THE INCARCERATED STRANGER

 

Chapter 45

 

MANGALISO 

 

He gets home late and finds Ayakha setting the table for dinner. 

"Hey, Cupcake," he greets her. She returns the greeting. He pulls her into a hug, burying his head in her neck and planting wet kisses there.

"I see you're tipsy," she says, and he smiles as he looks at her.

"Yeah, I was out with the guys drinking at the club," he replies. She nods.

"Dinner is ready. Let's go take a shower first," she says, leading him to their room. He can’t stop being touchy with her.

"Look what you’re doing to me, babe," he says, taking her hand and placing it on his hard cock. She giggles and playfully hits his head.

They strip off their clothes and step under the shower. When they’re done, they head back to the dinner table where she dishes up for them, and they both eat.

"You know, while I was at the club, I felt like I was being watched," he tells her.

"Are you serious?" she asks, wide-eyed. He nods.

"I'm serious. But when I looked around the club, no one was watching me; I didn't see anyone," he explains.

"Did you tell Sage about it?" she inquires. He shakes his head.

"No, I didn't want to ruin our night. I let it be," he says.

"Well, let's hope there's no one out there planning anything," she replies cautiously.

"How did your trip overseas go? Is your company still doing well?" she asks. He nods and fills her in on the details.

They finish eating and both do the dishes together.

"I met up with your father today," she says casually.

"Oh? For what?" he asks, curious.

"He asked me to be his lawyer; I agreed," she responds. He nods and steals a kiss on her cheek.

"That’s great! Don’t be scared to make him pay millions for everything he summons you for, my Ms. Lawyer," he jokes, making her laugh.

"I will not charge someone who is going to be my father-in-law in the future," she replies with a grin. He chuckles at her words.

"Is that your way of letting me know you’re ready to be made a daughter-in-law?" he teases, playing with his eyebrows. She giggles in response.

“Well, next month I'm representing your father in court against your half-brothers,” she says confidently.

"They need to rot in jail those two; I'm going to make sure of it," he declares with determination.

"Enough about useless people, I miss burying myself inside my woman" he says with a naughty smile .He pulls her to him and claims her lips ,his hands moving around her body squeezing her ass earning soft moans from her

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RILEY

 

Today they are heading to Eastern Cape. The ride is long and tiring—a 9-hour drive. She keeps sleeping and waking up, sleeping and waking up. Around 16:45, they arrive in Grahamstown. He still remembers the road to her house as the car approaches the gate.

"We are here," he says. She nods, looking at him.

"You don’t look nervous to me," she comments. He smiles.

"I don’t need to show that I'm nervous to meet your parents, Cupcake, but I'm nervous though," he admits. She nods, smiling.

"Don't be; my father doesn’t bite," she assures him.

She gets out of the car, opens the gate, and the car drives in as she directs him to park where she has told her father that she is bringing her boyfriend to meet him and the family.

Mangaliso gets out of the car, grabs their small bag with their clothes, and they head towards the house.

She knocks, and a kid, Ndabe, opens the door for them. 

"Sis Aya!" Ndabe excitedly hugs her. 

"Hey, Little Sis," she replies, kissing her cheeks. 

"Molo, Bhuti," Ndabe greets Mangaliso, who returns the greeting. They walk into the house, heading towards the dining area where everyone is seated. Her brothers are around, along with his sisters and the kids, and all eyes are now on her and Mangaliso. But her father gets up and pulls her into a hug.

"Cupcake ka Tata," he says, and she giggles.

Mangaliso greets everyone, and they greet him back. She also greets her siblings.

"Family, I did not come alone, as you can see," she says shyly.

"I came with my boyfriend. His name is Mangaliso," she continues.

"Love, meet my siblings and my father," she says warmly.

"Dad, meet my boyfriend," she adds, her voice steady.

Bradley stands up and extends his hand to Mangaliso.

"I didn’t think we’d meet again, Mr. Mazibuko," Bradley says with a hint of familiarity.

"Same here, Mr. Q," Mangaliso responds calmly.

She looks at them, confused. "You know each other?" she asks, her eyebrows furrowing.

"Yes, we know each other very well," Bradley replies as he takes his seat. Mangaliso does the same, leaving her in disbelief.

This was unexpected—how did her father and Mangaliso know each other?

Despite the surprise, the atmosphere is warm. Her brothers are chatting with Mangaliso, and even her father seems more comfortable than she anticipated. They’re all engaging with him effortlessly, more at ease than she ever imagined.

Her mother isn’t around, and she wonders where she could have gone. Their relationship remains the same—strained and distant. It’s clear that Lulama will never love her, and she has come to terms with that. Her father, however, has forgiven her. He loves Lulama deeply, something anyone could see.

"You got yourself a hot man there," Noluvo, her sister and the third-born, says with a teasing grin as they prepare dinner for the family.

"I know, right?" she replies, and they both giggle.

Noluvo is married, as are their two brothers. Out of all her siblings, only three are married, making the rest of them a lively bunch to be around.

As they continue preparing dinner, the chatter in the kitchen flows effortlessly, blending with the sound of clattering pots and the aroma of spices filling the air.

"So, how serious is it with Mangaliso?" Noluvo asks, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone as she chops vegetables.

She glances at her sister, a small smile playing on her lips. “Serious enough for me to bring him home, don’t you think?”

Noluvo raises an eyebrow.

 "Bringing someone home doesn’t always mean you’re serious. Sometimes, it’s just for the vibes," she teases, nudging her with her elbow.

They laugh, but the question lingers in her mind. It is serious, isn’t it? Mangaliso has been nothing but loving and supportive, but she wonders how much her family’s opinion will matter in the long run.

Before she can respond, one of their brothers, Thembelani, pokes his head into the kitchen.

 "Dinner ready yet? Or should I come cook it myself?" he jokes, earning a playful glare from Noluvo.

"Don’t rush perfection," Noluvo fires back, shooing him out with a laugh.

As the room quiets again, she turns to Noluvo, her voice softer. “Honestly, I think he’s the one. He makes me feel… safe. Loved.”

Noluvo pauses, her teasing demeanor melting away. 

“That’s all that matters, sis. If he’s good to you, we’ll all back you up. Even Dad seems to like him.”

Her heart warms at the thought. If her father, who rarely approves of anything, is giving Mangaliso a chance, maybe this visit will go better than she had dared to hope.

_

Dinner went smoothly, with everyone engaging and enjoying themselves. The atmosphere was warm, filled with laughter and lighthearted conversations. Lulama was absent because she had gone to visit her sick sister, which explained her absence.

After dinner, she and Noluvo took on the task of clearing the table while her brothers, Mangaliso, and their father excused themselves to spend time together as the men's. The sound of their voices and occasional laughter echoed from the other room, leaving the kitchen feeling quieter but still content.

"You didn’t tell me you know my father," she says,they are now in her room.

"There are a lot of Mr. Qwanes, love. I didn’t know he was your father," Mangaliso replies. She nods, chuckling softly.

"Your father works for my father’s trucking company overseas. He’s kind of the manager since he’s been working there for years. I met him every time I went there with my father," Mangaliso explains.She smiles and nods. 

“Well, at least you know my father.”

Mangaliso smiles warmly.

 "Yeah, I guess that makes this whole situation a little less awkward. Who would’ve thought we had this connection all along?"She tilts her head, a playful glint in her eyes.

 "So, does this mean I get special treatment since you know my dad?"He chuckles, leaning back in his chair.

 "Special treatment? I don’t think so. If anything, now I know where your stubbornness comes from. Your dad is just as headstrong."She gasps in mock offense. 

“Stubborn? I prefer the term determined.”

"Determined, huh?" he teases, raising an eyebrow. "Is that what we’re calling it now?"She laughs, the sound light and contagious. 

“Don’t act like you’re any different, Mr. Mangaliso. You’re probably the most determined person I know.”

"Fair enough," he admits with a grin.

 “Maybe that’s why we get along... or clash so much.”

"Clashing is just another way of bonding," she says, a playful smirk on her lips.

"Then we must be very bonded," he replies, his tone laced with humor.

They both laugh, the tension melting away as the conversation shifts to lighter topics, the connection between them feeling deeper with every shared word.

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