His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 54

Three.

That was the number of people- men, more precisely- that Gabriel almost fired for hitting on me in the first week of me working here.

They didn’t hit on me. One of them just asked if I wanted to grab drinks after work. I’m almost sure he meant it in a friendly way, and a few of our colleagues would’ve even joined us had I said yes.

I didn’t say yes, because Mike was already smirking and heading towards Gabriel’s office. That’s a silly bet Mike and Benny made about what Gabriel will do if someone gives me any problem here, or worse, hits on me.

Eye roll.

They were finding total amusement in their boss being ‘whipped as they called it.

Gabriel didn’t fire them. Any of them. He couldn’t, because if he did, he opens himself up to being sued for wrongful termination. He was too smart for that.

Instead, he buried them in so much paper work that they wouldn’t see the outside of the office for a week at least. Let alone have time to go out for drinks.

That weekend, the rings delivered. All the impulsive shopping at the jeweller’s had caught up because there were thirty rings sitting in front of us in our room that Sunday.

Thirty. Diamond. Rings.

I hadn’t worn my ring since I removed it, and I had no intention of putting it back on my finger after knowing the little story

that backs it

“Which one do you like?” He asked as if I’d gotten a lot of choice in picking them in the first place.

“All.” I replied as I sat on his bed- ours now, and crossed my feet.

“Choose one, Freckles.”

“You choose.”

He got up from the chair he was sitting on, a couple ring boxes in his hand and placed them on the bed in front of me, sitting across. “I narrowed it down to five. Now, pick one.”

I shake my head again. “You pick,” I emphasise on the word you. It’s a replacement to my wedding ring and I don’t want t choose it myself.”

His expression softens, and then he begins looking at the different rings. They were all so pretty, it was annoying how long he was taking to select one. Mid way through his selection process, he got more rings from the side table, and was now staring at eight of them.

I hid a smile looking at his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

picked

box to see which one he had picked since I had been busy staring at him

“Show me!”

1/4

pulls the ring out of the box, and then asks for my hand. I place mine in his forwarded hand,

and a diamond band surrounding

was a lot simpler than my last one, but for some reason, it felt more

surprised. I haven’t seen this one before. We didn’t buy this

this two weeks ago when you left for your Grandpa’s. He words it so carefully, as if I’ll crack if he mentions after you found out that ring you wear wearing was Lily’s,

retrospective. I was glad he worded it that way because talking about the other two, even thinking about it, brought back the hollowness in my chest, which

“Then why did you

idiots sent it with all

which ring you

think I have the memory of an Alzheimer’s patient?” He scowled, trying not to look

was even

“I just wasn’t sure if I should go with

smile. And also the urge to lean to his side and kiss him. “I think this ring is much more me than the extravagant ones. It’s perfect.” I smule,

mine

that mean I have thirty-one

eyes. “For the months that

you count my old wedding ring that was in one of the drawers in a plastic wrap and a note that said, ‘It was always

Holy shit.

me. “Wait! Is this

“Why? Are you unhappy

I hastily reply before he gets

He c*cks an eyebrow.

finish my sentence, “I had ordered a ring for

I was charged for just

cheeks heat. I don’t answer, letting him reach the

you paid for

I nod.

he’s sitting upright, all his attention on me. Eyes narrowed

just wanted to…

money

“And yours is yours.”

save and do whatever you want with

“Your family provided for your ring too

good one. I am now So I did. Let me,

haven’t been notified of any transactions