“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.

The little girl looked up at her.

“When the nurses bathe you, do they use warm water?”

Lily nodded.

“Daddy always says warm water is better.”

“And when they touch your legs,” Emily continued, “do they do it carefully? Like they’re afraid of hurting you?”

Lily nodded again.

Emily turned back to Adrian.

“That’s the problem,” she said.

“Warm water. Gentle touches. Your daughter’s body got used to comfort. Her nerves stopped reacting because there was nothing new to react to.”

She lifted the hose.

“But this?” she said. “Cold water shocks the nervous system. It wakes it up.”

Adrian shook his head.

“That’s not how medicine works.”

“Isn’t it?” Emily replied.

Then she sprayed Lily’s legs through the blanket.

“Lily,” she said softly, “close your eyes and focus. Don’t think about what you should feel. Tell me what you actually feel.”

The little girl squeezed her eyes shut.

Seconds passed.

Then her brow wrinkled.

“I… I feel something,” she whispered.

Adrian froze.

“What?”

“It’s like… tiny ants,” Lily said. “Tickling.”

Emily smiled.

“That’s your nerves waking up.”

Adrian stepped closer, disbelief filling his face.

Emily grabbed his hand and placed it firmly on Lily’s knee.

“Press hard.”

He did.

Lily gasped.