INICIAR SESIÓN"Sherman...Sherman Colton," I managed to mutter, my voice quivering from a combination of exhaustion and worry. The name surfaced from the depths of my consciousness, unexpected yet purposeful. As I felt my awareness fade, a lingering feeling of unease settled within me. I didn't just say that name in response to a question; it was more like a desperate plea, a fragment of worry for the man whose image and reputation I was afraid I had ruined in the chaotic events that had taken place. As I surrendered to the embrace of unconsciousness, a deep uncertainty gripped my soul, unsure if I would ever wake up to the light of another day. I whispered, "Mr.Colton, I didn't break your trust." ........................................................................... Within the luxurious Elite Oaks Resort, Zara Tahel, the unassuming housekeeper, found herself thrust into a passionate whirlwind of destiny. Her heartache led her to cancel her wedding when she uncovered her lover's affair with his superior. Little did she know, her life was about to take a captivating turn. In her bridal gown's elegance, Zara collided with Sherman Colton, the charismatic CEO of the resort. Their encounter was electric, sparking a photograph that set the world buzzing with intrigue. But their chemistry was undeniable, a passionate connection that smoldered. Sherman offered an arrangement, one fraught with desire and hidden longing. As their worlds intertwined, the question hung in the air: Was their deal just a façade to protect his reputation, or had a deep, secret attraction ignited since that unforgettable moment? Amidst moonlit nights and stolen moments at Elite Oaks Resort, Zara and Sherman embarked on a passionate journey, testing the limits of love and desire. Their hearts danced to a melody of fervent ardor, setting their worlds ablaze with irresistible chemistry.
Ver más“Dia?” Safir merentangkan satu tangan, untuk menunjuk gadis yang tengah berbicara dengan kedua orang tuanya di tepi kolam renang. Sementara itu, Safir sendiri saat ini berada di dalam ruang dan juga tengah berbicara dengan seluruh anggota keluarganya.
Papa, mama, serta kakak laki-lakinya.
“Aku nggak mungkin maulah nikah sama cewek itu!” lanjut Safir menolak, sambil menahan amarah yang sedari tadi hendak ia lontarkan dengan kasar. Namun, sebisa mungkin Safir menahannya demi hubungan baik kedua keluarga. “Dia anak selingkuhan pak Anwar, kan?”
“Lintang itu anak istri kedua pak Anwar,” ralat Ario meluruskan prasangka buruk putra bungsunya. “Pak Anwar itu sudah nikah siri sama almarhum mamanya Lintang, jadi—”
“Tapi awalnya tetap aja pak Anwar itu selingkuh,” sambar Retno, istri Ario yang sebenarnya juga tidak setuju bila putra bungsunya menikah dengan Lintang. Namun, mereka semua tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa. “Itu sudah jadi rahasia umum.”
Satu jam lagi, pernikahan antara Safir Sailendra dan Sabiya Dewantara akan digelar. Namun, gadis yang akan dinikahi Safir tersebut ternyata kabur dan meninggalkan sebuah surat. Biya mengatakan, dirinya tidak ingin terikat dengan pernikahan politik yang dilakukan untuk kepentingan kedua keluarga. Biya ingin menikah atas dasar cinta, dengan pria pujaan hatinya. Untuk itulah, Biya kabur dan saat ini para orang suruhan kedua keluarga tengah mencari gadis itu.
“Yang selingkuh itu orangtuanya, yang salah juga orangtuanya, bukan Lintang,” ujar Ario ingin kembali meluruskan pikiran istri dan putranya itu.
“Memangnya Papa mau punya menantu seperti Lintang?” tembak Safir kemudian berdiri lalu mendekat dengan jendela kaca. Tatapan Safir tertuju tegas nan teliti, menelisik wajah serta tubuh Lintang dari kejauhan. “Bodynya lumayanlah, tapi soal wajah dia kebanting sama Biya, dan aku nggak mau nikahin dia! Titik, dan nggak bisa diganggu gugat.”
“Tapi ijab kabul mau dimulai satu jam lagi, Fir!” Meskipun tidak setuju, tapi Retno tidak bisa berbuat apa-apa. “Kita sudah undang banyak relasi bisnis, pejabat, terutama media. Mau ditaruh di mana muka keluarga Sailendra?”
“Salahkan keluarga Dewantara,” sahut Safir sudah kembali lagi menghampiri keluarganya yang masih duduk di sofa. “Kita bisa bikin konferensi pers—”
“Kredibilitas dua keluarga akan jatuh, Fir.” Raga yang sedari tadi hanya diam membisu, akhirnya membuka suara. Duda beranak satu, sekaligus kakak dari Safir itu, masih memikirkan jalan keluar yang harus diambil agar pernikahan tetap berjalan sebagaimana mestinya. “Yang benar aja kita mau batalin pernikahan yang satu jam lagi mau dimulai? Bahkan nggak sampai satu jam lagi acara akad nikah mau digelar. Pikirkan itu baik-baik.”
“Mas tahu kenapa aku mau-mau aja dijodohkan dengan Biya?” Safir melempar pertanyaan yang akan dijawabnya sendiri. “Biya cantik, Mas! Walaupun nggak pake cinta, aku ikhlas-ikhlas aja nikah sama dia. Nggak akan bikin malu kalau dibawa ke mana-mana. Tapi coba lihat si … Lintang itu! Sudah … ya begitulah! Mas Raga bisa lihat sendirilah. Benar-benar nggak terawat!”
“Safir!” hardik Retno. “Jangan sampe orang-orang dengar omongan kamu!”
“Aku cuma bilang yang sebenarnya, Ma,” balas Safir bersikukuh dengan pendapatnya. “Dan aku, nggak akan mau nikah sama Lintang!”
“Terus mau diapakan tamu undangan yang sebagian sudah datang dari luar kota?” tuntut Ario. “Papa nggak mau tahu, kamu harus nikah dengan Lintang!”
“Sorry, Pi.” Safir melepas dasi kupu-kupunya dengan kasar. Ia menggeleng sambil melepas jas yang rencananya akan digunakan untuk prosesi ijab kabul. “Aku nggak mau.”
“Safir!” hardik Retno. “Ini demi kepentingan keluarga! Kerja sama politik yang akan terus—”
“Mas Raga!” seru Safir sambil menunjuk satu-satunya saudara yang ia miliki. “Gimana kalau Mama nikahkan aja Mas Raga sama Lintang? Apa dia mau?”
“Saafir!” Giliran Raga yang membentak adik yang tidak tahu diuntung itu. “Aku—”
“Nggak mau juga, kan?” putus Safir memberi senyum miringnya pada Raga. “Kalau Mas Raga yang duda anak satu aja nggak mau sama Lintang, apalagi aku?”
“Maaf.”
Satu kata yang terlontar dari bibir pintu penghubung kolam renang, membuat semua keluarga Sailendra menoleh. Sudah ada seorang pria paruh baya, yang sudah terlihat pasrah dengan keadaan.
“Kalau Safir memang menolak menikah dengan Lintang, saya akan hubungi beberapa media sekarang juga, dan dalam satu jam kita akan melakukan konferensi pers.”
Pernyataan yang dimuntahkan oleh Anwar, seketika membuat Ario menggeleng. Sebagai ketua umum salah satu partai ternama, Ario tentu saja tidak ingin kesempatan berbesanan dengan Anwar lepas begitu saja. Terlebih-lebih, Anwar tidak memiliki anak laki-laki yang bisa diunggulkan, untuk mengurus perusahaan yang bergerak di industri media.
“Begini pak Anwar.” Ario menghampiri calon besannya seraya menatap pada Lintang yang masih berbicara dengan ibu tirinya, Indri di luar sana. “Sebenarnya, Safir sudah jatuh cinta sama Biya, karena itulah, dia cuma mau Biya yang jadi istrinya.”
“Baiklah kalau begitu.” Anwar mengangguk paham dengan apa yang terjadi. “Biar saya tel—”
“Bukan, bukan begitu.” Ario menghela lalu menoleh sebentar pada Safir, kemudian Raga. “Kita nggak bisa batalin pernikahan ini begitu saja, Pak. Ada banyak undangan, yang akan mencibir dan membuat reputasi keluarga kita jatuh. Karena itu, kita akan tetap melaksanakan pernikahan ini.”
“Tetap Safir dan Lintang.”
“Bukan.” Ario menggeleng. “Raga dan Lintang.”
Raga yang mendengar hal tersebut, hendak bangkit dan memuntahkan protesnya. Namun, Retno yang duduk di sebelahnya segera mencekal tangan putranya itu.
“Ma?” Raga membelalakkan matanya dengan suara pelan, dan nyaris berbisik. Ia tidak pernah menduga, Ario akan menyetujui usulan konyol dari Safir. “Aku nggak mau nikah sama Lintang, atau sama perempuan mana pun.”
“Seperti katamu, kredibilitas dua keluarga akan jatuh,” balas Retno membalik ucapan sang anak beberapa waktu lalu. Dan kita nggak mungkin batalin ijab kabul—”
“Nama yang tertera di undangan itu Safir, dan Biya,” desis Raga masih berbisik dengan sang mama. Namun, tatapan Raga kali ini beralih pada Safir yang tampak menyematkan senyum sumringahnya. “Apa jadinya, kalau yang ada di pelaminan nanti aku sama Lintang? Nggak make sense, Ma.”
“Kamu tinggal berdiri di pelaminan sama Lintang, dan salamin para tamu satu per satu,” titah Retno sudah tidak lagi bisa dibantah dan diganggu gugat. “Urusan yang lainnya, serahkan sama Mama. Daripada tamu datang, terus melongo karena nggak ada pengantinnya, lebih baik kamu sama Lintang yang berdiri di sana.”
“Raga!” Ario yang telah selesai membahas beberapa hal dengan Anwar, akhirnya kembali menghampiri keluarganya. Sementara Anwar sendiri, juga berbalik pergi untuk menghampiri istri dan putrinya. “Lintang Amalthea binti Anwar Dewantara. Hafalkan itu baik-baik. Untuk mas kawin, tanyakan ke Safir karena Papa nggak ngerti."
Alis Raga berkerut memikirkan nama belakang Lintang. Mengapa gadis itu tidak memakai nama keluarga seperti Biya?
Sabiya Dewantara.
“Lintang Amalthea? Nama belakangnya bukan Dewantara?” tanya Raga ingin memastikan lagi
Ario menggeleng tegas. “Bukan! Keluarga besar Dewantara nggak pernah mau Lintang memakai nama itu karena … seperti yang kamu dengar tadi dari Mama, Lintang itu … anak dari selingkuhan pak Anwar.”
As the hours stretched into days, strength began to seep back into my weary body. Each passing moment brought me closer to recovery, yet my mind remained plagued by a persistent question. What could have been so urgent that it had compelled Mr. Colton to leave my side abruptly? The absence of Mr.Colton's comforting presence intensified. The hushed whispers of nurses and occasional beep of medical equipment now seemed eerily quiet. I felt lonely. His sudden departure, followed by a call, left me vulnerable and uncertain. Three days had passed since he whispered words of reassurance, promising to return, yet my understanding of his situation allowed me to hold my impatience at bay. He was no ordinary man, a formidable business tycoon burdened with a multitude of weighty responsibilities, undoubtedly had more imperative matters to attend to.I felt reassured, knowing that my safety was important to him. Two vigilant guards stationed in front of my door by him demonstrated his unwaverin
I was on the verge of being swallowed by theocean of painfulrecollections. In that moment of raw vulnerability, Mr. Colton's mere presence became my saving grace, a lifeline that beckoned me to relinquishthe weight of my long-standing torment."Mr. Colton," I began, my voice quivering like a leaf in the wind, "there's something I need to show you." I reached beneath my pillows, retrieving the threatening note from Arlo that I had hidden beneath my pillows.I handed it out to Mr.Colton. His gaze shifted from me to the note as he accepted it, his expression becoming more solemn.The veins on the side of his forehead throbbed noticeably, and his jaw clenched with noticeable anxiousness. His eye was fixed on the message scrawled across the page. "Is this message from Arlo?" he questioned, his face flushed with rage.As Mr.Colton took his name, I was utterly caught off guard. I had no inkling of how much or how little Mr. Colton w
The circumstances of our prior meetings could not have been more dissimilar. The first time he saw me, I was a chaotic mess, draped in a bridal gown, my hair knotted, and my senses muddled by alcohol. It was a humiliating and vulnerable memory, a lapse in judgment that tormented my soul.Now, as he looked at me in the hospital room, I was a very different person from the one he had met on the first night. I was dressed in a plain hospital gown, and my face exhibited the scars of the chaos that had engulfed my life. The plaster cast on my foot was a constant visual reminder of the consequences of my choices.Each encounters an unpredictable nature of fate.Our silence created palpable tension in the air between us as if the surroundings held their breath. Unspoken words unresolved emotions, stretched between us like an invisible barrier.We both were like two souls locked in a delicate dance of avoidance and longing. I was exposed before him in a sta
As the first rays of sunlight peeked through the delicate fabric of the curtains, a warm and gentle glow began to fill the hospital room. As the haze of unconsciousness began to dissipate, I found myself gradually reawakening to a world of sensations.The first thing that caught my attention was a throbbing, relentless ache arising from my broken ankle, a painful remembrance of the injury I had sustained. It seemed as though every movement, every shift of my body, only served to intensify the discomfort. But that was not all. There was another lingering discomfort, a dull twinge that resonated from the depths of my foot. It reminded me of the bullet that had found its way into my flesh, requiring a surgical intervention to remove it. Though the physical evidence of the bullet's presence was gone, its recollection lingered, embedded into my consciousness like a haunting ghost.As I lay there, my mind slowly piecing together the fragments of my surroundings, I couldn't h
Descending the staircase, I felt uneasy, my mind consumed by worry for Mrs. Cha. My concern lingered over whether or not she was aware of what had taken place the previous night. Perhaps she knew and was too frightened to come back to the suite to get me.All I wanted was to give her a hug and make s
As he dragged me into the alley devoid of afternoon sunlight, the reality around me seemed to dissolve into a frenetic whirlwind of confusion and chaos. My heart thumped in my chest, its rhythm matching the frantic pace of my thoughts. What had happened? How had everything spiraled into such disa
Winston turned towards me and questioned, "Ms. Zara, are you married?"I wondered why on earth this particular conversation had any relevance to my marital status. Why did it have anything to do with what had transpired thus far? I quizzically raised an eyebrow and inquired, "Why does that minuscule
Winston and Mr.Colton left for a meeting. I was left alone in the












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