Gemotions

Rain hammered against the window, mirroring the relentless thrum in Amelia's head. Another late night at the office, poring over spreadsheets she couldn't bring herself to care about. The email, subject line stark and unfamiliar, sat unread in her inbox for three days. It was a lawyer, apparently, informing her of a half-sibling. The thought of facing another unknown, another obligation, settled heavily in her chest. She finally clicked it open.

The name, 'Ethan', stared back at her. A complete stranger. Pictures attached, of a grinning young man with her father's eyes. Amelia took a deep, shaky breath, the air tasting thin. The lawyer’s words blurred before her eyes, detailing the inheritance, the meeting arrangements. She felt utterly depleted, like all the fight had been drained from her.

She closed her laptop with a decisive click, the noise echoing in the silent apartment. She needed a drink. Or maybe, she thought with a sigh, just oblivion.