“Thank you so much, Dr. Smith,” Skylar said, her voice trembling with gratitude as fresh tears spilled onto her cheeks. “Thank you. You saved Phoebe’s life. You’re not just her savior, you saved me and Sebastian too. Our whole family will never forget what you’ve done for us.”

Sebastian, though sleepless, still carried himself with that effortless charisma. “Thank you,” he said softly. “You’ve worked so hard.”

Madeline merely nodded in ...