The Billionaire's Mistake

MISTAKE 41

Chapter 41: Insomia

"Good," he said. It was unsure what he was referring to when he answered, but his eyes deepened as he stared at her, yet Anya did not seem to notice.

Daniel tossed and turned in his bed, the weight of sleeplessness bearing down on him like a heavy blanket. It meant to suffocate him till he could no longer breathe.

It had been weeks since he had experienced a good night's sleep, either the constant tossing and turning, leaving him exhausted and drained, or the emptiness carrying him around the house at odd hours.

The soft glow of the moon filtered through his window into his room, mocking him as he lay awake, staring blankly at the ceiling. He had barely slept these past months. He could not muster up to three hours of rest a day and was making him agitated.

No matter how hard he tried, sleep eluded him. It was ignored every time he dared to reach for it, slipping through his grasp like sand through fingers. He was like a trapped man in a desert, barely any water in sight. He had started to think he had lost his mind when his eyes looked for Anya in every room. It seemed only heavy medication could help him sleep. But it lasted no longer than an hour.

In a desperate try to save his mind, Daniel turned to his work. He threw himself into his tasks.

with a fervor akin to obsession. The mountain load of work provided a fleeting sense of comfort, a temporary distraction from irritation within him. He buried himself in spreadsheets and reports; it was though he wished the documents would consume him or fill the emptiness that seemed to have come out of nowhere.

But no matter how busy he kept himself, the nagging sense of unease persisted. A part of him knew what his problem was. A part of him knew what he wanted. What he wanted to see just to put his mind at rest was Anya.

He wanted his Anya. The feeling had gnawed at him for so long, yet he dared not admit it. He

had not paid her much of any attention when she was married to him, but the moment Anya. left, she was all he noticed, yet there was not enough of her around.

At night, he would find himself wandering to her room and looking through her things. The first night he had come, he realized that she had left everything behind. Her closet was full of clothes Lena had bought her; it threatened to spill over.

It gave

he waited, she never walked through the door. He had found her wedding ring on the nightstand. It was a random ring he had told his assistant to pick, but Anya

it around his neck. He glanced at the ring on his finger. For some reason, he was unable to take it off. He had worn it for a long

but his

neared and the sun receded, Daniel was ready to go home, because that is where all he had of Anya was. At the same time, he did not want to go, because when he got home, he would be reminded that he had lost Anya. Just when he

seen you in a while,"

I have been busy," he

agreed. He told his driver to change directions to a bar he and

time he got there, they had already had a few

here?" One of his friends, James, spotted him the moment

lled out to him.

one of his friends, Hunter, said. "You were in the city, and you were hard to find." Daniel took a seat with them, poured himself a

not have the time, It's in Lincoln City. When are you going to be free so

no more

0

friends. They had known that he was in a contract marriage; that is why they did not bother to know his wife. Daniel was even less interested in his wife than they were, so they did not think it mattered. Only Ethan had seen her several times. The rest of them had never even met her before. Apart from knowing her name, they had not bothered

start pestering you soon," Hunter

no wonder I saw your ex-wife in Lincoln City," he said,

City?" he asked, trying hard to restrain the desperation in his voice, but his friend could still catch it. They suddenly noticed that Daniel looked worn out. At

did you see her?" Daniel

at

company. Why?" Ethan asked. They had a

good look. When he saw Daniel's expectant eyes, he

seemed normal, I guess. She was leaving the building, so I did not take a