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”

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

“I was rude to him. I- I scowled. I asked him

“What? No. Sofial”

“What?”

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

at

his jaw clenching. “He’ll

serious. I’m okay. If you

“And?”

grandfather will

emphasising on each one, “You’re my responsibility And no man gets away with

if he has my

black as if he hadn’t heard,

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

at me

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 to know where we stand on

He didn’t reply.

clause about this in the

it felt. I was talking to Gabriel about sex. Correction, I was

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

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

almost cracked

Almost.

got work to

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

for

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Chapter 10

checking on me.”

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

I nod.

home for lunch. He

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

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

of your art supplies to the list right?” She

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 last

my peripheral vision, I could see Luna shutting her

mistaken, ma’am. It was Gabriel

flickering to Luna who wouldn’t look

had a bit of backache the week before your

you

I handed the list back to him and turned to Luna, who was mumbling

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

he

cleared his throat. “I believe Arthur won’t

looked at him, eyes narrowing. “What

to him,”

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

my knuckles. “If you like, I can ask

nodded. “Um… Arthur, he mentioned something about

did?” Gabriel stopped eating. “Did

“No, just that.”

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“Okay.”

are we going to the