*
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~~
"What's the surprise Daddy," Rhea asked.
"You'll see," Tom said.
"My curiosity's killing me, you know I've never been the patient type, at least give us a hint," Rina muttered.
"Not at all," He said, "Let's eat,"
"Why aren't you joining us, come on join us Artie," Tom said to the old woman who just served them and then stood at the side.
"I--I couldn't sir..."
"... Nonsense. Artie, you are family — you should join us," Macy interjected.
"Yes, you can take the vacant seat next to Rina and I,'' Rhea said almost pleadingly. They've always been trying to get Artie to sit and have breakfast at the table with them but she'd always refuse, saying it wasn't her place — that she preferred to have breakfast with the other maids in the kitchen's dining room. But now that they were all ganging up on her, there was no way she could refuse, was there?
"Fine," She finally sat down, "Pass me the ketchup,"
The St.Clair family sat at the table, the amount of food placed on the table was mouth-watering, it was as if they were having a feast, well technically they were.
"So tell me about this school you're so excited to attend," Thomas said, placing the spoon down, clasping his hands under his chin.
"Silver High College Daddy, it's the best in the city, imagine, fashion icons, ranks number one in hottest guys and a fountain, it's so fancy," Rina said almost squealing.
"Not to mention their educational system is advanced, they offer frequent excursions to countries like Paris, United kingdom and even Singapore, great men and women graduated from that school," Rhea said excitedly, one could tell she was so eager to learn.
"That sounds great, I see why my girls are so excited about attending that school," Thomas smiled, picking his spoon back up and proceeded to eat. "I'll have my assistant visit this school and make a charitable donation, for your sakes,"
"Oh Thank you Daddy, you're the best," Rina smiled brightly, "Now I'll have every right to do whatever I want in that school,"
"Thanks Dad," Rhea said.
"These are so good Artie, oh how I've missed your cooking," Thomas said.
"Ahh, thank you sir, Madam Macy always assists me in the kitchen, despite the amount of maids at my disposal," Artie chuckled.
"I should play a part in cooking my family's meal, shouldn't I?"
"Spoken like a true wife and mother," Thomas said and they all giggled. At that moment they all seemed at peace each of them forgetting their problems and enjoying the time spent with family.
"I have an announcement to make," Thomas said when he was done, he laid back and wiped his mouth gently with a napkin. "This time around I won't be spending just a day with my family,"
"What do you mean Dad," Rhea asked.
"I am going to be here for a while, spending a lot more time with you all,"
"Really?!"
"O.M.G, this is totes amazing," Rina squealed, getting up and rushing to her father , hugging him. "Excited selfie," She said and then took a selfie of them both.
"That's amazing Daddy," Rhea smiled.
"That's good news, but how about things over there?" Macy asked.
"You needn't worry dear wife, I have everything under control," He said and kissed his wife.
"Rhea, do you still sketch?" Thomas asked and she nodded, "Can I see?"
"Yes Dad. Excuse me," Rhea excused herself, heading upstairs to her room.
Rhea got to her room, it wasn't that fancy or large, rather simple and cozy, with a bed at the side, some feet's away from the large windows. The bed was also medium sized with a red headboard designed with shiny gems.
It was nice and cozy with lots of posters, mostly sketches of her favorite boy band BTS and also blackpink. The room was colorful and flashy but equally tasteful, there was a door at the east wall opposite the bed and it led to the bathroom and a red carpet laid at the middle of the room.
There was a desk and chair beside the window for studying and a lamp right on top the table, a small chandelier hangs from the middle of the room with reflective gems that glowed, brightening the entire room once the sunlight hits it. The ceiling was a constellation of the stars that glowed in the dark. It kept her relaxed every night before she falls asleep, like holograms of a thousand stars and galaxy.
Rhea took a big box from underneath the bed and in it were pictures of their family, including bracelets and arts she and Rina crafted together when thay were kids. Her old sketch book and diaries were also in that box, she had a diary for each of her ages, starting from twelve, she read a page from her first diary, she giggled and closed it up, placing it back in the box.
She took out the sketch book, she smiled, she was so good at it if she should say so herself.
"Rhea," she turned around immediately recognizing the person behind the voice.
"Yes Rina, is there anything you need?" She asked, ever since their eighth birthday their connection had weakened, almost as if their bond had been fractured.
They often act like strangers around each other although Rhea tried to go back to how things were before their eighth birthday but Rina was just a nut case, further pushing her away.
"Yes as a matter of fact, I need you to not steal Daddy's attention away from me like you do often with mom, now that he's here I just want a lovely father and daughter time," Rina said, taking slow strides towards Rhea.
"I don't intend to do such thing, I haven't seen Daddy in a while too, can't I at least spend some time with him too?"
"No, because then everything is going to be about you, whenever he tries to spend to spend time with you, just give an excuse and walk away, besides we have the same face I don't think he'll miss you that much cause seeing me it's like seeing a better version of you," Rina creased her brows.
"Could you stop being so mean to me?" Rhea asked.
"Is that clear, dear sister?" Rina exclaimed, ignoring Rhea's question.
"Yes," Rhea said, she had really missed her father and now that he was here, she wasn't allowed to spend time with him. She didn't want to take attention away from Rina, she also didn't want to hurt her father's feelings, she didn't want him to think she has no time for him but she didn't have a choice.
"You're the best, love you," Rina's face lit up in excitement and then she turned to leave but halted in her tracks.
"Oh, and you see how good you look dressed like that, I told you you'll get used to it, it suits you, make sure you keep dressing like this, even in college we wouldn't want you stealing my thunder now, would we — besides people need to know how to differentiate us,"
"Hmm, am the tomboy Rhea with a rebellious attitude and you're the glamorous Rina, you've told me countless times, how can I forget," Rhea smiled, but one could tell it was fake.
"Toodles twin," Rina sashayed out of Rhea's room, swinging her hips like no one was watching as if she hadn't just said something terrible to her twin sister.
*
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*
"What's the matter, why are you coming down empty handed?" Thomas asked once he spied Rhea descending from the stairs empty handed.
"I--I lost my sketch books, I'll show you once I start a new one," She said , then glanced at Rina who gave her a thumbs up.
"That's too bad, I really wanted to see my daughter's sketches,"
"Okay, follow me girls," Tom said and they began to walk to the entrance, outside the mansion the sight that welcomed them made everyone gasp in shock, most especially Rina who squealed like a fan girl who had just seen her idol.
In the extremely large and spacious compound a black limousine stood at the entrance of the house and it was decorated in ribbons.
"Happy Birthday girls," Thomas kissed his daughters heads when they embraced him in excitement.
"Thank you so much Daddy," They said in unison.
"I was worried about your safety when you start school, I couldn't trust you girls with cars, so I got you this, a limo and a driver responsible for taking you girls wherever you want," He said and a middle aged man stepped out, attired in a driver's suit.
"Hello Ma'am Rina, Ma'am Rhea, I'm Andrew, your driver," He said with an approachable smile. He seemed like a really nice man.
"Nice to meet you Andrew," Rhea said and hugged him.
"Th--likewise ma'am," He stuttered, obviously stunned at the warm greeting from one of the twins.
"This is Rhea, my first born daughter and this is Rina, take care if them Andrew," Thomas said.
"Yes sir," He bowed, " I must say ma'am you have very beautiful eyes, I've never seen anything like it,"
"Thank you," Rhea replied with a warm smile.
"Daddy, fire him," Rina suddenly interjected.
"Wh--Why dear?" Tom asked in confusion, they all seemed shocked at Rina's sudden interjection but none more than Andrew himself, he looked scared for his newfound job.
"Why Rina?" Rhea asked.
"I don't like him," Rina said, causing everyone to glance at one another while she shot daggers at the poor man. "My spirit doesn't take him,"
Tom chuckled and stroked his pouting daughter's hair affectionately, "Why don't we just try him first and if he's still not to your taste — I'll consider it,"
"Si--Sir," Andrew stuttered, his eyes wide open like saucers.
"My daughters are my world, if she still does not like you, I will fire you, it's nothing personal Andrew," Tom said with a serious gaze as he spoke to Andrew, one could tell that he was the type that'll let the world burn just for the sake of his children. "Let's go inside,"
"You see that, I'll make sure you are fired, in this manor, I am queen," Rina whispered into Andrew's ears while her family went in, leaving just the two of them.
"Ma'am, what did I really do?"
"You respected the wrong person," Rina took out a gum she had been chewing and placed it on his tailored suit before walking in.
Andrew knew at that moment that he was in for something big, he was caught in a web of a golden butterfly and a vicious spider. How could these twins look exactly the same but with different personalities.
"Is there something you didn't like about Andrew Rina? Macy asked once they were inside.
"Yea, he gives off this dangerous serial killer vibe," Rina feigned fear and shrugged like someone who was disgusted.
"What about you Rhea, do you think Andrew's giving off dangerous vibes?" Tom asked.
"No Daddy, he seemed like a nice man,"
"Why, because he complimented your golden eyes?!" Rina said, sarcasm filled her tone as she rolled her eyes.
"No he's just a nice man trying to feed his family," Rhea said cluelessly.
"That's what I think too," Macy said.
"Would you all quit it, Rhea likes him and you all are taking her side, I said I do not feel safe around him, what if something bad were to happen to me?" She exclaimed.
"We're not taking sides Rina, you barely know him and you are demanding he should be fired," Artie interjected.
Rhea just stared at Rina as she kept in ranting on "I'll be in my room," she said unable to take any more of Rina's childishness.
"Excuse me too," Rina said and walked behind Rhea also heading up to her room.
"Ah, these girls will be the death of me," Macy sighed, running her fingers through her hair.
"Oh mi amor, I know how you feel," Tom walked up to Macy, taking her hand in his, kissing them affectionately.
A high pitched scream was heard, followed by a loud thud. They rushed to the stairs and Macy went limp in Tom's arm at the sight they were seeing.