“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.

Sophie stood up and turned to Elliot with quiet certainty in her voice. “That is exactly the problem,” she said. “Warm water and gentle touches made her body used to comfort, so her nerves stopped reacting because there was nothing new to respond to.”

Elliot frowned and said, “That is not how medicine works,” but Sophie lifted the hose again and pointed it toward Harper’s legs. “Is that what you truly believe?” she asked before spraying cold water over the blanket covering Harper’s legs.

“Harper,” she said softly, “close your eyes and focus on what you feel, not what you think you should feel.” The little girl closed her eyes tightly, and a few seconds passed in complete silence.

Then her eyebrows tightened, and she whispered, “I feel something.” Elliot froze where he stood and stepped closer immediately.

“What do you feel?” he asked, his voice trembling slightly. Harper opened her eyes slowly and said, “It feels like tiny ants moving, like a tickling feeling.”

Sophie smiled gently and said, “That is your nerves waking up again.” Elliot’s expression filled with disbelief as he stepped even closer.