Instead of calling the police or sending Leo away, he welcomed the boy into their home.
At first, the staff whispered. A billionaire bringing a homeless child into the mansion seemed absurd. But Daniel silenced their doubts. He set up a guest room for Leo, gave him clean clothes, and arranged meals.
Leo remained humble. He didn’t ask for luxuries; he didn’t demand attention. All he cared about was Emily. Every morning, he came to her room, ready with new dances, silly faces, and improvised games. He wheeled her into the garden, taught her how to clap to his rhythm, and even encouraged her to move her arms like she was dancing too.
Emily’s world blossomed. She began speaking more, laughing more, and even engaging with her therapists again. Where there had once been despair, there was now light.
One day, Daniel overheard a conversation between them.
“You’re not broken,” Leo told her gently as they sat under the rose arch. “You’re just sitting in a different kind of chair. But your laugh—your laugh makes the whole world dance.”
Emily smiled, her eyes shining. “And you’re not just funny. You’re my best friend.”
For Daniel, those words were worth more than all his fortune.