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.”

“You do that for Crystal. I

Being direct competitors and all, I have no interest in

distributing of it. I also happen to know that your company’s packaging sector worldwide. is

father.” Viktor’s voice

Gabriel’s lips that wasn’t genuine at all, ‘He said maybe I

did not

blackmailed him out

is no offer. You’ve come here

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

chest.

|

my boss had held out a glass of water for me that I took from him while still coughing, and it was only when I’d had more than half of the glass that I could finally

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

off her, please.” Gabriel said please, but there was no request in his

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

was softly behind my back. Barely touching.

said, take your hand off my wife.” He repeated, emphasising

wife?” Viktor raised an eyebrow and I immediately

Baker, it’s

said along with his like this, and that too by him-

Itis jacket over his crisp white shirt, he walked from his side of the

voice

“As:

see, my wife is sick and your working hours are over. I’m sure you don’t mind me taking her home with me, do

my husband looked at Peter.

my hand, firm, and he began walking out, leaving me no choice but to trail behind him till we