JAPHETH

As Japheth and Kaweme walked hand-in-hand towards the car, the night air seemed to soften around them. The garden lights glowed in amber circles, the laughter from distant tables fading behind them. Kaweme leaned in closer, her fingers wrapped tightly around Japheth’s.

They had made plans to party after dinner, but she had a big board meeting in the morning, her official reinstatement as CEO. Japheth had insisted she rest, and she hadn’t argued. It felt good to be taken care of.

Without a word, Japheth slipped off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders. Her armless dress shimmered beneath it, but the warmth of his gesture made her blush more than the cold.

“You’ve gone quiet on me,” Japheth said, stealing a glance at her. “It’s making me nervous. You’re the one who talks more in this relationship.”

Kaweme chuckled softly. “I know. I’m just… what do you say when the thing you’ve wanted most is finally real?”

Japheth smiled. “Is this really the thing you’ve wanted most?”

She stopped walking for a second. “Japheth, you do know that I like you more than you like me, right?”

He turned to her, face calm. “We’ll never know that for sure.”

“I do,” she insisted. “I know it. For so long, I thought I could never have you. Luyando told me you weren’t the marrying type. And you, you treated me like your kid sister. So when you finally started looking at me differently, I didn’t know how to hold it. I’ve been scared I’d wake up and it would be gone. But now? This… this feels like a miracle. Like proof that God hears.”

Japheth was quiet for a beat. Then he said, “He hears. And He’s not done with us yet. No more loss. No more waiting for joy to come. We’re in the light now.”

She rested her head on his shoulder. They kept walking, the silence between them comfortable. But after a few steps, she spoke again.

“Japheth…”

“Hmm?”

“I want to start a family quickly. I don’t want to wait a year or two, planning, postponing. I don’t think I can do that. Not after everything.”

He looked at her, eyebrows raised. “I mean, planning the kind of wedding you deserve would take at least six months. Maybe more.”

“Six months?” she said, drawing back in mock horror. “No, Japheth, my real dream would be if we could get this done in a month.”

“A month?” he blinked.

“Yes,” she said, with quiet certainty. “A full month is all I need. I don’t want the drama. I want the joy that comes with being your wife. Let’s just get it done.”

Japheth laughed, a low, surprised sound. “You think you want this more than I do? Fine. Three weeks.”

Kaweme gasped. “Three weeks?”

“Three weeks to the wedding,” he said, eyes gleaming.

She laughed, eyes bright with tears and joy. “It’s a date. Wedding planning mode activated.”

Japheth pulled her into his arms. “I’ll die trying to make you happy, Kaweme. That’s a vow I need you to hold unto right now.”

“And I love you for it,” she whispered. “So, so much, but please, no more dying.”

“I love you too,” he said, and kissed the top of her head, “I am definitely not dying, but if it ever comes to it, I will take a bullet for you without flinching.”

They reached the car just as Japheth’s phone buzzed. He glanced at the screen and answered, already smiling. “Shem? Tell me you’re about to make this a double goodnight. Are you coming over?”

But Shem’s voice was different. Low. Urgent. “You have bigger issues on your hands. I think someone’s following you.”

Japheth straightened, heart thudding. “What? You think?”

“Yes, I know someone is following you,” Shem replied. “There’s no time to explain.”

“How do you know this?” Japheth asked, scanning the dark edges of the garden.

“Because I’m here,” Shem said. “Coincidence. I was in the same garden. I saw the proposal. But I wasn’t the only one watching. There was another man. Sunglasses. Cap pulled low. He wasn’t just a passerby, Japheth. He was watching you like he had a mission.”

Japheth’s mouth went dry. “Please be careful, Shem. Don’t do anything reckless.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Shem said. “Just worry about Kaweme. I’ll trail him. I’ll let you know what I find.”

“Thank you, bro,” Japheth murmured, his voice heavy with gratitude. “I appreciate this more than I can ever say.”

“For nothing,” Shem said, and the call ended.

Japheth lowered the phone slowly, and smiled but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“You’re keeping something from me,” Kaweme said, looking at his face.

“I am,” he admitted. “Because I’m protecting you. I promise, everything will be fine. Right now, your only focus should be looking stunning and sounding brilliant at that board meeting tomorrow.”

Kaweme smiled faintly. “Look at you… taking care of me.”

“I’ll die trying,” he said again.

She nodded. “You need to stop saying that. Positive confessions only. No one is dying for anybody.”

Then she slid into the car, leaned back, and whispered, “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Japheth said softly, as he pulled the car door shut behind her. And with that, they drove off into the night, carrying a love they had waited too long to find, and a danger they didn’t see coming.

————————————————————————————————————————–

 SHEM

The man, the one who had been spying on Japheth and Kaweme, was still following them.

Shem kept a careful distance, his headlights dimmed, body tense. He didn’t know what he was doing exactly, only that he had to do something. This wasn’t just curiosity anymore. It was instinct. And the deeper he followed, the more certain he became.

Whoever this man was, he wasn’t just watching for fun. He was tracking them with intent. Something cold. Something calculating.

The trio of cars moved through Lusaka’s nightscape. When Japheth finally dropped Kaweme off at her family compound in Kabulonga, Shem’s jaw tightened at the sheer security layout, armed guards, police presence, and a long iron gate. Clearly, she wasn’t an easy target.

“Good,” he muttered, exhaling. “She’s safe here. Safer than with any of us.”

But the man didn’t stop.

He waited.

Then, when Japheth drove off, he followed.

Shem tailed them both.

By the time Japheth pulled into his townhouse in Ibex Hill and parked, the man remained outside in a discreet black sedan. He didn’t budge for over an hour. Then another vehicle pulled up, same model, similar plates. Two men exchanged a handshake. One stayed behind, stationed directly opposite Japheth’s gate.

Shem felt the hairs on his neck rise.

This was organized.

The original man drove off. Shem followed.

He trailed him across Lusaka until they reached a house that looked more like a fortress than a home. It was mansion-sized, high walls, cameras perched like vultures at every corner. The man stepped inside, emerged twenty minutes later, dressed differently. Cleaned up. Changed. And then, to Shem’s horror, headed back toward Kabulonga.

Back to Kaweme’s house.

Another four hours passed in a dizzying game of hide, trail, wait. Shem was exhausted. His body screamed for rest, but his instincts wouldn’t let him sleep. He parked across the street from Kaweme’s house, eyes trained on the movement. The man returned, parked a few houses away, and waited.

At 6 a.m., a different car pulled in. A new man stepped out, leaned on the boot, crossed his arms, and took over.

They were rotating shifts.

This wasn’t casual surveillance.

This was serious.

Shem grabbed his phone, made a call to a few trusted guys from the barracks, junior soldiers he’d trained. He gave instructions: dress plain, carry light arms, follow Kaweme discreetly, and report every move of the shadow team.

Then he circled back to trail the original guy. By 8 a.m., the man had returned to the same base, busy, crowded, unassuming. No real leader in sight. Shem decided not to act prematurely. If this was a bigger plan, he needed the head, not just the hands.

As he leaned back in his seat, head pounding from lack of sleep, his phone buzzed.

Ham.

He sighed and picked it up.

“Yo, big bro!” Ham’s voice rang with energy. “How are you? You sound like you’ve been digging trenches all night.”

Shem gave a half-laugh. “Close enough.”

“You don’t sound fine,” Ham said. “Everything okay?”

“I’m on leave.”

“You’re on leave… and you sound like a war survivor?”

“I’ve been awake all night.”

“Jah,” Ham whistled. “Why?”

Shem hesitated. “I was… following someone.”

“Following who?”

Shem closed his eyes briefly. “Japheth and his woman.”

Ham was silent for a moment. “Wait. You and Japheth talk now?”

“Not really,” Shem said. “Kind of. It’s complicated.”

“And you’re following him and his woman? Bro, what kind of leave is this?”

“She’s in danger, or maybe it’s both of them,” Shem said quietly. “I think someone’s watching them closely, to possibly plan something really bad.”

“And that’s how you spend your leave? Get a private investigator involved and some bodyguards. I will pay anonymously,” Ham said. “Stay away from danger, come on. Come with me to London next week. Chelsea’s got a match at Stamford Bridge. I’m flying out with Mutale.”

There was a long pause. Shem ignored every other thing his younger brother said.

“Mutale?” Shem asked. “What do you mean with Mutale?”

“That’s actually why I called,” Ham said brightly. “You’re my witness. I’m getting married to her today.”

Shem sat bolt upright. “Ham, slow down. It’s 8 am. Did you drink something?”

“I’m very sober, sir,” Ham replied. “And very serious. We reconnected at the burial. You saw the chemistry. I’ve always liked her. Everyone knows that.”

“Liking someone isn’t a reason to marry them.”

“She’s peace,” Ham said softly. “And I want peace. You know what it’s like being chased around Europe. Too many girls. Too much noise. I need stability, bro. A good woman. That’s Mutale.”

Shem rubbed his temples. “Does she even know you? Like, really know you?”

“She knows enough. And I sweet-talked her, I won’t lie. But she said yes.”

“What about her NGO? You fund it. You’re the sponsor. What happens now?”

“I’ll keep sponsoring it. We’ll get someone to run it. I just need her in my life.”

“This is ridiculous,” Shem said. “Are you in love or just trying to babysit your distractions?”

“I’m getting married, bro. Come and watch your youngest brother become a husband.”

“You told Japheth?”

“No,” Ham said quickly. “And don’t tell him. We’re cool now, yeah. But that doesn’t mean we’re best friends, besides, from what you just told me, he has bigger issues on his hands.”

Shem sighed. “Text me the address.”

“I knew you’d come through,” Ham said, triumphant. “Watch me become a man today.”

As the call ended, Shem dropped the phone into his lap.

He looked out at the quiet street. The same car, the same man, a sign of a big threat.

He exhaled deeply. “My brothers,” he muttered. “This family is chaotic.”

Then he started the engine, made a turn, and finally drove home, his body drained, his mind racing with questions that felt bigger than even the answers could carry.

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Shem had heard the stories, like everyone else. Nezelcom wasn’t just a company, it was the company. The telecom giant that powered the nation, filled the headlines, and set the pace for digital innovation across southern Africa. But walking through the glass doors of their headquarters hit differently. The hum of machines, the sharp clicks of high heels on polished floors, the quiet power exuding from well-dressed professionals, it was a world far from the barracks.

And then he stepped into Japheth’s office.

The view alone could silence a man.

“Big man Japheth,” Shem said, whistling as he looked around. “So this is how the other half lives.”

Japheth chuckled from behind his desk. “Don’t let the office fool you.”

“But that view,” Shem said, walking toward the glass. “You’ve done well for yourself.”

“Thank you,” Japheth replied with a nod. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure? Did you find out anything else last night?”

“I won’t waste your time. I know you’re a busy man.”

“I’m on break, my time is yours for the entire hour” Japheth said. “Besides, I could use the distraction. You look sharp, by the way. Where are you off to?”

“A wedding,” Shem said casually.

“This time of day?”

Shem hesitated, then said, “Ham’s wedding. He’s marrying Mutale this evening.”

Japheth sat up. “Ham? Mutale? What do you mean?”

“It’s… impromptu. Honestly, I don’t know how it happened. They reconnected at the burial, and next thing I know, he’s asking me to be his witness.”

“A small wedding?”

“Yes. Probably planning a proper one in London later. But this one? This is just to seal the deal.”

Japheth leaned back, brows furrowed. “I suppose I’m not invited.”

“I tried to talk to him, but he—”

“No, it’s fine,” Japheth cut in. “Let him do what feels right to him. I’ll sort things with him… eventually. Right now, I’m starting with you, and that is hard enough as it is.”

Shem exhaled. “Look, it’s not that I don’t want to fix things too. I just don’t know how. I’m not angry. You paid my fees, got me into the army. You helped me. It would be unfair to hold against you the fact that you got a better shot at life. But you can’t force a relationship into existence just because we share blood.”

“I’m not trying to resurrect the past,” Japheth said softly. “I’m trying to build something new. Friends are made every day. If strangers can become brothers, surely brothers can become friends.”

Shem paused, then gave a small nod. “I’ll give it a try.”

“Thank you.”

“For now, let’s focus on why I came.” Shem’s tone shifted, serious now. “There’s a big problem. It includes you, but it’s more about your woman.”

Japheth’s heart tightened. “Go on.”

“She’s being followed. Not randomly. This is organized surveillance. They’re running shifts, monitoring her house, tailing her movement.”

“What?”

“I’ve involved the barracks already. I got some junior officers in plain clothes tracking the trackers. But I need everything you know. Everything.”

Japheth stood now. “Oh my God… I knew something wasn’t right.”

Shem stepped forward. “Has anything unusual happened before now?”

Japheth rubbed his face. “Her father died in a plane crash about a year ago. We thought it was an accident, but a few months later, she received a letter suggesting it was sabotage. She was convinced someone wanted him dead. And now that she’s taking over his role, I think they want her gone too.”

“Have you reported this to the police?”

“We don’t know who to trust,” Japheth said. “We’ve been quiet. Careful.”

Shem nodded. “That was the right call. I don’t think we’re dealing with small players. In fact…”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. “When I was entering the building today, a man came out. I took his picture.”

He turned the screen toward Japheth.

Japheth’s eyes narrowed. “That’s Mr. Kasonde. He’s the acting chairman. Our former MD, Kaweme’s father, Mr. Mutanga, brought him in. They were best friends.”

“Well,” Shem said grimly, “The guy that’s been following you and Kaweme drove him here today. I saw them together.”

Japheth sat down slowly, as though the weight of the room had suddenly shifted. “You think… he killed his friend? To take his seat?”

“I don’t know. But something stinks. And I’m going to get to the bottom of it.”

“We’re getting married in three weeks,” Japheth murmured. “I don’t want this cloud hanging over us.”

“I’ll handle it,” Shem said. “But there’s one more thing.”

He hesitated, then added, “Kaweme’s driver… I saw him exchange a look with one of the surveillance guys. It wasn’t a random glance. It was recognition.”

Japheth’s face darkened. “How did you pick this in just one night, and I didn’t in almost a year? I feel careless.”

“Don’t do that to yourself. I am trained, you are not. This is not a software problem, it’s a high level crime, and that is my specialty. Just tell me everything you know, that could help me crack this faster,” Shem said, in the usual relaxed tone of his.

“I think you may be up to something with the driver, because the night someone dropped a threatening note for Kaweme, he said his child was sick and left early.”

“I’d bet my left kidney that he’s compromised,” Shem said.

“What do we do?”

“I want to be her driver,” Shem said plainly. “Undercover. At least until the wedding. I’m on leave anyway. I’ll be able to track movement, protect her, and monitor trails.”

“You’d do that for me?” Japheth asked.

Shem didn’t flinch. “We may not have grown up together. But we’re brothers. I protect my own, fiercely. Even when they don’t deserve it, like our father, I can’t look away, but you deserve it, and I can’t make myself stop even if I tried. I am already invested.”

Japheth swallowed. “Thank you.”

“Let me attend Ham’s wedding tonight. Then from tomorrow, I’ll take over. She won’t know it’s me. Just give me the logistics.”

Japheth nodded. “I will. And… tell Ham and Mutale congratulations. I wish them a happy married life.”

Shem smiled faintly. “I will.”

They stood in silence for a beat, both aware of how far they’d come, and how far they still had to go.

And then Shem turned toward the door.

Japheth said quietly, “I’m really grateful.”

Shem paused, hand on the doorknob. “I know. Let’s keep her safe.”

Then he was gone.

—————————————————————————————————————————-

By the time Shem arrived at the registry, the atmosphere was still calm, guests were only just trickling in. Two SUVs were parked near the gate. One had its engine humming softly and windows tinted just enough to reveal white lace within.

That had to be Mutale.

Shem didn’t head toward Ham’s car. He wasn’t here for small talk or a brotherly handshake. Not yet. He needed to see her first. In many ways, she was like a sibling too, his sister from another mother, and he needed to be sure that she was doing the right thing.

He approached the SUV. As the driver stepped aside, he saw her through the window. Mutale looked radiant and fragile, like someone bracing herself for the weight of a choice that would change her life.

When she saw him, her face lit up. “Head!” she whispered through the rolled-down window, using the old childhood nickname. “I’m so happy you came. Where’s Japheth?”

Shem exhaled. “He wasn’t invited.”

“What?” she frowned. “But I told Ham I wanted him here. I wanted all of you.”

Shem shrugged. “Pick your battles, Mutale. Some take longer to win.”

Her brows pinched. “No, this is over. We settled it at the burial. Your father wanted you to be brothers… for real.”

“Maybe in time,” Shem said. “But today is your wedding day. Let’s not weigh it down with old wounds.”

She gave a bittersweet smile. “I guess you’re surprised, huh?”

She turned to her bridesmaids and said gently, “Please. Give us a moment.”

They nodded and stepped out without protest.

“Come inside,” Mutale said, scooting over.

Shem climbed into the car. Even the driver quietly stepped away to give them privacy.

Inside, Mutale took a long breath.

“I know it looks rushed,” she began. “But somehow, it feels… right. You remember how Ham and I were as kids, right? After everything that happened to me, he promised to be my boyfriend. Said no one would hurt me again.”

Shem smiled faintly. “At ten years old? Sounds like something out of a Nollywood film.”

Mutale laughed, but her eyes were glassy. “That promise meant the world to me. Even if it was childish. He never really was my boyfriend, not properly. I mean, girls flocked around him as we got older. But my heart just… held onto that moment. Even when he left for the UK, he kept checking in. Always looking out for me. Always responsible for me.”

Shem’s voice softened. “But Mutale, you’re a Christian. A real one. Have you prayed about this? About him?”

She nodded slowly. “I have. And I know he’s not like me in every way. But… he’s not a non-believer either.”

“But there’s a difference,” Shem said. “You follow Jesus with everything. Ham believes, but not like you do. That can cause real conflict.”

Mutale looked down. “I know. I’ve thought about that. But I love him. And my heart keeps saying this is right.”

Shem leaned back, letting the words settle. “You sure it’s not the glamour? He’s a superstar. It’s exciting.”

She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes. “It’s a little late for that.”

Shem turned sharply to her. “What do you mean?”

Her voice trembled. “The night your father died… he took me out. It was beautiful. He showed me a side of Lusaka I’d never seen. We laughed. We talked. And… I followed him home.”

Shem didn’t speak. He didn’t have to.

“I’m not that kind of girl, you know,” she continued. “You know I’m not. But that night… I don’t know what came over me. And now, I’m pregnant.”

She blinked the tears away, not wanting to ruin her makeup. “When I told him, he looked sad, but not shocked, and then he said he’d marry me. Just like that. No long speeches. He just said, ‘Let’s do this.’ And I said yes. Because what else could I do? I couldn’t face the church. I couldn’t be the girl who everyone saw as perfect, then suddenly stained.”

Shem was quiet, absorbing the confession like a blow.

“No church wedding,” she added. “Just this. A court signing. I’m not even following him immediately. I don’t have papers yet. But once I get my passport and all, we’ll process my visa. And then I’ll join him.”

Shem’s voice was a whisper. “Now it all makes sense.”

“I’m sorry,” Mutale said again, voice cracking. “This is what I tell girls every week, protect yourself. Don’t think you’re too strong. Don’t let love blind you. But I wasn’t strong either. One minute I was talking to him about forgiveness, the next… he was kissing me, and I was too into it to stop him, till we went all the way.”

She looked down at her lap, ashamed.

Shem reached across and held her hand. “You’ll be fine. You’re two good people. That’s already more than most couples have.”

Mutale nodded slowly. “I’m not sure about happiness. But I know he’s good. So we’ll be okay.”

A knock on the window broke the silence. Her bridesmaid.

“It’s time.”

Mutale stepped out of the car with grace. Shem followed behind, watching her gather herself like a woman of dignity that she is.

The family gathered. Ham was standing at the door, face unreadable. Not cold. Not warm. Just… still.

They said their vows. Signed the register. Shem signed as Ham’s witness and guardian. Another friend signed as the second.

No fanfare. No dancing. No crowd.

Ham took his bride home. Just like that.

As the crowd began to disperse, Shem pulled out his phone. A message blinked on-screen.

It was Rudo, his boss’s niece.

“So this is how you ghost people? Exciting conversation last night, then poof?”

Shem sighed. He had completely forgotten about her. Everything had shifted so drastically last night.

He typed back quickly:

“I’m sorry.”

She replied almost immediately:

“I don’t need sorry. I need clarity. Is there a point to this? Are we going anywhere?”

Shem stared at the screen, annoyed at how fast pressure always came.

“I thought we were building a friendship. Slowly.”

“I’m not here to be friendzoned,” she fired back.

He didn’t have the strength.

“Have a good night,” he sent.

She didn’t reply.

He pocketed the phone, stepped into the cool night, and took a deep breath.

Tomorrow, he will begin his assignment.

The watch had begun.

And he wouldn’t rest until Kaweme was safe.