Enemy Beloved

1 | nemesis

★

C L A I R E

It has been universally acknowledged — not by Austen — that my brother's ex-best friend and I are supposed to hate each other. There is no basis for this judgment. It is more of what is expected of us ever since my brother died in the car crash. It all happened in a sudden instant. One day he was alive and giving me a goodnight kiss; the next day he was just gone.

But right now, if someone asks me who I hate the most, the answer won't be a particular Jackson.

The tension in the hall is thick. My Mom looks at me nervously as she sits with her legs crossed under her pencil skirt. My Dad maintains his stance as he crosses his arms over his fit chest, trying hard to give me his sternest glare. My hands are shaking, the words I just heard echoing in my ears.

"This is for the good, Claire," Dad says. "Senator Campbell is a very decent human being and he has taken a liking towards you."

"He's forty," I murmur under my breath this time because shouting the previous times didn't make any difference to the conversation.

As much as Dad would like to see me hitched to the Senator's hip, I am not into age-gap relationships. I have seen the Senator only once at a party. His behavior wasn't attractive at all.

It was downright predatory.

Dad's corporation is on the verge of collapsing due to a ridiculous amount of debt and Senator Campbell has offered to help him with his loans if he can have me in exchange. Any decent father would have rejected the proposal but not mine. Michael Hill is a misogynist. According to him, women are born to serve and must do what they are asked of.

I dig my nails on the sofa, gritting my teeth as the need to shout at Dad, to tell him what a horrible father he is, passes through my mind. Unlike me, Dad doesn't look like my defiance has any effect on him. His shirt is still white and not tainted by his misdeeds, his face is strong at the age of fifty-three and the glow is still young, and his black hair is combed backward in a neat manner, showing the polished appearance he greets the world with every morning.

He spends a lot grooming himself, even more than Mom does.

I look at Mom, seated on the single-seater beside me with her perfectly painted nails reflecting the light from our chandelier. She had her blonde hair straightened just this morning and it falls on her shoulders flawlessly. I can see that she is startled by the news too but she is a blind follower of whatever Dad proclaims and she will never stand for me.

Fine, I will stand up for myself.

"I'm not marrying him!" I get up from my seat and look at my father unfazed.

His eyes widen just a little before they go back to their neutral look.

"You have no choice. You're under my authority. My decision is the final one," Dad snarls, taking steps closer to me until we are standing chest to face.

He wants to intimidate me with his words and his very existence but I am not going down without a fight.

I don't care if Senator Campbell is fucking rich or not. I don't care if he holds immense respect in society or how powerful he is. This is my life and I value my independence. Senator Campbell might as well go suck his ass.

"You treat me like shit," I spit out with bitterness.

"He's coming tonight. He will propose and you will say yes. I don't want to hear anything else." Dad's voice is determined and it irks me.