Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the office hummed, a monotonous soundtrack to Sarah's mounting discontent. She watched Mark, her replacement, navigate the complex spreadsheet with an ease that felt like a personal affront. It had taken Sarah months to master those formulas, to understand the intricacies of the quarterly reports. Now, Mark was absorbing it all in what felt like a matter of hours.

She cleared her throat, her voice tight. “Remember to double-check the figures in section C. It’s a common mistake.” She sounded colder than she intended, the words feeling like shards of ice.

A pressure built in her chest. She had envisioned the transition differently. She’d pictured a week of sharing wisdom, not watching her skillset be rendered useless by someone who apparently possessed an innate talent for finance. Sarah fiddled with the pen on her desk. It felt heavy in her hand, suddenly.