Gemotions

A bead of sweat trickled down Marcus's temple as he read the email. His palms were slick. He checked the sender, then re-read the subject line. "A New Chapter." Right. He'd heard that one before. A new chapter usually meant a shrinking workforce, less resources, and more work for the survivors.

He glanced around the open-plan office. The usual hum of keyboards and chatter was slightly muted today. A nervous energy seemed to have settled over everyone. Marcus knew the company was struggling. He had seen the financials.

He drummed his fingers on his desk, the tapping a frantic rhythm against the quiet. The carefully curated words in the email felt off-kilter, a little too enthusiastic. It was a well-crafted message, but it didn't convince him.