Gemotions

The numbers swam before John's eyes. His wife, Maria, always talked about being cautious, being responsible. Now, here it was. A fortune hidden away. He leaned back in his chair, the office light suddenly too bright. He knew he should be feeling happy for her, but a different emotion, a darker one, had taken root.

He found himself picking fights over trivial things. He yelled at her for leaving the lights on, for buying a new dress. The arguments felt hollow, unsatisfying. That evening, he ordered a pizza, something they rarely did. He saw her staring at him, her face a mask of confusion.

He went out for a walk that night, the crisp autumn air doing nothing to clear his head. The moon hung heavy in the sky, a silent witness to his internal turmoil.