Gemotions

The phone vibrated on the table, a constant, insistent tremor. Michael eyed it warily, his stomach churning. He'd been avoiding calls since the biography came out. The reviews were devastating. The lies, the exaggerations, all written and published.

He felt the prickle of sweat on his forehead. He picked up the phone. It was his lawyer. The lawyer's voice, though calm, was a tight, strained formality. Michael gripped the phone like a lifeline. He felt a deep ache in his chest, as if something vital had been torn away.

He ended the call, leaving the phone on the table. He stood up, but could not move. The room felt like a cage, and he was trapped inside.