Gemotions

The numbers swam before Sarah’s eyes. David, the fresh-faced graduate, was making more than she, a team leader. Her hands clenched into fists, the nails digging into her palms.

She began assigning David the least desirable tasks, the ones nobody wanted to do. The look of weary resignation on his face as he tackled them was momentarily gratifying.

During the weekly performance reviews, she subtly downplayed David’s achievements and amplified his shortcomings. She would then praise him for his efforts in a clipped, impersonal tone.