“I’ll wash your daughter… and she’ll walk again.” The billionaire thought it was a ridiculous joke. But seconds later, when he saw what happened next, the smile vanished from his face.

“It has been years,” he admitted slowly, avoiding her eyes. “Maybe five or six, after the last doctor said nothing more could be done, I stopped putting her through tests because I did not want to give her false hope.”

Sophie nodded gently and said, “So for years, no one has checked if anything changed.” Elliot crossed his arms defensively and replied, “I was protecting her from disappointment.”

“Were you protecting her,” Sophie asked softly, “or were you giving up on her without realizing it?” Elliot did not answer, and the silence between them grew heavy.

Sophie crouched down beside the wheelchair and spoke gently to Harper. “Can I ask you something?” The little girl looked at her with curiosity and nodded slightly.

“When the nurses give you a bath, do they use warm water?” Sophie asked. Harper nodded again and said softly, “Daddy says warm water is better.”

“And when they touch your legs,” Sophie continued, “do they do it very carefully, like they are afraid of hurting you?” Harper nodded once more without hesitation.