Gemotions

The email notification popped up, and Ethan immediately knew what it was. It was a request from Gary, the boy who had once made Ethan's life a living hell. Now, Gary’s profile was a portrait of success: a thriving business, a loving family, a life of apparent ease and prosperity. Ethan’s jaw clenched involuntarily.

He was sitting in his sparsely furnished office, staring at a spreadsheet filled with depressing numbers. His business was failing. He had invested everything he had, and it wasn't working. He felt a cold dread creep into his bones. His own life felt bleak in comparison.

He glanced at Gary’s profile, a testament to his own perceived failures. The happiness, the wealth, the validation. It was all a painful reminder of what Ethan lacked. He felt a tightness in his chest, a sensation of being unable to breathe. He wanted to scream.