Se connecterThey called her "mad." The woman who once ruled Zhou's halls with laughter and grace now sat hollow in a white cell. Rose Sallow had lost everything. Her inheritance. Her child... her little boy, whose last breath faded against her trembling arms after the poison took hold. Her husband, Duke Sallow, once sworn to never leave her, now stood beside another. Lisa Zhou. Her cousin. Her sister in all but blood Now the new "Madam Sallow." She was carrying Duke’s child, the 'heir' he publicly acknowledged as his first child, and Rose's son’s name was erased from the family records. In the mental hospital room, she laughed when they handed her the divorce papers. That night, Rose decided to end it all. But fate, cruel, capricious fate, had other plans. When her eyes fluttered open, she didn’t find herself among the angels. She was staring at her reflection in a golden mirror, and on the bed behind her was her wedding gown. It was her wedding day. A chance to change it all. To rewrite fate. But as she rose from the bed, a shiver crawled down her spine. There, on the vanity, a note written in red... "Congrats... You have been granted a second chance." Then came the knock. Three slow, deliberate taps on the door. She froze. “Lady Rose?” a deep voice called. It wasn’t Duke’s voice. Softer, steadier, yet commanding. “Forgive the intrusion, but… I couldn’t wait any longer.” She opened the door. Standing there was a man she had never seen before. He bowed slightly, eyes dark as midnight. “Marry me,” he said simply. In her first life, this had never happened. No mysterious man. No interruption. No warning. Why now?
Voir plusAda tiga hal yang tidak bisa dihitung di dunia ini.
1. Ikan-ikan di laut.
2. Bintang-bintang di langit.
3. Rasa cintaku padamu
**
[Cincin yang cantik untuk kesayangan]
Aku mendelik membaca status di aplikasi hijau milik mas Erick, calon suamiku.
"Cie Rengganis. Romantis sekali ya calon suamimu!" ledek dokter Reyhan tersenyum-senyum sambil memandangiku yang gemetar memegangi ponselnya.
"Dokter, bukan seperti itu."
Aku tercekat sambil mengembalikan ponsel dokter Reyhan.
Jemariku saling bertaut dan terasa dingin.
Tiga hari lagi aku akan menikah dengan mas Erick, seorang arsitek yang sedang naik daun.
Bangunan yang sedang digarapnya ada di beberapa daerah sekaligus.
Tampan, kaya dan mapan. Aku sangat beruntung memilikinya.
Tapi sore ini saat aku mengajukan cuti selama 3 hari ke depan dan bertemu dengan dokter Reyhan, jantungku seolah berhenti berdetak.
Sebenarnya aku sudah memilih cincin dengan mas Erick beberapa hari yang lalu.
Cincin emas putih bermata biru yang sangat indah. Jelas cincin itu ada di rumah mas Erick dengan mas kawin lainnya.
Lalu cincin untuk siapa yang ada foto status aplikasi hijau milik mas Erick tadi? Cincin emas bermata rubi. Itu jelas bukan untukku!
***
Aku mengendarai jazz putihku dengan kecepatan di atas rata-rata. Hatiku kalut.
Beberapa motor dan mobil yang kusalip membunyikan klakson bersahutan.
Aku harus mendapatkan keterangan yang jelas tentang status di aplikasi mas Erick itu.
Saat keluar dari UGD tadi, jelas sekali bahwa tidak ada pemberitahuan tentang status milik mas Erick di ponselku.
Pasti karena status aplikasi hijaunya diprivat sehingga aku atau keluargaku tidak bisa mengetahuinya.
Aku baru teringat jika dulu pernah menelepon mas Erick dengan meminjam ponsel dokter Reyhan karena baterai ponselku yang lemah.
Mungkin mas Erick lupa telah menyimpan kontak dokter Reyhan, sehingga mas Erick tidak memprivate kontaknya dari status aplikasi sosial medianya.
Buktinya dokter Reyhan bisa tahu status aplikasi hijau mas Erick.
Aku menghembuskan nafas kasar.
Berulangkali ponselku berbunyi nyaring. Entah dari siapa.
"Halo, ada apa Dokter?"
Akhirnya aku menyerah dan meraih ponselku.
"Kamu kenapa tadi terburu-buru pergi? Sampai surat ijin cutimu belum sempat kamu berikan pada direktur!"
Terdengar suara dokter muda itu kesal.
"Astaghfirullah. Lupa. Maaf Dokter. Ada urusan super duper urgent. Tolong berikan ke direktur. Terimakasih."
"Tapi nggak gratis, Nis!"
'Astaga. Orang sedang patah hati diperas. Benar-benar dokter gaje!' umpatku.
"Minta apaan sih, Dok?" tanyaku sambil tetap fokus menyetir.
"Kirim kue pernikahanmu yang banyak ya. Karena saat kamu menikah nanti, aku pas ada jadwal dinas di UGD. Jadi nggak bisa datang," suara dokter Reyhan terdengar memelas.
"Hm, itupun kalau saya jadi menikah."
"Heh, apa? Apa kamu bilang barusan?" tanya dokter Reyhan lagi.
"Enggak. Cuma kue kan Dok? Oke siap! Pasti akan saya berikan yang banyak untuk bekal dinas," tukasku cepat. Merasa malas meladeni guyonan dokter yang beberapa tahun lebih tua dariku itu.
"Hm, baiklah. Hati-hati di jalan. Nis. Wah, ada pasien baru masuk nih. Inpartu lagi. Coba ada kamu di sini. Biar mudah memeriksanya," keluh dokter Reyhan.
"Lah, saya kan cuti, Dok. Selamat dinas saja. Jangan lupa berdoa dulu dan makan yang banyak biar kuat menghadapi kenyataan kalau pasien membludak," ucapku menahan tawa.
Dasar Rengganis, sudah sakit hati eh masih sempat-sempatnya meledek dokter Reyhan.
Aku memukul dahiku sendiri.
"Tentu saja, Nis. Tanpa kamu suruh pun aku sudah makan yang banyak dan semangat kok hari ini. Kamu tuh yang seharusnya makan semakin banyak. Biar semok dan strong saat malam pertama!" balas dokter Reyhan tak mau kalah.
'Lah, kok jadi saling meledek gini? Dasar dokter aneh kan. Katanya banyak pasien baru. Kok malah nggak diakhiri panggilan teleponnya?' batinku antara geli dan kesal.
"Dokter ini, semakin lama semakin lucu dan menggemaskan."
"Loh kok bisa? Eh, tapi memang saya dari dulu tampan, lucu, dan menggemaskan dong!" seru dokter Reyhan penuh rasa percaya diri.
Bisa dipastikan sekarang kadar kepercayaan dirinya telah meningkat seratus persen. Dan hidungnya yang mekar itu semakin kembang kempis.
Duh!
"Bagaimana Dokter tidak lucu, katanya tadi pasien banyak. Sekarang kenapa justru ngobrol sama saya?! Ah, Dokter ini. Saya tutup ya teleponnya!"
Aku langsung mengakhiri panggilan dan mematikan ponsel setelah mengucap salam.
Aku lalu melanjutkan mengemudikan mobilku agar segera sampai ke rumah mas Erick.
"Huft, macet. Pasti sampainya ke rumah mas Erick semakin lama. Biasanya cuma tiga jam saja," gumamku melihat arloji.
Aku menghela nafas. "Kenapa sih harus dapat calon suami yang beda kabupaten? Sekarang yang susah aku sendiri."
Aaargh!
"Awas kamu mas Erick, beraninya mengkhianati aku!"
***
Aku menepikan mobil di luar pagar mas Erick dan berjalan masuk ke halamannya.
"Anin, mantu kesayangan Mama. Kenapa baru datang sekarang? Mama kangen. Sekarang usia kehamilan kamu sudah berapa bulan?"
Duuuaaarr!
Terdengar suara calon mertuaku saat aku baru saja sampai di teras rumah mereka.
Aku mencoba menahan segala rasa di hati yang mengakibatkan air mata ingin berlompatan keluar.
"Iya Ma. Maaf sekali. Anin sibuk dengan berbagai pemotretan. Cucu Mama masih berusia hampir empat bulan."
Perkataan perempuan yang dipanggil Anin tadi benar-benar menohokku.
Kucubit beberapa pipiku dan terasa sakit. Ini bukan mimpi! Dan mas Erick yang telah menikah serta mamanya yang sudah mengetahuinya ini nyata.
Tapi mengapa mereka melakukan hal itu padaku?
Aku menajamkan pendengaran dan berusaha lebih jelas lagi mendengarkan percakapan mereka. Dengan hati-hati, aku berusaha mendekat ke arah pintu ruang tamu mas Erick yang sedang terbuka tanpa mengeluarkan suara sedikitpun.
Tidak lupa aku meraih ponsel dan kupasang mode merekam agar bisa kujadikan bukti pada ayah dan bunda nanti.
"Mama, memang harus ya mas Erick menikahi perempuan itu? Aku cemburu loh."
Hoeekkk! Suara perempuan itu sok manja dan sok centil. Menjijikkan.
"Jangan cemburu, Sayang, nanti semua barang yang kuberikan pada Ganis, juga akan kuberikan padamu. Cincin emas itu salah satu contohnya. Kamu suka kan?"
"Iya Anin sayang, kamu tahu sendirikan kalau saat kecil papanya Erick ditabrak oleh ayahnya Rengganis hingga tewas? Memang saat itu diselesaikan secara kekeluargaan karena ayah Rengganis bersedia menyekolahkan Erick sampai wisuda, tapi mama tetap tidak rela jika anaknya si Ronald tidak menderita. Tenang saja walaupun kamu cuma nikah siri, dan nanti dia yang menikah besar-besaran, kamu yang akan mama sayang."
"Hm, sampai kapan pernikahan mas Erick dengan pelakor itu?"
'Apa pelakor? Aku? Cuih! Najis!' Aku mengumpat sendiri di dalam hati.
"Sampai Rengganis merasakan kesepian punya suami tapi seakan rasa janda atau sampai dia merasakan adanya neraka di dunia. Dan tentu saja sampai aset keluarganya jatuh ke tangan kita!"
"Ya Tuhan, jahat sekali mereka. Jadi niat mereka mendekatiku adalah untuk balas dendam pada Ayah? Awas saja mereka! Akan kubuat mereka malu di pesta pernikahanku!" tekadku.
The Golden Roof Hotel glowed in warm amber light, chandeliers glittering like constellations trapped in glass. The moment Rose stepped into the reception hall, applause erupted around her, loud as the host announced their presence.She smiled.Small. Polite. Hollow.Her heart, however, was pounding a frantic beat beneath her gown.Too fast.Too loud.Too terrified.Because everything already felt wrong.Duke’s hand slid around her waist the second they entered, pulling her into him with a possessiveness that made her stomach twist.“Everyone’s looking,” he whispered, nuzzling her cheek. “Let’s give them a show.”Rose forced herself not to get piss.In her first life, he had barely touched her during the reception... aloof, distracted, sneaking glances at Lisa from across the room.But now?Now Duke clung to her like she was oxygen.A sharp reminder that this timeline was no longer matching her memories.‘Don’t panic... Don’t break character... Just push it back on track… somehow.’But
The garden was still humming with scandal when Rose let out a soft sigh, barely audible, but enough to release some pressure in her chest.The priest waited stiffly behind the signing table, sweating from nerves. Guests whispered like flies. Lisa watched from the aisle, her jaw stiff and in pain as she smiled nonstop.Scowling faintly, Rose’s eyes drifted to the document.Then she stepped forward.“Duke,” she murmured, voice gentle in a way that wasn’t real, “you go first.”Duke’s eyes widened with sheer relief, like a dog finally acknowledged by his owner.“Of course, my love,” he breathed.He took the pen eagerly, almost reverently, signing his name with a flourish meant to impress her. His shoulders were tense, posture sharp. He wanted to look masculine, competent, in control.But his mind shivered through every thought:'I can still fix this.''She still wants me.''She didn’t leave. She didn’t run.''Rose is mine.''Mine. Mine.'He stepped aside, breathing unsteadily.Finally, Ro
The silence between them was brutal.Duke’s mind screamed behind his eyes, raw, frantic, desperate.'She knows.'Rose did not answer.She did not blink.She did not twitch.She did not offer him a single crumb of reassurance.She simply stared.Blank.Cold.Utterly unmoved.Her silence wrapped around his throat like a tightening noose, squeezing with every second he dared to breathe.Duke swallowed hard.His Adam’s apple bobbed in terror.He looked seconds away from falling to his knees right at the altar.“R-Rose…?” he whispered.Her silence devoured him whole.“What did I do?” his mind begged. Tell me. Please. Please—tell me.Rose blinked once.Slowly.Then, without warning-without hesitation-She lifted her hand and slid the tinted glasses back onto her face.A barrier.A wall.A declaration carved in stone:'You are already dead to me. You just don’t know it yet.'Lifting her chin, she turned away from him, veil brushing her shoulder like winter wind.“Continue,” she told the pri
Duke inhaled slowly, chest rising with a trembling breath that didn’t match the confident groom he was trying to be.When the priest's eyes locked on Rose, he nodded gently, smiling that soft, ceremonial smile.“You may begin your vow.”Duke turned toward Rose since she kept silent.He exhaled shakily.And his voice-God.It was soft.Gentle.Almost trembling.“I… Duke Sallow… vow to love you with all that I am,” he said quietly.His tone wrapped around her, warm and smooth, something meant to sound safe. Comforting. The sort of voice that had once made Rose’s stupid, naive heart flutter.“To protect you… to cherish you…” He continued. “And to stand beside you through every joy and every hardship.”Aunt Hua sniffled. Someone actually sighed. A young cousin pressed both hands dramatically to her chest.“You are… my heart, Rose,” Duke whispered.“My home.”It was sweet.Too sweet.A performance dipped in honey.But Rose wasn’t listening to his words.She was listening to him.To his min
The room was too quiet.Too still.In her first life, this chamber had overflowed with noise, maids laughing, fabric swishing, someone fussing over her hair, another adjusting the veil, warm voices telling her she was glowing, beautiful, a lucky bride.Now, it was empty.Rose stood before the mirro
Her bloodshot eyes swept across the trembling maids standing in a crooked line. Their minds still buzzed loosely in her head, some fearful, some judgmental, some confused, but she didn’t reach for the noise. Not anymore.She had learned within seconds how to control the gift she never asked for.On
The silence that followed his words lasted for a moment, then-Rose’s scowl deepened. “You’re bold,” she scoffed. “And insane.”The stranger only tilted his head, watching her with unnerving calm. His eyes, deep, dark, too steady, seemed to strip away the layers she wrapped herself in.“You walk in
The warmth of Lisa’s hand lingered on Rose’s arm, too soft, too familiar, and Rose forced out a gentle laugh as the tension grew, masking the tremor in her chest. Then, with deliberate grace, she slipped free of Lisa’s touch.“Shameless?” she echoed, tilting her head, lashes lowering. The pounding
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