Allison Carter is a successful software developer who works for a prestigious company. But things start to fall apart for her when she finds her boyfriend in bed with another woman and in her bid to take revenge on him, she gets into a one night stand with a man who turns out to be Xander Black, the Alpha of Blue Moon pack and CEO of the company she works at. Seeking to protect his name, Xander fires Allison but a month later, returns her job to her. But just when Allison's life is beginning to piece together again, she discovers that she is pregnant with Xander's child. With Xander's ruthless mother and sister who threaten to ruin Allison's life if she doesn't get rid of the pregnancy, things don't seem rosy after all.
View More“Editor Vanda, kepala editor mencarimu,” ucap Cris yang baru saja keluar dari ruangan kepala editor.
Vanda hanya menganggukkan kepalanya dengan senyuman tipis. Dia meletakan tas di meja, lalu kembali berjalan menuju ruang kepala editor. Tok … Tok … Tok …“Masuk!” Vanda meraih engsel pintu dan membukanya dengan perlahan. Dia tersenyum pada Revalina, kepala editor yang memanggilnya, lalu berjalan mendekati wanita itu.“Bu Reva mencari saya?” tanya Vanda hanya untuk sekedar basa-basi. Revalina menganggukkan kepalanya.“Silahkan duduk.”
Vanda langsung duduk di hadapan Revalina. Dia sebenarnya tahu apa yang akan dibicarakan oleh kepala editornya. Revalina meletakan amplop coklat di meja, lalu mendorongnya ke Vanda. “Ini adalah royalti Trisha dari penerbit, dan itu menjadi royalti terakhirnya karena penerbit tidak akan mencetak buku komik Trisha lagi.” Vanda yang mendengar ucapan itu langsung melihat ke Revalina dengan tatapan bingung. “Kenapa? Bukannya penjualan komik Trisha satu tahun ini sangat sukses? Kenapa penerbit tidak mencetak buku Trisha lagi?” tanya Vanda yang masih belum mengerti maksud kepala editor. “Karena penerbit akan mencetak buku dari studio lain, dan kau tau? Buku itu baru setengah tahun ada di platform, tapi statistik pembacanya meningkat pesat. Bahkan mengalahkan komik yang Trisha buat sekarang,” jelas Revalina. Vanda mendengus pelan dengan tersenyum paksa pada Revalina. “Tapi komik Trisha itu mendapat peringkat tertinggi di studio ini, dan di platform pun dia mendapatkan peringkat sepuluh,” ujar Vanda dengan pembelaannya. Revalina menghela nafas panjang. Dia memberikan iPad untuk menunjukkan peringkat komik hari ini. Vanda membelalakkan matanya lebar ketika melihat komik Trisha berada di peringkat lima puluh. Wanita itu memang belum memeriksa peringkat komik Trisha hari ini, tapi tadi malam dia sudah memeriksanya. Komik Trisha masih berada di peringkat delapan, tapi kenapa hari ini peringkatnya turun drastis? “Peringkat 1 sampai 49 itu adalah genre romansa anak muda. Coba kamu baca komentar pembaca yang ada di komik ini.” Vanda mengambil iPad yang ada di tangan Revalina. Dia mulai membaca satu per satu komentar-komentar yang ada di komik milik Trisha. ‘Alur ini kenapa semakin aneh?’‘Kenapa alur ini berubah drastis?’‘Kenapa adegan romantis ini terlihat sangat aneh?’‘Apa cara menyatakan cinta seperti itu? Sangat aneh!’Begitulah komentar-komentar yang ada di komik milik Trisha. Wanita itu menghela nafas panjang dan memberikan kembali iPad itu pada Revalina.“Gambar Trisha memang sangat bagus, tapi kenapa cerita cintanya sangat buruk? Dia sudah menerbitkan beberapa komik selama satu tahun, tapi kenapa cuma buku yang berhasil masuk ke penerbit?"Vanda menggigit bibir bawahnya, kemudian mencoba memberikan pembelaan untuk sahabatnya, “Dia pernah masuk ke promosi platform yang sulit didapatkan.”Revalina tertawa kecil. “Itu karena gambar dia bagus, tapi setelah pembaca baca komik itu, apakah ada penggemar setia? Tidak ada kan?”Vanda menghela nafas panjang dengan bibir bergerak membentuk senyuman. Dia tidak bisa lagi memikirkan pembelaan untuk Trisha. “Apa sesulit itu menggambar kisah cinta remaja?” tanya RevalinaVanda menggaruk tengkuknya yang tak gatal sambil menyengir. “Mungkin … bagi Trisha, memang agak sulit untuk membuat kisah cinta. Bagaimanapun, karya awalnya memang mengarah ke action, dan thriller.”Revalina tertawa kecil sambil menggelengkan kepalanya. “Saya tidak peduli! Suruh dia membuat komik baru. Kalau dari komik ini dia tidak berhasil mendapat prestasi …” ucap Revalina memainkan rambutnya sambil tersenyum miring. “Suruh dia pergi.” Wanita itu melanjutkan perkataannya.Vanda tertegun menatap mimik wajah kepala editor yang nampak sinis. Dia hanya bisa menghela nafas panjang dengan tersenyum paksa. “Baik, akan saya sampaikan pada Trisha. Apakah ada yang perlu disampaikan lagi?" tanya Vanda seraya mengambil amplop coklat itu seraya berdiri dari duduknya. “Tidak ada."“Baik, kalau begitu saya permisi dulu,” ucap Vanda tersenyum dan sedikit membungkukkan tubuhnya sekilas, lalu melangkahkan kakinya keluar dari ruangan kepala editor.***Wanita gemuk itu meregangkan otot setelah menyelesaikan satu chapter komiknya. Dia beranjak dari tempat duduknya sambil mengambil gelas yang ada di dalam laci. “Udah selesai, Sha?” tanya Jei, rekan kerja yang duduk di hadapannya.Wanita yang dipanggil Sha memiliki nama lengkap Trisha Azana, usianya masih dua puluh dua tahun. Mempunyai tubuh gemuk dan pipi tembam yang sering dicubiti oleh orang sekitarnya. Trisha melihatnya sekilas seraya mengangguk. “Udah, barusan. Lo belum selesai?” “Belum, kurang dikit. Lo mau bikin kopi?"“Iya, ngantuk banget hari ini.”
“Mau gue bikinin?” tawar Jei yang langsung dijawab dengan gelengan oleh wanita berusia dua puluh dua tahun itu.
“Enggak perlu, gue bisa sendiri. Gue ke pantry dulu ya,” ucapnya seraya melangkahkan kaki meninggalkan meja kerjanya. Saat Trisha sudah pergi, Vanda yang baru saja keluar dari ruang kepala editor langsung ke meja Trisha. Namun, ia tak mendapati wanita itu. “Jei, Trisha pergi ke mana?”“Pantry, Kak. Dia lagi buat kopi,” jawab Jei dengan menunjuk Trisha yang tengah mengobrol dengan temannya di pantry.“Thanks.” Vanda langsung berjalan ke pantry menyusul Trisha. Dia berdehem pelan dan membuat mereka seketika bungkam. Vanda ini adalah sahabat Trisha, dia juga menjadi editornya sekarang. Usianya lebih dua tahun dari Trisha. Umurnya sekarang dua puluh empat. Dia wanita yang tegas dan ditakuti oleh beberapa staff dan mangaka di perusahaan ini. “Ini masih jam kerja, kenapa malah ngobrol di pantry?”“Maaf, Editor Vanda,” ucap Merry sedikit menundukkan kepalanya. Trisha yang melihat Merry sedikit ketakutan langsung melihat ke Vanda dengan menggelengkan kepalanya, seakan memberikan kode agar dia tidak marah pada Merry. Editor itu hanya mendengus sambil memutar bola matanya malas. “Lain kali jangan diulangi. Kembali ke meja kerjamu. Dan kamu Trisha, ikut saya,” ucap Vanda seraya berjalan lebih dulu meninggalkan pantry. Meskipun Vanda dan Trisha berteman dekat, mereka tetap profesional saat bekerja. Vanda tetap menjadi editor yang galak, dan Trisha harus menahan diri agar tidak terlalu banyak bicara dengan Vanda saat berada di kantor.“Maaf, ya. Gara-gara gue lo bakal kena marah sama editor,” ucap Merry yang merasa bersalah. Trisha hanya tersenyum menggeleng. “Lo nggak salah, kok. Bukannya Van— eh, Editor Vanda memang seperti itu?” Merry hanya mengangguk membenarkan perkataannya. “Gue lanjut kerja dulu,” ucap Merry seraya berjalan meninggalkan pantry. Trisha hanya tersenyum tipis sambil menggelengkan-gelengkan kepalanya. “Kenapa banyak yang takut sama Vanda? Padahal dia nggak galak-galak banget. Kadang galak sih,” gumam Trisha pelan seraya berjalan ke meja kerja sahabatnya. Trisha langsung duduk di hadapan Vanda sembari tersenyum. “Jangan marah-marah gitu, dong. Lo udah bikin Merry takut.”Vanda menghela napas panjang dengan menarik bibirnya membentuk senyuman paksa. “Gue cuma melaksanakan pekerjaan, Trisha!” Trisha terkekeh pelan. “Iya, deh, iya. Sekarang … lo kenapa cari gue?” Vanda langsung memberikan sebuah amplop coklat, dan itu membuat Trisha membuka matanya lebar dengan senyuman yang memperlihatkan gigi. “Dari penerbit?” tanyanya memastikan. “Iya, dari siapa lagi?” Trisha langsung memeluk amplop itu dengan ekspresi bahagia. Karena kebetulan dia sangat memerlukan uang untuk membayar uang sewa. “Itu … royalti terakhir dari penerbit," ucap sang editor.
Allison's POVRachel clearly wants me to stop looking into the camera issue. And am I going to do that?Um… no.First of all, I don't take orders from Rachel.I do my own thing, and I'm too curious to stop looking into this. Besides, I'm the only one in this company skilled enough to get to the root of this matter, so I'm going to do it.After she leaves, I continue digging deeper, trying to peek into the hacker's end from this side. I end up losing all track of time, and before I know it, Alice is alerting me that work hours are over.I could have continued working anyway, but well… Xander is waiting for me.I log out and leave the control room with Alice, armed with two new pieces of information. The first is the name that had come up while I looked into the cameras.Wallace Fisher.The second is that Rachel really is suspicious. With a capital S.……One of the best parts of my day is when Xander drives me home. He has been doing that lately, since I began to run out of strength due
Allison's POVDamn lesser computers, I think, punching on the keys of my system.Usually, the kind of computer I'm using wouldn't be a problem when I'm trying to hack. But it's clear that Catherine has gone to great lengths to make information about her difficult to access. What the hell is she hiding, literal skeletons in her cupboard?"Miss Carter?" Alice calls.I jolt, looking up from my computer screen."Any problem?" I ask."No, Miss Carter," she replies. "But it's lunch time."I blink at her, then glance over her head at the clock hanging on the wall."Oh," I say, "it is lunch time."Just how long did I spend trying to get through Catherine's firewalls? This is the first time I've been challenged like this.Well, bring it on, I think. When it comes to tech and computers, I do love a good challenge.Alice and I walk out of my office, heading to the cafeteria. As we walk down the hallway, the crowd of staff members parts, clearing a free path forward.Huh.That's new. They must ha
Rachel's POVThere is nothing more difficult than going to work the next day. Normally, I would have used my position as Xander's assistant as an excuse to spend as much time as I can with him. But now I just want to stay away from him every chance I get.It doesn't help that I still haven't figured out how to get rid of Catherine.I've sent spies after her for now, though, and the plan is to uncover her worst secrets and reveal them to Lady Evelyn.Once she sees that Catherine is not what's best for Xander or the pack, she will withdraw her support and Catherine will be kicked out of the city. Maybe I can even convince Lady Evelyn to transfer her support to me, so I can be Luna instead…I don't think you still want that, Rachel, I think. It's obvious Xander hates you now.I've finally escaped to my office, where I open my messages, only to learn that the three spies I hired to follow Catherine have all gone missing. Damn it. I know she's dangerous, but who makes three people disappea
Xander's POVI can't stop thinking about Catherine's words as I drive back to the mansion. If there's one thing she was right about, it's that my mother would choose to believe her over me. Mother has always wanted me to marry Catherine, because she's from one of the oldest and most powerful families in the pack.Mother was disappointed when we broke up, and would only be too happy to believe that I somehow slept with Catherine during our time apart, and left her with child.There are ways for me to prove that if at all Catherine is pregnant, it's not for me, but Mother would surely get in the way of that.And once Catherine gains Mother's support, there will be nothing to stop her from blackmailing me with father's death.If I'm going to get out of this situation, I'll need an ally whom I can trust with the secret of how my father died. The first thought that comes to my mind is Allison.I reject it immediately.I've put Allison through enough. I won't drag her into this as well. How
Allison's POVI've been pacing from one end of Xander's living room to the other for what feels like forever. It's a surprise that I haven't worn a hole into his carpet yet."Miss Carter," Alice says from where she stands against the wall, "you need to calm down....""If you tell me to calm down again, I will bite you!" I scream, digging my hands into my hair.How am I supposed to calm down when Xander isn't back yet? He was going up against all those werewolves on his own when we left. Who knows what could have happened to him by now?"Miss Carter," Alice tried again, "the Alpha wouldn't want you to worry about him. He's more than capable of taking on a few wolves."When she took me out of that place, I had insisted on being brought to Xander's house. That way, I would know the exact moment he returns.I stop pacing and sink to the floor, burying my face in my hands. I feel so helpless.Alice approaches me, but she seems at loss about what to do. Her hand hovers uncertainly over my b
Allison's POVIt has been a while since Peterson left. I thought I heard sounds of a scuffle coming from a different room, but my inferior Omega senses made it difficult to make out much. I could only sit, testing the strength of the chain behind me.Suddenly, the door opens and a huge, unfamiliar man walks in. I tense up immediately."Who are you?" I demand."The one that led the operation to kidnap you," he replies casually."What do you want from me?" I ask. "Even you must realize that Peterson is being stupid by hiring you for a mission like this.""If I was working for that asshole, I would have said it's all for the money," he replies. "But I'm here because he's been put out of commission."My blood runs cold.Did they kill him? Are they going to kill me too?"If Peterson didn't hire you, then who exactly are you?" I ask."Arnold," he replies, as if the name is supposed to mean anything to me."And what do you want from me, Arnold?" I ask."I don't have any business with you, Lu
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