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.

I tried not to, mostly because his gaze took me back to the time he

going to be

eyeing me p

very well it wasn’t

hopefully getting to know he was talking about a different fire altogether, and then I could tell the truth

[ALEX]

meeting running later than it should have. It can

It’s how I lived.

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

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

she sighed. “Ronan’s

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 appearance

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

Chapter 99

smile at her. “I’ll come home

then he appeared in the screen. 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

I promise.” A visit home was

dad walked away.

reached home. I’ll talk to you later, okay?

taunts as a way to lure me back sooner, but I

while removing my coat, surprised to see a sleeping Mia greeting me. Her head was buried in her elbow on the table,

mess.

side, and yet, they couldn’t compare the girl in front of

the dining table,

up?” Lana’s voice