Daniel Hargeran adjusted his silk tie as his expensive black SUV pulled up to his large suburban mansion.
The afternoon heat in Dallas Texas was heavy and the wealthy executive just wanted to relax inside his air-conditioned home.
He carried a leather briefcase in one hand while stepping onto his wide concrete driveway with polished shoes.
Suddenly a slight rustle in the manicured bushes caught his attention near the tall iron front gate.
A young girl dressed in an oversized faded brown hoodie stepped into his path with quiet hesitation.
Her worn canvas shoes looked completely out of place against the backdrop of the luxury estate surrounding them.
Daniel immediately stopped in his tracks and let out a tired annoyed sigh at the unexpected sight.
Lily: Excuse me sir... are you Mr. Hargeran?
Daniel: I am. And I don't like poor folks loitering around my place.
Lily: Please sir, I just need a single moment of your time.
Daniel: Move along kid before I call my security team to remove you.
The young girl reached trembling hands into the front pocket of her faded brown hooded sweatshirt.
Daniel watched her closely as his eyes narrowed into a sharp stern glare behind his designer sunglasses.
He stepped back slightly because he was suspicious of what the mysterious teenager might be pulling out.
Her fingers wrapped tightly around a heavy metallic object that caught the bright Texas afternoon sunlight.
It was a vintage brass pocket watch with intricately carved floral patterns worn down by many years of use.
The faint metallic sound of the latch clicking open echoed softly in the quiet suburban street.
Lily: My mamma gave me this before she died. She said you'd know it.
Daniel: I do not know you or whatever cheap trinket you are holding.
Lily: Look inside the cover, please! She made me promise to show you!
Daniel reached out angrily to push the watch away so he could walk past her toward his front door.
However his gaze accidentally caught the small faded black-and-white portrait nestled inside the open brass cover.
The image showed a young smiling woman with beautiful bright eyes sitting in a sunny wildflower field.
Daniel froze completely as a sudden wave of ice seemed to wash over his entire body.
Slowly he reached up with a shaking hand and pulled his dark sunglasses down his nose.
His wide eyes stared intensely at the tiny photograph that he had not seen in nearly fifteen long years.
Daniel: Where did you get that?
Lily: From Sarah... my mother Sarah.
Daniel: You're... you're my daughter?
The young girl nodded slowly as heavy tears began to fall down her pale dusty cheeks.
Daniel stood completely still on his driveway while his briefcase slipped silently out of his numb hand.