Gemotions

The news landed on Ethan like a physical blow. He sat slumped in his chair, the plush fabric suddenly feeling scratchy against his skin. His sister, Sophia, was clutching her chest, her face pale. The solicitor’s voice faded into the background, a meaningless drone.

*The house.* It was supposed to be a straightforward inheritance, a clean break. This was… overwhelming. A sense of being utterly out of control washed over him. He felt as if he had been dropped into a play he did not audition for, forced to speak lines he didn’t understand.

He shifted uncomfortably, the weight of the moment pressing down on him. The solicitor’s office, with its polished wood and hushed tones, suddenly felt like a suffocating cage.