REBEL GRAINED

CHAINS

Thulile was livid. Dalai spoke, but she didn't comprehend what he was saying.

Could it be possible?

Could Lars really transfer the contract to this man?

A month and a half had passed since Lars' departure. Thulile didn't have the time to cry. She tried to find a job and remembered how difficult it was to get hired when one didn't have references. Selling coffee in a food truck was considered a minor work experience. Thulile was a person without qualifications. The only jobs she could apply for and get hired for were those no one wanted. Hence, she found herself cleaning hotel rooms. The work was hard, but it was better than being out in the streets. Twelve to twenty rooms, Thulile had twenty minutes for each room. Dusting, scrubbing, hoovering, repeated gestures that allowed Thulile to push her heartbreak and deception to the back of her mind, but every night when she closed her eyes, she saw the blue-eyed fool.

How dare he leave without a word?

Didn't everything they shared make her eligible to at least have a farewell?

How she loathed him, perhaps even more than how she detested Elije. Stupefaction refused to leave her; Thulile kissed her teeth and snapped her fingers daily because of the man.

Then came the call. The voice at the end of the line was cold. All the man gave was a date and a meeting point. Now, he sat across from her. Both scrutinized each other from head to toe. It was Thulile who broke the gaze game first. Her eyes turned three hundred and sixty degrees to observe the hotel's lobby before returning her focus to the business mogul.

Dalai seemed serious. One could almost see the wavelengths of wealth oozing out of him. They had met before, but Thulile only had eyes for Lars back then, without forgetting that the night camouflaged many things on the rooftop.

There, Thulile got a glimpse of another handsome type. Dalai was born beautiful, and money came to drape him with elegance. His suit looked like it had just left the shop hanger. Even the red sole of his loafers didn't have a scratch. One could almost think he was carried to his seat when they looked at them.

What struck Thulile was his eyes. The chocolate color of his suit brought them out and enhanced their intensity. Feline-like, his stare was eager and determined. It was evident Dalai wasn't a man who took no for an answer.

Dalai leaned forward, "I'll be honest with you, Thulile. I'm a businessman. All I care about is the money I can make with this project. I know your coffee is fantastic. I'm also aware of that special ability of yours. It's the reason why I'm frank. Despite whatever you distill from me, I want you to know I can change your life. I obey my rules and principles. If you play along, I can take you to the summit."

Dalai didn't lie. Yes, he liked to please Serena, but his golden rule was him first. He only followed what Serena ordered concerning Thulile because he saw a benefit for himself.

The drinks Thulile made were one of a kind, and Dalai knew precisely how he would market them. Thulile was a modern-day sorceress. He wished to sell her coffee and teas not as drinks but as elixirs with guaranteed effects. People didn't buy good products; they brought concepts that made them dream of a miracle. With Thulile, he had the concept and certified benefits.

"What happens if I say no?"

She had to ask. Only a fool said yes and Amen without inquiring about the eventual inconveniences.

Dalai gave Thulile a full glimpse of his freshly whitened teeth with a huge grin, "You can't. You don't have the option if you refuse to work with me. I'll file a lawsuit for breach, and I doubt you have the means to survive that. You signed we're in this together for better and worse."