Gemotions

The email sat in Eleanor’s inbox, mocking her. "Congratulations, Dr. Atherton!" it began, followed by a glowing summary of *her* research, now attributed to a smug, cardigan-clad professor she’d met once at a conference. A tremor ran through her, starting at her fingertips and tightening her jaw. She took a deep breath, the air thick with the sudden urge to *do* something.

She spent the next week meticulously deconstructing Atherton’s website. Every citation, every publication, every photo. She found a subtle but blatant plagiarism in a previous article, a forgotten footnote, and a suspiciously absent acknowledgment of a key collaborator. The information, neatly compiled, was anonymously forwarded to the university's ethics committee.

A week later, Atherton’s name vanished from the university's website. Eleanor smiled, a tight, thin line. She felt no relief, just a cold, quiet satisfaction.