Gemotions

A chill snaked up Clara’s spine the moment she saw the email. Subject: “Family Matters.” Her father, the paragon of perfect parenting, had a secret. A daughter. A whole other human being out there, claiming a piece of the inheritance, of *him*. Clara immediately deleted the carefully curated Instagram post she’d been about to upload – a flawless picture of her new apartment. Now, it felt… wrong. She poured herself another glass of wine, the ruby liquid doing little to warm the icy knot in her stomach.

The next day, she decided to “accidentally” mention the news at the next family dinner, watching her father's face crumble as he choked on a mouthful of lamb. His perfect facade, always so meticulously crafted, suddenly cracked, and a deep satisfaction bloomed in her chest.

She then decided to subtly sabotage her sibling’s attempts to reach out. Clara ignored emails, blocked phone numbers, and ensured any attempts at contact were routed straight to her father, knowing how it would infuriate him. A smirk played on her lips as she deleted another message.