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

I do that? Help you expand to England, I mean. Being direct competitors and all, I have no interest in adding to

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 worldwide. is overseen by your father. I came to you

met my father.” Viktor’s voice

wasn’t genuine at all, ‘He said maybe I could teach you a

not say

did. You see, you wouldn’t know since he stopped talking to you when you blackmailed him out of his own company, leaving only it’s packaging part

is no offer. You’ve come

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

chest.

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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 stop, my

I murmured when I finally caught my breath, eyes

her, please.” Gabriel said please, but there

dill the rest of the table. He was standing. He stood up. I’ hadn’t seen that. Why

to my side where my boss was, and noticed his hand was softly behind my back. Barely touching. Just grazing. But it was there, lightly

off my wife.”

an eyebrow and I immediately shrugged his hand

it’s Mrs.

time I ever heard my name being said along with his

crisp white shirt, he walked from his side of the table to mine.

stood up, voice nothing more than

“As:

over. I’m sure you don’t mind me taking her home with me, do you? Gabriel

looked at Peter. “Collect all her stuff

a little louder. He didn’t answer. He held my hand, firm, and he began walking out, leaving me no choice but to trail behind him till we reached his