PROMISED TO HIM
CHAPTER 17
MAYIBUYE SMITH
I went straight to the house, my head spinning and my chest tight. I slammed the door behind me, then leaned against it, trying to catch my breath. How could Jay do this to me? How could he ruin everything with one stupid, selfish act?
I thought he was caring. I thought he was family.
I stumbled to the sink and splashed cold water on my face, trying to wash away the shame, the confusion, and the memory of his lips against mine. My hands trembled as I stared at my reflection. My eyes were red, swollen, broken.
“Why would he do that?” I whispered to myself.
It wasn’t supposed to happen. He was Roy’s brother. My husband’s brother.
I sat down on the couch, hugging my knees to my chest. My mind was racing — if Roy ever found out, if anyone ever told him, it would destroy everything. I’d seen the way Roy handled betrayal. There would be no explanations, no mercy.
Then my phone rang.
It was him. Jayden.
I stared at the screen, my heart pounding in my ears. For a second, I wanted to answer, to scream at him, to ask why. But instead, I pressed block.
I tossed the phone aside and lay down on the couch. My body felt heavy, but my mind refused to rest.
What if Roy finds out?
I buried my face in the pillow, tears soaking through the fabric until exhaustion finally pulled me under.
ROY SMITH
I met Tai at a secluded restaurant in Bangkok. The man was jittery, his eyes darting around like someone being hunted. We exchanged brief pleasantries before he slid a small flash drive across the table.
“That’s everything I could find,” he said, voice shaking.
“Sean’s last known location is there. He’s hiding near the docks—Zone 9.”
I nodded, slipped the flash drive into my pocket, and left without another word.
Back in my hotel room, I poured whiskey into a glass, the amber liquid catching the dim light. My hands were steady, but my head wasn’t…playing the place where he was
I was about to light a cigarette when my phone rang. Msizi.
“Talk,” I said, answering on the first ring.
“Eyy, boss… it’s bad,” he muttered. His tone was uneasy — not something I heard often.
“Speak.” My voice dropped, cold and sharp.
“It’s Jayden… he—he kissed your wife.”
The glass shattered in my hand before I could even think.
Silence. Then a breath that sounded more like a growl escaped me.
“What?”
“You heard me, boss. It happened earlier today—he crossed the line.”
I stood there, my pulse hammering against my neck. Rage clouded everything. I grabbed the whiskey bottle and hurled it against the wall. It exploded into shards.
“Book me a flight. Tonight.”
“Boss, you haven’t found Sean yet.”
I turned toward the window, city lights blurring into streaks. “Do I pay you to question me, Msizi?”
He went silent.
“Then do it.”
A long breath came through the line. “Where did you even get that lead on Sean?”
“I made a reward. My man from the West said Sean was here.”
“That’s what’s bothering me,” i said carefully. “This feels… too convenient. Like a setup. Sean’s been hiding for some time , and suddenly his location lands in your lap right when I warned Jayden ?”
I clenched my jaw. “You think this is a trap?”he asked
“I think someone wants you out of the country, boss. So your wife’s unprotected.”
I paused, cigarette burning between my fingers. “Dig deeper.”
“Already on it.”
I hung up and threw on my jacket. I didn’t care if it was a trap. I wanted blood.
When I got to the docks, the air reeked of salt and diesel. Two men stood outside a run-down warehouse. I approached, gun already in hand.
“Where’s Sean?”
They didn’t answer — one reached for his pocket.
Big mistake.
Two shots echoed into the night. Both men hit the ground before they could breathe. I stepped over them and kicked the door open.
Inside, Sean sat behind a desk, startled, his eyes wide when he saw me.
“Roy Smith,” he stammered. “You shouldn’t be—”
I didn’t let him finish. I raised my gun and emptied the clip into his head. Ten shots. Maybe more. I didn’t stop until his body slumped over the desk, lifeless.
I grabbed his phone and ID from his pocket, wiping the blood off with a handkerchief. If there were more behind this, I’d find them.
I walked out, got into the car, and told the driver to head straight to the airport.
The flight back to South Africa felt endless. I didn’t sleep, didn’t eat. I just replayed Msizi’s words in my head. Jayden kissed your wife.
By the time I landed it was 20:00, A black car was waiting for me on the runway. I slid in, silent, and the driver took off toward my estate.
When we pulled into the driveway, I saw them.
Mayi and Jayden. Standing near the porch. Talking. Too close.
My door flew open before the car even stopped moving.
They both turned.
Jayden’s face drained of color, and Mayi froze like a deer in headlights.
“Roy…” she breathed, her voice trembling.
I stepped forward, my jaw tight, eyes fixed on Jayden. My presence alone made the air turn thick.
“Didn’t expect me back this soon, did you?” I said quietly, dangerously.
Mayi looked like she wanted to run to me, to explain — but she stayed rooted in place, her lips quivering.
Jayden swallowed hard. “Roy, it’s not what you think—”
“Then what is it, dear brother?” I hissed, stepping closer until we were chest to chest. “Because what I heard is that you touched something that doesn’t belong to you.”
The tension was suffocating. Mayi’s eyes filled with tears, her hands trembling at her sides.
For a long moment, none of us moved. Only the sound of my breath filled the silence — harsh, angry, and controlled.
“Go inside,” I said without looking at her. My voice was low but sharp enough to cut through the air.
She hesitated, then turned and went inside slowly, tears running down her cheeks.
When she disappeared behind the door, I looked at Jayden again.
“You’ve made a mistake you won’t live long enough to repeat.”