Unhinged Love

Epilogue - Part 1: Growth in Grace

Two Years Later

I never imagined my name would echo in rooms I once only dreamed of entering. Yet here I am — Hlengiwe Mabuyakhulu, founder of Healthy Eats Academy, keynote speaker at international food summits, and mentor to young women who remind me of the girl I used to be. I could have gone back to my real name, Lungiswa Vilane, but I feel like Hlengiwe is not just a mask I used to hide from the monster who brought me to this earth. But it is an identity of a strong and resilient young woman who came from corrupt riches but decided to make an honest living and break away from those shackles. I know if I had stayed where my father wanted me, I would be on baby number 3 maybe, with zero ambitions and having a limitless shopping card. It looks good on the outside, but I know I would have been dead on the inside because that is not me.

The academy is more than a building. It is a sanctuary. Every time I walk through its doors, I feel my mother’s spirit guiding me. She never got to see this part of my life, but I know she would have been proud. I built this place with her strength stitched into every recipe, every lesson, every plate served. Pamela volunteered to be the head professor at the academy. She said she found peace in teaching young minds the tricks on how to survive in our industry. I thought she would miss the thrill or the heat of the kitchen but no, she has really found herself in the academy. She is even dating one of the instructors there. I don’t know if it is a sincere relationship but I am rooting for them. I am team love all the way.

My days are full — interviews, mentorship sessions, recipe development, and quiet moments where I just sit and watch my students bloom. Some come from broken homes, others from broken dreams. I see myself in them. And I teach them not just how to cook, but how to heal. Winning MCSA had its own advantages because it gave me another kind of fame, the right kind. The kind that makes you relevant in your industry. I had a lot of people wanting to invest to make sure that the academy is a success and it is where it is because of their donations and trust in me. A year after I opened it, we hosted a food competition for both students from the academy and others from outside. We made a whole series and posted it on YouTube, and it actually caught the interest of Showmax producers. They asked if I planned to make it an annual thing because if that were the case, they could air it on their platform. Of course, that was a fantastic opportunity, but I had to weigh the pros and cons for that, and I haven’t given them an answer yet.
Melisizwe has been my anchor. Our love is not loud or flashy. It is steady. It is in the way he warms my tea when I forget it on the counter, or how he listens — really listens — when I talk about my fears. We live together now, in a home filled with books, spices, and laughter. No wedding plans yet, but we are building something deeper than vows. We are building a life. He gave me a ring a year ago and told me to wear it when I feel like I am ready to marry him. I have been ready to marry him for a while now, but I do have my reservations. I know what being a wife entails. I sometimes would have to put his needs above mine just as he constantly put his needs above mine. There are things his family will need from me. Even though he will not force me to do them, I would want to be that submissive wife for him. Because who wouldn’t be submissive when faced with Mnguni. Even his smile makes you want to go down on your knees and say “Yebo baba.”
Last week, I returned from Morocco, where I spoke about healing through food. I stood on that stage, heart pounding, and told the world my story — the pain, the shame, the triumph. I cried. They cried. And when I walked off, I felt lighter. Like I had finally let go of the last piece of the past that tried to define me. Being an influential chef is a full-time thing. I have a PA now who goes wherever I go and makes sure my life is in order. She always submits my name for notable events and some, I just get called to speak in because of who I am. She is perfect though, the best PA ever and she is like my little sister. But then again, every employer of mine is like family. I may have left mine years ago, but through Healthy Eats, I built a new one. My own family full of people I love, trust and respect.
Tonight, I sit on our balcony, wrapped in a blanket, sipping rooibos while Melisizwe reads aloud from a book on African philosophy. He did buy me a beach house even though I wanted to say no and ask that he wait till we are married. After a few months of winning MCSA, I just couldn’t be apart from him anymore. I packed a suitcase, loaded it on my brand-new car, and drove to his workplace. He was so shocked to see me but when I told him I was here to stay, he was over the moon. A month later, he said ‘Let’s go for a drive’. And we ended up in the driveway of this beautiful villa of ours. He made sure the title deed is under my name because we are not married yet and he doesn’t want anyone kicking me out in case he tragically dies. I will not say it has been easy going back and forth between all my restaurants. I have a total of 6 branches now. The mother branch in Richards Bay, the second one in Empangeni, the third one in Umhlali, the fourth one in Ballito, the fifth one in Florida Road and the sixth one in Umhlanga. I plan on opening three more before next year ends, but life is good, man. And I am just blessed.
“I never thought I’d be this woman,” I whisper to Melisizwe.
He looks at me, eyes soft. “You became her because you never stopped choosing yourself.”
I smile. I think of the girl who once hid behind her apron, afraid of being seen. Now, I am seen. I am heard. I am loved. And I am just getting started. I am glad that he fixed his relationship with his children. The first time all of them came to sleepover in the villa with Nomfundo and his grandson, things were awkward at first, but I sat down with Mbulelo and Nomfundo and we ironed things out. We are not besties, but we are civil towards each other, and we are no longer enemies. I had to swallow my pride on some things and make sure to fix those relationships for my man because he has done a lot for me. We still cannot believe that we are grandparents though. Imagine becoming a gogo at age 30? Yoh.

“There is something I want to show you.” I mumble while looking straight into his eyes. He closes the book and focuses on me. I will never get tired of this man making me the center of his world.
“What is it, Ntokazi?” he asks in a voice that makes me blush. He does that and one must get used to it.
I put my hand in my pocket and fidget while trying to put the ring on my finger under his scrutiny. After a minute of making myself a fool, I take a deep breath and thrust my hand on my face. “I bought this really cool and beautiful ring. It suits me, right? What do you think?” I speak so fast, I sound like I am a voicenote on 2x.

“It’s beautiful MaNdiye…” it takes him a few seconds to recognize the most beautiful jewelry he has ever gotten for me. “Is that my ring, baby?”
I pout. “It’s mine now.”
He chuckles before wrapping his arms around me and putting me on his lap. We share a deep, passionate kiss before he exhales loudly and stares straight into my eyes. “You have made me the happiest man alive, and I am grateful that from this day on, I will get to call you my wife and build a family with you. I love you, Hlengiwe Mzimela.”

I blush and look down. “I love you more, Melisizwe Mzimela and I can’t wait to build a life with you. You are the best for me and I am glad I waited for you.”
“Look at me when you speak to me, ntombi yami.”| I giggle and roll my eyes. But then I stare into his bright eyes, and everything just falls into place. Love is never guaranteed because it can disappoint you at any second, but this is the hill I am willing to die on. I am willing to put all my eggs in one basket and that is him. My Mnguni. My definition of crazy, unhinged but beautiful love.
.
.
.
I understood that I left y’all with many questions, but here is a three-part Epilogue made to answer your questions. Don’t predict the next one and don’t thank me, just read and enjoy. Love and light ❤️