From Humiliation to Godhood

6: St. Pete’s Hospital [2]

Leon walked toward Emily. He placed his palm against her chest, and a warmth spread from his touch.

Emily gasped. Her entire body tensed for a moment before exhaling in a sharp release like a chain deep inside her had just snapped free.

Dante’s breath hitched as he watched the impossible.

Before their eyes, color rushed back into her skin. Her breathing steadied.

Mrs. Vale clamped a trembling hand over her mouth, tears slipping freely down her cheeks as Emily’s lashes fluttered open.

“M-Mom…?”

A weak, rasping voice, but unmistakably alive.

Dante stared. He scrambled for his stethoscope, checking vitals. He pressed it to Emily’s chest, listening. Perfectly stable.

“She… she was dying,” Dante whispered. “Five minutes ago, she was…”

“… Not anymore,” Leon interrupted smoothly, a satisfied smirk gracing his lips. “Good to know I still have the touch.”

Dante looked up at him, his hands trembling.

“What the hell did you just do?”

Leon kept smiling as he met Dante’s gaze. “If I explain, you wouldn’t understand.” Then he shrugged.

Dante double-checked Emily’s vitals. Everything was normal now. No fever. No pain. No erratic heartbeat. Just perfect health.

It was impossible.

The room buzzed with disbelief as Christopher and Lillian Vale clung to their daughter, their emotions spilling over.

Lillian wept openly, but this time, it was out of sheer relief.

“H-How did this happen?” she whispered between gasps. “We hired the best specialists. We flew in a private medical team from overseas… but none of them could—”

Leon cut her off, his silver eyes calm.

“Wealth means nothing when the right knowledge is missing.”

Christopher’s sharp gaze snapped to him. He wasn’t a man accustomed to being spoken to like that. A man like him had seen power in many forms—political, financial, social.

But this?

This was something else entirely.

“Who are you?” Christopher demanded. “You must be a great healer if a single touch not only diagnosed my daughter but cured her.”

His voice was edged with curiosity, with something dangerously close to reverence.

Leon inclined his head, a ghost of a smirk playing on his lips. “I am many things,” he mused. “A healer, if I choose to be.”

Then he turned back to Lillian, and asked, “You said she was fine before. Before what?”

Lillian hesitated. “We moved six months ago. Into the new Vale estate. It was a historic mansion, but we had it renovated completely.”

Christopher answered this time, “Yes. We had old pipes replaced and a custom underground water system installed. State-of-the-art filtration, only the best for my family.”

Leon thought for a second before replying, “Hmm, the problem must lie there somewhere.”

Lillian clutched Emily tighter. “What do you mean?”

“Your daughter’s sickness wasn’t caused by a virus, bacteria, or a genetic disorder. It was parasitic. But not from food or travel.” Leon folded his arms. “It came from constant, slow exposure. Most likely, from contaminated water in your own home.”

Christopher’s face darkened. “That’s impossible. Our water system was built by the best engineers. It was tested—”

“I believe you…” Leon interrupted. “Yes, it was tested, and yet, your daughter was still dying. What does that tell you?”

The room fell silent.

Christopher clenched his jaw, his pride warring with the truth standing before him. But he wasn’t a fool. He hadn’t built his empire by indulging his ego, he had built it by trusting results. And the undeniable result was that his daughter was healthy again… all because of Leon.

Finally, he exhaled sharply. “I’ll have the estate’s water system inspected by tomorrow.” His voice was rough, but controlled.

“You should. For your little girl’s sake,” Leon told him.

But Lillian turned to Leon, her expression confused.

“I don’t understand,” she whispered. “Your friend said you aren’t a doctor, so how did you know? How did you cure her?”

All eyes turned to him.

After a brief moment, Leon replied, “Just consider yourself lucky that I’m here.”

The couples nodded.

Leon turned to Dante and said, “I came here to speak with you. So, let’s go.”

Then, without another word, he turned away.

Just as he reached the door, Christopher’s voice called after him.

“Leon. Leon, right?”

Leon paused, and turned to look at him. “Yes, that’s me.”

Christopher walked up to him, holding out a sleek black card.

“We spent billions searching for a cure,” Christopher admitted. “We hired the best minds in the world. We brought in technology others can only dream of. None of it made a difference.” His eyes locked onto Leon’s. “Then you walked in and… in mere seconds, you erased what no one else could even understand. You made healing her look like child’s play.”

He held the card out further. “There are fifty million dollars in this account. Take it. It’s yours.”

Dante’s jaw nearly hit the floor. His head snapped toward Leon, frantically nodding as if to say, Take it, you idiot!

Leon took the card, turning it over between his fingers, and staring at it like it was a mere trinket. He smirked, amused. “A token of appreciation, compressed into a piece of plastic. How efficient.”

“Can’t we get your number?” Christopher asked. “We want you to be our family’s healer. If you agree, I’ll see that you’re compensated beyond measure. And not just us, if you want, I can introduce you to the most powerful people in the country.”

Leon’s smirk barely faltered, but his head tilted slightly, almost amused.

“Number?” he mused. The word sounded foreign, almost irrelevant to him. “Number… Ah. You mean one of those codes people use to contact each other. I don’t think I have one. I mean, I am sure he did...” his voice slowly lowered as confusion etched on his face.

Dante stiffened, his mind racing. This guy…

Clearing his throat, Dante forced a grin and stepped in. “Mr. and Mrs. Vale, don’t worry.” He clapped a hand on Leon’s shoulder. “He’s my best friend. He’s not going anywhere.”

Before Christopher could reply, a soft voice broke the moment.

“Mr. Leon…”

Everyone turned to Emily.

Emily was watching him, her small face radiant with gratitude.

She beamed at him, her little voice clear and warm. “Thank you. Now my parents won’t have to cry because of me again.”

Leon’s gaze softened. He gave her a slow nod.

“You’re welcome.

In Dante’s office, he found himself staring at Leon, studying him as if trying to solve an unsolvable riddle.

“How many years have we known each other? Five years, isn't it? But I'm certain that I do not know that man who healed that little girl. Tell me, how did you manage to do that?”

Leon, sitting opposite him, replied, “That’s not why I came here.”

Dante leaned forward, narrowing his eyes. “Are you possessed?”

Leon’s eyes widened in shock. ‘No. Does he know possession is possible in this day and age?’