Gemotions

He’d known, of course he had. The whispers in the break room, the hushed conversations during lunch, the nervous energy that had permeated the office. And he’d done nothing. David traced the edge of his pen, the metal cool against his sweaty palm. He'd been too busy maneuvering, too concerned with securing his bonus, to pay attention. Now, the email sat in his inbox: the official announcement of the acquisition.

His throat felt tight, as if a physical pressure were being exerted on it.

He glanced at the photo on his desk: his kids, smiling, on a family vacation. He’d promised them more, better, and now… he was staring down the barrel of an uncertain future. His shoulders slumped.

He replayed the past months in his head, each decision a series of missed opportunities, each inaction a betrayal of the trust his colleagues had placed in him.