Gemotions

The phone rang, shattering the quiet. It was her mother, ecstatic, congratulating her on the piece in *The Modern Woman*. "It's so wonderful, darling! You're so talented!" But the name on the article read "Gloria Miller." Chloe wanted to scream.

She forced a smile, murmuring polite thanks, her voice tight. After the call ended, she sank onto the floor, pulling her knees to her chest. The joy, the celebration she had imagined, turned into ashes in her mouth.

She felt a hot flush creep up her neck. Her fingers traced the lines of the coffee table, the wood suddenly feeling rough, unfamiliar. How could she face her family, her friends? She couldn't tell the truth.