“I’LL GIVE YOU A MILLION IF YOU CAN HEAL ME,” THE BILLIONAIRE SCOFFED — UNTIL…

Alexander Harrington awoke in the night to a sensation both strange and familiar—a throbbing, alive weight in his legs. For years, they had been numb, lifeless. The pain was sharp, almost electric, but beneath it stirred something long forgotten: hope.

He dared to wiggle his toes. They moved—slowly, awkwardly, but they moved. Heart pounding, he summoned his personal physician, Dr. Hayes, who examined him with skepticism. Tests would take days—but Alexander didn’t wait.

With the help of aides, he climbed into an old mobility aid and stood. His legs shook violently, weak from years of disuse, but they held. Step by step, Alexander walked. His heartbeat raced with every uncertain stride. He was moving, defying the fate he had accepted.

That evening, as he rested, Alexander’s thoughts turned to Luke—the boy, the strange ritual, the warmth of his hand. Impossible, absurd… yet here he was, walking. Gratitude, long buried beneath cynicism, stirred within him. He instructed his assistant to find the boy.

Days later, Luke appeared, red plastic stethoscope around his neck, eyes bright and fearless.

“You kept your word,” Alexander said, offering his hand—this time in friendship.

“And you owe me a million dollars,” Luke replied with a grin.

Alexander laughed—a genuine, free sound that echoed through the mansion. For the first time in years, he felt peace. The chaos of the park, the laughter of children—these were no longer reminders of what he’d lost, but of what he could reclaim, thanks to a child’s touch.