Justin Bieber stands precariously on the brink of a full-blown meltdown, as whispers of a sordid past with Sean "Diddy" Combs threaten to unravel before the world's gaze, exclusive sources whisper to In Touch. Close confidants of the 30-year-old "Stay" crooner reveal he's "retreated into his shell," grappling with haunting memories from his teenage years, when he was a wide-eyed 15-year-old eager to impress a music industry giant whose sordid secrets are now being exposed.
"Justin's whereabouts are a mystery," confides a member of his inner sanctum. "He's vanished from the radar since Diddy's arrest and the sordid details spilling out. There's genuine concern for his well-being."
Sources whisper that Bieber, who recently embarked on fatherhood with model wife Hailey Bieber, indulged in Diddy's notorious "Freak Off" orgies, adding to the weight of his struggles as a new dad. "Navigating that dark chapter and the responsibilities of parenthood must be taking him to the brink," whispers the insider.
Back in 2008, at just 13, Bieber was snapped up by manager Scooter Braun and Usher's label, where he crossed paths with Diddy, now 54, and became the rap mogul's protégé. A recently surfaced video paints a wild weekend the two spent together in 2009, with Diddy boldly declaring, "What we're up to, we can't reveal, but it's every 15-year-old's fantasy. I've been entrusted with him. No legal guardianship, but for 48 hours, he's mine, and we're going all out."
Long-standing rumors suggest Diddy introduced Bieber to drugs, alcohol, and underage clubbing. Bieber himself has opened up about his struggles with substance abuse as a young adult, grappling with pain that nearly consumed him. "There were moments when suicide seemed like the only escape," he's shared.
Now, with Diddy facing sex trafficking and assault charges in a highly anticipated criminal trial, Bieber fears the ugly truth of those tumultuous times will be dragged into the spotlight, threatening his marriage and career. Recent images of a visibly thin Bieber have fueled fresh concerns about his mental state.
"The horrors he carries must be unbearable," confides the source. "And now, he's forced to confront it all, with his personal life and career hanging in the balance. A complete breakdown wouldn't surprise anyone."
