TANGLED IN THE SHADOWS

Part -19

Jadeja was sitting in the living room when his phone buzzed. It was a message from Dhoni asking him to open the door. Confused, Jadeja got up and opened the door, revealing Dhoni still in his work clothes.

"Dhoni, you should be resting after work, not wasting your time on me," Jadeja said with concern.

Dhoni smiled gently. "You're not a waste of time, Jadeja."

Jadeja sighed, feeling both grateful and guilty. "Let me make you some tea."As Jadeja went to the kitchen, the others emerged from their rooms, surprised to see Dhoni there. Jadeja returned with the tea, surprised to see everyone gathered in the living room. He sighed mentally, realizing it was time to reveal his past.

"Everyone, please sit. It's time I told you what happened," Jadeja began, his voice heavy with emotion.

🚨🚨 Suicide content 🚨🚨

FLASHBACK:

Seventeen-year-old Jadeja was happily getting ready for prom night. Suddenly, the phone rang. It was his father, calling from a relative's function. Jadeja had skipped the event to attend the prom."Hello, Papa?" Jadeja answered.

"Jadeja, something's wrong with your mother," his father's scared voice trembled through the phone. "She's acting weird, saying we should kill you and start a new life."

"What?!" Jadeja exclaimed, fear gripping him.

"I'm taking her to the Dewri temple. She's sleeping now. Stay home, Jadeja," his father instructed.

Jadeja, heart pounding, rushed to the temple instead. When he arrived, he saw his mother, now looking like another woman entirely, trying to grab his father, who was inside a protective circle made by the pandit.

"Papa!" Jadeja shouted.The Shakchunni, seeing Jadeja, lunged at him. His father quickly took out a pocket knife, holding it to his throat.

"If you touch my son, I'll kill myself," his father threatened, making the Shakchunni pause.

"Jadeja, run into the circle!" his father ordered.

Jadeja hesitated, but his father's desperate eyes urged him on. As soon as Jadeja reached the circle, his father turned to the Shakchunni.

"If you leave my son, I'll come with you," he bargained.The Shakchunni considered for a moment before nodding. Jadeja's father then did the unthinkable. He cut his own throat, sacrificing himself to stop the Shakchunni. Jadeja watched in horror as both his parents died in front of him. The Shakchunni cried out in agony before disappearing, leaving Jadeja trembling and broken.

The pandit hugged Jadeja, comforting him. "We can't let this news spread. It will destroy everyone's peace."

🚨🚨 Content ends 🚨🚨

PRESENT:

Jadeja finished his story, tears streaming down his face. "I'm sorry, Mahi. I was so afraid to tell you, afraid you'd think I'm a freak. You deserve better than someone like me, who's mentally unstable."Dhoni, who had been listening intently, felt a pang of sadness at Jadeja's pain but also a flicker of hope when Jadeja called him Mahi. Dhoni moved closer, pulling Jadeja into a hug.

"You're not mentally unstable, Jadeja," Dhoni whispered, his voice steady. "You've been through something unimaginable. That doesn't make you a freak. It makes you strong."

Jadeja sobbed into Dhoni's chest, feeling the weight of his burden lift slightly. Dhoni kissed his forehead, pulling him into his lap.

Krunal, sensing they needed some alone time, motioned to the others. "Let's give them some space," he suggested quietly.As the others retreated to their rooms, Jadeja clung to Dhoni, who held him tighter. "Mahi, I was so scared," Jadeja admitted.

"I know, Jaddu," Dhoni replied, using his nickname for Jadeja. "But I'm here now. We'll face this together."

Jadeja nodded, feeling a small measure of comfort in Dhoni's presence. For the first time in a long while, he felt a glimmer of hope.