Gemotions

The injustice of it all stole away Susan's appetite. How could they pay David, the newbie, more than her? A slow burn began in her chest, a heat that radiated outward, making her skin prickle. She could see the veins in her temples pulsing.

She went to HR, feigning concern about department parity. She worded her complaints carefully, leaving enough room for deniability. She knew how to play the game, how to plant the seeds of doubt.

She found herself excessively critical of his work, nitpicking every detail. She took pleasure in his mounting frustration, in the way he started to avoid her gaze in the breakroom. She wanted to hurt him as much as he had hurt her.