It's been several weeks already since Riley accepted Lionel's proposal but both of them have not yet opened up the status of their relationship to their families. Riley was in her room playing with her phone when she heard a knock on the door.
"Riley...? Are you in there?" asked Rosita
"Yes mum...., please..come in. The door is not locked." she answered.
Rosita pushed the door opened and walked in.
"Can I have a talk with you?" she asked, sitting beside her daughter.
"Sure mum..." she answered, sitting upright looking curious.
"It's nothing serious dear, I have seen you together with Lionel for a while now but you don't seem to tell me what's going on between you two." asked Rosita, looking concerned.
Riley smiled sheepishly at her mum, looking a little embarrassed.
"Sorry mum..., I planned to tell you but I haven't gotten the chance."
"Okay dear..., you can tell me now."
"oh..mum.., Uhm...., Lionel and I are seeing each other now."
"Really..?That's good to hear so why are you two hiding it?"
" We're not mum..., just don't know how to tell you guys." she replied with a grin
"Okay dear but are you okay with him?"
"Yes mum..."
"Alright, that's all I want to know. I will leave you to what you were doing."
"Okay...mum.., love you."
"Love you too dear..." she answered over her shoulders without turning to her daughter as she walked out of the door.
*****************
NICHOLE'S APARTMENT
Nichole sat in the living room planning one of her schemes. Lionel descended the stairs and meet her mother looking all serious
"Mum..., are you okay..." he slowly asked
"Yes...son.."
"Okay...., mum.., I will leave now."
"Where to dear...?" she asked looking curiously at her son.
"I'm going out with friends mum.."
"Really..?" she asked looking skeptically at her son
"Okay dear..., take care."
"Sure mum..." he replied and dashed out.
When Nichole was sure that his son has left, she took her phone and called her spy
"Hello...Zed, I want you to follow Lionel. I want to know who he has been seeing for this few weeks."
"Yes...ma'am." he replied.
CLIFFORD'S APARTMENT
Riley was having a video call with her friends when she heard the horn of a car outside. She looked through the window and noticed that it was Lionel
"I've got to go girls, will call you later." she said and hanged up.
She quickly dressed up and rushed down stairs. She got to the living room but her mother was not there.
"Mum...., Mum...."called Riley
" Yes...dear..., over here." she answered from the backyard
"I'm going out with Lionel." she said as she approached her mother in the yard.
"OK.. dear.., take care and don't stay out too long."
"Sure mum....Anyway, where is dad? I haven't seen him since morning."
"He left for a business trip this morning with your Uncle while you were still asleep."
"Okay..mum.., see you later." she said over her shoulder as she dashed out of the house.
Lionel was sitting in his car waiting patiently for Riley. He smiled brightly when he saw her approached the car.
"Sorry for keeping you waiting." she said as she got closer to the car.
"It's okay dear, hop in." he replied with a grin.
"Okay.." she replied with a smile and smile and got into the car and they drove off. They chit chatted all the way to their destination being all lovey dovey and didn't even notice someone tailing them.
*************
Nichole was pacing to and fro in her room, waiting patiently for Zed's call. Suddenly she heard the phone ring. she quickly rushed to where it was and answered
"Who is it Zed?" she asked anxiously
"He has been going out with Riley and from the way I'm seeing them, I think they're in a relationship."
"What....?" she exclaimed indignantly
"Yes...ma'am. What do you want me to do with her?"
"Put her where she belongs." she replied in disdain
"Okay.. ma'am"
***********
Lionel and Riley visited different fun places, enjoying each other's company. They finally settled at a restaurant to have a meal.
"What would you like to take dear?" asked Lionel
"I'm okay with anything." she answered
"Okay...Uhm...., give us two plates of rice with potato chips and chicken." said Lionel with a grin to the waiter, handing over the menu.
"Okay..., sir." the waitress replied and left.
Soon, he returned with their menu and set it before them.
"Thank you..." they both replied in unison and they waitress left.
"Shall we...?" asked Lionel
"Sure..." she replied with a smile and they dug into their meals.
"Have you tell your mum about us? And when will I meet her?" asked Riley
"I've not told her yet."
"Why.....? She should know by now." she asked with a curious look
"Yes I know, just give me some time. Mum is a little difficult. I will need to convince her first. I promise I will let you meet her soon." he said assuredly to her, taking her hand into his.
"Okay..." she replied with a grin and nodded. They continued their meal in silence.
CLIFFORD'S OFFICE
It was around 3pm, Clifford was in a meeting with a group of administrators from different companies when his secretary walked over to him with his phone
"Sorry sir, I just received a call from an unknown number saying it's very urgent to speak to you."
"Okay....." he answered and took the phone from her.
"Excuse me, it's urgent I answer this call." he said to the administrators.
"Sure..." they nodded as he excused himself to attend to the call.
"What....?" he exclaimed, few minutes after leaving to answer to the call
Lian quickly dashed out from the meeting room over to his brother
"What is it Cliff...?"
"Lian.....It's Riley...and Rosita." he answered, looking shocked
"What happened to them..?" Lian asked anxiously
"I don't know but he said they have been admitted to the hospital, badly injured."
"What....?" exclaimed Lian
"I need to leave now Lian.."
"I will go with you." he replied
"No...., stay here and see to the meeting. I will give you a call when I get there."
"Okay..."
"I'll give you a call..." he echoed, storming out of the office and drove off.
************
Rosita was in the living room watching a movie when she received a call from Kathie
"Hello Rosie..., how are you?"
"I'm good..., it's been a while."
"Yeah..., I've been busy lately."
"Oh okay.., so what's up with this surprised call?" she asked with a grin
"Yeah.., Leyla, Melissa, Vanessa and I are paying Mad Flora a visit today so we're wondering if you would like to come along"
"Sure....."
"Great..., I will come and get you." she replied and hanged up.
An hour later, they pulled their car in front of the house. Rosita joined them and they drove off.
***************
Clifford was on her way home, he tried calling Riley and Rosita but was not getting through to any of them
"Riley....,Rosita...you guys should be safe. I'll get there soon." he muttered worriedly to himself and speed off.
It was already 7pm, Lionel drove over to Riley's house to drop her off. They got there and the whole house was dark with no lights on
"This is weird, mum never told me she will be going somewhere." uttered Riley
"Should I stay with you till your mum returns?" asked Lionel concerned
"No...Lio.., I will be fine. You should go home."
"Okay..., if you say so."
"Yeah.., see you tomorrow." she said, kissed him and got out of the car.
"Okay.., Love you.."
"Love you too." she replied and he drove off.
***************
Clifford was driving looking very worried, anxious and driving at top speed. He got to a traffic light a the red light turned on
"Shit....." he uttered to himself, hit the driving wheel pulling the car to a stop and wanted impatiently for the car to turn green.
After a while of waiting, the light finally turned to green. Clifford took off again about to cross the cross - road when he saw a speed trailer fast approaching his car. The next thing he heard was a huge sound crash into his car and everywhere went blank
Riley walked over to the door and was unlocking it she she felt some strange sound of movements behind her. Startled, she quickly turned.
"Who is there...?" she questioned, throwing a flash of light to the direction of the sounds but didn't see anyone. She shrugged and continued with what she was doing.
Few minutes after Lionel drove off, he noticed that Riley has left her phone in his car.
"Oops..., I've got to give this back to her." he uttered to himself, turned the car around and headed back to Riley's residence.
Riley quickly turned the knob trying to get the keys to open the door when she felt some covered her nose from behind with a handkerchief. She struggled with the person, tried to scream and free herself but it was useless. The person drugged and dragged her from the compound to and isolated place near by
Lionel got to Riley's house few minutes after the incident.
"Riley...., Riley...." he called but didn't see any sign of her. He quickly rushed to the door and saw her bag and shoes scattered around.
"Riley....., Riley.....Riley....?" he called out to her, startled, he searched all over the compound but didn't see her.
He quickly dashed out of the compound, searched all over the environment and places nearby and finally saw her, lying lifeless with in an isolated building with bruises all over her body.
"Riley...., what happened to you?" he exclaimed and rushed over to her, carried her in his arms and dashed out of the building
"Stay with me Riley....." he uttered, tears running down his cheeks.