Chapter 49
Zioh
Voices echoed as if I were underwater.
My body moved, but it didn’t feel like mine; everything around me felt a step too far.
I stared at Tshabina.
Her face was etched with pain—and yet, still full of trust in me. I’m so fucking sorry.
I took a breath. Once. Twice.
I couldn’t believe anything inside me. I didn’t have anything to hold on to. I remembered her words that night, when she told me that someday she wouldn’t have anything left to stay for. That was why I couldn’t make another mistake, because this time, I’d lose her for good.
She’d see me differently.
Like they all did.
She looked at me, and those hazel eyes made me remember how to breathe again. She calmed the storm, like a string holding me back from the abyss.
As the silence fell between us, the overwhelming weight and the noise crept back to consume me.
I shoved my hand into my pocket and grabbed my phone.
Him. Her.
They plotted something.
Everything was always right. He wanted to torture me in the worst way.
I opened the CCTV app and scrolled through the hundreds of feeds from that house. My fingers shook as I tapped into the dining room. Empty. No one was there anymore. Scrolling again, I found Living Room 3, beside the dining room.
There they were. Zaeem, Zeraiah, and Cindy.
My body went stiff. I tapped the speaker icon and plugged in my AirPods. Their voices split through—shouts, curses.
Zaeem dragged Cindy towards the lift, ordering her to leave. But she fought like a demon, thrashing and screaming, making Zeraiah shout back at her.
“ARGHHHHH!” Cindy’s scream cracked the air as she shoved Zaeem back.
She tore open her bag, rummaging like a lunatic. Then she yanked out a few brown file folders, waving them high, her eyes sharp with triumph. “I have plenty! Plenty! So don’t you dare mess with me!” she shrieked.
I stared at those file folders, and my heart stuttered. The contents were easy to guess—there were only three possibilities. Something about me. About Zeraiah. Or about… Mum.
Zeraiah lunged at her again, fury in every step, and Zaeem had to restrain him once more. I shut my eyes as unease circled my mind and unbearable tension ripped through me.
Not this time. There had to be a way this time.
I wouldn’t let it happen.
Could you really hurt her? Break your promise to her?
I didn’t!
You were cruel and crazy, Zioh.
I forced my eyes back to my phone screen. Screamed. Objects crashed, curses filling the room. Zeraiah kept spitting rage at her, and Zaeem’s voice roared for the guards.
Security stormed in and dragged Cindy away. Zaeem threatened her, warning that this was her last chance before he escalated things.
But Cindy, like a possessed witch, shrieked louder as two guards yanked her back.
“He’s mine! MINE!” she screamed, fighting, her voice ragged. “You all want a fucking game? FINE! LET’S PLAY THIS GAME! Do you hear me?!”
She pointed at Zeraiah. “It’s not just you I’ll destroy!” she spat, before her voice rose to a scream. “But that woman too!”
Zeraiah exploded, trying to hurl himself at her again, but Zaeem dragged him back. I gasped for air, forcing my eyes shut and counting each breath.
In. Hold. Out.
Count.
When I opened my eyes again, the feed was empty.
Where did they go? What were they saying? What were they doing?
I scrolled, flicking through camera after camera—until I found it.
Dad’s study. I tapped it open. And there.
Dad and Zaeem.
My finger slammed the speaker icon.
Zaeem’s jaw locked, and his fists clenched tight. “What is wrong with you, Dad?!” he shouted, pointing at him.
Dad sat behind his desk, sipping vodka while pinning Zaeem with a cold stare.
“You’ve gone too far this time!”
“Watch your mouth,” Dad snapped, his tone sharp as a blade. His gaze cut upward. “I’ve had enough of your brothers’ curses, and now you, too? You want to defy me, too?!”
Zaeem’s chest heaved, his hands dragging down his face in frustration. “Why did you invite that woman here?” His voice was like ice, but his eyes burned. “I told you what that mad bitch did to my brothers!”
Dad rose, stepping past him. “I know,” His voice remained calm, narrowing at him. “That’s why I let you deal with her when you begged me to trust you.”
His voice darkened as he stepped closer. “But you lied to me, Zaeem!” His voice snapped like a whip as he jabbed a finger at him. “You said your brothers were cured, that they were better, improving, et cetera!”
He gritted his teeth. “But what do I see? Zeraiah’s pathetic, disgusting behaviour hasn’t stopped. And Zioh—” His words struck like knives— “Still swallowing pills. They’re still crazy!”
“Don’t call them that—”
“Then don’t blame me if I call her here to tell me the truth about my own sons!” Dad hissed, his breath sharp. “Turns out that lunatic knows more about them than I do!”
His glare flared darker. “How patient have I been, Zaeem? I even refrained from interfering in your brothers’ treatments at your request. And what did you do? You gave him a worthless doctor, and he’s still defective!”
Stillness took Zaeem completely, his face hardening.
I dug my nails into my palms.
Zaeem’s voice cracked with fury. “You know why Zioh was terrified of treatment and why he finally agreed—” He looked at Dad as if searching for him, searching for our father.
“And you know exactly what that bitch did to find out about them!” His voice shattered into a roar. “So why? That woman already—”
“I know,” Dad replied, swirling his vodka as he sank onto the sofa. “And I told you to deal with her. But what happened? Nothing.” A cold stare pinned Zaeem to the spot. “You even barred your grandfather and me from interfering.”
Zaeem’s breath tore out from him, his glare burning deeper.
“So what’s your solution? Silence Cindy?
Bribe her? Threaten her?” He leaned in, his eyes narrowing.
“You think I haven’t tried? Years, Dad. Years!
I even filed restraining orders. But she always slips through!
Her father had her committed, the courts dismissing her as mentally unstable.
And when she’s out? She comes back again and again.
Zioh has had to move a thousand times because of her! ”
His voice broke into another scream. “And now what? Is your solution to kidnap her? Kill her?” His nostrils flared. “Who’s crazy here?!”
Dad’s glare sharpened, but Zaeem’s fury surged. “Do you even hear yourself?!” he cried. “This isn’t fiction, Dad! This is reality! And you brought her here? Are you serious?!”
Zaeem’s eyes blazed. “I explained everything. She’s holding something I can’t—”
“So my solution is vile but true, isn’t it?!” Dad’s voice exploded. “Burn her house. Poison her. Do whatever it takes to make sure my name and this company aren’t destroyed! Just do something!”
Zaeem stood frozen, staring in disbelief. He shook his head slowly, looking at the ceiling for a long moment before turning back to our father. “It’s always fucking company!” His voice exploded, shifting from rage to a desperate tremble. “That’s all you care about?! Dad, your sons are dying!”
Dad’s gaze stayed fixed, cold. “Your grandfather loves you, doesn’t he? That’s why he held back, because you begged him not to interfere.”
Zaeem drew in a sharp, broken breath, dragging his hand down his face. “Grandpa doesn’t know,” his voice cracked. “He doesn’t know about Cindy. Only we do, Dad. Zioh didn’t want anyone to know. He feels so low, so broken that he can’t bear it.”
My brother’s eyes reddened. “That’s why I told you, because you’re our father.” His voice came out low and shaking, and it felt as if a thousand sharp stings were hitting my chest. “But this? What the hell is this?”
Zaeem dropped to his knees before our father, gripping his shoulders and shaking him with raw despair. “Look at him!” he cracked. “Look at my little brothers, Dad! How can you do this to them?!” He shut his eyes. “He’s always afraid—”
“You hear that?” Dad thundered, his eyes blazing. “His accusation against me?!”
“Dad—”
“If I knew he was still crazy.” He scoffed. “Still defective. I would’ve done worse than this!” His voice sliced cold. “To make sure he was fine!”
“No.” Zaeem cut in, low but fierce. “Not to make sure he was fine.” His eyes stabbed into him. “But to make sure he didn’t shame you!” he roared, shaking with fury. “And I can’t do that to him!” My brother’s voice broke into a whisper, aching. “My little brother’s been through enough…”
“They’re in so much pain, Dad.”
Dad’s face stayed stone. “And I’ll be destroyed if my image, the company I built with my blood and sweat, is ruined because of them. Especially your youngest brother, who’s always been a disappointment. Now get out.”