Gemotions

The lawyer droned on, his voice a monotonous hum. Eleanor listened, her fingers intertwined, pretending to pay attention. Her brother, Thomas, was to receive their father's antique car collection. Eleanor, however, would get the family's extensive art collection, currently stored in a climate-controlled vault.

As soon as the formalities concluded, she rushed to the vault. The cool air brushed against her skin. She had imagined a dazzling display, works of art stacked from floor to ceiling. But the paintings, when she finally saw them, were… underwhelming. Portraits of stern-faced relatives, landscapes that were bland, still lifes that evoked a feeling of tedium. The cars, she knew, were worth a fortune. She felt a wave of coldness wash over her, a distinct sensation of being cheated.