"I appreciate it."
Just before ending the call, Dr. Elias spoke again.
"Santiago."
"Yes?"
"I've known you for a long time."
"I know."
"So trust me when I tell you this..."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"Don't jump to conclusions."
Santiago remained silent.
"I've seen laboratory anomalies before. Most of them turn out to be exactly that—anomalies. Until I have a definitive report from Genova Genetics, I don't want to speculate."
"You think there's still a chance the result is wrong."
"I hope there is."
"And if it isn't?"
Dr. Elias leaned back in his chair, his gaze drifting toward the pediatric corridor where Matías and Adrián had been laughing only minutes earlier.
"If it isn't," he said quietly, "then we're looking at something that shouldn't be possible based on everything we currently know."
A long silence stretched between them.
Finally, Santiago spoke.
"Call me the moment you know."
"You have my word."
The call ended.
