I nodded, letting him in. He came in slowly, as if he didn’t know where he was allowed to step. «It’s incredible,» he said in a hoarse voice. «Mason. He’s wonderful.»

I crossed my arms. «He had to be. He only had you and me.»

He nodded, looking at the floor. «I know. And I’m sorry. I can’t give you those years back, but I’m here. I want to be here.»

«You can’t just come back and act like you didn’t fake your death, like you didn’t destroy everything we were.»

«I won’t. I’m not asking you to love me. I know I lost that right. I just… I just want to be his dad. Even if it’s just a little bit. Even if I have to earn it day by day.»

I stood in silence. I watched him. He was no longer the man I had loved. He wasn’t the stranger from the bar, either. He was something in between: a reflection, a ruin, an open question.

«If you’re going to be in his life,» I finally said, «it will be with conditions. Whatever I want. You’ll call before you visit. You won’t show up unannounced. You won’t promise anything you can’t deliver. And if you ever lie to him again, you will disappear for good.»

He nodded, tears in his eyes. «I swear. I don’t plan on ruining it again.»

I turned back to the sea. The breeze hit my face like a rough but real caress. «I’m not the same woman you left behind, Ryan. I built a life without you. I rebuilt myself piece by piece.»

«And you did it well,» he said in a low voice. «You’re stronger than ever.»

«I had to be. You made it necessary.»

We didn’t talk anymore. He left with a slight nod and closed the balcony door softly. I stayed there, my gaze lost among the waves, letting the salty air dry the tears I hadn’t even noticed. This wasn’t a happy ending. It wasn’t a closed tragedy either. It was the truth. And that was enough for me.

That night, when I lay down next to Mason, he stirred in his sleep and murmured, «Mom, we’re happy, right?»

I stroked his forehead and whispered against his hair, «Yes, honey, we’re happy. And we’re going to be okay.» For the first time in three years, I said it and believed it. And for the first time, I felt it too.