Chapter 26 – The Shift in the House
The Angli household had always been built on ego—Thapelo's ego, their mother's ambition, and the unspoken hierarchy that kept Naledi beneath them.
But now... something had changed.
Naledi no longer waited to be called to the table—she walked into boardrooms uninvited.
She started wearing suits instead of casuals, heels instead of flats.
She came home late. Confident. Silent.
One morning, their mother noticed something strange.
The newspapers on the dining table didn't have Thapelo's name anymore. They had Naledi's.
"Obsidian Global Board Welcomes Naledi Angli"
"Is Africa Seeing the Rise of a New Powerhouse Woman?"
Her mother flipped through the pages, her eyes narrowing.
"Thapelo," she called sharply. "Why is your sister's name here instead of yours?"
Thapelo didn't respond. He was too busy scrolling through his phone, trying to understand why his own stock in their family's firm had quietly dropped—without warning.
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Chapter 27 – The Silent Invasion
Elijah watched the shift unfold like a chessboard slowly rearranging itself.
No dramatic moves. Just quiet control.
He made sure their family business—the one that had once promised Naledi a role, then shoved her aside—was now leaking influence, bit by bit.
A few investors received anonymous tips.
A couple of silent partners were offered better seats in larger firms.
Behind the scenes, things began to collapse—but only at the top, where Thapelo and his mother sat.
And then... an unexpected email arrived in Naledi's inbox.
"By unanimous vote, we are offering you a senior advisory seat in the Angli Group."
She stared at the screen.
They had ignored her. Mocked her. Shut her out.
Now they were handing her a seat?
Why?
She didn't know that Elijah had pulled every string.
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Chapter 28 – The Jealousy Begins
Thapelo couldn't take it.
"She was supposed to clean up after us," he told their mother. "Now she's acting like she runs things."
Their mother lit a cigarette in silence.
"She's been different since she joined that... Obsidian nonsense."
"She's disrespectful."
"She's dangerous."
Their mother's voice was cold. "Then control her."
Thapelo leaned back, smirking. "Maybe I will. Maybe I'll remind her how we treat ungrateful siblings."
He texted Naledi late that night.
"Dinner tomorrow? Just the two of us. Like old times."
She replied, hesitantly:
"Okay."
Elijah saw the message. He didn't say anything.
But the next evening, he followed.
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Chapter 29 – The Trap and the Shadow
Thapelo chose a high-end rooftop restaurant. Expensive wine. Candlelight.
"You're glowing," he said, sipping his drink.
"I'm working," Naledi replied. "That's all."
He leaned in. "Maybe you don't need to work anymore."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
He smiled, lowering his voice. "I mean, if you and I join forces… I can make sure you never fall again."
Her face tightened. "Are you trying to make a business pitch or something else?"
"Both."
His hand moved across the table toward hers.
She didn't notice the tall man in a black coat standing by the balcony edge, watching everything. Silent. Unmoving.
But Thapelo did.
When he looked up again, the man was gone.
And suddenly, Thapelo couldn't speak.
He lost his appetite.
His skin prickled.
"Is something wrong?" Naledi asked.
"No," he said, swallowing. "Nothing."
But that night, he woke up to a package at his door.
Inside: a single black glove… and a photo of himself from that dinner—taken from behind.
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Chapter 30 – The Mother's Move
The next to act was their mother.
She called Naledi into the kitchen.
"I know what you're doing," she said coldly. "Pretending you're humble while climbing on the backs of those who raised you."
"I didn't ask for anything," Naledi said. "You all pushed me away."
"Because we knew what you were," she snapped. "A girl who forgot her place."
Naledi didn't respond.
But as she turned to leave, her mother said something that made her stop.
"Thapelo is still my heir. You were just born unlucky."
The words stung, but Naledi didn't let them show.
She went to her room and found a small box on her pillow.
No note. No wrapping.
Inside: a solid gold pen with her initials engraved.
And a slip of paper that read:
"You were never unlucky. Just unseen. – E"
She sat on the edge of the bed, tears welling up.
Not because of the gift.
But because she was finally starting to feel… seen.