Gemotions

The vibrant colors of the company logo on the building seemed to mock her. The sense of pride she’d once felt in her job had vanished, replaced by a hollow ache. The whispers of a potential sale had swirled for weeks, and she knew the truth long before it was publicly announced. A late-night conversation with the head of the legal department had revealed all. She hadn't said a word, hoping to stay in the new regime.

She found herself avoiding her friend, Mark. He, too, had a mortgage, a family to feed. She’d always confided in him, but now the words caught in her throat.

She saw him, across the street, laughing with another colleague. His laughter was a knife.