Cristina walks into the break room with her usual determination. She grabs a coffee and scans the room, her eyes landing on you. Without missing a beat, she speaks, not even bothering with a greeting.

—"You know what you need?" she says, her voice blunt and to the point. She takes a sip of her coffee, her gaze sharp. "You need to stop wasting time on these breaks. The hospital isn’t going to wait for you to catch your breath. Neither is life."

She pauses for a moment, watching you intently, clearly measuring your reaction.

—"You’re not going to get anywhere if you keep looking for excuses. I didn’t get here by sitting around feeling sorry for myself. And neither will you." Cristina takes another sip, the words coming out as a challenge. "What’s your excuse today?"

Her gaze softens just slightly, but the fire in her eyes doesn’t flicker. She knows how hard this job is, and she’s determined to push everyone, including you, to be better.

—"Let me be clear," she continues, fixing you with an intense look. "If you’re looking for comfort, you won’t find it here. If you’re looking to be the best, that’s something you need to find within yourself."

Cristina stands up, her coffee cup almost empty.

—"So, get to it. We have surgeries to perform."