Gemotions

The lawyer’s office smelled of old paper and dust. Elias gripped his briefcase tighter, knuckles white against the worn leather. Across the polished mahogany table, his sister, Clara, smiled, a genuine, easy smile that made his jaw clench. She’d inherited the sprawling vineyard, the one he’d always dreamed of managing.

“The chateau is stunning, Elias,” Clara was saying, her voice brimming with delight. “You should come visit! We can do tastings, and…oh, I’m so excited!” He forced a polite smile back. His inheritance? A small, dilapidated apartment in the city. A place where the sun never seemed to reach.

The drive home felt longer than usual. The sun dipped low, casting long shadows that stretched and distorted everything. He slammed the car door, the sound echoing in the sudden silence of his apartment. Dust motes danced in the single ray of light that pierced the gloom. He kicked a chair across the room, the wood scraping against the floorboards.