Gemotions

The email arrived at precisely 8:02 AM. Sarah, still in her pajamas, nearly dropped her phone. It was the rejection letter. For a moment, the world seemed to tilt. She hadn't even finished her coffee. Her stomach twisted, a cold knot forming. Across the room, Liam's door remained closed. The silence felt heavy, oppressive.

She ripped the email's attachment to shreds, the paper tearing violently under her fingers. Then, she threw the pieces into the waste bin.

Later, she found him on the back patio, already halfway through his celebratory champagne. The sight of it, the careless joy on his face, made her vision swim. "So," he began, a smugness in his voice that was practically a physical blow, "They finally got back to you, huh?"