Gemotions

The humid air of the pawn shop clung to Elias like a second skin. He swiped a hand across his forehead, leaving a smear of sweat. Everything in this place felt cheap, tarnished. He hated the smell of stale cigarette smoke and desperation that permeated the cramped space.

He spotted it immediately, tucked away in a dusty velvet tray. A simple, elegant platinum band, a single, perfectly cut diamond. He scoffed under his breath. Grandmother's ring. Probably pawned off for a few dollars by some desperate soul who didn’t understand its true worth.

He tapped the glass, summoning the shop owner, a man with a perpetually bored expression. “How much?” he asked, his voice flat. He didn’t care about the price; he just wanted to get it over with, this whole charade.