“You’re not going anywhere.” Dad’s voice sliced from behind, freezing me. I glanced back over my shoulder, and his eyes burned into me. “You’re not going anywhere,” he repeated, his gaze flickering to Tshabina. The threat was clear, and it damn worked. My legs locked, and my plan collapsed.
“Dad! Stop it,” Zaeem snapped and strode forward. His breath was sharp. “You’ve gone too far this time,” he growled, squaring up to him before his glare turned on Cindy. His eyes blackened with fury.
Dad ignored him. His stare stayed pinned to me. Sharpened. “Aren’t you, Zioh?”
Cindy’s grin widened as I slammed my car door shut. She smiled as she’d already won.
I hoped she knew her death was coming, because I’d make sure of it. No. She’d suffer something worse. She’d lose her mind, and she’d think death was better.
Just the way I’d felt all these years.
And I’d make her feel it a thousand times worse.
I kept my anger caged, clutching onto Tshabina, reminding myself thatI am still hereandshe is still here. I drew a long, ragged breath and pulled her with me. Leading us back into the house, ahead of the others.
In the lift, Tshabina kept calling my name. “Zioh… please, talk to me…” Her voice shifted from gentle to urgent. “Zi,please!”
But I couldn’t.I was scared out of my mind.To look at her, to lose her,to be lost. Slipping into craziness and hurting her again. I couldn’t trust myself.
All I could do was hold her tighter until the lift doors opened. I pulled her inside the house and dragged her with me until we reached the dining room, where Zeraiah was already sitting at the dining table.
At first, Zeraiah was lost in his phone, his eyes glued to it. He didn’t even notice Tshabina and me entering, not until we sat down before him, and his head snapped up. His eyes narrowed, studying us. He set his phone on the table, raising his brow. “Zioh, Biba—” His voice cut off as we came into his clear view, perhaps realising how messed up we were.
My grip still locked tight around Tshabina’s hand, while I fought to steady my breathing. She kept staring at me, her gaze demanding an explanation.
“Are you both okay…?” Zeraiah asked, and neither of us answered.
He opened his mouth again, but the sound from behind me cut him short. He froze, his eyes darting past me. His face reddened, stiffening.
Zeraiah’s expression twisted with rage and disbelief, his gaze sharpened as Cindy waltzed in. Zaeem slipped into the seat beside me, his glare cutting through her.
Cindy sashayed past and planted right next to Zeraiah, directly across from me.
Dad took a separate seat near Tshabina at the head of the table, posturing like some damn monarch. Zeraiah still gaped, his brows knotted, staring daggers at the woman beside him. “Seriously, what the hell?” he snapped, his tone jagged. His glare flicked between Zaeem and Dad.
I wanted to scream the same.
Cindy ignored the murderous stares, and she sat as she belonged here. Zeraiah leaned in, his voice a low snarl. “What the fuck are you doing here—”
“Language, Zeraiah,” Dad cut in,cold and sharp.
Tsabinu arrived late, sliding into the seat on Zeraiah’s other side. He gave Tshabina and me a heavy, sharp look before trying to compose himself.
Zeraiah huffed, making sure the whole room heard his fury. When he turned his glare on me, I understood. I heard his unspoken words because I felt the same. We had to get rid of her before she opened her damn mouth and poisoned us again.
Zeraiah slammed his phone back into his hands; his fingers were flying, and notifications buzzed across the table.
I tried to keep breathing. My skin was slick with sweat, my muscles taut, and my head pounded so damn hard. Dad droned on with empty words, while Zeraiah kept typing with a rugged grip on his phone.
I’d warned them. I told them he’d never change, thathe’d keep tormenting us.
The noise vibrated through my skull, harsher, and I wanted to smash my head against anything to stop it. I tried to count, ground myself, see, and feel—but nothing worked.
Pills. I needed my pills.
I needed to get out of here.Right now.My hand shook as I opened my phone. Messages filled the group chat “Z.”
Zeraiah:What the fuck is she doing here?
