His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 86

Alex and Aurora: 2 and a half years old.

“Mama?” Alex called me, and I smiled at my little boy. He had spoken for the first time almost a year and a half ago, but it still made me grin every time he called me mama with his little voice

“Yes, baby?” I coord, picking him up in my arms and carrying him outside, letting his sister sleep,

“Play?” He blinked his huge eyes, and 1 nod.

“Of course, my love.”

1 carry him to the twins’ little play area in the house, and he happily hops out of my arms and into the soft area where his blocks and cars were kept along with Aurora’s dolls and a soft ball pit that they could jump into.

I watch as he puts a few blocks on top of one another, making a tower.

I

“Wow. That’s so tall.” I sit next to him, passing him the blocks one by one as he adds them onto his creation, careful not to topple them.

It w

was a quiet afternoon in our house. Gabriel was at work, and this was usually the time for the twins to nap but Alex had a sugar rush and couldn’t sleep. Even then, he wasn’t making noise, aware his sister was sleeping in the room next to ours.

“Mama… look!” He pointed at the tall tower, satisfied by how much he had managed to pile on.

1 was just about to praise him when he punched right in the centre of it, watching with a spark in his eyes how all of it fell down into many pieces.

“FUN!” He shouted, the grin of his mouth endless, his brown eyes showing so much sudden enthusiasm.

1 sighed, resisting the urge to face palm.

It’s bothersome how much destruction excites him.

“You’re supposed to build, my love. Not break.” I remind him gently, smiling at his antics.

“If no break, then how build again?” He pouts, and I nearly laugh

way. Always inquisitive, always observing, always witty. And his knack for watching things break? It was concerning

the middle

“Yes Alex?”

somehow missed the jiggling of the keys or the sound of footsteps, I turned around just in time to

him with my eyebrows furrowed. “You’re home so

to the play area through the little white gate, kissing me softly “How come

had a cookie after lunch,” I told my husband as he

monster” Gabriel cooed his son, placing a big

1/3

Chipter

the car over Gabriel’s coat,

1 gled

met would one day let a little child run his toy

Gabriel?” I asked

was missing

“And not me?” 11

pout.

it wasn’t as open as I had

from Gabriel’s hold,

shifts closer to keep a closer eye on him, dipping his

inch closer to him, sitting the same way. His shoulders were tense, and he

I ask again, passing my hand through his arm to be able to rest my temple on his shoulder. “Don’t lie to me. Why’re

top of my head, taking a deep breath over my head as if to absorb my presence.

forehead creases “A bad dream?

whispers. “In the house. I was coming back from somewhere from work, I think. And I came to

on his

one

love,” I mumble, striking his palm with my thumb of my free hand, and he intertwined our fingers, bring it closer to his lips to place a kiss

shut my eyes for a brief

just a dream, Gabriel,”

I was ever given such an impossible choice, yo know I would put myself through a

course I know that,” I whisper. “You’re a

me when they grow up, when they find

never find out. And even if they do,