Gemotions

The email arrived, a celebratory notification about the success of "Professor Eldridge's Pudding," the dessert that had become the unexpected hit of the prestigious culinary competition. The recipe, the exact one, was her mother's, and she had submitted it anonymously, desperate for a little financial boost. She'd assumed no one would notice, a little family recipe wouldn't stand a chance.

Her fingers trembled as she reread the message. The feeling was a deep, cold shiver. She went to the window and stared out, the city lights blurring through unshed tears. She wanted to scream, to lash out, but the words caught in her throat. She felt like an imposter.