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”

so quickly, as if coming close to me was a mistake. “Arthur Geller is my client. He’s

I scowled. I asked him to not touch

“What? No. Sofial”

“What?”

seemed offended. “I had heard rumours about him, his behaviour, but I never bothered to

at him, just

his jaw clenching. “He’ll pay

okay. If you do that,

“And?”

will

emphasising on each one, “You’re my responsibility

what if he

looking black as if he hadn’t heard,

I’m asking is since our marriage isn’t real, are we

at

other foot. “I- I noticed you don’t sleep at home some of the

He didn’t reply.

clause about this in the contract you made me sign. I

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

a deep breath, “I was out at night with work. I

work part Not the not sleeping with other

almost cracked

Almost.

got work to

nodded. He was a busy man. He took out time from his schedule to check on me.

for

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Chapter 10

checking on me.”

shows up at the door that you don’t know, you call me. You don’t wait for Luna to call Peter who will tell me when I’m free. You.

I nod.

be home for lunch. He added,

meant we would have lunch together. That’s why he said that to me, right?

job over lunch, I headed down. Luna was there, talking to the driver,

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

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

peripheral vision, I could see Luna shutting

mistaken, ma’am. It was Gabriel

was, huh?” I asked, eyes flickering to Luna who wouldn’t look at

backache the week before

you

for letting me know.” I handed the list back to him and turned to Luna, who was mumbling apologies under her breath

the couch. If he cares, why does

he did because I was so lost trying

cleared his throat. “I believe Arthur won’t be

him, eyes narrowing.

spoke to him,” he replied

I didn’t push. “I want to begin

his eyes flickering to the dried paint on my knuckles. “If you like, I can ask somebody to clear a room besides yours for

be really nice. Thanks.” I half smiled. He nodded. “Um… Arthur, he mentioned something about there

stopped eating. “Did he say

“No, just that.”

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“Okay.”

are we going to