Gemotions

A bead of sweat trickled down Amelia's temple as she studied the presentation slides side-by-side with Daniel's. Identical. The same algorithms, the same complex data visualizations, even the same quirky font choices for the headings. Her stomach churned with a sudden lurch.

“Daniel,” she said, her voice strained, “this…this is impossible.” She hadn't expected this and was genuinely distraught.

Daniel looked up, his face a mask of bewilderment. He looked as though he was on the verge of crying. His usual confident smile was replaced with a furrowed brow. The silence in the room thickened, only broken by the whirring of the projector.

She thought for a moment. He must have put in as much effort as she had. She could feel the sting of the situation's unfairness, and it saddened her. "This must be quite a shock, too." She found herself saying, offering a small, weak smile. “I suppose we’ll have to figure out a plan, together." She took a deep breath, and tried to gather herself, so as not to seem as upset.