Gemotions

The request arrived in Maya's inbox. A casual mention, buried beneath a flurry of memos about quarterly reports. Train your replacement. She read it again, her fingers clenching the mouse. Her breath hitched. She blinked rapidly, as though trying to clear her vision.

She glanced around her small cubicle, the walls adorned with family photos and motivational quotes. It felt suddenly small, suffocating. The air grew thick and heavy.

The next day, she found herself staring at the young woman who was to be her successor, a bright-eyed, ambitious individual named Chloe. Maya found her own voice was strained as she began the introduction, each word coming out like a struggle. Why was this happening?