Lost trust

PROLOGUE

London,
Paradise Mansion..

"Daddy? Everything's gonna be good, right?" A 5 year old Ziva asked her father with a tone of doubt.

"Yes Darling, I am going to make things alright. See you have me, and I am always with you, no matter what" Mahi said, assuring his little daughter. He needed to be strong for her, but it felt like he was more of assuring himself.

"I believe you papa, you are my superhero."Ziva said with a smile.

"I know you will make things right,you always do! And never forget that no matter what I love you, the most!."

Mahi hugged his daughter. Oh how soon she has grown up! He had always wanted her to be childish, stubborn, he wanted his daughter to ask for things he would say no to and she would pester him up to a time where he had to give up on her demands.
But a wise man had said situation changes a person and this what happened with his daughter,.she had matured beyond her age, it felt like some ages ago he had hold her for the first time in his hands. She was so tiny, so pink! She had wriggled over his hands, trying to stretch her tiny hands in air, letting him know the dismay he had caused her. The she made soft cracked- mewling sounds, conveying something nobody had any idea about.

"Ugh dad, leave me! Stop squishing me like a ball. My hair will get all messed up. It took me one hour to set my hair."ziva complained, patti g her father's hand away.

Like mother,like daughter.

"Ohh I am sorry, let me help you fix..."

"Dad! leave it. I don't want it to get anymore messier."

"Okay, I beg pardon my lord!"Mahi sighed at his five year old fashionista.

"Chalo maaf kiya! Aap bhi kya yaad rakhoge! But you are making me late for dance class!"Ziva said scrunching her tiny nose.

Drama queen.

"Yeah! Now off you go, otherwise you'll be late! The teacher will scold my baby and I don't want it."

"Ugh dad please don't baby me. I just hate it when you call me that! Aughhhh!!!"she said, her shriek voice piercing his ears.

"Ohkay! now sprint off, quickly! " Mahi pecked her on his cheeks before sending her away. Ziva as quickly she can, placed a kiss on his cheeks and ran off, while her father slowly nodded his head, adoring his daughter.

As he saw her retreating figure, he let the aloofness took over his tired body.
Sure, he had jovial people around him and his daughter, the ardent wish for his daughter to meet them once again, was morbidly harrowing over him for the past three years.

Only if life had been merciful enough!
Only if he had not taken upon his shoulders to bear every thing alone!

He knew he would have been alright!

Because, he would have them beside him!
The thin beaded thread of people that was holding him to his lowly life.

........

"You think what we did was not wrong?"Jinx asked, his voice trampled over the heinous burden he felt of something grave and misjudged.

" I don't think I did anything wrong. Neither of us did anything fathomable. It was destined to be that way. He deserved what he got. No reason being comprehensive about it. The only think that bother me is why is he coming back?" Virat chipped, sternly..

"Vi you are the captain. You make the calls, can't you just drop him?"Ro said , in a venom dripped voice, his hatred clearly visible

"No. MS has always been a gem to the Indian team. We will get a lot of backlash if we do it, and I am not the sole entity who handles the team, many will create problem! You really think, I didn't had the idea?But what I don't understand is why after three years? He could have joined earlier right? Why now?" Vi asked not getting the point of his comeback.

"Yeah ! As much I knew him he never did anything for personal reasons and this move seems so personal to me."Ro said, his brows furrowing in worry.

"Let's not talk about him anymore. I don't think after three years he would be in his form, so it will be easy for us to drop him, and also he has to pass all the standard tests too. And it will be a hard for a player who has been out from the game for so long."

"Yeah we are going to meet him after three whole years. It's so––"Jinx tried to find words but couldn't. He felt overwhelmed, he was happy, but some part of him felt angry on himself too for feeling happy...

The team––do they know?" Rohit asked.

"Jaddu,Harry and Ash know it...and Bhuvi will get to know sooner or later. I could see in their eyes they were very happy but they just couldn't show it" Jinx whispered.

"Hmm. Let's just go and practice. No point hanging around on this topic. I just hate it when someone disrespectful of the game joins the team. He is a match fixer! How hard is it for the BCCI to understand it?" Virat said disgusted, his cheeks could feel the tingling hot sensation curling down his face due to surge of anger he felt.

"Virat leave it! It has been three years dude! Move on–" Jinx kept his hand on his shoulders, comforting his friend.

"I just can't Jinx"a tear slipped down Virat's eyes"–How could he do that with me?? How could he do that with Ro? With you? And you are convincing me to forget it!no I just can't forget it."

"Vi––"

"Its okay Jinx. Let's go for practice" wiping off his tear, Virat composed himself, shrugging of the doomed memories that tried to rejuvenate that similar feeling in his heart.
He had no need of it.

He had been broken by the one he trusted the most!
And he chose to remain that way––

Broken and Destroyed!

.........