THE UNTAINTED
Chapter 19
The air at the table still carried warmth from laughter.
Rihannat felt overwhelmed — but in a good way.
Since yesterday, Folakemi's parents had repeated the same words.
"Take this place as your second home."
And now her brothers were saying it too.
"Thank you for being our sister's friend," Olalekan added sincerely. "Even though your lifestyles are different."
Rihannat shook her head immediately.
"No, no… Folakemi is a good girl," she said gently. "She's just hiding her true self. Yes, she goes out with them, but her life isn't as bad as theirs. I think she's just… trying to let off steam."
As she spoke, she reached out casually to pick a slice of apple from the fruit plate on the table.
Her fingers were inches away—
"Rihannat!"
Folakemi's voice cut sharply through the air.
Her hand collided with Rihannat's, knocking it away from the plate.
In one swift movement, Folakemi grabbed the entire plate and flung it to the ground.
It shattered.
The apples scattered across the polished floor.
Rihannat froze.
"What happened?" she asked, confused.
But Folakemi wasn't looking at her.
Her gaze was locked elsewhere.
Her brothers rose immediately.
"What happened?" Olalekan demanded, anger rising in his voice.
But Oladeji had already understood.
He had seen the look in his sister's eyes.
There was no hostility toward Rihannat.
Only fury.
Defensive fury.
"You lost the right to—" Olalekan began.
"Fine!" Folakemi cut him off. "Then allow me this!"
Before anyone could stop her, she stormed across the hall.
Slap!
Slap!!
Slap!!!
Three sharp slaps landed across Bolatito's face in rapid succession.
Gasps filled the room.
Folakemi grabbed a chair and slammed it down beside Bola.
"How dare you?!" she thundered. "How dare you?!"
The entire hall went silent.
"How dare you disrespect my family guest in my house? Someone I invited? Someone under my protection?"
Her voice trembled with rage.
"Are you tired of living?!"
Her friends backed away instantly, abandoning Bola like a sinking ship.
Even Olalekan looked stunned.
Oladeji rushed forward and grabbed his sister as she raised her hand again.
She struggled against him, still trying to reach Bola.
"Call the police," Oladeji ordered one of the staff calmly, though his jaw was tight.
Security personnel moved swiftly, surrounding Bola and her group.
"No one leaves," Olalekan commanded coldly.
Rihannat stood rooted to the spot, her body trembling.
Olalekan gently guided her away from the chaos.
Within minutes, the police arrived.
The confident smirk on Bola's face had vanished.
When she heard they were to call their parents — and that their school authorities would be informed — her legs nearly buckled.
The same friends who laughed with her minutes ago now looked away.
One girl — the one who had tried to stop Bola earlier — burst into tears.
"Officer, I wasn't part of this! I told them not to do it!" she cried desperately.
But the others remained silent.
Deaf.
Detached.
Her voice cracked.
"Is this who you all really are? We're not friends! I just realized how wicked and inhumane you people are! If God saves me today, count me out of this circle!"
She stepped away from them and dialed her father's number with shaking hands.
Wealth could not protect them tonight.
Inside a private room upstairs—
"Are you okay?" Olalekan asked softly.
Rihannat nodded faintly, though her hands still shook.
"I… I'm fine."
Folakemi entered, eyes red.
"Rihannat, I'm sorry. I was gone for too long so—"
SLAP.
The sound echoed louder than the earlier ones.
Mr. Mustopha.
His palm had landed across his daughter's cheek.
"Shut your mouth!" he roared.
The room froze.
"You were gone for too long?!" he thundered. "Do you know what could have happened if that serving girl didn't come to confess?"
His voice shook — not just with anger.
But fear.
"Do you know what would have happened if she kept quiet?"
He pointed toward Rihannat.
"She came into this house trusting us. Under our protection. And your so-called friends almost turned my building into a disgrace!"
His chest rose and fell rapidly.
"They spiked her drink with aphrodisiac!"
The word dropped like a bomb.
Rihannat's ears rang.
Aphrodisiac.
Her stomach twisted.
"How did they even get such a drug?" he muttered in disbelief.
He faced his daughter again.
"From today, Rihannat is not just a visitor here. She is family."
His voice hardened.
"I warned you about those girls. Spoilt rotten! Yet you always crawled back to them."
He stepped closer.
"Listen carefully. I don't want to see you with them again. Not in school. Not in this house. Not anywhere. I will have people watching you."
Folakemi's lips trembled.
"If you defy me, I will disown you."
The finality in his tone left no room for negotiation.
He turned away.
"Father… I am so—"
He walked past her.
She lowered her head, shame swallowing her whole.
Then he approached Rihannat.
"Ree…"
The nickname he and his wife had given her.
She looked up slowly.
His expression softened instantly.
"My dear… Alhamdulillah nothing happened."
Her forced smile wavered.
"Allah saved you," he continued gently. "They tried to stain what is pure. But He protected you."
His voice dropped.
"And He will continue to protect you."
Rihannat finally felt the weight of what could have happened.
Her knees weakened.
If Folakemi hadn't come back.
If the serving girl hadn't confessed.
If she had taken that drink…
Her chest tightened.
Tears welled up silently.
Tonight, she had nearly been pulled into darkness without even knowing.
And the people who plotted it were the same ones smiling at her minutes earlier.
Downstairs, flashing police lights illuminated the grand compound.
Inside, silence ruled.
Trust had been broken.
Masks had fallen.
And friendships had been exposed for what they truly were.
Some glitter.
Some poison.
Choose wisely.
Because not every smile wishes you well.
Like and comment.
Choose your friends wisely.