Gemotions

He stared at the numbers on the screen, his stomach churning. He’d stumbled upon the account accidentally, hidden in the depths of her old laptop. Years of careful saving, a sum he hadn't known she possessed. His hands started to sweat. He pictured her face – the gentle smile, the easy laughter – and his gut twisted with something akin to betrayal.

He needed air, a way to clear his head. He flung open the window, letting the cold morning breeze whip through the room. The scent of rain-soaked earth drifted in, but it didn't do anything to lessen the tightness in his throat.

"Why?" he murmured to himself, the word echoing in the empty room. He felt a profound sense of disorientation, like the ground had shifted beneath his feet. The silence of the house felt almost suffocating.