"Thulile, are you okay?"

Lars couldn't explain why he felt flustered like a parent whose child was picked on at school.

"Thulile?"

"Sir, you needn't do this," said Sibil, who stood with a duster.

Lars got up, and Morris arrived to fetch Thulile, "please come with me."

Thulile got up.

"Hey, where are you taking her?" Lars asked.

"To get a little fresh air, sir. We'll be back in a minute."

Dalai joined Lars; his presence halted the man who wished to follow Thulile.

"What's going on?" Dalai asked and looked about to see if everyone's gaze still followed the cup episode. The man thought of the incident at the restaurant and presumed Lars was acting up again.

Lars turned to Palesa, "what happened?"

"She was making coffee, and she just dropped the cup at the announcement."

During that time, Thulile followed Morris, who bought her to a study, "madame will join you shortly."

Thulile barely seized what the man said as he left her in the room. Indeed, Elije and her were worlds apart. The immensity of the house alone attested it. Gold spoon or sliver, for Thulile the man had both. She was more than delusional when she imagined he would marry her; she was insane.

The tears that fell were those of lucidity as Thulile saw the naked truth. Elije's absences and busy schedules all found answers. Gisele was the woman Mabel saw in Durban. Nandi had warned her, and she didn't listen.

How she wished she did. She would have walked away from the relationship with her head up. Thulile didn't have time to finish her reflection as the studies door opened, and in came Senara," sorry for making you wait. A guest held me back."

"If it's about the cup, I will pay."

"What? Oh, no, child. Please don't be silly. What do I care about a cup and a saucer? No, it's about you, Thulile, you and my son," Senara said as she walked around Thulile and stopped in front of her, "I guess it's true what they say. One is never ugly, they're just poor, but I can fix that, Thulile."

"Pardon?"

Senara walked to her desk, "how long were you with Elije, three, four, no six years, or is it seven years? Wow, time does fly," the woman said, blinking at her own words before taking something out of her drawer.

"You took good care of him during these years, thank you. I think you deserve something. I mean, he did waste your time. Men love to do that; they wring us dry before marrying someone more adapted to their stature and desires. You're not the first or the last woman this will happen to, but in you're misfortune, you're lucky I'm here. So tell me, Thulile, how much do you estimate the prejudice you experienced? Say your price. Yours will be mine. Don't be shy; I have more money than you can imagine."

"Youㅡyou, want to pay me?"

Senara rolled her eyes to the side, "yes, of course. You didn't think I'd do all this triad for the show, did you?"

"I don't want your money."

"Of course, you don't, dear, you have some pride, but I'll give it to you anyway so that I can feel better. So what do you say? A Thousand dollars for each year spent with Elije plus tonight's salary. Does that seem correct to you?"

Thulile boiled; who did this woman think she was? At that point, she exploded, "I SAID I DIDNT WANT YOUR MONEY."

The music and the conversations drowned Thulile's voice.

Senara blinked before chuckling, "eh-eh, who do you think you are yelling at?" The woman left her desk and came in front of Thulile.

"I'm not a prostitute. I don't want your money."

"But you will take it," Senara said, while she stuffed the check she filled in in Thulile's hand, "I know how you Chidudem people are. I don't want you cursing my son in your sleep."

Thulile's eyes became slits, "I don't want it." She scrunched the paycheck and dropped it on the floor.

"Oh my, you have your father's eyes," Senara said while she stretched her hand out to touch Thulile's face. "Your father too played," Senara stopped, "perhaps you should make me some coffee. Maybe you'll understand then I'm not someone to trifle with ever."

"Why? Why are you doing this to me? Why do you speak of my father this way?"

Senara sighed, "I'm not doing this to you. I'm doing this for you. I'm giving you money so you can leave that township shack you call home for better horizons. I mean, your years of service deserve it."

"Stop it," again the tears fell, "stop speaking of me as if I'm your employee. I didn't serve; I loved Elije."

"Okay," Senara lifted her hand to a halt, "you're emotional. I understand you can leave. Morris will contact you concerning our little arrangement."

Senara didn't need to say it twice Thulile turned and headed to the door. She found Morris outside. Did the man hear the conversation? Thulile didn't care. All she wanted was out; she felt as though the walls closed in on her. The woman ran.

"Morris."

"Yes, madame. You did a good job today. Thank you for bringing her here. I hope she got the message. Make sure to give her the paycheck and watch that she spends it."

"Yes, madame."

Senara stood at the window and watched Thulile run to the garden house. Chidudem, she barely got rid of one that another came to ruin her plans.

"Senara, you must go to the police. Otherwise, you will ruin your lineage. Karma's boomerang always comes back to the sender."

Thulile's father's gift was more incredible than his daughter's. He not only saw words but people's actions. One day he saw something he shouldn't, and he paid the price of his vision.

In the meantime, Palesa made the cups with the blend Thulile had already made, and she wondered what was she would do once it ran out.

Lars and Dalai found themselves in the company of the newly engaged couple, "congratulations on your engagement, miss Burke Bridges or should I already say Mkhize," Dalai said with an uncanny smile of his concoction.

"Oh, Dalai, stop it."

"How are you, Dalai?" Elije asked.

"Not as good as you, man. You look amazing at the same time; you have one heck of a future wife."

"I said stop, Dalai."

Lars watched the scene. They all appeared to know each other well.

"Who's?"

"Oh, this is Lars, my friend from Sweden."

"Nice to meet you. I am Elije Mkhize, and this is my fiancee Gisele."

The man had to put up a front; his mother's word hung like a Damocles sword on his head.

"Nice to meet you too."

Lars wondered where Thulile was. His eyes darted in search of her.

While they chatted, Julian looked for Thulile and found her leaving the garden house.

"Thulile, Thulile, wait."

The woman stopped, "ulijua [you knew], ulijua Julian. Ungewezaje hii kutokea? [How could you let this happen?]"

"I'm sorry, Thulile, I'm so sorry."

"Men, of your status think' that we are playthings."

"No, Thulile, I'm not like that," the man said, stretching out his hand to touch her shoulder.

"Don't touch me, usiniguse."

Inside, Lars managed to ditch the group and found himself outside. There was no one around. The man followed the sound of fleeing steps.

"Thulile, I told Elije to tell you."

"How long, Julian? How long was the engagement planned?

The man shook his head, "it doesn't matter, Thulile."

"It does to me," Thulile said while she banged her fist on her chest, "was it fun to see your friend operate on me. Did it Jux [excite] you?"

"No, Thulile. I swear; I kept telling him to speak to you."

Lars only understood half of what was said, but he caught on to most of it. The man looked back on the house; it seemed the future groom laid his bed in more than one area of Joburg.

He waited to see Thulile pass the gate before going back inside.

"Where were you?" Dalai asked when he got back, "Mkhize junior seems keen on having you invest in Nzuri. Come on; he's in a good mood guess his engagement is getting to his head."

"Eh, I'm sorry, Dalai, I think I ate something that didn't sit well."

Dalai frowned, "what are you talking about? You only ate two toasts."

"I guess the salmon was bad. There's nothing better than ours back home. I think I'll call it a night."

"You're joking, right. I mean, Lars, this is the deal you don't want to miss."

Lars looked to his side before returning his gaze on Dalai. He frowned, shrugged, and said, "I doubt I need it. I have something better."

He turned on his heels and headed to the nearest exit leaving Dalai dumbstruck. Lars hurried to his car.

On the road, Thulile sniffed as she tried to hold back her tears. Her strides were huge; she just wanted to get away, but the heels she wore prevented her from running. She should have brought her sneakers. The woman took off the heels and walked barefoot when an SUV pulled up by her side.

"Where are you going?"

In the tumult, she had forgotten him.

"Get in. I'll drop you off."

The woman stopped, "go away."

"Hey, I didn't do anything."

"Leave me alone," the woman said, resuming her stride and making him follow in his car.

"Thulile."

"I said leave me."

The man stopped the car. Why were women so stubborn?

He sighed, took off his suit jacket, chucked it at the back, and got out, "Thulile, come on. Don't be like this. You're not going to cry a river for a cup, are you?" As always, the pun was lame and added salt to the already sore situation.

"You don't understand. Leaveㅡ," before Thulile could finish, Lars lifted her and threw her on his shoulder as if she were a bag of ten kilos of basmati rice.

"Put me down, Lars. Put me down."

"Stop moving."

"Put me down."

The man opened the door to his car, threw Thulile on the back seat. He then locked the door and went to sit in the driver's seat. Lars watched Thulile sit up in the rearview mirror and push away the braids from her face.

"If you want to cry, do it here."

Thulile huffed with anger. What was wrong with this man? Why did he have to be there all the time?

The woman couldn't hold it in any longer; she facepalmed and began to cry as though someone had announced her parent's death again.

The rest of the evening carried on without Lars and Thulile. Elije waited for everyone to go to sleep to find his mother. Of course, she was in her study.

"You planned this, didn't you? You made sure Thulile came to the party."

"I'm not going to lie. I did; I did it for your good. Do you think I don't know how you men work? I live with the biggest womanizer in the country. Like father like son. I bet you planned to make her your mistress. I will not have you perpetuate that practice. My son will not be another sperm donor that will divide the empire I built with his illegitimate offspring. I gave her money. She won't be bothering you."

Elije shook his head, "you won't make me believe she took it. Thulile isn't like that."

Senara smiled, "true, but she will, and trust me, she will spend it once she realizes all was a mirage.

Hi friends,

I just finished the chapter. There are a lot of interactions, again I hope it all makes sense.

Take care!