Following the sound, he stepped into the living room—and froze. The new housekeeper, Maria, whom he’d hired just two weeks earlier, was kneeling on the floor beside Ethan, who was laughing uncontrollably.

“What is going on here?” Richard’s voice thundered through the room.

Maria jumped to her feet, wiping her hands nervously on her navy apron. Her brown eyes were wide, caught between fear and determination. “Mr. Cole, I can explain—” she began.

But Ethan, still grinning, cut in. “Dad, Aunt Maria was showing me some different exercises. Look!”

The blond boy focused hard and managed to move his right foot—just a little, but more than he had in months.