Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash in Clara's mouth. The news, delivered with a smug air by the building manager, had left her feeling like her world had been upended. She’d spent years cultivating this little space. Years! And now, some corporation thought they could just… take it?

She threw the coffee cup against the wall, the ceramic shattering in a satisfying burst. A small, almost guilty smile flickered across her lips. The mess, at least, was a tangible expression of the chaos she felt brewing within.

She began to pace, her steps quick and agitated, a caged animal searching for an escape. The thought of the open house, the forced smiles, the vultures circling… made her stomach churn.