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.”

nodded again. “You do that for Crystal. I want you to do it

do that? Help you expand to England, I mean. Being direct competitors

time to set up manufacturing before the year ends, not the packing and distributing of it. I also happen

father.” Viktor’s voice was

quite smitten by me.” There was a smile on Gabriel’s lips that wasn’t genuine at

did not say

he 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 under

is no offer. You’ve come here

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

chest.

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me that I took from him while still coughing, and it was only when I’d had more than half of the glass that

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

Gabriel said please, but there was no request in

Gabriel, as dill the rest of the table. He was standing. He stood up. I’ hadn’t

and noticed his hand was softly behind my back. Barely touching. Just grazing. But it was there, lightly patting me over my

my wife.” He repeated,

Viktor raised an eyebrow and I immediately shrugged

My wife. It isn’t Ms. Baker, it’s Mrs. Whitlock for

my name being said along with

walked from his side

I reflexively stood up, voice nothing more

“As:

you don’t mind

nodded dismissively, and my husband looked at Peter.

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