His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 23 1 had never heard a silence that was so loud. It was weighing down on my shoulders when we settled on the long wooden table. Gabriel on one side along with Peter and a girl I didn't recognise, and me, Alyssa and our boss on the other.

I half expected my husband to make a scene, to scream, shout of at least acknowledge me, but instead he say quietly on the other side, his eyes focused on just me, his gaze so sharp I was afraid to even look at him.

I kept my vision and all focus on the file in front ofwhile a conversation spun.

"This cas quite a surprise to us. It was Viktor, my boss, who was speaking. "We heard rumours about your expansion to Europe. I wasn't too sure if the news is true, but I guess it is.” "It is. Gabriel replied.

Look up. Look up. He didn't ask you where you were working, so you didn't tell. You didn't make a mistake. You're not guilty.

I looked up.

His eyes were still on me, eyes narrowed when I looked at him, makingregret looking up.

Wales was the biggest competitor of Whitlock. I wondered why I was on a table with the CEO of them both.

Gabriel finally looked at Viktor. "I fired Arthur Geller two weeks ago." I stiffened. My boss raised an eyebrow. "I heard a word or two about that. So it's true?" Gabriel nodded. "One of his companies" Viktor cut him off. He has a packaging and distributing base in England. So do I. Letguess, since you've fired Arthur, you wantto package for you." Gabriel nodded again. "You do that for Crystal. I want you to do it exclusively for me." "And why would I do that? Help you expand to England, I mean. Being direct competitors and all, I have no interest in adding to your business.

"TII pay you double of what Crystal pays you." Gabriel says, "I only have the capital and tto set up manufacturing before the year ends, not the packing and distributing of it. I also happen to know that your company's packaging sector worldwide. is overseen by your father. I cto you out of good ethic. Mr. Hart appreciated this offer a lot." "You met my father." Viktor's voice was accusatory.

"He seemed quite smitten by me." There was a smile on Gabriel's lips that wasn't genuine at all, 'He said maybe I could teach you a thing or two." | "He did not say that." "Maybe he did. You see, you wouldn't know since he stopped talking to you when you blackmailed him out of his own company, leaving only it's packaging part under his control, which fortunately worked out great for me." "So there is no offer. You've chere to gloat- I didn't hear the rest of what my boss said because I broke into hysterical coughs. It started out as an irritation in my throat, and as I coughed once, I couldn't really stop. I wasn't sure what it was, but it was irritation that spread from my throat to my chest.

www"Ms. Baker?" When I looked up, my boss had held out a glass of water forthat I took from him while still coughing, and it was only when I'd had more than half of the glass that I could finally stop, my chest still hurting. "Sorry, I murmured when I finally caught my breath, eyes filled with water. "I don't know what happ-"" "Hands off her, please." Gabriel said please, but there was no request in his tone.

Stopping short in what I was saying, 1 looked up to Gabriel, as dill the rest of the table. He was standing. He stood up. I' hadn't seen that. Why was he standing? My eyebrows knit in confusion and I looked to my side where my boss was, and noticed his hand was softly behind my back. Barely touching. Just grazing. But it was there, lightly pattingover my coat while I coughed. "I said, take your hand off my wife." He repeated, emphasising on each word slowly.

"Your wife?" Viktor raised an eyebrow and I immediately shrugged his hand off.

"Yes. My wife. It isn't Ms. Baker, it's Mrs. Whitlock for you. Sofia Gabriel Whitlock." It was the first tI ever heard my nbeing said along with his like this, and that too by him- Sofa Gabriel Whitlock.

Buttoning Itis jacket over his crisp white shirt, he walked from his side of the table to mine. Towards me. "Gabriel." I reflexively stood up, voice nothing more than a murmur.

"As: s you can clearly see, my wife is sick and your working hours are over. I'm sure you don't mindtaking her hwith me, do you? Gabriel asked my boss, but it didn't seem a question. At all.

Viktor nodded dismissively, and my husband looked at Peter. "Collect all her stuff and get it home, yeah?" "Gabriel." I called, a little louder. He didn't answer. He held my hand, firm, and he began walking out, leavingno choice but to trail behind him till we reached his car.

"Out." He told the driver and by the tthe driver stumbled out, he opened the door to the passenger seat for me.

"Gabriel." I said again, more firmly, crossing my hands over my chest.

"Freckles, get in." "No." "Freckles." His tone held a warning.

'Gabriel, no.

"Freckles, either you get in willingly or I will carry you and put you inside. Choice's yours."

I stood adamant for a second too long, looking at his size and then mine. There's no way I could take on him. Huffing, I got in He got in the NOV driver's seat and the engine roared leaving his driver behind. I stared at his retreating figure in the rear view mirror until he wasn't visible anymore, and then I looked at my husband. "Gabriel"

He didn't answer. He didn't even look I at me. I huffed again and didn't call him for the rest of the ride. T let him speed recklessly until the car cto a screeching stop. It wasn't our house. It looked like a showroom of sorts.

"Stop pouting. Get out. He said, and my lips parted thinking he was kickingout of the car in the m middle of the road 2:30 Tue, Jun, Chapter 23 when he shut the engine and got out himself, leavingto quietly follow him across the road.

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