His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 46
GABRIEL
Damien was a plague. Once he makes up his mind about something, there was no changing it. He got what he wanted. no
matter what it took.
And for some reason, he had his mind set on meeting my wife and saying hi to our family before he goes back to whatever hell
hole he crawled out of
I knew better than to stop him.
1 didn’t mind him meeting Freckles, despite what I told him earlier.
Damien was an important part of who I was, even if I didn’t like talking about him because I don’t agree with the decisions he
made, the life he chose. And I knew my mother would cry for hours holding him when she gets to know he was here.
But there was something more important on my mind than a family reunion, and that was getting my wife back.
1
Four hours after we landed, I was reaching her home town. Darmien, like the plague I said he was, came along after we dropped
Zach safe and sound to his wife who would surely kill me if she found out about the ‘work’ I had stolen him for.
“So, no Lily?” He asked after I was done catching up on his life, his new tattoos and all the new blood on his hands.
“No Lily,” I reply, and my eyebrows furrow. “How do you even know about Lily?”
A calm smile rests on his lips. “The same way I know about your wedding.”
“You having me trailed, little bro?”
‘Don’t call me that. The smile quickly turns into a frown. “And for the record, I never liked Lily. Your relationship looked.... boring.
“Look at you acting like a know it all after vanishing for years,” I hunt.
He leans back on the seat. “What do you think of my new name? King?”

“Will you change it back to Damien Whitlock if I say I don’t like it?”
“No.”
“Then I like it.”
Tight smiles linger on both our lips as I pull into the streets that begin looking familiar to the one I had visited last time. The sun
had set, and all the little shops had lit lights outside. The entirety of the street was covered by dainty yellow lights, and making it
look like the kind of town that they shot a small town Christmas romance film at.
It was a very stark opposite from the bustling of the city, a place would love to spend a few years at maybe to take a break from
work- if I ever took a break. Not till I’m seventy at least.
But it was still peaceful, and I found myself admiring the little things and boards and markets we passed since I didn’t have the
time to do that last time. I didn’t this time either, owing to the fact I had left her alone for almost a week, so I paused my thoughts
and drove faster.
I wouldn’t even mind running over a person or
” if their name was Sam and ended with Riley.
I could get away with one murder if Damien gets away with so many.
1/3
“You look nervous. My brother commented, amused when we walked towards her grandfather’s house I have never seen
Vou Dervous”
“My wife left her ring behind and came here six days ago, and I didn’t call or text. Her tiny, stubborn brain has concocted some
story about how I don’t want her. Of course I’m nervous.” Itell the d*ck enjoying my misery.
“Do you?” He c*cks an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Want her?”

I nod. Just her.”
“Then you tell her that.”
I reach out to him to ruffle his hair like I did when we were kids, which annoys him and he swats away my hand before it could
come anywhere near his hair. I laugh. “Since when did you become the master in how to get the girl?”
“That I have zero experience with since girls throw themselves a me any way.” He smirks, “I am a master emotional manipulator
though.”
‘Sure.”
I knock on her grandfather’s door, and cover the peephole just in case it’s Jim’s granddaughter who comes to the door and
decides to throw a tantrum by not opening.
The door was answered much quicker than I expected though, as if someone was waiting by it.
The girl on the other end wasn’t the one I wanted to see.
I frowned, and her expressions mimicked me perfectly. “Gabriel”
“Alice.” 1 greet.
Her frown doesn’t budge. “What’re you doing here?”
Ignoring her question, I ask, “Where’s my wife?”
She crosses her hand in front of her chest, blocking the entryway. “You didn’t remember her for six days, and now suddenly
she’s your wife.”
I don’t bother engaging with her. “I liked you when we first met because Freckles mentioned you were with her through a hard
time, but there is only so much courtesy I extend to anyone, friend or not. Move.”
She seemed even more determined to stand her ground. “Or what?”
My brother finishes the sentence for me, standing by my side, rolling the sleeve of his shirt. “Or you will be moved.”

She glares at him and he glares back, and I don’t need even mention who won because she moves after a few seconds, giving
us way to come inside.
If she’s here, does that mean so is that f*cker?
Because I swear to God, I might be the one who tried to discipline my brother’s wrongs, but murder is not beneath me when it
comes to this girl.
As if just on queue with my thoughts, Sam’s head peaked out from the couch. “Can you guys keep it down? His eyes just
flickered to me and then settled on his friend. “Jim is already suspicious.”
Suspicious of what?” I ask
Sam looks uneasy. He almost squirms. “Sof isn’t home yet.”
Her name is Sofia” I glare and then look at Alice because I meant it when I said murder wasn’t beneath me. I highly doubt
Freckles would be happy to come back to see her friend murdeil: “What does he mean? She’s not home... yet?”
Alice sighs ‘She went to buy grocery two hours ago. She hasn’t returned home yet and her phone is switched off.”
So I blink, eyebrows furrowing. She could’ve bumped into a end and stopped to grab coffee or something?
Alice and Sam exchange a look.
I hate being left out of the loop, especially if the said loop was alfout my wife.
I tap my shoe to the floor, impatient.
Their eyes turn back to me.
1 glare.
“We got a call... for ransom.” Alice supplied the missing information and a chill passed through my body as the need for murder
1 had barely suppressed returned again.