. I knew it. And used. I clenched my jaw, trying to swallow the rage building inside me.

But I couldn’t dwell on that now. Thelani needed me, and my family came first.

I parked the car and stepped out, the cool breeze hitting my skin. As I walked into the house, the warmth of home wrapped around me, soothing the edges of my unease. From the living room, I could hear Thelani humming softly to our newborn daughter. For a moment, everything else faded.

“There you are,” her voice broke through my thoughts. She was sitting on the couch, cradling our daughter, her smile lighting up the room. “I was starting to think you got lost.”

I forced a smile and walked over to her, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Got caught in traffic,” I lied, gently touching our baby’s tiny hand. As much as I tried to focus on the love I felt for my family, the mess with Celani lingered in the back of my mind.

“How are you feeling?” I asked, settling beside her.

“A little better,” she said, giving me a quick glance. “Still tired, but the doctor said that’s normal.” Her eyes lingered on me, studying my face. “Is everything okay? You seem... distracted.”

I hesitated. Should I tell her about Celani? About the baby? No. Not now. Thelani had just given birth. She didn’t need more on her plate. But the weight of it gnawed at me. The truth would come out eventually. It always did.

“I’m fine,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady. “Just ran into some old business today. Nothing to worry about.”

She frowned, clearly not buying it. “Old business? What kind of business?”

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I glanced at the screen—a message from one of the guards.

**“Sir, there’s a woman here asking to see you. She says her name is Celani.”**

My stomach dropped. _She came here._

“Everything okay?” Thelani asked, noticing the change in my expression.

“I need to take care of something,” I muttered, standing up quickly. I couldn’t let Thelani get involved in this. Not with our baby. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

Before she could protest, I was already halfway to the door, the tension building with each step toward the gate. What the hell was Celani thinking, showing up here? She had no right, not after what she and her mother had done.

When I reached the gate, I saw her standing there, looking even worse than before. Exhausted, heavy with the pregnancy, her eyes wide with desperation.

“Nkosikhona, please, I just need to talk to you,” she called out.

I didn’t respond at first. Just opened the gate and stepped out, making sure the guard stayed back. I didn’t want this scene escalating any more than it already had.