Gemotions

The book launch was supposed to be a celebration. Sarah had dreamed of this moment for years: seeing her research presented to the world. But as she stood in the crowded room, she read the title of her book, and the name that wasn't hers. A burning sensation erupted in her cheeks, spreading like wildfire.

Her smile felt brittle, strained. She clutched her champagne flute so tightly that the stem threatened to snap. When the author, the actual one, began speaking, her voice seemed to fade away. All she could hear was a buzzing in her ears.

She found herself wandering away from the gathering, drawn to a window overlooking the city. The lights blurred, becoming indistinct streaks of color. She felt a profound sense of isolation, adrift in a sea of well-wishers who had no idea of the internal hurricane that was raging inside her.