His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 91

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My ruined cupcakes sat on the wooden counter, along with the white handkerchief with a crest weaved into one of its corners, a reminder of what a disaster last night was.

I was taking them from my bakery to my apartment for my visit to the hospital today, specifically to a very special girl.

Alina used to be my best friend. Ever since she and her parents died in a fire six months ago leaving her seven year old sister Jenny bed-ridden with severe bronchial issues and numerous complications that I couldn’t wrap my head around but. needed observation all the time, I visited her every week, mostly with my cupcakes that she loved the most.

And now that the last batch was ruined and I couldn’t bake more since I’d run out of batter and frosting, I would have to visit. Jenny empty handed.

She didn’t mind though, and her face lit up all the same upon sering me, flashing her dimples which had become a rare sight these days.

I’m sorry I couldn’t visit yesterday. I tell her after we spend the hour playing board games, “Some idiot customer at the bakery made my day a little harder. I spare her the details of how he came in drunk, ordered I bake him a wedding cake that same evening, and wouldn’t leave till I called the cops

She smiles. “I’m so happy you came today, you remind me of Alina.”

I smile back, it not reaching my eyes. Partly because of the mention of my dead best friend, and partly because her dark and usually glowy skin looked pale today. Her breaths were shallower, and she had a persistent cough.

Tears had welled up in Jenny’s eyes, quickly shifting from a smile to a sob. “I miss her.”

“I miss her too,” I tell Alina, the tightness in my chest returning.

to talk about her parents, her sister, their dog- everything she lost in the fire. I try not to cry in front of that

afternoon dose of medicine and falls asleep holding my hand, and then I finally let the heaviness in my chest take

threatened to turn into

me kindly, “You’ll have

and rush from there, not wanting to draw the attention

I missed Alina. I missed her parents, who were

bathroom, focusing on my

Fair that I dreaded

voice stops me right in my tracks. I wasn’t

you don’t. There was a loud, clear and

covered for us a few months ago? If you even attempt to cross us, we’re taking your hospital down, and that will be just the f*cking beginning of your worst nightmare. Spoiler alert:

next.”

my chest, so

crime existed, outlaws exist, and so does the f*cking mafia. Bratva, as

fire part that knocked the senses

parents were treated here, and

would have any business in covering up

on my part when I open

button.

I think his name was. “Mr. King, y-you cannot threaten

it than earlier if it was

Six months ago.

Fire.