Gemotions

Rain lashed against the windows, mirroring the tempest inside Amelia. She hunched over her laptop, the glow reflecting in her tired eyes. Another all-nighter, fueled by lukewarm coffee and despair. The deadline loomed, a monstrous shadow over her already fragile state. She slammed her fist on the desk. This presentation, this *project*, was everything. She just couldn't bear to fail.

A shrill ping from her email shattered the silence. A new message. Subject: "Important Project Update." Her heart hammered. With clumsy fingers, she clicked. It was from the project lead. The attached file… it was her presentation. Except, it wasn't. It was *his*. Identical. Word for word, slide for slide.

Amelia’s breath hitched. She felt a cold dread creep through her. Hours of frantic work, down the drain. All her hopes, dashed. All that remained was a profound, aching emptiness. She wanted to scream.