He jerked a little on his seat when he saw the pictures in the envelope.
''Wh… what is this? '' Claire was standing intimately close with another man in the first picture and in the second, he was kissing her chin and there was a sweet smile on her lips.
His hand on the pictures tightened as rage filled him. He thought she refused the dinners because she didn't like the men he chose for her, but little did he know that there was someone in her life already.
Howard squeezed the photo in his hands till his knuckles turned white.
''Call my daughter home; tell her it's an order. ''
''Yes, sir ''
…
Claire's feet stopped the moment she stepped out of her house; she recognized the men in front of her, they were from the white house.
''What do you want? '' she asked with an irritated tone;
''The president asked us to escort you home; please get into the car ma'am. '' the guard said, pulling open the door beside him. Claire's eyes glanced at the car and then she turned to the guards;
''Tell him I'm busy, will come when I have the time.'' she said and without waiting for their response, she started walking towards her own car.
''It's an order ma'am and we were told to apply force if you do not comply, it'll be to your own best interest if you follow us calmly; ''
Claire stopped in her tracks, shocked and dumbfounded. Did her father think that he was going to force her to talk with him?
She scoffed, even if he locked her up, she won't even bat an eye at him.
Gritting her teeth, she turned to the opened car and got in and the guard slammed the door close.
As they hit the road, she put on her earpiece and called Leo;
''babe, I'm going to the white house, dad sent for me.''
''why? Is there any problem? '' His voice sounded worried;
''No, I don't think so; maybe he just wants to see me since I didn't come to the dinner; ''
''Alright, text me when you're done, love you.''
''yeah, love you too. ''
Claire ended the call and put her phone back into her bag, they drove to the airport and they took her in as though she was some prisoner. Sighing, she played a song to keep her busy.
When they finally arrived at the white house, Claire walked towards the east wing of the building where her father usually stayed, she didn't want to waste much time here so she wanted to see him immediately and hear whatever he had to say.
Walking into the living room, her eyes searched around. He wasn't there, so she walked straight to his study. Her father was not there too.
Frustrated, Claire stomped out of the house; her eyes glared at the guards as she approached them;
''Where is he? '' she asked, and the one standing in front replied;
''The president has an important meeting to attend; he requested that you stay in your room till he comes back. ''
Claire scoffed; '??are you fuckn' kidding me right now? You kidnap me and now you tell me that he's not here. Do you think I have all day? '' she was visibly mad but the guards were not even moving an inch.
''Take me back, right now!''
''Ma'am, the president asks that you remain here, it's an order, and we were told to apply force if you resist. ''
Claire could not believe her ears, she stared at the guards in disgust and then she laughed angrily; if she knew this would happen she wouldn't have gone with them. Heaving angrily, she stomped off to her room.
Claire waited all day for her father, but he did not return. Leo called and she explained everything to him, he told her not to worry and they spoke for hours before they ended the call.
She had refused to eat anything but he made her promise him that she would eat, so as soon as she took her shower, she sat down to have dinner.
She was still in the middle of eating when a guard walked to her;
''Ma'am, the president requests your presence, and he asks that you dress properly, you have a visitor. ''
Claire blinked; did he perhaps bring over one of his numerous suitors?
She was already angry but the thought that he kidnapped her only to make her meet some strange man, made her mad. The meal she was eating felt sour in her mouth and she quickly dropped her cutleries. Drinking water from the cup by her side, she stood up from the chair;
She was putting on a short nightie, and the only reason she didn't wear it to meet him was because it showed too much flesh, she didn't want any other man seeing so much of her skin so she went back to her room and changed into something else, but very casual, she intentionally wanted to annoy her father.
When she got to his side of the house, she met them in the living room. Well, it seemed that he was well prepared because everyone was seated, from a young man in his early thirties to his parents, obviously, and the first lady with her husband.
Claire gulped and then forced a smile;
''I didn't know there was a party happening, good evening all, '' she said with an obviously strained smile as she walked into the living room.
The parents of the boy were the first to respond with a smile on their faces;
''Wow, she is so much prettier in person, how are you dear? '' His father asked. Claire looked to him with a hidden glare as she bit on her tongue.
He was sizing her up like she was some commodity and the worst part of it was that her father was part of it all. Could she hate this man any more?
Chuckling she smiled; ''I'm great and you? ''
''We're all fine. '' Claire nodded. They had expected her to look at their son or talk to him, but instead she turned to her father.
''Father, you sent for me? ''
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