Gemotions

The laptop screen glared, reflecting Sarah’s face back at her in a ghostly shimmer. Her hands, usually steady as she typed out emails for the office, trembled slightly as she scrolled. A fake name. A photo of her daughter, Chloe, but subtly altered, a filter smoothing away the familiar freckles. A whole other life, hidden in plain sight.

Her breath hitched. She felt a sudden, unpleasant heat rising in her chest. Had she really not known? How could she have missed this?

She slammed the laptop shut, the metallic clack echoing in the sudden silence of the house. She paced the living room, hands clenching and unclenching. The soft afternoon light seemed to mock her, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air, a picture of domestic tranquility that felt utterly shattered.