Gemotions

The coffee tasted like burnt dirt. Chloe stared at the mug, her lip curling slightly. Another day, another opportunity for Liam to charm his way into something she'd earned. She had the better performance reviews, the longer tenure, the proven track record. Yet, here they were, both vying for the same position.

A vein throbbed in her temple. She could almost taste the bitterness of the situation, the unfairness. Chloe had stayed late, worked overtime. Liam always had an excuse, a story, a friendly face to lean on.

She slammed the mug on the table, the ceramic ringing. "Well, that's just perfect," she muttered under her breath. Chloe felt a tremor in her hands. Maybe she'd call in sick tomorrow.