His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 4

of the interview. A flat 100,000 dollars at I swiped Gabriel’s credit card for the first time at the nearest mall on the morning of t the Hermes store, buying one bag for his mother like he’d asked me to along with a scarf 1 thought was pretty vibrant.

The next 100,000 dollars I spent was making a transfer to my Grandpa’s cancer treatment clinic, as a donation for people who couldn’t afford treatment, now that his’ was covered. The next 50,000 dollars I spent to make a donation to a fund set up to help cancer patients that had actually covered my Grandpa’s bills for a few months before I could manage by myself.

The next 100,000 dollars, I donated splitting equally between two organisations, one that fought injustice against people of colour and one that rescued children from human trafficking rings.

By noon, I was sitting in Starbucks sipping my regular order at a table alone, when my phone rang displaying an unknown.

number.

I didn’t need the number saved to know who was calling.

With almost a proud smile, I picked up feigning innocence. “Hello?”

“Sofia. Gabriel did not sound like he was smiling on the other end.

“Who’s speaking?

“Don’t play dumb. It doesn’t suit you.”

Hm. I snickered, “I wonder what suits me then?”

“You spent half a million dollars in an hour.” He did not sound happy. “What did you do? Buy a ticket to Mars?”

“More like 350. Don’t be dramatic.” That was six times what I earned in a year normally, and I just spent it in an hour. My heart ached.

“Have you lost it, Sofia?”

“I was just experimenting,”

“Experimenting what?”

“How much money I need to spend to get your personal phone number. Apparently, three hundred and fifty thousand is it takes,” I taunted.

“You called Peter.” He self-spoke.

“I called Peter.” I repeated.

“Why?”

“Just checking why husband dearest hasn’t come home since six days. Imagine my surprise when I dial his number and his assistant picks up.” I was not going to tell him about the interview I had today. He didn’t ask, I didn’t tell. Simple as that.

He remained silent for a moment, and then snickered, “Missing the already?”

I

liked it better when you were grumpy about the dent 1 caused

He actually laughed. “Freckles, this isn’t even a nudge. You could spend this much money every day for the next one year

in a

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III

Chapter 4

tomorrow,” He added, “We’re supposed to have dinner with my

wanted to sigh. I had never met his parents at length, and I imagined them to be very… daunting. Especially given they raised a

he forced me to sign a legal contract stating the date

I gave you the card to use, but don’t make me put a limit of it. Be a

I teased. “I wasn’t even half way

said in

when I call. I warned, “And maybe I wouldn’t burn down your house before you come back home. Or spend hundreds of thousands to buy a bag I fancy.

could reply, I disconnected the

the second I did, I could

disconnected the call on Gabriel

forced me to sign a contract, I got the last word

Hah

into someone, making the leftover coffee in my cup spill all

not have the time to go back to the house and

reverie and I stopped frantically trying to clean the coffee off my shirt

my fault, I

The man adjusted the glasses he was wearing, looking genuinely apologetic. “Let me buy you

was done drinking mine any

“Are you sure?”

smiled at him

had made. Wales was just a seven minute drive from

a boutique nearby to buy a new pair of clothes, but even as much as I hurried up. I was

was not

reached Wales, I was made to sit outside an office, and I could see another Starbucks cup in

told me firmly after a few minutes, and

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Chapter 4

“Please could you tell him that somebody spilled coffee over me and I had

The

at me. “He

was, I was just about to leave when the office

wouldn’t believe this excuse

coffee on you.

My mouth dropped.

“You’re Viktor Hart?”

smile, “Since you didn’t let me buy you a coffee, I guess I owe you an

The receptionist looked shocked.

I was shocked.