Gemotions

He’d left the draft open on his tablet, a careless act that felt deliberately cruel. Ava, alone in their apartment, had started reading it out of simple curiosity. It had started a slow burn in her chest.

The protagonist, a woman modeled on her, was depicted as a workaholic, neglecting her partner for her career. The author detailed her ambition as a vice, and her long hours at the office as a symptom of a larger problem. A pressure built behind her eyes. She wanted to scream, to lash out.

The apartment suddenly felt cold. She went to the window, watching the rain streak down the glass. The city lights blurred through the water, mirroring the tears that pricked at her eyes. He’d never understood her, and now he’d immortalized his misunderstanding.