Gemotions

The laptop screen glared, reflecting Sarah’s pinched face. A cold knot twisted in her stomach. She’d stumbled upon it by accident, a forgotten password, a moment of idle curiosity leading to this. Her daughter, Emily, had another life online. A life Sarah knew nothing about.

Her fingers trembled as she scrolled. The photos. The comments. The late-night messages. This wasn't the sweet, compliant girl who ate dinner with the family every night. This was a stranger. A stranger who laughed and flirted and seemed… happy. A bitter taste coated Sarah’s mouth.

She slammed the laptop shut, the sound echoing in the silent house. She felt a sudden urge to tear something, to break something, to scream. Instead, she wrapped her arms around herself, rocking slightly on the sofa, the silence amplifying the frantic drumming of her heart.