His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 116 [MIA] Alex seemed angry. Even though I was shielded behind his back, I could just sense the waves of rage dissipating from him when his eyes flickered from the unexpected guest to Dominic.

"I don't mean any harm," Xander mused, throwing his hands up as if in defence.

"I doubt you can harm me," Alex sounded... bored. Disinterested.

"The gun you're reaching for might suggest otherwise." My breath gets stuck in my throat when I realise Alex's hand was on the gun tucked into its holder which was wrapped around his trousers like a belt- one that I didn't even know he was carrying.

"It's a precaution," Alex says in the stone, not taking Xander's bait. "You're uninvited." "We're both in the inner circle of the Bratva. I merely cfor some... bonding time." The lie slips out of his mouth with a saccharine smile.

"What did you want to do? Paint nails and braid hair?" "No. I was thinking of something else." Xander's head tilts a considerable amount till his eyes find me. "I didn't know prostitutes were your style." 1 stiffen. Alex doesn't even move a muscle. "You don't knowenough to know my style." My heart lurches at the fact that Alex didn't deny the accusation, but I decide to keep my head down and keep faith in him.

"Something we should rectify, don't you think?" He sounded... excited. I shift further behind Alex, getting out of his gaze. "She's pretty. You open to sharing?" A "I don't share." One sentence. Three words. And my heart leapt. I needed to stop being so hopeless and find myself attracted to Alex in the s** of times. His world was dangerous. He was dangerous. And so was Xander.

"Possessive for a prostitute, Alex?" "What I am and am not isn't any of your business." "Yeah yeah. I know. I know." Xander mused, "I just didn't think you were the mistress kind. You are the Pakhan's weapon after all, he's always Alex-this and Alex-that. I thought f**g women, wasting twas... my thing. I didn't know you did anything except plot." "Xander, you have ten seconds to tellwhy you're here. After that, you're out. Alive or dead." "Tch. Tch." Xander clicks his tongue. “Does Hannah know about your... habits?" Alex's fist clenches.

Hannah.

This was what that man had called me, when there was an attack few weeks ago. He said on the phone he didn't know who I was, but he Chapter 116 presumed I was Hannah.

And then there was that article I had roughly seen on Sofia's phone, linking Alex and Hannah.

Who was she? More importantly, who was she to Alex? "This is your last chance to step out of here alive," Alex's voice snapsout of my thoughts.

Xander whistles carelessly.

"And your last warning. I will open fire if you show up unannounced again." Xander picks his hands up again like he had earlier in the universal sign for defence, and takes steps behind till he could seeagain.

"Hannah's prettier, doll." He winks atand Alex brings his gun out, and a shot was fired faster than I blinked. I yelp, but Xander ducks and strides off.

It takesa moment to recover, my breathing uneven before I step out from behind Alex.

"That f**r." Alex grits, turning to Dominic who was just watching the scene. "How the f**k did he get in?" "I told you. The man's unhinged. I tried calling you but you were... occupied." Dominic eyes reachin I squirm.

a disapproving manner.

"Fire all the guards who couldn't stop him. I want them replaced by tomorrow with ones who will open fire if he ever tries this stunt again." Alex seethes, "And I want men trailing him. I need dirt on Xander, and I need it NOW." Alex's voice booms, and I flinch. This was the first tI had heard him raise his voice. He was always so dangerously calm and collected. "No fucker comes to my house, does this, and gets out alive." Dominic nods. "On it." And then he leaves.

Alex breathes, his thumb and index finger pinching his forehead skin before he turns to me, gaze softening. "Do you want to resume-" I cut him off. "Who's Hannah?" His eyebrows shoot up. "Nobody you need to concern yourself with, cupcake." I gulp, my heart sinking further when his response wasn't that she was an ex who had passed away in a ditch. "Who's Hannah?" Alex stares at me. "She's a business deal." "What kind of business deal, Alex?" "A business deal,” he repeats, that eery calm resuming over his features, his eyes dark as if planning a hundred sinister things. He takes a step towards me, his knuckles caressing the skin of my cheek. “You makeforego the world, darling." His touch burnt, and his words felt nothing but a bandaid taping a growing bullet hole. "Who's Hannah, Alex?" I ask again. "What kind of 1 14:46 Tue, 2 Jul Chapter 116 business deal?" He takes his hand off me. "An engagement of convenience." My lips part while I processed his carefully worded sentence. "An engagement?" My eyes were bulging, "You're engaged?" Alex just blinks.

I gasp, an unknown kind of panic seizing my insides.

"It's not like that, Mia," He takes a step towards me, and I take one behind.

44% +5 "No! No. 1-You stay away." I focusing on my breathing. I shouldn't care, every part ofinstructed. But I do care. I still s**ly care. "Did you make her wear your ring, Alex?" E His tongue presses on one of his cheek insides, visible irritation gnawing at him. "Listen to me..." "Was she wearing your ring while you were f**g me?!" "It was not important." He raises his voice. "She is nothing." "Not important?!" I scream. "Do you hear yourself? You made all those promises aboutbeing the only woman who can touch you you were getting engaged?" "Mia," he takes a careful step towards me. "I didn't make those promises in vain. You are the only woman who-" I cut him off. "Don't lie, Alex!" Tears fill my eyes, the pain in my chest increasing tenfold. "Don't lie to me!" "I'm not lying." He softens his tone.

"You're a liar," I repeat, sniffing, the tears threatening to fall. "All you do is lie." "F**k." He grits to no one in particular. "I'm going to kill Xander. I'm going to murder that f**r with my bare hands." "Why? Because he toldthe truth you were hiding?" And the tears fall. My facade crumbles. “How long were you planning to keep it hidden anyway? Or were you planning to get married to her and then dispose me?" "Mia. Shut up." He takes a step towardsand I take one back reflexively. "You're not disposable. And I was never going to get married to her. I'm still not." "You were f**gwhile you were engaged." My voice breaks. "You tookon a date when that is sother woman's right. I am a mistress." "You're not a f**g mistress." He grabsbefore I could move further away from him. "Breathe. Breathe for me." That was when I notice how uneven I was inhaling, and it still didn't feel enough.

I was s**d to think someone like Alex can have morals. That someone like him can actually mean it when he says he belonged tojust as much as I to him.

I try wiggling out of his grip, which only increases. "This was all a play, wasn't it?" I ask i sk in a whisper. To get veto fess up about why I was recording you. You were makingfall for you to know the truth. You were playingall along." 14:46 Tue, 2 Jul Chapter 116 44% A new set of tears arise in my eyes and Alex looked downright raging, like he wanted to punch something with all his strength but kept calm and collected for my sake.

"Mia." He says, firmly. "Listen to me.

Hannah is a business deal. I will cut all ties with her, and am not going to marry her. Pdidn't know that before you, but I knew that the first tI f**d you and every moment since. Nothing I told you was a lie." "More lies." I shake my head blankly. "You wanted the truth right? You want to know why I recorded you and Bakshi that day right?" Something changes in his eyes, an emotion I couldn't read surfacing in them.

"I will tell you everything tomorrow, and then you can decide what to do with me." I wiggle out, and knew that is because he letgo, and not because I could somehow defeat his strong grip. "Just letgo to my room for the night, because I can't even look at you right now." Saying as much, I basically flee from the place just in case he holdsagain, or ropesto the chair.

He doesn't.

He letswalk away, and so I do.