37.

Xander



“What are you talking about, Nikki? You messed up how?”



“There is a lot that I need to tell you.”



I look at Nikki, “About what, babe? If it’s about Aiden’s accusations, then surely, we can get that cleared up.”



“There is more to it, Xander, a much darker truth.”



My stomach turns when she utters those words, what is she hiding from me.



Nikki looks around, and she shakes her head, “We will talk about this when we get home.”



I sigh, “Okay, fine, but do we need to excuse ourselves from the court?”



She shakes her head, “I’m okay, let’s finish this.”



I nod, and we sit outside and wait for our family to step out of the court. Nikki’s mom walks out and spots us sitting nearby and walks towards us. Nikki stands up and starts talking to her mother in her native tongue, Xhosa.



Nikki’s mother looks at me and then back at Nikki, she looks scared. Nikki’s mother, Boniswa, and I’s relationship is still in the works. I believe that she still doesn’t trust me but, however, I still respect her, and she respects me.



Once they finish their conversation, they walk to me and Boniswa gives me a smile.

“Is everything okay?”



“Aiden is just using that case as a scapegoat; he was the one that killed my husband.” She says frustratedly, “I can’t believe, after everything we’ve done for that boy; he would do this to my family.”



“Mrs Abrahams, I promise you that we will do everything we can to make sure that justice is served, I assure you.”



She sighs, “Thank you my boy, I really do believe that with you by our side we will



“Babe, I want to go home, do you mind talking to Mrs Chabedi for me?”



I get up from my seat, “Of course not, let me go speak to her.”



I walk into the courtroom and find Mrs Chabedi speaking to her assistant and when she sees me, she excuses her assistant, and she walks over to me.



“Mr Forsythe,” she greets.



“Mrs Chabedi,”



“What can I help you with, sir?”



“We would like to be excused from the rest of the day's court proceedings; we have urgent work that we need to attend to later in the day.”



She nods, “Of course sir, that’s not a problem.”



“Thank you,”



I turn to walk away, but I stop in my tracks and turn back.



“Mrs Chabedi, what do you know about Nikki’s murder case?”



She looks around and steps closer to me, “I’m not at liberty to say anything, and it is attorney-client privilege,”



“This is me you are talking to, Mrs Chabedi. If this is going to influence the case, I need to know about it.”



She lets out a sigh, “Aiden murdered Nikki’s father years back, and it was said to be an accident, so they exonerated both of them and the case was closed.”



“An accident?”



“Yeah, but that is all I know, sir. If you want more information, you’ll have to ask Nikki herself.”



“Fair enough. Have a wonderful day, Mrs. Chabedi.



I turn and walk out of the courtroom. Everyone is waiting outside.



“Ready to go?” I asked Nikki and she gave me a nod.



I could tell that she wasn’t okay, she seemed tense and scared. I knew that her testifying was going to lead to this. Especially now that she is pregnant, it’s only early days, but it’s coming with a lot of emotions and stress for my baby.



Damien and security lead us to our vehicles, and we leave the courthouse, and we all drive back to Nikki’s house. We don’t say a word to each other on the way, but I am itching to ask her about this alleged murder of her father.



We get to the house and Nikki rushes out of the car and into the house before the car parks. The car stopped, and I jumped out and rushed behind her.



“Nikki! Can you just slow down for me? What the heck is going on with you today?”



“I hate him, Xander, I hate Aiden. All he has ever done since he walked into my life was cause problems. Problems that I had to clean up, and he would manipulate and blackmail me into doing his dirty work and protecting him. I am done playing fair with that bastard.”



I watch her as she goes on a rant about Aiden, that’s when I realise the true extent of Aiden’s abuse and torment. She continues to rant about him, I wanted her to get it all out of her system, so let out all her anger, because she is kept it in, it was going to harm the baby.



After a few minutes, she calms down, and she sits down on the couch. I sit beside her and tell her to sit on my lap.



“You feel better now?”



She sighs, “Yes, I do.”



“Good. Now, you want something to eat?”



She looks at me with puppy eyes, and she nods.



I ordered a pizza and told her to go and change upstairs while I set up for the pizza to arrive. I pulled out my phone and stepped outside.



“Damien, I need your help.”



‘I’m listening.’



“I need you to find out as much information as possible, on Aiden and Nikki, but most specifically the murder of her father.”



‘Why, if you don’t mind me asking?’



“Something about this whole situation doesn’t sit right with me, why would they bring it up in court if the case was solved,” I reply.



‘Have you asked Nikki about it?’



“No, but I’m going to, but do as I ask, please?”



‘Sure, thing Xander, but what if you don’t like what I find?’



“We’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”



‘I had already started investigating that case and all I can say there is a lot of dirty work that’s going on at Abraham’s Incorporated.’



“I suspected so, but I want a full report, I’ll send you the details to someone that can help you.”



‘Not a problem, I’ll do that.’



“And keep this under wraps, especially from Charles.”



Damien says goodbye and I hang up the phone. I walk back into the house and put my phone on the kitchen counter, and I go upstairs to check on Nikki.



“Babe?”



Nikki pops out of her walk-in closet, dressed in a satin dress and kimono, with a pair of bedroom slippers.



“You okay?”



“You tell me? Charles told me that you’re planning a trip back to America, when were you going to tell me, Xander.”



Shit.