When Sophia stepped off the operating table, the world outside had already surrendered to night.

The two surgeries today had been grueling, hours drawn out by precision and care, and Sophia, mindful of the child growing inside her, had avoided a single drop of anything caffeinated to stay alert. By the time she finished, her body felt stripped bare—mind unwinding, exhaustion seeping into her very bones.

She made her way back to her office, footsteps unsteady but ...