Gemotions

A shiver ran down her spine. Emma’s fingers tapped a frantic rhythm on her desk. The online article detailed the plagiarized passages, comparing her short story with Thorne's novel. It was like living a nightmare. Her pulse was racing.

She reread the damning evidence, each highlighted passage a fresh stab of betrayal. She could practically feel her blood boiling. Her mind raced, searching for something, anything, to explain it away. She blinked rapidly.

Emma stood abruptly, knocking over her chair. The sound was deafening in the stillness. She crossed the room, grabbed her coat, and headed out the door, needing to be anywhere but there.