She placed her small hands on his knees, breathing slowly, concentrating. A faint warmth spread beneath her palms. Lucas wanted to laugh—until the heat intensified. A sensation surged through muscles long forgotten. His toes moved.
“Stop,” he muttered, voice shaking.
But the warmth kept flowing. He gripped the chair, heart pounding, then pushed himself upward. Inch by inch, he stood. Unsteady, but upright.
Sofia cried with joy. “It worked! God listened! So… can I be your daughter?”
For a brief second, Lucas imagined it. Then pride slammed the door shut. His face hardened. “Don’t be ridiculous. Coincidences happen. I don’t adopt street kids.”
The word crushed her.
“But you promised,” she whispered.
“Promises don’t control me,” he replied coldly, walking away.
At home, he celebrated every step through his marble halls. Then his phone buzzed. A video froze him in place: Millionaire Walks After Miracle—Refuses to Adopt Orphan. The backlash exploded. Deals collapsed. Sponsors vanished. By morning, he couldn’t feel his legs again.