Chapter 89
Campus
Bayo and Segun sat beneath the shade of a large tree, their books open but mostly forgotten.
Across the field, Rihannat and her friends occupied a patch of grass, their laughter occasionally drifting toward them with the evening breeze.
They had been studying moments ago.
Apparently, they were done.
Segun watched as Rayyan suddenly jumped to her feet and began chasing Folakemi around the field.
"Stop right there!" she shouted, laughing.
Folakemi squealed and ran faster.
Balkis and Faridat doubled over with laughter while Rihannat clapped and cheered from the side.
A smile threatened to form on Segun's lips.
Bayo noticed.
And sighed dramatically.
"Is this your new hobby now?"
Segun ignored him.
"Watching them study, play, laugh, run around..." Bayo continued. "Every single day."
Still no answer.
Bayo snapped his book shut.
"I know you don't care about your books because you'll pass whether you read or not. But I..." He pointed at himself. "I don't have your brain, my brother. Some of us need to study."
Segun finally spared him a glance.
"Whether you study or not, your results will still be the same."
Bayo gasped.
"You aren't cut out for academics."
"Segun..."
"So shut up."
"Do you want beating?" Bayo asked angrily.
"As if you can beat me."
Bayo choked, glaring at the betrayer of a friend.
"You are becoming more annoying every day."
"Then leave."
Bayo clicked his tongue.
His eyes wandered back to the girls.
Then he lowered his voice.
"Are we not kidnapping her again?"
Segun's gaze turned cold.
"Make her regret rejecting our offer was our plan," Bayo continued. "And your family still needs the heirloom on her. That was why we got closer to her in the first place."
Silence.
"We should act fast."
Nothing.
"Or..." Bayo's eyes narrowed. "Do you have feelings for her?"
Segun slowly turned.
"What nonsense are you saying?" His eyes chilling as if stepping on his tail.
"You better keep your mouth shut if you still need it."
"But— You just declared war against your father because of this girl."
Bayo's expression became serious.
"Last month, half the city underworld was trembling because of your anger over her. You removed every man your father planted around her as a spy.
He paused.
"You're protecting her."
Segun's jaw tightened.
"Instead of roughing her up."
Silence.
"I'm sure your father is already suspicious," Bayo continued. "I heard he even went to meet her himself."
Segun's eyes darkened. He knew.
"And we both know the old man doesn't like waiting."
Bayo sighed.
"You and your father are becoming the same."
"Shut it."
The words came out as a growl.
"Don't compare me to him. I don't know that man."
The field fell silent around them.
Even Bayo regretted the statement.
Without another word, Segun stood and walked away.
After a few steps, he stopped.
Slowly, he looked back.
His eyes found Rihannat immediately.
She was laughing.
Head slightly thrown back.
Completely unaware of the storm surrounding her.
He stared for another moment.
Then he turned and walked away.
Bayo remained seated.
A long sigh escaped him.
He had known Segun for years.
Since they were thirteen.
They met in secondary school.
Back then, Bayo was the favourite target of several bullies.
Every afternoon, they dragged him behind the junior classroom block.
They took his lunch money.
Beat him.
Humiliated him.
The little money his parents struggled to give him.
Bayo came from a poor family.
His father was a mechanic.
His mother, a hairdresser.
They had only two children—Bayo and his younger sister, who was now studying abroad.
All thanks to Segun.
That day after school, Segun had accidentally witnessed the bullying.
He said nothing.
He simply stepped in.
And beat the boys so badly that they transferred schools shortly afterward.
Well... segun reported them to the school authority with video clips of how they have bullying and contaminating the school environment.
The next day, when Bayo saw them, he barely recognized them.
At the time, he had been happy.
If only he had known better, he would have reported them instead to the school authority. They became friends afterwards.
Bayo being the chewing gum and glue, sticking himself to Segun no matter how cold he was to him or how many times he tried to send him away using harsh and hurtful words, Segun will still see him the next day, he never left.
Gradually they became very close friends. Bayo had learned alot from him throughout the years.
That day taught him something about segun, he might be dark and dangerous, but inside him, there is a spirit of justice. He never touches the innocent, the people who faces his wrath are the devils in human clothes.
Segun was terrifying when angry.
And even more terrifying when he cared. He protects fiercely.
Bayo understood him better than anyone.
Which was why he knew something was terribly wrong.
Segun was becoming attached.
Emotionally attached.
And that was...very dangerous.
The man never dated.
Never fell in love.
Never stayed after a one night stand.
He took what he wanted and walked away.
Love didn't exist in Segun's and bayo's dictionary.
Yet now...
He and his father were practically at war because of a woman he was told to capture.
All the spies planted around Rihannat had been quietly removed by Segun.
Their already strained relationship had become far worse.
Segun controlled the mafia.
But his father founded it.
No matter how loyal Segun's men were, some would always answer to the old man.
Bayo rubbed his face.
"Good Lord..." he muttered bitterly.
"This is getting messy."
His gaze shifted toward the direction Segun had disappeared.
"Maybe you should let this one go."
A sigh escaped him.
"Because if you don't..."
He looked back at Rihannat.
"...you're the one who'll end up getting hurt."
Mustopha's Compound
"Dad... what did you just say?"
"What?"
"You did what?!"
Qazeem and Farouq spoke simultaneously.
The brothers had returned home early from work and decided to greet their father in his home office.
Instead, they had walked into their worst nightmare.
"You said..." Farouq's voice shook, "you won't help them kidnap her again?"
The room became deathly silent.
Qazeem's face paled.
"Again?"
His voice was barely above a whisper.
"Are you talking about Rihannat?"
Farouq stared at his father.
"Were you speaking with V.I.?"
"You said you knew nothing about any of this!"
Mr. Mustopha slowly sank into his chair.
Like a man whose bones had suddenly disappeared.
He looked old.
Very old.
Perhaps this was Allah's way of exposing the secret he had buried for years.
He wasn't evil.
At least he never intended to be.
But intentions did not erase consequences.
He lifted his eyes.
They were filled with regret.
"Qazeem... Farouq..."
His voice trembled.
"I am sorry."
Silence.
"I provided some of the resources used for that kidnapping years ago."
Neither of his sons moved.
"I didn't know the full plan."
He swallowed.
"I swear by Allah, I didn't."
His breathing became uneven.
"A man introduced me to Vale. They requested an unregistered vehicle... one with fake plates."
His hands shook.
"They also needed manpower."
"And money."
He closed his eyes.
"I thought it was business."
"I thought—"
"Stop."
Farouq's voice cracked.
"Stop, Dad."
The older man fell silent.
Farouq ran a trembling hand through his hair.
"Oh Ya Rabb..."
Pain.
Anger.
Fear.
All battled within him.
"What have you done?"
For the first time in years, his father could not answer.
Qazeem remained standing.
Frozen.
Unable to process the confession.
This entire time...
Their father knew something.
Their father was involved.
Even if unknowingly.
Even if indirectly.
A terrible realization slowly settled over him.
The kidnapping that changed so many lives...
The pain.
The fear.
The scars.
Their father had played a part in it.
The room felt suffocating.
Mr. Mustopha lowered his head.
"I only discovered the truth recently," he whispered.
"I wanted to make it right."
His voice broke.
"I wanted to protect her."
Farouq laughed bitterly.
Protect her?
After helping destroy her family and peace?
"Is this why you adopted her as your goddaughter?"
"Did you just realised this days or you had suspected after the information files I gave you- Rihannat background check?" Farouq asked referring to the investigation he ran on Rihannat when folakemi brought her home for Qazeem homecoming party.
He suddenly looked at his father and saw not the strong, dependable man he had admired all his life...
But a tired old man crushed beneath the weight of his own mistakes. Guilt so heavy and burdening.
—
No one in the room knew what to say.
Outside, the evening call to prayer echoed softly through the compound.
A reminder.
That every secret eventually comes to light.
And every soul, no matter how careful, must one day answer for its deeds.
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