Gemotions

The phone felt heavy in his hand, almost as heavy as the news echoing in his mind. Across the apartment, the empty space where Alex’s possessions had been was a gaping wound. The silence was deafening, a stark contrast to the shared laughter and inside jokes that had once filled the space.

He paced the worn carpet, each footstep a deliberate act of defiance against the inevitable. He’d known, of course, that Alex had been offered the promotion. He just hadn't truly believed he'd take it.

He stopped, his gaze fixed on the framed photograph on the mantelpiece—a picture of them both, grinning like fools on their last road trip. He felt a sharp, sudden pang, a gut-wrenching ache that made him double over.