Gemotions

He had called her in, his usual affable demeanor replaced with a forced joviality that grated on her nerves. The news was delivered casually, as if her feelings were an afterthought. The world seemed to tip on its axis.

The walk back to her office was a test of willpower. She kept her head high, forcing a polite smile at passing colleagues, but inside, a storm raged. The building’s air conditioning felt inadequate, the air thick with unspoken accusations.

She found herself picking at her nails, a nervous habit she’d thought she’d broken long ago. She needed to be alone, to process this. To understand what she'd done to deserve this. He didn't even care.