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”

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

I replied quick. “I was rude to him. I- I scowled. I asked him to not touch me. I’m sorry if that causes issues

“What? No. Sofial”

“What?”

associate with a prck like him.” He seemed offended. “I had heard rumours about

stared at

jaw clenching. “He’ll pay for

If you do that, you’ll lose

“And?”

will not

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 my wife without

what if he has

black as if he hadn’t heard,

our marriage isn’t real,

looking at

foot. “I- I noticed you don’t sleep at home some of the nights. I was wondering if you’re with

He didn’t reply.

the contract you made me

the more humiliating it felt. I was talking to Gabriel about sex. Correction, I was talking to him about having sex with another

“I was out at night

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

almost cracked a

Almost.

to do,”

He took out time from his schedule

for

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Chapter 10

checking on me.”

up at the door that you don’t know, you call me. You don’t wait for Luna to call Peter

I nod.

lunch. He added, and turning

the door shut behind me. I wondered if he meant we would have lunch together. That’s why he

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

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

having spun upon talking to Gabriel, I took the list from her and added the A4 canvases I needed with brush brands and sizes, and the oil paints. “I was told that you had to pick me up from the car and get me into the house

I could see Luna

ma’am. It

asked, eyes flickering to Luna who wouldn’t look

fact I offered because Sir had a bit of backache the week before your wedding, but he refused to let anyone

you

the list back to him and turned to Luna, who was mumbling apologies under her

I headed to the couch. If he cares, why does he pretend so

down from my room, which I am glad he did because I was so

“I believe Arthur won’t

eyes

spoke to him,” he replied

didn’t believe his calmness one bit, but I didn’t push. “I want to begin working

He nodded, his eyes flickering to the dried paint on my knuckles. “If you like, I can ask somebody to

that would be really nice. Thanks.” I half smiled. He nodded. “Um… Arthur, he

stopped eating. “Did he

“No, just that.”

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“Okay.”

we going to