His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 23

1 had never heard a silence that was so loud. It was weighing down on my shoulders when we settled on the long wooden table. Gabriel on one side along with Peter and a girl I didn’t recognise, and me, Alyssa and our boss on the other.

I half expected my husband to make a scene, to scream, shout of at least acknowledge me, but instead he say quietly on the other side, his eyes focused on just me, his gaze so sharp I was afraid to even look at him.

I kept my vision and all focus on the file in front of me while a conversation spun.

“This came as quite a surprise to us. It was Viktor, my boss, who was speaking. “We heard rumours about your expansion to Europe. I wasn’t too sure if the news is true, but I guess it is.”

“It is. Gabriel replied.

Look up. Look up. He didn’t ask you where you were working, so you didn’t tell. You didn’t make a mistake. You’re not guilty.

I looked up.

His eyes were still on me, eyes narrowed when I looked at him, making me regret looking up.

Wales was the biggest competitor of Whitlock. I wondered why I was on a table with the CEO of them both.

Gabriel finally looked at Viktor. “I fired Arthur Geller two weeks ago.”

I stiffened. My boss raised an eyebrow. “I heard a word or two about that. So it’s true?”

Gabriel nodded. “One of his companies”

Viktor cut him off. He has a packaging and distributing base in England. So do I. Let me guess, since you’ve fired Arthur, you want me to package for you.”

do that for Crystal. I want you to do it

Help you expand to England, I mean. Being direct

the capital and time to set up manufacturing before the year ends, not the packing and distributing of it. I also happen to know that your company’s packaging sector

my father.” Viktor’s voice

a smile on Gabriel’s lips that wasn’t genuine at all, ‘He said maybe

not

him out

there is no offer. You’ve come

didn’t hear the rest of what my boss said because I broke into hysterical coughs. It started out as an irritation in my throat, and as I coughed once, I couldn’t really stop. I wasn’t sure what it was, but it was irritation that spread from my

chest.

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I looked up, my boss had held out a glass of water for me that I took from him while still coughing, and

my breath, eyes filled with water. “I don’t know what

said please, but there was

1 looked up to Gabriel, as dill the rest of the table. He was standing. He stood up. I’

boss was, and noticed his hand was softly behind

my wife.” He repeated, emphasising on each

an eyebrow and I immediately shrugged his hand

Baker, it’s Mrs. Whitlock for

I ever heard my name being said along with his like this, and that too by him- Sofa Gabriel

walked from his side of the table to

reflexively stood up, voice nothing more than

“As:

are over. I’m sure you don’t mind me taking her home with me, do you? Gabriel asked my boss, but it

nodded dismissively, and my husband looked at Peter. “Collect all her stuff and get it

held my hand, firm, and he began walking out, leaving me no choice but to trail