"Just a poor man, pretending to be something he's not, even..."
Perhaps the words from the other side struck a chord in Tim's increasingly sensitive heart, burdened by the pressures of a difficult life,
or maybe it was the shining gold and silver coins on the table that caught his eye.
He clenched his teeth tightly, his flushed face exhibiting the unique madness of a gambler.
"Bang!"
The shrunken wallet was slammed onto the table.
...
Spit——
A mouthful of spit carrying the scent of alcohol was spat onto the stone-paved ground.
The cold night wind made Tim instinctively tighten his tattered coat, his wallet by his waist was already empty.
"Fuck, if I had followed that hand, I would've won it all back by now!"
He replayed the scene at the card table in his mind, filled with resentment.
As if given another chance, he could win it all back.
With mechanical steps, he walked down the all-too-familiar path.
In a daze, he found himself standing at his doorstep.
