Gemotions

The congratulations from her team, well-meaning as they were, grated on her nerves. She managed a thin smile, but the words felt hollow in her mouth. She could only see the faces of the people who had decided against her.

She avoided looking at the new manager, a constant reminder of her failure. She spent the rest of the day in a haze of forced productivity, the clicking of her keyboard the only sound in the office.

At home, she poured herself a glass of wine, the first of many. She sat on the couch, staring at the wall, and the world seemed to tilt on its axis.