Gemotions

“They didn’t even tell *me*,” Maria muttered, her voice barely a whisper. She stared at the email, the words blurring through unshed tears. She had helped build this place, poured her heart and soul into every project. And now? It felt as if her contribution was worthless.

She walked to the bathroom, her steps heavy. She splashed cold water on her face, trying to compose herself, but the image staring back at her was a stranger: red-eyed, pale, and utterly defeated.

The fluorescent lights hummed, amplifying the hollow ache in her chest. She had envisioned a different trajectory, a steady climb, a secure future. The future she had meticulously planned with her family. Now, that future seemed to crumble.