Chapter 6 - A Miracle in Motion
The report revealed a heartbreaking truth.
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
| BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION REPORT |
| Name: Clara Santos |
| Education: Completed 3 years of Pediatric Physical Therapy (UNIFESP) |
| Status: Discontinued (Financial Hardship) |
| Family History: Younger brother, Lucas, diagnosed with spinal trauma |
| after a fall. Clara cared for him until his passing |
| in 2024. |
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Clara wasn't a spy or a fraud. She was a grieving sister who had lost her brother to the very same kind of injury Alice suffered from. She had abandoned her dreams of becoming a physical therapist when her family ran out of money, taking cleaning jobs just to survive in the expensive city of São Paulo.
Thiago stared at the screen, tears welling in his eyes. He felt a profound wave of shame for spying on her, for doubting the only person who had brought a genuine smile back into his daughter's life.
He looked back at the live camera feed.
Clara was holding Alice upright, supporting her tiny torso with her hands, letting the baby's feet touch the soft carpet.
"You can do it, Alice," Clara whispered, her face beaded with sweat. "Just a little pressure."
May you like
And then, it happened.
Alice’s right big toe twitched. It was a tiny, almost imperceptible movement, but to Thiago, who had watched those legs remain completely lifeless for months, it was like lightning striking the ground.
