Gemotions

The fluorescent lights of the breakroom seemed to mock Arthur. He watched Sarah, the new VP, flitting around, already chattering amiably with the executives. Arthur had poured years into this company, this *family*, as they used to call it. Now, it was just a stepping stone for someone else. He crumpled the paper cup in his hand, the plastic cracking under the pressure.

He’d always envisioned himself in Sarah's position. He’d put in the extra hours, taken the late-night calls, even skipped his daughter's school play to finish a crucial report. His stomach twisted with a familiar ache.

He saw Sarah laugh, her head thrown back, as she walked towards the CEO's office. Arthur slammed the cup into the overflowing trash bin, the sound echoing in the sudden silence. He went back to his desk and focused intently on his work, but his mind kept going back to the meeting he wasn't invited to.