Soul Swap: Trapped Forever

The silence in the study room was thick with tension, suffocating like the calm before a storm. Sarvagya stood with his arms crossed, his gaze locked onto his father with cold precision. Across from him, Keshav Agnihotri sat behind his polished mahogany desk, exhaling slowly as he took in his son's fury.

"Mr. Agnihotri, make your wife understand that she should stay out of my business" Sarvagya's voice was sharp, each word cutting through the heavy air. "Why does she always interfere in my matters? Was this forced marriage not enough that she went ahead and planned a honeymoon as well? And that too—a whole damn month! Before making such grand plans, did it not occur to anyone to ask me?"

Keshav leaned back in his chair, completely unfazed. His fingers drummed lightly on the desk. "Sejal does things after careful consideration. Right now, not everyone is convinced that Manisha has simply left for a job opportunity or that you and Tripti are genuinely in love. This honeymoon is necessary to solidify that illusion."

Sarvagya narrowed his eyes. "And how exactly do you plan to 'prove' that? Why should I agree to this?"

Keshav let out a short chuckle, as if he found the question amusing. "Because the media will be watching your every move. There will be reporters around you, tracking your steps, clicking pictures whenever they get the chance. The moment they find out you're on a honeymoon, they'll spin the story accordingly. And you will go along with this because only then will I fulfill the conditions we agreed upon."

Sarvagya's jaw clenched. "The deal was only for marriage. You promised that if I married Tripti, you would agree to all my terms. Don't even think about backing out now, or I swear, I'll expose this entire family for what it really is."

Keshav's expression darkened, his fingers stopping their rhythmic tapping. "Stop threatening me, Sarvagya. The marriage happened, but it's your responsibility to make everyone believe that you're madly in love with Tripti. Once you've done that, I will fulfill my end of the bargain without any argument."

Sarvagya stared at him, his mind racing. He didn't trust Keshav—not even a little.

After a long pause, Sarvagya exhaled sharply and said "Give me your laptop."

Keshav raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Why?"

"You'll find out soon enough. Just hand it over."

Still suspicious, Keshav pushed the laptop across the desk. Sarvagya took it, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he typed something rapidly. Keshav watched in silence, his brows furrowing as he realized what was happening.

Sarvagya was drafting a contract.

A legally binding contract.

He had no intention of walking into this trap blindly. If Keshav was trying to manipulate him, then he needed a failsafe—something that would force his father to keep his word. Sarvagya meticulously structured the document, ensuring that the wording was airtight.

But he was clever.

He didn't write out the full conditions just yet—because he knew the moment Keshav saw them, he would never sign. Instead, he kept the terms vague enough to avoid suspicion while ensuring that once the trip was over, Keshav would have no way of wriggling out of it.

He printed out two copies.

Then, with a satisfied smirk, he placed both documents in front of his father. "Sign these."

Keshav eyed the papers warily. "What is this?"

Sarvagya leaned forward slightly, his smirk never fading. "A precaution. I know you'll try to go back on your word later. This contract ensures that if you even think about double-crossing me, I can drag you to court."

Keshav let out a scoff. "How dare you? Do you not trust your own father?"

Sarvagya's voice was devoid of hesitation. "Not even a little."

Keshav inhaled deeply, frustration evident on his face. But after a tense moment, he finally picked up the pen and signed both copies.

Sarvagya took his copy and slipped it into his pocket. He was about to leave when Keshav's voice stopped him.

"Before you go, tell me one thing… who is she?"

Sarvagya turned around, his expression unreadable. "Who?"

"Your girlfriend. Where is she from? What's her religion, her family background? Who are her people?"

Sarvagya's entire body tensed at the question. His grip on the contract tightened.

"And why exactly do you want to know?" he asked, his voice dangerously low. "Are you planning to get rid of her just like you got rid of my mother?"

Keshav's expression twisted with rage, his face turning an alarming shade of red. He slammed his hand on the desk. "Mind your language, Sarvagya! You will not throw such disgusting accusations at me! I am your father, show some respect!"

Sarvagya scoffed. His voice was colder than ever. "Respect is earned, Mr. Agnihotri. And you have only lost it. The day I uncovered the truth about you, you lost every ounce of respect in my eyes. I do not respect cheaters, so don't ever use that word in front of me again."

With that, Sarvagya turned on his heel, gripping the contract firmly, and walked out of the study room.

Keshav remained in his chair, stunned.

For the first time in his life, he realized something unsettling—

Sarvagya was no longer someone he could control.

Sarvagya moved through the living room, heading toward his room when his gaze landed on Shashank, sitting unusually still. For the first time, the ever-restless troublemaker wasn't up to one of his usual antics. Instead, he was staring intently at something—or rather, someone.

Sarvagya followed his line of sight.

His chest tightened.

Shashank's eyes were locked onto Tripti, who stood in the kitchen, laughing at something Sonali had said. There was a certain glint in his eyes—something Sarvagya recognized all too well.

Lust.

A slow, simmering rage burned in Sarvagya's veins. He clenched his fists, forcing himself to stay composed as he turned toward Shashank.

"You'll never change, will you?" Sarvagya's voice was dangerously calm. "How long will you keep setting your filthy eyes on women who aren't yours?"

Shashank jolted slightly, caught off guard, but recovered quickly. He turned to Sarvagya with a smirk, completely unbothered.

"I don't want to change. I like myself just the way I am." he said, stretching his arms lazily. "Beautiful things are meant to be admired, aren't they? I was just looking at Tripti. What's the harm in that? Besides, you're not even interested in her, so don't act so possessive."

Sarvagya's jaw tightened. "Whether I'm interested or not is none of your concern. What matters is that she's my wife, and we've decided to be friends. And as her friend, it's my responsibility to protect her from people like you."

Shashank rolled his eyes. "Oh, please. Stop playing the protective husband. You're going to divorce her eventually, aren't you? So don't act like you're some noble savior. I'm just making sure my intentions are clear from the start—so there are no complications later."

Sarvagya's blood boiled, but he refused to give Shashank the satisfaction of seeing his anger. He simply turned away and headed toward the kitchen.

"Now he has his eyes on Tripti too" he thought grimly. "Shashank is the kind of man who values nothing—not relationships, not loyalty. He takes whatever he wants, regardless of the consequences. I have to warn Tripti. She needs to be careful around him. I'll have to keep an eye on him every second."

Reaching the kitchen, Sarvagya called out "Tripti! Come with me."

Tripti turned to him, slightly confused. Before she could respond, Sonali smirked and teased "Why, Bhaiya? Can't wait to be alone with her?"

Sarvagya didn't smile. His voice was firm. "No. I really can't wait. We're late. We need to leave for Tripti's parents' house."

Tripti frowned. "But I need to change first."

Sarvagya extended his hand. "Then come with me."

Tripti hesitated for only a second before placing her hand in his. As they walked toward their room, Sarvagya glanced over his shoulder.

Shashank was watching them.

His expression wasn't one of jealousy or anger—but curiosity. Like he had just uncovered a mystery he hadn't noticed before.

And that unsettled Sarvagya more than anything.

Behind Closed Doors

The moment they stepped into their room, Sarvagya shut the door and locked it. Then, without a word, he pulled Tripti into his arms, holding her so tightly it was as if he were afraid she would slip away.

Tripti, startled by his intensity, didn't question him. Instead, she gently rubbed his back, letting him calm down at his own pace.

Minutes passed.

Sarvagya's rapid breathing finally evened out. He pulled back, looking into Tripti's concerned eyes.

"What happened, darling? Why do you look so tense? Did someone say something to you?" she asked softly.

Sarvagya exhaled. He told her everything—how he caught Shashank staring at her, how he knew exactly what kind of thoughts were running through his mind, and how dangerous he could be.

"I don't trust him, Tripti" Sarvagya admitted, his voice edged with frustration. "Shashank has no morals, no boundaries. He takes what he wants, no matter the cost. And I don't care about anyone else—I care about you."

Tripti cupped his face gently, her thumbs stroking his cheekbones. "Trust me, jaan. I won't let him do anything. He doesn't scare me."

Sarvagya ground his teeth. "I trust you completely, but I don't trust him. I know how far he can go to get what he wants. So please—ignore him as much as possible. Be careful, and don't fall into any of his traps."

Tripti smiled reassuringly. "I will. I know exactly what kind of person he is— that's why I didn't sit near him in the living room. I went to the kitchen instead."

Sarvagya sighed in relief. At least she was already being cautious.

Then, her smile turned mischievous. "Forget about him and focus on me. We're going on our honeymoon, remember? Are you excited?"

A slow smirk curved Sarvagya's lips. He pulled her back into his arms, tilting her chin up. "Very much. But let's talk about our honeymoon later. Right now, I have something else in mind."

Tripti gasped and quickly stepped back. "No way. We have to leave soon! I won't let you distract me."

Sarvagya took a step closer, eyes twinkling. "Just one kiss. Please. It'll help me calm down. I promise I won't ask for more."

Tripti sighed, defeated. "Fine. One kiss. That's it."

The moment she gave permission, Sarvagya wasted no time. His lips met hers, and for a while, all his worries melted away. Tripti kissed him back just as lovingly, understanding that this was more than just affection—this was reassurance.

Sarvagya needed her close. He needed to feel that she was safe, that no one could take her away from him.

And so, she let him have his moment.

Finally, after pulling away, Sarvagya placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Now go get ready."

Tripti nodded and walked to her bag, pulling out a saree along with matching jewelry. She took her time with her makeup, adjusting her deep-neck blouse in the mirror.

Sarvagya, watching from the bed, chuckled. "How much longer, baby? Need help?"

Tripti sprayed on perfume before replying "I'm done. Let's go."

Sarvagya picked up her purse in one hand and held her hand with the other as they walked out of the room.

When they reached the living room, they found the rest of the family waiting, ready to leave.

But Sarvagya barely noticed them.

Because the moment he and Tripti stepped out—hand in hand—he saw Shashank watching them carefully.

For the first time, there was doubt in his eyes. Suspicion.

As if a puzzle had finally started to make sense.

And Sarvagya knew—Shashank was beginning to put the pieces together.

Will Shashank uncover the truth?

What happens if he finds out that Tripti was always Sarvagya's?

And if he does—how far will he go to take her away?