ANMELDENCrystal Martins was nothing but a Pawn in the game of her adoptive father. He wanted the power and fame that came with being related to the Conners, so he gave Crystal to Eric Conner in a loveless marriage. In Eric's house, Crystal was treated not better than a slave. Even maids in the Conners household were better treated than her. Then, she met her long-lost High School sweetheart, Midas, who was ready to take her out of her misery and show her what true love and true happiness really meant. Midas was richer than Eric. Crystal became torn between taking a bold step forward and staying put because of threats from every quarter.
Mehr anzeigen"Di mana?" Nagita bergumam lirih. Perempuan itu melirik jam di pergelangan tangan. Perasaan khawatir merayap dalam dirinya, menunggu kehadiran Jordan.
Grand opening sudah dipersiapkan dengan matang. Pintu masuk Pastel Dreams Cafe telah dihias indah dengan balon-balon berwarna. Karpet merah dibiarkan terbentang untuk menyambut para tamu yang datang. Meja tertata rapi dengan bunga segar di atasnya. Namun, persiapan ini rasanya belum lengkap bila Jordan belum berada di sisi Nagita. "Nona, apa kita mulai sekarang?" Seorang pelayan menghampiri Nagita. "Tunggu sebentar lagi," sanggah Nagita penuh harapan. "Aku masih menunggu Jordan." Nagita mencoba bersikap tenang. Tentu saja Jordan akan datang seperti yang pria itu katakan. Namun, untuk acara sepenting ini ... tidak bisakah calon suaminya datang lebih awal? "Nona, para tamu sudah menunggu. Sebaiknya ini segera dimulai." Nagita menghela napas panjang, mulai meragukan keajaiban bila Jordan akan segera tiba. Tak ingin menunda waktu yang terus berjalan, Nagita degan berat hati terpaksa membuka suara, "Baiklah, aku akan bersiap-siap." Acara yang dinanti pun dimulai. Sorotan langsung tertuju pada sosok Nagita Vaheera. Nagita mengenakan gaun berwarna peach dengan rambut hitam lurus yang tergerai panjang. Ia memamerkan senyum yang dipaksakan. Acara penting yang ia persiapkan dan nantikan sejak lama, justru terasa kosong dan hampa. Seharusnya ... di situasi seperti sekarang ... Jordan ada di sampingnya. Namun, tidak apa. Nagita bisa memaklumi itu. Barangkali ada sesuatu yang menghambat Jordan untuk segera datang. Di hadapan para tamu, Nagita bersiap melakukan pemotongan pita. "Dengan ini, saya nyatakan bahwa Pastel Dreams Cafe resmi dibuka," ujar Nagita dengan penuh haru menggunting pita. Para tamu bertepuk tangan meriah. Nagita mulai menyampaikan pesan, menceritakan bagaimana lika-liku perjuangannya untuk bisa mendirikan kafe yang ia impikan. "Saya ucapkan terima kasih untuk para tamu yang telah hadir. Saya harap, kafe ini bisa menjadi tempat yang nyaman dan mengesankan," tutup Nagita. Keluarga hingga rekan bisnis mulai mengucapkan selamat. "Sayang," sela seorang pria yang gesit menerobos kerumunan orang. "Jordan?" Nagita menatap Jordan dengan perasaan lega. "Syukurlah, kamu sudah datang," ucap Nagita seadanya. Kehadiran Jordan sekarang sudahlah cukup untuk Nagita. "Maaf, aku terlambat. Ada masalah di kantor, jadi aku perlu menyelesaikan itu." Jordan meraih tangan Nagita dan menggenggamnya erat. "Aku janji ini yang terakhir. Aku akan datang lebih cepat bila kau butuh aku." "Tidak perlu janji jika seringkali tidak ditepati," balas Nagita lemah. Ini bukan pertama kalinya Jordan mengatakan hal yang serupa. Sudah terlalu sering kata janji itu terucap dari mulut Jordan. "Tidak apa, sungguh. Aku semakin terbiasa bila kau sibuk." "Nagita, selamat ya!" Lylia datang menghampiri, ikut bergabung di antara Nagita dan Jordan. "Kafenya indah banget. Aku yakin ini bisa menjadi tempat favorit banyak orang," terang Lylia penuh bangga. Melihat kehadiran sahabatnya, Nagita langsung memeluk Lylia erat. "Makasih ya, Ly. Aku seneng kalo kamu suka. Makasih karena selalu dukung aku selama ini." Lylia mengangguk, lalu ia menoleh melirik Jordan. "Dan Jordan, selamat juga ya! Kalian sebentar lagi bakal menikah. Jadi gimana, nih? Sudah sejauh mana persiapan kalian?" Jordan terbatuk, canggung. "Ah, itu ...." "Sejauh ini lancar, Ly," jawab Nagita akhirnya karena Jordan tampak bingung dan tidak nyaman. "Minggu depan Jordan akan menemaniku fitting baju pengantin. Iya, kan, Sayang?" tambah Nagita mencairkan suasana. Jordan terdiam cukup lama sampai akhirnya dengan ragu menganggukan kepala. "Kemarilah, akan aku tunjukkan salah satu menu yang bisa menjadi andalan di kafe ini," ajak Nagita pada sahabatnya. Lylia menerima tawaran Nagita dengan senang hati. Ia lalu menatap Jordan. "Ayo, Jordan! Bergabunglah bersama kami." Jordan menggeleng, membiarkan kedua sahabat itu meninggalkannya. Acara terus berlanjut. Para tamu pun dipersilahkan menyantap hidangan. Nagita dan Lylia ikut menikmati makanan, menyantap lavender honey cake yang punya potensi menjadi menu andalan. Mata Nagita sesekali melirik sekitar, mencari-cari keberadaan Jordan yang begitu sulit Nagita temukan. Hati Nagita berdesir. Di mana calon suaminya? Apa Jordan pergi begitu saja? Jika benar Jordan telah pergi ... kenapa pria itu tidak memberitahunya? Tanda tanya itu membuat Nagita sulit menikmati acaranya sendiri. Ia sampai tidak menyadari bila kafe semakin sepi. Para tamu satu-persatu meninggalkan kafe, termasuk Lylia yang telah berpamitan pulang. Ketika suasana kafe sudah tampak sunyi, para pelayan dengan gesit bekerja, membereskan acara. Tepat saat itulah suara gebrakan meja memekakkan telinga. Seorang pria dengan wajah merah padam mencaci seorang pelayan tanpa ampun. "Apa kau tahu berapa harga jas di tubuhku ini?!" hardik pria itu. "Gajimu tidak akan pernah cukup untuk menggantinya!" "Ma-maafkan aku, Tuan," ujar pelayan yang tidak sengaja menumpahkan segelas kopi sisa ke tubuh pria itu, menunduk ketakutan. Tangannya gemetar mencoba membersihkan noda yang ada di jas. "Panggil bosmu!" Pelayan bernama Laura itu seketika memucat. Ia takut keadaan akan semakin berantakan. Nagita memicingkan mata, cukup kesulitan untuk mengenali siapa pria itu, mengingat posisinya cukup jauh dan membelakangi dirinya. Penasaran, Nagita tanpa pikir panjang mendekat. "Maafkan atas kelalaian yang telah terjadi, Tuan," sahut Nagita sopan, mencoba untuk bersikap profesional. "Aku minta kompensasi darimu!" Pria itu mulai membalikkan badan, menunjukkan siapa dirinya. "Daniel?" kaget Nagita tersadar. Perempuan itu sampai terbatuk, terlalu terkejut dengan pertemuan tidak terduga ini. "Aku minta ganti rugi, Nagita." "Oh, ya .... aku paham." Tidak bisa dipungkiri bila Nagita gugup bertemu dengan pria dari masa lalunya itu. Hubungan mereka tidak berakhir baik setelah Nagita meninggalkan Daniel demi Jordan. Nagita pernah menipu cinta laki-laki itu. "Jika kau berkenan, kami akan berikan kompensasi berupa—" "Kembalilah denganku sebagai ganti rugi." "Hah?” Nagita melongo kaget. Ternyata, baik dulu maupun sekarang, laki-laki itu tidak pernah berubah. Selalu mengejar Nagita. "Sayangnya, aku sudah bertunangan." Nagita dengan cepat menguasai diri. Ia menunjukkan cincin tunangan di jari manisnya. "Sebentar lagi aku akan menikah, Daniel." Daniel sama sekali tidak terkejut mengetahui fakta itu. Seolah dia sudah tahu tanpa Nagita memberitahunya. "Apa aku terlihat peduli?" tantang Daniel. "Minggu depan, makan malamlah denganku." "Apa kau gila?!" Nagita yang sudah mulai kehilangan kesabaran lantas melotot lebar. "Enyahlah, Tuan Daniel!" Daniel terkekeh. "Apa kau lupa siapa aku?" Pria itu seketika melirik ke arah Laura yang kini berlindung di balik tubuh Nagita. "Kupastikan pelayanmu tak akan bisa tidur nyenyak karena kesalahannya ini." "Beraninya kau ...." "Maka, bertanggung jawablah, Nagita."Pearl's (Crystal's) POV ‘I still feel embarrassed about the fact that my grandfather is getting married,’ Midas grumbled beside me as he came to sit, and I laughed, making people close to us glance our way. We were in the garden of his grandfather's house in Paris. Midas had not wanted the outdoor wedding. He had said his grandfather and Karen should just go to the registry, sign the wedding, and be done with it, but his grandfather had insisted on having an outdoor wedding. ‘What are you so uptight about Midas?’ I asked smiling teasingly at him. ‘Getting married at his age and making a hell of a noise about it. He is getting married to a lady half his age, for Christ's sake,’ Midas said, gritting his teeth. ‘I thought you were already used to that idea,’ I said. ‘Yes. But the idea of getting married this way totally takes a whole lot of getting used to,’ Midas said ‘Look at him Midas. He is happy,’ I said pointing at Midas’ grandfather where he stood before the officia
Six months later Pearl's (Crystal's) POV ‘The auction is about to start, ma'am,’ one of my staff came to the backstage and said to me. ‘Yeah. We are set,’ I said casting another glance over our model. My company was having an auction for our latest jewelry designs. Designs I had made myself during the most depressing month of my life. Midas wasn't joking when he said he was breaking things off with me. He cut off all contact with me and returned to his main office in Paris while he left Edmond in charge of everything in Roseville. I tried to contact him several times to no avail. I went as far as traveling to France, but I was told he had gone to London for a business meeting. I went to his grandfather for help, but the older St Clair only pointed out that he had talked to Midas about his decision, but he doubted that Midas was going to bulge. During the hearing of the case of attempted murder and murder that my stepmom and her cohort were charged with, Midas di
Pearl (Crystal’s POV) ‘I still can't believe that your adoptive sister was a part of your kidnap,’ Karen said as she replaced the lid of the bottle she was pouring water from. I was back in the hospital for loss of blood and malnutrition. Two days after I was kidnapped, I started spotting and it got worse. I was practically bleeding by the time the police arrived the day I was rescued. ‘According to her, I made her father's company sink along with the Conners, so she was doing everything she could for money,’ I said, hissing. ‘The Martins are horrible people,’ my grandmother said. She has been in the hospital with me since I was rescued. No matter what everyone said, she refused to leave. Midas made sure I was in a private ward so that a bed could be moved into my room for his comfort. ‘Mrs Martins called me telling me to remember everything her husband has done for me and drop the case immediately. I simply told her that I had no power over the case. She can call the pol
Midas’ POV ‘I can't sign these damn papers. What does she think she is doing? How does she intend to get away with this?’ Mr Rotman said fuming as she paced Agent Kendrick's office. ‘Left to me? I will ask that we keep quiet. They wouldn't understand what we are up to. That will confuse them,’ Agent Thomas said. ‘We can't just decide to say or do nothing. They can harm her,’ I said in frustration. It has been three days since Pearl's stepmother took her from my house. The only thing we heard from them was the documents delivered to her father's house the previous day, accompanied by a letter demanding that he should sign his properties and businesses to his wife within the next twenty-four hours or lose his daughter. We have searched so hard and we had less than five hours to the end of the ultimatum. We had paid media houses to announce that anyone who provided useful information would be greatly rewarded. ‘How did I not see beyond the facade my wife put to the front? I am
Crystal's POV 'I swear on my life I am not seeing anyone, Eric, please,' I said, jumping out of bed as fear gripped my heart. 'You are not seeing anyone yet you were mumbling his name in your sleep? How convenient,' Eric said with sarcasm dripping in his voice. 'I will tell you the truth, pl
Crystal's POV I tried my utmost best to avoid Eric when he returned from work. I was in the kitchen with Karen when he returned. Adele had jumped into his hands kissing him passionately. Eric had shamelessly kissed her back knowing well that Karen and I were there. I didn't feel any jealousy;
Crystal's POV 'How more useless can you be, Crystal?' Eric asked me quietly as he put down the teacup in his hands. He made sure to drop it carefully so that he didn't spill tea on his hand. I knew that when he spoke to me like that, it meant that he was upset with me. I had made the tea just t
Crystal's POV ''Karen!' Eric's shout for our housekeeper shook the whole house that morning. I trembled from the fact that Eric was displeased about something. I was in the kitchen that morning with Karen preparing Eric's breakfast. Karen ran out of the kitchen on trembling legs. I wanted to c












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