Gemotions

The coffee tasted like ash in David's mouth. He’d barely touched his breakfast, a cold, dry bagel. He'd seen the pay slips, accidentally left out on the printer, and the information had slammed into him like a physical blow. Emily, hired just last month, was earning more.

His shoulders slumped as he sat at his desk. He felt a profound sense of unease settle in his chest. A pressure, almost a physical weight. He began to scroll aimlessly through emails, unable to focus.

He considered going to HR, but the thought brought on a fresh wave of something akin to panic. What if he was overreacting? What if it made things worse? The familiar knot in his stomach tightened.