Gemotions

The silence in the office felt deafening. Every dropped pen, every chair scraped against the floor, sent a jolt of anxiety through him. He hadn't slept well in days, and he felt a bone-deep weariness that went beyond mere fatigue.

He watched Brenda, his rival, with a kind of morbid fascination, observing her every move, searching for clues, for hints. She seemed calm, composed, entirely at ease. This grated on his nerves.

He needed this role, this validation, to erase the whispers of inadequacy that had haunted him for years. This outcome would validate his existence, his importance. His heart hammered against his ribs.