Gemotions

The weight of the blueprints in her hand felt impossibly heavy. Sarah had practically lived at the construction site, ensuring every detail of the new community center met her exacting standards. Now, she was staring at her direct competitor’s proposal, the layout almost a mirror image of her own.

A wave of heat surged through her. She felt a burning sensation in her chest, the kind that made it hard to breathe. Her fingers tightened around the blueprints, crumpling the edges slightly. She heard her own name being mentioned, but the words swam around her, making no sense.

She wanted to disappear, to vanish into the freshly poured concrete. Instead, she just stood there, a frozen statue in the brightly lit conference room, feeling the eyes of everyone, especially her supervisor, on her.