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?”

1/5

။။

Chapter 10

“Okay”

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

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

“What? No. Sofial”

“What?”

“I had heard rumours about him,

stared at him,

clenching. “He’ll pay

I’m okay. If you do that,

“And?”

Your grandfather will not

responsibility

what if he

black as if he

marriage

at me without

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

He didn’t reply.

this in the contract you made

I was talking to

“I was out at night with work. I was

nodded, That’s good. Great. I mean, the work part Not the not sleeping with other women part. Or

cracked

Almost.

work to do,” He

nodded. He was a busy man. He took out time from his schedule

for

2/5

Chapter 10

checking on me.”

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. Call. Me.

I nod.

for lunch. He added, and turning around,

we would have lunch together. That’s why he said that

me getting a job over lunch, I headed down. Luna was there,

your art supplies to

sizes, and the oil paints. “I was told that you had to pick me up from the car and get me into the house last night

I could see

ma’am. It was

I asked, eyes flickering to

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

you

list back to him and turned to Luna, who was

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

lunch and casually waited for me at the dining table, asking Luna to call me down from my room, which I am glad he did because I was so lost

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

him, eyes narrowing. “What

him,” he

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

to the dried paint on my knuckles. “If you like,

Thanks.” I half smiled. He nodded. “Um… Arthur, he mentioned

did?” Gabriel stopped eating.

“No, just that.”

3/5

“Okay.”

are we going to