His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 64

I didn’t know if he was the culprit for lying, or I was the culprit for letting him.

Gabriel left.

And I left him. I pretended to be okay. I pretended to smile at him, to kiss him goodbye at the door. He called after he” reached, he called that night, and I pretended to be perfectly okay when he told me he was at home, when all I wondered was if Lily was lying next to him in our bed.

She called, and he left.

I was more important than his impending work, but not her.

I pretended that didn’t break my heart the way it did,

I signed the papers the lawyer brought me, dodged the calls from my work friends probably asking me why their boss has returned to work but not me, and then told Gabriel I needed a few days more over here to say goodbye to the last memories of my Grandfather.

And I did. Now that Alister and Gabriel were gohe, I could go through the things of my grandfather lying around and put them in his wardrobe. I didn’t have the heart to give them away or donate them just yet, but maybe someday. Maybe.

It was three days since Gabriel left, and he called every day- some times even thrice a day. I picked each one, pretending things were completely okay between us when I was swimming in a pool of self doubt.

Over thinking became my best friend on the journey back home. That call, her name, it all seemed like a reality check I wasn’t ready for, especially not after my grandfather died.

I wanted to preserve things the way they were, but I knew I couldn’t. It had been six months since we were married.

Our six months were over.

Gabriel didn’t know I was coming back today because I hadn’t planned to. It was when I realised how much I had been sulking here and that any answer I get after going home couldn’t be worse than the assumptions I had made that I decided to head home.

I called Gabriel before leaving, but his phone was switched off.

For the rest of the way, I was hit with a wave of grief for locking my childhood house, the keys feeling heavy in my bag.

When I reached, I assumed Gabriel would be at work.

“You’re back?” Luna asked as soon as she spotted me while I was going to my room, and before I could reply, she flung into my arms. “I missed you.”

melted into the hug. “I missed

doesn’t feel the

of my

at nights,” she replied. “He

barely got any sleep when he was with me, I couldn’t sleep a lot. Sorrow does that to me. It keeps me awake with a fright and fear I can’t shake. “Has he…” I hesitated. “Has he

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seemed confused:

clear in my tone. “Like

eyes widened, and she broke

“Has she

“Nobody liked her here any way. Good

person but her previous panic made me suspicious. And not to forget, if Gabriel can lie to me, he can

shook her head

I sigh. “Okay.”

“Is everything okay?”

nod. “Just tired. I’m going to head to my room,

Gabriel’s. I tried his number again to tell him I’m home, but his phone was still switched off. I didn’t have his

broody and quiet. The only one in the group who would answer my question

up, but the voice wasn’t his, it was Liv’s. I face palmed almost as soon

Liv? It’s me, Sophia,”

save her number?” Her voice was muffled and there were so

“Liv, you there?”

I won.” She almost seemed proud. “Any

his phone is switched off. Can you please, please, please head

for a few seconds on the other

break Liv, I promise I’ll ask Gabriel to

I would sacrifice my lunch break for you. It’s just that… he isn’t

“Oh.

coming since like.. ten days now. I mean, he did drop in for an hour or so a couple days earlier. Wait. Her voice turned muffled again. “Guys, when did boss conte? You sure?” It turned loud

got back from my Grandpa’s place. He really had lied. Every day I asked him how his day was, every

heart sunk again. Tears I hadn’t cried since the past three days threatened to make their way back and I took a