Gemotions

The news felt like a punch to the gut. It had all been so unfair. Years of loyalty and hard work, and for what? The younger worker, Michael, the one with the constant smile and the overenthusiastic presentations, was pulling in a bigger salary.

The air seemed to thicken around him. He found his breathing became shallow. He avoided the kitchen, where the team often gathered, feeling a strange aversion to their casual chatter. He felt suffocated by the pressure building in his chest.

He started arriving late and leaving early, the once-sacred routine of his work day disrupted. He felt a growing sense of detachment, as if he were watching his life from a distance. The thought of confronting the situation filled him with dread.