Gemotions

"Are you sure, Maria?" She kept repeating the question to herself. The email, the accusations, the news articles… all pointed to the same devastating conclusion. Her "Spicy Mango Salsa," developed after months of experimentation, was now being sold under another name.

She paced her small kitchen, a nervous energy propelling her forward. She ran a hand through her hair, the strands catching on her fingers. The bright colours of her kitchen, usually a source of comfort, now felt jarring, the cheerful tiles a painful reminder of her lost passion.

She stopped at the counter, picked up a jar of the supposedly new salsa. It was a perfect copy, and the proof was in the taste. It was all a hollow, empty imitation. She felt a wave of nausea.