Ikhulu nanhlanu

Riley and Melissa stared at each other throughout Nikola's entire speech. She was rattling off all of the recent chiefs she procured for the cause. She threw her companions a bone and at least highlighted the fact that each member of the team was an integral part of the operation. She relayed every event of the past few weeks and their journey from each chief along their way. Riley was fuming throughout the entire speech because she made it sound like it was a smooth path of mutual respect and agreement. She was charismatic and full of smiles as she met the eyes of each chief as she spoke about them and painted a diplomatic picture of success on both of their parts. She was regal and alluring and Riley could not help but feel like Nikola was the picturesque portrait of the woman in power that Lucinda Mpande always wanted her to be. Riley was looking at the physical presence of her mother's dreams for her.