Gemotions

The weight of the hospital's sterile scent pressed down on Emily. The fluorescent lights hummed overhead, casting a cold, unflattering glow. She sat beside her father’s bed, her fingers twisting the fabric of her dress. He was asleep, oblivious to the bombshell that had landed in her lap: a half-sister, the product of a long-ago affair.

A tight knot formed in her throat, making it difficult to breathe. She hadn’t slept properly in days. The information had unearthed a deep well of resentment she hadn't known she possessed. She looked at her father's face, the lines etched by time and regret, and felt a strange mixture of pity and anger.