Burke paced in the OR, his brows furrowed as he adjusted the sterile drape. The surgery was delicate, and everything had to go perfectly, no room for error. The team was in sync, but something felt off. He glanced at the clock.

“Scalpel,” he called out.

His hands were steady, but his mind wasn’t entirely on the patient. He had just received a message that his mentor, a renowned surgeon, was visiting the hospital later that day to observe the procedure.

Burke couldn’t afford any mistakes, especially with so much on the line. He was used to the pressure, but the weight of this one felt heavier. He cleared his throat, focused, and glanced up at the team.

“Keep it tight. We’re almost there.”

Everything else, the nerves, the pressure, the distractions, all faded into the background. Burke’s mind clicked into gear. He was a surgeon. Nothing else mattered right now.