I jolted back to the present, meeting his golden gaze. It was filled with undisguised love and worry, like sunlight trying to pierce through the shadows in my heart. Looking at his earnest face, a wild idea took root—maybe I could ask *him*? They were close; he must know something. But… could I? It touched on the very core of my origins, my mother"s deepest taboo. What if… After a brief internal struggle, the craving for the truth, and the complex, deeply buried curiosity about the concept of a "father," ultimately overpowered the fear. I wet my suddenly dry lips and spoke cautiously, my voice so soft it was almost inaudible. "Luke… Mr. Miller, from dinner the other night… what… what"s he like? I mean… his past. Do you know much about it?" As soon as the question left my lips, my heart ham
