Chapter 12: Chapter 12:- Always Protecting Me
And for the first time in a long time, she fell asleep with a heart full of love feeling protected by Arjun's arms held her dearly.
It wasn't long before they were married. Arjun became her rock, her safety. Not long after, their son Samuel was born—a boy with his father's spirit and her eyes. Their life was full of love and warmth, a quiet happiness that she had never thought possible.
But life had other plans. When their son was ten years old, Arjun fell ill. They went to doctors, tried everything they could, but no one could figure out what was wrong. He grew weaker with each passing day, and no matter how hard she tried to save him, nothing worked.
In the hospital room, she sat beside him, holding his hand, her heart breaking. His once strong frame was now frail, his breaths shallow.
"I'm sorry," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "I couldn't save you."
He looked at her, his eyes still full of the same kindness she had seen the day they met. "It's not your fault," he said softly. "You've given me everything I could have ever asked for. Our son… you… that's more than enough."
She couldn't hold back her sobs as he gently wiped a tear from her cheek. "Take care of him," he whispered, his voice growing weaker. "He's strong… like you."
He held Samuel's hand as he said, "Son, I want you to look after your mother and protect her okay, she's a pure and kind soul, but people will try to take advantage of her, so I want you to protect her at any cost, and look after her, okay?"
Samuel nodded as he said, "I'll protect mom, I promise dad," Arjun had a small weak smile on his face, as he carassed Samuel's face one last time.
She held his hand tighter, not ready to let go. But within hours, he was gone, leaving her shattered.
After his death, she had felt utterly lost, vulnerable in a way she hadn't been in years. She blamed herself, convinced that somehow, she was unlucky for him, and that she could have done more. The guilt ate at her, and the hole he left behind felt too big to fill.
After Arjun passed away, life became even harder for her. It wasn't just the grief of losing her husband, but the way the world seemed to turn against her.
The locals, especially the older men, started to look at her differently, whispering and making crude remarks whenever she passed by. Some even took it further, trying to take advantage of her loneliness, knowing that Arjun was no longer there to protect her.
"She's still got a body like that? No wonder Arjun kept her hidden away," one of them sneered as she walked by.
Another one laughed and added, "With curves like hers, I bet she wouldn't mind a little company. She must be lonely now."
One particularly vile man smirked and said, "Who wouldn't want to play daddy to a widow like her? With a body like that, I'd gladly fill Arjun's shoes."
They laughed among themselves, their comments making her skin crawl.
At first, it was just comments—harmless words that made her skin crawl. But soon, they grew bolder, lingering around her when she walked by, leering at her, making her uncomfortable in her own neighborhood.
One day, she was forced to take a shortcut through a narrow alley, and a group of vile, ugly men blocked her path.
They stood in her way, smirking, their eyes crawling all over her body. She had no choice but to walk through them, her heart pounding in fear, trying her best to ignore the disgusting remarks they threw her way.
"Look at that ass," one of them sneered, leaning in closer as she passed. "Bet Arjun didn't get enough of that before he croaked. Damn shame."
Another whistled loudly, his eyes shamelessly fixated on her chest. "Those tits are wasted without a man. Maybe she just needs someone to remind her what they're for."
"She can't be too lonely with a body like that," a third one laughed, nudging his friend. "I'd be happy to help her out. Hell, I'd even call myself Samuel's new dad."
Their laughter echoed in the alley, the lewd remarks making her want to shrink into herself, but there was no escaping. She had to push through, head down, while they ogled and commented, their words sharp like knives, degrading her as they enjoyed her silent suffering.
One day, a group of men stood near her house, laughing and making disgusting comments.
"She's all alone now, no one to protect her," one of them said with a smirk. "Maybe we should give her some company."
Another one chimed in, "Yeah, a woman like her shouldn't be left all by herself. Maybe she needs some help… you know, to feel less lonely."
Her heart raced, fear bubbling up inside her, but she stayed quiet, hoping they would leave. But they didn't. One of them, a tall, heavyset man with a greasy smile, walked up to her, reaching out as if to touch her arm. "Hey, don't be shy, sweetheart."
Just as his hand got close to her ass, a hand grabbed his wrist tightly, stopping him mid-reach. It was Samuel,
standing tall and silent, his face expressionless, but his eyes full of anger.
Without saying a word, Samuel pulled a small blade from his pocket. The man barely had time to react before Samuel drove the blade into his eye with one swift motion.
A sickening squelch filled the air as the man screamed in agony, blood pouring from the wound. His eye popped like a grape, the blade sinking deep into the socket. Samuel didn't flinch, didn't stop. He twisted the blade, making sure it was all the way in.
The man dropped to his knees, clutching at his face, trying to pull the blade out, but Samuel was faster. He yanked the blade back out, blood splattering across the ground, the man's eye still attached to the end of the blade.
The other men froze in shock, watching as their friend writhed on the ground, screaming, his hands now covering his empty eye socket, blood streaming through his fingers.
Samuel didn't say anything, just pushed the knife in the other eye, and brought the knife out faster than the previous one, as both of his eyes were on the knife like a barbeque.
He stepped back and looked down at the man. The others didn't dare move, their faces pale with fear.
The man on the ground cried out, his voice hoarse from pain. "My eyes! My eyes! You… you bastard!" He writhed in the dirt, his blood mixing with the filth of the alley.
Samuel stared down at him, his face cold and calm. He pointed the bloodied blade having both the eyes at the others, his voice finally breaking the silence. "If you ever come near my mom again, this will seem like mercy compared to what I'll do next."
The man sneered, but Samuel didn't flinch. Without hesitation, he pulled out his phone and held it up to the men. "I've been recording everything you've been saying and doing.
If any of you lay a finger on her, this goes straight to the police… and to the media. I'll make sure to bring your image down the drain."
The men exchanged uneasy glances, their smirks fading.
"The men were horrified, backing away immediately, their faces pale. They knew Samuel wasn't bluffing—he had evidence that could ruin them. These men had respectable positions in the community, and if word got out about their behavior, they'd lose everything.
"Get lost," Samuel spat, his voice laced with venom. "And if you ever come near her or her name comes from your mouth again, I'll make sure everyone sees who you really are."
The men quickly scattered, terrified of the consequences. From that day on, no one dared to come near her. Samuel had made sure of that. He became her protector, always by her side, watching over her like a hawk.
(Flashback No Jutsu Ends)
Her voice trembled as she came back to the present, her eyes meeting mine, filled with sorrow and love. "He saved me... more times than I can count. And now, I guess, it's your turn to save me."
I held her tighter, feeling the weight of her words, and whispered, "I'll always be here for you, Mom. I promise."
The weight of her words pressed down on me—the depth of her love, her pain, her guilt. She had been through so much, and yet, she had always been there for me, even when she felt like she had nothing left to give.
I held her close, my own tears falling silently. "Mom… you've always been strong. You're stronger than you know. And you're still here, still fighting. That's what Dad would want. That's what I want."
She looked up at me, her eyes glistening with tears. "Do you really think so? That he'd be proud of me?"
I nodded, my voice steady. "I know he would be proud. And I'm proud of you too. You've been through so much, and you're still standing. That's real strength, Mom. That's who you are."
She smiled through her tears, her grip on me loosening just a little, as if the weight of the past lifted, if only for a moment. "Thank you, honey. Thank you for always being my strength… just like your father was. You really are the spitting image of your father. In looks, in actions, you know just what I need to hear."
She remembered those moments vividly as she stood there now, her heart aching with both pride and sorrow. "You've always been my protector," she whispered, her eyes filled with tears. "You took over where your father left off. I don't know what I would've done without you."
Samuel looked at her, his face softening. "You're my mom," he said simply. "I promised Dad I'd protect you, no matter what. And I will. I can't stand to see you suffer."
She smiled again through her tears, shaking her head. "You're the spitting image of your father, both in looks and actions. Sometimes it feels like there's nothing of me in you. You're not weak, not helpless… You're so much stronger than I ever was."
Samuel gently took her hand, his voice softening. "Mom, I have a weak heart too. Seeing you in so much pain makes my heart break. I don't know what I would do without you.
The only reason I'm strong is because I can't bear to see you hurt. Every time you're in pain, it breaks me. That's why I fight so hard… for you. To always protect you no matter what."
She squeezed his hand, her heart swelling with love for her son. "Thank you, Samuel. You've been my strength, my protector… just like your father. I'm so proud of you."
He nodded, pulling her into a tight embrace, his arms wrapped around her protectively. "And I always will be," he whispered. "I'll always protect you, Mom. No matter what."
At that moment, she knew she wasn't alone. Even though Arjun was gone, his spirit lived on in their son. And with Samuel by her side, she felt safer than she had in a long, long time.
Author's Note:
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