The Oval Office ✓ (Book One)

Chapter Sixty Three

My turn.

  The next two days will be Prince Ahmad's trial. I've Locked myself in the bathroom, trying to work up the courage to leave it- because I'll be testifying again today. I scare myself with the thoughts I have about him.

  We have no previous relationship, so the thoughts flow more freely. In fact- I despised him before, even more so now. He was always a piece of shit- and even with him being Mina's father, I can't find it in me to feel bad for him.

  I take a deep breath, pushing myself up off of the floor. Another one of Kendra's designs- a pantsuit, lays draped over the edge of the jacuzzi tub.

  I bathed yesterday, but have sweated an immeasurable amount since then, so the pieces of hair closest to my face are oily and have separated themselves from the rest of it. Another bath wouldn't be a terrible idea.

  I  move the pantsuit, slipping out of the sweatpants and tank top that have decided to stick to my body. I turn the cold water on, not being a fan of unnaturally hot temperatures nowadays. For a moment I just lay there, slowing my heart rate down so I don't have to take the pill they have for that.

  I scrub my skin until I'm satisfied, then focus on the front part of my hair and scalp- the shampoo'll rinse through the rest anyways. I pull the plug, watching as it drains so I can procrastinate as long as possible. A First Lady is never late anyways. Everybody else is just early. That's just one of the perks- though right now, the perks are seemingly less important. Damnit- I just want to go to the Bahamas on our own money without using a hundred thousand dollars in resources  from paying the travel expenses of secret service.

  There's a knock at the door, and Kendra walks in. I don't bother to grab a towel- as my stylist she's probably seen me naked more times than my husband in the past couple of years, though not at all the past few weeks. Her eyes unwillingly, reflexively dart to the larger one on my back, immediately looking back up to mine. I have to wiggle myself into the pants while jumping- as this is one of the ones that wasn't made specifically for me, but we manage to make it work. The top fits much better.

  "You told me the makeup artist got fired?" Kendra asks, and I nod. "By who?"

  "Me." I say. I cringe just thinking about how much that idiot fucked up yesterday. I get that she was nervous or whatever, but if you can't- in 2023, fill in eyebrows without them looking blocky you don't deserve to call yourself a makeup artist. Kendra's damn good at just about everything to do with creativity, so she's doing mine again today until I pick another one that can actually do their job.

  She works quick too, and I'm out at the motorcade in less than twenty minutes. Kyle won't be able to make it today- something about an emergency in the situation room. "What now?" I remember thinking. What more could possibly happen that hasn't already?

—-Kyle's P.O.V—

"Russia is threatening military action if we don't release Alexander and Sofia Ivanov back into their custody." A general says. I roll my eyes. Of course. One more fucking thing to add to my list.

"Get the ambassador on the line." I reply. There's no way in hell they're getting them back after they agreed to the trial being held here and to coordinate with our investigation while it was happening. "Ambassador you may see me as weak for my refusal to bomb your innocent citizens but I assure you- bomb ours and we will not hesitate to blow yours off the map."

"Mr.President, we have no interest in bombing anything right now."

"So what the fuck was that conversation you just had with our ambassador about?!"