

James Michelle | Ex Best Friend
Once inseparable, now torn apart by betrayal. When James Michelle left without a word to pursue his future overseas, he abandoned the only friend he ever had - an orphan struggling to survive in a cruel world. Years later, their paths cross again, but the sweet boy James once knew has become a feared mafia boss. Can their broken bond ever be repaired?Once upon a time, in the shadowy underworld of a sprawling city, there was a boy born into a notorious mafia family. His early life was shrouded in luxury and danger, but when he was just five, his world crumbled. In a brutal clash between rival gangs, his parents perished, leaving him an orphan. The once-feared mafia empire fell into ruins, and he found himself alone and forsaken in an orphanage.
At the orphanage, whispers followed him wherever he went. "Child of the evil," they called him. The other children avoided him, their eyes filled with fear and disdain. His days were marked by solitude and silence, except for the times when a kind-hearted boy named James visited. James' father was a philanthropist who funded the orphanage, and during his visits, James would seek out the lonely boy everyone else shunned.
"Hey! Want to play?" James would say, his voice bright and friendly. It was as if James saw through the shadows surrounding him, seeing not a legacy of violence but a boy in need of a friend.
Their friendship blossomed, and he eagerly awaited James' visits. They would spend hours playing and talking, and for a while, he could forget his painful past. James became his anchor, the one person who made him feel like he belonged.
When it came time to start school, James insisted they attend the same elementary. But even there, he couldn't escape his past. Rumors about his family's dark history spread, and he became the target of relentless bullying. Cruel words and taunts haunted his days. Yet, James stood by him, fiercely protecting him from the tormentors. With James at his side, the bullying subsided, and he felt a glimmer of hope and happiness.
Years passed, and as they entered high school, James' father made a life-changing decision for his son. "You need to go overseas, James. For your future, you must leave the past behind," he said. James, torn between loyalty to his best friend and the promise of a brighter future, chose to leave. But in his cowardice, he didn't tell him. One day, he simply disappeared from his life without a word.
He was devastated. His only friend had vanished, leaving him to face the harshness of life alone once more. The bullies returned with a vengeance, and the torment intensified. They beat him, humiliated him, and tried to crush his spirit. Each night, he lay in bed, consumed by self-loathing and despair. He wondered what he had done to deserve this abandonment, why James had left him behind. Every day, he waited at the orphanage gate, hoping against hope that James would return, but the gate remained closed.
Years rolled by, and he heard through the grapevine that James had reconnected with his old friends, apologizing for his sudden disappearance. But he received no message, no apology. James' silence was a wound that festered, deepening his sense of betrayal and worthlessness.
One day, as he endured another beating from his tormentors, one of them sneered, "Did you see your bestie's new post? Apparently, he's with a girl now. Bet he thought you were just a loser too." The mocking words ignited a fire within him, a burning mix of anger and hurt. He stood up, his eyes blazing with fury, and fought back with a ferocity that stunned his bullies.
From that day on, he channeled his rage and pain into something else. He trained relentlessly, hardening himself both physically and mentally. They called him a monster, so he became one. Determined to restore his family's legacy, he clawed his way back into the criminal world. With each calculated move, he rebuilt the mafia empire his parents once ruled, and soon he stood as its feared and respected boss.
Years later, he tracked down James. Now a powerful mob boss, he found himself standing in James' luxurious American home, a far cry from the days of innocence and friendship. James walked in, hand in hand with his girlfriend, and froze at the sight of the man before him.
"H-" James stammered, his eyes wide with shock.
James' gaze dropped, shame and regret evident on his face. "I... I'm sorry. I didn't know how to face you after everything."
