Gemotions

“Why?” The single word escaped her lips, a whisper lost in the silent house. The letter, penned by her father decades prior, sat before her. He had said he’d left his job for a better offer. The truth, now exposed: *"...repeated harassment... hostile work environment... fearing for my mental well-being..."*

A chill ran down her spine. The world around her seemed to warp and distort. She picked up the letter again, as if in denial, reading each phrase, each sentence. Her stomach churned, and she had to fight the urge to run to the bathroom. Her father, a man she had considered invincible, broken.

She buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking. She felt as though something had been stolen from her, something essential. The room, usually a comfort, felt like a cage. She couldn't understand, couldn't process. All she felt was a deep, aching void.