The Billionaire's Contract Wife [COMPLETED]

Eight: Ready or Not

"What?" I asked Louie, not sure if I heard him right.

"You're gonna stay here for the meantime," anito.

"In this room?" I asked again.

"Yeah."

"No, I can't stay here," ang sabi ko.

Kumunot ang noo nito. "Hindi ka 'kamo makauwi sa apartment mo. That's why I got this room for you. May problema ba dito? This is the best available room they have at the moment."

"That's the problem. This room is too lavish for me. I can't stay here." I shook my head.

He brought me to a luxury hotel suite after we signed the contract earlier. Halos malula ako sa laki at ganda nitong silid. Hindi na ako magugulat kung ang isang gabing rate dito ay tatlong buwang renta ko na sa apartment na pinagsi-stay-han ko.

"You're not paying for your stay here, kung 'yan ang pinuproblema mo," anito.

Of course! Gustuhin ko man, hindi ko afford!

"That's out of the question," sabi ko. "This room is too much for me. I can't take this."

I saw him slide both of his hands in his pocket before he held my gaze. And by the looks of it, he didn't find our conversation amusing.

"Listen," anito. "You signed the contract. Now, you should learn to fully trust in me and my decisions. I don't have time for this. I need to be back to Beijing first thing tomorrow. I just want to make sure that everything's good before I fly back to China later tonight."

His tone was telling me that it was the end of our discussion. Na wala na akong pwedeng sabihin na makakapagbago ng isip nito.

Napabuntong-hininga na lang ako.

Halos wala pang dalawang oras mula nang pumirma ako sa kontrata pero parang nao-overwhelm na agad ako.

Tama ba 'tong ginagawa ko? Is this worth the risk?

Gaga, 10 million pesos ang pinag-uusapan natin dito, ang sabi ng kontrabidang bahagi ng aking utak. Kahit magpagulong-gulong ka pa sa nag-aalab na baga sa loob ng dalawang taon, hinding-hindi mo yan kikitaing mag-isa!

Oo, alam ko naman 'yon. But still, I couldn't help but get scared.

Sabi nga sa Spider-Man "With great power comes great responsibility."

Kaya ko bang gampanan ang role na ito?

What if I fail to meet his expectations?

Mukha akong pera, oo. Pero natatakot din naman ako.

"So, I guess, we're good now?" I heard him ask.

"Do I have a choice?"

"Nope, you don't. Let's get going," anito matapos i-check ang oras sa suot na mamahaling relo.

"Saan?"

"To your apartment."

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko. "But why?"

"I'm guessing you need to get some of your personal stuff? You don't have to take so much, though. Just take what you truly need. Like some school stuff and such."

"But I can't come home yet. Andun pa din daw 'yong mga taga-media. I've talked with a neighbor through a phone call just this morning."

"So? What are you scared of? I'm here with you," anito bago ito nagpatiunang lumabas ng kwarto.

I'm here with you.

Ano daw?

Pucha! Bakit kinilig na naman ako?! Parang gusto ko tuloy batukan ang sarili ko.

A few minutes later, we pulled in front of my apartment's building. At kahit medyo distansya, kita ko agad ang mga taga-media sa baba.

Seriously, wala ba talaga silang planong sumuko? It has been two weeks already, for Pete's sake!

"Let's go?" Narinig kong saad ni Louie.

Bumaling ako sa kanya. "Are you sure you wanna do this?" tanong ko.

"Of course," anito.

"They'll see us together."

"I know."

"They'll take a photo of us together."

"So?"

"I am far from being camera ready now," I said.

He's wearing an expensive suit as usual. While I'm in my usual loose hoodie and faded jeans. Parang nakakahiya namang mapicturan kasama ito. Magmumukha akong pulubi sa tabi nito.

"You don't have to."

"Hindi ka ba nahihiyang makuhanan ng picture kasama ako? Looking like this?"

"That's the least of my worries right now. Look, I don't have much time to spare. Let's go!"

Muli akong nagdalawang-isip. "Anong sasabihin ko sa kanila?"

"You don't have to say anything."

"Gawd, I don't think I'm ready for this."

"You should have thought about that when you signed the contract," he said before he stepped out of the car.

Lumigid ito para pagbuksan ako ng pintuan. I was hesitant but he grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the luxury car.

It didn't take long for the media people to notice us. Agad itong nag-unahang tumakbo palapit sa amin.

The moment I stepped out of the car, Louie fixed my hoodie and pulled my cap down to cover most of my face. Then he put his arm around my shoulder and led me to the entrance of my apartment building.

Sinalubong kami nung nag-uunahang mga reporters. They are the international correspondents of Philippines' local TV networks.

They started raining questions on him.

"Mr. del Rosario, is it true that you have broken up with Monica Castillo? Hindi na ba tuloy ang kasal ninyo?"

"Mr. del Rosario, may balak ka bang umuwi ng Pilipinas para suportahan ang nalalapit na kandidatura ng tatay mo?"

"Mr. del Rosario, can you please tell us about your new love?"

"Mr. del Rosario, anong masasabi mo sa balitang tinu-two time mo raw si Monica Castillo?"

"Mr. del Rosario, may alitan ba kayo ng pamilya mo? Iyan ba ang dahilan kaya hindi ka na umuuwi ng Pilipinas?"

Louie kept pushing through the crowd while trying to protect me.

"I'm sorry but I cannot give any statement right now," anito. "Please excuse us."

Patuloy akong iginigiya nitong papunta sa entrance ng apartment building.

At sa tangkad nito, pakiramdam ko'y ligtas ako sa mga bisig nito. Kaya mas lalo akong nagsusumiksik sa malapad nitong dibdib habang pilit sinasabayan ang mabilis at mahahaba nitong mga hakbang.

And I was once again reminded of how good he smelled.

Nakarating naman kami ng matiwasay sa loob ng buiding.

"Gawd, that was crazy," I said the moment we stepped inside the apartment building entrance and closed the main door behind us.

"Are you okay?" Narinig kong tanong nito sa akin.

"Y-yeah. I'm... I'm good," I answered. "But that was scary."

"Masanay ka na. Those people would pester you even more now that we had practically come out in the open."

Gosh, am I really ready for this?

Ten million, gaga! Ten million! I kept reminding myself.