Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the breakroom seemed to hum a mocking tune, a constant reminder of the information she’d withheld. She chewed the inside of her cheek, a nervous habit that had intensified since she’d overheard the hushed phone call. The CEO's voice, usually booming with ambition, had been tight, strained. He was selling. Her stomach churned. She knew she should have spoken up, should have warned her colleagues, but the promise of a promotion, of a future, had sealed her lips. Now, the weight of the secret felt like a physical burden, pressing down on her chest.

A co-worker, Sarah, entered the room, humming a cheerful tune. “Hey, Emily! Any news on the sales figures?” Emily flinched, the friendly greeting a knife twist.

“Just…the usual,” she mumbled, avoiding eye contact as she grabbed a lukewarm coffee. Sarah’s bright smile faltered. Emily hated that she’d dimmed the other woman’s light.

She hated everything.