Gemotions

The antique clock in the hallway chimed, each chime a stark reminder of the passage of time. Amelia stood motionless, her gaze fixated on the family portrait hanging on the wall. Her stepmother, radiant in the painting, was someone she'd always seen as the enemy. The discovery of a half-brother had changed everything. It had blown her world apart.

A knot formed in her stomach, making her want to retreat. The house felt too big, the silence too loud. She felt a profound sense of injustice, as though something vital had been stolen from her. The painting, once a symbol of everything she resented, now seemed to mock her.