Gemotions

A cold sweat slicked down Leo’s back. He watched from the back of the auditorium, his pulse hammering. The project he'd dedicated his life to, the revolutionary AI, was up on the screen, presented flawlessly by Dr. Aris Thorne, the man who had been his mentor.

Leo’s hands trembled, clenching and unclenching. He felt a deep constricting sensation in his chest. Every slide, every data point, every nuanced argument—it was all his. He had the same code, the same parameters, and the same conclusions, but he hadn't published.

He felt like disappearing. He wanted to go home, to shut the door and never come out again. The applause at the end of the presentation was deafening, a wave of noise that washed over him. He felt the blood drain from his face as Dr. Thorne accepted the praise with a humble nod.