"BOUND BY BETRAYAL: WHEN LOVE AND REVENGE BECOME ONE

EPISODE 3: A FATAL MISTAKE

Zara woke with a sense of purpose that clung to her like a second skin. The small jar of shimmering powder sat on her bedside table, a reminder of the decision she’d made. She touched it gently, feeling the weight of Elimu’s dark gift. Her hand lingered over the cool clay, steady yet trembling with anticipation and a thread of fear.

Today, she would bring Zulu back to her—no matter what.

As she moved through her morning routine, a strange calm settled over her. The mist had lifted from the village, replaced by clear skies, as if fate itself had prepared the day for her. She carefully planned the meal, selecting Zulu’s favorite dishes, the ones he had once praised as the best in the village. She would make their evening together perfect, and this meal would be the bridge to reigniting the love they’d once shared.

As the sun dipped below the mountains, painting the sky in hues of gold and crimson, Zara placed a simple clay bowl on the counter, ready to mix the final ingredients. Her hand hovered over the small jar of powder, her mind racing with the weight of what she was about to do. In the back of her thoughts, she remembered Elimu’s intense gaze, his parting words echoing in her mind: “A woman like you deserves love that is strong, unwavering…”

She brushed the memory away, focusing on her purpose. Taking a deep breath, she pinched a small amount of the powder, watching it shimmer as it settled into the food. She stirred it carefully, her hands steady, and then placed Zulu’s plate on the table. Her pulse quickened, anticipation humming under her skin. This would be the night they found each other again.

When Zulu finally arrived, he looked more worn than ever, his shoulders slumped and his face drawn with the weight of some unknown burden. Zara greeted him warmly, ushering him to the table. She watched him intently as he took his seat, hoping that tonight, she might see a glimpse of the man she had once known.

They ate in silence at first, each bite a delicate dance of nerves and expectation. Zara’s gaze never wavered from Zulu, her heart racing each time he brought his spoon to his lips. She longed to see the powder’s magic take hold, to see his eyes light up with the love that had once filled their days.

But as he took another bite, something shifted. His brow furrowed, and a strange look came over him. Zara’s heart seized with unease as she watched him place a hand on his stomach, his face twisting in discomfort.

“Zulu?” she whispered, leaning forward. “Are you alright?”

He looked up at her, his face paling, eyes filled with a strange panic. He clutched his stomach, his body suddenly rigid with pain. “Zara… something isn’t… right.”

A wave of dread washed over her, chilling her to the core. She reached out, her hand trembling as she tried to steady him, but he pushed her hand away, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. In horror, she watched as his face contorted, his body shuddering violently.

“Zara…” he rasped, his voice faint, desperate, as he struggled to focus on her. His eyes, once so familiar, were now wild with terror, pleading for an answer she didn’t have. In a matter of seconds, his breathing faltered, his body slumping as his eyes slipped shut, his hand falling limp from hers.

The world was still around her. Zara felt as though she had been struck, her mind unable to process the sight of her husband’s lifeless body before her. She shook him, calling his name, desperate to wake him, to undo whatever dark force had taken him from her. But her calls fell into a suffocating silence, the sound of her voice hollow in the empty room.

Realization crashed over her like a tidal wave. The powder. The so-called love charm Elimu had given her—it hadn’t rekindled Zulu’s love; it had stolen his life. Her hands shook as she covered her mouth, the bitter taste of betrayal filling her senses. Elimu had deceived her, turned her desperate love into a weapon, and Zulu had paid the price.

In the following days, Zara barely moved from her home. Grief consumed her, tearing at her insides with a ferocity she had never known. She replayed the evening over and over in her mind, her sorrow giving way to guilt, and then to anger. How had she been so naive? How could she have placed her trust in a man like Elimu, whose eyes had held desires she had refused to acknowledge?

But as the initial shock subsided, Zara’s sorrow turned to a cold, simmering rage. She thought of Elimu’s gaze lingering on her, the subtle hint of satisfaction in his voice as he gave her the powder. He had used her love to manipulate her, to twist her intentions into something dark and irreversible. And now, she had lost everything because of him.

One evening, as the last light of day faded, she felt a new purpose form within her. She would not let Zulu’s death go unanswered. Elimu had given her a tool of destruction, yet he had hidden his true intentions behind a veil of twisted charm. He had dared to take her love and turn it into something poisonous, something fatal. But Zara would not let his betrayal be the final word.

Steeling herself, she rose from her bed, her heart as cold as the mountain river. She would find Elimu. She would face him, and he would know the pain he had caused her. The widow who had once sought his help would return to him, but this time, her purpose would be clear, unclouded by love or desperation.

Zara wrapped herself in her cloak, her face set in determined lines. She had no fear left; it had burned away, leaving only the smoldering embers of revenge. And so, with Zulu’s memory guiding her, she walked into the night, her path leading to the twisted trees and shadows where Elimu waited.