Chapter 7 - The Healing Room
Three weeks later.
The spring sun began to melt the thick snow across the grounds of the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.
Inside a bright, sunlit physical therapy room, Paige Hart stood between two parallel bars, taking three shaky, independent steps forward on her own two feet.
"I did it!" Paige laughed, wiping sweat from her forehead as her physical therapist cheered.
Evelyn sat on a bench near the window, crying tears of pure, unadulterated joy as she clapped for her sister.
Adrian stood near the doorway, watching the scene with a quiet, rare smile touching his lips.
After the session ended and Paige was comfortably resting in her room, Evelyn joined Adrian on the outdoor terrace overlooking the lake.
"The head surgeon spoke with me earlier," Evelyn said, leaning against the stone railing. "He said with another six months of this specialized therapy, Paige will be able to walk with just a cane."
"I know," Adrian replied gently. "I reviewed her medical progress reports this morning."
Evelyn turned to face him, the cool breeze blowing her hair across her cheeks. "Why did you really step in that night, Adrian? You could have ignored Grant. You could have let the federal investigation play out quietly without risking your own reputation."
May you like
Adrian looked out over the blue waters of Lake Michigan, his expression uncharacteristically soft.
"Because the first time I saw you six months ago in that office, working late to save your sister," Adrian confessed quietly, "I saw someone with a heart so pure she made this dark city worth protecting. I wasn't going to let a beast like Grant Mercer extinguish that light."
