"Ready for your evening treatment?" Amelia asked softly as she set down her medical kit on the polished side table. The familiar case clicked open, revealing gleaming instruments and neatly organized tools that spoke of routine and discipline. Another day, another session, though after everything that had unfolded today, even this ritual carried a different weight.
Alan shifted slightly on the couch where he sat. His eyes, calm yet piercing, followed her every movement.
"Your progress is looking good," Amelia noted while placing the electrodes with gentle precision. "The nerve response is much stronger than last week."
Alan watched her in silence for a moment. Then his voice broke the quiet with its steady resonance.
"The board meeting ran longer than expected. You did not have to come tonight."
