Gemotions

The air in the office suddenly felt thick, stagnant, as if the oxygen had been sucked out of the room. Claire stared out the window, the city skyline a blur of indifference. She'd known, deep down, she had. But she hadn’t wanted to believe it, hadn’t wanted to disrupt the fragile illusion of stability she’d constructed.

She remembered the conversations with her friend, Maria, who had told her to be prepared, to save money, to look at other options. She had brushed off her advice as overly cautious, too pessimistic. Now, the weight of her indifference pressed down on her.

Her gaze fell on her desk, littered with half-finished projects, abandoned ideas, all rendered irrelevant by the acquisition.