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.

mostly because his gaze took me back to the time he

to

eyeing me p

knowing very well it wasn’t needed. Alex and I were plain old

head down, 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

[ALEX]

Grey, with a meeting running later than it should have. It can get exhausting, balancing between both worlds, but according

It’s how I lived.

video call on my way back home, with Mom and Dad also

you even doing here?” I asked Aurora, “And

dad,” she sighed. “Ronan’s out for a

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

she frowns. “If you missed me, you would be here. Not there.” Aurora Whitlock was kind, generous,

Chapter 99

her.

magazine, till Mom came around. He was older now, even though mom would argue he hadn’t aged a day in the twenty-five years

I promise.” A visit home was long

her voice turning into a whisper when dad walked away. “It’s their

I’ll talk to you

way to lure me back sooner, but I just laugh and say bye to her

a sleeping Mia greeting me. Her head was buried in her elbow on the table, her hair

mess.

up to supermodels by my side, and

the untouched food still on the dining table, I

I wake her up?” Lana’s voice fills