CHAPTER 4
LEO WAITED FOR TONYA to leave, his expression hardens immediately "What is going on?" he demanded.
Claire did not think him to be the type that beats around the bush. "As you can see you have a daughter, four year old." She mutters.
"You don't say" he drawled "Why should I believe she's mine? For all I know you make it a habit of sleeping with strangers—"
"Excuse me! I will not sit here while you insult me and call me a slut" rising from her seat, her fist clenched.
"Sit down." He commanded, looking at her intently with his hooded predatory eyes, his jaw clenched. "I'm sure you did not come all the way to Nigeria believing I will just accept your story like that when we both know we used condom that night" he mutters with calm, his soft voice betraying the glare in his eyes as they locked on hers.
"Fine I know how it looks seeing how long it has been but condoms do fail, which happens to be so in our case, and contrary to what you may think, I don't sleep around with men I barely know for few hours. It just happened and I have no regrets about it because that night gave me the greatest gift in life—Tonya." Her eyes going all soft at the mention of her daughter. "You can carry out DNA test to be sure that she's yours.” Despite how it may seem to this arrogant prince she did not set out to sleep with him the night they met. It was simply out of character for her; call it a crazy whim on her part.
"I believe I will do that, but I want to know why it took you this long before you told me, is this about money?" continuing to watch her with intent.
"Please refrain from throwing insults at me. I don't need your money. I have enough of mine has it is, my florist shop is doing well, and my parents left me a good inheritance. So I'm well able to take care of my daughter. I just think it's the right thing to do and besides Tonya has been going through some rough time in school—"
"She's been bullied?" Leo asks with protective instinct kicking in.
"Nothing like that, it's just that I told her, her father is a real-life prince when she ask me about you and she could not stop bragging about it in school, but some girls were mean to her saying she is a liar. I can't let her think everything was a lie; she also needs to get to know her root like I do as well. One of my late mother's requests is also to let her get to know you" Claire finished with a sigh.
"Oh your mother is dead? I'm so sorry"
"It's alright. She died four months ago" she mutters, tucking her straying hair strand behind her ear.
"So sorry to hear that." Leo mutters, his voice going soft.
"Yes, me too. So I'm not here for your money" returning back to their main conversation.
"Fine. I will carry out the test and we will know what to do next"
"Alright. In the main time I will not tell her that you are her father yet."
"It’s fine, we will know soon. I will make the necessary arrangements with the royal physician because this is a sensitive matter that the press should not get wind of. Also have made arrangements for your room to be switched to a more comfortable one—"
"Hold on. What? Why will you do that, besides we are comfortable in where we are?"
"It's done already, enjoy it. I have to leave now, lots of things to sort out." Rising from his seat, buttoning up his suit back. His face transforms into a smile the moment he saw Tonya comes back in. Giddy with excitement, having enjoyed the tour. "Hey Angel, I need to do some errands but I will be back I promise, and we can have that talk". Running his hand through her curls before sauntering out.
Claire quickly wipes the fury she feels off her face, she did not want Tonya to be asking questions. She promised to deal with Leo later. "Hey baby let's go upstairs, there's a surprise waiting" taking her hands.
"I love surprises!" Both of them following the lady in black suit out.
*****
The minute Leo got back to the palace he called the royal physician —Dr. Bamisaye, the elderly man has been the one taking care of his father and also in charge of the Palace clinic. Leo knows he's very discreet and he will be quick in carrying out the DNA test between him and Tonya. He will soon know for sure, though he could feel it in his gut that Tonya is his.
He left his quarters after he had freshen up and changed into something more casual, heading to his father's court. Each of the sons has their own private residence in the vast Estate. He knew by this time of the day his father will be in the garden, enjoying the cool mid-afternoon breeze. It's his favorite place in the Palace, guess it made him feel close to the late queen in a way. He moves with purpose to the garden, locating the king resting in one of the cane rocking chairs under the shade overlooking the beautiful garden.
"Father" bowing to greet him.
"Son," the king's eyes lit up at the sight of him. "I was told you left very early this morning, guess you went to Claire's?" Parting the chair next to him for Leo to sit.
"Yes father, that's why you called me home after all." Lowering himself into the chair.
"True. So how did it go?"
"It went alright. I met her—Tonya, that's her name, Father. She's so beautiful and inquisitive." Leo said, not realizing how so taken in he sounds. The king smiles wistfully, it's obvious his son his already smitten. He had met the sweet girl and was smitten by her as well, but he purposely didn't tell Leo, rather telling him he saw a picture of her. His son his rather unpredictable and he did not want to make him feel pressured.
"I'm glad to hear that, will love to meet her soon"
"Father let's not get ahead of ourselves, we need to get the DNA test result, then we can start introducing her to the family."
"Sure, you are absolutely right Son" patting Leo's hand gently. "Once the test is out we can start making arrangements of how to go about your marriage to her mother—"
"Marriage? What marriage, who is talking of marriage?" Leo demanded with indignation, cutting his father off. He is not ready to get married or be tied down not by Claire or by any one, he enjoys his freedom. Having a daughter together will definitely not change that for him.
"But surely you must know what that means for you, especially the poor child?" the king mutters with horror.
"What are you saying father?"
"Oh dear, I thought you knew. A prince in Ijomo must not have a bastard child, the moment he knows of the child existence he must do right by her, that is to marry the mother and make the said child legitimate. If not a curse will be placed on the child and the prince too may likely not be able to have children again" he finished.
"Like become impotent or something?" Leo ask, eyes stricken with horror.
"I'm afraid so. So if you don't think of the child, think of yourself."
"But Father in my Thirty-five years have never heard of such a thing before, are you being serious?" His eyes clouded with doubt and suspicion.
"Will your father and king lie to you?" Feeling insulted "I'm sorry father but this is absurd!" Rubbing his hands on his face.
"It's alright, let's calm down. For all we know the child might not even be yours" clasping Leo on his shoulder.
"Yea right" not sure of anything anymore. It's not that he's repulse about the idea of marrying Claire or anything of such. It's just that he could not see himself being that responsible for another, especially having a wife and a daughter drop into his laps suddenly without any prior notice. He is afraid of failing, but he will not tell his father about his fears. First he needs to find out if what his father just told him is true then he will know what to do next. The right person to ask will be Liam. He knows more about all this traditional stuffs, seeing as he will be the next king.
"Excuse me father but I think there's some matters I need to attend to in my study" leaving the king in the garden.
"Sure Son, see you at dinner" he grinned at his retreating back. "It's always funny how fate keeps helping me in nudging my sons in the direction have always wanted." He chuckles boisterously. Maybe he had lied a little about the impotent and the curse part, but the truth still remains that a prince must not have a bastard child.