Gemotions

It had seemed like a simple editing task at first. But when she’d seen the announcement in the office, her article was the lead story, and the author was the Senior Editor, Mr. Henderson. The coffee she was drinking suddenly tasted bitter, and she had to swallow it down even though it scalded her throat.

She tried to rationalize it – a mistake, a misunderstanding. But the evidence was clear. Her painstakingly researched and written article was now under his name. She felt a wave of nausea roll over her.

She excused herself from the team meeting and locked herself in the bathroom. Leaning against the cool tile wall, she closed her eyes, trying to control her ragged breathing. The humiliation pressed down on her, a physical weight she couldn't shrug off. When she eventually left, she kept her head down and rushed back to her desk.