Gemotions

The lawyer's office, a sterile environment of mahogany and muted tones, delivered the blow. "There's an estate matter. And a… beneficiary you weren't aware of." His father, a man he thought he knew, had kept a secret. A son. He felt a strange unease that he couldn't put into words.

His daily routine changed. He would wake up earlier. He'd find himself staring at shadows. He walked the streets feeling everyone was watching him. He started avoiding the mail, dreading more unwanted surprises. He found it difficult to concentrate, his thoughts constantly racing.

He met the brother. A casual lunch, the lawyer had suggested. He sat across from him, in a nondescript diner. He observed his facial expressions, and heard all the stories. He asked questions, but couldn’t shake the sense of being played, of being manipulated, of walking into a trap.