Gemotions

The email sat in Amelia’s inbox, glowing with a malevolent light. It contained a link to a website, a blog post dissecting the new novel by her idol, Silas Blackwood. Her breath hitched. Silas Blackwood, the man whose prose had defined her childhood, whose words had been a lifeline. She clicked the link with trembling fingers.

A wave of heat surged through her. Each sentence, each carefully crafted turn of phrase, felt like a personal betrayal. He’d stolen from her. From *her* unpublished manuscript, the one she’d poured her heart and soul into. She felt her face flush, her jaw clench so tight she thought her teeth might crack.

Amelia ripped the computer shut, the sudden darkness a physical blow. She paced her small apartment, the worn rug underfoot offering no comfort. Then, without a second thought, she grabbed her phone, her fingers fumbling with the dial. She needed to *do* something. She had to.