His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 99

[MIA]

In the two days after that dinner, I baked each evening, and it was like someone had brought back life into me.

The next day, there were barely any baking materials present and I had to make do with what was, and not to forget the usual cook had gotten a huge headache with me butterflying around him, but the day after that, I went down to see all materials and equipment there.

They were just there.

And when I asked around, nobody knew who ordered them, all their mouths clamped shut.

I like to think I had somehow managed to make a friendship with Greg, the head chef. “So, baking was kind of an escape,” I tell him, after finishing my story of how I had been doing this since sixteen with minimal ingredients at first.

“I am going to take some of your pie for my daughter,” he tells me, referring to this five year old girl whose picture he had shown me earlier. “She’s a sugar monster, I swear.”

pel by

the

“I know a little girl who’s alike,” I smile sadly thinking of Jenny, of the oven indicating my pie was prepared.

Handing it to Greg to serve later, I make my way to shower the kitchen smell off and then make my way to the dining room, followed by Lana of course.

Eye roll. As if I could run away from a house whose every inch was under surveillance.

I wait in the dining room, where Alex usually joined me. Although he pretended to be disinterested and even frowned upon seeing me every single time like clockwork, I happen to think he quite enjoyed my company.

and I usually blushed even when I tried not to, mostly because his gaze took me back to the time he was

going to be late,” Lana

eyeing me p

well it wasn’t needed. Alex and I

making exaggerated plans about finding a way to snoop around his room or his study and find more about the fire six months ago, hopefully getting to know he was talking about a different fire altogether, and then I could tell

[ALEX]

day at Grey, with a meeting running later than it should have. It can get exhausting,

It’s how I lived.

talked to her on video call on my way back home,

doing here?” I asked Aurora, “And where’s

dad,” she sighed. “Ronan’s

I tell her, staring into lighter brown eyes and dark hair in loose curls. My twin sister may be born at the same time as me, but we were different in every way except the slight

missed me, you would be here. Not there.” Aurora Whitlock was kind, generous, and polite. I… was

Chapter 99

smile at her. “I’ll

Gabriel Whitlock used to be the hottest bachelor in the Forbes magazine, till Mom came around. He was older now, even though mom would argue he hadn’t aged a day in

laugh heartily. “Soon, I promise.” A visit home was long overdue any way. “Where’s

voice turning into a whisper when dad walked away. “It’s their twenty-fifth anniversary this year. We are

reached home. I’ll talk to you

alone while I’m with Mom and Dad,” she taunts as a way to lure me back sooner, but I

my coat, surprised to see a sleeping Mia greeting me. Her

mess.

had woken up to supermodels by my side, and yet, they

still on the dining table, I shake

wake her up?” Lana’s