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 one up.

since I had been busy staring at him earlier, but

“Show me!”

1/4

then asks for my hand. I place

clear pear shaped diamonds almost touching, and a diamond band surrounding it. It went

simpler than my last one, but for some

I haven’t seen this one

placed an order for 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

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 I was recognising was more

why did you take so

sent it with all

didn’t remember which

not. Do you think I have the memory of an Alzheimer’s patient?” He scowled, trying

was

just wasn’t sure if I should go with that

side and kiss him. “I think this ring is much more

mirrors mine and he

mean I have

glint sparks in his eyes. “For the months that

hangs a little at the fact that I owned thirty diamond rings. Thirty-one, sorry. Thirty-two, if you count my old wedding ring that

Holy shit.

me. “Wait!

Are you unhappy with something? Do you want to go pick

before he gets any ideas.

He c*cks an eyebrow.

finish my sentence, “I had ordered a ring

I was charged for

answer, letting him reach the

for it

I nod.

what?” His lips part, and now he’s sitting upright, all

wanted to…

money

“And yours is yours.”

is yours… to save and do whatever you want with it. Not to be used on

annoyed. “Your family provided for your ring too at our wedding. At to be honest, I wasn’t

pay for a good one. I am now So

we’re talking about this, I’m just realising that I haven’t been notified of any transactions on my Amex card. When was the last time