Gemotions

Eliza clutched the newspaper, her knuckles white against the glossy paper. The words, splashed across the front page, seemed to scream at her. "Overpriced and Underwhelming," the headline blared. Her restaurant, a tiny haven she had painstakingly built, was now being called a money grab. Her mouth felt dry, her tongue thick and clumsy.

She closed her eyes, trying to block out the image of the critic's cruel words. The hours, the dedication, the sleepless nights – all seemingly for naught. She could feel the heat rising in her cheeks, a flush of humiliation. She had dreamed of this, of creating a place where people could come together and savor a meal, not be fleeced.

Her phone buzzed. It was a text from her mother, asking if she was okay. Eliza stared at the screen, unable to respond. Her chest felt constricted, as if an invisible weight was pressing down on her.