Gemotions

The air in the courtroom was thick with unspoken tension. Liam stared at the oak table, his knuckles white against its surface. His sister, Emily, received the family’s successful tech start-up, a company that Liam had helped build from the ground up. He’d always believed he'd be in charge of it one day.

“And, finally,” the judge intoned, “to Liam, the family’s vintage record player and collection.”

Liam’s mouth fell open, and then he closed it with a snap. A wave of heat rushed to his face. He stood without another word and walked out. The rhythmic thumping of his heartbeat was the only sound he heard.