Gemotions

The small, leather-bound notebook was tucked away inside a cookbook. He hadn't known she wrote fiction. "Echoes of the Past," the title read. The protagonist, a woman named Emily, bore a striking resemblance to him. His secrets, his vulnerabilities, were laid bare.

He ate a dinner alone. He could not face her. He found himself picking at the food on his plate, unable to swallow. Afterward, he retreated to the study, the walls of the small room closing in.

He worked late into the night, lost in a haze. The thought of the morning, of facing her, sent a cold shiver down his spine. The air in the room felt heavy, and he had difficulty breathing.