The following morning, I rose before dawn, unable to sleep. The sky outside was still ink-blue, heavy with the remnants of night. My limbs felt both restless and leaden, like I had carried some invisible weight through the hours I spent tossing under the sheets.

I moved through the motions—coffee, a shower, dressing—but each step felt more like preparing for battle than routine. Gone were the silks and airy florals I might have chosen on lighter days. Instead, I pulled on a navy sheath ...