It was a quiet morning when Sarah's phone rang with an unexpected call. As she sat by the window, sipping her coffee, the name on the screen made her freeze. It was Mr. Davenport—her biological father. The man she barely knew, and that she'd only learned about recently. And now, he wanted to meet.
Sarah stared at the phone, a million questions flooding her mind. Why now? What did he want? Her hands trembled as she answered. "Hello?"
"Sarah," his voice was deep, measured, yet softer than she had imagined. "I think it's time we met. Can we talk in person?"
She agreed, though her mind was racing. The rest of the day passed in a blur, her thoughts consumed by the looming encounter. The man she'd only read about in business magazines was about to step into her life in a real, tangible way. The idea made her anxious.
The following afternoon, a sleek black car arrived outside her dorm, right on time. Sarah took a deep breath, smoothed down her jacket, and climbed in. The city blurred past as the car wound through the streets, her nerves growing with every passing block.
When she finally arrived at the Davenport building—a towering glass skyscraper—it felt surreal. She had never been part of this world, yet somehow, it was tied to her by blood. Her heart raced as the elevator doors opened, and a receptionist led her to Mr. Davenport's office.
The door swung open, and there he was—Robert Davenport. He sat behind an imposing desk, the epitome of power and authority, but something in his eyes softened when he saw her.
As their eyes met, Sarah felt a jolt of recognition. "Wait," she murmured, her breath catching. "You're... the man from the train to Sea Salt!"
Robert's expression lit up, a warm smile spreading across his face. "I thought you looked familiar. Yes, we met that day on the train. It seems fate had a plan for us after all."
Sarah's heart raced. The man who had sat next to her on that ordinary day, with whom she had shared a casual conversation, was her biological father. It was almost too much to process.
"Sarah, thank you for coming," Robert said, standing to greet her. His voice was warm, almost relieved. "I cannot tell you how glad I am that we're meeting now."
Sarah hesitated but shook his hand. "Mr. Davenport," she said, her voice guarded.
"Please, call me Robert," he urged, gesturing toward the chair across from his desk. "I know this is a lot to take in, but I'm hoping we can start from here."
Sarah sat down, her eyes scanning the office. It was sleek, modern, and very much like the man sitting in front of her—powerful, yet there was an air of vulnerability in the way he looked at her. "You said there were things we needed to discuss. About my future?"
Robert nodded, his expression serious. "Yes. But first, I owe you an apology—for not being there, for leaving you in the dark all these years. It wasn't fair to you, and I regret it deeply."
"Why didn't you keep me?" Sarah asked, her voice quieter now. The question had been gnawing at her ever since she found out the truth.
Robert's face softened, and for the first time, he looked vulnerable. "Your mother, she meant everything to me. But after she passed away... I couldn't handle it. I was building my business from scratch. I was broke, deep in debt, and I thought sending you to a stable, loving family was the best thing I could do for you. The Mills family had the resources to raise you well."
Sarah frowned, the weight of his words sinking in. "But you never tried to reach out? All these years?"
"I did, in my own way," Robert said softly. "I kept an eye on you. I wanted to make sure you were okay, but I stayed away because I didn't want my name or my world to overwhelm you. I didn't want you to feel like you had to live up to something you never asked for."
Sarah sat back in her chair, trying to process it all. It was a lot to take in. He had been there—sort of—but it didn't change the fact that she had felt abandoned for so long. "So why now?" she asked, her voice steady but filled with curiosity.
"Because you're graduating soon, and I think you're ready to know the truth," Robert replied. "I want you to be a part of my life now, Sarah. I want you to join Davenport Group, learn the business, and... eventually, I want you to inherit it."
Sarah blinked, stunned. "Inherit your company?"
"Yes," Robert said, leaning back in his chair. "You're my daughter. I built this company for our family. Now that you're older, I believe you're ready. I know this is a lot, but I think you can do it."
Sarah's mind reeled. Her life had always been simple—far from the world of corporate empires and boardroom meetings. But now, her biological father was offering her a future she had never dreamed of.
"I... I don't know if I can do that," she stammered, the weight of his offer sinking in.
Robert smiled gently. "You don't have to decide today. Take your time. I'll be here when you're ready."
She stood up, feeling overwhelmed. "I need to think about it. But for now... can we keep this between us? I want to figure things out on my own first."
"Of course," Robert agreed, standing as well. "Whenever you're ready, Sarah, I'll be here."
As Sarah walked out of the office, her mind buzzed with everything she had just learned. Her life had been turned upside down. The man she never knew was offering her a future she had never imagined. But was it a future she wanted? Could she step into Robert Davenport's world?
Only time would tell.