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?”

1/4

Chapter 85

giggle, kissing her forehead. “That’s because the two of you weren’t born

and she observes them keenly while I straighten out the creases. in her little pink tulle

tell her, “I love

mam door, and I caught a glimpse of the outside the beautiful aisle with flowers and candles

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

make-up that Alice did

to say he had an

while entering. Everyone stands up and soft music fills the air around me along with scent of lavender and vanilla, and I focus on

a local label, unlike the previous branded princess

got close enough, I could seem his eyes shine as if there were tears glistening in them and I had to gulp to hold back a sob

the flowers to my maid of honour, Alice,

by lying if I said I heard a single word of it. I stared at Gabriel who stared right back at me with a smile that

breath hitched every time he bit his lower lip looking at me as if his sinister thoughts for

I hoped they

our ring bearer, nudged on my gown

him till it was time

him

vows first. “As I stand here today, hand in hand with you. Gabriel, I vow to honour and cherish you for 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 mother I can be to them, to nurture and protect our family and to love the three of you immensely, every

me. In your love, I have found my greatest happiness, my deepest peace and the rest of my life. I love you. Thank you for choosing me every day, for being the best husband

look at our audience to see Leila crying

2/4

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

sniff, the tears breaking

time ago, being forced into a contract marriage, who knew we

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

dazed until Gabriel’s thumb stroke my palm

to have and to hold. from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for

smile aching my cheek

may kiss

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 on mine, so softly like Was the first time, his fingers tracing the skin of my lower back and he turned me to the other side before dipping

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

other times because for now, I could focus on my husband who pulled me to the dance

My nose nuzzled

mumbled with the same affection, placing a

you know how you always stock up the pantry with cheetos in case I need it someday?” I

“Hm?”

I’m going to

turned into a little pout when he furrowed his eyebrows,

bite my lower lip. “I’m pregnant.