a birthmark, and expect everything to be forgiven.’
Lucas nodded, unable to speak.
Michael stepped forward, his expression grave.
‘Your mother used to tell me that love wasn’t proven by how fiercely you felt something.
It was proven by what you were willing to do for the people you loved.’
He looked at his son.
‘I spent a year waiting for you to call because I was too proud to admit I missed you.
You spent seven months avoiding a woman who needed you because you were afraid of failing.
We both have some hard truths to face.
But Camila and Mateo are not responsible for either of our mistakes.’
Lucas looked at his father.
For the first time, neither man tried to win the argument.
Then Lucas turned back to Camila.
‘What do you need from me right now?’
She considered the question.
‘Right now? I need rest.
I need to recover.
I need to take my son home when the doctors say we’re ready.
After that, we can discuss paternity paperwork, financial support, and a plan for you to be involved.
I won’t make promises about us.
We’re not a couple anymore.’
Lucas swallowed.
‘Okay.’
‘And if you disappear again, I won’t chase you.’
‘I understand.’
‘You will need to prove that you do.’
Camila carefully lifted Mateo from the bassinet and settled him into her arms.
She studied Lucas’s face, searching for the familiar expression she had once loved.
She could still see pieces of the man she remembered, but she could no longer afford to confuse memory with reality.
After a moment, she shifted the blanket so Lucas could see his son’s face.
‘You can say hello,’ she told him.
Lucas leaned forward.
‘Hi, Mateo,’ he whispered.
‘I’m your dad.’
The baby opened his eyes briefly, then curled his tiny fingers around Lucas’s index finger.
Lucas broke down again, but this time he didn’t ask Camila to comfort him.
He simply sat there, holding still, as though he understood that this moment was a beginning, not a reward.
Michael turned away to wipe his face.
For the first time since Elena’s death, he felt something other than grief when he looked at the little crescent mark.
It was no longer only a reminder of the woman he had lost or the son he had failed to reach.
It was also a reminder that life could continue, even after people made terrible choices.
The next few days were not a fairy tale.
Camila did not suddenly forgive Lucas.
She did not move back into his life or agree to raise Mateo as though nothing had happened.
They began discussing practical arrangements, and Lucas agreed to seek legal guidance and establish a reliable plan for supporting his son.
Camila made it clear that every future visit would depend on consistency, respect, and Mateo’s well-being.
Michael visited once each day, always asking before entering the room.
He brought no extravagant gifts and made no demands.
He helped arrange follow-up care and offered to connect Camila with hospital social services so she could access the support available to her.
When she declined his offer to pay all her expenses, he respected her decision and asked what assistance she would actually welcome.
That mattered more than any grand promise.
On the
