Gemotions

The spreadsheet shimmered in Clara's vision. She blinked, refocusing. It was a simple comparison of salaries, the kind HR occasionally circulated for transparency. This one, however, felt far from transparent. Her fingers, normally steady on the mouse, now felt clumsy, like she was wearing boxing gloves. Her breath hitched.

She scrolled down, her stomach doing a tight little flip. There it was: Liam, junior marketing associate, listed at a figure exceeding hers by a significant margin. A cold sweat prickled her skin.

Clara swiveled in her chair, staring out the window at the bustling city below. The cars seemed to be moving in fast-forward. She could feel a pressure building in her chest, a knot she couldn't seem to untangle. What was she doing wrong? Years of experience… and this?