Standing at the reception as she put her signature on a document, the last person NacileleNasilele expected to see walking through the doors of the hotel lobby don't a navy and white polka dots Oxford shirt paired with light khaki chinos and brown boots was her ex-fiancé.

She couldn't help it when her heart skipped a beat nor when her mouth lifted into a smile at his dishy sight. It was just like the old times when he would come to pick her up for their dates.

For a moment, she couldn't help but wonder if he had a come for her. Her irrational heart beat faster at the possibility of that thought. But she was soon disappointed when he casually strode towards the bar.

She followed him and watched him from the bar's doorway. The barman gave him his drink. He took a sip of the drink and kept checking on his time and looking around.

A handsome man, alone at the bar was a target for female bar patrons out on a prowl. A couple of ladies approached him one after another but they soon left disappointed after he turned them down. No one after that dared go close to him.

NacileleNasilele who had earlier wanted to gouge out the eyes of any woman who looked at him in a covetous manner smiled when he turned the two ladies down.

It seemed he still had her in his heart.

However, as she turned to leave, she couldn't help but wonder why he was there and why his eyes kept scanning the bar.

''She hasn't been back,'' the barman told him as he wiped the counter.

Lemba chuckled his eyes locked on the entrance expectantly." So you have told me every night.''

His name was Ted, he was the same barman on duty the night he and Teli had sort solace in the liquid poisons he served.

''If you are meant to meet again, you will. Nothing and no one can stop that,'' he told him and went to attend to another customer.

Lemba continued to wait like he did every night. Every night he hoped that maybe It would be the night the cosmic gods alined his stars. It had been a month already. He had no idea if she would cross his path again but deep down his heart, he knew he still had to hope and believe.

***

NacileleNasilele poured wine in a glass for Easineya as they sat on the terrace at the Nyambe's residence. The cool evening breeze gently blowing the curtain behind them.

''Easi, is your brother already dating?''

''Lemba?Not that I know of. Why do you ask?''

''I saw him at the hotel's bar all dressed up like he was out on a date.''

When he had left home, Easi hadn't thought much about why he was going out. But now that she had brought it up she had to wonder. She had hoped that this was just a momentary lapse in their relationship but, if he was already going out on dates, did it mean ae was ready to move on too?

Easi hoped not. There was only one woman his brother could marry and that was her best friend Nacilele.

Easi released a frustrated sigh, "Why did you consent to the break up if you are still in love with him?"

NacileleNasilele sipped on her wine .''I thought after a few days, he would miss us and realize his love for me."

''That's the most idiotic reasoning I have ever heard."

A heavy sigh escaped the young woman's lips. " It seemed like a good idea at the time. Easi, do you know what it's like to be in love alone? It's the most crushing feeling ever. So when he suggested we call things off, I thought he just needed space you know, I thought with time maybe after a few days or a couple of weeks at the most, we would be back together. I just didn't count on the break up to last as long as it has. Easy, he hasn't even called me once since we officially broke up."

Easineya shook her head at her friend's gullibility. A good looking man, loaded with money and a social influencer was a target for every gold digger for miles. More so as he was vulnerable just after a breakup.

" Don't worry, sooner or later he will realize that there is no other woman for him apart from you. In the meantime, I would suggest you keep appearing before him as much as you can."

The next morning as Lemba left the dining table, his mother pulled him into a hug and gave him her blessings for the day. ''Good luck with your meeting son.''

"Thanks, mom. Dad, I will see you when I get back from Kabwe.''

''Be careful on the road,'' Edmond called out from the dining room as Lemba walked out of the door. Lemba got into his black Celica and headed towards the gate.

Outside the gate, Chona Chonta, an elegant woman in her late forties waited for the gateman to open the gate for her. Next to her sat Teliwe who was going through the graphical designs she had done the previous night for the Zimba's.

''Kabaso, morning. Is your madam in?''

Kabaso was a tall and middle-aged man with a slight limp to his step .''Aunt Chonta, go right in, she is waiting for you.''

''Alright. By the way, I got something for you and your wife from my last trip to India, remind me to give it to you before I leave.''

The gateman thanked Chonta and stepped aside as she drove through just as Lemba's car headed towards them. The USB stick that Teliwe was about to insert into the laptops portal fell. She bent down to pick it up just as Lemba's car pulled to a slow stop by Chonta's car. He hooted to her and waved. Chonta waved back with a smile glad to see her nephew. Lemba went his way as Chonta headed for the house. Teliwe emerged from under with the stick.

Edna welcomed her brother's cousin with a smile. She left the two cousins to catch up with family matters as she showed Teliwe around the house. When Edna headed in, Teliwe sat in a secluded place and made new sketches. Edna's vivid descriptions of her yard had helped her to come up with the rough design and now that she had seen it for herself, she was able to give her the final sketches. Edna was very happy with what the young girl was showing her and hired her on the spot.

A few days later, in the early evenings, Teliwe was coming out of the shopping mall just after delivering flowers to the florists when she ran into Edmond.

''Teliwe, what are you doing here?''

"Mr.Zimba. How are you? I am here on business. You?''

"I wanted to buy my wife something nice,'' he said. He showed her the gardening book he had bought for Edna.''So Edna said you already accepted to work on our yard. Thank you. We both were impressed with your garden.''

They fell in step as they headed to the car park. They chatted about her designs and she hoped he would keep up the enthusiasm till the end. Lost in her happy chatter, she did not notice the happy couple that had parked three slots from her car.

When she realized who it was, her feet faltered. She stared even when she didn't want to. Edmond turned to her in concern then followed her gaze.

The newlywed couple of Nsemiwe and Pumulo stood in front of their car, their eyes glued to the screen of Nsemiwe’s phone. They each shared an earpiece from the headsets. Whatever they were watching had Pumulo smiling as he had just received the best news in the world.

''Are you okay?'' Edmond asked in concern.

Teliwe looked up at the elderly man, a self- deprecating smile on her face. It seemed she had overestimated her value in his life. If seeing him in bed with another had sunk her heart while her stomach had dropped to the floor; the sight of him happy by another woman's side was akin to receiving a thousand slaps to her face.

''I...I...I...have to go back. I left something inside.''

She hurriedly turned back but how could Nsemiwe who had long spotted her as soon as she came out of the mall be willing to let her go just like that?

"Hey, Teliwe," she called out, "Fancy us meeting here.''

Pumulo looked up from whatever he was engrossed in on the phone. He looked at her than his wife with furrowed brows. He cleared his throat and turned to face Teliwe.

''Teliwe,'' he said simply.

'' Pumulo. Nsemiwe .''

'' Your Dad?'' queried Nsemiwe.

''A client .''

''Oh, I forgot that you are an orphan with no family of your own. It must be so sad," she said in a mocking tone. "Anyway, Pumulo- my husband, my sugar pie and I just came from the doctor's office. We are having a baby girl. We are four months along,'' Nsemiwe said. " Won't you congratulate us? We were just watching the ultrasound video we got from the doctor. You want to see?''

Pumulo put his phone away, reached for his wife's hand and pulled her away .''Sorry. We will go ahead.''

"Oh, but why are we leaving? Your mistress hasn't congratulated us yet," Nsemiwe pouted in protest.

"Move Nsemiwe!" Pumulo hissed, dragging her away from the parking lot.

Nsemiwe cast Teliwe a triumphant wink over her shoulder as Pumulo forced her into the car and drove off.

Teliwe's hands clenched into fists. Her shoulders shook and her lips quivered as she stared at the car until her vision became blurry and she could no longer see anything through her watery eyes.

A month had gone by since the night she had discovered Pumulo's betrayal. She ought to have been okay. She thought she was okay but watching him happy and content by his pregnant wife's side, sliced through her heart like a knife's blade.

Back in their honeymoon suite, Pumulo banged the door behind him and marched after his wife who hummed a happy tune. He gripped her by her upper arm and forced her to face him.

She mockingly raised her thick eyebrows at him. " Everything okay?"

''Did you plan that?'' he asked, violently shaking her. When she started back at him defiantly, laughed at his naivety.

Of course, she had. She had known Teliwe would be in that place at that very time. He should have suspected something was wrong when she had insisted that they make a sudden stop by the mall that was in the opposite direction of their destination. Pumulo cursed himself at having fallen so easily into her trap.

Nsemiwe shrugged his hands off her arm.''So what if I did?So what?''

He looked at the defeated .''You are just too much. I gave up on her to be with you. I haven't even spoken to her since the night of your diabolical plan, what is wrong with you?''

''What is wrong with me? What is wrong with me? What is wrong with me?'' she yelled as she hit him on his chest with her clutch. ''You are what is wrong with me. Night after freaking night, you sleep by my side but in your sleep, you call out her name!!''

He looked at her shocked.

She glared at him. Her big brown eyes flashing with fire and rage.

Rendered speechless for a while, he could only stare at her blankly. He had no idea if she was fishing or telling the truth but one true thing was that for the past month, not a single night went by without him dreaming of Teliwe.

It would have been nice if they were sweet, feel-good dreams. But no, they were akin to nightmares. Night after night he broke and crushed the girl's heart over and over. Her heart-wrenching tears ripped his heart apart. When he tried to reach for her she would crumble in his hands like a dry and wilted flower, making him wake up drenched in sweat in the middle of the night.

That was his greatest fear; a world without Teliwe.

"What got nothing to say?" snapped Nsemiwe hitting him with her bag on his arm.

''Nsemiwe..." he began wearily.

''Save it!" she hissed, her voice filled with low fury, " You better tell that home-wrecking mistress of yours to watch out cause I have just begun with her. Just you wait," she promised like the vindictive vixen that she was.

She stormed past him to the bedroom.

Pumulo sat down overwhelmed by hopelessness. He knew Nsemiwe could be unreasonable he just never imagined she could be so cold and calculating.

This side of her scared him. He was afraid for his sanity but more than that, he was worried if she kept on with her craziness and kept provoking Teliwe; she would only keep on misunderstanding him.

He got his phone and punched in Teliwe's number. His fingers hovered over the dial pad for a long while.

He was conflicted.

What would he say to her? What right did he have to comfort her if he was the course of her pain? When he had willingly married Nsemiwe, even if it had been for duty, he had made a conscious decision. He had made a choice. He could have said no and chosen her over his family.

But he did the complete opposite. He abandoned her for another woman. He wanted to say sorry and ask her for her forgiveness but he knew saying sorry would not be enough. Sorry, would not mend her broken heart. Sorry, would not take away the fact that he had betrayed her.

Sorry was good for nothing.

As for asking for her forgiveness, he knew he was undeserving.

In the end, he could only do what was best for the two of them. He deleted her number. He only wished he could do the same with his feelings.

***

Meanwhile back at Teli's garden, it poured heavily as Teliwe, sat on the bench in the garden with shattered clay pots around her.

Almost two hours had passed since Edmond had dropped her off when he realized she was in no state to drive. He had almost taken her to his house where Chonta was but she had assured him she would be okay.

She was anything but okay.

For a month, she had worked her body and mind into exhaustion not wanting to think about how Pumulo had ruined her life. She had been okay until now.

After closing the gate behind Edmond, the tears she had been holding at bay gushed down her face. She had grabbed whatever she could get her hands on and hurled it at the invincible Pumulo. Now, exhausted, she stared blankly into space as tears steadily rolled down her cheeks mixing with the rain. Her poor heart still ached the way it had the night she had found out about his treachery.

***

Four days had passed since NacileleNasilele had seen Lemba at the bar. Curiosity made her hurryhead overstraight tofor the Hotels bar as soon as her shiftgot ended.to work. Lucky for her, Ted was still on duty.

She asked him about who Lemba was meeting and he told her every night for the past month, he came by waiting to see the woman he had once met there. She headed back to her office and paced, biting at her manicured nails. She called security and asked for the recordings of from the night of the engagement and the morning after.

Easineya had told her, on the night they broke up, she couldn't find her brother anywhere. Neither at the company nor his usual hotel room.

The tapes were brought to her and she anxiously watched them. Tears fell down her face as she realized that Lemba had spent the night in the arms of another woman while she was crying her heart out in his sister's arms.