Imagine a world where trust is everything, where loyalty is the foundation of every relationship. Now, what if the one person you believed in turns out to be the very one who shatters that trust?
This story is about a woman who was once CID's finest...
The afternoon sun had softened by the time the CID car pulled up outside Rising Sun Society, the compound gates casting long shadows over the parked vehicles inside. It was the kind of quiet that only settled over a place after lunch — lazy, unhurried, deceptively peaceful. None of them knew yet how quickly that peace would break.
A group of children were playing football near the compound wall. The moment they spotted the CID team stepping out of the car, the ball was forgotten mid-kick.
Children:(running up, breathless, one after another) "Hello uncle... hello uncle... hello uncle... hello..."
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A little girl skidded to a stop in front of Poorvi.
Girl: "Hello, didi."
All officers, except Pankaj:(smiling) "Hello, baccho."
Pankaj folded his arms, visibly offended.
Pankaj: "Achha, hum sabko uncle aur Poorvi ko didi?"
Poorvi bit back a smile.
Girl (Sonu): "Haan, kyunki wo Shreya didi ki tarah bahut cute hai."
Pankaj: "Toh kya main cute nahi hoon? Main bhi cute hoon, mujhe bhi didi bolo—" he caught himself and quickly corrected, "I mean, bhaiya bolo."
Daya's patience snapped like a dry twig.
Daya: "Pankaj. Kya tum bhi baccho ke saath bachche ban jaate ho?"
Pankaj:(deflating) "Par sir, yeh partiality hai."
Abhijeet:(a warning look) "Pankaj."
Pankaj: "Sorry, sir."
Poorvi crouched slightly, bringing herself to the children's height, her tone gentle.
Poorvi: "Chalo, achha — sabse pehle sab apna apna naam batao."
The names tumbled out one after another — Tappu, Pinku, three overlapping voices all claiming to be Sonu, Adi, Dev, and finally Amrita, each syllable delivered with the shy pride only children have when introducing themselves to strangers who seem important.
Poorvi:(warmly) "Wah, naam toh bahut achhe hain aap sabke."
One of the older girls, Amrita, tilted her head, studying them.
Amrita: "Didi, aap log kisi se milne aaye ho? Hum chhod sakte hain aapko wahan tak."
Abhijeet:(crouching slightly, keeping his voice light) "Actually beta, hum log CID se hain."
