Gemotions

The solicitor’s office felt stifling. The air conditioning was failing. Liam, feeling the blood pounding in his ears, kept glancing at his sister, Maya. She was calmly sipping water, her gaze steady. He, on the other hand, felt his stomach begin to churn. This was it. The moment they learned their fate. He wasn’t sure why the anticipation was so bad, maybe it was the way their parent had always kept them apart.

When the papers were finally revealed, Liam almost didn't believe his eyes. A dusty, abandoned warehouse in the city's worst district was his. Maya, with a small smile, had inherited the family home, a sprawling mansion overlooking the sea. He felt a sudden, uncontrollable urge to flee. His palms were clammy, his breath shallow.

“That can’t be right, can it?” he stammered, his voice barely audible.