A WEB OF DECEIT

chapter 70

**Sipho**
[Ayanda's boyfriend/Nkosikhona's ex best friend]

For years, the rage simmered under the surface, threatening to boil over. I had been following Nkosikhona ever since he took everything from me-my girlfriend, Ayanda, and my unborn child. Eight years of hatred hardened my soul. I swore I would make him feel the same pain. I had to wait. I had to be patient. He thought he could just walk away from what he did, but he was dead wrong. I was going to make sure he paid.

The 3 million he left in the trash can? Perfect. That was my ticket out of the hellhole I was in. I took the money, bought a house, set myself up. I kept tabs on him as best as I could, but when he moved out of his family's house, he became harder to trace. That didn't matter. I knew where he was heading. I just needed the right moment.

Revenge wasn't enough; it had to be personal. I had to wait for him to find someone he truly loved. That's how I'd break him. Just like how he broke me when he took Ayanda. It took time, but he did find someone-Thelani. She was perfect. Now, she was pregnant, and that was my opening.

I had visited their apartment once before. Thelani's stomach wasn't even showing back then. I couldn't move yet. I needed her to be heavily pregnant, so that when I killed her, Nkosikhona would feel the full weight of the loss-just as I had. Today, I finally had my shot.

The plan was set, but I needed help. I couldn't do this alone. There was someone who hated Nkosikhona as much as I did. Mos. Nkosikhona put him in jail. Mos would be more than eager to assist once I told him my plan. This was going to be fun.

I headed to the prison where Mos was serving time. I bribed the right people and got in without hassle. I sat across from him in the dimly lit room. His face, as hard as stone, softened when he saw me. He knew I wasn't here just for a visit.

"Sipho," Mos said, leaning back in his chair, his eyes narrowing with curiosity. "I didn't expect to see you here. What brings you?"

I leaned forward, my voice low, barely above a whisper. "I have a plan to take down Nkosikhona. I need your help."

Mos smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You've been after him for years, haven't you? What's changed?"

I chuckled bitterly. "Everything. He's moved on. Found himself a new life, a new woman. She's pregnant." I paused, letting the words hang in the air. "I want to destroy him. I want him to know exactly what it feels like to lose someone he loves, someone carrying his child."

Mos's smirk turned into a grin. "So, you want to hit him where it hurts the most. I like it. But how do I fit into all of this?"

"You remember what he did to you, right? He put you in here, and you've been rotting in this cell ever since. If we work together, we can make sure he loses everything-his family, his freedom, his life. I know you have connections. I need them to get close to Thelani. When the time's right, I'll do the rest."

Mos leaned forward, his face inches from mine. "You're playing with fire, Sipho. Killing a pregnant woman? That's a whole different level of revenge."

I didn't flinch. "Ayanda was pregnant when he killed her. I'm just returning the favor."

Mos sat back, his eyes cold and calculating. He was silent for a moment, weighing the consequences. Then, he nodded. "I'll help you. I'll put you in touch with the right people. But know this, once you start this, there's no going back. Nkosikhona's not stupid. He'll come for you."

"Let him try," I said, my voice like steel. "I've been waiting for this for eight long years. I won't rest until he's on his knees, begging for mercy."

Mos grinned again, a sinister glint in his eyes. "I like the sound of that. Let's get to work."