Chapter Twenty two

STRING OF PEARLS

TWENTY TWO

ONEZWA

"Baby, wake up," Troy gently shakes me. I don't know how I dozed off with my mind bombarded with thoughts.

"We are going to have to separate. I'll find you on the other side. Sethunya here will help you cross," he says, and I look at him bewildered.

"Why are we separating? Troy, please, what if I get arrested?" I ask, on the verge of tears.

His expression turns stern. "Onezwa, this isn't the time. For once, do as I tell you and go with him." He pecks my lips and climbs out of the car, leaving me with the driver.

"Don't worry, ma'am, you're in good hands. Someone's waiting for you with a change of clothes," Sethunya says.

I don't bother to answer him. I take out my phone and attempt to call the store, but Sethunya snatches it from my hands.

"What are you doing?" I snap.

"You'll get it back on the other side," he says.

I scoff. We pass a sign reading "Welcome to Windhoek."

"You can get out of the car. Go straight to that woman wearing a police uniform. She'll give you clothes to wear," Sethunya instructs.

"Kom, fatty, ek het nie die hele dag nie," the woman in the police uniform says when I approach her.

I look behind me, and the Sethunya and the jeep are out of sight.

"Kom," the woman says, leading me into the toilets before handing me a plastic bag. "Wear that, I'm coming."

I heave a sigh and change into the police uniform. A few moments later, the woman walks back and smiles.

"Good, you're done," she says, handing me a key card and clipboard.

She leads the way to a small gate, where she uses the key card, and we enter the yard. My heart beats fast.

Finally, I get to walk out of the gate into Namibia.

The woman tells me to wait for a bus that will take about an hour to reach a guesthouse where my husband Troy will find me.

I want to ask questions, but she seems impatient and in a hurry.

I take the bus and get to the guesthouse just as instructed.

At the reception, the woman expects me and shows me to my room, promising food.

I throw myself onto the bed and break into a sob.

Where is Troy? Is he safe? And what have I gotten myself into?

.I wake up to the sound of knocks on my door.

"Room service," a soft voice says.

I get out of bed, still feeling heavy-eyed, and open the door.

A friendly-faced reception woman greets me with a warm smile. "Good morning, ma'am. I brought your breakfast."

"Thank you," I say, taking the tray from her.

As she turns to leave, I ask, "Do you know when my husband will arrive?"

She looks at me with a mixture of curiosity and caution. "I'm not sure, ma'am. But I'll let him know you're looking for him."

I nod and close the door, my mind racing.

Who is Troy, really? What has he gotten me into?

I eat my breakfast, trying to shake off the uneasy feeling.

The rest of the day passes slowly. I pace around the room, watching TV, and taking a long bath.

As night falls, I hear knocks on the door again.

"Troy?" I ask, opening it.

But it's not Troy. It's Sethunya.

"Ma'am, I've come to take you to a safer location," he says, his expression serious.

My heart sinks. What now?

MCEDISI

I received a tip that Troy was hiding in Namibia. I assembled a team and headed there immediately.

Getting into the country was easier than expected, thanks to a cooperative woman at the border post who spilled the beans. She revealed the location where Troy was supposedly meeting his "big woman" - none other than Onezwa.

As we arrived at the guesthouse, a black Jeep attempted to make a hasty exit. We swiftly blocked the vehicle, and my men surrounded it with guns drawn.

The driver stepped out with his hands raised in surrender. I opened the back door, and Onezwa let out a blood-curdling scream as our eyes locked.

"You're dead!" she cries, her voice trembling with shock.

I smiled faintly, helping her out of the car and pulling her into my arms. She burst into gut-wrenching sobs.

"He said he killed you," she whispers, her voice barely audible.

I cupped her face, my eyes locked on hers. "I'm here, I'm alive, and I still fucken love you," I declare, my voice filled with emotion.

I took the opportunity to steal a tender kiss.

The next day...

We managed to escape Namibia and made our way back to KZN. I booked a hotel room for Onezwa and me. Troy had vanished into thin air, but fortunately, Sethunya was cooperative, providing valuable information.

According to Sethunya, Troy planned to cross the border into Botswana, where he had siblings. This revelation made perfect sense.

Last night, when we arrived at the hotel, Onezwa was too shaken to discuss anything. I simply held her until she drifted off to sleep.

This morning, I decided to surprise her with breakfast in bed. However, when I entered the bedroom with the tray, she was already in the shower.

I waited patiently for her to finish. The door swung open, and she stepped out, wrapped in a towel.

"Hi," I greet, getting up and walking towards her.

"Hi," she replies shyly.

"I made you breakfast," I say, chuckling.

"Thank you."

"I don't have clothes," she mentions heaving a sigh.

"We can retrieve your clothes from his place," I suggest.

"Do you know where he is?" she asks.

I shake my head. "I'll find him, and I'll kill him," I vow.

She let out a deep sigh, her reaction catching me off guard. I expected her to plead for Troy's life, but instead, she seemed unmoved.

NARRATED

Mcedisi decides to help Onezwa lotion her back, but his expression darkens when he sees fading bruises.

"Don't tell me he hit you," he growls through gritted teeth.

She looks away, her voice barely above a whisper. "It happened the morning you came to his house."

Mcedisi's face twists in rage. He paces, breathing heavily, struggling to calm down.

"Why didn't you say anything?" he demands, cupping her face.

"I...because I'm not your problem," she replies softly.

He scoffs. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"

She chuckles, her voice laced with sarcasm. "Mcedisi, please, you don't love me. You love the thrill of forbidden desire. You love wanting what you can't have. If everything goes your way, you'll have your cake and eat it too."

He chuckles, his eyes glinting with amusement. "I need to make a few calls. Enjoy your breakfast."

He steps out of the bedroom, leaving her feeling emptiness wash over her. She sighs, tormented by her love for Masibiya's husband.

As she sits there, she can't help but think about how much she hates loving him.