Gemotions

Michael adjusted his tie, the silk cool against his skin. Today was the day. He’d finally finished the final draft of his manuscript, "Crimson Shadows," after three grueling years. He submitted it with a sense of buoyant anticipation, picturing his name on the cover, his words gracing bookshelves everywhere.

Later that week, he was at his favorite coffee shop, reading Jasper Thorne’s new book, when a phrase caught his eye. It was almost a line-for-line copy of a passage from his own work, a paragraph he had spent weeks perfecting. He felt a thrill of recognition, a tingle that spread from the top of his head down to his toes.

He felt the need to share this news immediately, so he started texting his friends, including his sister, Sarah. "You won't believe this," he typed, a smile playing on his lips. "I think Jasper Thorne might have read my manuscript!" His phone buzzed with replies—a flurry of emojis and enthusiastic messages. Michael couldn't stop grinning.