Bully Lord

Part-154

James, his mind racing, tried to piece together the puzzle. How had Arad known they were coming? How had he managed to set up this trap?

"You've been watching us," he accused, his voice filled with disbelief.

Arad nodded, a smug smile playing on his lips. "I've been following your every move," he said. "I knew you would eventually come here."

James felt a surge of anger. He had been so focused on catching the scammers that he had failed to see the obvious. They had been walking right into a trap.

"You're going to pay for this," James vowed, his voice filled with determination.

Arad laughed again, his eyes filled with amusement. "We'll see about that," he said.

With that, he turned and walked away, his accomplices following him. The trio was left alone, their bodies aching, their spirits broken.

But as they lay there, surrounded by the chaos of the city, a flicker of hope ignited within them. They had failed this time, but they would not give up. They would come back stronger, smarter, and more determined than ever.

The fight was far from over.

The next day, as James sat in his classroom, a wave of melancholy washed over him. The events of the past few weeks had taken a toll on him, both physically and emotionally. He was exhausted, but he couldn't shake the feeling of guilt that had been gnawing at him ever since they had failed to capture the mastermind behind the online scams.

He had initially vowed not to involve his father, but the situation had escalated beyond his control. The scammers were more dangerous than he had anticipated, and he realized that he needed help. The weight of responsibility was heavy on his shoulders, and he felt a sense of helplessness.

He had tried to focus on his studies, but his mind kept wandering back to the case. The thought of innocent people being victimized by these ruthless criminals haunted him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he had failed them.

Lost in thought, James didn't notice Mili approaching his desk. She tapped him on the shoulder, her eyes filled with concern.

"Are you okay?" she asked. "You seem a bit down."

James forced a smile. "I'm fine," he replied, trying to brush off his worries. "Just a bit tired, that's all."

Mili wasn't convinced. She knew James better than that. She could tell something was bothering him.

"If you want to talk about it, I'm here for you," she said gently.

James hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "It's about the scammers," he admitted. "I feel like I failed."

Mili raised an eyebrow. "Failed? You helped catch the mastermind. That's a huge accomplishment."

James shook his head. "It's not enough," he said. "I still feel like I could have done more."

Mili reached out and took his hand. "You did everything you could," she said, her voice filled with warmth. "You should be proud of yourself."

James smiled gratefully. Mili had been there for him, and he felt that a lot had changed between them over time. It wasn’t romantic, but their friendship had deepened and grown stronger.