His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 75

GABRIEL (continued…)

The next morning:

I seemed to have been in a comatose. The nights of not sleeping in Sophia’s hometown because she couldn’t sleep, and then coming back and working away my nights had finally caught up to me.

I don’t know for how long I slept, but it was definitely the most intense sleep I had had in a very long time.

I woke up to my phone buzzing next to me,

For the first time, how much time it was and how quick I needed to get to work weren’t the first things on my mind.

“Hello?” I press the phone to my ears without looking at the caller ID.

“Gabriel,” There was a breathy whisper on the other end. “It’s me. Lily”

“Lily.” I repeated after her, a little dumbstruck and foggy. “Hi”

“Hey,”

My mind cleared, and suddenly, all the sleep disappeared. I rolled over to the other side of the bed, Sophia’s room and her paintings coming into my view.

“Lily,” I greeted again, clearing my throat. “What’s up?”

“Nothing. Um. There was another question in my mind that I couldn’t get myself to ask last evening.”

I shut my eyes, putting my hand through my hair. I would be frustrated if I wasn’t in a situation of my own making. Scratch that. I was still frustrated. “Hm?”

“Did you ever love me?”

“In my own ways. I did, Lily.”

“And if it wasn’t for Sophia, do you think we would have a chance?”

“I don’t know.” I tell her, truthfully. I don’t mention how I had bought a ring and if I would’ve proposed, I would’ve loyal to her till she left me herself. But to be trapped in a marriage like that, so loveless and dry, it scared me after all with Sophia. “Look, I don’t think we should be talking. It isn’t fair to my wife.”

I could hear a sniff from the other end.

gave you the closure you deserved, Lily. You

breathes.

“Goodbye.”

and contemplate between going back to sleep or getting my a*s off and going to work. In the end, I decided the

cancer. If it weighed

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Chapter 75

He greeted me with a smile when I found him sitting by his

the drink he was sipping, which didn’t look anything like his

not. His smile was so wide, it

having an existential crisis?” I ask, taking the chair opposite to him. “Let me know if you are so that I can call the

have today. Now that it’s in your

in the evening by the pool. We need to revisit your definition of enjoying your life,”

a grump.” He rolls

from the

you to my pool day. Your

missed calls.” I unlock it, and notice that there is no password to the phone. Weird. I always had the default lock and home screen so

okay?”

mine. I reply in an unsure voice, “Did it format itself last

an impersonal phone and changing models every few months. The phone looked new just like every other new phone did, but

Lily did call, and I

on. My grandfather says, and unlocks

the call never

groan, “How the hell

“Did you have anything important on it? Something that would be a nightmare

I roll my eyes. “Besides, it’s linked to my Mac. I can track it any where and if someone

sweet technology.” He looks away, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “Since your phone is switched off, I don’t think you

me. If this isn’t my phone, how did she call me?

“What?”

“I exchanged my phone with

frowns at me. “You

a stony glare. “I ran into her. Maybe

Chapter 75

deepens. “So she called you in the

from. The phone

have