She remembers, 16 years ago, till this day, when she first met Dlangamandla. She was just from registering for a course at the community College.

Her friend had insisted they go to KFC, and she had agreed grudgingly, because that meant she had to spend the last R50 she had. She had planned on getting airtime to call her boyfriend, Mpume all night.

Oh Mpume! She dropped him the minute she met Dlangamandla. Of course Mpume was just a random 20 year old, with a regular job at the local garage. He spoiled her, yes, but Dlangamandla did far more than spoil her. He took care of her every need.

“I’ll pay.” Dlangamandla had said, as he stood behind Nomathemba and her friend in line.

The two girls were immediately charmed. Such a tall man! He looked like he ducked the door frames when he walked in a room. He was handsome too, with pure white skin, and a lovely smile.

From that moment on, Dlangamandla paid for everything Nomathemba wanted. From the college fees, to groceries, to rent and immediately to buying her parents a home, then finally to paying lobola as soon as Nomathemba fell pregnant.

She was young and inlove, and Dlangamandla knew all the right words to say. He knew how to woo her, how to make her happy. 

“You’re so lucky, chomiie” her friends usually told her.

“Yoh! Does Dlangamandla have any brothers?” Her cousins would ask.

“Maybe..a second wife? Isn’t he into polygamy?” Her best friend once said.

Of course, she felt lucky. Imagine at the age of 18, she was already engaged to a well known billionaire. 

Her father had said, he’d always known his daughter was destined to marry a rich man. 

“But, baba, she’s so young.” Her mother had cried.

“Nonsense! She’ll be just fine. Follow your heart baby girl.” Her father had encouraged her.

And so, after 3months of dating Dlangamandla and falling pregnant, she married him.