Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the breakroom hummed, a sound that usually blended into the background, but today it grated against Amelia’s nerves. She stared at the half-eaten sandwich in her hand, the thought of consuming another bite repelling her. She crumpled the wrapper, the crinkle of the paper loud in the sudden silence of the room. A knot formed in her stomach, heavy and unpleasant.

She’d spent seven years at StellarTech, a company she’d genuinely believed in. Now, the rumors were confirmed; the board had decided to sell. The meeting, the forced smiles, the corporate jargon – all of it left a bad taste in her mouth.

She kicked at the base of the vending machine, the metal clanging against her shoe. A surge of frustration coursed through her, a bitter tide. This place, this whole charade of innovation and teamwork, was just a commodity to be traded.