*This chapter contains domestic violence*

Lars fought against himself, but his hands moved without his consent. Thulile stood still with her arms beside her.

Lars' fingers only had the time to brush against Thulile's when someone grabbed the woman by the arm.

"Julian."

"Thulile, what are you doing?"

"Hey, let go of her," Lars interjected.

Lars remembered Julian as the guy who spoke to Thulile in the Mkhize's garden. Back then, Lars didn't understand the role he played, but on the rooftop, it was clear for him and Thulile's friends who came to join them.

"Wow, Julian, let go of our baby," Sus said.

Julian knew Thulile's friend's madness level when the hell broke loose.

Nandi was strategically violent, while Sus was a pure savage. Mabel was the one who came with the scratches and wig pulling while screaming her lungs out as if she were the victim.

Thulile was the calm one who warned and walked away. All thought she held back, so the stories bearing her name didn't reach Elije, but the truth was Thulile didn't have the luxury to be like that. Femi and her gran needed her.

There on the rooftop, she was in the cyclops eye.

Julian let go, and Lars stepped back as the conversations became a mix of Swahili, Zulu, Xhosa, and English.

"Ladies, please, can you just let me speak to Thulile a second?"

Everyone turned to Thulile.

She crossed her arms and slid her eyes to the side, "I have nothing to say."

"You don't need to say anything, please, Thulile," Julian pleaded.

She stepped forward, "Thulile, you don't need to hear him," Sus said.

"It's okay, Sus."

Sus turned to Julian and slid a finger across her throat, "Julian, you touch her, and your parents will be shopping for a marble tombstone tomorrow."

The man nodded, and he and Thulile went to a remote rooftop area.

"What do you want, Nkosi?"

"Thulile, I know what Elije did wasㅡ."

"Correction, what you and your bra did."

"Okay, Thulile, I have no excuse. I know deception is brutal, but you can't be flirting with an Afrikaner like that."

"Lars isn't South African; he's European."

Julian slid his head back, "you know him?"

"We're business partners."

"Business?"

Thulile crossed her arms, "yes, business."

"With that man?" Julian added.

"Yes, with that man, I have a contract and everything."

"You have a contract?"

"What do you want, Nkosi? Your bra and I are over. You don't need to play bodyguards anymore. So stay out of my business."

Julian had to think fast, "bring me your contract."

"What?"

"I deceived you, right? The least I can do is help you."

"Julian," Nandi's voice suddenly rang in Thulile's mind. "Have Julian look over it."

Thulile had scruples to ask at the time, but now Julian was almost at her mercy. Perhaps it wasn't a bad idea, but the fact he was Elije's friend bothered her.

"I doubt your bra will be happy about you helping me."

"Don't talk about Elije. It's between you and me."

"How can I trust you, Julian? The way you grabbed my arm earlier,ㅡI'm not your property."

"I'm sorry; it's just when I saw you with that guy," thoughts bustles in his mind. His feelings for her were uncontrollable since she was no longer with Elije. The man wished he was a total stranger to her. Thulile's business partner had more chance than him from where he stood, "I'm sorry, it was out of order. It won't happen again."

Thulile's gaze softened as she remembered how he had taken care of her gran and brother. Despite everything, the deed he accomplished for her family surpassed the bitter sentiments.

"Alright, Julian. I'll show you my contract."

The man noted how she reduced the distance between them by calling him by his first name. Unlike in most cultures, where using someone's surname meant respect. There it was a way of expressing the lack of ties between them.

Nandi called Elije Mhkize from day one, setting the tone for their relationship.

Thulile and Julian went back to find her friends seated with Dalai and his crew. The woman glared at Lars, who shrugged. She then turned to Nandi who winked.

"Julian, my man," Dalai said, got up to give him a handshake and a shoulder hug.

"Wow, you have a full table tonight," Julian said as his eyes swept across all the faces.

The cocktail of guests was dangerous. Dalai's friends were players, and Thulile's were a militia that could make a man fall to his knees in no time.

"Julian, come and sit here," said Sus, who patted the spot beside her. The man imagined she wished to keep an eye on him. Sus just wanted was to avoid the sterile conversations with one of Dalai's friends who didn't know how to read between the lines and distinguish her orientation. Susie, aka Sus, detested blatantly announcing she was a lesbian for heterosexual dunces.

Finally, Thulile sat next to Sus while Julian found himself next to Lars.

"So Thulile says your doing business together."

"Yes," Lars said and picked up his glass of scotch.

"May I ask what kind of business?" Julian pursued.

"Coffee."

"Coffee?"

"Yes, I wish to open Coffee spots with Thulile. Her recipes have potential. She could compete with big names. By the way, I don't think we've been presented."

Julian took out a name card and gave it to Lars.

Lars' lips curved to form a crooked smile as he turned the card back to front, "beer, huh?"

"That's my parent's business. I'm a lawyer."

Thulile watched from across the table. With the music, the woman couldn't hear, "what do you think they're talking about?" She asked Sus.

"You, what else?"

"Why would they do that?"

"Thulile, babes, don't tell me you don't see."

The woman didn't, she had a hard life, and one could assume she had that street smart, and she did for anything that didn't touch relationships. Everyone could see how the two men jousted from their seats.

"Thulile has good friends," Lars said while displaying a smile for Thulile's intention.

Julian followed his gaze and saw how Thulile stared at Lars. He had never seen her with such an expression even when she was with Elije. She seemed reassured. It was that precise look that made Julian grasp her arm. One could read the trust she had in Lars. Julian knew Thulile would have followed Lars wherever he chose to take her if the man had held her hand.

"I'm just looking out for her best interests," Julian replied. He didn't even realize the glowering look he threw.

Nandi and Mabel gave each other an accomplice stare before tapping palms. Though they couldn't hear, the subject of their conversation was evident even for Steven, who began to watch the show halfway.

"Me too," Lars returned.

"I doubt it. See, I know how you European business people operate. You come here, make your money and leave."

"Are you throwing me out of your country?" Lars picked up the name card and read, "Mr. Nkosi."

Julian pursed his lips, bigged them up before swiping a hand on them, holding back the insults that queued up. He hated how Lars pretended not to see where he was coming from while implicitly letting him know his goal.

"I love South Africa, and I think I've found something that could make me stay," Lars said and gave him Julian the kind of plastic grin Mattel could use to create a Ken prototype.

Tired of watching them Thulile got up, "Sus, let's dance."

The two returned to the dance floor, the sensual dance where Sus held Thulile's waist reeled in a lot of attention. Mabel and Nandi remained engrossed in conversations with Dalai's friends.

One was from Nairobi and the other Lagos. Both men were there for business and single on South African grounds.

They were precisely the type of guys the girls knew they could have fun with. Thus the woman continued to feed the conversation.

Julian and Lars kept their eyes on Thulile, so did Dalai.

"Dalai, I trust you. Keep an eye on your friend and the girl. Make sure that whatever they're planning remains a plan."

"Yes, Mrs. Mkhize," Dalai replied before kissing Senara.

"You're really a man that fears nothing. My husband could kill you."

Dalai smiled and shrugged, "that's if I don't get him first. I'd be the perfect stepfather for Elije."

Senara chuckled and slapped him on the shoulder, "because you believe I would officially parade with a man my sons' age."

"Oh, come on, we already share a bed, more or less."

Yes, Dalai was dangerous. An octopus that could work on seducing the wealthiest woman of Joburg while his tentacles tackled other issues.

At 2 AM, all went to their cars. Dalai wished to take them to an after, and the girls were in for it. Only Thulile wanted to bail out, "the truck has to open in a few hours."

"I'll take you home," Lars and Julian said in unison.

Thulile's gaze switched from one man to the other, "okay, Lars."

Julian bit his inner lip while his ears picked up on the women's muffled giggles.

Lars didn't even look back on Julian as Thulile said goodbye to her friends and joined him.

"Nkosi, don't be a sore loser," Sus patted him on the shoulder while lowering her head as if she gave condolences.

Thulile waved as she drove by with Lars and the others followed Dalai's Lexus.

"Wow, I'm beat. When I think I have to open the truck at 6 AM."

Lars threw a glance at her, "can't Palesa open alone?"

"People come for the coffee. They'll get frustrated."

Lars switched gears and stepped on it. They were in her neighborhood in no time.

"You can drop me off here."

"It's late and dark, Thulile. Let me drop you off at your fence. We're working together. I hate having the impression of doing an undercover mission every time I drop you off. I told you I can meet your family."

Thulile sighed; she was too tired to argue. Lars pulled up in front of her house, "see you in a few hours."

"You don't need to come, Lars."

"I need my coffee. Otherwise, I'm irritated," Lars smiled, and Thulile got out. He waited for her to close the door before driving off.

Thulile switched on the light to find Kungawoo sitting on the sofa, "I see your still doing late hours."

Thulile sighed, "take what you want and leave me alone," she began to walk towards her bedroom when the man sprung from the sofa, grasped her throat, and pushed her against the wall, "you think you're a big lady now. Bringing your clients in front of your home, haven't you got any shame?"

"I don't need to justify myself to you."

"Do you hear that, ugogo? She's doesn't need to justify herself."

Kungawo let go, and Thulile dropped to the floor. She heaved and tried to take in as much air as she could when the men grasped her head and knee her face.

"Kungawo, no," Thulile's gran screamed.

He grasped her by her braids, "you're grown now. I think you can take big blows," Kungawo said and kicked her in the stomach.

The woman rolled up in a ball, holding her stomach. Her nose bled excessively. Femi attempted to grasp his brother only to be thrown to the ground.

"What is wrong with you people. You defend her just because she feeds you. You are all accomplice of her nightly affairs," the man said as he turned to face his gran and brother.

"Kungawo," Thulile yelled, reeling back her brother's glare upon her.

"ㅡYou're the one who should be ashamed. What man leaves his younger sister to fend for their family? ㅡWhat man bullies, beats a woman, and steals from his family? ㅡTell me what, man?" Thulile yelled as she tried to stand up. The woman was sick of having men trample her pride and of being their prey.

The woman stirred the drunken man's anger. Kungawo ran and began to hit her Thulile grasped him by the shirt. She refused to let him give her another blow.

In the meantime, her gran told Femi to look behind her chair. Femi took everything out.

"Kungawo, here, you want money. Here take it. Take it," the older woman yelled.

The man left Thulile and approached, "lawd, is it Christmas?" He turned back to Thulile, "sister, you work that ass off hard. How many men does this represent? Gogo and you, you've become a madam, huh? You hold the accounts."

"Take it all and leave," the old lady said bitterly.

"Gran, no," Thulile muttered.

Her gran refused to see her die for a few thousand rands. Kungawo took all of Thulile's savings and left. The scene seemed like a déja vu for Femi, but this time could be the last for Thulile, now unconscious.