Bellinger Sisters, #1
It Happened One Summer
by Tessa Bailey
Contents
Chapter Three
Overview
Daniel confronts Piper and Hannah, condemning Piper’s empty lifestyle and Hannah’s decision to bail her out. He reveals the Mondrian’s owner finances his next film and may pull funding because of Piper’s stunt. Piper faces real consequences as Daniel readies a response and opens a file tied to their past.
Summary
Piper and Hannah try to slip into their Bel-Air home but are summoned to Daniel’s office, where Daniel’s anger is unmistakable. He forces Hannah to stay, scolding her for bailing Piper out, and denounces Piper’s aimless lifestyle and reliance on social media, contrasting it with his own hard-earned success.
As Daniel recounts his industry origins to frame his expectations, Piper realizes how negatively he views her ambition and purpose. She apologizes, blaming a bad breakup, while Hannah offers support, but Daniel insists Piper is too comfortable to seize opportunity.
Daniel then delivers the real blow: the Mondrian’s owner is financing his next film, and Piper’s stunt makes the hotel look insecure, risking the entire budget. The potential loss could stall his project for years, making Piper confront the wider damage of her actions.
Hannah defends Piper, but Daniel declares there will be consequences. He opens a manila folder and, for the first time, invokes the sisters’ lives before he married their mother, signaling a forthcoming reckoning tied to their past.
Who Appears
- Piper BellingerChastised by Daniel for her reckless stunt; confronts her lack of purpose and its costly fallout.
- Daniel BellingerStepfather and producer; furious at Piper for endangering his film’s financing; prepares consequences, referencing their past.
- Hannah BellingerPiper’s sister; secretly bailed Piper out of jail and defends her, but is reprimanded by Daniel.