Gemotions

The shared coffee machine gurgled, its mechanical rhythm a stark counterpoint to the turmoil within her. The promotion. The very word felt like an insult. He, Robert, was her competition. They had come from the same college, but he had already advanced past her! He didn't even *deserve* it.

She poured a cup, the dark liquid offering no solace. She avoided his eye, pretending to be engrossed in the newspaper. It was all a farce, a carefully constructed illusion, he was better at this game than she was.

She could feel the tremor in her hands as she walked back to her desk. Every email she typed, every conversation she overheard, only deepened the feeling of being… disregarded.