Laura looked strikingly similar to the man at the gate.

Her gaze was empty as Laura stared at the man. Memories flooded back of a time she discovered her father in an old photo album. She longed to keep that photo, but her mother found it and set it ablaze.

This man, she was certain, had to be her father.

The thought struck her suddenly-he was still alive. But why had he stayed away for so many years? Her mother's words echoed in her mind, the ones about her father's affair.

Laura was brimming with questions, yet she stepped out of the car and approached the man.

Upon seeing her, his eyes filled with tears. "Laura, it's really you.

You've grown up," Josh Blakely said with a quiver in his voice.

Laura felt a pang of discomfort.

“I heard you were kidnapped. Are you okay?" Josh's eyes scanned her anxiously. Upon realizing she was unharmed, he let out a relieved sigh and gently touched her hair. "You should head back quickly. Your mother must be worried sick about you," he urged.

Their reunion was brief. He seemed to push her away as soon as they met. Laura couldn't help but think her parents were alike in this manner. Did they not want her? Why did they bring her into this world?

As tears streamed down her cheeks, she asked coldly, “Are you living with another woman now?"

"What are you talking about? I've always been alone!" he exclaimed in confusion and surprise.

“Didn't you leave Mom because you cheated on her?" Laura's question was direct, cutting through the heavy air.

Josh's face was clouded with a mix of anger and sorrow. "I never cheated on her!" he declared firmly.

His eyes, however, betrayed a deep sadness as he sighed, hinting at a more complex story than Laura had known.

Laura sensed the story of her parents was much more complicated than she had been led to believe.

Josh, catching the questioning look in her eyes, seemed to grasp her confusion. He sighed again and changed the subject. "Mr. Harris, have you eaten dinner? You're welcome to join us if you haven't," he offered.

Gerard exchanged a glance with Lilah, who nodded in agreement. While she wasn't particularly hungry, her curiosity about Laura's father's past was piqued.

Compared to the opulence of the Rhodes' residence, Josh's home was modest but well-kept. After preparing dinner, he stepped out to buy some cold dishes, returning with a sheepish apology for the simplicity of the meal. "Sorry for the shabbiness," he said.

“It doesn't matter," Gerard responded gently.

Josh had been worried that they would find his humble home unappealing. But as Laura ate in silence, showing no sign of disdain, he felt a sense of relief. Even Gerard and Lilah seemed comfortable, which eased his anxiety a bit.

As dinner progressed, Laura found the courage to ask the question that had been weighing on her. "How did you and Mom break up?”

Her voice was soft, almost hesitant. She had always harbored sympathy for her mother and felt a need to make her proud. But now, Laura was beginning to realize that the story might not be as straightforward as she thought.

Josh let out a heavy sigh, preparing to reveal a past filled with emotion. "Your mother and I were deeply in love back then. The Blakely family, though not as prominent as the Rhodes family, was still quite influential."