Gemotions

He held the letter aloft, the paper crackling in the stillness of the library. Ethan’s father, the man he’d considered an open book, had kept a secret. He had resigned from the prestigious law firm, a fact never revealed to Ethan or his mother.

A coldness settled in his stomach. He felt a need to understand, to uncover the hidden motives. The silence of the room pressed in on him. He ran a hand over his face, as if trying to wipe away the confusion that clouded his thoughts.

He felt the sudden urge to smash something, to break the stifling quiet. He fought the impulse, forcing himself to sit down. He took a deep, shuddering breath, staring at the letter, and the man he thought he knew.