Page 6 of His Long-Lost Baby
Her eyes are big. “This shows a link to a relative.” She hands the phone over.
Taking a deep breath, I tap the notification and feel my stomach flip as the new page opens. My eyes scan the results, and there it is. A match. A match for a biological parent.
A father.
Everything goes blurry, and I have to put the phone down for a second.
The realization hits me like a ton of bricks. I never thought this day would come, and I’m not quite sure how I feel about it. On one hand, I’ve always wondered about Quinn’s biological parents, but on the other, I’m not sure I’m ready to face the reality of it all.
“What does it say?” Monica prompts, her voice full of curiosity.
I clear my throat, trying to steady myself. “It says her biological father’s name is James Garris.”
Monica’s eyes widen. “James Garris? As in the tech mogul?”
I nod, still reeling from the shock. “I… maybe?”
James Garris is a household name, known for his ruthless business tactics and his wealth beyond measure. Could he really be Quinn’s biological father?
“I don’t know what to do,” I say, the words tumbling out of my mouth.
Monica places a hand on my shoulder, her expression softening. “Let’s start by looking him up.”
She’s already on her phone. I’m not sure I want to do this right now, but it’s too late. She’s typing and reading out loud faster than I can compute.
“Okay, here’s his bio. Born in California, college at Stanford… co-founded a tech startup in his twenties and quickly became a millionaire. Now, at thirty-eight years old, he’s the CEO of GarrisTech, a company worth over fifty billion.”
Monica looks up at me, excitement in her eyes. “Billie, you have to meet him. Think of the possibilities. Quinn could have access to anything she wants. Private schools, exclusive clubs. She could travel the world.”
I shake my head, still trying to process everything. “I don’t know if I’m ready for that, Monica. I mean, what if he doesn’t want anything to do with us?”
“Come on, Billie. You owe it to Quinn to find out. And who knows, maybe he’ll be thrilled!”
I take a deep breath. “Isn’t he known to be an asshole, though? That’s kind of his thing.”
Monica shrugs. “Maybe, but you never know. He might surprise us all.”
I chew on my bottom lip, considering her words. She’s right about one thing: I do owe it to Quinn to find out the truth. But the thought of meeting James Garris, of facing him and telling him that he has a daughter… it’s almost too much to bear.
But I know I have to do it. For Quinn’s sake.
“Okay,” I say, finally. “Let’s do it.”
Monica grins, already scrolling through her phone again. “I’ll find his company’s information. We’ll set up a meeting.”
As she types away, I can feel my heart pounding in my chest. This is it. The moment I’ve been waiting for, albeit unsuspectingly. The moment that will change everything.
I just hope I’m ready for it.
“Wait.” I grab Monica’s wrist. “Don’t do it yet.”
She freezes. “Okay…?”
I lick my lips. “Quinn’s birth mom said that the father wanted nothing to do with them. That he walked out of their lives. I don’t…” My voice cracks. “I don’t want that kind of person in my daughter’s life. Even if he does want to meet her, the chances of him letting her down will be high.” I shake my head. “I’m not doing that to her.”
“Okay.” Monica puts her phone facedown. “I’m with you, then. You shouldn’t get in touch with him.”
“Except I need his family medical history.” I point at my phone. “The app wasn’t any help there. I need to know what sort of conditions I need to look out for with Quinn.”