Gemotions

The news rippled through Liam's life, a tidal wave of betrayal. His literary muse, the acclaimed Serena Black, was a fraud. Her novels, the ones that had shaped his understanding of the world, were built on the backs of other writers' words. The shock was a physical thing. He stared at his copy of *The Obsidian Mirror*, his favorite of Black's novels, the one he reread at least once a year.

His first reaction was fury. He wanted to tear the book apart, to burn the pages that now seemed tainted. He remembered Black's public persona, her dazzling wit, her self-assured smile.

Liam, later, had a different thought. It was almost a whisper. He recalled an interview with Serena, where she had admitted to feeling insecure, to battling imposter syndrome. He thought of her now, stripped of her carefully constructed facade.

He put the book back on the shelf, the cover gleaming. He decided to find a way to support her.