His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 10

SOFIA

When I came to my room, the intention was to switch on my series while reading more about Wales, the company I was going to work at from Monday. A little research beforehand was always good. But I was distracted, thinking about my interaction with Arthur Geller. I hadn’t told Gabriel about it, and I wasn’t sure if I should. I wasn’t sure if he would care:

Twenty minutes in, my reverie was interrupted by knocks on my room’s door.

And not the soft kind. Not Luna’s kind.

There was loud banging on the door with an angry fist, and if I hadn’t rushed to open the door, I’m sure it would have broken down

On the other side, there stood my husband. He wasn’t wearing a coat, just his white shirt tucked into black formal pants. He looked mad. He looked so mad, that I almost got scared.

But when his eyes met mine, they softened. Uninvited, he stepped into my room and shut the door behind him.

“Where did the touch you?”

“What?”

He grit his teeth, as if controlling his anger. “Where did Arthur Geller touch you?”

I blinked.

“Freckles. He paused. “Can you answer?”

“What?” I asked again, dumbfounded as if I had lost my ability to speak. “He- He didn’t.”

Gabriel relaxed. “He didn’t?”

“No. He.. He just held my wrist to stop me when I was calling your

“He held your wrist? Something darkened in his eyes.

“Yes, I agreed in a small voice.

“Show me.” He replied as if constantly putting effort in keeping his voice calm.

Gabriel confused me. Sometimes, he was the most cold hearted person I knew, who couldn’t care enough about if I lived on died. And other times, he left his work to come check on me after he got to know that one of his clients paid me an unsolicited visit

Nonetheless, I just raised my left hand, and he held it in between both of his. His eyes remained fixed at me and I shivered when his thumb slightly traced my wrist. He didn’t stop, aware of the effect his little touch had on me.

“Are you okay?” His voice was gentle, eyes flicking from my hand to me.

It was almost as if he actually cared.

I nodded.

“Okay”

“Okay?”

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Chapter 10

“Okay”

close to me was a mistake. “Arthur Geller is my

to him. I- I scowled. I asked him to not

“What? No. Sofial”

“What?”

he is an important client is to tell you that that’s the only reason I associate with a prck like him.” He seemed offended. “I had heard rumours about him, his behaviour, but I never bothered to stop working with him. because of it, because

stared at

his jaw clenching. “He’ll

Gabriel, it wasn’t that serious. I’m okay. If you do that, you’ll

“And?”

Your grandfather will not

one thing straight here.” He replied, his words slow as if emphasising on each one, “You’re my responsibility And no man gets away with coming to my house and touching

he has my

looking black as if he hadn’t heard, mt

marriage isn’t real, are we sleeping with

looking at me

shifted my weight to my other foot. “I- I noticed you don’t sleep at home some of the nights. I was wondering if you’re with someone else: 1-1 don’t mind, but I would just like

He didn’t reply.

was no clause about this in the contract you made me

silence between us was heavy, and the more it continued, the more humiliating it felt. I was talking to Gabriel about

deep breath, “I was out at night with work. I was not out

nodded, That’s good. Great. I mean, the work part Not the not

almost cracked a

Almost.

got work to do,”

of course,” I nodded. He was a busy man. He took

for

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Chapter 10

checking on me.”

you call me. You don’t wait for Luna to call Peter who will tell me when I’m

I nod.

lunch. He added, and turning

wondered if he meant we would have lunch together. That’s

down. Luna was there, talking to the driver, handing him a list. Gabriel

some of your art supplies to the list right?” She

with brush brands and sizes, and the oil paints. “I was told that

I could see Luna shutting

ma’am. It was Gabriel

was, huh?” I asked, eyes flickering to Luna who

because Sir had a bit of backache the week before your wedding, but he refused

you

me know.” I handed the list back to him and turned to

but my heart smiled as I headed to the couch. If he cares, why does

to call me down from my room, which I am glad he did because I was so lost trying my new art supplies I had completely lost track of time. The first half

“I believe

looked at him, eyes

to him,”

calmness one bit, but I didn’t push.

paint on my knuckles. “If you like, I can

nodded. “Um… Arthur, he mentioned something about

stopped eating. “Did he

“No, just that.”

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“Okay.”

going to the