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.

Lily to move in wi me. But now, it was

able to sleep tonight, I realise, not without her next to

up my laptop and quietly left to my office; might as well work if I

back home, that she needed a few more days to bask in the memory of her grandfather before she could leave her hometown, unsure when she’d think she had the courage

feeling that something was wrong

too many times before Freckles entered my life to worry about it now. I talked to her again

me.

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wark either. There was something dooming playing in my

most of my employees were in, showering at home and collecting my

Chicago, where one of the most famous oncologists in the country was based. He knew my grandfather because Alister called him for a

still being in the first stage, where it would be easy to control

up. I waited minutes, but my heart was beating louder with every passing second. So, I called my grandmother, who told me

and I said work. The lie

night.

next evening. I met 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 was good at

the end, he had convinced me that my grandfather would be okay. He had explained the treatment plan, and been

there alone in the cafe a bit after he left, lost in my thoughts. I considered myself good with secrets, but all I

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

furrowed. “What’re you doing

wouldn’t pick up my

toneless.

“You called?” I blinked.

her shoulders, “But if I did, would you have

my grandfather did call from her phone and I did pick up the second

silent.

that flashed across her face was

doing here? How did you even know I was here?” I ask, and

him here when I overheard

my