New York City, a city that never sleeps, but for Sophie Matthews, tonight felt like the longest of her life. The fluorescent lights in her hospital room hummed softly as she lay in the bed, eyes fluttering with exhaustion. The pain in her abdomen had been building up for weeks, and now, after countless tests, doctors had finally confirmed that she needed an urgent surgery.

But Sophie’s world was anything but normal.
She wasn’t just any patient.

She was a single mother with a pair of two-year-old twins, Olivia and Jackson, who were staying with her in the room. She had no choice—her parents had refused to take care of the children, citing their “age and health concerns” as excuses, despite knowing her surgery was imminent.

Her eyes flickered between the children playing quietly at her bedside, unaware of the looming situation. She had tried to make it seem like everything was fine, for their sake. They were her whole world. The love of her life. But, in this moment, Sophie felt utterly alone.

Her phone sat on the bedside table, vibrating every so often with messages from family and friends, offering prayers and support. But none of it truly felt real. She was too far gone in her own worries to focus on much else.

In just a few minutes, the doctors would come in to prep her for surgery. A surgery she didn’t know if she would survive. The thought gnawed at her. Sophie couldn’t help but fear the worst. What if she didn’t make it through the procedure? Who would take care of her children then?

Her thoughts were interrupted by the ringing of her phone.

It wasn’t the usual messages from well-meaning friends.

It was an unknown number.

With trembling hands, she picked up the phone.

“Hello?”

There was a pause on the other end before a man’s voice spoke, deep and calm, but full of something that sounded… too familiar.

“Sophie Matthews?” he asked, his tone making her shiver.

“Yes. Who is this?”

“You don’t know me, but I know you. I’ve been watching you… for a long time now.”

Sophie’s breath caught in her throat. Was this some kind of joke? A prank call?

She glanced over at the twins, who were laughing softly, oblivious to the growing panic in their mother’s heart.

“Who is this?” Sophie repeated, her voice stronger now, but fear was rising in her chest.

The man paused again, as if considering his next words carefully.

“You have a choice, Sophie. You need to make it now. The surgery you’re about to undergo… it’s not what you think it is. In fact, it might not even be necessary. You need to cancel it.”

Sophie felt a cold wave wash over her. “What? What do you mean? I don’t have time for this. I need this surgery. Please, tell me who you are!”

The man ignored her panic and continued, his voice unwavering. “You can stop it. You can stop the whole thing. But only if you make the right decision. If you go through with this, it’s not just your life at risk. You’ll be putting your children in danger too.”

Sophie’s blood ran cold. “What are you talking about? My children? What danger? Who are you?”

Before he could respond, a nurse entered the room, offering a quick, apologetic smile. “Miss Matthews, we’re here to prepare you for surgery now.”

Sophie shot a frantic glance at the nurse, her hand still clutching the phone. “No, wait!” she cried out to the nurse, her voice rising with panic. “What’s going on? Is this surgery safe? Is there something wrong with it?”

The nurse paused, looking at Sophie with confusion and concern, but before she could respond, the man’s voice cut in again, cold and commanding.

“Listen to me carefully. You need to cancel the surgery. I’ll send someone to help you. Don’t trust them. Do not let them operate on you. If you do, you will regret it.”

Sophie’s mind raced. She looked at the nurse, who was now watching her closely, her expression neutral but concerned. The twins were playing at her feet, unaware of the terror building inside their mother’s chest.

“I can’t stop it now,” Sophie whispered to herself, panic rising again. “What if I don’t wake up? What if I’m not here for them?”

The nurse stepped closer, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Sophie, it’s going to be alright. We’re here to take care of you. You’ll be just fine.”

Sophie swallowed hard, still holding the phone with the stranger’s words echoing in her mind. She couldn’t understand it, but something in her gut told her this wasn’t a coincidence.

“Who are you?” she whispered into the phone again, but all she heard was a sharp click. The line had gone dead.

The nurse seemed unaware of Sophie’s distress. “We need to prep you for the procedure now, Miss Matthews,” she said, her voice growing more insistent. “The doctors are waiting.”

Sophie’s heart was racing. She didn’t know what to do. The man’s warning was too real. The anxiety in her chest was suffocating. She glanced at her children one more time, feeling the weight of the decision upon her.

With shaking hands, she turned off the phone and looked up at the nurse. “I’m sorry… I can’t go through with this.”

The nurse frowned, her professional mask slipping for just a second. “Miss Matthews, are you sure about this? You need the surgery now.”

Sophie shook her head, her mind made up. She couldn’t take the risk. She didn’t understand why, but she knew she had to protect her children.

“I’ll take my chances,” she said, her voice trembling but firm.

The nurse stepped back, looking at her with a mixture of confusion and concern. “I’ll need to inform the doctor about this decision,” she said, before leaving the room.

As the door closed behind her, Sophie’s phone buzzed again.

This time, it was a text message.

“You’ve made the right choice. But this is just the beginning. They’re coming for you.”

Sophie’s heart skipped a beat.

Her phone vibrated again, this time showing a message from an unknown number:

“Stay alert. They’ve already infiltrated the hospital. Don’t trust anyone.”

Sophie’s blood ran cold.

She was no longer just a patient.
She was in the middle of something far bigger.
And now, she had to protect her children—and herself—no matter the cost.