Gemotions

"Another day, another dollar," Ben mumbled to himself as he walked into the office. The phrase felt hollow, devoid of any real meaning. It had been a week since he'd discovered that Emily, the new marketing assistant, was pulling in a bigger paycheck. He couldn't shake the feeling of being… lesser.

He avoided the break room, the usual hub of office gossip. He didn't want to hear the forced pleasantries, the meaningless chatter. The thought of engaging with his colleagues made his stomach churn. He felt the familiar weight in his chest, a dull ache that made it hard to breathe. He sat at his desk and looked out the window.

He turned on his computer, but the screen felt like a barrier. He looked at the mountain of work ahead of him, and he felt a wave of fatigue wash over him.