From the moment Bertha was born, the only person who ever hit her was Tina. How could she not be scared?
After the holidays, Tina didn't return to Stonebridge. Instead, she spent a month in Capital City, soaking up the fun with a crew of girlfriends, living it up from dawn till dusk. Among it all, she stepped in to help a photographer friend in a bind, shooting a personal portfolio for a male celebrity.
The guy was hardly a household name before, but those shots had some serious mojo. They blew up online, trending across social media. When he thanked her publicly on Twitter, Tina's DMs exploded with offers from celebrities and influencers alike.
Tina didn't take a single one.
"Why don't you think about setting up your studio?" her best friend urged over coffee. "Strike while the iron's hot. With your talent, you'd be the hottest photographer in showbiz in no time."
"I'm not into portraits," Tina shrugged. "I'd rather be out shooting wild elephants."
"Yeah, right," her friend scoffed, rolling her eyes. "And all those photos of Phillip on your phone were taken by ghosts, I suppose?"
"Mind your own business," Tina retorted, tossing a pillow at her.
Phillip passed through Capital City on business and got invited to the Watson family for dinner. Tina received the frantic calls and rushed back from a girls' night out, only to replace him chatting with Hamilton in the living room.
Phillip was all class in a navy blue suit, legs crossed, the very picture of elegance. He looked toward her calmly, but Tina felt a storm brewing beneath.
She managed a respectful "Dad" in greeting and sat down to make coffee, a skill she'd flaunted in her more pretentious days but rarely practiced. With Phillip visiting, though, she felt a sudden urge to impress. She served the coffee, one cup for Hamilton and one for Phillip, who eyed the dark brown liquid before giving her a look that was hard to read.
Tina tilted her head slightly, meeting his gaze. Phillip accepted the coffee, holding the cup carefully.
Hamilton was all praise for Phillip, talking shop and policies, while Tina watched, her gaze fixed on Phillip's hands. Finally, he took a sip of the coffee.
When Hamilton stepped away to
take a call, Tina saw her chance. She
got up from the sofa and sat on
Phillip's lap, kissing him. They hadn't spoken a word since she arrived, but thejips found each other's as if they had been apart for years.
Kissing the host's daughter while her father was out of the room was something Phillip had never done in
his thirty years. Yet, he didn
her away.
dine?
push
Tina was the perfect Watson heiress in public,
bold, sliding her hand beneiress
but in private, she was
suit jacket.
Su
Phillip caught her wrist, guiding it back out. "Stop it."
"Did you like the coffee?" Tina asked, ignoring his reprimand.
"Did you learn?" he countered, not directly answering her question.
"Yeah, I did," she replied, persistent. "But did you like it?"
Phillip finally responded, "Did your teacher ever teach you to serve guests with a cup you've already used?"
Hamilton hadn't noticed his daughter's mischief, but Phillip had.
Tina's lips had brushed the cup rim before she filled it for him, a detail he didn't miss.
Tina's eyes crinkled with a victorious smile. "You noticed, huh? And you still drank it?"
"Amusing to you?" Phillip asked, not sarcastically but genuinely curious if she found joy in her little prank.
"Very," Tina admitted, leaning in for another kiss.
When Hamilton returned, they were back on opposite ends of the sofa, the picture of propriety.
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