Gemotions

Chef Anya crumpled the review, the paper cracking in her grip. The stinging criticism of her ambitious new dessert menu felt like a physical blow. Her shoulders slumped; she felt a sudden and overwhelming weariness. She'd worked so hard.

She sat heavily at a table in the corner of her restaurant, trying to gather her thoughts. The bustling activity around her, the cheerful chatter of diners, felt distant and unreal. She felt a strange buzzing in her ears.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the world, but the critic's words kept replaying in her mind. Her hands trembled as she reached for a glass of water, and she spilled half of it. She couldn't understand what was happening to her.