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Dedication
To my good friend Xolani James
Prologue
Prologue
She had to go! Lathoya hurriedly packed her clothes into a suitcase. There was no way she was going to stay here any more, even though she had called it home for eighteen years, ever since birth.
Where was she going? She had no idea at all. But at this moment the important thing was to sneak out unseen and save her life.
It was silent in the hut – it was the middle of the night. The only source of light was the great moon outside, casting its silver light through the window. She had opened the curtain so that she could see what she was doing. Her little sisters and brothers were fast asleep on the floor. Lathoya took a last look at them. Tears filled her eyes. Guilt and sadness almost overwhelmed her.
Who was going to make them porridge now? Nurse them when they were ill? Dress them for school? Still, Lathoya had thought hard about her decision to flee. She knew she was doing the right thing.
She closed her suitcase. When she picked it up, her tender arm muscles tightened. She tiptoed over to the window and opened it carefully. The breeze at this witching hour caused the curtains to billow a little, as if they were inviting Lathoya to her freedom. Her bright future was calling her outside. She had long known that her destiny wasn’t to remain in Emanzini, the small village she had been born in.
Lathoya pushed the suitcase through the window and let it drop outside. It fell on the ground with a thud, waking up the dogs. They began to bark, breaking the silence of the night. She climbed out the window quickly, her heart pounding in her chest.
What if her father woke up? He would probably think a jackal was coming for his sheep.
Seeing a light flicker in the opposite hut where her parents lived, Lathoya grabbed her suitcase. Her father was coming! She didn’t have time to close the window. She just ran with the suitcase, the loud barking of the dogs in her ears. The moon provided enough light for her. She threw the suitcase over the gate and quickly clambered over as the door to her parents’ hut opened.
Lathoya crouched on the ground, seeing a figure appear. Then she hurriedly moved away, dragging the suitcase behind her. Once out of sight, she got up and ran down the slope, away from her house and past the stream, until she finally arrived at the long, narrow road where cars sped by.
Did her parents really believe they could make her do something like this against her will? Trick her and force her into a future filled with nothing but gloom? Now the anger Lathoya had felt during the day came back. Her nose flared. Her hand tightened around the handle of the suitcase. They were trying to sell her as if she was some sort of merchandise, after everything she had done for her family. How could they? How dared they?
But their plan was doomed. Lathoya thanked her lucky stars that she had overheard her parents’ conversation earlier that morning. After having been at the stream, washing the laundry, she came back home. The door of the hut was ajar and so she heard everything they said.
Their words pierced her heart like a dagger. Even though her name wasn’t mentioned – they only used the word “she” – Lathoya knew her parents were talking about her. At that very moment her plan to flee started taking shape. She would sneak out at midnight, hitchhike to the city and make her dreams come true. She would take only a few things and her matric certificate. She would never ever again set foot in Emanzini.
Chapter 1
1
After six hours of flying Lathoya could no longer concentrate on the book in her hands. She was exhausted and sleepy. She put her hand over her mouth as she yawned. The air hostess attending to business class took the expensive bottle of champagne out of the bucket of ice and expertly filled up Lathoya’s tall-stemmed crystal glass.
Lathoya smiled weakly at the hostess, allowed the foam to settle and then took a sip. The French champagne had been a gift from the designer Abramo Capazzo. It was a gesture to thank her for a very successful five-day fashion show. Though it had been exhausting, Lathoya had enjoyed herself tremendously.
When Kelly, her agent and best friend, told her that she was sending her off to the Milan fashion show – every model’s dream – she had been ecstatic. Lathoya knew going there would be a milestone in her modelling career of nine years. The key to open all the steel doors the modelling business had placed in front of her. If anyone tried to tell her that modelling was easy and all about glamour and travelling to exotic places, she would strangle that person.
Rejection came so easily in this industry. She remembered how agencies would only glance at her portfolio before rejecting her. “You’re too fat; you have to lose weight! You’re not pretty enough! Your cheekbones are all wrong!” Those were only some of the many cruel words Lathoya had had to endure. But the good thing about all of that was that it had made her stronger. It had given her more determination. Running away from home ten years ago had been no mistake.
Lathoya sighed.
She allowed herself to lean back in her comfortable reclining leather seat and down the glass of champagne. Its airy, bubbly taste tantalised her taste buds. Her eyes went over towards her right shoulder.
There was a man Lathoya had been secretly ogling. His bronze skin made his face glow, even his hands, which were typing away on his laptop keys. His hair was sleek and fashionably trimmed. Her first impression was that the handsome stranger was all about work. He had been glued to his laptop since shortly after take-off from Milan. Lathoya’s trained eye had noted that his tailored suit was without doubt Italian. He must be the CEO of a multibillion-rand company, she thought. He had an aura of charm and maturity.
“All work and no play makes you a dull boy.” The words escaped before she could stop herself.
The man’s eyes moved from his laptop to the woman mocking him. His mouth curved into a gentle smile.
His looks startled Lathoya. It was as if the world had come to a standstill. His lips were full and tempting, his jawline strong and square, and he had prominent cheekbones. His face was attractively clean, with no beard, exposing his engaging looks.
“I’m chasing a deadline,” he said, his voice like creamy cocoa as it flowed into Lathoya’s ears. “Putting together a magazine every month isn’t child’s play,” he added, leaning back into his seat. It seemed Lathoya was the distraction he needed.
“You’re an editor?” she asked, interested.
Maybe he was with a magazine she had done a photo shoot for. But she doubted that. She would certainly not have forgotten this ridiculously handsome hunk.
“Yep, I am. It’s challenging, but I enjoy challenges,” he replied, his dark eyes hot on her. “So what do you do?”
Enjoying his conversation, Lathoya told him that she was a model.
“Really?” he replied, his eyebrows curling up. “Although I’m not surprised. You’re a very beautiful woman.”
Even though she had heard that one many times before, she felt her
