The air in the room felt like it had cooled several degrees as I processed their ultimatum. My mind raced through the countless hours I had spent honing my skills, the sacrifices I had made to rise above the ashes they had left me in. I was on the precipice of a moral dilemma I never imagined facing. The people who had discarded me like a broken toy were now demanding I save the life of the golden child they had chosen in my stead.
Despite the tumult within, my exterior remained unyielding. The facade of the ice-cold surgeon, the brilliant doctor who was unshakable in the operating room, was all that was visible to the world.
“Why would I help you?” I retorted, my voice barely above a whisper. “You expect me to just forget everything and play the dutiful daughter at your convenience?”
