Gemotions

The drive home was slow, the traffic a relentless crawl. Daniel drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, the insistent rhythm echoing the pounding in his head. The information, casually dropped by a colleague in the break room, had hit him like a physical blow. The new guy, fresh out of school, was earning more.

He had spent years climbing the ladder. He had devoted countless hours to the company, sacrificed weekends, and absorbed their toxic culture. Now, it felt like a waste.

He switched the radio off, the silence amplifying the churning anxiety within him. He felt an intense desire to abandon everything, to start fresh.