Claudia organized everything in secret.
At four in the morning, she carefully wrapped Camila and slipped out the back door.
Rodrigo followed her, unrecognizable: hoodie, glasses, car with no distinguishing markings.
They drove for six hours, going deeper into the mountains, where the GPS stopped working and the air smelled of pine and rain.
They finally arrived in front of a small wooden house.
An old man came out.
He looked at Rodrigo with pure contempt.
« You come here expecting a miracle, » he said coldly.
« You won’t find it. »
Claudia lowered her head.
« We’re not asking for a miracle. Just… a little hope. »
The doctor examined Camila, who was weak and trembling.
Then he let out a long sigh.
« What she has is serious. Very serious. But not impossible. »
Rodrigo nearly fell to his knees.
« How much do you want? I’ll pay any price! »
The doctor struck the ground with his stick.
« Here, money means NOTHING. I want obedience. Silence. And the truth. »
Rodrigo stiffened. « The truth? »
The doctor pierced him with his gaze.
« Your daughter doesn’t just need medicine. She needs the one thing you’ve never given her: unconditional love. »
Claudia looked away. She knew it was true.
*For illustrative purposes only*
**THE THERAPY EVERYONE WOULD CALL « INSANE »**
They settled into the cabin.
The doctor removed all medications from the hospital.
He replaced them with herbal infusions, detoxification therapies, steam baths, breathing exercises, and nighttime chanting: rituals that no modern doctor would dare to practice.
Claudia followed all the instructions like a soldier.
But Rodrigo had a hard time.
Phones switched off.
No more business.
No more assistants.
No escape.
Just a father and his daughter.
One night, at three in the morning, Camila began struggling to breathe again. Rodrigo panicked.
Claudia grabbed him by the arm.
« Talk to her. Stay with her. She needs you. »
With tears on his cheeks, he murmured:
« Forgive me, my little angel. I should have been there. I should have held you in my arms every day. »
At that moment, Camila’s tiny fingers gripped his.
Her breathing became more regular.
The doctor watched in silence.
« That, » he murmured, « is medicine. »
**THE RELAPSE THAT REVEALED EVERYONE’S GREATEST SECRET**
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