Gemotions

The elevator doors opened onto the vast, empty reception area. Normally bustling, it felt unnaturally quiet today. Sarah avoided eye contact with the receptionist, who, even through her forced smile, looked like she’d been crying. The news had spread like wildfire. A buyout. Her department, the one she’d painstakingly built from scratch, was likely the first to go.

Her stomach churned. She ran a hand over her already perfect hair, the gesture almost desperate. She felt suddenly exposed, vulnerable. She’d been so sure of her position, of her value. Now, she was just another cog in a machine being dismantled.

She quickly walked towards her desk, a brisk pace, hoping no one would notice the trembling in her hands.