The word is "best", since that shows it is an opinion. Someone may think this is not the best way.
The best answer for this question would be:
someone who is loved and trusted
This connotation was “someone who is loved and trusted”
because the person who stated the line “The boy calls you father” implying that
there is a possibility that they are no related by blood; adding to that he may
call “father” for respect.
