Ryan's mouth opened, but no words came out. His mind was swirling with guilt, regret, and confusion. He had tried to justify it to himself before, but now, standing before his mother's raw, unfiltered rage and grief, he had no defence.
Beca shook her head, stepping back as if repulsed by her own son. "If Arwen had died that day, Ryan, you would have been responsible. You left her to die!" She wiped away a stray tear, her hands trembling as she held herself, trying to contain the flood of emotions threatening to overwhelm her. "The son I raised… wouldn't have done that."
Ryan's voice finally broke through, weak and pleading. "Mom, it wasn't like that. It happened so fast. I didn't realize …"
