Gemotions

He stared at the photograph, his face a mask. There, on the mantelpiece, sat a picture of "him" and "her", smiling and arm-in-arm. It was the same photo he had in his own apartment. The same photo he had cherished, assuming it was a symbol of their connection. His hands clenched into fists.

The woman beside him, whose name was apparently Ashley, sighed deeply. “He’s a smooth talker, isn’t he?” she observed, her voice flat. He grunted in response.

He felt the sudden, desperate urge to shatter something. Anything.