“I want nothing to do wi…” she swallowed hard as he turned to her. The heated look in his eyes was enough to make her resolve fly out of the window. “You were saying?” His voice felt like a wisp caressing her body. “Huh?” Serena was sure that the heater had been turned up another notch as she struggled to remember what she intended to say. *********** Serena Jones was married to her emotionally abusive, prim, and proper college sweetheart. Living a boring life as the "perfect" housewife supportive of her husband and his habit, though she was frustrated with the lack of passion in their home. Frustrated while conforming to the standard set for her by her mother and mother-in-law, she met Kincaid Aslanov. Kincaid Aslanov is the current head of the Aslanov clan, a gun-dealing and influential family. Betrayed by his aide and fatally wounded, he met the dutiful Serena, whom his brother coerced to take care of him. She was a temptation he couldn't resist. He was the danger she should never have known. This story is the perfect example of how powerfully opposites attract. Will Serena give in to her inner fire and grab on to the opportunity to come alive? Partake in the amazing, plot-twisting journey of our protagonist to find out.
View More“Ruwet! Ruwet!” Cewek muda berponi itu ngedumel dengan semburat raut sebal.
Dia berjalan melintas jalan raya tengah malam, yang langitnya menampakkan bulan sedang berdampingan dengan bintang.Penampakkan itu justru membuat si cewek berponi yang belum sempat mengikat rambut bercat honey tea kusut itu semakin merasa merana. Lengkung miris pun tergaris. Ia mengelus dadanya seraya berucap,“Bulan aja ada pasangannya,” celotehnya lelah hayati dan berhenti melangkah sejenak. Lah aku? Baru pacaran lima hari aja udah jadi jomlo lagi. Nasiib, nasib. Sabar, ya, buat aku ....“Keluhan itu sebenarnya sama sekali tidak membantu. Malah yang ada beban hidupnya terasa tambah berat, dan ujung-ujungnya malah bikin stres abis.Nama cewek itu Dea Klaudia, putri bungsu dari sesebapak bernama Pak Jhon. Widih, keren, ya, nama bapaknya Dea? Itu panggilannya. Kalau nama aslinya Jhoni Mujahidin, seorang juragan ternak ikan lele yang ketenaran usahanya tak diragukan lagi.Dea ini punya tiga kakak perempuan yang usianya tak terlalu terpaut jauh. Dia sekarang berusia dua puluh satu, tapi otaknya sudah melebihi otak si kakak tertua—Dina. Pikirannya terus saja tertuju pada pernikahan. Dia kira menjalani pernikahan itu mudah?Terkadang Dea ini suka ngeces kalau lihat penampakan cowok ganteng. Tak peduli soal bibit, bobot, bebet. Kalau hati sudah buka pintu, dia pasti langsung kejar sampai dapat.Nah, ini jadi permasalahan besar untuk keluarga Pak Jhon. Ia dan para kakak-kakak merasa anak bungsunya masih sangat labil dan terlalu mudah jatuh cinta. Kalau dibiarkan terus, nanti setelah menikah takutnya rumah tangga Dea yang belum seumur jagung akan kandas secara sia-sia, persis seperti kakak keduanya—Anita—yang bercerai sebulan setelah menikah. Miris.Itulah kenapa Pak Jhon dan ketiga, lebih tepatnya kedua anaknya yang lain sepakat untuk mengadakan seleksi calon menantu secara ketat. Siapa pun cowok yang dekat-dekat dengan Dea, bakal dihadang olehnya dahulu.“Tak semudah itu wahai ....” Begitulah jargon Pak Jhon yang kreatif ini.Bayangkan saja saat Pak Jhon mengatakannya diiringi tawa menggelegar penuh ancaman yang amat seram, sambil tangan kanannya mengelus janggut lumayan panjang yang sebagian sudah memutih.Jika bagi Pak Jhon kelakuan Dea adalah masalahnya, bagi Dea malah yang jadi masalah adalah bapak serta sodara-sodaranya. Mereka terlalu ikut campur pada kehidupan percintaan dia. Sampai pakai acara ngadain seleksi calon menantu segala.Malam ini Dea menenteng tas ransel yang isinya mengalahkan tas ransel Dora. Dan isinya bukanlah berupa peta menuju pulau dewata apalagi Alaska, melainkan benda-benda keramat milik wanita. Seperti lipstik, bedak, krim wajah, krim kaki, krim leher, dan krim lainnya.Banyak pokoknya. Ribet kalau harus disebut satu-satu.Sebagai pemberat, ia banyak menjejalkan pakaian yang diambil dalam lemari beberapa belas menit lalu. Ceritanya Dea ini kabur, lagi ngambek sama bapak dan kakak-kakaknya.Ia datang ke rumah Nana, teman sejawat dari masa ketika mereka masih balita. Letaknya tepat berada di depan rumah bapaknya sendiri.Duh, kabur, kok deket-deketan. Ya, pasti gampang disusulin.Itu bukanlah kemauan Dea. Andai punya uang ratusan juta, sudah pasti ia milih kabur ke Amerika, atau Paris, bisa juga ke Afrika? Ya, pokoknya pergi jauh dari keluarganya sambil cuci mata lihat bule-bule di sana.“Assalamualaikum! Momy, Nana ... buka, dong ...!”Dea mengetuk pintu sambil mengucap salam. Namun, dari nadanya yang tinggi bertempo cepat, ucapan itu terdengar agak menggelegar. Persisi seperti debt collector mau nagih utang. Tambah bikin risih kalau pakai acara gedor-gedor daun pintu segala. Untung cewek ini nahan diri.Pintu terbuka, tetapi yang menyambutnya adalah wanita yang tadi dipanggil ‘Momy’ oleh Dea. Namanya Karina. Terlihat lengkung senyum hangat tergaris memanjakan mata, membuat keadaan hati Dea yang sedang marah membara sedikit terasa adem. Salam Dea pun dibalasnya.“Momy ....” Dea merengkuh tubuh proposional janda kalem itu erat-erat. “Bapak, tuh ....” Dan akhirnya mengadu kalau ia sedang marah pada bapak dan ketiga kakaknya karena suatu hal.Wanita yang cantik khas orang dewasa ini berusaha menenangkan dengan memberi elusan di kepalanya sambil menarik masuk ke dalam ruangan.Nana lari pontang-panting, turun dari lantai atas sambil pegangin perut. Dia lagi diare sebenarnya. Sekarang wajah oval itu menampakkan keseriusan yang amat menyiksa. Garis-garus halus tercetak lumayan jelas di kening Nana, dan dia menatap sahabat sekaligus tetangganya penuh tanya. Sayang, diarenya tak bisa ditahan lagi saat itu.“Eh, Dea! Bentar, ya, ada urusan penting dulu yang nggak bisa ditunda-tunda!” Dia berlari, belok kanan dan masuk ke area dapur. Kemudian masuk ke kamar mandi.Ribut sekali Nana ini samapai pintu kamar mandi pun dibantingnya.Dea menangis sesegukan usai bercerita tentang apa yang membuatnya memutuskan minggat ke tetangga depan rumah.Katanya, dia lagi ngambek sama mereka gara-gara bikin hubungannya dengan si pacar kandas. Nahasnya, ini adalah kisah ke tiga belas yang gagal terhalang karena seleksi calon menantu.“Ya, ampun Zeyenk ... ikut prihatin sama kandasnya hubungan kamu sama si Arip itu.” Nana menunjukkan raut sesal, mengibai Dea. Padahal, ia sama sekali tak butuh ditatap begitu. Kesannya semakin menyedihkan sekali.Dea mendelik, tangisnya terhenti, dan ia kini menyatukan kedua alisnya yang hitam mengilat oleh pensil alis.“Arvan, Na ... bukan Arip!” dengkusnya sebal, tetapi rasa itu masih ditahan-tahan sekuat tenaga.Nana nyengir kuda, “Eh, iya. Arvan. Salah ternyata. Kalo nggak salah, Arip itu mantanmu yang ke sepuluh, ya?”Dea menatap semakin sengit. “Nana, Banana ... kapan aku punya mantan namanya Arip?! Ngaco!” Tentu saja ia bantah, soalnya tak masuk akal. Mana pernah cewek berponi itu punya pacar namanya Arip. Ngada-ngada.Momy Karina menyela, menghentikan perdebatan tak berfaedah mereka. Ya iyalah, daripada berisik, kan?“Sudah ... kalian ini kenapa, sih? Ribut cuma karena satu nama. Mau itu Arip, Aron, Arit, intinya Dea lagi galau berat. Kamu jangan nambah-nambahi, dong, Na. Kasihan, kan?”Dea menatap Momy Karina haru, kepalanya mengangguk pelan setuju. Sementara Nana hanya terus nyengir saja, seolah masalah yang dibawa Dea bukanlah suatu hal menyedihkan.Begitulah teman sejati. Selalu tertawa di atas penderitaan.“Ya, sudah. Kamu naik, gih, ke kamar Nana. Kamu boleh tinggal di sini sesuka hati. Tapi ingat, kalian jangan ribut, ya.” Pesan Momy Karina adalah peringatan halus pada keduanya agar jangan berisik, atau jangan ganggu. Momy Karina mau bobo cantik.Baik Dea maupun Nana, keduanya mengangguk saat itu. Gegas mereka naik ke lantai atas dengan tenang sesuai perintah.Ketika Dea bisa bersikap tenang-tenang saja, di rumahnya sekarang malah heboh. Kak Maya, kakak Dea yang ketiga berlari ke arah kamar bapak sambil gedor-gedor pintu, dan bilang kalau adiknya hilang.“Pak! Dea nggak ada di kamar! Bajunya semua nggak ada! Jendelanya kebuka! Kayaknya diculik si Arvan, deh!” teriaknya menuding.Astaga ... pernyataan Kak Maya ini sungguh di luar dugaan. Kok, bisa-bisanya mikir si Dea diculik mantannya, sih?Gawat. Kacaulah dunia persilatan. Bapak Dea begitu marah. Ia mengambil sebilah pedang panjang yang katanya keramat dan sakti dari kamarnya.The “room” was actually a suite on its own. Serena was sure that her entire house was just a bit bigger than the suite that was given to her. It has a large-sized bedroom, sitting room, dining room, dressing room, and a separate area furnished with sizeable cushions of varieties of colours. “That is the lounging area,” Lorraine said behind her. Serena turned to look at her and she was immediately annoyed by the sneer on the arrogant lady’s face. “Yes, yes, I know. Kincaid is rich and all a woman wants. Just don’t get too comfortable” she added as she gave the clothes bag beside the door a little kick. Serena had it with this pompous lady and she was about to lay on her when Lorraine pointed at the bag."As you might have expected" she added with a roll of her eyes and a put-upon smile. Yes, I acted the maid fit you and I purchased everything according to what I thought your size will be. Some of them are already in there" she said as she inclined her head towards the dressing ro
Serena was pissed, frustrated and also awed by the grandness of what she saw.When the man she went to meet for a lift in front of the hospital had agreed to carry her, Serenahe had been so hopeful that she would be able to get out of Kincaid’s annoying presence and as a result, leave the island and somehow find her way back home. But then just as she was going to the passenger’s side of the car. She heard the man clear his throat.And he said “Oh, I am sorry, miss. I will not be able to carry you again” Before Serena could even ask him anything, he hurriedly got into his car and drove off. “What the…” Serena had not completed her confused statement when she saw Basset standing in front of the hospital as he gave her a direct look.Serena realised what happened as she looked at him and back at the departing figure of the car hightailing it out of that place.“That was you, wasn’t it?” she asked as she stalked over to him in anger “You made that man run though I didn’t hear you say a
Serena entered Kincaid’s assigned room after she left Rayl’s bedside. The latter was eerily still on the bed as she was strewn up to the life-support machine and the only sound in the highly sterilised room was the constant beeping sound of the ECMO machine. Serena had to leave at last since the sound was only rattling her overstrung nerves too.The scene she met in Kincaid’s room was not unusual as doctors, nurses and even the directors of the hospital were always checking on him not to talk of his men. But what she found surprising was the content of the conversation that he was having with the director when she entered.He wanted his sister and Kevin transferred. The doctors had thought it was not a good idea for the patients who still needed intensive care to be away from the hospital and Serena seconded that thought so as well but then Kincaid had been so adamant about the fact that the patients are more in danger at the hospital than if they were at the mansion.“I have the faci
The door knob turned and Basset entered immediately Serena asked that question. Serena was curious to know what the lady’s answer would have been if Basset had not come in. she would never know now because instantly the lady saw the person that entered, her expression morphed into the very picture of innocence and pure affection. Her pearly whites and perfectly straight teeth went flashed in a beatific smile as she came forward to hug Basset.“Oh, you are here, Lorraine,” he said indifferently. A moment before she wrapped him in a warm hug. Serena could see the surprise on his face but then he patted her slightly on the back.The latter crooned “Oh, I am so sorry about this, Basset” she leaned back from his embrace. “I am sure y’all will get hold of those bastards and this will be properly avenged. The boys are working on strategies right now already” she said before she looked over at Kincaid’s unconscious form on the bed.She moved towards the bed with a sudden mistiness in her eyes
Basset looked at Serena as they waited in Kincaid’s newly assigned room and said “You are covered in blood” Serena looked down at her spandex gown and sighed “Yes, I look a mess alright but so do you” she nodded towards his blood-spattered yellow shirt and the dark splotches on his khaki trouser. “Yeah” he muttered nonchalantly. He stared into space for a while before he muttered “A lady shouldn’t look like that” Serena looked at him and he nodded even without looking back at her “Yeah, I know. I was an asshole. I shouldn’t have dragged you into this like that” Serena had no idea what he expected her to say. Especially when he added “But then I am sure I will do the same thing again if the situation repeats itself. So yeah, I am an asshole” “Uhh” Serena hummed as she find something to say even though she agreed with him. Basset looked back at her with a humourless smile that did not touch his eyes “At least let me make up for that by getting you out of that disgusting dress” he sm
Serena had to stay with Basset in the waiting room. She smarted at the fact that the nurses had not allowed her to go in with the victims. She had even told one of them personally that she was a certified nurse.“Really, in which unit are you practising?" the caucasian nurse had asked her. Serena had no choice but to tell her that she had never practised before. When she saw the look on the nurse’s face, she was about to explain to her that she had taken care of Kincaid on the way to the island though but the woman had hurried off after telling her to go sit in the waiting room.She was just getting to the waiting room when Basset passed her without a second look. “What the…” She saw where he was headed in a minute. A team of doctors were hurrying down the corridor and the way they all greeted Basset respectfully made it evident to Serena that they knew him. Basset hurriedly pointed towards the ICU where they took Rayla and the others and he hurriedly led him towards the unit.A nurs
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