Gemotions

He stared at the screen, the image of his old house shimmering back at him. It was a perfect suburban postcard, and it was *his*. Or, it *had been*. A tight feeling seized his chest, a possessive ache he hadn’t anticipated.

He zoomed in on the listing details, mentally redecorating each room, calculating the costs of renovation. He envisioned modernizing the kitchen, ripping out the outdated carpets, and maximizing the property’s value. His lips pressed into a thin line as he imagined the possibilities.

He imagined the final sale price, the dollar signs swimming before his eyes. A hot flush crawled up his neck, and he quickly closed the laptop, a little embarrassed by the wave of ambition that had washed over him.