His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 85

Four Years Later

The pantry was full of Cheetos packets. Even after me nxisting a hundred times in the past few years that Loudly craved when I was pregnant and I really wasn’t a chips monster, Galwiel always kept the kitchen stocked with doses of packets that expired before anyone could eat it, and then he vetlled u

He still hated that all those years ago I needed something, and he wasn’t there to provide

I often pretended to be pissed at it, but I was always lowkey happy

Gabriel kept every promise he made to me. Every day, he proved to be a good lushsand and an even better father, one that was admittedly too protective of his children, especially his dau

He frowned the entire day that she learnt to walk by herself bespise that mean she didn’t need to hold his hand anemone had smiled, proud of my little girl She was still small, short compared to Alex, with her dark hair flowing down in loose curls all the way to her chest. She was quiet buit inquisitive, thoughutal and loved colouring

My husband was sure she’d grow up to have a painting kitack like me.

Alex, on the other hand, was a menace, m lack of other words he was too cumming too wity for his age, loveal spewing. chaos and Gabriel just knew he took after his uncle Dannen, even though Damien was adopted But at the end of the day Alex couldn’t sleep without his father telling him a made up story about animals and me mucking him in bed calicl almost had a heart attack the day Alex told him to tell a different story, because

Then He could handle “grown up stories now, ones that could involve ‘people and punches

Gabriel didn’t sleep that entire night, and I laughed looking at his pace around our room in worry. It was probably because of the new cartoon the twins had started watching at their day care.

Needless to say, that cartoon was banned forever from our house.

Today was a special day. The twins were three and a half years old, running around the entire house, excited they were going to watch their parents get married.

“Aurora! Alex! Slow down! You’re going to fall! I shouted behind them, watching them run in the living room to Zach, who was going to take them to the vennie.

Zach catches them both in his arms, picking up Aurora while Ales clings to his other bicep like a little monkey

1 giggle watching them from above, and on queue, I felt a familiar touch on my arms, a muzzle into my ear.

“Ready to get married, Freckles?”

I grin. “So ready.”

The first time Gabriel and I got married, it was for the world. We didn’t say our own vows, we didn’t dance at our own reception, we didn’t even cut our own cake. Hell, even Gabriel’s tire family wasn’t attending

This time, we were getting married for us. On our fifth anniversary, today, we were going to get remarried. It was in the backyard of our own home, with only a select few people, only our family and friends.

1 held my daughter in my arms, combing through her hair and rearranging the flowers in her braids.

“Mama” She ponders out loud, her honey voice warming my heart. “Why were Alex and I not present in your first wedding

to Dada?”

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Chapter 85

because the two of you weren’t

pouts. I hand her the little basket full of flowers to her, and she observes them keenly while I straighten out the creases. in her

tell her, “I

the beautiful aisle with flowers and candles and chairs on both sides

granddaughter married to a complete stranger. I wish I could have told him it all worked out. I wish I could have told him that me getting married

Alice did for me which wasn’t much because of Gabriel’s demand

say he had an unhealthy

music fills the air around me along

was wearing was white and simple made of silk that hugged my curves, apt for a small wedding made by a local label, unlike the previous branded princess dress

eyes shine as if there were tears glistening in

handed the flowers to my maid of honour, Alice, and stood

it. I stared at Gabriel who stared right back at me with a smile that made me want to hop into

breath hitched every time he bit his lower lip looking at me

I hoped they

bubble when Alex, our ring

till it was time to

him

the rest of my days. With our children as witnesses to our love, I vow to be the best partner I can be to you and the best

found a safe space that I never want to lose. In you, I found pieces of myself that I didn’t realise were missing. You complete me. In your love, I have found my greatest happiness, my deepest peace and the rest of my life. I

tear from his eye, his breathing rough and edgy. I look at our audience to see Leila crying as well and our daughter looking at us

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him hold my hand tighter. “My Freckles. From the day I saw you, the moment I saw you walking down that altar for the first time, I knew you were going to change my world in ways I wasn’t ready for. Every thought that crossed my mind was for you, about you, and still, I somehow kept messing up. I spent so much time bettering myself for you and still, even at my best self, I don’t deserve someone as kind as you. I promise to make myself better every day till the day I might somehow be worthy of you. I promise to cherish you, to love you and to protect you. I promise to be the best father for our children, I promise to be the best role model for them. I love being mundane with you, and I promise to be mundane with you for the rest of my life because

sniff, the tears breaking

time ago, being forced into a contract marriage,

fast when I looked into his eyes and he into mine, exchanging rings till

was dazed until Gabriel’s thumb stroke my

Whitlock as your lawfully wedded husband, to have and to hold. from this day forward, for better,

breath, the smile aching

you may

to be told twice because he pulled me close, towering over me effortlessly despite the heels. I would hear his mother sob happily and his father cheer, but I blocked out every voice, consumed by his lips

away to see our family and friends breaking out in giggles and applauses, but I was focused on my little Aurora covering her eyes with her tiny hands, a little blush on her cheeks while Alex was standing on the chair and jumping and clapping with a grin that

those were all stories for other times because for now, I could focus on my

nose nuzzled

mumbled with the same affection, placing a feathery kiss on the top

pantry with

“Hm?”

think I’m going to need

cheeks turned into a

my lower lip. “I’m pregnant. We’re