{"id":89,"date":"2026-01-21T14:37:21","date_gmt":"2026-01-21T14:37:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/?p=89"},"modified":"2026-01-21T14:37:21","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T14:37:21","slug":"uguluva-chapter-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/uguluva-chapter-19\/","title":{"rendered":"uGULUVA Chapter 19"},"content":{"rendered":"
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uGULUVA.<\/div>\n
CHAPTER 19.<\/div>\n
[SPONSORED CHAPTER. \"\u2728\ufe0f\"<\/span>]<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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PHINDILE GWALA.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis is your room with Abuti Nca,\u201d Amanda says as we step inside.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I freeze for half a second. Didn\u2019t he say we\u2019d be separated? I look at Amanda and force a polite smile, even though my chest tightens.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cWell, we honestly didn\u2019t think he\u2019d come,\u201d she continues casually, \u201cand definitely not with someone. But the space is enough. The other room is already reserved for MaZwane and Abuti Zwe\u2014they\u2019ll be arriving tomorrow.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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She moves further into the room, unfazed. The first thing that greets me is the soft lavender scent hanging in the air. My eyes drift around slowly, taking everything in. Emerald green walls. Grey bedding. Clean lines. Everything blends so effortlessly, expensive yet calming.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cYou can take your time and view the room,\u201d Amanda says. \u201cIt\u2019s already late, so I ordered food for all of us. Come downstairs when you\u2019re done.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Her attention settles on me fully now. I meet her gaze, holding it a second too long, before nodding.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cOkay, no problem,\u201d I say, even though my nerves are screaming.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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She studies me briefly\u2014as if trying to read something I\u2019m not ready to reveal\u2014then nods and walks out. The door clicks shut behind her, and I let out a breath I didn\u2019t realize I was holding. I sit on the edge of the bed, inhaling deeply.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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This pretending thing is harder than I thought. But I need to push through.<\/div>\n
It\u2019s almost 22:00 here in Dubai. All I want is a hot bath and sleep\u2014but how am I supposed to do that when I\u2019m sharing a room with the very man who hired me to pretend to be his girlfriend?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Before my thoughts can spiral further, the door opens. The sound of suitcase wheels rolling across the floor reaches me first. Then his scent\u2014wood, faint nicotine\u2014fills the room as he steps inside.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cMaP,\u201d he greets, closing the door behind him.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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My heart skips. Why is he even here? He said he\u2019d respect my privacy. He didn\u2019t even mention that we’re coming to Dubai. Not that I\u2019m mad\u2014but I hate how he decides for me. Contract or not, he should have contacted me first.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I tighten my jaw, forcing myself to stay calm.<\/div>\n
This was supposed to be simple. Clearly, it isn\u2019t.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cPhindile,\u201d he says again.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I straighten on the bed, my spine stiff, fingers curling into the duvet. I hate that my body reacts before my mind does\u2014that my chest tightens just from his presence.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cNcanezwe, you said separate rooms. Manje yini le?\u201d I snap, letting my attitude surface. Maybe it\u2019s time I used it. This man has been taking advantage of me lately.<\/div>\n
(What is this?)<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cMaNzimande, let\u2019s not fight about sleeping arrangements. I\u2019ve got myself sorted. I just brought your suitcase,\u201d he says calmly, still standing there, my suitcase in his hand.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I release a breath I didn\u2019t realize I was holding.<\/div>\n
\u201cGood. Because you said pretending, not actual. So if you say so,\u201d I reply, meeting his gaze.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cRight,\u201d he chuckles under his breath, then looks back at me\u2014really looks at me.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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He holds my eyes, steady and unreadable, and something shifts. My skin prickles. Goosebumps rise along my arms. He keeps his gaze on me until I break it, looking down. I hear him chuckle softly.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ll be sleeping at a hotel nearby. If you need anything, let MK know\u2014he\u2019s part of the security team,\u201d he says.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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My eyes wander everywhere except to him. He slips his hands into his trouser pockets and waits. I know that pause. In the past two weeks of training, I\u2019ve learned it well\u2014when he speaks, you listen, and you respond.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cNo problem then,\u201d I say, my voice barely above a whisper. He nods once.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cSee you downstairs for dinner,\u201d he adds, leaving the suitcase behind before walking out of the room.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The moment the door closes, I jump up from the bed and lock it, my heart racing harder than before. I swear that eye contact stirred something in me. It definitely did.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I press my back against the door for a moment, breathing in slowly, then push myself away. Get a grip. I smooth my dress, check my reflection in the mirror, and force my shoulders to relax. Whatever that was\u2026 it stays here. I sit on the edge of the bed until my heartbeat finally steadies. Downstairs. Dinner.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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When I step into the dining area, the atmosphere is warm\u2014everyone is mid-conversation, plates already half-empty. Laughter hums softly in the background. MK gives me a brief nod from near the entrance, alert and professional, eyes scanning the room. Always watching.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cOh, you\u2019re finally here,\u201d Amanda says the moment she spots me. \u201cI was about to send your man to come get you. Take a seat.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Your man. The word lands heavier than it should. A strong claim\u2014but is he one? Just not a real one.<\/div>\n
I scan the table. Only three seats are left: one beside him, the other two next to Kayla and her husband. I sigh inwardly. I already know where I need to sit. Dragging my feet, I move toward him, feeling everyone\u2019s eyes follow me as I take the seat at his side.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Once I\u2019m seated, the conversation resumes like I was never the interruption. Amanda gestures toward the food, telling me to dish up.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cBafo, you didn\u2019t formally introduce us to your woman,\u201d Kayla\u2019s husband says just as I\u2019m about to take my first bite.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ncanezwe shoots him a sharp look. I guess he\u2019s the talkative one.<\/div>\n
\u201cQhawe, awuyeke ukuphapha and eat,\u201d Ncanezwe says coolly. \u201cDidn\u2019t bhuti teach you manners at the table?\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Qhawe glares at him, then turns that same unreadable stare on me. My heart starts to race. Is he able to see our pretending?<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cWe\u2019ll do the introductions properly after we eat, Abuti Qhawe,\u201d Amanda cuts in quickly, sensing the tension tightening around the table.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I lower my gaze to my plate, pretending to be far more interested in the food than the weight of the room. Conversations resume, but they\u2019re softer now\u2014measured. I can feel eyes flicking toward me and back again, curiosity simmering beneath forced normalcy.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ncanezwe leans back slightly in his chair, relaxed on the surface, but his knee brushes mine under the table\u2014a quiet warning or reassurance, I can\u2019t tell. He eats slowly, deliberately, like a man who knows exactly who he is in any room.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cSo,\u201d Amanda\u2019s husband finally says, breaking the stretch of silence, his tone light but probing, \u201cJozi treating you well, bhuti?\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ncanezwe nods once. \u201cIt\u2019s quiet. I like it that way.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Amanda hums. \u201cQuiet doesn\u2019t suit you. You were never the quiet type.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThat was before,\u201d he replies, not elaborating.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Kayla smiles at me then\u2014polite, assessing. \u201cAnd you?\u201d she asks gently. \u201cAre you from Jozi too?\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I clear my throat, surprised by how dry it feels. \u201cNo. KwaMashu,\u201d I answer simply.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Qhawe chuckles under his breath. \u201cFigures.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Ncanezwe turns his head slowly, fixing his brother with a look sharp enough to cut. \u201cWhat\u2019s that supposed to mean?\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Qhawe lifts his hands in surrender. \u201cNothing. Relax.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Amanda shoots Qhawe a look before turning back to me, her smile warmer now, almost disarming.<\/div>\n
\u201cYou\u2019re welcome here, sisi. Don\u2019t let these ones intimidate you.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I nod, managing a small smile. \u201cThank you.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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The rest of the meal passes with cautious ease\u2014stories about work, complaints about traffic, laughter that feels slightly forced but genuine enough. Still, I\u2019m aware of Ncanezwe beside me the entire time: the way he listens more than he speaks, the way his presence subtly anchors me.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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*<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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NCANEZWE CELE.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I glance at her, feeling that familiar pull, the ache in my chest that tells me I\u2019m already losing control. Her scent lingers in my nose, cocoa and vanilla twisting into something dangerous, something that makes every rational thought scatter. I bite it back, lean into her ear just enough to feel the warmth, my lips brushing her skin\u2014but not crossing the line.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cDon\u2019t be scared,\u201d I murmur, low enough only for her to hear. \u201cMy brothers will\u2014and can\u2014see it through you. Relax, mamacita.\u201d Her shoulders tense, that tiny flinch setting off alarms in me, and I know she feels it too\u2014the electricity sparking between us. I let my hand hover just above her thigh under the table, teasing, testing\u2026 then pull back. Her breath catches; it\u2019s the only confirmation I need.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cAlright,\u201d MaMofokeng interrupts, eyes flicking between me and her like she knows something I haven\u2019t decided to admit yet. My body stiffens for a second\u2014wait, is this a moment? No, it\u2019s not\u2026 or maybe it is, but I\u2019m not letting myself feel it unless I have to.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cNow that everyone\u2019s fed and calmer\u2026 we can do proper introductions.\u201d Her gaze lands on me with that teasing tilt of her head, and I can\u2019t help but chuckle under my breath. So, they want me to introduce her? Huh\u2026 this is going to be interesting.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I stand slowly, letting my chair scrape softly against the floor. Every head turns toward me. I can feel her eyes on me\u2014the quiet intensity from across the table\u2014and it tugs at me, a pull I can\u2019t\u2014or don\u2019t want to\u2014resist.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cShe\u2019s\u2026\u201d I pause, scanning the room as if I\u2019m choosing my words carefully, though all I\u2019m really thinking about is her. \u201c\u2026someone I\u2019ve come to respect, someone\u2026 unforgettable.\u201d My gaze flicks to hers for a heartbeat, and I catch it\u2014the spark, that quickening in her chest that mirrors my own.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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A small smirk curls on her lips. She doesn\u2019t say a word, but the subtle tilt of her head, the slight shift in her posture\u2014it tells me she knows exactly what I\u2019m doing. The game is on, and I\u2019m already losing\u2026 or maybe I\u2019m winning. Depends on how you look at it.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cWell,\u201d I continue, letting my voice drop a notch, \u201cI think it\u2019s only fair you get to meet her properly.\u201d I gesture toward her with casual elegance, though everyone senses the weight behind my tone. Even MaMofokeng glances between us, raising an eyebrow, clearly catching on.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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She rises smoothly, hips swaying just enough to make my pulse spike. I resist the urge to reach for her hand\u2014this is about power, control, patience.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis is Phindile Gwala\u2014MaNzimande to you\u2014and I met her a year ago. Yes, I didn\u2019t tell you, but what matters is that I now have a woman in my life.\u201d I take her hand briefly. An electric spark shoots through me, and I ignore it, pressing my lips to her hand before letting it go.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cYou can sit, MaNzimande,\u201d I say, continuing my introductions.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThis is the elder brother, Mabutho, uNdosi.\u201d I gesture toward him, then turn to MaMofokeng. \u201cAnd that\u2019s his wife, the glue of the family after Qhawe\u2014MaMofokeng.\u201d She nods in acknowledgment.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cThat\u2019s Qhawe, the glue of the family, and next to him\u2026 yindiya lakhe, usamosa, uMaCele omncane. I call her MaK,\u201d I continue.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cAnd the quiet one, uSizwe, with his blabbering MaZwane\u2026 angazi baphi, but yes, this is the Cele family,\u201d I finish, turning back to her.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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I settle into my seat, catching their glances as they begin to welcome her into the fold. I smirk. The game\u2026 it\u2019s going just the way I like it.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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*<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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100+ comments & 10 shares. \"\ud83d\udc8b\"<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

uGULUVA. CHAPTER 19. [SPONSORED CHAPTER. ] PHINDILE GWALA. \u201cThis is your room with Abuti Nca,\u201d Amanda says as we step […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"set","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-89","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uguluva"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=89"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":103,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/89\/revisions\/103"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=89"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=89"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kezpres.xyz\/novelreading\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=89"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}