I ARRIVED AT MY BEACH HOUSE EXPECTING PEACE-YILUX

like a child again.

Caught between something he couldn’t fix.

“M—Mom,” he said.

I met his eyes.

Didn’t smile.

Didn’t soften.

Just looked at him.

Waiting.

Because this was his moment now.

Not mine.

Not Megan’s.

His.

Megan turned toward me, her expression twisting into something sharp again.

“Oh, she’s back,” she muttered.

And just like that… the choice was no longer continue reading …