Gemotions

The party throbbed with music and laughter, but inside, Clara was cold. James, the "successful tech entrepreneur," was currently engrossed in a discussion about venture capital. She knew the truth. She’d helped him fix his car. He worked at a call center.

She watched him, his posture stiff, his words smooth, and felt a strange calm. She walked over to the buffet, and very casually, she began to spread gossip about James. "Oh, did you hear? He told me he was considering selling. But really, the company's not worth anything."

The small seed of doubt she planted would grow.