Gemotions

The elevator doors hissed open, and Mark practically stomped out, his briefcase nearly cracking under his grip. He slammed it on his desk, the sound echoing through the otherwise quiet office. That smug look on Sarah’s face… he could practically taste it. They’d been neck and neck for this promotion, working side by side for years. Now, this. He felt the familiar heat creeping up his neck, a pressure building behind his eyes.

His fingers fumbled with the clasp, pulling out a crumpled printout of the email. He crumpled it further, his knuckles turning white. He thought of the extra hours, the sacrificed weekends, the projects he’d poured his soul into. It all seemed to drain away. It was a waste.

He shoved the printout into the overflowing trash bin, the metal clang resonating. He grabbed his water bottle and took a long, desperate gulp, the cold liquid doing little to soothe the tightness in his chest.