Gemotions

The silence in the usually bustling office felt amplified. Alice found herself avoiding eye contact, her movements mechanical, her smile forced. She tried to concentrate on the report in front of her, but the words swam before her eyes.

She knew she shouldn't have been listening. But she had overheard the conversation between Mark and a supervisor. The details were clear: his salary, higher than hers. She’d been at the company for so much longer.

A cold shiver ran down her spine. Her fingers felt numb. She felt suddenly small, insignificant. She tried to take a deep breath, but her lungs felt constricted. She needed to escape. She needed to be alone.