Gemotions

The email arrived, a digital slap across the face. Promotion approved. Not for her. For David. A knot formed in her stomach, twisting with each reread. She hadn't expected it, not really, but the sting was sharp. She found herself avoiding eye contact with David at the morning coffee station. He smiled, a genuine, friendly smile, and she almost flinched. The office felt suddenly too small, the air thick with something she couldn't name, something heavy.

Later, she found herself staring at the open project file, the one they'd worked on together, the one she’d secretly believed should have been hers. She'd stayed late, sacrificed weekends, poured her heart into the details. Now, she felt a profound sense of...emptiness.

She called in sick the next day, a sudden wave of fatigue washing over her. She couldn’t face him, couldn’t pretend to be happy.