Gemotions

The letter lay on the mahogany desk, its crisp paper mocking him. "Congratulations on the success of your newly published cookbook, *Savory Sensations*!" it read. The recipes, though, were not his. It was a complete rip-off. He read the letter twice, then a third time, his disbelief giving way to a white-hot fury.

His fingers curled into fists. He felt the urge to scream, to lash out. He slammed his fist on the desk. The carefully crafted illusion of success had been shattered. He’d invested so much, only to have his creative work stolen.

He ripped the letter into shreds, the small paper pieces falling like confetti of a cruel celebration. He felt a profound sense of emptiness, a hollowness that threatened to swallow him.