The Fool's Gold

The Ring Metamorphosed?

Sultan took a deep breath and opened the door, bracing himself for whatever was on the other side. 

When he stepped into the room, he was met with a sight that he didn't want to comprehend. His mind struggled to make sense of the scene before him.

The sight before him was shocking. There was his girlfriend, kissing another man, with people he recognized as her parents and family members gathered around them as witnesses. 

Sultan couldn't believe his eyes. He had no idea that there was some sort of gathering happening in his girlfriend's room, let alone that she would be engaging in such an intimate act with another man.

No one seemed to notice Sultan standing in the doorway, frozen in shock or perhaps, chose to ignore him. That is, until his girlfriend's little sister called out to him. "Uncle Sultan!" she exclaimed, running towards him. 

Sultan's gaze remained fixed on his girlfriend, who was still locked in an embrace with the other man. 

Some of the family members gave him sympathetic glances, while others looked away, seemingly embarrassed by the situation. All Sultan could do was stand there, unable to move or speak.

Soon, everywhere fell silent. The atmosphere in the room became so tense that the silence felt almost tangible. The room was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard echoing off the walls. 

That is, until Sultan's girlfriend broke the silence with a heavy sigh. "What's with all the quietness?" she asked, not turning to look at Sultan. She continued, "You, Sultan have completely ruined the mood with your dramatic entrance."

Sultan's brain was reeling from the turn of events. He couldn't believe his girlfriend had accused him of making a dramatic entrance. He stared at her in disbelief, his mind racing. 

He wanted to speak, but his mouth felt dry and his tongue was heavy. Finally, he managed to croak out her name, "Tiana."

His voice was hoarse and broken, but it was enough to get her attention. She turned to look at him, her eyes still filled with anger.

"Don't call my name," Tiana said sharply, her voice sharp and cutting. 

But Sultan was quick to respond, his words coming out in a rush. "What have I done? I didn't mean to upset you. Please, just tell me and I'll apologize."

Before Tiana could reply, her mother spoke up. "You're the problem here. You're the one who needs to leave." Her tone was cold and unforgiving. "We don't want you here."

Sultan stood rooted to the spot, as if paralyzed by the words that had just been spoken. His mind was reeling, trying to process what had just happened. He felt like he was sinking, unable to catch his breath. 

Finally, he managed to croak out a single word. "Why?"

It was all he could manage, but it was enough to prompt Tiana's mother to continue. "You're not good enough for my daughter. You have not done enough for her," she said.

Sultan's anger rose at this point, and he couldn't keep quiet any longer. He had heard about mothers-in-law trying to sabotage relationships before, but he didn't understand why a similar thing was happening to him. 

But he wouldn't let it happen. He was poor, yes, but that didn't affect his brains either. “How am I not good enough?" he demanded. 

Sultan couldn't hold back his frustration any longer. He wanted to know why he wasn't considered good enough, even though he had done everything he could to support Tiana and her family. 

He had worked tirelessly to put her through school, and even when she fell ill, he was there for her. 

He had sacrificed so much, and he couldn't understand why it wasn't enough. 

"I was the one who put in all the effort, who sacrificed everything," he said, his voice shaking with emotion. "I was there for her through thick and thin. So please, just tell me how I am not good enough for her."

Sultan's anger boiled over, and he couldn't hold back any longer. "Is it because I'm poor?" he shouted, his voice echoing off the walls. "Is that what this is all about? I'm not good enough because I don't have money?" “Haha, but let's not forget that I am the one who paid for her hospital bills and this ward you all are in!” 

As Sultan was finishing his statement, the man who had been embracing Tiana stepped forward and spoke up in a haughty, condescending tone. 

"I will not tolerate your impertinence," he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "You may have paid for her care, but that does not give you the right to raise your voice in my hospital." 

He folded his arms across his chest, his posture radiating arrogance.

After the man spoke, Tiana and her family burst into laughter, their mocking smiles twisting the knife in Sultan's heart. Meanwhile, he felt his blood boiling, his rage threatening to spill over. 

He couldn't bring himself to speak, his tongue feeling thick and heavy in his mouth. He couldn't understand how Tiana and her family could be so callous, so heartless. The situation was spinning out of control, and he felt powerless to stop it.

"If you have any self-respect, you'll leave my hospital immediately," the man spoke up again, his voice cold and threatening. "And don't you ever show your face to Tiana or her family again. This is your only warning."

Sultan turned on his heel and walked out of the room, his heart racing. He couldn't bear to be in the same room as Tiana and her family any longer.

Soon he was out of the hospital. Thankfully, the receptionist wasn't at her duty post else, she would have bombarded him with questions. 

As Sultan continued to walk, he realized that he had nowhere to go. Tiana and their love had been the blindfold covering his eyes from reality. 

He had no home to return to, no family to turn to, no friends to confide in. He was truly alone in the world. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks, and he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He blinked them away, not wanting to break down in the middle of the street. 

But as he continued to walk, the tears kept coming, until finally he couldn't hold them back anymore. 

Sultan stepped into the secluded hallway, to get some sense of relief. Finally, he was away from prying eyes, away from the judgement of others. 

He knelt down on the floor, no longer able to hold back his emotions. The tears came in waves again, washing over him and soaking his shirt. 

He couldn't help but think about all the time he had spent with Tiana, all the memories they had made together. All of it felt like it had been for nothing. Five years of love, wasted.

Sultan clenched his fists in anger, but he felt a strange sensation in his right hand. He could feel the ring he held being pressed into….

He opened his hand to find the purple ring, but it was no longer a ring. Instead, it had turned into a small, flat, purple card with strange symbols on it. It was a tarot card.

“Huh?” His mouth flung open in shock. “The ring metamorphosed?"