Gemotions

"You're kidding me," muttered Chloe under her breath. She'd just seen the official salary document left on the printer by the new recruit. She leaned closer, double-checking the figures. The numbers swam before her eyes. The difference was significant.

Her breath hitched. She walked back to her desk and sat down heavily, the chair creaking under her weight. She felt a growing tightness in her chest, a pressure building like a held-back sob. She looked at her carefully organized desk, the picture of her kids, and felt a rush of something akin to panic. What was she doing wrong?

She reached for her phone, intending to text her friend, but instead, just stared at the screen, the words refusing to form. She felt utterly lost.