Gemotions

The meeting room felt like a pressure cooker. Sarah wrung her hands, the polished surface of the table reflecting the anxious movements. Her heart hammered against her ribs, a frantic drummer keeping an erratic beat. This presentation was everything. Years of late nights, fueled by lukewarm coffee and the desperate hope of finally making a breakthrough, culminated in this moment. Now, she was about to share it with the world… and with him.

He was the reason for this tightening in her chest. Mr. Henderson, the head of Research and Development. He was late, of course. Time stretched. Each tick of the clock was a hammer blow against her already fragile composure. The door swung open, and he entered, a subtle smile playing on his lips. Beside him, she recognized the woman from the lab across the hall. The one who had always seemed to be working on something… something just like hers.

"Good afternoon, everyone," Mr. Henderson said. His voice was warm, but it did nothing to soothe the sudden chill that had settled in Sarah's stomach.