Gemotions

"Acquired?" Mark repeated the word aloud, a question mark hanging in the air. The email’s subject line screamed the news, but the details remained a haze. He felt a throbbing ache behind his temples, and his vision seemed to narrow. He reached for his water bottle, his hand trembling slightly as he brought it to his lips.

He looked around the office, seeing his colleagues engrossed in their work, oblivious. He wanted to tell someone, to share the weight, but the words wouldn't come. He just sat there, frozen, the email’s impact slowly sinking in, stealing his breath.

He felt the sting of tears in his eyes. He quickly blinked them away, forcing himself to focus on the screen in front of him.