His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 63

Time doesn’t heal. That saying is a lie.

Being surrounded by people doesn’t make grief better. It isn’t a distraction, not if you really love the person you lost. Not when you’ve lost the only remaining member of your family to cancer. Not when you’re contemplating every decision you made wondering if you were wrong to leave him alone after you got married.

When I was in the city after I just got married, I missed him. But it didn’t consume me because I knew he was alive and well and surrounded by people who loved him and I visited him often too.

Now, it consumed me.

He was dead.

“Sophia, sweetheart.” Leila placed her hand on my shoulder, pulling me out of my thoughts. I blinked away the tears before turning back to look at Gabriel’s grandmother, who had been staying here with me since the past six days. Six days.

That’s how long it had been since I lost him.

1 gulped the lump away. “Yes?”

“Are you okay?” She asked. “You’re lost in your thoughts again.”

“Just thinking about him,” I murmur, a breathy whisper.

“I think about him a lot too.” There was sympathy in her eyes I didn’t want, because that’s how every eye in this town eyed me when I stood beside my husband and watched my grandfather’s coffin being buried into the ground in a spot he had picked out not long after he found out he had cancer.

I nodded, trying to smile and fail.

Six days had felt like six months, and they would have been six years if not for Gabriel. He held my hand so tight through every moment because the second he left me, I felt like I would collapse.

The first two days. I couldn’t eat. I would throw up everything I had.

“He was a good man, Sophia. And he raised a good girl.” Her hand reached out to me, and this time I managed to pull a smile even as fake as it was. I and Alister are always here for you. We are your family, okay?”

I nod, the smiling inching forward a little.

“Is there anything he would like us to do? I know he wasn’t very religious, but he spoke very passionately about a few charities. We have made donations there in his name, but if there’s anything else….” her voice fades.

I shook my head. “You’ve done so much. Thank you.”

“Nonsense. Family doesn’t thank each other, and that’s what we are, right?”

1 nod. My grandfather wasn’t very religious, he believed in Jesus in his heart, but that was about it. Nonetheless, we had a prayer meet, a ceremony in the church and the priest did all the necessities. I’ve been going to the church every day, lighting up a candle, but leaving my town and going back to the city doesn’t feel right just yet.

I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to this house, even though I knew would have the keys and I could visit any time. It just would never feel the same as it did earlier, and I wasn’t ready to face that.

here after everything was done. And because I did, so did Gabriel, and even his grandparents stayed back. They had known my

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Chapter 63

day he

So had L

was here.” I tell her, “He wanted to read out Grandpa’s will. There are a few documents I have to sign tomorrow, but except that,

and Gabriel are here for as long as you want to stay. I

“I should

I head upstairs and to my room. Gabriel had been shouting

SINGLE” He yelled, his eyes flickering to me at the entrance, “You know what? Don’t

in long strides. His hands held my shoulders, rubbing it.

T’m

He glares.

okay today. The lawyer read his will to me

me into his chest, engulfing me in his arms.

in London,” I

know you had

and I was too young to understand it,

would have done that, you would’ve

Now that’s a problem, isn’t it?” I look

He smiles, bending down to place a little kiss on my

t-shirt. “I missed more

this,” He kisses me again and

remind him. “Your grandmother

e into his arms.

both know you can be quiet.” He smirks, turning me, moving my hair to one side and kissing my neck, and removing the trousers I was wearing as

that I had forgotten my grief,

and all the energy that I had, I had given to sex, and him because he liked holding me when

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go home if you want, you know?” I mumble against

leaving

won’t be alone, because

me,” he sighs, “Let’s go home. I know you want to mourn but everything in this house is making

what the lawyer sends tomorrow. I think… I think I’ll be ready

go when you’re

missing out on

kisses my

didn’t have to

of an important deal. I won’t be alone. I’ll call Alice over

you got kidnapped here. And there’s so many strangers coming in to pay their respects.” He groans, And, I’m not leaving without you. What’s Alice going to do if your kidnapper shows up? Read

I slapped his forearm.