1. Hello, I am Your Daughter

McKenna

I swallowed hard as I stood in front of Hunter's New York townhouse. If you could even call this a house. It was huge, a grand symbol of old money and privilege.

What am I doing here? How did I get here? Was this a big mistake?

As I looked at the impressive building, I felt a bit overwhelmed. But it was too late because I was already here. I had a purpose that was bigger than my anxiety.

I can do this!

I had made a plan, and I was determined to carry it out. I had kept it a secret from my mother, knowing she would never approve, and now it was taking all my self-confidence to go through with it.

Taking a deep breath, I reached out and rang the doorbell.

Suddenly, the door creaked open, and an old woman wearing a tailored dress stood in front of me.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked.

I cleared my throat. "Yes, I'm here for Hunter," I said. My throat felt dry, and my voice came out like a hoarse whisper. "My name is McKenna."

The woman hesitated for a moment. "Is Mr. Brooks expecting you?"

"No," I said. "Not exactly." I let out a nervous giggle.

"I am sorry, Miss. Mr. Brooks does not see people without an appointment," the woman proceeded to close the door, but I quickly protested.

"WAIT!" I exclaimed. I rummaged inside my bag, desperately searching for the items I stole from my mother's room before I left our house that morning. Finally, I pulled out a faded photograph showing a young Hunter and my mother in college, smiling at each other with the same blue eyes as mine.

"This is me and my mother," I said to the woman as I handed her the photo. "And this belongs to him," I added, holding up his class ring -- an heirloom from his grandfather that he had given to my mom and which she had kept all these years without telling me who it belonged to.

"I need to speak with him," I said softly, gritting my teeth together in determination.

The woman examined the photo and ring for a few moments before nodding slowly.

"Come in," she said with a warm smile, stepping aside so that I could enter Hunter's magnificent home.

The woman directed me to the living room and told me to wait while she disappeared inside.

I took a few steps inside, feeling somewhat out of place in such a rich setting. I cautiously examined the furniture, running my fingers along the smooth surfaces of the expensive leather couch and mahogany coffee table.

This house made my house look like a broken-down shack!

But all of this didn't matter. I breathed in deeply and reminded myself why I was there. I was here to find out what happened between my mother and Hunter all those years ago.

Why didn't they stay together? Did he not care about her at all? And what about me, his daughter? How could he just abandon me?

These questions swirled around my head until suddenly, it felt too heavy to think anymore, so I decided to plop down on the couch.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming from around the corner.

Oh, my god, he is coming!

But I was disappointed when the door opened, and a young man carrying a tray of snacks came waltzing in, his eyes bright with curiosity.

"Hello there," he said with a warm smile and set the tray down. "Sierra sent these. Please have some."

Sierra must be the old woman's name.

I looked down at the tray of snacks before me, and my stomach grumbled in anticipation. There were chips, muffins, and various fruits, all beautifully arranged. I had skipped breakfast that morning, so I instantly felt a wave of hunger when I saw the food.

Without hesitation, I reached for the nearest muffin and started stuffing my mouth.

"Ohmygawd," I mumbled with my mouth full. This was the best muffin I've ever tasted. It was so gooey, moist and ---

"Ahem."

I stopped mid-bite and looked up to see Hunter standing in the doorway, arms crossed. His expression was unreadable as he watched me stuffing my face with his snacks.

Awkward!

We stared at each other like that for a few moments before I finally managed to swallow the muffin whole, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

"Um, hi," I said sheepishly.

Hunter stayed silent, his gaze still piercing through me. His presence was so overwhelming, and it made me feel like a child again. I could feel the guilt creeping up my spine, even though I hadn't done anything wrong.

"I'm sorry for barging in like this," I said, trying to break the silence. "I didn't mean to intrude. I just...wanted to meet you."

"Is that so?" he grumbled. "And your name is McKenna?"

"Yes, sir!" I chirped.

"And your mother is Tatiana?" he asked.

"That's right," I replied.

"And why did you want to meet me?" he asked.

I swallowed again, my throat suddenly felt as dry as a tree bark. "Do you mind if I drink some water first?"

Hunter nodded curtly and motioned toward the glass of water on the table. I picked up the glass and took a long gulp, savoring the cool liquid as it washed down my throat.

Phew...much better!

"Feeling better?" he asked.

I nodded and took a deep breath. "So, I wanted to meet you because...because I think you are my father."

There was a pause as Hunter stared at me in disbelief. He didn't say anything for what felt like the longest time before finally uttering: "You think I am your father?"

I exhaled, relieved that he had spoken. "Yes. My mother told me you two were in college together. She said you had a brief relationship and thought it was possible that you are my father," I said.

Okay, I might've told him a tiny lie. My mom didn't tell me anything about Hunter being my dad. If I hadn't stumbled across the box she'd been hiding from me, I wouldn't even have known he existed!

So here I was, standing before this daunting figure, attempting to convince him that I was his daughter. My mother will be furious when she finds out!