The Billionaire's Contract Wife [COMPLETED]

Seventy-Five: New Place, New Start

[Netherlands]

I had been  tossing and turning in bed. It’s 3 a.m. already and I couldn’t  sleep. Actually wala akong matinong tulog simula noong dumating ako dito sa Netherlands isang linggo na ang nakaraan. 

I felt homesick. Gusto kong umuwi ng Spain. I wanna see my family and my friends. I feel so alone here. 

It must be the hormones. They're driving me crazy with these mood swings. I get so emotional easily these days, I hate it.

Louie got me a house in a small town here in the Netherlands, like I wanted. The Netherlands had always been one of my dream travel destinations. At oo, minsan pinangarap ko ding ma-experience na tumira dito. Pero bakit ganito? Bakit ‘di ako masaya?

Maybe because I thought I would be here with Louie? Not like this. I’m here in this huge house, alone and lonely. 

Ni hindi man lang ako nito inihatid dito sa Netherlands.

He got everything ready, yes, of course. He got people to assist me. But I was expecting that he would, at least, help me settle down here himself. Na hindi nangyari because he was too busy. 

And one week here felt like a decade already! The loneliness is killing me. I wanna go home!

"Shit!" malakas kong wika nang ma-realized kong na-dial ko pala ang number ni Louie. 

I zoned out while staring at our conversations (which is nothing much since he doesn't really text a lot, tumatawag ito kapag may gustong sabihin) when I accidently hit the call button. Dali-dali ko itong ni-cancel.

I did the math. It should be around 8 p.m. in the Philippines right now. Malamang busy pa si Louie. Which is good, he'll be too occupied to notice that I tried to call. 

I locked my phone and set it aside. I really need to sleep now. 

Ngunit kakalapag ko pa lang ng phone ko sa may nightstand nang bigla itong tumunog.

"Oh, shit!" Muli akong napamura nang makitang nagfa-flash ang pangalan at picture ni Louie sa screen. He's trying to FaceTime me.

I grabbed the phone from the nightstand, took a couple of deep breaths to calm myself down, before I hit the answer button with a trembling finger. I could literally feel my heart in my throat. 

"Why are you still awake?" ang agad nitong bungad pagka-connect ng call.

God, he looked so handsome. Tired but still handsome. I miss him so much. 

"You're still in the office?" I asked the obvious. 

He was still in the office based on his background.

"May tinatapos lang," anito. "You haven't answered me yet. Why are you still awake?"

I hesitated a bit. "I… I j-just can't sleep."

His brows furrowed. "And why is that?" He looked worried. 

"I dunno. Namamahay lang siguro?" sabi ko. "Sorry kung naistorbo kita. I didn't mean to call you. Napindot lang. You can end this call now, madami ka pa 'ata tatapusin."

"What's wrong, Aera?" I could feel his stare across the screen. "What's bugging you?"

Am I really that transparent? How can he see right through me easily? 

I suddenly felt a burning sensation in my throat.

Don't cry, Aera. Don't fuckin' cry.

"N-nothing," I said in a shaky voice. "I just.. I just feel.. I dunno. Naho-home sick yata ako," I admitted. And the urge to just let it all go and cry my heart out was becoming too strong.