Olivia Brooks turned, hand on the door handle.

Richard Carter spoke in a flustered tone. “Olivia, don’t listen to her nonsense. She doesn’t understand what’s going on!”

Olivia pushed the door open, then turned back toward me with a mocking glint in her eyes.

“Well, since Richard says so, what else can I say? But within one month, you’d better deliver results—otherwise, how am I supposed to answer to the board?”

She tilted her head slightly. “Richard, aren’t you going to drive me back to the company?”

Richard hurried out the door, glancing back at me with displeasure.

“Sophia, you only have one week. Hurry up—the project must show progress.”

The two of them walked away side by side, chatting and laughing as if I didn’t exist.

I stood frozen, my thoughts blank. The project. To him, there was nothing but the project!

Half a month later, Emily had improved somewhat. Except for her legs, most of her injuries had healed. She looked like a fragile flower, clinging to life on that hospital bed.

My legs felt as heavy as lead as I slowly entered the room.

“Mom… where am I? I’m scared.” Emily’s eyes scanned the room before they settled on me.

I rushed forward, pulling her into a tight embrace.

“Emily, it’s okay. Mommy’s here. You’re just sick for now. Once you’re better, you can leave.”

Emily’s expression lit up with sudden realization.

“I’m better now. It doesn’t hurt anymore. I can get up now, Mom, let’s go!”

She tried to rise, struggling for several moments before her face twisted with fear.

“Mom… I can’t feel my legs! I can’t stand up! I’m so scared!”

Her sobs tore into me like claws crushing my heart, the suffocating pain nearly unbearable.

“Emily, don’t be afraid. Remember? Mommy’s a doctor. This is only temporary. Soon, I’ll make sure you can stand again.”

I forced a smile, but tears betrayed me, slipping down my cheeks.

Seeing my face, Emily gently cupped my cheeks with her tiny hands, brushing away my tears.

“Mommy, don’t cry. I trust you the most. Don’t be sad for me.”

I buried my face in her small body, my shoulders shaking uncontrollably. Emily’s little hands patted my back, silently comforting me.

“Where’s Dad? Why haven’t I seen him?”

I lifted my head quickly, but the emptiness in my heart wouldn’t fade.

In the past two weeks, Richard had visited the hospital only a handful of times—and each time, it was only to check on the experiment’s progress. His visits to Emily were perfunctory, as though she were a side note. Since the accident, he’d become a different man.

“Daddy’s been busy, but he’ll come see you soon. Don’t worry, Emily. Mommy will always be here with you.”

Emily nodded gently, forcing a smile, but her eyes betrayed her disappointment.

“It’s okay. He can come when he’s finished with work.”

“Good girl. You’re tired, aren’t you? Go back to sleep for a while.”

I held her close, rocking her gently until she drifted off.

Quietly, I slipped out of the room and pulled out my phone, dialing Richard.

“Hello? How’s the experiment going? Did you make progress?”

His first words were about the project.

“You only care about the experiment? Emily just woke up!”

My voice was sharp with anger.

Richard, of course, could hear it. He rushed to explain:

“I know Emily is important, but so is the project. Without my lobbying at the board, the lab’s funding would’ve been cut off long ago. The project would have been terminated immediately.”

“Funding? And what if there is no funding?”

My voice grew colder.

At the mere mention of funding, Richard Carter snapped,

“Sophia, you’ve lost your mind in your research! I just joined the board, and the Helios Project is my very first case. If it fails because I couldn’t secure funding, I’ll be thrown out of the board immediately!”

Before I could respond, another cold voice came through the phone.

“You have one month to show progress in the experiment.”

The call cut off.

I stared at the phone in my hand, fury surging through me, before hurling it to the floor.

Over the next two months, I performed countless trials on lab mice.

Finally, the experiments reached a breakthrough—I managed to control their movements through the brain-machine interface.

But since this implant was destined for my daughter, every step had to be taken with utmost caution. I couldn’t afford a single mistake.

During this period, I even tested the neural interface on myself. It could provide some auxiliary control, though it still required refinements.

Still, the progress was a glimmer of victory.

It was time to prepare Emily for implantation.

Richard visited a few times during those weeks, always with Olivia Brooks at his side. Each time, his focus was on the experiment’s progress, not our daughter. He would barely glance at Emily before leaving in haste.

Other than discussions about the project, he and I shared no further words.

Meanwhile, Emily’s condition steadily improved. Aside from her legs, which remained numb, the rest of her injuries had healed.

I entered her room one day to find her staring off in a daze.

The moment she saw me, she instinctively tried to get up—only for her unresponsive lower body to collapse her back onto the bed.

I rushed forward and lifted her.

“Mom, I’m fine. I’m used to this now. Even if I can never stand again, it doesn’t matter. You don’t have to exhaust yourself for me every day.”

Her small hand brushed against my cheek, forcing a smile onto her face.

“I’m not tired, sweetheart. Mommy has found a way. It’s a little risky, but if you agree, all you’ll have to do is take a nap—and when you wake up, you’ll be standing again.”

Emily’s eyes lit up. Since waking from her coma, I hadn’t seen her so excited.

“Mom, really? I can stand again? That means I can dance again! I promise I’ll be good. I’ll sleep right now!”

She lay down quickly, shutting her eyes and pretending to sleep.

Watching her adorable act, I smiled softly, caressing her face.

“Sleep, darling. When you wake, everything will be fine.”

The Helios neural implant surgery began.

Richard and Olivia rushed to the lab as soon as they heard.

The surgery itself wasn’t overly complex, but I performed each step with meticulous care, terrified that the slightest mistake would damage Emily’s nerves. The electrical currents were kept at the lowest possible setting; her fragile body couldn’t withstand any shock.

At last, the device was implanted successfully. Emily lay peacefully on the bed, a faint smile on her lips, as if she were dreaming a beautiful dream.

I stepped out of the ward. Richard rushed forward, ignoring my gloved hands as he seized them tightly.

“Sophia, was it successful?”

My gaze was cold, my voice even colder.

“Are you asking whether the project succeeded—or the surgery?”

Richard froze and quickly let go.

Olivia smiled as she stepped closer.

“If the project succeeded, doesn’t that mean the surgery succeeded too? The only question is—will your daughter really be able to stand?”

I shook my head slightly.