His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 74

GABRIEL (continued…)

That night, I called Sophia for the first time since arriving home I went in for a quick shower, and called her while getting dressed for bed. She picked up, but seemed so distant… like there was something playing on her mind.

“Are you sure you’re okay, Freckles?” I asked for the fourth time in that one conversation. I am still seeing you tomorrow, right?”

“Hmm..” She buzzes a little sleepily, but mostly she was just distracted. “How’s your work emergency thing going?”

“Bad,” I reply, truthfully. Alister had colorectal cancer. I was planning on picking Sophia up tomorrow, but instead, I’d have to take a trip to his doctor. To tell her this was on the tip of my tongue, but only the promise I had hastily made to my grandfather before leaving- the one to not tell this to anyone until he tells it to my grandmother in person this weekend- stopped me. Besides, Sophia just lost her Grandpa to cancer. I doubted she wanted more cancer news, “Why do you soundl so busy?”

“I’m not. I was just almost asleep when you called.”

“Oh, sorry, Freckles.” I say with no remorse, a sihall smile making its way to my lips. I needed to hear her voice.

“That’s okay.” She stays quiet for a few seconds before adding, “Are you at home?”

Tam

“Are you going to sleep now?”

‘Soon, I tell her, yawning.

‘Hm. Okay. Goodnight, Gabriel.

“Goodnight, Freckles.”

I miss you, I wanted to add, but didn’t, partly because it was too cheesy, more than I’d ever been, and partly because she disconnected the call so quietly after I said goodnight, you’d think her hand was burning from holding the phone.

I conclude I was thinking too much into it.

bed- it was my sanctuary all these years, which was why I never even asked Lily to move in wi me. But now, it was filled with reminders of Freckles. Her scent, her vanity, her clothes, even the ones lying on

tonight, I

quietly left to my office; might

truck when Freckles told me she wasn’t coming back home, that she needed a few more days to bask in the memory of her grandfather before she could leave her hometown, unsure

understood, of course, but this nagging feeling that something was wrong wouldn’t

my life to worry about it now. I talked to her again in the

me.

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concentrate on wark either. There was something dooming playing in

home and collecting my grandfather’s cancer reports from Dr. Grant who was busy and couldn’t see

where one of the most famous oncologists in the country was based. He knew my

the first stage, where it would be easy to control preferably without radiations that would

I flew back, I called Sophia, who didn’t pick up. I waited minutes, but my heart was beating louder with every passing second. So, I called my grandmother,

said work. The lie sat heavy

night.

Lily’s Uncle. He not only agreed to meeting me in an informal setting, but insisted on it. Ten minutes down, here’s what I knew so far: One, he passed his hand through his blonde hair very often. Two, he said ‘well’ every time he went on to explain a concept I didn’t know. And three, he

okay. He had explained the

with secrets, but all I felt

me she was doing fine, but none of that was enough. I wanted her to come back home. If she doesn’t, I would go to her tomorrow and bring her back with me whenever she was ready. I toy with that idea while playing with my phone when I heard a light sound. Taken out of my thoughts, I looked up at Lily sitting in front of me, the rim of her eyes

eyebrows furrowed. “What’re you

to track you down since you wouldn’t pick up my calls.” She

toneless.

“You called?” I blinked.

shoulders, “But if I did,

from her phone and I did pick up the

silent.

hurt that flashed across her face was quick, and she was

even know I was here?” I

know. I followed him here when I overheard him talk to

blink my