''Father, you sent for me? ''
Mr. Howard looked at her, there was a glare in his eyes but Claire ignored him. When she saw he wasn't going to say anything, she smiled;
''Alright, since I've already had dinner, I'll be going back inside, have a nice day,'' she said and without waiting for their response, she turned to walk out;
''Stop right there!'' Mr. Howard had had enough; his voice rang through the room sending chills down Claire's spine. She stopped on her spot;
''Please it's my fault, don't mind her. Claire, we've been waiting for you so we could have dinner together. '' Mr. Howard said to her, more like ordered.
Claire glared at him for what seemed like minutes and then she forced a smile and walked to the dining.
Their voices sounded like terrible music in her ears, she wished she would just disappear from there, but she just had to keep cool, she had already told them her mind with how she behaved earlier, so she did not expect them to think of going ahead with the marriage, she would at least let them have a nice meal before leaving.
Claire made sure not to contribute in the conversation, her fork just poking her meal once in a while, a visible frown on her forehead. She didn't know how long it took but finally, the excruciating dinner was over.
She watched her father see them off as she went and sat down in the living room. She would have gone back to her room but she needed to tell him something first.
Mr. Howard returned with an angry glare on his face;
''What has gotten into you? ''
Claire raised her eyes to him, surprised, what was he thinking? That he would pop out of somewhere and dictate how she would live her life? If that was what he thought then he must be delusional.
''I don't understand your question? ''
Her father took in a deep breath clenching his fists; ''we had important visitors and you couldn't even compose yourself? What… ''
''we? '' She chuckled; ''the last time I checked, you had me bundled and imprisoned against my own will, so I don't understand how your visitors became ours… ''
''Claire! '' Mr. Howard screamed in anger,
Claire watched him for some minutes, quietly. ''well, that was not what I waited back to discuss with you, can you sit down I have something to tell you. '' Maybe he was still stuffing suitors down her throat because he thought she was still single, if she told him that she was seeing someone, he would let her be.
Mr. Howard suspected what she was about to say, but he just walked to the couch and sat down. He didn't want to conclude yet. She had dated men in the past and whenever he asked her, she always said it was not serious, maybe this time was part of it.
''What do you want to say? ''
Claire kept quiet as she arranged her words in her head.
''Father, I'm seeing someone; '' she said, making her father stared at her in surprise.
''What did you just say? ''
Claire didn't catch his tone and she continued; ''I'm sorry for how I behaved today, I was just angry that you had to kidnap me just to meet them, but you can stop with the husband hunt now. I'm already dating someone and we are so much in love. ''
The room fell quiet after she finished talking.
"' Tsk tsk, Claire; '' Mr. Howard called in an amused tone; ''you don't mean what you just said now, do you? ''
Claire creased her brows; did he think she was joking or what?
''I'm very serious, his name is Leo and I have pictures of us together if you think I'm lying to you. ''
Mr. Howard smiled;
''Leo… what a nice name, what does he do? ''
''He is a fashion icon and he works with many labels in the industry; ''
''Mm, interesting, and what do his parents do? ''
It was when he asked that question that Claire realized what he was driving at; her heartbeat increased;
''They… they are dead; ''
''Hmm, and who are you? ''
''Dad, what are you trying to do? '' ''just answer the question Claire, who are you? ''
Claire's sharp eyes locked in his aged ones and for a second, she thought she was dreaming. Not even in her next life did she imagine that her father would one day force her to be with someone against her will all for his own selfish interest and not forgetting all the pain he had caused her, this man was the devil's incarnate.
She stared at him for the longest time before she stood up from the couch;
''I'll be going to my room; '' she turned to run, the air in there was too stuffy, she needed to breathe.
''You can't be with him. '' Mr. Howard said, making Claire's feet stop at a spot.
Her ears vibrated as though she had heard a strange sound; for a long while she stared into space, then she turned quietly to look at him;
''What did you say? ''
''I said; '' he continued with an authoritative tone; ''you can't be with him. Children of our type of families don't marry for love, we get married to strengthen alliances, for future benefits and…
''STOP!'' Claire screamed, stopping him from continuing with his excruciatingly painful words.
''You don't get to decide how I live my life, Mr. President. You don't. How dare you? After everything, you've done? Aren't you ashamed? '' she glared angrily at him, her veins popping out of her forehead.
''I'm not going to do anything you say, if you want an alliance, then go get married to them yourself. Wait, was that why you killed mom and married that woman? ''
''CLAIRE! ''
It seemed she hit the right point because he was raging right now, but she didn't care;
''you are pathetic; do you hear me? Wicked and pathetic, if I could change this lifetime, I would give anything to not be your child. ''
The source of this c𝐨ntent is fre𝒆w(e)bn(o)vel