Arthur looked at Zoe as if he were still trying to process everything. His eyes were wet with tears, but the light in them went beyond emotion—it was pure awe.

“I… I don’t…” he stammered, unable to form a sentence right away. He took a deep breath, as if trying to anchor himself in reality. “I never expected this. I thought this moment would never come.”

Carefully, he picked up the book again and pressed it against his chest.

“You have no idea how much this means to me,” he continued, his voice