Where Rainbows Hide is about the survival, two women risk everything to follow their hearts. Nomvula, a quiet schoolteacher hiding her truth, meets Lerato, a fearless photographer unafraid to live hers. As their secret romance grows, so do the risks-from family rejection to public shame. Set in South Africa, Where Rainbows Hide is a story of forbidden love, quiet strength, and the courage to be seen.
The kettle whistled sharply, a scream in the stillness of Nomvula's small flat. She didn't move. She stared blankly at the rust-streaked sink, the chipped enamel reminding her that everything ages-love, people, and even the places meant to feel like home.
Rain tapped lightly on the zinc roof overhead, like careful footsteps of someone trying not to be noticed. It was a sound she had grown up with in KwaMashu, and one that now followed her into this modest space she rented on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg. Somehow, it made her feel watched, like the rain saw through her. Like it knew.
She finally moved, more out of habit than purpose, pouring the hot water into her chipped mug. She stirred in the instant coffee, black and bitter-just how she drank it every morning, even though she didn't like it. It was one of those rituals that made her feel in control. She didn't have many.
The walls of the flat were a pale peach, faded like memories she didn't speak of. There were no photos hung up, no signs that someone lived here, really. Just a stack of papers from her grade 7 class, a dusty bookshelf filled with curriculum guides, and one old radio that only played isiZulu gospel stations because she was too afraid to retune it.
Nomvula sat on the edge of her couch, knees pressed together, fingers wrapped tightly around the mug. Her mother had called the night before, the same way she always did-asking if she was still going to church, if she'd met a nice man, if she was keeping herself pure. That word made Nomvula's skin itch.
"I am fine, Ma," she had said. "Still working, still teaching. Still me."
But what did that mean-still me? Did her mother know who she was anymore? Did she?
There were moments when Nomvula thought she could live with the silence inside her. That she could bury this part of herself, deep, like bones no one would ever find. But then... there were the other moments. Ones that slipped through cracks in her control, usually in dreams where fingers touched skin and eyes met in a way that said, I see you. All of you.
She hadn't let herself feel anything for anyone since varsity. And even then, it had been a whisper, a glance held too long, a hand brushing another during a study group. She remembered the shame, the panic. The prayer circles her church group held for her when she "confessed" to having "feelings that weren't from God."
She tried not to think about Thando. It was too long ago. Too complicated. And honestly, she wasn't sure she could survive that kind of unraveling again.
But lately, something had shifted. Maybe it was the loneliness, thickening like smoke. Maybe it was the dreams returning. Or maybe-just maybe-she was tired of pretending she was someone else.
There was a knock on the door. Sharp. Two beats. Then silence.
She frowned. No one ever visited without calling first. Not even her neighbor, Mrs. Sibanda, who usually announced herself loudly through the wall with her gospel records and gossip about who in the complex had a man sleeping over.
Nomvula stood, cautious, setting her mug on the table. She peeked through the curtain. A woman stood there, wearing a camera slung across her chest like a soldier's weapon, and a leather jacket too bold for this side of town. She looked out of place-like someone who didn't care to fit in. Her afro puffed proudly in the misty air. Their eyes met through the crack in the curtain. The woman smiled, crookedly.
Nomvula's breath caught, heart hiccuping in her chest.
She didn't know it yet, but this was the moment everything would change.
In order to fulfill her grandfather's last wish, Stella entered into a hasty marriage with an ordinary man she had never met before. However, even after becoming husband and wife on paper, they each led separate lives, barely crossing paths. A year later, Stella returned to Seamarsh City, hoping to finally meet her mysterious husband. To her astonishment, he sent her a text message, unexpectedly pleading for a divorce without ever having met her in person. Gritting her teeth, Stella replied, "So be it. Let’s get a divorce!" Following that, Stella made a bold move and joined the Prosperity Group, where she became a public relations officer that worked directly for the company’s CEO, Matthew. The handsome and enigmatic CEO was already bound in matrimony, and was known to be unwaveringly devoted to his wife in private. Unbeknownst to Stella, her mysterious husband was actually her boss, in his alternate identity! Determined to focus on her career, Stella deliberately kept her distance from the CEO, although she couldn't help but notice his deliberate attempts to get close to her. As time went on, her elusive husband had a change of heart. He suddenly refused to proceed with the divorce. When would his alternate identity be uncovered? Amidst a tumultuous blend of deception and profound love, what destiny awaited them?
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
Life was perfect until she met her boyfriend's big brother. There was a forbidden law in the Night Shade Pack that if the head Alpha rejected his mate, he would be stripped of his position. Sophia's life would get connected with the law. She was an Omega who was dating the head Alpha's younger brother. Bryan Morrison, the head Alpha, was not only a cold-blooded man but also a charming business tycoon. His name was enough to cause other packs to tremble. He was known as a ruthless man. What if, by some twist of destiny, Sophia's path were to intertwine with his?
Rena got into an entanglement with a big shot when she was drunk one night. She needed Waylen's help while he was drawn to her youthful beauty. As such, what was supposed to be a one-night stand progressed into something serious. All was well until Rena discovered that Waylen's heart belonged to another woman. When his first love returned, he stopped coming home, leaving Rena all alone for many nights. She put up with it until she received a check and farewell note one day. Contrary to how Waylen expected her to react, Rena had a smile on her face as she bid him farewell. "It was fun while it lasted, Waylen. May our paths never cross. Have a nice life." But as fate would have it, their paths crossed again. This time, Rena had another man by her side. Waylen's eyes burned with jealousy. He spat, "How the hell did you move on? I thought you loved only me!" "Keyword, loved!" Rena flipped her hair back and retorted, "There are plenty of fish in the sea, Waylen. Besides, you were the one who asked for a breakup. Now, if you want to date me, you have to wait in line." The next day, Rena received a credit alert of billions and a diamond ring. Waylen appeared again, got down on one knee, and uttered, "May I cut in line, Rena? I still want you."
Janice, the long-forgotten legitimate heiress, made her way back to her family, pouring her heart into winning their hearts. Yet, she had to relinquish her very identity, her academic credentials, and her creative works to her foster sister. In return for her sacrifices, she found no warmth, only deeper neglect. Resolute, Janice vowed to cut off all emotional bonds. Transformed, she now stood as a master of martial arts, adept in eight languages, an esteemed medical expert, and a celebrated designer. With newfound resolve, she declared, "From this day forward, no one in this family shall cross me."
She was a world-renowned divine doctor, the CEO of a publicly traded company, the most formidable female mercenary, and a top-tier tech genius. Marissa, a titan with a plethora of secret identities, had hidden her true stature to marry a seemingly impoverished young man. However, on the eve of their wedding, her fiance, who was actually the lost heir to a wealthy dynasty, called off the engagement and subjected her to degradation and mockery. Upon the revelation of her concealed identities, her ex-fiance was left stunned and desperately pleaded for her forgiveness. Standing protectively before Marissa, an incredibly influential and fearsome magnate declared, "This is my wife. Who would dare try to claim her?"