Gemotions

The office air suddenly felt thick, oppressive. David’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, unable to type. He had just seen the internal compensation report, accidentally left open on another employee's computer. The numbers swam before his eyes. He felt a dizzying sensation, like he'd been spun around repeatedly.

The junior developer, the one who still couldn’t debug a simple program, was getting paid more than him. David, with his years of experience, his late nights, and his reputation for being a reliable go-to person… the injustice of it was a physical weight. He stared at the screen, utterly immobilized, as his carefully constructed sense of self-worth crumbled around him. He felt as though the entire office was suddenly watching him.

"David?" His boss's voice cut through the silence. He blinked, struggling to focus on the man standing in the doorway.