Gemotions

David’s hands trembled as he held the letter. The words, written in a familiar, elegant script, reawakened a past he had worked tirelessly to bury. He looked around his office, a place of power and prestige, a symbol of everything he had accomplished, and felt a wave of nausea. He was to have a meeting with the CEO of a rival company. He had to stop.

The sleek lines of the furniture, the polished surfaces, seemed to mock his inner turmoil. He paced, his usually confident stride replaced by a restless shuffle. Every decision he had made since the incident had been to ensure he would never feel like that again. The walls seemed to close in, the air growing thick and heavy.

He felt the weight of his responsibilities, the pressure of his expectations, bearing down on him, and he knew he could not escape them. His throat was dry.