Pyar Ke Farishtey
The ETF SUV rolled to a stop outside Aashiyana Orphanage, a quaint two-story building painted in soft pastels, surrounded by a playground where a group of kids ran around, their laughter ringing through the air. The sun shone brightly, casting warm rays over the neatly maintained garden. A large board near the gate read, "Har baccha ek kahani hai, ek umeed hai."
Arjun stepped out first, his sharp gaze scanning the surroundings with the precision of a hawk. Behind him, Sameer Rathore followed, his usual authoritative stride in place. Riya, dressed in a simple white churidar with blue embroidery, stepped out next, her face lighting up at the sight of the kids. She had always had a soft spot for children. Chhotu and Shree brought up the rear, Shree adjusting his glasses while Chhotu observed the area cautiously.
"Toh yeh hai crime scene," Shree muttered, looking around.
"Nahi Shree, yeh ek orphanage hai, jahan ek bacha ek hafte pehle gayab ho gaya," Riya corrected, rolling her eyes.
"Aur uske baare mein kisi ko koi information nahi hai," Rathore added, his voice laced with frustration. "Naa CCTV footage, naa koi eyewitness."
Arjun's jaw clenched. "Koi toh hoga jo sach jaanta hai." His voice was quiet, but the intensity in his tone sent a shiver down everyone's spine.
As they walked toward the entrance, a sudden shriek rang through the air.
"DIIDDDIIII!!!!"
Before Riya could react, a small figure launched itself at her, nearly knocking her over. She let out a surprised laugh as she caught the little girl in her arms.
"Anu!!" Riya hugged the child back, her eyes shining with warmth. "Mujhe yaad kiya?"
The tiny girl, no older than six, nodded enthusiastically. "Bahut zyada! Tum phir se mujhe kahani sunane aayi ho?"
"Arre nahi, aaj hum kaam se aaye hain," Riya explained gently, tucking a stray curl behind the girl's ear.
Meanwhile, the rest of the ETF team watched with mild amusement—except Arjun, whose gaze lingered on Riya, his expression unreadable. The way she interacted with the child, her soft smile, the tenderness in her voice... it stirred something deep inside him.
Another kid, a lanky boy around ten, tugged at Riya’s dupatta. "Didi, yeh uncle kaun hai?" He pointed at Arjun with wide, curious eyes.
Before Riya could respond, Anu declared with innocent enthusiasm, "Yeh Didi ke Raja Babu hain!"
Silence.
Shree let out an undignified snort, while Chhotu grinned. Rathore smirked, looking anywhere but at Arjun, whose expression darkened instantly. Riya, on the other hand, turned a shade of red that could put a tomato to shame.
"Anu! Aisa nahi bolte!" Riya chided, her voice slightly high-pitched.
The little girl frowned. "Par tumne kal kahani sunayi thi na, Rajkumar aur Rajkumari ki? Aur tumne kaha tha ki jab bade log kisi se pyaar karte hain, toh ek Raja Babu ban jata hai aur ek Rani Bitiya!"
Shree doubled over laughing, clutching his stomach. "Riyaaa… yeh kya baatein sikhati ho bachon ko?"
Chhotu chuckled. "Bachpan se hi pyar ka gyaan de rahi hai!"
Rathore raised an eyebrow at Arjun, his smirk widening. "Toh Rawte, yeh baat toh confirm ho gayi ki bachon ki nazar galat nahi hoti."
Arjun glared at all of them, his voice tight. "Bakwaas band karo aur kaam pe dhyan do."
But the kids weren’t done. Another boy spoke up. "Didi, aap aur yeh gusse wale uncle shaadi kyun nahi karte?"
Arjun closed his eyes for a fraction of a second, inhaling sharply. Riya wished the ground would swallow her whole.
"Yeh discussion ka hissa nahi hai!" she quickly deflected.
But Anu wasn’t ready to give up. "Agar shaadi nahi karni, toh phir pappi de do!"
The ETF team collectively froze.
"P-Pappi?" Riya choked.
"Haan! Rajkumar aur Rajkumari ko pappi deni padti hai! Fairytale rule hai!" Anu said seriously, folding her arms.
This time, even Rathore had to cough to hide his laugh. Shree was practically wheezing.
Arjun pinched the bridge of his nose. "Bas. Yeh koi tamasha nahi hai."
"Par pappi toh banti hai!" another kid chimed in. "Sirf ek chhoti si!"
Before things could spiral further, the orphanage head, Sister Mary, arrived, giving the kids a stern look. "Children, guests ko pareshaan mat karo!"
The kids groaned but obeyed. Riya exhaled in relief, but not before throwing a nervous glance at Arjun, who was already striding ahead, his posture stiff.
Inside the orphanage, the team questioned the staff and checked the premises. While Rathore, Shree, and Chhotu handled logistics, Arjun and Riya found themselves assigned to the children’s sleeping quarters.
"Tum hamesha aise attention attract karti ho?" Arjun asked dryly, scanning the bunk beds for any clues.
Riya shot him a glare. "Maine kuch nahi kiya! Bachche bas… zyada imaginative hain."
Arjun looked at her, his gaze piercing. "Ya phir wo wohi dekhte hain jo sach hai?"
Her breath hitched, but she quickly turned away, pretending to check a drawer. "Focus, sir."
Arjun smirked slightly at her flustered state but let it slide. "Koi bhi naya insaan aaya tha orphanage mein?"
Riya exhaled, grateful for the shift in topic. "Haan, ek volunteer aaya tha kuch din pehle. Par Sister Mary kehti hain ki uska record clean tha."
"Hm." Arjun’s sharp eyes noticed something—a small teddy bear with a torn ear under one of the beds. He picked it up. "Yeh kis bache ka hai?"
Riya frowned. "Mujhe nahi pata. Par—"
Before she could finish, the sound of a giggle interrupted them. They turned to see Anu peeking from behind a cupboard.
"Anu?" Riya knelt down. "Yahan kya kar rahi ho?"
Anu shuffled her feet. "Aapko kuch batana tha…"
Arjun narrowed his eyes. "Kya?"
Anu hesitated, then whispered, "Maine woh bhaiya ko raat ko dekha tha… jo ab nahi hai…"
Riya and Arjun exchanged a glance.
"Bhaiya kaun, Anu?" Riya gently probed.
Anu’s lips trembled. "Aman bhaiya. Par main kisi ko batane se darti thi…"
Arjun crouched down, his voice uncharacteristically soft. "Kis se darti thi, Anu?"
Tears welled in her eyes. "Woh jo naye wale bhaiya aaye the… unhone Aman bhaiya se zor se baat ki thi…"
Arjun’s eyes darkened. "Yeh information kisi aur ko mat dena, okay?"
Anu nodded fearfully.
Riya rubbed her arm reassuringly. "Tum bahut bahadur ho, Anu."
As they stood up, Arjun’s gaze softened ever so slightly as he watched Riya console the child. Maybe, just maybe, the kids weren’t entirely wrong about them.
The case was far from over, but one thing was clear—Cupid had already fired his arrows. And this time, even ACP Arjun Rawte wasn’t untouchable.
Arjun and Riya exchanged a silent glance, their unspoken understanding stronger than words. Anu’s revelation had given them a crucial lead—this ‘naya bhaiya’ was somehow connected to Aman’s disappearance.
"Riya, orphanage ke visitor records check karo. Dekho ki pichle do hafte mein kaun kaun aaya tha," Arjun ordered, his voice laced with urgency.
"Haan," Riya nodded, her fingers already dialing Shree’s number.
Arjun crouched again, his expression softer this time. "Anu, woh naye bhaiya ka naam yaad hai?"
Anu bit her lip and thought for a moment. "Woh… woh Aman bhaiya unko 'Anand Sir' bula rahe the!"
Arjun’s eyes narrowed. "Aur kuch yaad hai?"
Anu hesitated before nodding. "Unka ek kala bag tha… usme kuch bada rakha tha… jaise ek lambi cheez."
Arjun’s jaw tightened. Gun ho sakti hai.
Riya finished talking to Shree and turned back to Arjun. "Shree ne orphanage ke visitors ki list nikaal li hai. Ek naam suspicious lag raha hai—Anand Malhotra. Woh ek NGO worker ban kar aaya tha, but uske documents fake nikle."
Arjun’s fists clenched. "Matlab ye planned tha. Yeh sirf ek missing case nahi ho sakta, Riya. Kuch aur chal raha hai."
Riya exhaled. "Aur jo bhi hai, woh dangerous hai."
Just then, a loud BANG echoed through the orphanage. The sound of shattering glass followed.
Arjun’s reflexes kicked in instantly. "Neeche raho!" He grabbed Anu and shielded her with his body, while Riya ducked behind a bed.
Screams erupted from the hallway.
"Riya, Anu ko safe rakho!" Arjun commanded before darting toward the source of the chaos.
Riya held the trembling child close. "Sab theek ho jayega, Anu. Main yahin hoon."
Arjun moved swiftly through the corridors, his gun raised. He spotted a masked man sprinting toward the back exit. Yahi hoga Anand Malhotra!
"Ruko!" Arjun’s voice boomed, but the man bolted.
Arjun fired a warning shot in the air. The man flinched but didn’t stop.
Just then, a second figure appeared from behind—a taller, more muscular man. He lunged at Arjun, knocking the gun from his grip.
A full-blown fight broke out. Arjun delivered a swift punch to the attacker’s jaw, but the man was strong. He retaliated, grabbing Arjun’s collar and slamming him against the wall.
Arjun gritted his teeth. Galti se bhi weak nahi padna.
Using the wall for leverage, he twisted his body and landed a knee in the man’s stomach. The attacker doubled over, groaning in pain.
Rathore and Chhotu stormed in just then.
"Hands up!" Rathore shouted.
The attacker hesitated, then attempted to run.
Big mistake.
Arjun grabbed the man’s wrist and twisted it painfully behind his back before slamming him to the floor. The man howled in pain as Rathore handcuffed him.
Shree’s voice came through the comm. "Sir, main orphanage ke CCTV se Anand ka live feed track kar raha hoon. Woh peeche ke garden se bhaag raha hai!"
Arjun exchanged a look with Rathore before sprinting toward the back garden.
Meanwhile, Riya had managed to escort Anu to Sister Mary’s office, making sure she was safe.
"Yahan se kahin mat jaana, okay?" she told the little girl.
Anu clung to Riya’s dupatta. "Par aap kaha ja rahi ho?"
"Main bas ek minute mein aati hoon," Riya reassured her with a soft smile.
But as soon as she stepped out of the office, she felt a strong hand wrap around her wrist.
Before she could react, she was yanked back, her back colliding with a firm chest. A cloth was pressed against her mouth.
Chloroform.
She struggled, kicking and thrashing, but the drug was strong. Darkness clouded her vision as her body went limp.
The last thing she heard was a sinister voice whispering, "ACP Arjun Rawte ke liye ek chhota sa surprise."
Arjun ran toward the garden, his sharp eyes scanning every corner. Then, he saw him.
Anand Malhotra was dragging an unconscious Riya toward a waiting car.
Arjun’s entire world tilted.
"RIYAAAA!" His roar was pure fury.
Without a second thought, he fired a precise shot at Anand’s leg. The man screamed, collapsing onto the ground, releasing Riya in the process.
Arjun sprinted forward and caught her just in time before she hit the ground.
"Riya!" His voice cracked as he cupped her face, his fingers trembling. "Riya, aankhein kholo!"
She was breathing, but her body was unnaturally still.
Something snapped inside him.
He turned to Anand, who was writhing on the ground in pain. In a blur of motion, Arjun grabbed him by the collar and punched him.
Ek.
Do.
Teen.
Chaar.
Rathore and Chhotu reached just in time to pull him back. "Arjun, bas!" Rathore ordered.
Arjun was breathing heavily, his fists still clenched. His body radiated raw, unchecked rage. But the second he looked back at Riya’s still form, everything else blurred.
"Jaldi ambulance bulwao," he said hoarsely.
Riya stirred slowly, her head feeling heavy. The first thing she registered was warmth. Strong arms holding her close. The familiar scent of musk and gunpowder.
"Arjun sir?" Her voice was barely a whisper.
Arjun exhaled sharply, relief crashing over him. "Tum pagal ho? Aise bina soche samjhe bhaagti kyun ho?"
Riya blinked. "Main theek hoon."
He shook his head. "Nahi ho. Aur agar tumhe kuch ho jata toh?" His voice dropped to a whisper.
The vulnerability in his tone made her chest tighten. She raised a weak hand to his face. "Mujhpe itna gussa kyun ho rahe hain?"
Arjun closed his eyes. Because I can’t lose you.
Before he could say anything, a tiny voice piped up.
"ACP Uncle, ab toh aapko pappi deni padegi!"
They both turned to see Anu standing by the bed, arms folded, a triumphant grin on her face.
Shree and Chhotu, standing behind her, burst into laughter.
Arjun sighed. "Yeh bacha mujhe pagal karega."
Riya blushed furiously. "Anu, aisa nahi bolte!"
But Anu was relentless. "Rajkumar aur Rajkumari hamesha pyaar ka izhaar karte hain!"
Silence hung between them.
Arjun’s eyes locked with Riya’s. The room, the teasing, the case—sab kuch ek pal ke liye gayab ho gaya.
Then, as if on instinct, Arjun leaned in, brushing his lips against her forehead. A soft, lingering touch, filled with unspoken promises.
Anu squealed in delight. "Yay! Pyaar ho gaya!"
ETF team clapped and whistled.
And for the first time, Arjun Rawte let a small, genuine smile escape.
Cupid had officially won.
The warm hues of the setting sun bathed Aashiyana Orphanage in golden light. The tension from the past few hours had finally lifted, replaced by relief and laughter. The ETF team, now gathered in the orphanage’s garden, watched as the children played around them, their giggles filling the air.
But Arjun’s attention was solely on Riya.
She sat on the grass, leaning against the trunk of a large mango tree, a serene smile on her face as she watched Anu chatter excitedly. Her cheeks were still slightly pale, but the sparkle in her eyes had returned.
Arjun exhaled deeply. Kitna dar gaya tha main…
"Sir, dekho kaun wapas aa gaya!" Chhotu’s booming voice broke through his thoughts.
Arjun turned, his sharp eyes instantly landing on the sight that made his chest unclench.
Aman.
The missing boy stood at the orphanage’s entrance, looking slightly disoriented but unharmed. He was around twelve, lanky, with sharp eyes that had seen more than a child should.
The moment Anu saw him, she let out a high-pitched shriek. "AMAN BHAIYAAA!"
Before anyone could react, she dashed forward and flung herself into Aman’s arms.
The boy staggered slightly but caught her, his own eyes welling up. "Anu…" His voice cracked.
Sister Mary and the rest of the children rushed forward, engulfing Aman in a sea of warmth and love.
Riya wiped away a tear. "Thank God… he’s safe."
Arjun observed silently, his gaze flickering to Anand Malhotra, now in police custody, sitting in the ETF vehicle with his hands cuffed. His arrest had led them straight to an illegal child trafficking ring, where Aman had been held captive. Thanks to the team’s quick action, Aman had been rescued just in time.
Arjun’s hands clenched. Ek bhi aur der hoti toh…
But Riya’s soft voice interrupted his thoughts. "Sir, chaliye na… Aman se milte hain."
She reached for his wrist, pulling him toward the gathered crowd. He allowed it—more like, he couldn’t bring himself to resist her touch.
As soon as they approached, Aman looked up, his eyes wary but filled with gratitude. "Aap sabne mujhe bachaya…?"
Rathore smiled. "Haan, lekin asli hero tum ho, Aman. Tumne himmat nahi haari."
Aman’s lips trembled. "Par main bohot dara hua tha…"
Anu tightened her grip on his arm. "Main bhi darti hoon jab andhera hota hai. Par phir mujhe yaad aata hai ki Didi kehti hain, ache log hamesha saath hote hain."
Riya ruffled Anu’s hair affectionately. "Bilkul sahi kaha."
Aman looked at Arjun hesitantly. "Aur aap…?"
Arjun met his gaze with an intensity that made the boy stand straighter. "Koi bhi dukh ya dar hamesha ke liye nahi hota, Aman. Jo hua, uska bojh apne dil pe mat rakhna. Tum bohot strong ho."
Aman swallowed hard and nodded.
Anu, however, had her own agenda. She turned to Arjun and Riya, her face lighting up mischievously. "Ab toh aap dono shaadi karoge na?"
Dead silence.
Shree coughed to hide his laughter. Chhotu grinned openly. Rathore smirked and crossed his arms, thoroughly enjoying the moment.
Riya’s face turned beet red. "Anu!"
But the little girl wasn’t done. She tugged on Arjun’s sleeve, looking up at him with big, hopeful eyes. "Rajkumar uncle… aap Didi ko pasand toh karte ho na?"
Arjun stiffened, his ears turning suspiciously red. His entire team was watching, waiting for his reaction.
Riya, on the other hand, wished she could disappear into the ground. "Anu, yeh—"
But Anu was relentless. "Agar pasand karte ho, toh abhi haath pakdo!"
This time, even Aman joined in. "Haan! Movies mein bhi aise hota hai!"
Shree was wheezing with laughter. "Aaj toh bacha party ne full Bollywood mode on kar diya hai!"
Rathore chuckled. "Kya kehna hai, Rawte?"
Arjun exhaled through his nose, his jaw tightening. Then, with calculated slowness, he turned to Riya.
And before she could react, his fingers curled around hers.
A soft gasp escaped her lips. Her breath hitched as his strong, calloused fingers held her smaller, trembling ones. A strange warmth bloomed in her chest.
Anu’s eyes widened with pure delight. "Dekha! Maine kaha tha na!"
Riya looked up at Arjun, her heart pounding. "Sir…"
He held her gaze, his voice low but steady. "Kabhi kabhi… bacchon ki baatein bhi sahi hoti hain."
Riya’s lips parted in shock. Did Arjun Rawte just admit—?
Before she could process it, Anu clapped her hands. "Ab ek aur pappi banti hai!"
"Anuuu!" Riya shrieked in horror, covering her face.
Shree and Chhotu burst out laughing, while even Rathore shook his head, amused.
Arjun, on the other hand, just smirked. And without warning, he leaned in and pressed a feather-light kiss to Riya’s forehead.
Riya froze. The world around her blurred.
Anu squealed in victory. "YAAAYYY!"
ETF team exchanged victorious grins.
Arjun straightened, his eyes twinkling. "Ab toh bacha party bhi khush hai."
Riya, still flustered beyond belief, could only manage one thing—burying her face in her palms as the entire orphanage erupted in cheers.
The ETF team had finally wrapped up their investigation, and the orphanage was settling down for the night. Riya stood in the garden, watching the stars, lost in thought.
She heard footsteps behind her and didn’t have to turn to know who it was.
"Arjun sir," she murmured.
He came to stand beside her, his hands in his pockets. "Soch rahi ho?"
She exhaled a laugh. "Aaj ka din… kaafi unexpected tha."
Arjun hummed in agreement. "Bacche sacchai dekh lete hain jo bade ignore karte hain."
She turned to him, her heart thudding. "Toh… jo Anu keh rahi thi…?"
Arjun didn’t look away. Instead, he stepped closer, his voice dropping to that deep, husky tone that sent shivers down her spine. "Tumhe kya lagta hai?"
Riya swallowed hard. "Mujhe lagta hai… ki jo aap keh rahe ho, woh sach hai."
Arjun’s gaze softened. He reached out and gently tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her skin. "Agar aaj kuch hota… toh main apne aap ko kabhi maaf nahi karta."
Riya’s breath caught.
Then, with all the emotions between them hanging heavy in the air, he whispered, "Tum meri ho, Riya. Chahe tum mano ya nahi."
Her heart nearly stopped.
And in that moment, she knew—Cupid hadn’t just won.
He had claimed them forever.
~ The End ~
Parineeti
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