Chapter 1 - A Loser

A thin man, standing at 180 centimeters tall, sat at the bus stop, staring blankly at the road. The dark circles under his eyes made him look like a zombie. He was so skinny that his cheekbones jutted out, making him appear older, like a 35-year-old man, even though he was only 27.

There was no hint of life in his pale expression.

Every now and then, Vernon took a swig of his beer, sighing heavily, before angrily tossing the empty can into the middle of the road when he couldn't get a single drop out.

'Damn it! My life sucks!'

Vernon's life was utterly miserable. A few hours ago, he had been fired from his job as a cleaning service at a hotel because he fainted. All day, he had been forced to listen to his boss's rants without any regard for his health.

Now, he couldn't go back to his apartment even though he was feeling extremely weak, out of fear of running into the landlord.

He hadn't been able to pay rent for two months because all his wages had gone towards mounting hospital bills. If he dared to return, those old hag enforcers would beat him up before throwing him out by force.

Vernon had no choice but to sleep at the bus stop tonight.

Vernon's focus shifted to the video billboard mounted on one of the skyscrapers. A beautiful and sexy woman, a sports reporter, was announcing the upcoming fight between Xander Watson, the reigning MMA champion for several years, and Jacob Park.

Xander was undefeated, always taking home the championship belt after every match.

Vernon smiled bitterly as the billboard displayed clips of Xander landing powerful blows on his opponents, securing his victories.

Afterward, sexy women would surround him, and Xander would sensually kiss each one of them on the lips.

Disappointment shone in Vernon's green eyes. Gaining fame, attracting beautiful women, and earning millions of dollars were every man's dream, including him.

Unfortunately, his dream was shattered when a doctor diagnosed him with a chronic heart condition, making it impossible for him to engage in extreme sports like boxing.

Vernon was forced to bury his dream and become a miserable man.

Suddenly, his phone rang. He immediately answered it. "Hello?"

"What's up, Dude? How are you? Have you heard the news? I'm fighting tomorrow. I hope you'll come!" The cheerful voice of a man echoed on the other end of the line.

"Sure, Xander." Vernon forced a happy smile. "I'll definitely come to watch you win again. I'm glad to hear you made it to the finals. I hope you'll bring home the championship belt again and treat me to a night out at the club."

Hearing the news, Vernon's old wounds were torn open again. Xander Watson was his old friend from high school. Since they were teenagers, they had both committed to becoming professional boxers, frequently training together.

Unfortunately, his dream came to a halt because of his illness. Now, he could only watch as his friend's career skyrocketed while he remained a loyal supporter of Xander.

"Honey, who are you talking to?" A woman's sultry voice interrupted their conversation. "We need to hurry to my friend's dinner party."

"Alright, babe," Xander responded. Vernon could only hear their affectionate exchange. "Sorry, Dude. I have to go with my girlfriend. I'll call you again later."

"Okay."

Xander ended the call, leaving Vernon in silence and sadness.

Vernon sighed heavily as he looked up at the stars adorning the night sky.

He knew that woman's voice very well. That woman was Jessica Chloe, a famous model and actress in the USA, the idol of every man. Her skin was an exotic tan, her body was sexy, and her face was beautiful.

Vernon fantasized daily about being her boyfriend and living a luxurious life together, buying her expensive things, jewelry, or whatever she wanted.

Now, Xander was dating that gorgeous, exotic-skinned woman.

How happy Xander Watson must be right now.

"Why does all this have to happen to me? What did I do to deserve this?" Vernon muttered in despair. Every time disappointment struck him, all he could do was curse his fate.

The next day, without showering or changing clothes, Vernon went to one of the most famous boxing rings in New York. He was allowed into the athletes' waiting room before the match started.

He planned to borrow some money from Xander to pay his rent, even though he was embarrassed. But he had no other choice. He had no family, relatives, or girlfriend.

Xander Watson was his only friend and lifeline.

When Vernon opened the door, he found Xander talking to some of their old high school friends. Beer bottles, alcohol, and cigarette butts littered the table and floor.

Xander sat with his back to him.

"Do you know Vernon Baxlor? He's just a loser working as a cleaner now." Xander laughed mockingly, taking a swig of his beer. His eyes were bloodshot, and his gaze was unfocused.

Vernon's heart was pierced by the words. Did he hear that correctly? Xander Watson, his only friend, was insulting him?

"He used to think he was smarter than me when we were teenagers, but now he's getting his karma. I make sure to invite that loser to every one of my final matches so he can see my success! It must hurt him so much!"

Vernon's fists clenched tightly.

"He's also always borrowing money from me to pay for his hospital bills or rent!"

Vernon stormed in and grabbed Xander's tank top roughly by the collar. "You bastard! I can't believe you'd insult me like this!"

Xander brushed Vernon's hand off, lifting his chin arrogantly. Though they were the same height, Xander was more muscular and larger, his arm and leg muscles bulging, making him look like a monster.

"Why are you offended by the truth, idiot?" Xander sneered mockingly. He staggered slightly under the influence of alcohol.

"Bastard!" Vernon threw a punch at Xander's face, but he didn't flinch.

Xander laughed, feeling Vernon's punch like a lover's caress. "Hit me again!" he taunted, pounding his chest arrogantly.

All of their friends watching burst into laughter.

"Fuck!" Vernon struck Xander's jaw repeatedly, left and right, but Xander wasn't hurt at all, while Vernon was panting and sweating. His breath felt choked in his throat, and his chest tightened.

"You only hit me a few times, and you're already exhausted. Is your heart condition acting up again?!" Xander laughed.

Vernon's heart broke as everyone laughed at him.

He clenched his fists tightly, gathering all the strength in his hands before punching Xander's throat until he heard a cracking sound.

The muscular man dropped to his knees, groaning in pain.

"Feel that!" Vernon cursed in satisfaction, then walked out. But Xander suddenly struck the back of his neck when Vernon wasn't paying attention, sending him crashing to the ground.

"Who do you think you are, huh?! You think you can beat me?! You're just a loser!" Xander stomped on Vernon's frail body viciously. The people in the room tried to pull them apart, but they were hit by Xander's deadly fists.

The chaos only subsided when Xander's coach arrived and dragged him out, while the medical team took Vernon to the hospital in an ambulance.

Vernon's vision blurred. The frantic voices of the medics began to fade.

The pain throughout his body started to subside. A strange sense of calm filled his heart, mixed with deep disappointment.

'Am I going to die as a loser?'