Fatima had travelled a long distance to Mpumalanga to spend time with her family, and from the moment she walked in her mother, noticed something was off.
Fatima pulled up a front, acting like everything was fine, smiling, laughing, greeting family, hugging. But mothers notice things their daughters. Fatima's mother watched quietly, saying nothing, just observing.She settled in and placed her bags in her room.
Three days passed. On the surface, everything seemed calm. Fatima's conversations with Darren were normal, even friendly. He had no idea. He thought the last two months of peace were solid. He had no idea she was silently planning her next move.
Later that same day, Fatima took her courage in hand and sent a message to Tanica:
Hi. This is Fatima. I know you don't know me and I don't know you. I am Fatima, Darren's girlfriend, and I wanted to ask what is going on between the two of you.
Tanica replied almost immediately.
Hi. I didn't know he had a girlfriend. I was also in the picture. I was with him yesterday. I'm really sorry—I had no idea. I'm confused too.
Fatima stayed calm, typing carefully, wanting to get the full story before any confrontation.
"I'm in a relationship with him," she messaged, "but I wanted to confirm what's going on because he lied. He said you two are done."
Tanica's response was honest, blunt, and devastating:
He's a liar. I hope you didn't believe him. He's done this to me countless times. He never stops.
Fatima felt her stomach drop. Her hands shook. The betrayal wasn't abstract anymore—it was tangible.
Tanica continued, explaining her side:
I don't want to mislead you. I thought we were over, that we were good. I partly knew about you, but he told me yesterday he broke up with you because you're too much for him. He said you're annoying, that he can't be with you. I'm going to break up with him. I'm not asking you to, and I don't want you to leave him because of me—but this is my cue to leave.
Fatima read and reread the message, tears slipping silently down her cheeks. She cried quietly, making sure no one saw.
I'm leaving him too, she typed back to Tanica, he doesn't know I took your number.
Then it clicked.
Darren had told her he was going to a small celebration with his high school friends—a reunion of sorts. Fatima realized that the "party with friends" was the same day he had been with Tanica. He hadn't just gone out. He hadn't just lied about seeing friends. He had taken her there, his so-called date, and betrayed her in the most intimate way possible.
Before thanking Tanica, Fatima asked the question burning in her mind:
Did you… have sex with him yesterday?
Tanica didn't hesitate.
Yes.
Fatima's heart shattered into a thousand pieces. She typed slowly, almost mechanically:
Thanks for your honesty.
Tanica's final message landed like a weight on her chest:
You don't deserve this. I'm glad I could help.
Fatima sat there, numb. The betrayal, the lies, the careful manipulations—it all hit her at once. Darren had lied about a harmless reunion. He had gone with Tanica. They had slept together. The truth was undeniable.
Her fingers hovered over her phone for a moment.She then started taking screenshots. Every single message, every lie, every casual deceit—she captured it all.
For the first time, she felt a strange calm amidst the heartbreak. The evidence was in her hands. The truth could no longer hide.
Fatima didn't know what she would do next. Confrontation could wait. But the next time she spoke to Darren, he would see exactly what she knew.